Author's Note: End of mass update! I will resume normal updates now for this book, and will be updating my new book from time to time too!

There was a low rumble that accompanied the explosion. In an instant, the tournament was brought to a halt and the confused murmurs were heard all around. 

“Wh-what’s going on?” 

“Was that an explosion? From inside the coliseum?” 

Ephert and Goro who were overseeing the tournament turned their heads too, and there was a frown present on their faces. 

Ryo, Xue and Cecil looked at each other. 

Cecil recalled the words from Yun before they all went their separate ways. 

“We’ll send a signal.” 

“What kind of signal?” 

“You’ll know it, since the captain will do it.”

Cecil furrowed her eyebrows.

“That’s their cue,” Ryo mumbled out, looking at Xue and Cecil. “Ephert and Goro will make a move now.” 

The three of them glanced towards Ephert and Goro on their seats, and Ephert nudged his chin towards Goro. Goro bowed quickly towards Ephert, summoning out his greatsword and he disappeared into the shadows. 

Ephert had a tight grip on Shin’s shoulder, and the black-haired boy only stared at the three of them with a conflicted look. 

At the same time, Ephert seemed to brush away his grey hair that was on his shoulder and stood up from his seat. For someone who was known as the vicious lord of this region, he looked young and not intimidating at all due to his effeminate appearance.

Cecil had heard from Yun that Ephert was only around twenty-three years old. 

Ephert glanced towards the host of the tournament, narrowing his eyes at him as he nodded. The host of the tournament who had gone silent from the unexpected explosion gulped nervously, before he cleared up the confusion hurriedly. 

“La-ladies and gentlemen, do not be troubled! The tournament is still underway and since the first round is coming to an end...we have decided to spice things up!” 

There were only a few groups left from this round, and the ones who fought with all they had wore an exhausted look on their faces. 

“Spice things up?” 

“...are we still fighting?” 

“You are kidding, right?” 

All of a sudden, the arena started to tremble and the bridge was lifted out from the water. The teams that lost this round were stuck to the wall with the enhanced leg cuffs and handcuffs, and the wall opened up, like a monster opening up its mouth.  

They were sucked into the void, and their panicked shouts were heard echoing throughout the area. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, let’s commence the second round of the tournament!” 

Ryo smirked, gripping onto his halberd as he swung it around. 

Xue exhaled sharply and he frowned to himself. It seemed like the soul fragments were affected by the spirit of the tournament, they were somehow itching to fight now. 

Cecil gasped in amazement at the brilliant deduction from Yun’s end. 

“Ephert and Goro, they plan to hold us back in the tournament as much as possible. They’ll throw everything they have to stop us from getting Shin back.” 

“How?” 

“By exhausting us to the point where we have no energy to fight.” 

“So that means…” 

“Yes, no doubt they will throw everything at you in the tournament under the guise of spicing things up.” 

The participants from the other group were slowly filling up the arena, some of them letting out an excited battle cry. The audience were immediately distracted by the change of pace, cheering wildly. 

Meanwhile, the exhausted participants from the previous round paled considerably. They were already exhausted from their intense fights earlier, and now, they had to repeat the same process. 

“Hehe, our strategist is always right.” 

Ryo smirked even wider, his silver eyes glinting. 

Within the new participants streaming into the tournament, Ryo could detect a few strong fighters among them...and he knew exactly where the strong fighters came from. 

“...and there’s more.” 

“What do you mean, Yun?” 

“The fight in the second round will be completely different from the first round. During the second round, the fake participants planted by Goro and Ephert will definitely be there...and they only have a single goal.” 

“...to kill us.” 

“Yes, so in return…” 

Ryo repeated the same words Yun uttered to the group at that time, letting out a breathy laugh. “Let’s destroy them all!” 

At the same time, the announcer started the fight once again, his voice booming throughout the arena. 

“...be careful,” Xue could sense numerous eyes on them, all of them reeking of murderous intent. “Almost half of them here are out for our blood--what the?”

Xue furrowed his eyebrows.  

“Xue? What’s wrong?” Cecil questioned, standing back to back against Xue and Ryo. “What is it?”

“...” 

Xue did not answer, an indecipherable look in his grey eyes. 

