It was very late, yet Teshia was still walking on the balcony towards the competitors' dormitory. On each shoulder of the young man perched a miniature dragon. As for the other owner... thinking this, he turned to look behind.

    Like a walking corpse!!

    Kyre walked absentmindedly, reflecting on the past competition. His body was covered with numerous small wounds, while the major ones had been magically healed by field medics to the point of leaving no trace. Yet, he walked as if he had breath but no soul. Is this what they call being out of it? Teshia shook his head and remarked coolly,

    “You didn’t really lose.”

    He then reflected back on that moment.

    In the silence, two power-infused swords clashed violently. When they collided, a curtain of smoke dispersed around, obscuring everyone's vision. But soon, the smoke gradually faded, revealing two figures that had fallen together on the arena floor.

    Could this battle end in a draw?!!

    Thump... Thud!!

    “The winner is Kyre Zeviousa, the warrior of Feris!!” The announcement made Teshia smirk at the corner of his mouth and shake his head. Kyre's sword really saved his life.

    The sweet-faced young man thought so. The good warrior survived because he used his sword to support himself at the last moment. Without it, he would have fallen just like Desen.

    But for the general public, Kyre was truly skilled to have taken down the fifth-ranked assassin of the Assassin's Guild. However, for Teshia, that still wasn’t enough to raise his eyebrows because, in reality, he knew best that this wasn't the full strength and skill of the fifth-ranked assassin.

    “It’s because of the win that I am sore. I let him have it multiple times,” Kyre continued to grumble irritably, but it seemed like he had an idea as he quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out a golden card.

    “This is the competitor's card. They said to keep it with you and not lose it. It's used to open the room and also to identify yourself in front of the judges,” Kyre explained, handing the card to the slender young man.

    “Oh, right, the room number is on the back of the card,” Kyre added as Teshia flipped the card to check his room number since they had reached the competitors' dorm, but he still didn’t know which room was his.

    “I'll head off first, Teshia. See you tomorrow. Let's go, Fera,” as soon as he finished speaking, the lava dragon flew from the shoulder of the young man with blue hair to perch on its owner’s arm before Kyre opened his own room door and entered.

    It wasn't long before Teshia reached his room. The young man opened the door to his assigned quarters, entered with Fok, and closed the door behind him. His icy blue eyes swept across the room to ensure no one was present and there were no magical surveillance spells. Once certain, the young man's form reverted back to that of Princess Teselia Atia of Dark.

    Teselia looked around the room thoughtfully. She pondered whether she should continue to stay or use this moment to slip away. The meaningless competition had never truly interested her from the beginning.

    However, part of her resisted the idea of leaving, whispering to her that it would be the same anywhere else. She had come here wanting to learn more about humans and dragons, so staying a little longer wouldn't hurt.

    Deciding to stay and watch the situation a bit longer, she walked to the window and opened it. Her beautiful face looked up at the moon before a wicked smile spread across it. With a flick of her hand, a piece of white paper appeared in her grasp, detailing the events of the night.

    "It's time, Fok," Tesia said to the Twilight Knight, and as expected, when her young master called, Fok responded readily.

    The young lady read the note as Fok darted out the window before expanding back to his original colossal size.

    Whoosh... The small piece of paper in her hand ignited into flames, turning to ash. It was a precaution to keep the secrets from leaking.

    "It's time to hunt," the slender figure leapt onto the back of the Twilight Knight. Fok roared once more before the pair soared into the darkness.

    Boredom... was the word echoing in the young man's head, though his icy blue eyes remained emotionless.

    Dullness... followed, even as his eyes continued to watch the ongoing combat and didn't shift away.

    "You're bored, right?" Kyre remarked, knowing well. But it was expected since his red-haired friend had already fought three rounds in contrast to him, who had to wait for the final round. Teshia nodded but added nothing further.

    "Serves you right for being so skilled," Kyre commented bitterly as his sea-green eyes scrutinized the person before him. Yet, he had to admit... the fellow was intimidating.

    Given Teshia's displayed skills, the judges had decided to move him directly to the finals after one more morning and one afternoon match.

    "So, have you ever feared death?" the young man with red hair casually asked to pass the time.

    "Whose death are we talking about?" Teshia replied coolly, treating it as a common question one might ask in conversation.

    "It concerns oneself and those you love," said the warrior, causing the young man with icy blue eyes to raise an eyebrow. But soon, Teshia replied sarcastically, his heart, long sealed off, harbored no love.

    "If it's about myself..." the person being asked began, smiling coldly, his blue eyes devoid of any emotion as if to signal that nothing could shake his heart.

    "I've never been afraid." Death… why fear it when he faces it daily and already knows his ultimate fate?

    "And what about those you love?" Kyre asked, noticing his friend had gone silent.

    "I'd be afraid, I suppose," Teshia answered emotionlessly, since he had no one to love.

    "Wow, that's really impressive. But it'd be even more impressive if you changed your tone a bit," the redhead quipped, noting the ever-indifferent tone and expressionless face. Was he really afraid, or not?

