Ezra walked back to his seat while feeling the weight of many gazes following him, some filled with curiosity, some with admiration, and others with something closer to discomfort.

"That was cool... you skillful monster."

Tracy leaned forward from her seat, winking at him as she pointed in his direction with a playful grin, her tone light but her eyes clearly impressed by what she had just witnessed.

Ezra slowed slightly and glanced at her, tilting his head just a little while raising a brow.

Again... with the monster.

A quiet sigh escaped him as he walked past her, passing Linda, Nickolas, and Veda before finally taking his seat.

Linda and Nickolas both looked at him, but neither of them spoke immediately. Their expressions were stiff in different ways...Linda looked like she wanted to say something but refused to, while Nickolas seemed more irritated than anything else.

"Humph... I also won strongly."

Nickolas muttered under his breath, his voice low, his brows furrowing as he crossed his arms slightly.

"Where’s my own monster praise... I’m also fearsome."

He glanced sideways at Ezra, expecting at least a reaction.

But Ezra had already settled into his seat, his eyes calmly fixed on the stage where the next match was about to begin, as if nothing around him mattered more than observing what came next.

The noise in the arena didn’t die down. If anything, it grew louder again as attention shifted to the stage, where Bess from Henry’s group had already stepped forward. Cheers erupted from her groups side, raising their voices while conversations overlapped across the stands, discussing both the match that had just ended and the one now beginning.

Veda, however, wasn’t looking at the stage.

He was looking at Ezra.

Quietly observing him.

Ezra could feel it clearly, but he didn’t react. Instead, he waited, knowing Veda would eventually speak.

"She was pretty."

Veda finally said, his tone was flat.

Ezra turned his head sharply.

"Huh? Who?"

"Your opponent, of course."

Veda’s lips curved into a mischievous grin.

"I think I heard the people from the other side cheering for her... they called her Lucy."

He rested his chin between his thumb and index finger, pretending to think deeply.

"So... are you going to take her as your servant?"

His grin widened.

Ezra narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at him.

So that’s what he was thinking about...

"I’m sure you already know the answer," Ezra replied calmly, pointing lightly at Veda’s ear. "Since your hearing is that good."

Veda chuckled and leaned back in his seat, clearly amused, as the noise from the arena rose again due to the increasing intensity of the fight on stage.

On the center side of the stands...

"See?"

Nate glanced at Priscilla, his expression calm but his eyes clearly saying, I told you so.

"Argh..."

Priscilla shut her eyes tightly for a moment, as if trying to erase her earlier words.

"It’s not my fault," she muttered, crossing her arms. "The guy looks weak at first glance."

"Yes."

Niki placed a hand on Priscilla’s shoulder, nodding seriously.

"And it just means the girl was too weak."

She flipped her hair back with one hand.

Nate looked at the three girls, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"And you think you could have done better?"

He directed the question at Mira and Niki.

"At least I know Priscilla could still win... but you two?"

He let out a short scoff, shaking his head.

"Huh?!"

Both girls flinched, leaning back slightly in their seats as his words hit them harder than expected.

Nate had already turned away, his focus returning to the stage, where Bess had begun to take full control of the fight. The orphan girl she faced was barely holding on, her movements slowing under the pressure.

The girls continued to argue in low voices, clearly dissatisfied, but Nate ignored them completely, almost like he muted their voices from reaching his ears.

Minutes passed...

Bess won decisively, then Priscilla stepped forward.

Her group erupted into cheers as she entered the stage, and just like that, time began to pass steadily as more matches continued one after another.

Priscilla won quickly.

The next candidate fought longer but still claimed victory.

One after another, the rankers of the Ashenlocke children continued their dominance, until finally...

It was Veda’s turn.

"Good luck, Leader!"

The girls in his group shouted together.

"I’m expecting a quick win."

Nickolas grinned as he stretched his hand forward for a fist bump.

"I’ll try my best."

Veda replied with a smile, bumping his fist lightly before turning toward Ezra.

"Aren’t you going to wish me good luck?"

