Chapter 134: Chapter 134 : The Luminarch

A/N :- Two additonal Chapters will come in four hours too show alex awakening.

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The Grand Arena of Zenith Academy—a massive coliseum-like structure reserved solely for duels—buzzed with restless energy. Thousands of cadets filled the stands, their eyes trained on the center stage, where history was about to be made.

On one of the elevated viewing platforms, a particular group drew as much attention as the duel itself. Seraphina, Ava, Lilia, Alden, Draven, and Rein sat together, watching intently.

In the center of the dueling platform stood Ethan Williams. His golden hair fluttered slightly in the breeze, and his golden eyes burned with quiet intensity. Opposite him were five third-year cadets—four of them radiating the strength of Expert (Peak)-Rank, while their leader, David, exuded the solid, oppressive aura of a Master (Low)-Rank.

David strolled toward Ethan with lazy confidence, lips curled in a mocking smirk.

“Are you sure about this, junior?” he asked, his tone dipped in condescension. “We already apologized for talking a bit too… rudely about Senior Evelyn.”

He chuckled, as if the very idea of the duel was an amusing formality.

“And sure, we heard you awakened recently—but do you really think you can take on all five of us, alone?”

His companions stepped forward, grinning with smug delight.

“Yeah, think it through, junior,” one said.

“Wouldn’t want the supposed Hero of Humanity getting his face slammed into the floor in front of all these people,” another added.

“People might stop believing in you if you cry halfway through,” a third jeered.

Laughter erupted from the five upperclassmen, echoing through the arena. But Ethan didn’t flinch. He just stood there—calm, unmoving.

His golden eyes stared blankly at them, and his usually warm, forgiving aura was nowhere to be found.

Then, he finally spoke, voice low and icy.

“You called her shameless, didn’t you? For kissing someone in front of everyone at the freshmen ball?”

The laughter died instantly. The tension in the air snapped tight as the upperclassmen visibly stiffened.

“I’ll make sure,” Ethan continued coldly, “that each of you will rue the day you were born.”

Just as David opened his mouth to retort, Ethan’s eyes drifted toward the arena entrance. Two figures were walking in—calmly, confidently, as if they owned the place.

Charlotte Evans Avaloria and Alex Dragonheart.

Heads turned immediately as the two climbed the steps toward the stand where Alden and the others were seated.

Seraphina’s gaze snapped toward them. The moment she saw Alex, she stood up, pointing.

“You—! You—! Where were you all these days?”

Before Alex could reply, she sighed, deflating.

“…Forget it.”

Alex blinked. “’Forget it’? That’s it?” He looked around at the blank, stunned stares on their faces.

“What? I know I’m good-looking, but you guys should really tone it down with the staring.”

Alden stood up, his voice flat and accusing. “Where were you these two days?”

Alex yawned, casually scratching his head. “Training. Nothing big. Just… stuff.”

Alden’s eyes narrowed as he sensed Alex’s presence—heavier than usual. His jaw tightened.

“…He broke through, didn’t he?”

His gaze flicked toward Charlotte, who gave a slight shrug and a small nod in confirmation.

Alden sat back down, his shoulders sagging as he let out a heavy sigh.

’I’m the only one left behind. These two are getting further and further ahead… and I’m still stuck here.’

Charlotte leaned forward, her expression serious as she glanced toward Ethan, who was still glaring daggers in Alex’s direction.

“What happened?” she asked. “Why’s he about to get into a five-on-one mess?”

Seraphina rubbed her temple, clearly stressed.

“Well… on his way to the Student Council Office, he overheard those third-year goons badmouthing Big Sis Eve. And instead of losing his mind and punching their teeth in like usual… he challenged them. One. On. Five.”

Charlotte let out a low whistle.

“That’s… not good at all.”

Then she looked at Alex, who was grinning ear to ear like he’d just won the lottery.

“I wonder who’s responsible for all this…” she mused.

Everyone turned to glare at Alex.

A vein twitched on Alex’s forehead. He crossed his arms, looking completely done with the universe.

“I’m getting really tired of saying this every time… she was the one who defiled me, not the other way around!”

Everyone averted their gazes awkwardly.

Back on the dueling platform, the referee approached Ethan and the upperclassmen.

“Are you sure about this, Mr. Ethan?” he asked. “A one-on-five match is highly unorthodox. You can still walk away from this if you’d prefer.”

David scoffed before Ethan could reply.

“Yes, junior. Go on—run back to Senior Evelyn and cry about us. Maybe she’ll kiss it better.”

Just then, David’s minion, Marco, leaned in and whispered nervously,

“Are you sure about this, David? He is the prophesied Hero, after all…”

David waved him off.

