The moment Shetj's mask shatters, and his face is revealed, the battle freezes.
Maelak's roar echoes across the arena.
"Horuk!"
"You are not dead!"
The entire arena falls into stunned silence.
For several seconds, neither of the two fighters moves.
The crowd begins whispering among themselves.
Many spectators do not understand the name.
"Horuk?"
"Who is Horuk?"
"Why does Maelak look like that?"
People begin turning to those seated beside them, asking questions.
Slowly, the story spreads through the arena.
Horuk.
One of the most talented students of the Capital Alchemy Academy.
A prodigy who once rivalled Maelak himself.
Many believed he would become one of the greatest young alchemists of the continent.
But a year ago, everything changed.
Horuk was suddenly accused of committing a serious crime.
The authorities demanded that he surrender for punishment.
Instead, Horuk fled.
A chase followed through the capital streets.
The pursuit ended near the Red River.
Witnesses claimed Horuk fell into the raging waters during the escape.
Nobody was ever recovered.
Later, investigations revealed that the accusation against him had been false.
But by then Horuk had vanished.
Most people believed he had died in the river.
Now he stands alive in the arena.
Whispers ripple across the stands like waves.
Above the arena floor, Verena sits among the spectators.
The moment she sees Horuk's face, her eyes begin to glisten.
Her heart trembles.
She instinctively rises from her seat.
But before she can move further, her mother, beside her, grabs her arm and pulls her back down.
Her aunt leans close and whispers quietly.
"Do you remember why Horuk was falsely accused?"
The words strike like cold water.
Verena closes her eyes briefly.
A year ago, she had openly shown concern and admiration toward Horuk.
Her attention had angered powerful people.
Soon after, the accusation appeared.
The memory still haunts her.
Verena slowly regains control of her emotions.
Her expression becomes calm again.
No one around her sees the turmoil inside her heart.
Down in the arena, Horuk looks directly at Maelak.
His voice is steady.
"How can I die… if you are still alive?"
The crowd murmurs louder.
Many begin wondering whether Maelak had something to do with the false accusation.
Maelak ignores the whispers.
He sneers coldly.
"Let's see… who kills who."
A deep growl rises from his throat.
Suddenly, crimson scales begin spreading across his skin.
Gasps erupt across the arena.
Among the powerful noble houses, bloodline alchemy flows through their families.
These bloodlines carry ancient alchemical power.
When awakened, they guide their descendants directly toward the Title Alchemist stage.
Maelak's bloodline reveals itself fully.
His body begins to transform.
Red scales cover his arms, chest, and legs.
His hands and feet stretch into sharp claws.
His body expands into a towering half-dragon form.
A low roar vibrates in his throat.
His eyes burn with fierce red light.
Many spectators cry out in fear.
Most of the crowd consists of ordinary citizens.
They know what such noble bloodlines represent.
Power.
Privilege.
Oppression.
Seeing Horuk standing alone against such a monster, sympathy spreads through the crowd.
Voices begin shouting.
"Horuk!"
"Be careful!"
Many of them relate to him.
Like Horuk, they too live beneath the dominance of powerful houses.
In the arena, Horuk's expression becomes solemn.
He takes a slow breath.
Resolve fills his eyes.
Without hesitation, he reaches into his robe and throws several metallic seeds onto the arena floor.
The seeds strike the ground and sink slightly into the stone.
Horuk channels his energy into them.
"Rise."
The seeds tremble.
Then they begin growing rapidly.
Metallic trunks extend upward like sprouting trees.
But instead of branches, long blades form.
The metal edges gleam sharply while the bases remain formed of hardened wood.
One sword appears.
Then another.
Then dozens.
Soon, a hundred swords stand around Horuk in a circular formation.
The arena gasps again.
Maelak sneers with contempt.
"Accept your death."
He raises one clawed hand.
A dark alchemical formation appears above him.
The formation is different from ordinary spells.
The runes within the array glow with eerie black light.
"Special Alchemy: Calamity Fire."
The runic circle expands in the air.
A red dragon emerges from the array.
Its body burns with terrifying flame.
The dragon roars and releases a massive torrent of fire toward Horuk.
The attack floods across the arena like a crimson tidal wave.
Horuk remains calm.
His eyes sharpen.
"Cut."
The hundred swords around him suddenly move.
They form a massive alchemical array.
Energy flows between them like lightning.
At the centre of the formation, a colossal energy sword appears.
The blade rises high into the air.
Then swings downward.
The giant sword sweeps toward the incoming dragon fire.
The two attacks collide.
Fire crashes against pure cutting energy.
For a moment, the arena glows with blinding light.
Then both attacks collapse together.
The dragon fire scatters.
The energy sword shatters.
The explosion shakes the entire arena as the final battle truly begins.
Flames scatter across the battlefield while fragments of shattered energy swords dissolve into the air. For a brief moment, the arena floor disappears beneath smoke and heat.
Then Maelak roars.
His half-dragon body expands with violent energy as his bloodline erupts again.
"Special Alchemy: Calamity Fire!"
An eerie array blooms above his head. Black runes circle within the formation like cursed stars, and from the array, torrents of crimson flame crash toward Horuk.
