The battle platforms connected as before, and the space between them expanded to accommodate the coming clash.

  Adrian sat directly on the floor, reclining to one side, hand propped under his chin with drowsy eyes. Outwardly, he looked no different than usual—still skeletal, his skin dry and devoid of any moisture. People instinctively feared him at first glance, avoiding him like someone diseased.

  The other three—Emrys Merinor, Ruby Voss, and the young master of House Partheon—stood around him, maintaining their distance. They remained silent, not looking at one another, as if their alliance displeased them all, lacking sincerity. They were here only for personal gain, because Adrian was powerful.

  This realization of dependence made the three silently agree to keep their mouths shut, hoping nobody would speak of this moment.

  Nathan didn't need to ask which one was Adrian despite never having met him before. The disciple of The Burning Autumn Lodge had a distinctive appearance. Moreover, he sat brazenly in front of three youths from Maelivar's major powers.

  The most pressing issue now was rest time. Unlike Nathan's team, Adrian's appearance suggested he had finished his previous match much faster. They'd had adequate time to recover, while Nathan and his teammates had not.

  This raised an unnamed worry within the four. How could anyone win so quickly?

  "Lady Emrys," Zeryn broke the silence. "It's unfortunate we stand on opposite sides of the battlefield."

  A soft laugh answered him. Emrys waved her hand dismissively, smiling.

  "You must forgive me. Randomness decides everything."

  "Quite bold, aren't you?" Adrian interrupted, his voice raspy. "Forgive you? What could you possibly accomplish?"

  Emrys, apparently accustomed to this tone, merely shook her head without responding further.

  "Nathan Reed!" Ruby Voss hissed. "You bastard!"

  Nathan suddenly felt uneasy. Relations between the two sides had clearly deteriorated.

  "Oh, it's the chef!" Adrian's eyes widened as he sat up straight.

  Ruby was about to continue when Adrian raised a hand to stop her.

  "Hey, I'd love to eat your cooking. A lot more than those small portions in the videos. You see, my stomach has quite the appetite!"

  Nathan glanced at the thin, diminutive youth and said, "I can treat you to all you want if you let us win this match."

  Adrian burst into laughter at this.

  "You opportunistic bastard," Ruby narrowed her eyes, her tone angry. "Remember what I warned you about. Didn't you choose to stay away from both House Voss and Merinor?"

  "Forgive me, my lady," Nathan mocked. "Randomness decides everything."

  Ruby shot an irritated look at Emrys, who had started this annoying response from Nathan.

  Emrys merely shrugged, her face maintaining its cheerful expression. The Partheon heir behind her stepped back further, signaling his complete detachment from the situation.

  Clearly, this alliance was built on shaky foundations. Adrian was the keystone.

  "Not a bad offer, is it?" Adrian stroked his chin thoughtfully.

  Seeing this, Ruby stepped forward, her voice rising warningly.

  "Adrian! Remember our agreement."

  "Too noisy, woman," Adrian grimaced.

  The rebuke made Ruby withdraw her hand, momentarily revealing fear before quickly regaining her composure.

  Nathan's team witnessed everything. Their concern grew.

  Adrian wasn't just terrifying to monsters but also intimidating to those considered the best of their generation.

  The diminutive genius tilted his head back, sighing deeply as if mistreated. Then he extended his hands toward his opponents.

  "You see, Nathan Reed! I have obligations to fulfill. If you'd met me earlier instead of them, even before meeting the talkative Miss Ruby here, you might have had a chance to bargain with me. But now, now I have my own principles. How unfortunate! As Emrys said, everything comes down to randomness."

  Emrys felt helpless as her small comment became the target of everyone's criticism. She silently cursed Zeryn for starting the conversation.

  The sword prodigy merely scratched his head beneath those judging eyes, turning to his teammates.

  With no alternative, all four nodded, readying themselves for battle.

  Nathan, not risking complacency as before, donned the armor he'd purchased from vendors before entering The Shifting Trials. From head to toe, he resembled a fully equipped high-ranking city guard.

  Beside him, his three companions still hadn't moved apart but remained clustered together.

  Nathan looked around in confusion and asked, "What's wrong?"

  All three fixed their eyes ahead as Adrian slowly, lazily stood up. A faint smile hung on the gaunt youth's lips.

