Chapter 88: Match Funneling

Luden did exactly what he promised he would. Although it lasted only four minutes, to Resir, they were the longest and most agonizing four minutes of his life. Luden didn't allow him the mercy of unconsciousness, forcing him to stay awake by continuously sending electricity coursing through his body. Any attempts Resir made to fight back were met with overwhelming force, each strike more devastating than the last.

Yet, despite the brutality, Luden never violated a single rule. Whether he was breaking Resir's ribs or shattering the bones in his arms and legs, he did it all with such precision that the injuries never approached fatality. At the same time, he made sure Resir never had the chance to utter the words "I surrender." Luden's message was clear to every student watching: this was the fate awaiting anyone who dared to break a deal with him.

Watching the entire ordeal, Magnus couldn't help but exhale sharply.

Jeez, I knew Luden wasn't normal, but I didn't think he was this crazy... Then again, I always did get major sociopath vibes from him. Though I guess it's better to be with him than against him.

"Hey, isn't this going a bit far?" Magnus heard a nearby student murmur, anxiety lacing their voice.

"Yeah, but the academy hasn't stopped the match yet, so I guess that means it's fine," another student replied. That's right—as long as the academy didn't intervene, it meant they had no issues with what Luden was doing. Whether it was the academy staff or the foundational members sitting with the Headmistress, none of them seemed disturbed in the slightest. Their gazes remained steady, unflinching.

This was the stark reality of Takerth Academy. They didn't care about the moral character of their students; as long as the rules were followed and they studied diligently, even if their students committed atrocities, the academy wouldn't bat an eye.

The conversation between the two students seemed to reflect the thoughts of many. Among the crowd, Gozif and the rest of Resir's faction were visibly tense. Few of them actually liked Resir; many factions were built on fragile alliances and balancing egos. But that didn't mean they relished seeing their leader brutally dismantled. What was happening now was catastrophic for all of them. Resir being defeated in such a one-sided manner meant their faction's reputation and chances of recruiting new members were as good as dead. The sour expressions on their faces said it all.

Even Syrna, who was usually so energetic, sat next to Magnus with a nervous smile. She wasn't saying anything aloud, but her eyes betrayed a mix of fear and relief. The relief came from knowing she and her brother had made the right choice in joining Luden's faction. But the fear—oh, the fear—came from the chilling realization that it could have been one of them down there instead of Resir if they had chosen differently.

But I have to admit, his ability is incredible.

Magnus couldn't deny it—unless you somehow nullified his magic, there wasn't a knight or mage in the academy who could match Luden's speed. The only way Magnus could think of even landing a hit on Luden was by using [Bullseye] since he could control its speed. But even then, victory wasn't a guarantee.

Still, defeating Luden wasn't on my bingo list. Instead... what if I could copy his ability?

Magnus's mind wandered to the possibilities, combining an ability like that with the absolute strength he gained through [Self Body Puppetry] was tantalizing.

Maybe I should talk to him about it? No... If I had to guess, that magic is Luden's Trump card. And even if I copy it in secret, if he ever catches me using it, it could ruin our relationship. I can't afford that, at least not yet.

As tempting as it was, Magnus decided to put his greed aside for now. He had already gained a lot from this round of the Live Examination, and there would be more opportunities in the future.

Soon the match between Luden and Resir came to an end as the timer hit zero, and soon both of them were teleported out of the arena. Eredim appeared immediately, ushering Resir away and gesturing for Luden to follow for a quick checkup, even though he hadn't been touched once.

"First you, then Seraline, and now Luden. Our faction is just full of surprises, isn't it?" Magnus turned to see Blair walking down the aisle, his gaze locked onto him. Syrna's irritation flared as soon as she spotted Blair, her voice thick with annoyance.

"Oh, you're back already? You couldn't stay in the infirmary a bit longer? You know, so no one has to see your disgusting face." Blair's eye twitched, but he grinned, casting a sidelong glance at Syrna.

