Ethan Vs Corin

The referee raised her hand and announced, "Next match, Ethan Rothslayer versus Corin Reynold!"

The arena buzzed with anticipation. This was the final match of the day, and all eyes were on Ethan and Corin as they stepped into the ring. Both wielded identical swords, as Corin had deliberately chosen the same weapon Ethan had selected earlier.

Corin's lips curled into a cruel smile, his grip on the hilt tightening. "Today's the day I'll finally get revenge for everything I've endured," he muttered under his breath, his eyes filled with fiery determination.

Watching from the sidelines, Esdeath stood with her arms crossed, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "Finally, the end of the first arc begins. Tonight's going to be... chaotic," she mused.

"Begin!" the referee shouted, her voice ringing out across the arena.

Ethan and Corin both took their stances, their swords steady in their hands.

Corin was the first to act. He poured mana into his body, activating his "Output Essence Stone." Instantly, the drug coursed through his veins, heightening his senses. He could hear the faintest sounds—the audience's breaths, the shuffle of feet in the stands. A predatory smile crept onto his face as he surged forward with blinding speed.

CLANG!

His sword clashed against Ethan's in a burst of sparks. Ethan reacted swiftly, blocking the strike, but the force of the blow sent a shockwave rippling through the arena. Dust swirled around their feet as the wind picked up from the impact.

Corin's grin widened. "He blocked it, but I landed a strike. Unlike last time when I couldn't even land a single hit," he thought with grim satisfaction.

The two exchanged blow after blow, their swords ringing out like thunderclaps in the tense silence of the arena.

Clang. Clang. Clang.

Ethan's movements were sharp and precise, every block calculated and firm. But Corin fought like a man possessed, relentless and wild, his strikes coming faster and harder.

Corin's thoughts burned with a single word: More. More. More!

He activated the *Output Essence Stone* again, flooding his body with even more of the drug. His muscles swelled with strength, his strikes growing heavier and faster.

Ethan began to falter, his steps growing uneven as he struggled to keep up. Sweat dripped down his pale face as his breathing became labored.

"How does he still have so much stamina?" Ethan wondered, gritting his teeth as he blocked another strike. He had no idea Corin was using a drug to enhance his body and senses.

Corin's grin turned almost feral. "This is it," he thought, pushing forward with unrelenting force. His strikes came down like a storm, each one threatening to break through Ethan's defenses.

The crowd watched in silence, their breaths held as the intense battle unfolded before them.

But the next moment, The air around the battlefield shifted.

Corin staggered back as a sudden and intense pressure burst forth from Ethan. The overwhelming force felt like a weight pressing down on his chest, forcing him to retreat.

The entire audience froze in shock, their gazes locked on Ethan. A brilliant golden light radiated from his body, shimmering like stars scattered across a night sky. The aura glowed with a soft yellowish-golden hue, both beautiful and commanding.

"What… What is that?" someone whispered from the crowd.

Lilith, standing on the sidelines, couldn't hide her shock. "Righteous Aura?" she muttered, her eyes wide.

Even Lortell, who rarely showed interest, raised an eyebrow. "Huh. This one might have potential," she said with a shrug, though her lips curled into a small, dismissive smirk. "Not that it matters."

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder as everyone realized what they were witnessing.

Aura.

It was something everyone understood but rarely saw. Outside the body, mana often manifested as an aura, similar to the glow of essence stones. Low-ranking essence stones had faint auras, while high-ranking ones shone with brilliance and majesty.

In awakened individuals, aura appeared during the moment of their awakening. For about fifteen minutes, their aura was visible to everyone, glowing brightly. Afterward, it faded, becoming a faint blue shimmer visible only to those with trained eyes.

But something special happened when someone approached or reached C-rank. Their aura transformed, becoming unique—an identity of its own. Some had fiery red auras, others calming pink or ominous black. Auras often revealed a person's emotions or the essence of their personality.

But even among these, two types of auras stood above all others, rare beyond belief and mentioned only in ancient texts.

And now, Ethan was surrounded by one of those legendary auras.

"Righteous Aura…" someone whispered in awe.

The golden light emanating from Ethan wasn't just a sight to behold—it was a feeling. To those who were kind-hearted, it felt like a warm embrace, comforting and safe. To those with dark intentions, it burned like scorching flames, unrelenting and terrifying.

