BOOM!

CRACK!

A loud, sickening sound echoed through the arena as Caius's head snapped backward.

"Eldest Prince Caius!"

A gasp escaped someone's lips in the crowd as everyone froze, swallowing hard.

Back on the platform, Theron stood tall, his golden eyes blazing. He had Caius by the hair, gripping his head tightly. Despite the blow, Caius's skull began to mend almost instantly, his expression calm—unnervingly calm.

"Come on," Caius muttered, his voice low and defiant. A chill spread through the spectators.

The truth was undeniable—Theron was stronger. Not by a small margin, but by a mile.

Caius's strength rivaled that of a high-level Galaxy Realm being…

But Theron? He stood at the very peak of it.

The outcome seemed clear to everyone watching.

"Hahaha… come on, then?" Theron laughed, though his eyes narrowed as he studied Caius's unflinching face.

"Very well," he said, his tone shifting from mocking laughter to a voice sharp and cold enough to pierce bone. "You might die here, brother—but your memory will not be forgotten."

BOOM!

CRACK!

CRACK!

Theron launched forward again, his every strike aimed to kill.

Broken bones. Shattered ribs. A punctured heart.

Yet Caius's regeneration defied reason—every wound closed as quickly as it appeared.

Theron was enraged now, furious that Caius had dared to strike him earlier. In his anger, he had lost an arm—and he would not let that go unpunished.

The younger prince unleashed everything. Each hit landed with the force of a god swatting an insect.

But after every blow, every claw, every brutal impact… Caius's crimson eyes grew darker.

Deeper. Redder. Wilder.

Until—

POWWW!

Reality itself tore apart.

Space disintegrated. Light bent.

Time twisted as black ink swallowed them both whole.

CRACK.

"What's going on?"

"Is it over?"

"After that barrage, prince Caius must be dead…"

Murmurs spread through the crowd as despair filled the air.

Even the powerhouses watching from the depths of space were silent. None believed Caius could still be standing—unless a miracle occurred.

But hadn't Caius already shown everything? What miracle could be left?

And then… the darkness began to fade.

The torn fabric of space revealed itself, slow to mend—a terrifying sight on its own.

"Who won?" someone whispered.

All eyes turned toward the platform.

There stood Caius and Theron—face to face, motionless.

No guard stance. No killing intent. Just silence.

"Don't fail, brother," came a familiar voice.

Theron smiled faintly.

Opposite him, Caius's eyes glowed crimson.

"I won't," he replied softly.

Theron's body relaxed as he smiled one last time—and collapsed.

BOOM.

Theron reverted to his normal form as General Drezan rushed forward, checking for vital signs.

"He's fine," Caius said, crossing his arms. "I only knocked him out."

His voice was steady, indifferent.

Drezan didn't stop checking. If any royal sibling died under his watch, his head would roll. But Caius was right—Theron was merely unconscious.

The crowd remained silent, stunned beyond words.

Moments ago, they feared Caius was dead.

Now, he stood tall—no wounds, no fatigue—only those crimson eyes that burned like a curse.

It left a question lingering in everyone's mind:

What really happened in that black ink?

"And the winner is… the Eldest Prince, Caius!" Drezan announced, handing Theron to the medics.

No cheers. No applause.

Only confusion.

No one understood how Caius had won.

Was it a trick? A psychological game? Or something darker—something unseen?

Among the shocked faces, one set of eyes burned with sharp focus.

Darius.

"I'm up next. Do you need time to rest?" Darius's calm voice cut through the silence.

Lydia, who had been about to congratulate Caius, froze.

Seraphina and Lyssandra were equally stunned.

"You want to fight Caius? Why?" Lydia asked in disbelief.

The crowd murmured. Darius was a prince too—yes—but hadn't he forfeited the throne already?

"Caius declared he would challenge all princes for the throne," Darius said, his gaze never leaving his brother. "Who am I to decline? I'm a prince, after all."

"We can start now," Caius replied coolly.

Darius nodded and stepped forward toward the platform.

