Chapter 50: Break Out

"I still say I wouldn’t have been dead," he replied, rolling his eyes. His voice oozed defiance, but inside, his mind was whirring. Does she really think it’s that easy to guess my plan?

"That’s because you were planning to ask for a Holy Promise from him, weren’t you?" Nova’s voice cut through the air, cold as steel, her gaze fixed on Razeal like she could read him as easily as an open book.

"Maybe you were thinking if you beat him and claimed the Holy Promise, you’d use it to force the Church to forgive your sin. The one where you tried to harm Selena. And of course... they would have to accept it. Every single follower out there. Because a Holy Promise is sacred. Unbreakable."

Her eyes narrowed, her tone flat but sharp, dissecting his scheme without hesitation. "And once that’s done, you wouldn’t have to keep living in fear of dying at their hands. No more looking over your shoulder, waiting for a blade in the dark."

The crowd blinked, stunned by her words, finally grasping the depths of what Razeal had been planning. Even Selena’s lips parted slightly in realization. So that’s why he risked it all...

Nova continued, voice low, controlled, yet carrying weight that no one could ignore.

"Everyone knows Razeal is and will always be an eternal enemy of the Church for what he did. The only way he survives is either by finding backing strong enough to protect him... or by securing that Holy Promise. Because even if the Saintess herself said ’don’t harm him,’ the followers would still come. His crime was too heinous. They’d kill him, and later kill themselves for the sin of breaking the Saintess’ word."

She shook her head faintly. "So yes. That was the only way you saw to survive without spending your whole life in fear, wasn’t it?"

Murmurs rippled through the crowd, jaws slack, minds racing as they pieced together what Razeal’s mad gamble had truly been. Even Areon clenched his fists, furious at the thought. Do they really think he could’ve won? Not in a hundred damn years! He wanted to shout it aloud, but Nova’s presence kept him silent.

And Razeal? He simply opened his arms, shameless, arrogant smile on his face, as if admitting it openly.

"Is using your brain a crime now?" he said, tone dripping with mockery. Inside, he knew half his plan was revealed, but it didn’t change anything. He’d still win. That same defiant grin stayed plastered on his face.

Nova stared at him, her expression unreadable, but the cold in her eyes deepened. She spoke low, each word cutting.

"Do you really think you could have beaten him?"

Razeal only shrugged, refusing to answer. But the arrogance in his face spoke for him.

Nova’s gaze hardened further. "he’s a Swordmaster at sixteen. A royal bloodline runs through his veins. Trained by the Duke family itself. Fed with the best resources the world could offer." She gestured lightly towards him, as if the facts were obvious.

"And you? What do you have?"

Her words hit like ice. "Do you really have the audacity to stand here and dream of victory against someone like him? Wake up from your childishness."

Her voice, though cold and strict, cracked with the weight of bitter truth. "You don’t even have mana. No aura. No training. Not a single resource to your name. And even if you haf them, you can’t take them, can you? You stand there with nothing, while he stands with everything do you not know his background. He could crush you without even lifting a finger. Just where is this arrogance coming from?"

Nova clenched her jaw, angry at herself for speaking of his weakness so bluntly something she had always tried to protect him from. After all, she’d known since childhood: her brother’s curse. A body without talent. A continuation without hope.

But today? Seeing him like this? Recklessly throwing himself into a dream built on nothing but cleverness and pride? overly arrogance?

She couldn’t hold it in anymore. Someone had to make him see.

Planning without strength is useless.

That simple fact echoed in Nova’s head as she stared at Razeal. No matter how clever the scheme, it would always crumble before true power. And all she wanted all she ever wanted was for him to realize that. If he could just see his situation for what it was, maybe... maybe he’d come to them. Ask for help. Let them protect him. Let them save him.

Some might call her cruel. Maybe she was. But if harsh words reminded someone of the dangers outside if it kept them where at least they wouldn’t be killed then so be it. That was how she’d always handled things. And she wasn’t about to change.

Her gaze stayed locked on his face, watching him, searching for any crack in that mask of defiance. But Razeal just stared back at her silently. His eyes... calm. Too calm. And for the first time, something in her hesitated.

Maybe I’m overstepping, the thought whispered in her mind. Maybe I should stop.

Because wasn’t this like standing over a man born without legs, lecturing him on why he couldn’t run? On why he should just give up?

But no. Razeal’s eyes didn’t ask for help. They didn’t plead. They didn’t even acknowledge trouble. All they said was one thing I will survive.

And that only narrowed her eyes further. Still so blind... still so fucking stubborn...

Suddenly, her voice rang out, sharp and commanding.

"Do you see everyone here? Look around."

Her finger shot out, pointing at one face, then another, sweeping across the coliseum.

Razeal’s gaze followed, silent.

"Not a single person here not in their deepest thoughts, not even in their wildest dreams believes you can win against that boy. Not one."

Her finger lowered, but her voice remained cold. "And remember this too: no one out there likes you. Not a single soul in this entire arena."

She could feel Selena freeze beside her, the girl’s eyes wide, trembling with each word Nova spoke.

"If I wasn’t standing here... if it wasn’t that boy, or Selena, you made your enemy first... your fight would be against any one of them. Anyone. And you would’ve died."

Her voice softened, only a fraction. "Do you know why? Because they all hate you. Every last one."

Selena’s heart twisted. The cruelty of the words made her chest tighten. How could Nova speak to him like this? She wanted to stop it, to step forward but her strength failed her. She couldn’t move. She doesn’t know why her legs don’t wanna move.

Nova finished, her gaze unwavering. "Maybe now you understand your position."

But Razeal’s eyes stayed cold. Unbothered.

He ran a hand through his long purple hair, his voice tired, as if he’d had enough of her words.

"Woman."

His tone was sharp, dismissive. "I don’t have mana, aura, strength, powers, background... is that what you’re saying?"

[Host, calm down. Your emotions are getting out of control...] The system’s voice was faint, buried beneath the roar in Razeal’s mind.

He clenched his fists, voice rising, anger boiling over.

"Then tell me why was I able to run from all of you? Why couldn’t any of you find me? Why was I able to survive alone all this time?!"

His voice thundered in the silent arena, fury shaking every word.

"Why do you think someone as fucking weak as me passed this trial? Why am I standing here alive?! Why don’t you tell me why I’m still here, when I’ve been fucking with everyone in this arena right now and still not a single fuck of you touched me yet?!"

His finger swept the crowd just as hers had done.

"Not a single one of you not one would’ve survived what I’ve been through. I’m alive not because of help. Not because of support. Because I stood on my own. Because I survived on my own. And you say I have the audacity to dream?!"

"You guys aren’t even my fucking enemy. What the fuck are you all dreaming about? This whole fucking world wants me dead and couldn’t do it and you, you fucking think this shit, or any shit of you, will be able to make me?"

His voice cracked with rage, his whole body trembling.

"This isn’t a fucking dream. I will win. I fucking will."

He pointed directly at her, breath ragged, fury consuming him. He couldn’t even remember losing his composure like this before but the way she spoke, the way she stripped him down it tore at his mind.

Nova stood there, silent, expressionless, letting him vent every ounce of his frustration.

The entire crowd held its breath.

Did he just speak like that to her?

He’s dead.

No he’ll die by torture.

But Nova didn’t move. She simply stared, cold as ever... and yet, behind that coldness, beneath that strict, venom-laced voice was the care of someone who still didn’t want to see him fall.

---