"Is this how you're supposed to lose?"

Kevin frowned as the voice echoed through the emptiness, pulling him out of sleep.

"All that strength you carry… is it only for losing to every opponent you meet?" the voice continued, sharp and disappointed.

Kevin's eyes snapped open.

He wasn't in his bed.

He was standing in a vast, empty white space.

Floating in front of him was a small golden orb—the source of the voice.

"What are you?" Kevin asked quietly. He recognized this voice. He'd heard it back at the academy… the same voice that whispered Emma belonged with him, the same voice that claimed he was strongest when she stood beside him.

"You are proving to be a disappointment, Kevin," the orb said. "Always losing. Always falling short, even though you swore you'd never bow to anyone."

Kevin's fists tightened. It wasn't wrong.

He had almost lost to Warren in last year's tournament.

Then Night Devil.

Then William.

Then the golems that trapped them.

And last night—he lost to Anna.

Loss after loss. He couldn't deny it. He was becoming nothing but a disappointment.

"Don't sulk," the orb said. "Dwelling on it won't change anything. Your only reliable ally isn't with you right now, so you need to find your own answer. Your own path."

Kevin lowered his gaze. "I… don't know. I have no idea how to get stronger. I've been training harder than anyone. But my blessings are unfair. If I'm not fighting under a bright sky with the sun blazing above me… I become useless."

Brightness strengthens him.

Darkness weakens him.

Every victory he had ever earned was because the battlefield favored him. Because the sun was there. Because circumstances were on his side.

He couldn't depend on that forever.

He needed a way to fight without the sun.

A way to stand no matter where he was.

But right now… he had no idea how.

"I can help you reach that height where you won't be humiliated because of the absence of the sun. You can become strong enough to hold your ground regardless of the situation or stage. You can achieve what you dream and you won't need to bow before anyone anymore."

Kevin asked in a determined tone, "Then tell me…I want nothing more than strength right now."

How was he supposed to get Emma back when he is way too weak to even gain her attention?

How was he supposed to keep everyone safe when he was so weak to need the protection of others?

And how would he take revenge for his mother's death when he was nothing but a bottom feeder, someone who loses against like everyone?

He needed strength. More than any time else.

"I can give you what you need, but you must make a promise to me." The orb said, making Kevin frown but he remained silent.

The orb continued, in a little heavier tone, "In exchange of this strength …you have to kill a person."

…..

William was in his room.

Early morning sunlight poured through the window as he floated above the floor, legs crossed, eyes closed.

It was rare for him to train like this—calm, focused, without a battle pushing him—but after last night, he had no choice.

He had almost killed Lextor in a moment of excitement.

Drop of Oblivion.

That was the name he gave the spell.

William had become strangely curious about what truly happened when he crushed the air itself.

Whenever he used his mind to trap the air in one spot, it grew heavy—so heavy that keeping it still felt like trying to hold sand in his palm while it slipped through every tiny gap. He had to push his focus to its limit just to keep the air from breaking free.

When the orb finally formed, he felt something moving inside it… something fierce, something alive. He guessed it was the trapped air struggling to escape. The more he tightened the cage, the wilder it became.

And every time he pushed a little further, the burst that followed was bigger than before—too big, maybe.

That was why he trained now, floating in silence. He had touched something dangerous, and he needed to learn to control it.

Emma was right, he has to be very careful in using it. Maybe she sensed it the first time he used it that the spell was more dangerous than it was useful.

The first time he used the golem, he suppressed the air for about seven seconds but he needed time to initiate the spell and focus on its formation.

Unless he wants to explode it on his face, he would require time and his utmost focus to chant the spell.

So the question arises…whether he needs to use this spell?

With his current focus and purity of aether he could only suppress the air to form an orb about the size of a lemon. The orb he used on Lextor only requires two seconds and it nearly killed the guy.

'I wonder what will happen if I utilize more than ten seconds to form the orb…' A small smile elevated the edges of his lips at the thought…but in fear of harming himself and damaging the property, he stopped.

"Haah…I need to stop." He dropped back on the bed and laid down.

He was satisfied with the discovery of his spell but if he is not careful, he might not survive to regret.

That's why, for now, he decided to not use this spell…at least during this contest.

Not only because of its wild nature but also because there was no worthy opponent to use the Drop of Oblivion.

"Well, let's just sleep for now…dunno what they will ask us today." It was already close to dawn so it was better to take some sleep and wake up on time.

They were asked to gather in the ceremonial hall in the afternoon today.

William hopes that they have prepared another fun contest. And maybe this time it will be a little challenging.

°°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Had to study physics a little for the spell. Thanks for reading.

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