  Only then did the system warn:

  Triggered [Tingling Sense]. One credit given.

  Triggered [Adrenaline Boost]. One credit given.

  "What the hell?" he muttered.

  Clearly nothing had been unleashed, yet an invisible pressure weighed upon everyone.

  "This is bad," Zeryn said.

  Before Nathan could ask why, Evelyn unleashed her full power. A cold zone with a radius of over three meters surrounded her. Tiny white particles dispersed throughout.

  Zahra and Zeryn couldn't help but rub their arms, shivering, only improving when they circulated mana through their bodies.

  Nathan's eyes widened in confusion.

  "Don't you feel it?" Zahra asked curiously.

  Nathan shook his head, bewildered.

  "The air getting hotter?" she waved her hands around.

  Hotter? he frowned.

  Physical Cultivation training in harsh environments increased resistance to those specific conditions. Having trained beside a Lava Drake and Winter's Heart Drop, his tolerance had shifted. His body automatically adjusted to necessary temperatures without him noticing.

  "Ready, young ones?" Adrian shouted excitedly.

  The top-ranked youth gently swept his hand forward, as if performing a dance.

  What Nathan witnessed next, he would never forget.

  Even facing the Lava Drake hadn't alarmed him this much.

  Waves of fire surged around them like intertwined serpents—ferocious, hot, brimming with vitality. They rose endlessly, layer upon layer. Within moments, the golden-orange flames engulfed everything.

  Nathan's team might as well have been thrown onto the sun's surface.

  The heat finally reached Nathan. His skin prickled, rapidly feeling as if it would roast completely.

  Seeing this, Evelyn intensified her efforts. Her hair floated despite the absence of wind. Her eyes focused intensely.

  Zahra moved to assist, creating two vortices from her hands that gradually expanded outward.

  But the fire consumed all air, biting and devouring ceaselessly. Before Zahra's wind could accomplish anything, it was scattered.

  Everyone understood the issue: Aspect quality. Not just higher Affinity, but other factors as well.

  Zeryn tried using his Sword Intent but discovered it useless. The surrounding fire far exceeded his expectations.

  "What has he endured?" Zeryn asked incredulously.

  The fire serpents constricted tighter, increasing their intensity. Before the four stood nothing but the golden-orange color of fire and more fire. The humming, crackling sounds accompanied the heat, rendering them helpless.

  Without Evelyn's protective ice field, all four would have burned to death long ago.

  Finally, they all understood why Adrian held the highest score among young talents. This power, this dominance—Tier 3 monsters were mere toys before him, to bend and play with as he pleased.

  Nathan tried to swallow in his parched throat.

  The Lava Drake battle, solving that challenge, overcoming the canyon, discovering the path to the finals, all had greatly increased his confidence. He'd thought himself no longer far behind the foremost talents. Yet Adrian delivered stinging slap after slap to his face. Even Zeryn revealed bitter resignation in his eyes.

  Adrian was simply too exceptional.

  This was just Caelindor. Outside existed other kingdoms, empires, holy lands, and hidden clans with young individuals no less outstanding than Adrian, perhaps even more so.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  If they struggled against Adrian, those others would defeat them with a single move.

  "Fire Seed and maybe, Divine Flame," Zeryn said, looking around with admiring eyes.

  "Both?" Zahra exclaimed. "That sounds terrifying."

  "Explain like I'm five, please," Nathan said irritably.

  Zeryn, without his usual teasing, patiently explained.

  "Cultivators with fire mana aspect typically have many developmental paths, more than other aspects because fire serves so many purposes. Through time, discoveries to strengthen fire have multiplied. Most notable are the two I mentioned. Fire Seed is more common. It's a natural treasure formed in the most scorching regions, or artificially created when a high-level fire cultivator condenses their essence into a single point day and night."

  A flame eruption interrupted Zeryn. He turned to the blue-haired girl struggling against it.

  "I want to test my limit," Evelyn whispered. "In the meantime, you can do anything you want."

  Hearing this, Zeryn continued.

  "It's called a Seed because it must be planted—swallowed. The Fire Seed's latent power erupts inside the cultivator's body. This requires extreme focus and suitable physique to absorb without complications. Many cultivators have greedily swallowed Fire Seeds without preparation. Their fate was to be burned until nothing remained, not even ashes."