He pointed at himself with an innocent expression.

"Good luck."

Ezra said simply, his tone flat, his arms folded.

Veda let out a small sigh, shaking his head as if dealing with a difficult younger sibling, then he turned and walked toward the stage.

The outcome of Veda’s fight was already something every candidate expected, and even the orphans, who stood on the opposite side of the arena, could feel it now clearly without anyone needing to say it out loud.

It wasn’t just because of rumors or exaggerations, but because of what they had already witnessed with their own eyes—one after another, the rankers of the Ashenlocke children had stepped forward and crushed their opponents with overwhelming control, leaving no room for doubt.

So, when Veda’s name was called, and his group cheered with that certain confidence in their voices, everyone understood what it meant.

This wasn’t someone they could overcome with determination alone nor wasn’t someone they could simply challenge with willpower and hope to win.

The orphan boy standing on the platform felt it the most.

He swallowed hard, his throat dry as he watched Veda walk forward step by step, calm and steady, like he was simply going for a walk rather than stepping into a fight.

His legs trembled slightly, the vibration running from his knees down to his ankles as he tightened his grip on his staff, trying to hide it but failing.

Veda tilted his head slightly, noticing it.

"What happened to you?" he asked, his tone carrying real concern, not mockery or arrogance, but that only made things worse.

Because even though Veda didn’t release any Cognis, even though he didn’t glare or show any killing intent, that calm and gentle look of his...

To the boy, it felt worse than hostility.

It felt like standing in front of something that didn’t need to show its power, something that could end him without effort.

The thought of Vera, the rank one who had already crushed her opponent so easily, flashed through his mind and then he looked back at Veda.

Rank two.

His chest tightened.

The guard stepped onto the stage, his boots making a dull sound against the stone platform as he positioned himself between them.

"Ready."

His hand rose slowly into the air.

The boy’s fingers tightened around his staff, his knuckles turning pale as his hands continued to shake.

What do I do...? What do I do...?

His thoughts spiraled rapidly, crashing into each other without giving him space to breathe.

He looks gentle... but he’s clearly a beast...

Would he kill me...?

Argh... I don’t want to get beaten unconscious...

He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to look up at Veda again, scanning his body from head to toe.

How can a noble’s child be built like this...?

It didn’t make sense to him and then another memory surfaced...

Gareth.

The way Gareth had calmly grabbed his opponent by the neck, tightening his grip until the boy had no choice but to surrender, unable to even struggle properly.

That image alone made his stomach twist.

Get adopted...? This is clearly suicide... I’d rather become a servant...But I can’t just forfeit like that...

His breathing grew uneven as his thoughts finally began to settle into something clearer.

I should at least show something...Just for a few seconds...Even if it’s useless...

Then I’ll forfeit...

He imagined it quickly...charging forward, showing strength, then stepping back and surrendering before it got worse.

The idea settled into his mind like a fragile plan, and slowly...

His shoulders relaxed.

"Let’s do that,"

He muttered under his breath, a faint smile forming on his lips as he convinced himself.

"Fight."

The guard’s hand dropped and he turned away immediately, about to step off the stage.

"AHHHH!"

The boy roared, forcing his voice out as if it could push away his fear, as if it could give him strength he did not truly have.

Cognis surged out of his body violently, the air around him distorting as the visible grey force spread outward.

Blood trickled from his nose as he stepped forward, forcing his body to move despite the fear gripping him...

Then...

A sudden gust of wind brushed across his face.

It came out of nowhere.

His hair snapped backward; his vision blurred for a split second.

He froze.

His eyes widened as he blinked once...Twice...

He saw a fist, right in front of his face, so close that he could feel the faint pressure of it against the air near his skin.

"Ehn...?"

His voice came out weak, confused, unable to process what had just happened. All the Cognis that surged through his body... vanished into the air.

Veda was already standing in front of him.

His body had moved so fast that the boy hadn’t even seen it happen.

The punch had already been thrown...And stopped.

Right before impact.

"I... I... Forfeit!"

