Chapter 8: The Monster of Victory

The moment the battle begins.

The voices of the crowd faded, and silence fell as if time itself had stopped.

But within that silence lay the weight of the past and the determination carried by two fighters who could no longer turn back.

At first glance, it looked like a simple duel. But this was no ordinary fight.

Misunderstandings, hatred, conflict, and bonds…

At last, the time had come for destinies to collide head-on.

The stage was set.

It was time to break away from the past.

The murmur in the coliseum was unlike that of the previous matches. It wasn’t just excitement, nor simple anticipation. It was tension. A heavy, suffocating silence—the kind that comes before a storm.

Above, the sky looked darker, though not a single cloud loomed. The sun struck the center of the arena with uncanny precision, as if the light itself wished to witness what was about to begin.

“What exactly are you hoping to see in this fight?” Naz asked, arms crossed as her gaze swept across the arena. “Obviously, aside from that boy…”

“First, that boy doesn’t interest me in the slightest,” Yuki replied, her eyes never leaving the entrance tunnel. “Second, his name is Eden. And third… the one I’m interested in is the other one. Shu.”

Naz clicked her tongue with a teasing grin.
“So… a love triangle?”

A sharp smack landed on her head before she could finish.

“It’s nothing like that, idiot. I just want to know if the rumors about him are true.”

“What rumors?”

“They say he was supposed to be admitted by direct recommendation from the higher ranks of the institute. One of the chosen three. But he refused. They also say that when he fights… he becomes someone completely different.”

“Someone different? That’s impossible.”

“I thought so too. When I met him today, he didn’t seem strong at all. I don’t understand how he had such an opportunity…”

“Maybe he comes from a rich family. Probably has contacts in GODS.”

“Maybe…” Yuki muttered, still fixated on the empty arena.

At that moment, the gates of the tunnel creaked open.

Two figures emerged, walking steadily to the center of the arena.

The crowd roared.

Eden, striding firmly, and Shu, his expression so calm he seemed absent, stood face-to-face.

“This battle won’t be bad at all…” Zeus thought from his throne, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Let’s see if your apprentice is ready, Shun.”

The gates slammed shut behind them.

The air seemed to hold its breath.

And fate, once more, bared its fangs.

Their eyes crossed like clashing blades, long before either moved.

Neither smiled. Neither spoke.

Even the wind—which once blew freely across the arena—receded, as if it too wanted to watch from a distance.

Eden furrowed his brow.
“What was the point of what you told me a moment ago?”

“I meant nothing,” Shu replied, utterly calm. “I only told you the truth.”

Eden studied him closely.

That voice… that face…

It wasn’t the same boy he’d spoken to on the stairs.

There was something different. Something dark behind those eyes.

It’s like someone else lives inside him…, he thought.

From the stands, Shun watched silently, arms crossed.
Come on, Eden. It’s time to show the world your potential.

Zeus raised his hand.
“Let the battle begin!”

The cry vanished at once, swallowed by the thunder of the first clash.

Eden moved first. A step, then another, and his body shot forward like an arrow. His sword traced a gleaming arc through the air. Shu countered with his spear, and the metallic clash filled the stadium.

The audience fell into absolute silence.

Clash. Step back. Strike. Parry. Spin. Counter.

“His speed has improved greatly,” Shun murmured, analyzing every motion. “But he’s pushing past his limit. If he keeps this up… he’ll burn out.”

What are you planning, Eden?

And then… the first break.

Eden’s sword struck Shu’s spear hard, sending it flying across the arena until it lodged into the ground meters away. In that instant, Eden spun and drove a kick square into Shu’s abdomen.

Shu’s body was launched through the air, crashing into the magic barriers that separated the fighters from the audience.

“Not bad,” Heracles muttered before he realized.

Hermes turned to him, surprised.
“Did you just compliment him?”

“Of course not!” Heracles snapped quickly. “What he did was wrong. He used too much energy. He’ll burn out fast.”

Shun smirked faintly.
“That’s his strategy.”

“What?”

“He knows he can’t win a drawn-out fight. So he has only one choice: end it quickly.”