"Well, I know when to quit before doing something stupid, so I didn't have to stay in the infirmary for long. Though, I suppose the same can't be said for your brother. I heard he couldn't even walk—how embarrassing." His words hit Syrna like a slap. She leaped to her feet, her eyes burning with a murderous glare, but before she could take a step, Magnus raised his hand.

Unlike last time, when he had to physically restrain them, Syrna seemed to stop herself when she saw Magnus's hand. She glanced at him and then back at Blair, before gritting her teeth and turning away.

I swear, the twins would kill Blair if Luden wasn't around to keep them in check. And Blair knows exactly how to push their buttons; they two of them can't stand anyone badmouthing the other.

Magnus could only sigh internally. As much potential as he saw in his fellow faction members now, this tension was something that needed to be dealt with sooner rather than later.

Whatever, it's not like they'll be fighting anymore in the Live Examination, so I'll talk to Luden about it later.

As the matches for the day officially ended, students began filtering out of the arena, and Luden was easy to spot as he made his way toward the three of them. It was like he was a completely different person. His clothes and hair were perfectly in place, and his calm, respectful smile had returned.

But now, everyone knew what lay beneath that smile. The memory of it was enough to make students instinctively step aside as he walked past.

"Hmm, it looks like we're all in fairly good shape," Luden observed, his eyes scanning the three of them for injuries. Syrna's face reddened as she lowered her gaze.

Noticing, Luden continued, "I take it you two lost your matches?"

Blair shrugged, unbothered. "Yeah, that Jaud guy was an absolute monster. I didn't stand a chance."

Luden nodded, clearly expecting as much. Syrna, on the other hand, hesitated, but Luden raised his hand to stop her.

"It's fine, Syrna. Zilen may carry himself differently than most, but I know his abilities well. It's enough that you walked away without serious injuries." Syrna didn't know whether to feel relieved or ashamed, so she simply nodded, silent.

"I suppose I don't need to ask about your match," Luden remarked as he turned to Magnus.

"Of course not," Magnus replied, watching as Luden's smile widened ever so slightly.

"I see. And what about Seraline and Sylas?" Luden inquired, glancing around for them. Hearing their names seemed to snap Syrna out of her thoughts, and she quickly explained what had happened in their matches.

"Oh? That's a pleasant surprise," Luden responded, though it was clear he had expected at least one of them to lose, maybe even both. When Syrna mentioned Seraline's Weapon Unity, Magnus noticed a brief flicker of something in Luden's eyes—a glimmer of interest, maybe even calculation—but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

"Well, it's a shame they were so badly injured, but it's to be expected considering they were up against people who weren't in a faction or in any agreement with us. But now they can focus on recovering since they won't be fighting again." Luden's words left Syrna and Blair momentarily puzzled.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Blair questioned.

"Yeah, they won their matches; why wouldn't they fight?" Syrna chimed in. Before Luden could respond, Magnus spoke up, already having pieced it together.

"Because the roster has shrunk, and everyone's already found their place." Luden nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. Although I'm not exactly sure what happened in all the matches, I'm guessing Cain left an impression, as usual, and I'd bet Jalud did the same. With that being the case, no one's going to want to face those two. As long as they don't end up against each other in the next round, their opponents are almost certain to surrender." As Luden laid it out, Syrna and Blair began connecting the dots.

"Ah, I see. Cain and Jalud's presence practically guarantees two forfeits in the next round. And after your little show with Resir, the same goes for you. The rest of the participants already know they can't win, and they've had a chance to assess everyone else's abilities," Blair mused, partly to clarify his own thoughts.

"Exactly. Everyone's gotten the recognition they wanted, so it's smarter to bow out now than to tarnish their image by losing a one-sided fight. In the end, the only matches tomorrow will be the ones that are close," Luden continued. At this point in the Live Examination, close matches were becoming rare.

