CHAPTER 111: SELECTION MATCH ENDED

Chapter 110: A growing

The massive arena was steeped in tense silence. The crowd held its breath as they gazed at the four glowing colored tabs floating in the air, each one displaying a dwindling list of names. Earlier, names had vanished rapidly, vanquished in the brutal portal zones, but now the pace had slowed to a crawl. It was clear—only the strongest remained.

Murmurs buzzed among the spectators, awe and anxiety blending in their voices as they stared at the surviving names. Each name still glowing was a symbol of resilience, a testament to power.

In a reserved viewing area, Laura’s sharp eyes flitted between the tabs—pink, blue, green, and gold—tracking the surviving contenders. Her heart pounded with every name she read. Aiden. Clara. Han. Ronan. Even the elusive Silver Wing still stood undefeated. She exhaled in relief, fingers gripping the edge of her seat. She didn’t fully know what each member of the group was capable of—but she believed in them.

Then her gaze paused on the gold tab.

One name glowed faintly among the few still standing.

Jayden Shawn.

Her breath hitched.

Her mind flashed back to the guy she’d met just a day before. Could it be him? Her cheeks flushed slightly at the memory. She quickly composed herself, brushing the thought aside. She wasn’t even sure it was the same person.

But she would know soon enough.

The selection matches were nearing their end.

---

Inside the Pink Portal

The floor was littered with bodies—motionless, broken, defeated. Though none were dead, their eyes were vacant, hollow. It was as if their souls had been scraped out, leaving behind husks of what once were warriors.

One man, unlike the rest, still moved—but barely. He knelt on the cracked ground, slamming his forehead repeatedly against it until the stone split open. His voice trembled, ragged with despair.

"You took all our shards... we lost... we surrender. Please—just let us go..."

Tears and blood mixed on his face. His team, dozens strong, had fought hard. But they were no match. No one could have expected such cruelty.

The figure standing before them remained silent.

Then, finally, he spoke.

"You can stand."

The man’s heart surged with hope. He staggered to his feet, trembling.

"Th-thank—"

He froze.

That smile.

That wicked, twisted smile.

The figure’s hand rose, fingers curling slightly—revealing jagged, bone-like spikes protruding from his fingertips. Without hesitation, they plunged into the man’s skull. It wasn’t deep... but the pain—

The scream that followed was not human.

It tore through the air like a blade, a raw sound that made even the invisible observers flinch. It wasn’t just agony—it was madness, despair, and unending torment. The man’s mouth hung open, frozen mid-scream as he trembled violently. It felt as though his very soul was being shredded, stitched back together, and torn apart again. Over and over. And he couldn’t even pass out.

That was the curse of the ability.

Eventually, the man collapsed—still alive, but as lifeless as the others, his mind obliterated.

The monster behind it all stood still, unfazed.

He was hideous.

A hunched figure with patches of hair that barely clung to his scalp, interspersed with bald spots that gleamed under the eerie portal light. Thick, pulsing veins ran from the side of his head down to his chin, giving his skin a grotesque, swollen texture. His entire face looked like it had been twisted and melted, as if the gods had poured cruelty into flesh.

But it wasn’t just his appearance that was monstrous.

It was his joy—his twisted delight in pain, in dragging his victims through hell without killing them. He had broken over fifty contestants without mercy.

He had a name.

Feared by many.

Whispered like a curse.

Ranz the Cruel.

Ranz picked up the final pink shard from the ground. With a sickening crack, he crushed it in his palm. Instantly, his own shard pulsed white and began to glow intensely—an unmistakable signal.

The final opponent had fallen.

Across all four portal zones, only sixteen contestants remained—the strongest, the most ruthless, the most worthy.

The Selection Match was over.

A moment later, Ranz vanished in a flash of light, teleported out of the battlefield. All others within the Pink Zone, defeated or victorious, were pulled away as well, flickering out of existence like sparks snuffed by the wind.

Elsewhere within the same zone, Ronan stared down at his pink shard, now glowing white. So... it’s over. Without another word, he stood—and was immediately enveloped in a blinding light, vanishing like the others.

This scene echoed across the other portals.

---

In the Gold Portal Zone

Despite his battered body, his clothes torn and blood matting his hair, Dave was more worried about someone else.

Jay.

A moment ago, Jay had said he planned to kill Argon—not beat him, not injured him—kill him.

And that terrified Dave.

Not because he doubted Jay’s strength—if anything, he believed Jay could hold his own even against a Class S Hero not to talk of Argon—but because killing a contestant was a serious violation of the Selection Match’s laws. Even Argon, ruthless as he was, hadn’t killed anyone. And now... Jay was already charging forward, fury in every step.

Argon mirrored the move, bolting straight toward Jay with equal force.

Both fighters cocked their fists, the ground trembling beneath them as their powers flared—

Then suddenly—

Their gold shards flashed white, pulsing like a miniature sun. A second later, both fighters vanished in an instant, their final clash stolen away by the system. Kalen, who stood nearby watching tensely, was also whisked away.

Dave let out a long, exhausted sigh.

"It’s over," he muttered, collapsing to his knees.

---

In the Red Portal Zone

A storm was brewing.

