When the event ended without anyone ascending to the medium level, Larna scanned the Battle Zone. His heart raced when he couldn't find Rising Shadow among the crowd.

  He must be outside. He ran towards the exit, but it was full to the brim of people. He tapped with his feet as time passed and Rising Shadow got farther from him.

  I can't wait any longer! He pushed his way through the people. When he went out, he looked at his hands, and his face reddened, but he quickly shook his head. After looking around, he found the black-haired boy and ran towards him. He walked fast, but Larna could reach him with a sprint.

  “Rising Shadow.”

  Even if Larna’s voice was tired and weak, Rising Shadow surely heard him, but he indifferently kept walking away. Larna clenched his fist. He knew that Rising Shadow’s personality was complicated. Maybe he would send him away, but he was prepared for that. He had decided to help him in some way!

  “Rising Shadow!” Larna called again.

  The black-haired boy slowly turned back. Larna's heart raced, and he lowered his head. “Ah… uh… even the best lose, don’t think much about it!” Larna raised his arm and gave a thumbs-up to Rising Shadow.

  “Huh, thanks?”

  Larna's face became red as iron at 3000°C. It’s not him! His hair and clothes were similar, but instead of a katana, he had a sword on his belt. Then where is he?! He couldn’t have gone too far!

  Even if Larna wanted to run away and erase this moment from his memory, he turned again to the black haired guy.

  “Sorry, do you know where he could be?”

  Rising Shadow's zone. That boy from before said that if he were still in the park, Rising Shadow would be there. This zone included the place where they met.

  He ran and ran, his legs aching, and his breath faltered. He was about to stop, but did a last sprint, energized by the sight of the familiar bench. He dropped on the bench, the sweat running down his face, accompanied by his ragged breathing.

  Larna leaned back on the bench to let his body rest. He closed his eyes and exhaled as his muscles relaxed and his heart rate stabilized.

  I don’t have time to rest. I must find him. Larna gasped and forced his tired body to stand up. When he did, he saw a pair of deep black eyes.

  Larna fell back on the bench as he looked at Rising Shadow pass in front of him.

  His steps echoed in the quiet sunset. Rising Shadow clenched his fists as he looked down. Paying attention, Larna could hear his ragged breathing.

  “Rising Shadow!”

  The boy in a black kimono stopped walking. Silently, he turned around and glanced at Larna. When their eyes met, Larna tensely looked away.

  “I want to help you, to thank you for helping me before,” he sputtered.

  “Well, let me alone.”

  “Isn't there anything else I can do?” Larna said, scratching his face with an awkward smile.

  Rising Shadow's frown deepened. He stood silent, making Larna's heart shrink.

  “No”

  Larna looked down and clenched his fists. Rising Shadow was turning around when…

  “T- That fight was amazing! I was supporting you from the seats, and I felt bad when you lost." He mumbled and paused, realizing that he was scratching the wound, "... but you shouldn’t feel bad. You gave an amazing fight! I’m sure that if you had your left arm, you would have won!”

  Larna put his hand on his chest. Despite his nervousness, he could feel the warmth on it. “Thanks to you and Living Armor, I started thinking about something. I want to be a Battler!” Larna affirmed as he looked up at Rising Shadow.

  He was determined, but stepped back when he saw Rising Shadow's frowning wide eyes.

  “Are you finished?”

  The seconds became hours as Larna’s heart pounded against his chest, being over Rising Shadow’s glare.

  “Yes”

  When Rising Shadow was some meters away, Larna let out a long breath. He wanted to melt on the pavement as his shoulders lowered.

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  But he jumped slightly when someone suddenly ran past him. Larna’s eyes narrowed. That person seemed familiar to him. Wait. That spiky red hair, starter clothes, and dual swords were familiar to him. The first challenger of the Ascension Event.

  What’s he doing? Larna's mind didn’t have too much time to speculate as the boy planted himself in Rising Shadow’s path.

  Rising Shadow stopped and looked down at the red-haired boy, who was of Larna's same height. “Is that all the weaklings decided to bother me today?”

  The red-haired boy laughed and pointed at Rising Shadow. “Looks like emos also have a sense of humor.”

  Larna’s eyes widened, and he felt a cold run down his spine. Did he just call Rising Shadow an emo?!

  The boy kept pointing at the em… Rising Shadow with a smirk. “I challenge you to a battle.”

  Larna almost fainted. What's he thinking?! That boy was just a newbie like him and didn't hesitate even a bit in challenging such an opponent. The same was with Living Armor. He is mad.