  "So Adrian received help from the elders?" Nathan questioned.

  A head shake answered him.

  "The preparation I mentioned concerns mentality, determination, and individual capability. The fire within Fire Seeds possesses consciousness. Hence the need to plant and nurture it. As it grows alongside the cultivator's journey, Fire Spirits similar to golems can be created for combat. Such entities become increasingly temperamental and difficult to control when they sense an unworthy master who needs outside assistance."

  Nathan recalled accepting Berserker from Darkan. The situation must be similar. He understood his master's caution that day. The danger could have completely hindered his future path, rendering him useless, unable to return to Earth, perhaps even paralyzed on the spot, disabled for the rest of his life.

  He shuddered in empathy with the gaunt genius.

  The surrounding fire grew stronger, making everything appear as if within the eye of a storm. The heat clearly penetrated their targets inside, passing through the cold ice defense. Though the ice remained intact, their bodies grew increasingly hot.

  "This isn't even the frightening part," Zeryn continued. "Even more terrifying is Divine Flame. The suffering from Fire Seed compares to a grain of salt in the ocean beside Divine Flame, even in its weakened state."

  "Divine?" Nathan asked. "Like from above?"

  "Exactly," Zeryn nodded. "Whether gods still exist remains an eternal question. But Divine Flames can still manifest through universal operations. And you see, such immense power absorbed into a human's small body—the explosion and tearing it brings must be horrific."

  "So that's why he looks like skin stretched over bones," Nathan concluded.

  "Likely from possessing both. If he endured the Divine Flame absorption process first, then Fire Seed would seem like strolling through a park. Conversely, well, I dare not imagine. In either case, his existence has predetermined this battle's outcome for us."

  Nathan turned to Evelyn. Her delicate hands trembled. Sweat poured down her face and back. Everything was already beyond her capacity.

  Winter's Heart Drop combined with Evelyn's special physique might compare to Fire Seed. But against Divine Flame? No question, not even close.

  Her eyes locked onto him questioningly. He merely smirked. If possible, he'd have transformed into Titan's Berserker State already. With this transformation, he was confident he could challenge anything, even the genius among geniuses. Unfortunately, he'd used it earlier. And even if he hadn't, Darkan's warning would prevent him from recklessly revealing it.

  She gave Nathan a weak smile, slowly shaking her head. She'd wanted to test herself, to find opportunities for her teammates to fight. The result proved difficult to accept.

  "We should conserve strength for the next match," Zeryn offered a positive perspective on their predicament. "Matchmaking clearly doesn't allow much time to recharge. We need to lose strategically. And as I see it, no decision could be wiser or easier right now."

  Zahra sighed, saying, "I'd been skeptical hearing Adrian defeated a Tier 3 cultivator in the city arena. Now I think even several more Tier 3s wouldn't be enough for him."

  Evelyn withdrew her hands, the icy energy around her instantly weakening.

  For a second, they could feel their very souls wanting to evaporate as fire rushed in.

  Four pairs of eyes met, smiling bitterly.

  They raised their hands, tapping the black protective bracelets.

  The bracelets shattered, teleporting them to a distant area, escaping the golden-orange hell. In an instant, they returned to their platform, separated from Adrian's team, floating aimlessly without being matched to any opponent.

  Before them appeared a scoreboard showing 1:1, 1 win, 1 loss.

  Evelyn slowly sat down, taking out mana stones to replenish her depleted reserves.

  Adrian had clearly held back, not exerting his full power. Nathan suspected that even with Evelyn's ice layer, one thought from Adrian could have swept through them like a solar flare, leaving no time to react.

  "Damn, Nathan!" Zahra exclaimed. "Are you descended from black ravens?"

  Nathan needed a moment to remember Zahra was referencing his [Bad Omen] skill's prediction.

  He'd harbored a faint hope that even if victory wasn't possible, perhaps a draw might be. He knew how foolish and naive that thought was. The organizers surely ensured this couldn't happen.

  He truly wanted to delete this skill alongside [Bad Mouth]. Even if the future seemed frightening or guaranteed failure, he felt he should remain ignorant and try his hardest. Now he understood that knowing what would happen wasn't beneficial.

  "Rest up," Zeryn sat down and said. "The next fight surely won't be easy either."

