In a dim room illuminated by simulation lights and the soft glow of a massive wall-mounted monitor, Lucy sat silently in her chair.
A tablet rested in her hand, its screen filled with flowing data and match statistics. Her expression was calm — almost indifferent — but her eyes were sharp as they scanned the screen.
Just like the novel… Michael is dominating the C-Rank individual duels. And Sofia won her rank as well.
Her gaze didn't waver.
But Thomas Tepson…
Her expression shifted slightly.
He wasn't here in the original story. And he definitely didn't win the B-Rank duels.
A quiet unease settled in her chest.
Have I already started altering the storyline? But how? I haven't done anything directly connected to him… unless it was a butterfly effect from something else I changed.
Her grip on the tablet tightened slightly.
Thinking about it won't change anything. What matters now is the duel between Michael and Nel. Let's see if the result stays the same… or if that has changed too.
"Now let the final duel between Michael and Nel begin!" the official announced.
The arena fell silent.
Michael stood at one end of the ring, a wooden sword gripped firmly in his hand. Across from him, Nel held a wooden spear, its tip pointed forward in a disciplined stance.
Without warning, Nel lunged.
Michael was ready.
I can increase my body with green energy. It's not much, but it should strengthen me enough… speed up my reflexes just enough.
The spear shot forward like a bolt.
Michael twisted his wrist and deflected the thrust to the side, the wooden weapons clashing sharply. He immediately countered, sending a strike toward Nel's head.
Nel reacted swiftly, pivoting and intercepting the blow with the long shaft of his spear. The impact echoed through the arena as he slid backward, creating distance.
He actually blocked that…
Michael's eyes sharpened.
I can't give him space. Not when he has a spear.
He rushed forward.
Nel's expression flickered with surprise, but he recovered quickly, swinging his spear forward in a wide arc.
Wood collided again.
They exchanged rapid strikes — blade and spear clashing in bursts of motion. Michael pressed aggressively, forcing Nel backward through sheer momentum. But Nel stabilized himself, deflecting one of Michael's strikes and instantly countering with a precise thrust.
Michael partially blocked it.
But not fully.
The spear grazed his side.
Pain flared across his stomach as his life points dropped on the watch strapped to his wrist.
He got me…
He grit his teeth.
I can't let the next one hit.
Nel reset his stance.
And then—
The air around him changed.
Yellow energy began to envelop his body, flowing like liquid light over his form. It coated his limbs… then wrapped around the wooden spear itself.
"Playtime's over, Michael. Time to get serious," Nel said.
He's boosting both his body and his weapon…
Before Michael could process the full implication, Nel exploded forward.
He was faster.
Much faster.
Michael barely managed to block the first strike, but the impact still slammed into his shoulder. His life points dropped again.
He's insanely fast…
A barrage followed.
Strike after strike.
Some broke through due to speed.
Others due to power.
Sometimes both.
Michael's breathing grew heavier. His muscles strained. His expression hardened with exhaustion as he barely managed to create a sliver of distance between them.
If he hits me one more time… it's over.
Nel prepared to finish it.
Guess there's nothing to lose now.
Suddenly—
The air shifted.
It grew heavier.
Nel instinctively stepped back.
Michael's wooden sword began to glow green as celestial energy coated the blade.
Focus. Sword coat with green energy. Boost my body with blue.
A sharp pain stabbed through his head.
"Argh—"
Fine… send some to my head. Boost my thoughts. My processing speed.
He redirected the flow.
Out of 41%, I can't use it all. Just 20% to the body. Specific muscles. Specific nerves.
He exhaled slowly.
His breathing stabilized.
His eyes shifted — a faint blue glow emerging within them.
And then—
Silence.
Complete focus.
Nel's body felt heavier.
What is this…? Nel thought. It feels like I'm facing something I can't beat.
But he attacked anyway.
The spear thrust forward.
Michael stepped aside effortlessly.
"Huh—?"
Before Nel could retract the weapon, Michael's blade was already descending.
Nel twisted desperately. The strike grazed the top of his head. His life points dropped.
He swung from the right.
Michael deflected it calmly.
Counter-thrust.
Nel barely blocked — and was thrown to the edge of the ring.
He tried to stabilize—
But Michael was already in front of him.
Nel unleashed rapid strikes in desperation.
Michael deflected every single one.
Calm.
Unfazed.
Unmoving.
Then—
Michael knocked the spear aside and struck Nel across the shoulder.
Nel dropped to one knee.
Michael raised his sword.
Nel tried to block—
But a sudden kick struck his supporting knee.
He collapsed fully.
Looking up at Michael, disbelief in his eyes.
"Seriously… what the hell…?"
The sword descended.
"The winner: Michael!" the official declared.
The arena erupted.
"Wow, what a match!"
"They're monsters!"
"If they're C-Rank, how strong are the upper ranks?"
"Probably even stronger—"
"Idiots! Think about beating them before thinking about ranks above!"
Michael sat down in the ring, staring at Nel.
I really beat him…
A faint, tired smile appeared on his face.
The gamble paid off. I can use half the power… instead of going all the way to 41%.
His thoughts drifted.
That state… I've never felt that before.
A quiet realization bloomed inside him.
I can train this. I can use it more. I know I can.
And then—
His body gave out.
He collapsed onto the arena floor.
In the monitoring room, Lucy watched silently.
"Wow… that was amazing."
But her eyes narrowed slightly.
Strange. When I read this fight in the novel, it felt powerful…
She leaned back in her chair.
But seeing it now… it looks weak.
A small smile touched her lips.
Maybe it's because I'm that much stronger than him now.
Her expression hardened.
Too many things have changed from the novel. I need to prepare for the unexpected.
The screen flickered slightly as the match ended.
Lucy continued watching.
Thinking.
Planning.
The story was no longer following the script.
And that made everything far more dangerous.