    But Teshia chose not to engage further in banter with the warrior. Instead, he leapt into the arena as the announcer called his name.

    "Teshia versus Noever," the announcement caught Teshia slightly off guard, familiar as he was with this name.

    His icy blue eyes studied the taller man before him, but his curiosity soon turned to amusement when he recognized him. This was... the third-ranked assassin, known as the Invisible Light!!

    Noever drew his sword from its sheath. The sword, ordinary to any onlooker but known among assassins… the sword of the person in front was known for its extraordinary ability to morph at will. It was the Sword of Phantom Light, just like the light…light that was invisible.

    "Three," the young man scanned around for escape routes, knowing he had to be extra cautious in a face-off against this man.

    "Two," the grip on the sword of the Invisible Light-named assassin tightened, his posture ready to strike. Like any assassins, they wished to be the hunter, and none waited to become prey. Hence, the typical demeanor of assassins in the heat of the contest often leaned towards initiating the attack first.

    "One, begin!" As the command was given, the figure before him vanished, with murmurs of awe from the crowd as Teshia focused on the sound of the incoming sword.

    Whoosh... as the opponent approached, Teshia merely sidestepped, allowing the sword to pass by. For the top-ranked assassin familiar with his opponent's skills, there was no need for panic or worry. By not attacking first, Teshia was giving his opponent a move.

    "Thought it would be that easy, did you?" Noever growled when he saw how effortlessly the other dodged his blade. Moreover, the nonchalant demeanor of his opponent was more infuriating than the dodge itself.

    Suddenly, the sword that shot past Teshia whipped back towards him like a serpent. His beautiful blue eyes widened as the blade sliced towards his face. His mind calculated instantly: he couldn't dodge in time... it was over!!

    Clang!!

    Noever's eyes widened in astonishment before he swiftly withdrew his sword, eyeing the long knife in the blue-haired young man's hand with scrutiny. The knife, pulled from the sleeve, seemed ordinary, but in a moment of clumsiness, the opponent had managed to block his sword strike just in time.

    Had Teshia not drawn the knife, Noever wouldn't have even noticed that the young man had such a dangerous item hidden on him, perfectly concealed...

    The icy blue eyes maintained their cool demeanor, but a menacing smile crept across his face. This was not to be underestimated.

    The knife was gripped ready for combat. Though his opponent was skilled, Teshia used only the long knife, not a sword or larger weapon. It wasn’t out of arrogance but knowledge of his opponent. He knew the assassin hadn’t used his full strength yet. It looked like the third-ranked assassin had definitely suppressed his remaining power. Otherwise, the arena and surrounding areas would have been devastated.

    "Aren't you going to use a sword?" The question was posed to Teshia, who just shrugged. Since his opponent wasn’t using full force, he felt no need to take advantage.

    "No need," Teshia responded coldly. Both knew that unleashing their full power was pointless, as even a destructive battle wouldn’t determine a true winner.

    The assassin’s sword swished to the side, now flexible like a whip but still sharp as a blade. And he swung it again towards the young man, who swung the knife in response.

    Clang… The sound echoed throughout. The young man deftly dodged the blade and was gone in a flash as soon as his feet touched the ground, as if he had never been there.

    Seeing his efforts futile, Noever retracted the Phantom Light Blade, which glowed briefly before morphing again. When the light faded, only the hilt remained. Now Teshia had to be even more on guard, not expecting the other to use this ability. His opponent might be constrained in power and other abilities, but he wasn’t about to let his sword be subdued.

    "Let’s end this," Noever declared before sweeping the sword hilt in a full circle with unreserved force.

    Whoosh... Teshia’s acute hearing didn't miss the approaching sound. Instinctively, he raised the long knife for defense.

    Clang... the collision resonated, the screeching metal grating painfully. Teshia gritted his teeth as the force slammed the knife in his hand, pushing it closer towards him.

    He hated being at a disadvantage and pressured. So enough was enough...

    Teshia raised his hand, a large orb of energy forming above his palm, and without hesitation, he hurled it at Noever with perfect aim.

    Boom... the explosion echoed across the arena, a thick smoke screen enveloping the space. The audience was on edge, especially Kyre, who was practically off his seat. But soon, a piercing noise emerged from the smoke, forcing everyone to cover their ears. It was a sign that despite the visual barrier, the two were still clashing.

    The high-pitched sounds continued for a while but eventually ceased as the smoke began to clear, revealing the young man with blue hair standing resiliently on the arena floor, holding only the hilt of his knife. His blue eyes were still cold but tinged with displeasure as he glanced down at the hilt in his hand. Time to find a new weapon again...

    Beside him, Noever, the third-ranked assassin, lay defeated nearly at his feet, his body marked by knife wounds while the Phantom Light Blade, reverted to its original form, lay nearby.

    "The winner is Teshia," announced the victor, almost disinterested as he walked to the edge of the arena and leapt down, ignoring everyone around him.