Ryo hopped up and down, as if growing impatient, his eyes scanning a crowd that was slowly surrounding them. 

“Oh, I found it! I found it! My target--another friend! Haha!” 

Ryo exclaimed, and his figure disappeared in a flash. 

Just then, Cecil and Xue turned sharply, a dagger and a spear reaching out to block an attack from one direction. It seemed to be a hooded individual, and his swords that were aiming at them both clashed with their weapons. 

“Ah, truly, this isn’t as easy as I expected,” the hooded figure said, and his hood fell off to reveal a youthful scarred face with short, black hair and eyes, a cocky grin on his lips. “Not like it is surprising, since I have met you once before.” 

Cecil frowned, a sharp and cold look appeared in her eyes. 

This voice…

I know it. 

It’s that man that stole Shin away. 

The youthful man leaped back into the air, landing on the ground gracefully. He was surrounded by two other hooded individuals. 

“Xue, I’ll handle them,” Cecil said, taking out her other dagger and twirling it around her hand expertly. “...you have something to do, don’t you?” 

Xue widened his eyes. 

“How did you know?” 

“I can tell by the look on your face,” Cecil smiled lightly at him. “Something is troubling you, but you don’t want to say it.” 

Xue could not deny it. 

It was because...for a brief moment, he felt the presence of another soul fragment that was not Shin. 

Moreover, he had an ominous feeling about that presence of the soul fragment. 

“Cecil, will you--” 

“This time, I will not fall.” Cecil interrupted Xue, a determined and sharp look in her limpid eyes. 

She recalled how helpless she felt, and all she could do was watch Shin get taken away right before her. 

Xue halted, and he smiled helplessly at Cecil, the look in his eyes were gentle. 

This time, he could tell that Cecil would be fighting at her full strength to prove herself. 

Who was he to stop her? 

“Oh? So you do remember me? Maybe I should do more than just make you sleep this time.” 

Cecil inhaled deeply, plastering on the mask she hadn’t worn in a long time. 

The haughty and indifferent Cecil Lan. 

She lifted her dagger, pointing it at the kidnapper. “Not this time, I’m getting my revenge.” 

“Heh, is that so?” 

Xue seemed to sense the same ominous presence of his soul fragment at that second, and he hardened the look in his eyes. Just like Ryo, he disappeared in a flash and Cecil wasn’t fazed by his sudden disappearance. 

She continued staring coldly at the kidnapper. 

However, on the inside, Cecil was somewhat guilty. 

Looks like I’ll be going back with another ruined clothing now. 

...and this time, it isn’t just what mother bought for me, but what Kiyae and Hana bought for me too. 

Cecil sighed before she started spinning the rock around her body, hunching her back slightly as she tightened the grip on her daggers. 

***

Yun leaned against the wall, his arms across his chest as he adjusted his glasses. The door to the old warehouse where they previously came from had been completely wrecked, as if someone had crashed right through it with pure strength. 

“I got you, you bas--ugh!” 

A staff member of the arena, who is also a soldier, lunged at Yun with his sword. Alas, he was completely knocked out a second later by a nunchuck hitting him across the face. He collapsed to the ground, seeing stars in his eyes. 

“Oops, did I hit you too hard?” Kiyae leaned over, laughing heartily. “Sorry, sorry!” 

On the other hand, a group of soldiers to their left were crying out in pain and horror. 

“Fire! I’m on fire!” 

“Water! Water!” 

“We don’t have anyone with elemental powers here!” 

“It burns! Ahhhh!” 

Haru was watching the group of soldiers scrambling around and rolling on the floor, he was playing with an orb of fire in his hands. 

“Hahaha! You peasants!” 

Haru guffawed, before letting out a satisfied sigh.

“It’s so much better without those damn energy-dampening lanterns around.” 

Haru was someone who likes to fight with his elemental powers and bare fists. Unfortunately, fate didn’t seem to like him too much and gave him a sword as his soul weapon. Though Haru was skilled in using his sword, he preferred fighting without grace. 

A soldier held onto his spear, a drop of sweat rolling down his cheek. 

None of us here are equipped to fight against those with elemental powers. 

We do not have them. 