Blazer stood with his palms blazing, preparing to unleash a devastating attack on Han, who remained unnervingly calm. Han didn’t see Blazer as a threat—but he was annoying. And if a mosquito buzzed too close, even the kindest monk would swat it.

Han was just about to put Blazer in his place when—

His red shard shimmered, then glowed pure white. A second later, his body flickered—and he was gone. Blazer too vanished, his attack never unleashed. Others across the Red Zone followed suit, whisked away mid-conflict.

---

In the Blue Portal Zone

Almighty stood frozen, watching in awe and fear as two titans clashed before him.

Aiden and Elexa.

For the past minute, their duel had been earth-shattering. Each strike from Elexa could level buildings. Each counter from Aiden cracked the terrain. Almighty couldn’t help but shudder—if even a single attack from either of them landed on him, he wouldn’t just die—he’d be erased.

Aiden lay in a crater, panting heavily. He slowly stood, staring at Elexa across the battlefield. She was strong—too strong. And she hadn’t even gotten serious yet.

"I’m out of energy," he muttered under his breath. "But I can still throw one last punch..."

He pushed himself to move—but then, his blue shard glowed brilliantly, turning white.

His body froze.

Across from him, Elexa’s expression shifted as her own shard lit up the same way.

Neither of them could stop it.

A moment later, they both disappeared, teleported away from the zone mid-battle.

The only one smiling in the aftermath of the Selection Match was Almighty. As his blue shard began to glow white, a wave of relief washed over him.

"Finally... I’m leaving this damn hell," he muttered with a genuine grin.

And just like the others, he vanished—teleported away in a flash of light.

---

The Grand Arena

Inside the colossal arena, thousands of spectators waited in breathless anticipation. A vibrant, multicolored tab floated above the field, glowing brightly before suddenly vanishing. Moments later, a deep, mechanical click echoed across the vast space.

The colored doors—blue, gold, red, and pink—unlocked.

A hush fell.

Then—

From the Blue Door, a tall girl with long, crackling blue hair stepped out. Electricity danced around her like a living cloak. Despite the thunderous applause that erupted the moment she appeared, her expression was unreadable—her eyes filled with disappointment.

Still, her popularity was undeniable. As Class A Rank Two, her mere presence electrified the crowd.

Then the other doors began to open one by one.

The survivors of the brutal Selection Match began to emerge into the open, their steps heavy with the weight of their battles. Those who had failed were transported elsewhere, away from the crowd’s view.

---

From the Gold Portal, Clara was the first to step forward.

The moment she appeared, cheers rang out—especially from the people of Serenya, who recognized her instantly.

In the VIP section, Lord Tech smiled warmly, his eyes misty. He could still remember how devastated he felt when he learned his younger sister was a Zero, born without being capable of wielding awakening or skill. In their world, skill-less people were deemed unworthy... disposable.

Yet here she was.

Unscarred. Unyielding. Victorious.

She’s come so far, he thought with pride swelling in his chest.

Following her were Jayden, Kalen, and Argon. The moment Jayden and Argon stepped onto the field, the air itself seemed to stiffen. A sharp, silent tension sparked between them—a battle unresolved.

But before that tension could escalate, the Pink Door opened.

Out came Ronan, tall and imposing, followed by Ranz, whose very presence earned glares and scowls from the audience. The crowd clearly hated him.

Then came the Little One, moving with deceptive calm, and behind him, the enigmatic Silver Wing, whose sharp silver suit drew curious glances.

When the Red Door clicked open, silence fell once again.

Everyone’s attention snapped to the man who stepped out first.

He had short hair—half white, half black—split neatly down the center, swaying as he moved. Hands tucked casually into his pockets, he walked with a composed, almost regal air. His expression was unreadable, yet oddly captivating.

Han.

Cheers erupted—especially from the female spectators—enchanted by his stunning appearance and calm, enigmatic demeanor.

Then came the firestorm.

The second person from the Red Zone stepped out with a fiery glare and flames flaring behind him. His eyes locked onto Han like a predator spotting prey.

Blazer.

His fury radiated from him, barely restrained.

"We’ll settle this in the tournament," he growled, flames curling around his fists before storming past.

Han barely spared him a glance. He simply scanned the arena, calmly noting the other finalists: Aiden, Clara, Ronan, and Silver Wing.

None of them surprised him.

They’re strong.

Then his gaze settled on Elexa, who flashed him a cheeky grin, electricity crackling at her fingertips.

Han sighed internally.

Maniac, he thought. She really does remind me of Thunderwrath.

But then—

His expression darkened.

Standing silently near the far edge of the arena was a figure cloaked entirely in black, a shadow among shadows. His presence—or lack thereof—sent a chill through Han’s spine.

There was nothing to sense from him.

No aura. No breath. No energy. No presence.

As if he didn’t even exist.

And yet, he was undeniably there.

Han’s brows furrowed. He activated his Analyzer Eye, determined to uncover the figure’s details.

Lines of data tried to form—and failed.

Name: ???????

Skill: ???????

Rank: ???????

Body Limit: ???????

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

A bead of sweat trickled down Han’s temple.

"What... is this?" he thought.

The figure stood motionless, a void in human form.

A terrifying mystery.

---

To Be Continued...