“Relax. Yeah, he’s strong. I saw him go toe-to-toe with a second-year Expert (Mid)-Rank and draw the match back when he was only Advance (Mid)-Rank. But he didn’t win.”

His eyes gleamed with ambition.

“Even if he’s Expert (Low)-Rank now… there are five of us. We beat him, and we’ll be the guys who defeated the Hero. Guaranteed recruitment by a top-tier guild. Our future will be set.”

The others exchanged glances, their hesitation fading, replaced with hunger. The thought of fame and prestige silenced their doubts.

But what none of them realized… was that Ethan could hear everything.

His newly awakened senses picked up every whispered word. His lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile.

“Don’t worry,” Ethan said, voice laced with venom. “I’ll make sure you all get very famous after this duel.”

The five upperclassmen froze. Their faces drained of color.

Up in the stands, Ethan’s gaze met Alex’s.

His expression twisted into a wicked grin, and he mouthed the words:

“Watch closely. You’re gonna get a beating worse than this.”

Alex, unfazed, smirked right back and lipsynced:

“Say hi to your sister for me.”

Ethan’s smile faltered. His jaw clenched.

’This bastard—!’

“Begin!” the referee shouted, snapping him out of his thoughts.

The crowd erupted into cheers as the duel commenced, but only one thing echoed in Ethan’s mind now.

’I’m going to bury all five of them—and then I’m coming for you, Alex.’

The moment the referee shouted, “Begin!”—five weapons gleamed under the arena lights.

David, the leader, unsheathed a massive greatsword—its edge crackling with earth-elemental aura, the ground beneath him subtly trembling.

Marco drew a pair of jagged daggers, both coated with flickering lightning energy.

Kara, a tall woman with short crimson hair, brandished a whip of searing flames—its heat distorting the air.

Lenn, a short but solidly built cadet, gripped a pair of iron knuckles, his fists glowing with metallic sheen and brute-force magic.

Zane, the leanest of them all, held a bow formed from wind, arrows appearing from thin air.

Together, they lunged—five blurs of honed violence trained from years of third-year combat.

But Ethan… stood perfectly still. A wicked smile tugged at his lips.

Blades, fire, lightning, fists, arrows—everything came crashing down on him in perfect synchronicity.

BOOM—BOOM—CRACK—SIZZLE—BOOM!

When the smoke cleared, a stunned silence swept across the arena.

Ethan was on the ground.

His body was torn, blood pooling beneath him.

His right arm was hanging limply, a clean slice running through it—the tendons severed.

Deep gashes crisscrossed his face and chest, and his knees buckled, forcing him to collapse.

Then, with a sickening thud, he was slammed face-first into the dueling platform by David’s greatsword.

The crowd gasped.

Seraphina immediately stood up from the stands, panic filling her voice.

“Ethan!”

She moved to run forward—but Alex gently caught her wrist.

“Alex—let me go! He’s hurt—badly!”

Alex let out a slow breath.

“Just… wait and watch.”

The five upperclassmen stood proudly over Ethan’s broken form.

“Looks like he didn’t even see the attacks coming,” David said smugly.

Marco chuckled. “Sorry, junior—but you brought this on yourself.”

Lenn added with a sneer, “Guess not every prophecy pans out, huh?”

Then—

The air changed.

Flames began to emerge from Ethan’s body, dancing along his skin and out of his wounds.

“Wh-What the hell…?” Zane whispered.

Suddenly—his severed hand twitched.

Then, in front of everyone’s eyes, it regrew, tendons realigning, flesh reweaving with glowing embers.

All of his injuries—deep gashes, bruises, even internal damage—were engulfed in golden-red flames that burned them away into nothingness.

The wounds vanished.

Ethan stood back up, his body completely healed—not even a scar left.

He flexed his newly restored fingers with a smirk.

“Better than I expected,” he said coolly. “Wounding myself was the perfect test.”

The five upperclassmen paled.

The audience… went dead silent.

Even instructors seated high above stood up in disbelief.

“Wh-What the hell did he just awaken…?” Alden murmured, stunned.

Alex crossed his arms, smirking.

“I know, right? Total cheat code.”

Inside his mind, he muttered,

’Useless. I think I broke the protagonist.’

A voice echoed within him.

[You sure did. And now he’s coming to break you.]

Alex’s mouth twitched.

’…Noted.’

Back on the platform, Ethan closed his eyes briefly.

’Tiamat… I’m going to use it.’

A voice echoed in his head.

[Of course, my heir. Etch bone-deep fear into these clowns. No one touches your pride and walks away.]

Ethan opened his eyes—now glowing gold with vertical dragon-like slits.

He whispered softly, almost inaudibly,

“Let there be light. In its brilliance, I ascend beyond flesh and time—one with the eternal flame, reborn as the one true God… the Luminarch.”

