Sage of reality

Chapter 24: The Fractured Arena

The wind in the inner World Space had changed. It howled now—whoooooosh, a ghostly echo swirling through the ruined valleys and broken inheritance grounds. Jim stood still on a jagged cliff, spear in hand, the air around him thick with residual lightning.

Below him, a wide circular arena revealed itself, carved into the mountain by forces long gone. The stone was cracked with age, veins of glowing blue energy pulsing through it like a heartbeat. At the far end, several figures stood in silence—watching.

"Jim... they're from the Four Great Powers," Tory said, stepping up beside him. His white hair drifted in the breeze, robes stained by ash and dust.

From the other side of the arena, a mocking voice broke the silence. "So, the orphaned dog and the traitor genius finally crawl into the center."

It was one of the Celestial Fang's arrogant trio—Kao Feng, mid Overlord realm, clad in obsidian armor flared with white flames. Behind him stood two others from the proud ten.

Jim narrowed his eyes. "They're trying to block us from moving further into the core inheritance zone."

BOOM! The sky cracked as one of the geniuses summoned a storm of spiritual energy. The air shimmered with heat as an array activated beneath their feet. It was a duel ground—forced combat. No retreat.

Tory didn't flinch. "Let's end this quickly."

---

The air EXPLODED with tension. Lightning clashed with flame—CRACK! FWOOSH!—as Jim launched forward with elemental wings flaring behind him. Each strike of his spear sent shockwaves through the stone floor.

Kao Feng blocked with a flaming warblade. CLANG! CLANG! Sparks flew as he twisted through the air, launching a wave of searing white fire. "You think this is enough to stop me?"

Jim answered with a crushing jab to his chest—BOOM!—sending him skidding backward.

At the same time, the second genius rushed toward Tory. "Let's see if the 'silent boy' can survive a real battle!" she screamed, summoning a crystalline glaive of spatial energy.

Tory exhaled.

Gravity distorted. The battlefield bent—and in an instant, the girl's glaive shattered before it could strike. CRACK! Her body slammed against a pressure field and dropped to one knee.

"You..." she gasped. "You're... suppressing me?"

Tory stepped forward. His sword—coated in a thin ash glow—hummed with restrained power.

"I'm not here to impress you. I'm here to move forward."

He slashed—SWHHHHH!—space itself tore, sending her flying into the arena wall.

---

Above, distant watchers—elders, instructors, and hidden guardians—watched the events unfold.

"That boy... he's beyond what he should be," whispered a cloaked man from the Celestial Fang.

One old woman turned her gaze toward the core gate. "He's a threat we didn't predict."

---

By the time the battle ended, only dust remained.

Kao Feng had fallen to Jim's roaring spear, his flames extinguished and ego shattered. The other two—defeated and broken—were dragged away by their comrades, their names now etched in disgrace.

System Notification:

[You have defeated multiple elite combatants. Experience gained: +17,500]

[Reality Core Evolution: +0.4%]

[New Trait Unlocked: Dimensional Pressure Field (Passive)]

Tory's body trembled faintly, not from exhaustion, but from something awakening. His control over gravity, space, and time began to knit together—tightly, silently.

"Let's keep going," he said.

---

Beyond the arena was a valley of floating temples—each tied to a different legacy. Some shimmered with beast bloodlines, others with saint-grade alchemy flames, or forgotten soul techniques.

A light glowed in the sky—the seal of the next inheritance chamber opening.

But as they walked toward it, a shadow passed above.

A beast—ten meters tall, cloaked in void-black fur and nine glowing eyes—descended with a KRA-KOOM.

Its roar shook the sky.

A trial beast. King realm.

Jim readied his spear.

Tory's eyes narrowed. "No… let me handle this one."

As he walked forward, the necklace around his neck pulsed.

And the beast's time slowed.