"Wait, Darius!" Seraphina said sharply. "You're the one who wanted us to stop fighting for the throne. You gave up your claim!"

"Did I?" Darius said quietly, a faint smile touching his lips. "I've changed my mind."

The audience fell silent again.

No one expected Caius to accept.

No one expected Darius—the youngest general, the monster of the Federation—to fight.

"Caius, don't do this!" Lydia urged desperately.

"Brother, please don't!" Seraphina added.

"Please, big brother," Lyssandra whispered.

But Caius didn't even glance their way. His eyes stayed locked on Darius.

"Before we begin," Caius said, voice calm but curious, "I have a question."

He took a step closer.

"You once gave up the throne. You even tried to stop this entire battle among siblings. So why now? Why fight?"

The crowd leaned in, their curiosity hooked.

"Is he really going to fight General Darius?" someone muttered.

It seemed impossible—yet here they were.

Darius smiled faintly, closing his eyes for a moment before speaking.

"That," he said softly, "is simple…"

"The reason this is important to me… it all started when I was thirteen. Back then, I was hailed as a young genius—worshipped like a god among gods. They said I could rival even Hollowind.

At the time, I was thrilled. But I knew words meant nothing unless I proved them true. So, I entered the trials with all the other so-called prodigies. That's when everything went south."

Darius paused. The room fell silent. Even the powerhouses leaned in, drawn to the tale of the Federation's future legend.

"They were weak… too weak. None of them could push me to show even half of my strength. Battle after battle, I grew bored—so bored that I began challenging Universal Realm beings."

His eyes gleamed with joy, sending a shiver through the crowd.

"He did what?"

"He's a monster…"

"A terrifying one…"

"They were powerful," Darius continued, "and I lost when I first faced them."

A wave of relief washed over the audience—even Caius felt tension leave his shoulders.

"But that was then," Darius said with a faint smirk. "I grew. I evolved. Until eventually, I could defeat them too. And then… I grew bored again. I hunted Universal Realm beings for sport, but the thrill was gone. The joy I once felt in battle faded. The world felt lonely. I thought I had reached the peak—until I met him."

His tone darkened, and even the air seemed to freeze.

"His name… unknown. But he was from the Dreadborne Organization."

Gasps rippled through the hall.

"Even though we stood in the same realm, I couldn't defeat him. He crushed me—so easily that I questioned my very existence."

The name Dreadborne hung heavy in the silence.

"But that defeat," Darius said, eyes burning with rare light, "it broke me—and in that breaking, I felt joy. The top wasn't lonely anymore. I wasn't invincible. Hahaha…"

He laughed, the sound echoing like thunder.

"Then I came here—to fix us. But I found out you had a twin brother, and the battle for the throne began. As you fought the others, I saw it in your eyes, Caius—the loneliness. You never showed your true strength, did you?"

Caius, arms folded, answered simply.

"...Yes."

"I knew it." Darius's grin widened. "That look—it awakened something in me. I remembered him. The one from Dreadborne. And you… you went there and came back reborn. It stirred a hunger in me."

He took a step forward, his voice rising like a storm.

"I wonder… are you as strong as him? Can you make me feel that same excitement again? Can you push me to fight with everything I have?"

The ground trembled as his aura erupted, sweeping across the Federation.

"CAN YOU MAKE ME SHOW MY FULL STRENGTH!?"

The entire hall fell silent. The world seemed to stop.

Caius's eyes flickered, his heart pounding as he looked at his brother. The realization hit him like lightning—he didn't truly understand Darius. They weren't fighting for the throne in the same way. While Caius sought to rule, Darius sought meaning.

They were both climbing the mountain—but Caius was still wondering how to leap from the cliff, while Darius was already flying through the stars.

How ironic.

Caius smiled faintly.

"Brother… I will give you that excitement."

His blood boiled, power rising like an inferno.

"Don't disappoint me," Darius said, grinning wide.

The battlefield trembled. Two beings stood ready—one seeking purpose, the other seeking freedom.

The world itself held its breath.

**************************************************************