The fire does not behave like ordinary flames.
It spreads like a devouring storm.
Horuk does not move forward.
He stands like an ancient tree in the middle of a raging sea.
His hundred swords rise together.
"Formation: Iron Forest Defence."
The blades rearrange instantly, forming layered walls of cutting energy. The Calamity Fire crashes against them, exploding into waves of burning light.
Horuk's swords tremble but hold.
Maelak attacks again without pause.
"Special Alchemy: Calamity Eruption!"
The arena floor bursts apart. Pillars of molten fire erupt upward like volcanic blasts. Several swords are thrown into the air, but Horuk calmly redirects them.
The formation changes.
"Formation: Falling Blade."
A rain of metallic swords descends toward Maelak like a storm.
Maelak sweeps one claw forward.
"Special Alchemy: Calamity Thunder!"
Lightning infused with crimson fire bursts from his body. The thunderbolt shatters dozens of falling swords and detonates against the arena floor.
The battle grows ferocious.
Maelak attacks like a tsunami.
Spell after spell pours from his bloodline.
"Calamity Fog!"
Black mist floods across the battlefield, carrying scorching sparks of fire within it.
Yet each spell drains him.
Every time he casts one of the calamity techniques, his aura shrinks slightly.
The spells do not belong to his mastery.
They are embedded within his bloodline.
And the bloodline is burning itself out to sustain them.
Horuk sees this.
But he does not rush.
He remains steady like a mountain.
His sword formation shifts constantly between offence and defence.
Blades weave together into shields.
Then split apart into killing formations.
"Formation: Thousand Edge."
The swords surge forward in waves, slicing through the Calamity Fog.
The clash shakes the arena again.
The intensity of the battle spreads beyond the stadium.
People across the city begin hearing the thunder of spells.
Soon, more spectators arrive.
Alchemy vehicles glide through the air.
Flying carpets appear around the arena walls.
Broomsticks hover beside floating discs.
Many alchemists simply rise into the air themselves.
The sky above the arena fills with watchers.
Everyone wants to witness the duel between two legendary young geniuses.
Inside the arena, neither fighter stops.
The spectators watch with bated breath.
Even many neutral noble houses quietly support Maelak.
For them, the battle has become symbolic.
A noble heir against a fallen citizen.
Power against defiance.
Flames roar.
Swords flash.
Time passes.
Gradually, Maelak's movements grow heavier.
The burning of his bloodline drains him.
His aura weakens.
Horuk notices.
For the first time, he prepares a killing strike.
His swords gather together.
"Final Formation: World Cutter."
All remaining blades combine into a single gigantic sword of energy.
The blade descends toward Maelak with terrifying force.
The arena gasps.
This strike will end the battle.
But before the blade can reach him—
A powerful aura erupts from the noble seats.
A figure appears instantly between Maelak and the descending sword.
The attack shatters against an invisible barrier.
The man stands tall, robes blazing with golden light.
Maelak's grandfather.
A Title Alchemist.
The Sun Dragon Alchemist.
Gasps echo across the arena.
The rules of the competition have been broken openly.
But the Title Alchemists seated nearby do not interfere.
They all belong to noble houses.
None of them wishes to oppose the Sun Dragon Alchemist.
High above, Kaelan remains seated.
His eyes narrow slightly.
For a moment, he considers launching a purge.
Removing every piece of corruption in the arena.
But he does not move.
He simply watches.
Below, the Sun Dragon Alchemist turns his gaze toward Horuk.
His aura presses downward like a mountain.
"Kneel," he says coldly.
"And I will spare you."
The pressure crashes onto Horuk.
His body bends.
Blood runs from his mouth, and wounds reopen across his skin.
But Horuk does not kneel.
He remains standing.
Even as his body hunches under the crushing force.
In the audience, Verena suddenly stands.
"Stop!"
But her father grabs her and covers her mouth, holding her firmly in place.
Several Title Alchemists nearby begin watching with interest.
Horuk's resolve attracts their attention.
Some even prepare to intervene.
The Sun Dragon Alchemist notices.
His expression darkens.
He decides to end the matter instantly.
"Die."
Above his hand, a miniature sun forms.
Blazing with terrifying heat.
He sends it toward Horuk.
The burning sphere descends slowly but irresistibly.
Horuk looks at it calmly.
Death approaches.
But there is no fear in his eyes.
High above, Kaelan watches with a faint smile.
The crowd begins crying out in despair.
Then suddenly—
A woman's voice echoes across the arena.
"Tree World Rise."
The ground trembles.
In front of the descending sun, a colossal tree erupts upward.
Its trunk expands like a living mountain.
Branches open like a giant mouth.
The miniature sun is swallowed by the tree and disappears.
The tree dissolves into green light.
Standing before Horuk now is a woman.
A powerful alchemist.
The arena erupts in shocked cries.
"Life Tree Alchemist!"
Horuk smiles faintly.
"Teacher."
The woman turns toward him with a gentle expression.
She places a hand on his shoulder and casts a healing spell.
Warm green light flows into his wounds.
"Are you alright?"