Sergio didn't respond. He could tell Axel's strike had been genuine — it crippled Vaughn.

But something about the timing, the way Axel held back and then unleashed it only when Terrence appeared… Sergio had a gut feeling Vaughn hadn't been eliminated as cleanly as it looked.

"Let's just wait and see," he said evenly, closing his fan.

......

On the Bloodstone Warfare School's peak, Yara groaned softly as she came around, medics still tending her injuries.

"You're awake," Umar said, guilt flickering across his face. He'd thought that with Yara at his side, they'd stand a chance against Terrence. But despite both of them being Level 4, Upper Grade, the gap in Force was ridiculous. Terrence had beaten him bloody in just a handful of strikes and knocked him out of the game.

Yara sat up weakly, eyes drifting toward the battlefield. Her gaze sharpened. "Axel's still fighting Terrence."

"He's more than just still fighting!" Yakov leaned in, practically bouncing. "You didn't see it, Yara. Holy shit — Axel just blew Vaughn off the field with one strike."

"What?!"

Yara's breath caught.

Umar crouched closer, voice low. "Yara, Axel's got insane burst power. Do you think he can win?"

But Umar had noticed something disturbing in his brief clash with Terrence. The more blood Terrence shed, the stronger he became. At first, he and Yara had pressured him hard, even had the upper hand. But once Terrence started bleeding, his speed and strength surged — almost unnaturally.

Then in Yara's duel with him, Umar saw it confirmed. Blade Warrior wasn't just a rare melee awakening talent; it was monstrous. Wounds didn't weaken Terrence — they turned him into a goddamn beast. His Force grew, his body toughened, even his recovery rate spiked.

That was why Eagle's Crest Command had failed yesterday in the semis. Their plan had been right — focus fire, kill Terrence fast before he got momentum. But they lacked the burst to pull it off. Terrence had survived, and once wounded, he'd ripped them apart.

Now, though… Axel's devastating strike gave Umar a shred of hope.

Yara frowned, her eyes clouding. "It's still difficult. Terrence saw that strike. That ruins Axel's advantage."

She exhaled sharply, her voice edged with frustration. "If Terrence hadn't witnessed it, he might've taken it head-on — thinking the pain would just make him stronger. But now? He won't fall for it again."

At her words, Umar and Yakov fell silent, the same grim realization sinking into them both.

.....

On the battlefield, Axel and Terrence were already locked in a brutal exchange.

Terrence fought with twin daggers, his movements a blur of Force and muscle. The blades coiled around Axel like venomous snakes, every strike aimed to break through his guard.

Axel's body was already marked with cuts and bruises, yet he kept pushing forward, answering each dagger slash with heavy punches and ruthless kicks. To the crowd, he was the one falling behind.

"Brother," Terrence sneered, daggers flashing, never giving Axel the chance to counter. "Surely that one blade strike isn't all you've got?"

Stolen novel; please report.

Axel's speed and raw power matched him blow for blow, but his attacks lacked the sharpness of an Awakener's gift. His punches and kicks landed hard enough to sting, but they were still just flesh and bone backed by technique. No talent. No flare.

"Tch, what a waste," Terrence muttered, weaving tighter around him, voice edged with disappointment. "You're just a support-type Awakener."

Axel gave him nothing in return—not even a grunt when the blades cut him. Silent, focused, he was counting. Every strike he landed on Terrence, every opening carved, every chance to build toward that one instant.

Before the fight, he had already studied Terrence's talent—Blade Warrior. To defeat him, there was only one way: kill him outright in a single blow.

Because if Terrence survived, if he bled, he only grew stronger.

Axel's eyes stayed calm even as blood streaked down his body. Our bodies are about the same, but his Force compression is better, and his combat instincts are sharper.

As a scion of a top-tier family, Terrence's physique and Force were leagues above the average Level 4 Awakener—close to Axel's own. But Axel had already seized the rhythm of the fight. Terrence hadn't realized the trick hidden in that one strike he'd used to finish Vaughn.

"You're still standing? Even with all those wounds?" Terrence sounded amused now, maybe even impressed. He had already slashed Axel dozens of times, but every time the blood welled, a faint green light shimmered and the wounds sealed. Two, three times over, Axel had shrugged off what should've crippled another fighter.

"The hell? How much Force do you have?" Terrence muttered.

That strike against Vaughn had made him wary—but he'd assumed, like everyone else, that Axel had blown most of his energy in it. Yet here he was, keeping up with Terrence's speed, burning Force nonstop, and showing no signs of running out.

Then Terrence stiffened. Something was wrong.

Axel's fist slammed into his waist again—not devastating, not crippling, but it left a ripple of unease. Terrence checked himself over, found nothing. But with each hit, the dread inside him only grew stronger.

Strange…

He realized then—Axel wasn't trading blow for blow. He was choosing to take damage just to land his punches. And Terrence's instincts screamed at him: Don't let this bastard touch you again.

His movements shifted. The reckless aggression vanished. He still pressed close, still kept Axel tied down, but his strikes turned cautious. Better to grind Axel down slowly than risk another hit.

Noticing the change, Axel's eyes narrowed, the faintest smile tugging at his lips.

.....

On the distant peak of Landscape Scroll, Sergio exhaled slowly, his voice a low murmur. "So… even with his arrogance, Terrence's battle instincts are sharp. Axel, how are you going to handle this?"

He had already suspected something back when Axel eliminated Vaughn. Now, watching Axel's measured strikes against Terrence, Sergio's doubts were confirmed.

Terrence hadn't figured it out fully, but his instincts had carried him toward the right response.

Sergio shook his head in disbelief. For a so-called commoner Awakener to fight at this level—it was nothing short of remarkable. He made up his mind then: once this tournament was over, he had to meet Axel.

And Sergio wasn't the only one thinking that.

Across the field, Raymond of Cavalier's Honor was watching closely. He had wanted to meet Axel since the match between Bloodstone Warfare and Hollow Fortress. Now, seeing Axel hold his own against Terrence for so long, Raymond's resolve hardened.

Axel wasn't just a dark horse. He was someone worth knowing.

.....

As the fight dragged on and his wounds worsened, Terrence was forced onto the defensive, slipping back and forth to avoid Axel's relentless advance. But Axel's expression didn't change; his eyes were cold, his strikes merciless.

Swish, swish!

Terrence's twin blades carved through the air, but his first strike hit nothing but empty space. Axel's whip kick came tearing toward him. Terrence aborted his pursuit and leapt back—just in time.

Then Axel's voice rang out, sharp as steel.

Explosive Energy!

Terrence's pupils contracted. Axel's speed spiked in an instant. Two heavy punches smashed into his forearms, the impact jarring him so badly his swords nearly slipped free.

Shit. That boost—! Terrence gritted his teeth as pain surged through his arms. The force behind Axel's fists was on a completely different level now.

"What the hell… his amplification is this strong?" he muttered, eyes narrowing. Axel had just burned through his own reserves to jack up his physical power and just to land two punches on me.

In this kind of brutal close-range brawl there was no way Terrence could dodge everything. Sooner or later, one of those enhanced blows would connect cleanly.

I can't let him hit me again.

The thought flashed through his mind like lightning. He wanted to pull back, to free the long sword strapped to his back and break out of this knife's-edge exchange. But a nagging memory stopped him cold—the image of Vaughn being cut down in a single strike by Axel.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.