Stand-Off

'Seriously, this feels like a scene straight out of a movie,' I thought, eyeing the figures gathered around the arena.

Even without factoring in the three -rankers waiting just outside, there were two -rankers and two -rankers standing in the arena. The tension was palpable.

I'd seen four -rankers together before at the New Year's celebration at the Creighton estate, but that gathering had been friendly—this was anything but.

And it made sense. The issue at hand was the Gift of God's Eyes, a bloodline ability that was more than just a power—it was the essence of the Kagu family. Their very identity was tied to it, even more than their Grade 6 art, which had been specifically designed for those born with the God's Eyes Gift.

"I assume you have a reasonable explanation for this, Arden," Selene Kagu said, her voice dangerously soft as she covered her mouth with her fingers, her purple eyes radiating hostility.

While -rankers were generally considered equal in strength, with the exception of the Martial King, things were rarely that simple. In a life-or-death battle between two -rankers, one would die, and the other would barely survive, scarred with injuries impossible to fully heal from. That made ranking them a tricky business.

Yet after the Martial King, Selene Kagu was undeniably the strongest -ranker in the world. She wasn't strong enough to decisively overpower others in her tier like the Martial King could, but she stood above the rest.

A monster in her own right, with the potential to rival Liam Kagu's level if only she possessed an affinity for gravity magic. But her lack of it weakened her connection with the Kagu family's Grade 6 art, Void Fist, preventing her from reaching her true potential.

Arden, however, remained stoic. His sharp green eyes met hers as he responded calmly, "Let's take this conversation to a more private setting."

Tensions hung in the air like a blade on the verge of falling.

"Fine," Selene sighed, waving her hand dismissively.

In an instant, she, Kem, Lucifer, Arden, and Ren disappeared from the arena, teleported to another location.

'Even Ren got dragged into this, huh,' I thought, watching the space they had occupied moments before.

Valerie quickly stepped in, calming the crowd and diffusing the tension in the air. I stepped off the stage, my mind racing, lost in thought.

'Lucifer will be fine. He unlocked God's Eyes in the novel too, and nothing bad came of it. If anything, it turned out to be a massive boon. With his second Gift now unlocked, he should be able to hold his own against Jack during the inter-academy festival—maybe even match him,' I reasoned. 'I guess, in the end, I did my job well as an extra.'

My role as an extra...

I opened the door to my room, my vision starting to blur. A sharp sting burned at the corners of my eyes. Then, before I knew it, a droplet fell, hitting the floor with a soft splash.

Right.

I wanted to win.

I wanted to beat Lucifer. To prove that my efforts weren't in vain, that all the sleepless nights, the endless training, and the pain had been worth something. 

I had gone through so much just for this moment.

Pushing myself to the extreme in the Amarion rainforest, training under a 9-circle mage and two -rank swordsmen, creating my own Grade 6 art, inheriting Luna's qilin will... I pushed myself harder than anyone else.

But even then, it wasn't enough.

I lost, despite everything.

The reason I had grown so quickly was because of the pill. Now, without it, my progress would slow to a crawl.

The current Lucifer was stronger than me, and the gap between us felt even wider.

'How do I get even stronger?' I wondered, my mind racing as I lay on the bed, drowning in my thoughts.

Suddenly, the door creaked open.

"...How did you get in?" I asked, not bothering to sit up. I didn't need to look; I could already sense her mana.

"The door wasn't closed properly," came Cecilia's voice as she stepped inside, her presence filling the room.

Silence followed. Neither of us spoke.

"Why are you here, princess?" I muttered bitterly, the weight of my failure clinging to every word.

"Because I knew you'd be like this," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You did?"

"Of course. You're doing the same thing you did after you lost to Ren four months ago. And now, again, after losing to Lucifer."

I clenched my teeth. "You don't understand."

"I understand everything," she snorted.

"No, you don't!" I snapped, my voice louder than I intended. "I put everything into this—every bit of effort just to catch up, to become Rank 1. And he wins because he unlocks his second Gift, one of the most overpowered in existence? How is that fair?"

Cecilia exhaled deeply, her crimson eyes locking onto mine. "Foolish, Arthur."

"Foolish?" I echoed, her words cutting deeper than I wanted to admit.

"Very foolish," she repeated, shaking her head. "Do you really think anyone cares about your effort?"

"What—" I began, but she cut me off sharply.

"The only thing that matters are results!"

I stared at her, her words hitting harder than any strike I'd taken in the tournament. "Results?" I muttered, the bitterness rising in my throat.

"Yes, results," she said, her voice firm but not unkind. "Effort is admirable, sure. But when you're competing on this level, no one's going to hand you a medal for trying your best. You think Lucifer cares about your hard work? You think the audience or the judges do? They only see who wins, who stands at the top. That's the reality of the world we live in."

I clenched my fists, feeling the weight of her words press down on me. "Then what's the point?" I asked, my voice quieter now. "If all that matters is results, then what's the point of trying?"

Cecilia softened for a moment. She looked away for a second, gathering her thoughts, before turning her gaze back to me. "The point, Arthur, is that you keep pushing. You don't stop because you lost. You don't stop because it feels unfair. You keep going until you become the one who controls the results. That's what separates those who break from those who succeed."

I swallowed, feeling the frustration and exhaustion tug at me, but her words sank in. She wasn't wrong. I couldn't afford to let this defeat bury me.

"So, what? I just keep pushing and hope it's enough?" I asked, sarcasm lacing my words.

"No," she replied, her voice steady and unwavering. "You stop hoping. You make it enough."

"That's why..." Cecilia whispered as she grabbed my collar, pulling me close enough for her breath to brush against my skin. "That's why I can't take my eyes off you, Arthur Nightingale."