As the battle commenced, the domineering showing only became more and more intense. Every minute that passed led to another tear in space, another array of shattered spatial fragments fluttering to the ground, and another mind-breaking spatial phenomenon that those in the crowd simply couldn't comprehend.
What…was this?
Even as they tried to watch the battle, it became difficult to concentrate. The eyes of some weaker geniuses began to bleed just by looking at the ongoing events.
Spatial confusion was incredibly powerful. Against someone who couldn't use the spatial layers as a medium for their senses, this kind of pseudo-illusion was deadly.
Their awareness would be twisted and mutilated until their spiritual world shattered, their five senses would be confused to the point of becoming utterly useless, unless one had the power to brute force their way through the confusion or the skill to continue fighting through instinct alone, they would be completely incapacitated by this single move!
"How…how are we supposed to fight against those monsters?" a young genius muttered. His spirit was immediately shattered upon witnessing the battle.
And he wasn't the only one. Many felt the same pressure, the same inferiority as they gazed upon what true strength looked like.
But they were a minority. Those who could join Hidden Death Valley…were never normal characters.
The dark elf Damien met when he first entered the King Bracket, Alec, watched the battle with shining eyes.
He'd learned his lesson previously. Weakness didn't stem from the body, and it didn't stem from talent. Regardless of the circumstances of one's birth, becoming a powerhouse was only a matter of effort.
This was the system set in place by the universe. No matter how unfair life was, as long as one had perseverance and a bit of luck, they'd reach the goals they always dreamed of.
Weakness stemmed from the mind. A cowardly or defeatist mentality such as the one possessed by many King Bracket contenders before Damien's arrival, this was the true difference between a genius and an ant.
This battle was proof. It was proof that even someone with no status or power to his name in the slightest could rise and become a shining star admired by all.
One day…one day he would become like that too.
Alec now had the mentality to do so.
And just like the previous young genius, he wasn't alone. His belief was shared by many, his drive was shared by many. An atmosphere of fiery determination seemed to envelop the stands as the gathered crowd watched the battle.
But this battle…was only just beginning.
Damien wouldn't let it end until he'd engraved it into Leon's mind.
A spatial practitioner was born to dominate. Becoming content in his role as an Overlord was pathetic.
If he was going to share Damien's elemental affinity, then he should have the spirit to match as well.
Damien's arms waved through the air like he was conducting an orchestra. The dimension was torn into pieces and remolded, countless Dimensional Cages stacked on each other like a Russian nesting doll, attacks from the Void Sword Art populated the air like clouds in their number.
Tens of thousands of kilometers of space were shattered and remolded. The arena floor was like a toy that Damien could play with as he pleased, even if the destruction wasn't at the same level as an attack like Worldbreaker, the connotation behind his current showing was far greater.
'He was hiding his power.' Leon surmised. The report he'd read didn't state anything like this. As he found himself trapped and barraged from every side, forced to use his strong physical body and pure level of existence to dodge and block the incoming attacks, he realized how naive he'd been to think Damien was as simple as the report stated.
This man was a monster. There was no other way to describe him.
'But if he's a monster…then that's all the better for me.'
Leon's mindset changed the instant the Space-Time River appeared. That mystical materialization was unlike anything he'd ever seen before, and just a single glance at its form made him feel countless sparks of insight forming in his mind.
Leon was the Overlord. It was his job to stop anyone from reaching the Emperor Bracket. Especially in this battle, he knew that many things were riding on his win.
But before he was an Overlord, he was a wanderer. He was a man who rose to prominence with nothing but his own determination supporting him. He was someone who would use any resource at his disposal to grow stronger,
What he saw in Damien was no longer an opponent he had to defeat, but instead a rival who he could battle and learn from to grow.
The instant his mindset changed, the entire meaning of the duel changed as well. Damien's attacks no longer looked like a rampant and domineering barrage, but instead a lesson.
He was trying to teach Leon.
Space wasn't weak.
Only its users were weak.
If one utilized space to its maximum potential…
'Void Sword Art Sixth Form: Worldbreaker'
It would become a monstrous ability that none could contend with.
The arena exploded once more. With space above and the earth below, Damien's essence pervaded all things and controlled them into destruction.
But at this point, Leon could no longer enjoy the magnificent scene.
'Ah, but I don't want it to end like this…'
Being a wanderer had just as many disadvantages as it did benefits. In Leon's case, this was mainly showcased in his lack of resources and proper training.
Without these two things, he encountered the same problem as Damien. He grew without learning to properly utilize his strength.
His mana capacity was weak. He'd only been able to expand it to 70,000 through the use of many treasures he'd gained through his journeys and through his years working in Death Emperor Star.
Before he entered the academy, he'd been stuck at a mere 40,000 units of mana regardless of how he tried to grow.
Because, unlike Damien, he didn't have the Devour ability to support him.
'…I'm sorry, but I can't let this battle end here.'
His apology wasn't to Damien, nor was it to anyone watching from the crowd.
He was apologizing to his own spirit, because the action he was about to take went against every bit of morality in his bones.
"You must kill him. Even if you don't have the ability to do it yourself, you still have to do it." A voice resounded in his ears.
It was a memory from just minutes before he entered the arena floor.
"If you find yourself in a situation where you're about to lose, take this pill. You will gain power you've never felt before. Use it to destroy him thoroughly!"
Leon knew what they wanted from him. He was being used by the major clans to do their dirty work again.
But he had no plans to use the pill. He at least had some minor protection in Hidden Death Valley, so even if he denied the orders given to him, he wouldn't face many repercussions.
Yet, the situation had changed.
He wasn't using the pill for the sake of others, no, he was using it so he could continue this battle, so he could learn the things he'd sought for years on end.
Leon hardened his gaze and took the dark red pull out of his spatial ring.
And without hesitation, he swallowed it into his body.