Shu stood up, brushing off the dust.
“Not bad, Eden.”

“You too. Not everyone can get up like nothing happened after that kick.”

“Then it’s clear. You’ve never fought someone truly strong before.”

Eden swallowed hard. His breathing was already uneven.

I have to finish this… now.

Shu raised a hand toward the royal box.
“Lord Zeus. May I ask a question?”

Zeus lifted an eyebrow, intrigued.
“Speak.”

“As long as I don’t kill my opponent… I won’t be disqualified, correct?”

A frozen silence fell over the coliseum.

“Correct.”

Shu slowly lowered his hand.
“I see… Then I just need you to keep breathing.”

Suddenly, the light seemed to vanish.
A black mist spread across the battlefield, swallowing the ground, rising like dense, poisonous smoke.

Eden spun around in all directions.
“What is this? I… I can’t see anything!”

From the stands, Shun rose to his feet.
This is bad… Eden can’t handle that.

Shu’s voice echoed from somewhere within the fog.
“I’m sorry, Eden. But this is as far as you go.”

A blow.
A sharp impact that knocked the breath out of the apprentice.

Another. Then another.

As if the strikes came from the darkness itself, they pummeled him mercilessly.

Eden spat blood.
His mind was fogged.

He couldn’t breathe.
He couldn’t see.
He couldn’t think.

I have to do something! I just need one second…!

But what came was the slash.

Pain tore through his body like lightning.

One of his arms hit the ground.

And then… he screamed.

A scream so raw, so human, that everyone in the stands felt a chill race down their spines.

Shun stepped forward, incredulous.
No… this can’t be happening!

Naz clenched her fists.
Yuki’s breath caught in her throat.

The mist stirred violently.

And out of it… Shu appeared, walking calmly, his gaze empty.

“You look pathetic. But I don’t blame you. You’re facing the monster of victory. And besides… nothing you do will ever hurt me. Because I already know your next move.”

But just then…

Eden grabbed his arm.

“What the hell…?”

“Rule number one… never get overconfident in a fight.”

A shadow fell from above.

The sword.

The very same blade Eden had tossed into the air moments before.

Shu tried to retreat, but it was too late.

Eden caught the sword mid-fall and brought it down with all his strength.

The mist shattered.

Shu dropped to his knees.

Blood spilled from his lips.

From the stands, Shun watched in silence.
When… did he plan all of that?

And in that moment—everything changed.

The sight was almost impossible to process.
Shu, on his knees.
Eden, bleeding.
And an arm… lying on the ground.

The crowd didn’t know whether to scream or remain silent.
The tension was so thick it hurt to breathe.

From above, Yuki stared wide-eyed.
What the hell happened in there…?

In the center of the field, Shu lifted his head.
His expression was no longer cold. It was something else.
Confusion. Rage. Humiliation.

Is this real?
Someone so weak… hurt me?

“Damn you!” Shu roared, unleashing an aura that exploded like a bomb.
The magical pressure shook the coliseum walls.
The stands vibrated.
The sky itself seemed to darken for an instant.

Yuki narrowed her eyes.
“So… the rumors were true.”

Her pupils reflected Shu’s figure, wrapped in chaotic energy.
“That look… that’s the Monster of Victory.”

Shu took a step forward.
Another.
Each footfall made the ground tremble.

“I won’t forgive you!” he roared with savage fury. “I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!”

Eden, still standing, tore part of his clothes with his teeth.
He pressed hard against his wound to stem the bleeding.

From above, Zeus grew tense.
He doesn’t have much time left. If he doesn’t stop now… he’ll lose consciousness.

He made a motion to rise.

But then…

Eden lifted his gaze.

Just for a second.

But it was enough.

Zeus’s eyes locked with the young man’s, covered in blood yet still on his feet.

That look…

Zeus sat back down.
And smiled.

“Hermes…” he whispered. “I won’t stop this.”

Hermes turned to him, alarmed.
“What are you saying? That boy will die if this continues!”

“He’s already chosen.”

“Shun, you’re his master! Do something!”