It was all about extremes now—either you were too strong or too weak; there was hardly any middle ground. Depending on who Sylas and Seraline were matched against tomorrow, Luden would either have them surrender or their opponents would do so first. And if any members of the same faction were pitted against each other, the weaker member would simply step down.

"So, there'll hardly be any fights tomorrow or the day after," Syrna concluded with a slight frown.

"It's a bit dull when you think about it," she added.

"Yes, well, that's how it goes. These Live Examinations are just another aspect of faction politics for the students and a tool for the academy staff to evaluate us. In the end, the fights are just a means to an end." As Luden spoke, his gaze shifted to Magnus.

"Right now, everything is funneling toward one thing at the end of the tunnel." Luden didn't need to say it outright for Magnus to understand. Everything was leading to his match with Jalud, and every student left knew it. They were like mice who had already snatched their cheese; there was no reason to stick around and risk being trampled by the elephants preparing to clash.

"Hmm, well, in that case, I guess we have a bit of a break. I've got some things to take care of, so I'll head out first." Luden nodded at Blair as he turned to leave, blending into the crowd of students exiting the Academy Arena. The moment he was gone, the tension around Syrna eased, and she noticed someone watching them as they walked by.

"Hey, Cain, isn't that the guy you fought?" Turning, Magnus followed Syrna's gaze and quickly spotted Reimun. For a moment, he wondered why Reimun was there, but then remembered their conversation after the match.

Oh right, he wanted to join our faction.

Debating how to handle it, Magnus stepped over to Luden and whispered in his ear. Luden's eyes settled on Reimun, who stared back before looking away and continuing on with the crowd.

"I see. Well, I'll look into him, but if what you said is true and you're recommending him, then I'll consider it seriously," Luden replied, tapping Magnus on the shoulder.

Well, I did what I said I would. Guess it's time to head out.

The two waved him off as he left, with Syrna staying with Luden to fill him in on how all the matches panned out since hers was one of the first to end. As Magnus began heading deeper into the Academy Arena's winding halls, he didn't head toward the exit like the other students. Instead, he searched for a secluded spot to remove his mask.

However, as he walked, a strange sensation crept over him, as if someone was watching him.

Turning around, Magnus checked behind him but saw nothing—no one. But as he turned back, a tall figure loomed directly in front of him. Instinctively, Magnus jumped back, opening the Command Console, though he hesitated to execute any commands once he saw who had appeared before him.

"So you're the Ancient Magic user? Not bad. You're neither a knight nor using sensory magic, yet your senses were sharp enough to detect me." The man standing before Magnus was Zedem, the last member of Takerth Academy's Council.

But what is he doing here? Aside from Eveline, no one else had bothered to come see me—not even the Headmistress, and she's the one who sent Basker after me.

Magnus felt a wave of tension wash over him. Zedem might have been smaller than Gerald in stature, but he was just as powerfully built. Up until now, Gerald had been the strongest knight Magnus had ever encountered. But the man before him was most definitely stronger. Even without a knight's sixth sense, Magnus could feel the overwhelming power just by standing near him.

Zedem let out a low chuckle, his gaze piercing through Magnus.

"No need to be so on edge. I just wanted to get a closer look. Since I'm not a mage, I prefer seeing people up close with my own eyes rather than through spells. Helps me read them better."

Magnus couldn't shake the feeling that Zedem was looking straight through his mask, as if he could see the expression hidden beneath it.

Luden said that even Master-level mages would struggle to see through this mask. But this man… He's the equivalent of an Archmage for knights—a Champion. If he wanted me dead, I wouldn't stand a chance.

Magnus forced himself to speak, trying to keep his voice steady. "So, did you see what you were hoping to?"

Zedem pondered the question for a moment before nodding slightly and turning as if to leave.

"Yeah, I suppose so. Though there's one more thing I wanted to verify," Zedem added casually. Magnus's ears caught the faint sound of music fading, and his eyes widened in alarm. He quickly used [Self Body Puppetry], raising his arms in defense, but Zedem had already spun back around, his fist hurtling toward Magnus with terrifying speed.

