The moment Hajun stepped out of the coliseum, the thunder of applause still echoing behind him, he felt it.
A gaze. Cold. Calculating. Dangerous.
From high above, seated behind a translucent veil in the VIP balcony, Justine watched.
Her lips were curled in a smile—but it wasn't warmth.
It was a warning.
"You've gotten stronger, Hajun Ardyn," she murmured under her breath. Her voice, soft and honeyed, masked the boiling fury in her golden eyes. "I wonder… will you try to climb the Tower again?"
She leaned forward, and the shadows seemed to tighten around her.
A knight knelt beside her, trembling slightly.
"Shall we summon him, my lady?"
She shook her head.
"Not yet. Let him think he's free for now."
---
Meanwhile, deep inside the resting chamber…
Hajun wiped the blood off his fists. He ignored the murmurs around him—the looks of awe, fear, and quiet jealousy from the other cadets.
He was used to that.
A system window blinked open:
> [You have won a Colosseum Match: Bonus Reward – Random Skill Copy Available.]
[Skill Copied: "Piercing Thrust – Intermediate"]
He closed it with a blink.
Then, a man in a silver robe entered the room. His insignia glowed faintly—the mark of a high-ranking staff mage.
"Hajun Ardyn. You are requested. By the First Floor Supervisor."
The room went silent.
That wasn't normal.
Supervisors only summoned elite cadets… or troublemakers.
Hajun stood, sliding on his jacket.
"Lead the way."
---
Inside the Supervisor's Tower…
The room was circular, lined with ancient runes and sealed with powerful arrays.
Waiting inside was a woman in crimson robes, long silver hair cascading down her back like moonlight.
Her name was Elaris, one of the Tower's most powerful system-bound mages.
She gestured for Hajun to sit.
"Your power is growing… too fast," she said. "Too precise. You're not just talented."
Hajun didn't respond.
She leaned closer. "You're hiding something. A secret the gods would kill for."
His eyes narrowed.
"Why did you bring me here?"
Elaris smiled.
"Because I want to help you."
She slid a parchment across the table.
A map. Of the Tower. With a hidden path circled in red.
"Climb fast, Ardyn. The gods are starting to notice you again."
---