The words burst out of his mouth without thought, his voice shaking as his mind finally caught up to reality.

The guard, who had already stepped down a few steps from the stage, paused mid-step.

He turned back slowly, his eyes narrowing slightly with interest.

That was fast.

He walked back up.

"Winner."

He pointed at Veda.

The arena erupted with cheers bursting out from Veda’s group, loud and proud, while elsewhere, a few faces tightened.

Felix frowned slightly, Priscilla clicked her tongue, some members of Henry’s group exchanged looks and few members of Vera’s group looked stunned.

The boy dropped to his knees, his hands trembling uncontrollably as he gasped for air, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

Veda glanced at his own fist for a moment, as if thinking about something.

"That was unexpected."

He lowered his hand slowly and looked at the boy.

"Nice resolution."

He stepped forward and offered his hand.

The boy froze again, stunned.

"Eh..."

His voice came out strained as he stared at Veda, unsure if what was happening was even real.

"You still wanted to give it your all, even after feeling the difference in strength," Veda said with a small smile. "That’s cool."

His tone was simple and honest.

He helped the boy up carefully and handed him over to the nurses, who had already rushed onto the stage.

The boy’s eyes remained wide, his expression blank as he was led away, unable to fully understand what had just happened.

Veda turned and walked off the stage.

And just like that...The day’s trial came to an end.

The arena slowly emptied, filled with overlapping conversations and laughter from the candidates, their mood light as they walked out in groups.

On the other side, the orphans moved more quietly, a heavy atmosphere following them as they left, their expressions duller and more distant than the first day the trial started.

The next day arrived quickly.

More candidates filled the arena than before, including many who had been injured during the first day the seventh trail started, but had now returned, making the stands feel tighter and more alive.

The chief guards and more guards were present again, seated above with calm expressions, some watching with quiet interest whenever certain names were mentioned.

The matches began without delay.

The first fight lasted long.

Long enough that the noise in the arena rose and fell multiple times as both fighters pushed themselves to their limits.

When it finally ended...

It ended in a draw.

Both fighters collapsed at the same time, their bodies unable to continue, their Cognis completely drained.

It was a rough fight.

Messy, but honest.

A strong way to begin the final day of the Seventh Trial.

The energy in the arena rose, but it was not the same as yesterday.

The cheers from the children of Ashenlocke still carried confidence, but it lacked that explosive excitement from before, mostly because many of their strongest fighters had already fought.

While on the other side, the orphans didn’t hold back their voices whenever something even slightly good happened for one of their own. Even a small exchange or a single successful strike would earn loud support from them, as if they were trying to push their fighters forward with sound alone.

The matches continued one after another.

And just like before, the children of Ashenlocke slowly returned to their dominant pace, taking control of the flow of the battles. Wins stacked on wins, some clean, some messy, but still victories.

Then...

It became worse.

When the remaining members of Felix’s group stepped forward for their turns, the atmosphere in the arena shifted.

They didn’t just fight to win.

They fought to break.

Each orphan they faced was beaten down in a way that left no room for resistance, no space to breathe, no chance to recover. Some were crushed so badly they could barely stand after the match ended, while others... didn’t even make it out conscious.

And when it was finally Felix’s turn...

The noise in the arena dropped.

He stepped onto the stage with that same smug expression resting on his face, his posture relaxed, his movements slow, as if he had already decided how the fight would end before it even began.

His opponent was a girl.

Felix looked at her once... and his mood dropped.

Not because she was strong, but because she was not. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

She was neither beautiful nor powerful, nothing about her standing out in his eyes.

That alone irritated him.

The guard raised his hand.

"Fight."

The moment the signal was given, the girl rushed forward, gripping her sword tightly, her feet pushing off the ground with force as she closed the distance between them.

Felix stood in a relaxed state, almost waiting for the girl to act first.

Then, just as her blade came within range...

He shifted.

A small step to the side.

Her sword cut through empty air.

She turned quickly, attacking again, her strikes coming faster now, each swing backed by more Cognis as she tried to break through his defense.