The soldier eyed Yun who was still leaning against the wall, a contemplative look in his eyes as his gaze was focused straight ahead. 

I have never seen this man step in to fight this entire time! 

He must be the weakest link here! 

The soldier rushed at Yun with a war cry, and Yun glanced towards his right, releasing a sigh. He flipped his hand and a fan immediately appeared, he calmly dodged the spear before swinging his fan towards the soldier. 

Two sharp wind blades cut through the air, leaving two deep gashes on the soldier’s chest and throwing him against the wall. Blood spurted into the air, and Yun watched this with a grimace. 

“This is why I hate fighting.” 

Yun disliked seeing blood. 

It didn’t matter whether he was mocked for it, and whether people sympathised with him. 

There was no reason behind it. 

He just did not like seeing blood, at all. 

Yun felt someone hitting his ponytail, and he glanced behind. “Stop hitting my ponytail.”  

“No way,” Kiyae spit out her tongue, before she swung her nunchuck over her shoulder, tapping it lightly. “Just leave it all to me and Haru.” 

“Mmh.” 

Kiyae pointed to her head just then, grinning. “All you have to do is be yourself, like always.”

Another group of soldiers rushed in from the left side, brandishing their weapons. 

“Oh, oh! More are coming!” 

“Captain, you’ll handle them! I’ll protect Yun Yun!” 

Yun furrowed his eyebrows at his nickname given by Kiyae. 

“Stop calling me that.” 

“Oh, gotcha! Let’s protect Yun Yun!” 

“And I don’t need protection.” 

“Yun Yun!” 

Yun sighed at his two comrades having too much fun. 

Kiyae tossed her nunchucks away as it disappeared and she crouched down, her palms on the ground. She was facing the soldiers who were rushing towards them, and she smirked to herself. 

All of a sudden, the soldier felt something grasping at their ankles, like a hand made out of stone, making them stumble and some even fell. They eventually balanced themselves, only to see multiple balls of fire flying towards them, making them cry out in alarm. 

They all dodged to the side, and some unfortunately had their clothing caught on fire. Kiyae released them from their torture, the soldiers now in complete chaos. Kiyae swung her nunchucks against the wall, destroying it in the process and causing the stone that broke off from the wall to surround her nunchucks. 

Her nunchucks became intimidating as it was covered by the stone and she dashed forward, whacking the soldiers recklessly with her nunchucks. 

“Ugh!” 

“Argh!” 

“--kh!” 

All the soldiers fell one by one.

Just then, Yun lifted himself off the wall and his eyes burst open. 

“He’s here!” 

Haru and Kiyae paused, leaping back towards Yun’s side. The three of them huddled close together, and the battered soldiers surrounded them with uneasy expressions. 

“Yep, that’s definitely him.” 

A muscular, carnelian red-haired man was rushing down the path, carrying the greatsword over his shoulder. Beside him were two other muscular men with no distinctive features, and wearing metal knuckles on their hands. 

“It really is the three of you, I’ve been waiting.” 

Goro shoved past the soldiers, and he scoffed seeing their bruised and bloodied state. 

“What a pathetic mess.” 

“Right?” Haru grinned at Goro, before waving at him. “See ya!” 

Yun, Kiyae and Haru immediately disappeared, jumping over the baffled soldiers with the help of Kiyae’s earth elemental skills. 

“Split up and go after them!” Goro barked out. “Capture them alive!” 

“Hahaha, you’ll never catch me! You peasants!” Haru hollered. 

“Come and catch me~!” Kiyae taunted. 

“Catch me,” Yun stated, adjusting his glasses. “If you can.” 

Goro clicked his tongue, deciding to chase after the leader of this rag-tag “pirate crew”. His other two comrades went off to catch their own individual targets as well. 

***

Hana did not manage to go back to sleep, and she opened her eyes. 

K’xug was still resting beside her, deep in sleep. 

His grip on her hand finally loosened and she extricated her hand, shuffling away slowly with a small smile. She pushed herself up and quietly stepped down from the bed, sneaking her way to the door. 

She opened it, wincing at the creaking noise and shut it as quietly as she could. Walking along the corridor of the inn, she peeked out the window and did not see anyone wandering the streets. 

