Chapter 34: A Shadow in the Arena

The air in the grand coliseum of Eronthall was thick with excitement and nervous tension as the next match of the tournament was about to begin. The tournament had already proven to be more intense than expected, but nothing could have prepared the audience for what was about to unfold.

Kael, Dax, and Lyra sat together in the stands alongside Aria, their wounds from their recent loss still fresh, but their minds were set on analyzing the competition. Today's match was particularly intriguing—it featured the team that had defeated them, Team Nox, facing off against a single tamer. The mere thought of a lone contestant competing in such a high-stakes tournament was almost unheard of.

A hushed murmur spread through the crowd as the gates to the battlefield creaked open. Team Nox stepped out first, looking as confident as ever, their beasts standing tall and battle-ready. Their victory over Kael's team had boosted their reputation, and they now carried themselves with the assurance of those expecting another win.

Then, from the opposite side, the lone tamer entered.

The Mysterious Challenger

The moment he stepped onto the field, a chilling silence washed over the crowd. Unlike the other contestants, he wore a dark hooded cloak, obscuring most of his face, save for a sharp, piercing gaze that seemed to analyze everything around him. His posture was relaxed, almost dismissive, as though he wasn't stepping into a battle but rather walking through a routine chore.

Whispers filled the arena.

"Who is that?"

"A lone tamer? In this stage of the tournament?"

"Does he even stand a chance?"

Kael leaned forward, a strange unease settling in his stomach.

Dax crossed his arms. "Looks like he's underestimating them. Taking on a full team by himself? He's either a fool… or he has something terrifying up his sleeve."

Lyra adjusted her glasses. "There's no way he would have gotten this far alone if he wasn't strong. Let's see what he's capable of."

Aria, however, remained quiet, her sharp eyes locked on the lone tamer as though trying to recognize something about him.

Then, the challenger reached for his belt and unleashed his beast.

The Unveiling of a Monster

A deafening BOOM erupted from the battlefield as the beast materialized, sending shockwaves through the air. A gust of powerful wind blasted outward, causing dust and loose debris to scatter across the coliseum floor.

And then… they saw it.

Standing at a towering eight feet, the beast radiated raw, untamed energy. Its form was sleek and predatory, covered in smooth, obsidian-black armor-like scales that shimmered like liquid metal under the sunlight. Two piercing crimson eyes locked onto its opponents, exuding an unnatural, almost sentient intelligence.

Its elongated tail, lined with jagged, glowing blue markings, crackled with energy. Sharp, talon-like claws dug into the stone floor, leaving deep gashes as it moved. Most unnervingly, dark wisps of energy curled around its form like living shadows, pulsing with a mysterious power.

The crowd gasped.

"By the Aether…"

"What is that thing?"

Kael felt a shiver run down his spine. He had never seen a beast like this before—not in any book, not in any legend.

Aria, however, inhaled sharply, her expression darkening.

"The beast of calamity…" she muttered under her breath.

Dax looked at her, confused. "You know what that thing is?"

Aria nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "I suspected it might show up eventually… but I never thought I'd see it here."

The referee raised his hand, hesitating for a moment before finally calling out, "Begin!"

A Battle That Wasn't

Team Nox wasted no time. Their strategy had worked against Kael's team, and they intended to use it again. The armored beast charged forward, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground, while the agile beast darted to the side, ready to strike from a blind spot.

The lone tamer didn't even move.

His beast, however, reacted instantly. With a speed that shouldn't have been possible for a creature of its size, it vanished—no, moved—so quickly that it left behind only a blur.

CRACK!

Before the armored beast could even react, a black streak slammed into it with such force that the air itself exploded outward in a shockwave. The massive beast was launched across the battlefield, crashing into the stone wall with a sickening impact.

Silence.

The agile beast hesitated, its instincts screaming that something was wrong. It tried to retreat—too late. The shadowed beast appeared behind it in an instant. A single swipe of its talons sent the agile beast tumbling across the arena, its body limp before it even hit the ground.

The battle had lasted less than ten seconds.

Gasps filled the air. Murmurs turned into cries of disbelief.

"Impossible!"

"It defeated them in a single blow?!"

Kael felt his heart pounding in his chest. If we had faced that thing… we wouldn't have lasted a second.

The referee stood there, stunned, before finally regaining his composure. "T-The winner is… the lone tamer!"

The cloaked figure simply turned and walked away, his beast vanishing back into its containment device.

But Aria… Aria was watching him with narrowed eyes.

The Beast's True Nature

Back in their waiting room, Kael turned to Aria, unable to hold in his curiosity any longer. "What was that thing? You called it the 'beast of calamity'… what did you mean?"

Aria exhaled, crossing her arms. "That beast… it's not supposed to exist in tournaments like this. It's called Noctalyon—a creature born from the rarest of Aether anomalies. Unlike normal beasts, it doesn't evolve through traditional means. It absorbs raw Aether energy, growing stronger in ways no other beast can. That power we saw? That's not even its peak."

Lyra's hands trembled slightly. "How rare is it?"

Aria's expression darkened. "It's not just rare. It's dangerous. Noctalyon doesn't bond with tamers like other beasts. It chooses its own path. The fact that someone has one… means they have access to something powerful. Something forbidden."

Dax frowned. "You're saying whoever that tamer is… he's not normal?"

Aria nodded. "I have my suspicions. There are only a handful of people who could control a beast like that. And none of them should be in this tournament."

Kael swallowed hard. "Then who is he?"

Aria's gaze lingered on the battlefield, her mind racing. "I don't know… but we need to find out. Because if that beast continues through the tournament… this might not just be about winning anymore."

The atmosphere in the room turned heavy. The tournament had suddenly taken a darker turn, and the trio realized—this wasn't just a competition anymore.

Something much, much bigger was at play.

And they had just stepped into the middle of it.