The aura wasn't massive or overbearing, but it was mesmerizing. Anyone who looked at it felt a deep sense of calm, as if all their worries had been washed away.

But not Corin.

Standing opposite Ethan, Corin felt anything but calm. His body tensed, his heart raced, and his palms grew sweaty.

"Why… Why him?" Corin muttered through gritted teeth, his anger boiling over. His mind spiraled with envy and frustration. "Why does he have a Righteous Aura and is already close to C rank? It should've been me!"

His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood. The golden light in front of him was like a cruel joke, mocking his efforts and dreams.

Ethan, oblivious to the chaos he was causing in Corin's heart, stood firm.

"Golden Sword Qi!" Ethan commanded, his voice resolute.

Immediately, a portion of the golden aura shifted and flowed into his sword. The blade began to shine with an ethereal golden glow, almost blinding to those watching.

In one swift motion, Ethan slashed his sword downward.

Slash!

A huge golden arc erupted from the blade, speeding through the air like a wave of light. It moved with blinding speed, leaving the audience gasping.

Corin barely had time to react. The golden slash struck him before he could even raise his sword to defend himself.

A sharp, searing pain shot through his body as the attack slashed across his left arm. Blood splattered onto the arena floor, but the limb wasn't severed. It was clear to everyone—Ethan had held back, intentionally pulling his power just short of causing permanent damage.

Corin staggered back, clutching his arm. His breaths were ragged, but he had come prepared. Gritting his teeth, he activated his healing technique. The wound on his arm began to close, but the pain lingered.

"You think you can look down on me?!" Corin growled, his voice shaking with rage. "Sword Qi!"

Dark purple aura erupted from his body, surging into his sword. The blade glowed menacingly as he charged forward, his movements fueled by anger and desperation.

"More… more… MORE!" he screamed, his veins bulging as he activated an essence stone he had. The drug's energy surged into his body, filling him with artificial strength. The drug coursing through him enhanced his speed and power.

Corin's strikes became relentless. His speed increased to a dizzying level, and every slash of his sword sent shockwaves rippling across the arena. Dust and debris flew into the air as he pushed himself harder and harder, determined to overpower Ethan.

But no matter how fast or strong Corin became, Ethan remained calm. Each of Corin's strikes was met with precision. Ethan's movements were effortless, as if he was dancing instead of fighting.

Corin's attacks began to falter. His strikes became sloppy, his breathing uneven. He was losing ground.

"Why?!" Corin shouted, his voice cracking with frustration. His mind spiraled into chaos. "Why isn't it enough? I've given everything!"

He gritted his teeth, his vision blurring with tears of anger and despair. "Why is this happening to me?! After everything I've been through because of him?"

Memories of his suffering flashed through his mind like a storm. He remembered the humiliation of being beaten by Ethan before—twice. He remembered losing his fans, who abandoned him after those defeats. He remembered the betrayal of his girlfriend, who had left him and chosen Ethan instead.

"This is my chance… my revenge…" Corin muttered to himself, his voice trembling.

His thoughts boiled with anger and desperation. He didn't care how—it didn't matter what he had to do. He just wanted to win.

His body screamed in protest, his muscles aching from the strain of the drugs and the endless attacks. But Corin refused to stop.

"I'll make him pay… I'll make him regret everything!" he roared, forcing himself forward with sheer willpower.

But deep down, a cold truth began to settle in his heart.

"It's not enough," he whispered, his voice filled with despair. "It was never enough."

The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. No matter how much he pushed himself, no matter how many shortcuts he took, Ethan was still stronger.

But then, an idea crept into his mind, dark and desperate. His gaze flickered with determination as he gripped his sword tighter.

"If it's not enough…" he thought, his lips curling into a crazed smile. "Then I'll take everything at once."

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Warning... Warning! Don't ignore it.

I wanted to ask another question.... Would you like some spicy chapter where lortell becomes a futa(futanari) for two-three chapter and then esdeath and lortell.. Umm.. You might already understood by now..

Don't worry it have no impact on story, You can also take it as filler and choose to ignore it too..

Of course this will not happen now but after second arc that intelinked with first arc... Thus I'm asking In advance.

So what do you say? Yes or No?