A sudden, colossal pressure exploded from his body—like a tidal wave of ancient, divine might.

The crowd felt it.

The ground trembled.

Even the clouds above dimmed.

The five third-years collapsed to their knees instantly, their bodies trembling violently.

Flames erupted behind Ethan, but they weren’t normal. Wings of phoenix flame rose behind him, fused with scaled draconic armor along his limbs and chest. His hair grew longer, whipping in the wind like golden fire.

His form now radiated an overwhelming fusion of draconic might and phoenix rebirth—a divine presence.

His skin shimmered with faint golden scales, and every step cracked the dueling platform.

From the stands, Selena Vega stood up in pure disbelief.

“…What the hell kind of power did he awaken?”

Ethan now exuded Master (Low)-Rank pressure—undeniably.

“Eternal Fear,” Ethan whispered.

A pulse of unnatural silence rippled out, thicker than shadow. The five upperclassmen froze—then screamed.

“Aaaaghhh!!”

“Get out of my head!!”

“I don’t want to die—I don’t want to die—!”

One dropped his weapon and fell to his knees, eyes rolling back, froth forming at the corners of his mouth.

“Make it stop, please—I’ll do anything, just make it stop!”

The third-year girl shrieked and slashed at her own arm, as if trying to peel away something crawling beneath her skin.

“They’re whispering my name… the dead… the dead won’t let me go!”

Another stood paralyzed, eyes bleeding tears, lips trembling in silent prayer, unable to speak, unable to scream—trapped in his own mind.

The last one simply laughed. A dry, cracked sound.

“It’s beautiful… the end… it’s so… beautiful…”

He collapsed backward with a thud, unmoving.

Ethan stood still, his eyes cold.

“Those who fear death are unworthy of power. Be grateful… I let you taste eternity.”

The arena watched in frozen terror.

Seraphina clutched her chest.

“…Is that really Ethan?”

Alex, sweat dotting his brow, muttered in his mind,

’Yeah… he’s gone full final boss mode.’

The voice inside him echoed again.

[He’s gonna come after you too.]

Alex didn’t answer.

Ethan, eyes glowing like molten suns, calmly walked toward the five.

They couldn’t move—they were still under the effects of his fear aura.

“Now who’s shameless, huh?” Ethan growled, slamming his fist into Marco’s gut, sending him flying into the barrier.

“Say that again… about my sister!”

He turned to Lenn and crushed his gauntlets with bare hands, then kneed him in the face.

Flames danced around his fists as he beat each of them bloody—one after another.

David tried to crawl away, blood leaking from his mouth.

“No… Stay… away—!”

But Ethan grabbed him by the collar and slammed him down with enough force to crack the arena floor.

“You talk big when you’re five-on-one. Now say it again—”

“SAY IT AGAIN!”

By the time he was done, all five were unconscious.

Their bodies were scattered across the arena like discarded puppets.

“Fucking weaklings… acting all high and mighty,” Ethan muttered, his voice calm again.

He turned toward the referee.

The man gulped, legs shaking as he climbed the stage.

“…V-Victory… Ethan Williams is the victor…”

First only silence came.

Then the crowd erupted into deafening cheers.

“ETHAN! ETHAN! ETHAN!”

The golden-haired hero stood at the center, flames flickering behind him.

But then—he raised a hand to silence the crowd.

“I—Ethan Williams—hereby challenge Alex Dragonheart for the position of Apex.”

He pointed straight at Alex, his gaze burning.

“I deem him unworthy of that title. In two days, we’ll settle this. Right here.”

His voice boomed through the arena.

Then he roared:

“ALEX! Do you accept my challenge?”

The crowd held its breath.

Alex didn’t answer.

Instead, he began walking.

Step by step, calmly approaching the platform.

The crowd held their breath watching him climb the stage.

He walked until he stood face-to-face with Ethan.

He looked him in the eye, smiled faintly, and said:

“I accept.”

The arena exploded into chaos.

Some cadets chanted, “ETHAN!”

Others roared, “ALEX!”

From the stands, Rein looked at Draven.

“…Did he go insane? Wasn’t he watching the fight and what he did to those third years?”

Draven blinked. “He was always insane, yes. But Ethan… Ethan’s changed after awakening.”

Alden nodded solemnly.

“Maybe you’re right. He’s acting differently.”

Suddenly, inside Ethan’s head, a cold voice echoed.

[Is that the guy who manipulated your sister? And forced himself on her?]

Ethan’s expression darkened.

’Yes… it’s that bastard.’

[Want me to get rid of him for you?] Tiamat asked, his voice like a whisper in a storm.

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A/N:

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