But Shun shook his head, calm and resolute.
“I can’t stop someone like that.”

“Someone like what?” Hermes demanded.

“Someone who chose not to retreat.”

Heracles, who had been silent until then, spoke without taking his eyes off Eden:
“Shun has always admired those who cling to their decisions. Those who don’t turn back, even if it costs their life. And now… we have one right in front of us.”

One by one, the gods rose to their feet.

Yuki looked on, confused.
“What’s going on?”

Afrodita stepped forward behind her, serious for the first time in a long while.
“That human… has earned the respect of the gods.”

“Afrodita? What are you doing here?”

“That I’ll explain later. For now… just watch.”

Down below, Shu stopped.
He felt all their gazes upon him.

Shun. Zeus. Afrodita. Hermes. Heracles.
All standing.
All applauding his opponent.
Not him.

Shu trembled.
What… what are they doing?
Why are they applauding him?
They should be applauding me! My great power!

“DAMN YOU!” he bellowed, unleashing an even more violent aura.

From below, Eden gave a faint smile.
There you are… that’s your true power.

His own body began to vibrate.

A new energy surged from within him.
It wasn’t clean. It wasn’t bright.
But it was his.

Both fighters were ready.

“Light Technique: Divine Radiance!” Shu roared, raising a golden sphere of energy above his head.

“Dark Flare!” Eden bellowed, as his sword ignited with black, flaming energy.

Two opposing forces.
Light against shadow.
An inevitable collision.

Shu’s attack cut through the air.
Eden’s sword sliced it in two.
The remnants kept their course—
and struck Shu directly.

The impact was brutal.
Shu was hurled across the arena, crashing into the coliseum walls.
His body bounced once… then lay motionless, gasping for air.

From the ground, Eden took a step.
Then another.

“You’re really strong, Shu…”
His voice was faint, ragged.
“But you made one mistake.”

A sphere of energy grew in his palm.
“You underestimated… what I’m capable of when I have nothing left to lose.”

But his body… no longer obeyed.
Eden collapsed.
Unconscious.
Drained.

Shun’s brow furrowed.
“…What?”

Zeus exhaled, though his smile remained.
He couldn’t finish the fight before passing out.
Even so… it was a great battle.

Silence.

Shu, barely standing, lifted his gaze.
The fury in his eyes was no longer human.
He raised his spear, pointing at Eden’s unconscious body.

“This is my moment.”

Heracles tensed.
“What the hell is he planning?”

Shu inhaled sharply.
“Now… all the glory will be mine.”

But then—
Pain.
A savage sting pierced his head.

A voice. Distant.
It didn’t scream. It didn’t plead.
It simply ordered:

“Stop.”

Shu fell to his knees, bewildered.
Everyone froze.

And then—
A heartbeat.
Loud.
Another.
Then many.

The hearts of every person in the coliseum began to pound faster.

“What’s happening…?” Yuki whispered.

“You felt it too?” Naz asked, pale.

“Yes…
It’s like something… is speaking to us.”

Naz swallowed hard.
“And what it’s saying is… that we’re going to die. Now.”

In that instant—
everything changed again.

The presence that erupted from Eden’s unconscious body was not human.
It didn’t even feel alive.

A voice echoed in every mind at once:

“I will kill you all.
You will all die.”

Zeus immediately rose to his feet.
“…A demon.”

Shu froze in terror.
The gods… have abandoned me…

And the magical barrier protecting the audience—
shattered.

Shun appeared in a flash, like lightning.
“Spatial Technique: Dimensional Seal!”

A sphere of energy enveloped Eden’s body.
His aura—sealed within.

Chaos erupted.
The crowd screamed.
People ran.
Fleeing. Escaping.

Shun looked toward the high podium.
Zeus nodded gravely.
Afrodita, Hermes, and Heracles joined him.
The four escorted the glowing sphere that contained Eden.

Zeus stood tall before the assembly, his voice carrying across the crumbling silence:

“For now…
the GODS Institute Trials are suspended.”

Shu remained on his knees.
His lips trembled as he whispered:

“…A demon.”