Sarah and Ashtarh looked at each other with a solemn expression and turned towards him.
'Once…just for once, I want to prove myself to my father. I am not my brother, I'll never be a Sovereign, but…I will be the best Dual Awakener there can be!'
'I am the spirit of Neptune Military! Everyone has hopes on me, I must win!'
Their auras exploded as they gathered everything they had. The three met in the middle and their fists connected in mid-air.
The air was still for a moment before shockwaves shot out in all directions.
The ground caved in under the pressure, forming a huge crater.
Slowly, the dust settled, revealing three bodies lying on the ground.
"Huf! Huf!"
Charles slowly stood up and coughed. Looking at the two geniuses that tried to get up and fail, his scarlet eyes shone.
His body slowly transformed back and he muttered with a weak smile.
"I…I won."
Sarah was on the verge of loosing consciousness, while Ashtarh lost all strength to move.
Charles staggered to them, almost falling several time, but he finally got their flags that were scattered around them.
Of course, since they were special items, they couldn't be stored in storage rings.
Ashtarh had two flags, Xavier had two flags and Sarah had one.
So, Charles immediately got three flags. He stroked them and sighed deeply.
"Finally…"
His legs transformed.
Whoosh!
He quickly found the two flags from Xavier and also picked the sixth from the platform.
"Hahahaha!" Charles' laughter echoed across the Laden Burrows.
"…Eliminate me." Ashtarh muttered with closed eyes.
Sarah opened her mouth but couldn't speak. But she too meant the same thing.
"Eliminate you? Hell no! Suffer! There's still some time before the trial ends." Charles' lips curled up as he smirked.
"You all ganged up on me, but you still couldn't win. Pfft. Pathetic. Is there anything more shameful than this?
The whole world will laugh at you!
Your people will be ashamed of you.
Every young genius who used to look up to you will now think you're a fake.
Savor that realization before the trial ends."
Each of his words struck Sarah and Ashtarh like an arrow.
Sarah could already see imagine her father's disappointed face and she could already imagine the words she feared he would say.
'When your brother was still alive, I was happy. And you…what did you do, Sarah?
You will never be equal to your brother. He could've been a Sovereign. You will never be one. It's your fate.
…Why are you alive? Why not him?
I wish I never had a daughter like you. Your mother and brother would also wish the same.'
Sarah's eyes turned red.
Her entire body was falling apart, and the pain was horrific. But she still bore it without screaming.
But this emotional pain…she forcibly closed her eyes, but the blood on her face was slowly washed away by her tears.
She also recalled Philia's face before she sacrificed herself. 'Win!'
'I'm sorry…I lost. I am a disappointment.' Sarah apologized.
"Haha! Are you guys for real?" Charles laughed with red eyes as he saw the painful expressions on Sarah's and Ashtarh's face.
"Enjoy! Think what your people would say! You can do until you're eliminated! Take your time! I'm leaving, hypocrite losers."
Charles put away the six flags and waved at them before his legs transformed and he shot outward.
On the way out, he coughed out blood from time to time.
The final blow dealt him great damage.
But his overall strength was greater than the two and thus, he was the last one standing.
Now, his strength had dropped drastically.
The best he could now do was low level 6.
It might not sound like much difference, but the Charles who just appeared in front of the trio could take care of ten such low level 6s with ease.
That was why…he was leaving.
He wanted to taunt and insult them, but he held back.
Because he was incredibly weak currently.
Even though the teams basically cleared all the creatures in the laden burrows, what if one or two escaped and they enter the flag area since everything quieted down?
He didn't want to take risks.
The way everyone attacked him and forced him to flee with serious injuries taught him a lesson.
Fame didn't matter.
Means didn't matter.
Only victor did.
And he won!
Now to keep that victory, he was doing what the previous Charles would never do.
Escape from the laden burrows to a safer place.
'Fortunately, I was cautious and cleared a safe area near the laden burrows. I can rest there.'
Charles sighed inwardly. Unexpectedly, he turned so cautious. He didn't like it. But whenever he wanted to do things the old way, he would recall the scene of all the teams suppressing him.
'Ashtarh, the best youngster of Neptune military!
Xavier, the disciple and grandson of Sovereign Kreo!
Sarah, the daughter of Evander and granddaughter of Albert!
Maissa, Tiama, Rodey, Marcus, William, Philia…everyone of you ganged up on me, but I still won!
I am better!
My name will reverberate across the federation because I will be the one to reach the level beyond Sovereigns and end the Abyssals!
This is who I am!
Charles Xander!'
As Charles smiled, he saw the exit.
His smile only grew further.
Everything ended.
Charles stepped outside and suddenly his instincts screamed at him.
"Roar!"
He rolled down on the ground and saw a six legged creature with a crystalline armor.
It exuded a…peak level 6 aura?
"Impossible!" Charles transformed into Demi-Wolf and yelled.
Peak level 6s won't appear outside!
After transformation, his senses rose and Charles immediately found out the reason!
It shouldn't work on him originally, but his weakened state had him fall into it, even if only for a moment.
"Illusion!"
He muttered with confusion and fear before a playful voice rang in his ears.
"Correct Answer. But too late."
"Huek!" Charles aura exploded and he kicked the ground, and was about to jump out of the illusion.
But right then—
The space suddenly solidified and stopped him just in time before a huge golden light flashed and engulfed him in its roaring lightning.