It was completely empty. 

She gasped, hearing the loud cheering from the arena and she looked up, staring at the arena. 

“Ah!” Hana gasped to herself. “We were supposed to attend the tournament together with Cecil and Xue!” 

Hana dashed down the corridor, heading to the stairs of the inn. She looked towards the counter, seeing the owner of the inn sleeping and she rushed towards him. 

“Owner, owner! Can I still go in to see the tournament if--” 

At that moment, Hana noticed something sticking out of the owner’s neck.

It was a dart. 

Hana tilted her head. 

I have seen this...somewhere before. 

I think...Cecil showed it to all of us. 

A...a sleeping dart! 

Hana gasped, and she heard movement behind her as a shadow blocked her. It was immediately followed by a strange noise of a small object colliding against something else. 

Hana spun around, seeing K’xug holding his sword in the air, a cold look in his eyes. 

“K’xug! You are awake!” 

All of a sudden, hooded figures leaped down from the roof of the inn, surrounding K’xug and Hana. It was a dozen of them, and they brandished different types of weapons in their hands. 

K’xug instinctively moved in front of Hana, pushing her behind him. 

Hana made a noise of disapproval at his actions, standing right beside K’xug as she flicked her hands, summoning out her shawl. 

“You don’t need to protect me so much now!” Hana exclaimed, pouting. “I know how to fight now!” 

K’xug blinked before nodding in understanding, smiling slightly. 

Hana glanced around the inn, noticing the abandoned drinks scattered around the tables of the inn. Everyone seemed to have left in a hurry to enjoy the tournament, and Hana smiled, retrieving the water from whatever outlet she could. 

She put away her shawl, planning to try out her archery skills this time as she summoned out her bow instead. 

Hana and K’xug stood back to back, with a trail of water surrounding them. 

“Wait a minute, didn’t the boss tell us these two did not have elemental powers?!” 

“We got tricked!” 

“Shit! Who cares, charge!” 

“We only need to capture one of them, just any one! The master wants to use them as leverage so doesn’t matter who it is!”

K’xug glanced at Hana behind him, a questioning yet concerned look in his eyes. 

Hana glanced back at him, nodding with a reassuring smile. She raised her bow, pulling back the bowstring and the trail of water surrounding Hana transmogrified into crystalline ice arrows, 

The hooded figures all rushed at K’xug and Hana at once, and the two of them did not seem flustered at all. 

“K’xug.” 

K’xug turned to Hana. 

“I...am different now. This time, I will not simply stand still and let myself be hurt!” Hana spoke cheerily. “Unlike that time when I almost let myself be eaten by a…what do you call it?Hmmm-- ah, a demonic beast!”

K’xug tilted his head in confusion. 

A...demonic beast? 

Wha…

…! 

K’xug widened his eyes in realisation. 

Don’t tell me the memory Hana recovered is…! 

Unfortunately, K’xug did not have the luxury to question Hana with his eyes any longer as he lifted his swords to block an attack. 

At the same time, Hana released the bowstring causing the ice arrows in the air to fly towards her attackers. At that moment she released her bowstring and watched arrows fly, her blue eyes gleamed happily as she smiled. 

All her hard work in training paid off.

“Dodge the arrows!” 

“Ugh!”

Her long and wavy red hair followed along with her movement and she swiftly created ice arrows from the water once again. There was an unwavering look in her blue eyes that captivated K’xug, who had never seen her this way before. 

Now that he thought about it…it was his first time seeing Hana in an actual fight. 

His mismatched eyes lingered on her, despite the enemies still charging at them after dodging Hana’s arrows. 

It was as if he was enthralled by this new side of Hana. 

***

Pt. 1

《 start 》

She’s beautiful. 

More than ever.

...no, maybe I just did not see it earlier. 

Hana Katae has always been like this.

Beautiful and bright, which is somewhere...somewhere I can’t reach. 

...even if I want to.

No, stop it. 

I...

…

...cannot waver. 

《 stop 》

***

Pt. 2

《 start 》

I managed to make the arrows!

I managed to shoot the arrows! 

Yay! 

Even if my hands are a little ugly from all the training...

I have become stronger! 

Hehe! 

Cooking is fun!