Chapter 260: The Gladiator Potion (2)

[Third Person's PoV] 

Luke felt every fiber of his body twitching and contracting with pain—but also with power. A wide, unsettling grin stretched across his face as he clenched his hands into fists.

Limping from the strain, he grimaced and collapsed onto his bed, desperate for a moment of rest after the momentous task of ascending to the Sixth Sequence.

"One step at a time..." he muttered to himself.

He stared at the ceiling, lost in thought, before closing his eyes—visions of his newly awakened abilities flashing before him:

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[Upgraded Abilities: 

Combat Intuition → Martial Foresight – Grants visions a few seconds into the future during combat, allowing perfect counters and movement predictions.

Rapid Recovery → Healing Factor – Accelerated healing, enabling swift recovery from injuries; capable of regenerating limbs over time.]

Unbreakable Will – Immune to fear, mind control, and illusions in battle. His mind becomes a weapon: sharp, focused, unyielding.

Armor of the Ancients (Spiritual Armor) – Conjures spectral armor as hard as diamond but weightless and ethereal.

Spectral Arena Summon – Creates an illusory or semi-real battlefield, forcing close-quarters combat and nullifying ranged attacks.

Blood Empowerment – Gains strength, speed, or healing from every drop of spilled blood—ally or enemy. The battlefield becomes his fuel.

Warrior's Aura – Radiates an aura that boosts allies' courage and strength while sowing confusion, fear, and hesitation among foes.

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"HAHAHAHAHA!!!" Luke laughed, placing a hand over his eyes. "Can this day get any better?!"

Thanks to Healing Factor, the pain from his ascension began to ebb away. Within seconds, his body was already recovering—stronger, more complete.

But then, the laughter died just as quickly as it had come.

His hand slid down from his face as his exhilaration faded. "How could I have been so blind?" he muttered, clicking his tongue. "I should've realized it sooner."

"The reason they were getting so strong—Lucian, Thalia… even Annabeth, and she isn't one of the Big Three—they all possess a card. I let my pride, my sense of superiority, cloud my judgment. I actually thought I was chosen. How pathetic."

He stared at his hands, clenching them again.

"But the question still remains… Who gave us these cards? Where did they come from?" His voice dropped into a whisper.

"Whose pawn am I this time?"

…

A week later…

Lucian leaned back, eyes half-lidded, as a black spear whizzed past his face. He ducked immediately, avoiding a radiant sword aimed at his neck. Calmly, he weaved through the barrage of attacks that relentlessly came at him.

His arms remained crossed over his chest as he watched Nox and Lucerna flank him from either side, doing their best to land a hit. But Lucian danced through their strikes—flipping, ducking, sidestepping—his movement almost lazy in its precision.

His frown deepened as his feet glided across the polished marble floor of the training facility within the camp.

"Stop being so basic with your attacks," Lucian chided, raising a leg to block Nox's punch. "Yes, simplicity can be effective—but that doesn't mean your mind should be simple too."

He leaned back, narrowly dodging Lucerna's stab, then uncrossed his arms and snatched her extended hand. With one swift kick, he launched Nox back before pivoting and hurling Lucerna into him. Nox caught her, but the force sent both of them sliding across the floor.

Lucian straightened up, his gaze drifting toward the kneeling spirits in the distance—both gasping for breath, clearly drained. It was always like this when they trained with him. They glared at him in frustration, watching how effortlessly composed he remained, one arm tucked behind his back, the other outstretched, motioning them to come again.

Around them, other demigods were engaged in their own sparring sessions—training techniques, battling one another. They had grown used to seeing Nox and Lucerna around. It had been strange at first, but now it was just part of daily camp life.

Not far away, Thalia was seen sparring against Nico and Bianca. Both looked like they were on the verge of tears under Thalia's brutal training. Nico, in particular, was already crying, wildly swinging his saber between sobs. Thalia barely blinked before raising her leg and sending him tumbling with a kick.

Meanwhile, Percy and Clarisse were locked in combat, their polearms clashing with force. Percy was steadily improving, pushing Clarisse harder with each round. She had no choice but to adapt—or risk falling behind.

"Shadow and Light are among the most malleable elements… Well, all elements are, if you think about it," Lucian said casually. "But that's not the point. The point is: don't stick to a single weapon. Adapt. Keep your opponents guessing. Never let them learn your rhythm."

Nox and Lucerna split up, charging from opposite directions. They darted in wide arcs, trying to disorient him, but Lucian's eyes tracked their every movement, sharp and unwavering.

Suddenly, they stopped—raising their hands. From each of them burst forth a swirling arsenal of their respective elements. Solidified blades and sharp constructs of light and shadow hovered around them like deadly satellites before launching toward Lucian.

Reacting instantly, Lucian swung one arm and one leg back before springing into the air. He twisted mid-leap, spinning rapidly—becoming a blur of motion, a deadly top. The blades sliced through the air, missing him by inches.

In the midst of the storm, Lucian lashed out, snatching the hilt of a shadow-forged longsword in one hand and a light-forged naginata in the other. He cracked his arms like whips, sending the shadow sword slashing toward Lucerna and the naginata arcing toward Nox.

He then paused, glancing at his hands—one burned slightly by the intense heat of light, the other peeling from darkness's corrosive edge. Lucian smirked.

A fist flew toward him—he blocked it with a palm. Another—he caught it, a miniature shockwave erupting on impact. Both spirits gritted their teeth, struggling to overpower him, but he held firm.

With a grin, he tightened his grip on their fists, leaned back, and yanked them toward each other—bonk.

"OW! Damn it, Lucerna! You and your big head!"

"My big head!? You're literally just a head with eyes!"

"I'd rather have just eyes than a big mouth like yours!"

"You take that back!"

"Nu-uh!"

Lucian watched their back-and-forth with amusement before rolling his eyes. "Enough, you two."

They both hissed at each other, electric sparks crackling in the air between them.

"Ahem."

They froze and slowly turned to Lucian, who now stood with arms crossed and a raised brow.

"…Sorry, Father…" they mumbled in unison.

Still not used to that… Lucian sighed inwardly. "Anyway, training's done for today. Annabeth wants us down there."

Lucerna lit up, clasping her hands with a bright smile. "Is our little brother finally ready to be born?!"

Nox remained silent, far less excited than his sister.

"…Please don't phrase it like that," Lucian said with a grimace. "Makes it sound like Annabeth's pregnant or something."

He shook his head and gestured for them to follow. "Come on. She doesn't like being kept waiting."

Both spirits shrank down to their smaller forms, conserving energy, and fluttered onto Lucian's shoulders as he exited the facility.

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+10 advance Chapters on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3

A/N: I'll update the Auxiliary chapter later, also here's a Philosophical question for everyone. Are you truly a pawn if you know you're a pawn? Does knowing what you are change that nature