Chapter 40: "Rivals Clash"

The arena was silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the combatants as they stared each other down.

Tae Won stood at the forefront, his stance steady and sure. As an archimage, his power over the elements was formidable, his eyes blazing with the power of fire, ice, and lightning.

At his side, Lee Min and Shin Sung stood ready, their swords drawn and their muscles tensed.

Across the arena, Cheol Su was a lone figure, his daggers drawn, his stance casual yet poised.

"I'll enjoy this," Tae Won sneered, a cruel smile playing across his lips. As the tension in the arena mounted, the combatants stared each other down, their eyes narrowed and their stances firm.

Cheol Su's smirk widened, his confidence unfaltering in the face of the trio's combined might. "I'm sure you will," he replied, his voice dry and mocking.

"Enough talk," Tae Won snapped, his patience worn thin. "Let's see if you can back up your bravado."With that, the arena erupted into chaos, the combatants unleashing their full power in a frenzy of steel and magic.

Tae Won struck first, channeling his archimage powers to unleash a searing blast of fire, its heat scorching the air and sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Cheol Su responded with a flick of his wrist, his daggers slicing through the air as he evaded the flames, his movement lightning-quick and deadly.As the battle raged on, Cheol Su called upon one of his most powerful abilities, activating his skill Dash.

With a burst of speed, he blazed across the arena, his daggers flashing as he moved faster than the eye could see.

But Tae Won was quick to react, countering with a blast of ice that shot across the arena, its chill slicing through the air and threatening to freeze Cheol Su in his tracks. As the arena erupted in a frenzy of magic and steel, Tae Won's friends joined the fray, unleashing their own powers in an attempt to overwhelm Cheol Su.

Shin Sung, the hulking knight, charged forward, his sword a blur of steel as he slashed at Cheol Su with reckless abandon.

Lee Min, the swordsman, danced around the edge of the battle, his blade a silver flash as he sought an opening to strike.

And yet, despite their combined strength, Cheol Su danced through their attacks with an almost preternatural grace, his movements fluid and unpredictable.From the stands, the crowd watched in awe, their cheers echoing through the air as they marveled at Cheol Su's prowess.

"Didn't he used to be a weakling?" one of them whispered, their eyes wide with disbelief.

"No way," another replied, shaking his head in disbelief. "He's like a different person."

And yet, despite the confusion in the stands, there was no mistaking the truth: Cheol Su, once dismissed as trash, had become a force to be reckoned with.As Cheol Su's patience wore thin, he tapped into his most devastating abilities, activating his skill Dominator's Authority.

A shockwave of power surged out from his body, its oppressive force pinning Tae Won's allies in place, their muscles locking up as they struggled against its influence.

"Enough of these games," Cheol Su growled, his voice echoing through the arena.

With a flick of his wrist, he activated his skill Elemental Grave of Swords, unleashing a massive gust of wind that swept across the arena, its force sending Lee Min and Shin Sung tumbling from the stage.As the wind faded, leaving only the sound of the crowd's cheers in its wake, a message flashed across Cheol Su's vision:

"Dominator's Authority has evolved into Murderous Aura (Level 3)."

The power coursed through Cheol Su, heightening his senses and sharpening his focus.

"You should have stayed out of my way," he growled, turning his attention to Tae Won. "Now it's just you and me."As Cheol Su turned his attention towards Tae Won, the archimage struck with a devastating attack, unleashing a maelstrom of elemental fury.

Fire, ice, lightning, and wind combined into a single, devastating blast that struck Cheol Su with incredible force, the power of the combined elements burning through his defenses and scorching his skin.

The crowd erupted into a frenzy, their cheers blending with the roar of the elements as Cheol Su stumbled backwards, his body sagging from the onslaught.

But just as Tae Won began to celebrate, Cheol Su's system Cyprus sprung into action. "Activating skill: Instant Recovery (Level 2)," a voice chimed within Cheol Su's mind.

Tae Won watched in horror as Cheol Su's wounds began to heal, his scorched skin knitting itself back together and his cracked bones realigning.

In mere seconds, Cheol Su stood tall once more, his body healed and his determination unfaltering.

"You'll have to do better than that," he sneered, the smirk returning to his face.The crowd was in an uproar, their voices rising in a deafening crescendo of disbelief and awe.

"How is he still standing?!" one of them cried, their eyes wide with shock.

"He's like a demon," another whispered, their voice hushed with fear.

And even Master Yun, who had watched his students grow and evolve over the years, was shaken by what he saw before him.

"He's stronger than I thought," he murmured, his voice tinged with a hint of concern.