  Yet he was the only one not meditating, his mind still pondering Adrian.

  After a while, true to Zeryn's words, the next battle proved challenging.

  They were matched with Lachlan's team.

  The two platforms collided, once again expanding.

  Lachlan, with his radiant face and bright eyes, spread his arms as if welcoming guests.

  "And so, we meet again, chef. We truly have a destiny."

  "Bad luck is something that never leaves people alone," Nathan cursed.

  "Now, now, don't be so harsh with each other," Lachlan said, tilting his head. "Especially toward someone preparing to give you a free win."

  Nathan furrowed his brow at this. His teammates similarly perked up, seemingly unable to believe what they'd just heard.

  Lachlan's team's score also appeared for all to see. 1:1, identical to Nathan's team. One more loss would make reaching the top 8 impossible.

  "You," Nathan pointed at his opponent, "will let me win this match?"

  "Well? Good deal, right?"

  "Damn good deal!" Nathan said frankly. "Then break your bracelet and leave this place."

  Lachlan bent backward, laughing loudly. He pretended to wipe tears from his eyes before saying, "Don't be so hasty. Cooking requires patience, doesn't it? Where did you throw that virtue away?"

  Then Lachlan raised his head, pointing to some undefined location.

  "Mute this area!" his voice permitted no refusal. "Otherwise, my words will be heard by everyone. You don't want that."

  Nathan's team was surprised by this action.

  Lachlan tilted his head as if waiting for something. He shrugged, refocusing on Nathan.

  "Forget those bastards. Their loss if they don't listen."

  "What are you doing?" Nathan asked.

  "Screw this up!" Lachlan answered indifferently, sitting in a chair his attendant had retrieved from a storage ring.

  Nathan narrowed his eyes, mind trying to decipher his opponent's intentions.

  "Nathan, oh Nathan!" Lachlan shook his head. "Don't you wonder why you're here? Is everything just coincidence?"

  "You mean everything is rigged," Nathan guessed.

  "Bingo! Your prize is this victory. Worthy, isn't it?"

  "I don't think I need to play along for you to continue, do I?"

  "Fine, fine. Such an impatient one," Lachlan moistened his lips before continuing. "Everything is for benefit, you agree? So our battle must serve that purpose. And for that to happen, we can't leave it to random chance. There must be intervention. My Artificer friend here used tools to discover your team had fought Adrian. Then you were matched with me despite other teams finishing earlier, ready to be paired with you? If not operating on an 'available teams get matched' basis, why were you paired with Adrian so quickly? No rest, no recovery time? Having witnessed Adrian's power, you surely understand how quickly he finished his match. Before you, my team wasn't matched either. I even thought I'd be chosen to welcome this unparalleled genius."

  Each question awakened Nathan. He'd entered The Shifting Trials merely to restore face after Nalani's humiliation before everyone. His mindset had never emphasized organizational issues.

  Indeed, he'd internally cursed countless times wondering why they had no rest period. If resource management was truly emphasized, forcing teams to strategically choose defeat, then what did Lachlan's words mean? What made Nathan's previous opponents special enough to avoid Adrian? Why was his team dragged away immediately after finishing?

  Bad luck offered a plausible explanation. But the numerous organizational flaws gradually forced Nathan to question many things—exactly Lachlan's intention.

  "This might seem far-fetched," the notorious troublemaker of Caelindor continued, "basis unclear. But you, Nathan, you're the clearest evidence. And if you want more, there is the L-shape thingy. They blatantly showed it to you."

  "Me?" Nathan couldn't suppress his curiosity.

  "You just fought my purple-robed gravity-controlling friend. Sadly, he lost, but you all proved your capability. I heard where he discovered the chef completely drained of strength. So I curiously went to the volcano location. And I know everything."

  "Is that possible?" Nathan turned to ask Zeryn.

  "It is," Zeryn confirmed. "By analyzing residual mana traces, disturbed wave patterns from combat, one can determine what happened. Naturally, this skill requires careful study and research, especially frequent application. Not surprising he possesses it, being military with many practice opportunities."

  Lachlan clapped, confirming.

  "Correct. I used environmental remnants to learn a Lava Drake had been there. Nathan, you truly surprised me. Strong enough to kill such a monster. You have my acknowledgment."

