"Argh! Argh!" Charles screamed as the lightning pierced into his skin and seeped into his body.
A numbing sensation spread throughout and he was already in his Demi-wolf form, trying to resist the invading force.
After all, compared to his peak, it was a measly attack.
'Lightning Fury'
He recalled the source of the lightning attack as his body tried to fight it off. It was only seen in Thunder Shrine and could only exert the strength of a mid level 6's lightning blast.
If it was in the past, or even before he fought the trio, he would've easily brushed off the attack. But now…
"Arrggh!"
The lightning mana coursed through his body as it broke his blood vessels and roasted his skin.
His heart and brain were also came under attack but thankfully, his prana blocked off the attack, albeit with a huge cost.
It all happened in just a moment and the lightning disappeared as it was never present.
"Cough. Cough." Charles collapsed onto his knees as he coughed out blood and spit.
His huge demi-wolf body was now a charred black-red and he emitted a smell akin to a roasted magic beast.
His transformation wore off and he was back to his human form. There wasn't a single place that wasn't burnt and wasn't bleeding.
"You still didn't faint. I'm impressed." The playful voice resounded in his ears.
Charles' head was dizzy as he tried to raise his head. But even that proved to be a hassle.
That voice was oddly familiar. It wasn't someone he remembered as important, but certainly someone who made an impression on him.
But he wasn't in a condition to recall.
His body was falling apart and he knew he might collapse at any second. In fact, he was forcibly controlling resisting his brain's attempt to send him into a coma.
Even though he knew was already eliminated, and lost, there was one thing he absolutely needed to do before he was eliminated.
'Who are you? Didn't all level 6 agree to stay out? Now that you did this, do you think I will let you go?'
His body was dull and cold, but his heart was enraged and seared.
Drawing the strength from the depths of his body, Charles raised his head to see the one.
A well toned body came into his view. There were multiple injuries over the abdomen and arms to prove that he fought, but Charles couldn't even sense the other party's aura in his state.
But as he stared at the other party from below, Charles felt a sense of suffocation and suppression.
He was looking up at someone!
It was novel to him. Except for his father, he never looked up to anyone alive. But now…to a peer and to a normal level 6?!
'You're gonna regret everything. I promise to teach you a lesson.'
Finally, Charles saw the young man's face, bit by bit.
His lips were curled into a playful and amused smile. Those pitch-black eyes were staring right into his green eyes.
This face…
"Ver-Varian?" Charles exclaimed, paining his throat which rewarded him with a fresh mouthful of blood.
"Cough. Cough." The burning pain in his throat reminded him of his state and Charles stopped from yelling again and instead asked everything he wanted to know, everything he would've never thought as possible in one word.
"How?"
"Hahahaha!" Varian simply laughed at the question, his shoulders trembling as he looked at his former 'one-year target' on his knees, looking at him with a bloodied body and even bloodier face.
"I remember someone asked me to kneel." Varian shifted to a different topic.
Charles was confused. His mind was still dizzy and he couldn't recall asking him to kneel.
Varian's eyes narrowed and his smile receded. "Well, well. I guess you never took me seriously."
"In front of the dorm. Right after the opening ceremony." He spat with hatred.
"!" The fog in his mind was dispelled and Charles clearly recalled all his interactions with Varian.
Asking him to kneel for Narcis.
The next thing he knew was that Varian became Evander's disciple, got ambrosia and even reached level 5.
And he even hit the Honor List.
Charles was slightly disturbed that day…but not much. He was confident in himself.
Then suddenly, Evander rebuked him in front of everyone and now, he could clearly remember the words Varian said before they left for Rena planetoid.
'I will take your throne.'
His throne in the Amethyst list—the strongest cadet in the Defense Academy.
"Gulp!"
Charles never entertained the idea of such possibility, but now, he felt a sense of unease.
His memories also quickly recalled something.
During the matches, Varian's strength was peak level 5.
"P-Peak level 5?" He muttered, looking at the man two years younger than him.
Was it really just Ambrosia or was he hiding a bigger secret?
No. That wasn't the most important.
"How did you do it?" Charles asked again. "Who helped you? Where are the live 6s?"
As he said, he looked around, trying to find their traces. "Come out! There's no way a peak level 5 can do this! Even if you don't admit it, I can still find you."
His voice was filled with belief.
Belief that it was impossible for a level 5 to pull this off.
Even if Varian was a peak level 5, and stronger than all those messengers, how did he get those three things that made the attack on his possible?
An Illusion Formation.
Space Lock Formation.
Lightning Fury.
It's impossible!
That's why, there must be someone else.
Otherwise, if a peak level 5 could achieve this…
"Pfft." Varian chuckled and shook his head. "Are you feeling jealous or frightened that there is someone more talented than you?"
"No!" Charles said through gritted teeth.
"Sarah is more talented than you, but because she is a dual awakener, you didn't care.
But now that I'm here, you are painfully made aware that you are bound to lose."
"No!" Charles screamed, not caring if his throat burned from the injuries and he ended up spitting blood.
"Accept it. Your talent…" Varian almost talked about Sia. "Your talent is just that. I thought I'd need to work hard all the year to beat you. Looks like I'll need a few months at most."
Charles fiercely stared into Varian's eyes. The composure he had were long gone.
He wanted to be first. It was his destiny, his duty and his dream.
He needed to be the Savior. Everyone needed him.
"Impossible. I'm first. I'm always first!" Charles yelled, and his body trembled violently.
His consciousness was forcibly put to rest as his brain sent him to coma.
"First? Not anymore." Varian smirked.
He didn't eliminate Charles. It'd spoil the fun.
'I wonder how everyone will react.' Chuckling lightly, Varian picked up the six flags.
By default, these flags couldn't be placed in any storage rings. He caressed them lightly and looked up at the sky.
There was only some time left before the three-hour time limit of the trial ended.
"I…did it. I did it in an acceptable way." His eyes shone and he smiled peacefully.
"I won"
