Most of the Clouds living in the Hibye were standing or floating near the central arena.
They all wanted to see this warrior getting stomped out like a bug.
Eventually, it was time for the duel.
Everyone waited with interested expressions as Lucin entered the arena.
"Today, we will be holding one to three duels, depending on the outcome," Lucin said. "Our first and maybe only duel will be between Cloud Erel and Cloud Shang."
"Shang, huh?" some of the onlookers muttered under their breath.
So, that was the name of the warrior.
Of course, no one had ever heard of Shang.
"Combatants, enter the arena," Lucin commanded.
A second later, Erel entered. He wore white and grey robes, his eyes and hair sharing a similar color scheme.
In any other place, Erel's appearance would make him look like a once-in-a-century genius, and everyone would be able to tell that he was outstanding.
But here, he was just like anyone else.
Everyone was outstanding.
Erel stepped into the several-kilometer-wide arena and waited on one end. Duels would start with both combatants on opposite sides of the arena.
And then, it was Shang's time to enter the arena.
Everyone looked over at Shang with interest.
Shang was still using his Shroud to keep himself invisible from Spirit Senses due to habit, but Shroud didn't work on even a single one of the Clouds. Even several of the High Mage Clouds could see through it.
Shang's Shroud had been incredibly effective in the outside world, but here, it was useless.
The perception of all of these Clouds was just too insane.
However, the Clouds were still intrigued by Shang.
First of all, he didn't have eyes, which was very unusual. Sure, there had been one guy that had also spent some time without eyes, but that had been only temporary to comprehend a Concept. If that person had entered battle, he would have regrown his eyes immediately.
But this warrior was entering a battle without eyes.
Why?
What was the point?
There was literally no reason to do that.
Was he so arrogant that he believed he didn't need his eyes to win?
But his lack of eyes was not the only thing that intrigued everyone.
The other thing was his Aura.
Sure, everyone had very unique, colorful, and bright Auras here, but this warrior's Aura was bright in a very unusual way.
There were plenty of outstanding Auras that cast a certain light on some people.
Some people had this charismatic and confident Aura that made them seem like born leaders.
Some people had this innate feeling of control around them, almost like they knew what everyone around them would do before even they knew what they would do.
Some people had this dark and domineering Aura that made them seem like an ancient evil that had been asleep for thousands of years just to return and wreak havoc on the world.
Some people had this heroic Aura of an extremely powerful hero chosen by the Mage God himself.
There were so many Auras, and all of them were outstanding and unique.
But Shang's Aura was different.
The intensity of Shang's Aura was just as strong as everyone else's, but in contrast, it was like Shang's Aura was empty.
Shang's Aura was a very intense emptiness.
His Aura almost made it seem like the world around him was losing color and becoming grey.
It was like he was a corrupting influence on his surroundings.
All of this was just a mental image created by closely examining Shang's Aura. Obviously, his Aura didn't change the world around him or anything like that.
It was simply how his Aura portrayed him to be.
All in all, the Clouds felt like Shang's Aura wasn't human.
There was no charisma, hate, anger, friendliness, respect, disrespect, happiness, sadness, love, or anything human in his Aura.
There was just nothing.
It was like Shang had no capacity to feel emotions or make any coherent thoughts.
It was like he was just following his instincts like a mortal worm in the ground.
He didn't know what he was doing or why he was doing it.
He was just doing it.
Aimless, thoughtless, brainless, goalless, emotionless.
This was how Shang appeared to everyone around him.
The Mages weren't quite certain what they should think of him, but most of them still ended up looking down on him.
How did such a simple and aimless idiot enter the Hibye?
What happened to the Lightning Manor?
This used to be a good place for only the strongest of Mages.
Lucin looked at Shang and Erel. "Are both of you ready?"
SHING!
Erel summoned his Focus, which was taller than him and extremely ostentatious.
This Focus was probably incredibly expensive and powerful!
"Ready," Erel said emotionlessly.
SHING! SHING!
Then, two things appeared in Shang's hands.
In Shang's right hand was a huge and curved sword, his Addum.
In Shang's left hand was a long and thin metal bar, his Subsis.
The Mages looked with interest at Shang's weapons.
They could feel that Shang's weapons were harder and more durable than Early Ancestral Beasts.
For the first time, the Mages were impressed by a warrior, but not due to his power.
It was just very strange and unreal to see someone on their level lift something that insanely heavy.
They couldn't even attempt to lift something like that with their mind or body. It was just too brutally heavy.
But here, a warrior stood calmly in the middle of the arena while carrying two of these things.
Powerful or not, Shang's physical strength was very impressive to the Mages.
"Ready," Shang said.
Lucin nodded. "Then, Three…"
Erel's Focus began to spin rapidly.
"Two…"
Shang didn't move.
"One…"
Erel's Focus sped up even more and began to shine in a bright light.
At the same time, Erel's left hand moved through the air in front of him.
The world in front of him seemed to change.
Waves spread out from him.
The wind slowed down and stopped at several places as time seemed to stop.
The snowflakes started to hover in the air without moving.
The world was stopping.
An irresistible feeling of age and destiny seemed to fill the arena.
It was like the end of times had approached.
Existence was about to cease to matter.
Eternity in an instant.
And as Erel's Focus began to brighten, it seemed like the true end had approached.
An eternity in light.
Everything is everywhere at the same time.
Perception stopped being relevant as there was no change to perceive.
Everything was everywhere.
"Go!"
An impossibly bright light encompassed the arena.
All sight was taken from the onlookers along with their Spirit Sense.
Everything was filled out with light, and their Spirit Senses stopped expanding.
They were blind.
It was impossible to perceive one's surroundings.
And then, all the Light was pulled into one tiny spot, so fast that only the Ancestral Mages could perceive it while it was happening.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The barrier around the arena shook with incredible force.
Lucin took a deep breath in shock.
The Clouds were confused.
The warrior stood where Erel had once stood, covered in blood.
But where was Erel?
Was this one of Erel's Spells?
Was he using Light to become invisible?
"Winner: Cloud Shang," Lucin said with a quiet voice.