  "Who wants that?" Nathan said coldly.

  "You might," Lachlan smiled. "Anyway, didn't you wonder why that monster was so absurdly powerful? Already in a favorable environment, it also possessed a powerful item perfectly suited for its development. Too much, don't you think?"

  "The monster was designed to be unbeatable," Nathan realized.

  "Exactly. Unfortunately, it encountered you and the blue-haired girl. Even I would have hesitated about defeating that Lava Drake. You always surprise me, Nathan. Physical Cultivation I know isn't that powerful. That bloodline truly makes people envious."

  Nathan shuddered, both from the frightening youth's gaze and his teammates' scrutinizing looks. Even Zeryn didn't know his power's origin.

  "That's why I say this event is manipulated," Lachlan looked around to indicate The Shifting Trials. "Like previous events. Playground for the young my ass. Authorities everywhere arrange everything for their factions' children to enjoy national benefits. Adrian is one example. Houses Partheon, Merinor, and Voss all had prior agreements with him. And Nathan, guess why such complications?"

  "Because of what the Empire promised," the idea flashed in Nathan's mind.

  "You're still perceptive," Lachlan snapped his fingers appreciatively. "Previous city events weren't nearly as blatant as this one. We're meeting now because you and I have cultivated a mutually hostile image. This creates discussion topics and heats up betting. More views focus on us, advertisements become more effective, money just flows in. It's all business. For proof, let me make a prediction."

  Lachlan looked at the others in the group. He tilted his head thoughtfully before saying excitedly, "The next team will surely belong to the arrogant Zhanyu. Why? Let's see. Because blue-hair here is connected to Reza, her unabashed pursuer. And Nathan, you're a thorn in his side. Isn't this a hot topic for discussion? So dramatic. If I were them, I wouldn't miss it."

  Nathan and Evelyn simultaneously shifted uncomfortably. Not because Lachlan's words were harsh, but because it could indeed happen.

  "Furthermore," Lachlan continued, "Lady Sigrid would certainly want to fight you, Zeryn Valtaris. What do you think, sword genius?"

  Zeryn said nothing, merely closing his eyes slightly, standing with folded arms.

  "So you're doing all this to rebel against those above? You hope to bring change?"

  "That's how an arrogant person speaks," Lachlan suddenly became serious.

  He leaned forward in his chair, looking directly at Nathan.

  "I'm not foolish enough to overestimate myself like that. Bringing change is impossible. The weak have places for the weak. We should accept our roles as pawns in the grand scheme of things."

  Another person using the chess comparison, just like Darkan.

  "What I'm doing is little different from a hedgehog bristling its quills. Looks scary, but touch it and it still dies. Yes, I'm a pawn, but if I can bite back, cause irritation, I will. And what could be more effective than denying them the show they want? I'll give you victory because I believe the betting odds favor my team over yours."

  "You just praised me but now you're so confident?" Nathan smirked.

  "I have grounds for confidence. Unless you can demonstrate the power that defeated the Lava Drake. Which you would have done against Adrian if possible."

  Nathan once again felt inferior before his opponent. Everything seemed exposed.

  "We could test it right now," Nathan said firmly.

  Lachlan laughed heartily, eyes gleaming with joy.

  "We will fight, Nathan. Someday, but not today. That will be a historic battle, entering legend. We'll clash when that different time comes. Not today."

  Nathan couldn't suppress the glorious feeling Lachlan's words brought. His mind involuntarily conjured images of a magnificent, grand battle leaving impressions for years afterward. He suddenly understood why Lachlan could attract so many young people.

  "You still want to advance," Lachlan said. "So I'll withdraw. Anyway, I wouldn't gain anything worthwhile here. They hate me so much they'd find ways to cut my rewards."

  "Well then, thanks?" Nathan replied.

  "You're welcome. Still, I must thank them for giving me this opportunity to meet you here. Outside, we couldn't speak like this."

  "Isn't this what you wanted to tell me?"

  "What? These trivial things? No! Just want you to know how fucked up the system is. What I wanted to tell you is something else."

  "And that is?"

  "You've met him, haven't you? The man in white? The one who forced you to reveal your full potential."

  Nathan's face hardened, stunned that he could learn about this mysterious figure so soon from someone completely unexpected.

  Become an Energy Maestro.