But Felix...

He moved like he was watching a slow performance.

Each step was precise, each dodge was minimal.

His body barely moved, yet every attack missed him by a small, controlled margin.

He was reading her completely.

The more she attacked, the more desperate her movements became, her Cognis surging harder as she pushed her body forward, trying to land even a single hit.

Felix’s eyes grew colder.

"This worthless, ugly bitch... doesn’t even know when to quit, huh..."

His voice was low, but it carried.

Before she could react...

He moved.

In a blink, his hand slipped into his space bag.

At the same time, his other hand shot forward and grabbed her wrist...the one holding the sword.

His grip tightened instantly, Cognis flowing into his fingers, locking her arm in place.

She tried to pull back, but she couldn’t.

Even though her physical strength was not far from his, the difference in their Cognis was absolute.

She is a Half-star Novice Alchemist, while Felix is a little-star Binder rank Alchemist.

Felix brought out a revolver...

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Five shots rang out in rapid succession, emptying the gun.

All of them pierced into her stomach.

"ARGHHHHHHHHH!!"

Her scream tore through the arena, raw and broken.

The air on the orphan side tightened further, some clenched their fists while some lowered their heads.

Others stared... unable to look away, yet unable to react because they all knew.

There was nothing they could do.

Felix released her wrist and stepped back slightly.

"The fact that you knew you were weak..."

Before she could even steady herself...

He kicked her.

His leg moved fast, enhanced by Cognis.

The impact landed directly on her face.

Her head snapped back as blood sprayed from her mouth, her body collapsing onto the ground, curling instinctively as she clutched her stomach.

She trembled, breathing uneven and barely conscious.

Felix stared down at her, his irritation only growing.

"Your fellow orphans forfeited once they saw how strong their opponents were... and you couldn’t even use your brain."

He tossed the revolver forward.

It struck her head.

"AHHH!"

She cried out again, her voice weaker now, tears streaming down her face.

Felix exhaled slowly, shaking his head.

"I can’t believe this, even a worthless girl is mocking me..."

A laugh escaped him, then another.

It grew louder.

"You are one ugly bitch... Hehe... Hehe..."

His laughter echoed.

Behind him, many of his group members joined in, their voices overlapping, mocking her openly.

But not all of them.

Gareth and Page sat there quietly.

Smiling and watching. Clearly enjoying the show.

The rest of the arena fell into silence with the tension pressing down heavily on everyone present.

Veda’s eyes darkened; his fingers curled slightly at his sides. For a moment, it looked like he might step forward... Like he might walk onto the stage and stop this himself.

Ezra noticed, feeling the burning intent coming from his right side.

He glanced at Veda briefly... Then shifted his gaze back to Felix.

His expression remained blank.

Felix’s laughter slowly died down.

Then...

A different smile appeared on his face.

A Slow and cruel smile.

"Did you think you are even worth being anyone’s servant... with that face?"

He tilted his head slightly, then his eyes lit up with a thought.

"Let me show you what is the only thing useful about you... with that ugly face and weak strength you have."

He stepped forward.

The girl’s body tensed weakly, but she couldn’t move.

His hands grabbed her clothes...

And tore.

Fabric ripped apart violently.

Her chest and lower body were exposed without restraint.

A few gasps escaped from the crowd, but no one moved or said anything.

Felix laughed again.

Louder.

Like someone who had completely lost control, then he turned his head slightly, looking toward the orphan side.

Some of them were now glaring at him now. Their eyes filled with killing intent.

He saw it and he smiled wider.

"Next time... know your place and act like the maggot you are."

His hand moved again into his space bag...

He pulled out a Big-4 barrel and aimed down still looking at the orphans on the other stand.

Bang!

The sound exploded through the arena, loud and heavy, echoing off the walls.

The girl’s body jerked once, then went still.

The crying stopped; the movement stopped.

Everything stopped.

Blood splashed across Felix’s hand and the side of his body as the shot tore through her head, splitting it open instantly.

Silence followed.

Heavy, cold and suffocating.