  Rising Shadow kept death silent. Larna's face wrinkled just remembering the pressure he felt from Rising Shadow a few minutes ago.

  Rising Shadow lowered his hand and rested it on the hilt of his katana. “Come”

  He just accepted...

  The red-haired boy unsheathed his two blades and ran towards his opponent.

  “Take this!” The red-haired boy did a cut with his left dagger, and consecutively another with his right one.

  Rising Shadow rotated his body and evaded the two attacks, then, in a single motion, unsheathed his black katana and made an ascended cut that sliced the red-haired boy in half.

  The world returned to its normal state, but contrary to the previous fights that Larna had seen, the loser didn't look sad about his defeat. Instead, he seemed motivated.

  “You are strong! Thanks for the battle,” he said, then ran away, giving the impression of looking for someone else to fight.

  I don’t know if that deserves to be called a battle. Larna grimaced.

  Larna clenched his fists as Rising Shadow returned to his path, stepping away from him. In the end, I couldn't help him. His words from before had not reached him in the least.

  Larna clenched his fists and screamed. ”I challenge you too!” If words were in vain, he would try something else.

  Rising Shadow interrupted his walk for the third time. ”Are you serious?” His voice was annoyed, as if he was being insulted.

  Larna’s body tensed. "Why do you say that? You agreed to fight that boy from before. Why not me?”

  Larna clenched his teeth as he saw Rising Shadow turning around. I’m tired. I’m tired of all this!

  Larna’s eyes welled up with tears as he stepped towards Rising Shadow. He stopped in front of him, glaring directly at his eyes.

  “I challenge you to a battle. I’ll show you how strong I am!”

  Rising Shadow's hand leaned on his katana's hilt.

  The Battle wave expanded, but nothing changed. They were still in the same place, under the same sunset, the same benches, and the same trees.

  Larna's attention was immediately drawn away from his surroundings as he saw the blurred figure of Rising Shadow dashing closer.

  He raised his arms and clumsily covered his face. But a blow landed on his stomach, making him hunch. Then a punch landed on his face.

  Larna fell backwards and gasped. It didn’t hurt, but the punch had left him breathless.

  ”That’s all?” Rising Shadow said, looking down at him.

  Arthur tsked and rose to his feet. "Just wait.” He took the shield that hung on his back with his left hand and unsheathed his sword with the other.

  He ran as fast as he could, gripping his short-sword strongly. But Rising Shadow rotated his body and kicked Larna's head.

  The world spun as he plummeted down. His body stomped against the pavement floor. Larna's wide eyes blinked as they tried to steady the waving surroundings. He shook his head and pushed himself up before dashing again.

  Rising Shadow turned his body again and sent another kick, but Larna expected it and blocked with his shield.”Take that!”

  Rising Shadow's leg got marked with a big red mark. But he ignored it and jumped. He spun in the air and sent a stronger kick. Larna blocked it with his shield, but the impact made the shield recoil, smashing his forehead.

  Rising Shadow continued with a punch in the stomach, making Larna spit and fall to the ground.

  “I heard what you had to say to thank you for before. But now, just to think that someone like you ordered me to stand up...”

  Rising Shadow kicked Larna's ribs, sending him rolling over himself.

  "Don't you dare to say again that you want to be a battler."

  Larna's eyes were wide open as he gasped, but despite that, the air didn't fill his lungs. He wanted to curl up in himself and be in the security of his room. Still, he rolled over his body, and, stretching his right hand, grabbed Rising Shadow's leg. He gripped it the hardest he could. His flowing tears fueled him.

  ”I want to be strong," he gasped. "Like you, like Living Armor.”

  Larna's grip strengthened, causing faint red marks in Rising Shadow's leg.

  ”You! Don’t you dare to choose my path!”

  Larna pulled Rising Shadow's leg, trying to make him fall. But Rising Shadow unsheathed his katana and sliced Larna’s right hand in a blink.

  Larna's chest burned, and his veins bulged on his neck. He pushed himself up and sent a punch straight to Rising Shadow's face. But Rising Shadow grabbed his arm, his grip squeezing Larna's wrist to the point that Larna couldn't move his fingers.

  Larna glared at Rising Shadow straight in the eyes. It was the first time that his black abyssal eyes didn’t make him shudder.

  “I'll show you! I’ll show you that I can be a Ba—!"

  Rising Shadow’s katana flashed, slicing Larna's neck. He frowned as he looked at the headless corpse. “You will show nothing.”

  Then, he turned around and walked away.