The punch was too fast for Magnus to track. Without the music as an early warning, he wouldn't have been able to react at all.

Despite his quick defense, the force behind Zedem's gauntleted fist was immense. Even though the Command Console dealt with the direct impact, the blow still drove sharp ends of Zedem's gauntlet into the flesh of Magnus's arms, sending a sharp pain shooting through him.

At the same time, it was as if a storm had erupted within the hallway. The force of Zedem's punch generated a violent gust of wind, strong enough to chip the surrounding walls and tear at Magnus's unprotected body. His only saving grace was his [High-Speed Regeneration], which allowed him to recover almost instantly from the damage.

Zedem stepped back, a look of surprise crossing his face. He had intended to test Magnus, to see what the boy would do when faced with an attack he couldn't possibly anticipate. But to his astonishment, not only had Magnus reacted—he had blocked the attack entirely.

He didn't even flinch... I can feel his arm giving, but it's as if the force is being absorbed or negated.

As a Champion-level knight, Zedem's physical strength was nearly unmatched within the Batis Kingdom. It had been a long time since he felt like this—like he was facing something his fist couldn't break through.

I can shatter even the toughest magical barriers, yet this kid… he stopped me?

A slow grin spread across Zedem's face as his aura began to swell. Although it hadn't fully manifested, Magnus felt an invisible weight crushing down on him. It pressed on his chest, made it hard to breathe, and his entire body felt as though it was locking up, shutting down under immense pressure.

What... What the hell is this?

The question echoed in Magnus's mind as he watched Zedem pull back the fist he had just thrown, raising the other to strike again—this time with even more force. Magnus knew that even if he blocked the next blow, the shockwaves alone could be fatal.

Shit!

"Archmage Class Magic, Stasis Zone." A familiar voice echoed through the air, and in the next instant, the world around Magnus dulled as colors muted and time itself seemed to stop—Zedem's fist frozen in mid-air.

"Huh?" Magnus muttered, glancing around cautiously. Slowly, he lowered his guard, staring at the now-motionless Zedem, whose face was still locked in an expression of fierce excitement.

"That was a close one. Looks like Zedem has really taken an interest in you, wouldn't you say?" A voice whispered in Magnus's ear, making him whip his head around to spot Eveline standing right behind him.

"So it was you who stopped time," Magnus sighed in relief. For once, he was genuinely glad to see Eveline.

"I ran into a bit of... interference while finding you, but it seems I got here just in time. Still, we should probably leave now," Eveline advised, her tone carrying a hint of urgency but no genuine worry.

"Huh, why?" Magnus questioned, confused.

"Zedem let his guard down, which is why he was affected so easily. But he'll break free from the spell soon once he realizes what happened. The Stasis Zone Spell is a fairly basic application of Space-Time Magic after all," Eveline explained. But all Magnus could do was stare at her, dumbfounded.

"Break free? But... how? He's frozen in time; you can't just... break free from time. Right?"

Eveline's expression turned almost playful as she explained, "Aura and magic may not be comparable to glitches like your ability, but they're still abnormalities that defy the natural laws. Aura isn't limited by time or space like the physical world is. Since it's a manifestation of the user's will, it naturally works to reject anything that binds it—even time itself."

Her words, though delivered lightly, sent a shiver down Magnus's spine. She continued, "Magic is just as much a lawbreaker. Otherwise, how would we be talking right now?"

Magnus blinked, suddenly realizing the truth in her words. If time was stopped, then all light should have ceased moving, making him unable to see Eveline. He shouldn't be able to talk or breathe either—air would be frozen, unable to vibrate or be inhaled. The deeper he thought, the more unsettling it became. How was he even moving?

Noticing the gears turning in Magnus's mind, Eveline grinned slightly.

"Now then, let's go."