The Spirit Bone Guard raised its skeletal hand and pointed toward Klein.
"Ascend."
Klein's body floated into the air involuntarily.
He struggled desperately, his arms and legs flailing wildly as he let out terrified screams. "No! I don't want to! Let me go! I surrender! I take it back!"
The Spirit Bone Guard remained unmoved.
The invisible force carried Klein, slowly drifting him toward the Life-and-Death Stage. His struggling grew more frantic, and his voice cracked, becoming as shrill as a strangled rooster.
"I have Grade Five Aptitude! I am the heir to House Windsor! You can't kill me! You aren't allowed to kill me!"
No one paid him any mind.
Ethan watched his pathetic display, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
"Waste."
He set off toward the Life-and-Death Stage.
Klein was thrown into the light barrier of the stage by that force, his body slamming onto the cold stone before he slumped into a limp pile. He curled up in the center of the stage, his entire body trembling violently as he mumbled incoherently.
By now, a crowd had gathered.
Students from the Teaching Area and dormitory areas had rushed over. Some watched from a distance, while others squeezed closer, whispering in small groups.
"Who's that? A freshman?"
"Must be from the Talent District. I don't recognize him."
"Is the guy slumped over there a freshman too? He's already on the Life-and-Death Stage?"
"I heard it's Klein Windsor, from House Windsor. One of the Grade Five Aptitude freshmen this year."
"Grade Five Aptitude? A Grade Five ended up on the Life-and-Death Stage?"
"Tsk, tsk. This is going to be quite the show."
Ethan ignored the whispers, simply walking toward the stage at a steady pace.
He stepped onto the edge of the stone platform, passing through the dark red light barrier. The barrier rippled like a curtain of water as his body moved through it before settling back into stillness.
The Spirit Bone Guard's voice echoed across the plaza:
"Both parties to the contract have ascended the stage. You may begin at any time."
Ethan stood on the stage, looking down at the shivering Klein.
Klein was curled into a ball, shaking like a leaf. His robes were soaked with cold sweat, his face was devoid of color, and his lips trembled as he muttered broken words.
"I... I'm Grade Five... I'm a Windsor... you can't..."
Ethan said nothing.
He lifted his foot and walked toward Klein.
Every step was slow, and every step was steady.
Klein watched the approaching figure, his pupils shrinking to the size of pinpricks.
"No... don't..."
Ethan stood before him, looking down with an indifferent gaze.
That gaze remained calm.
There was no anger, no killing intent, and not even any pity.
There was only a cold, almost detached calmness.
Then, he raised his right foot.
Crack!
Klein's lower leg bone shattered under Ethan's foot with a crisp, explosive sound.
"Agh!"
Klein let out a shrill, agonized scream. His body arched violently as he clutched his broken leg, his frame twitching in spasms. The scream was so sharp it was ear-piercing, echoing within the barrier and throughout the plaza.
Ethan didn't pause.
He stepped forward, leaned down, and slammed a punch into Klein's jaw.
Snap!
The sound of the jawbone breaking was muffled by the scream. Klein's mouth twisted to one side at a grotesque angle, blood and teeth spilling from the corner of his lips. His screams turned into incoherent whimpers, his eyes rolled back, and he nearly blacked out.
But Ethan wouldn't let him lose consciousness.
He crouched down, his left hand pinning Klein's shoulder while his right hand gripped the short spear, the blade pressing against the pinky of Klein's left hand.
"No... no..."
Broken sounds squeezed out of Klein's throat, his eyes filled with terror and plea.
Ethan said nothing.
With a flick of the short spear,
The pinky finger flew into the air and landed on the stage, rolling twice and leaving a trail of blood.
Klein's body spasmed violently as he let out a beast-like howl.
Ethan continued with an expressionless face.
The ring finger.
The middle finger.
The index finger.
The thumb.
Each time a finger was severed, Klein let out another scream. But eventually, his voice grew weaker, and only raspy gasps remained in his throat.
Ethan stood up and looked at the bloodied mess on the ground, his gaze still calm.
He raised his foot and stepped on Klein's right hand.
The five fingers.
The metacarpals.
The carpals.
Inch by inch, bit by bit.
The sound of bones crushing echoed on the stage, crisp and rhythmic, like some kind of mechanical beat.
Klein could no longer scream.
His mouth hung open, his throat making wheezing sounds. His eyes were half-closed, his pupils dilated, and only a final shred of consciousness kept him tethered to life.
The plaza was dead silent.
Among the spectating students, some were pale, some turned away, and others stared fixedly at the scene on the stage, an unreadable light in their eyes.
There were Second and Third-Tier Wizard Apprentices who had been here for a decade or two, and they had seen many duels on the Life-and-Death Stage. But something like this...
This wasn't a clash of wizardry or a duel of martial skills.
This was a slaughter.
From the moment he stepped onto the stage until now, the young man hadn't said a single word.
No mockery, no interrogation, no proclamation.
Only the sound of bones breaking.
Benjamin's face was as white as paper, his legs so weak he had to lean on Cole's shoulder to stay upright. Cole was no better; his lips trembled as he stared at the stage, unable to look away.
Yvette stood frozen, the anger on her face replaced by deep-seated fear.
That man... that freshman who, like them, had Grade Five Aptitude...
He was a lunatic.
Ethan crouched down and looked at Klein's mangled face.
Klein's eyes were nearly closed, and his breathing was so faint it was almost imperceptible.
Ethan stood up.
He raised his right foot and aimed it at Klein's neck.
Then, he brought it down.
Crack.
The final sound of breaking bone.
Klein's body went completely still.
【Life Energy +5, Current Life Energy: 17.】
Ethan straightened up and took a white handkerchief from his storage ring, unhurriedly wiping the blood from his hands. One finger, two fingers, palm, back of the hand—he cleaned every inch.
Once finished, he tossed the handkerchief onto Klein's corpse.
The white handkerchief landed on the bloody remains and was quickly soaked, turning a jarring crimson.
The plaza remained silent.
Some students were still immersed in the shock of the scene, while others had snapped out of it, exchanging low whispers with those beside them.
The Spirit Bone Guard's voice broke the silence:
"Ethan Leo is the victor."
The dark red light barrier at the edge of the stage slowly dissipated.
Ethan turned and walked off the stone platform, cutting through the crowd and walking straight toward Yvette.
Yvette's face instantly turned deathly pale, and she instinctively took a half-step back.
Ethan looked at her, a slight curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"Want to give it a try? I'm already exhausted."
Yvette bit her lip hard, not daring to utter a single word. Her body was trembling slightly, her eyes filled with terror.
Benjamin and Cole stood nearby, their expressions equally grim, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Ethan let out a scoff and ignored them, turning to walk toward the dormitory area.
The crowd automatically parted to make a path for him.
The gazes that followed his back were filled with awe, wariness, curiosity, and an unidentifiable complexity.
The Spirit Bone Guard raised its skeletal hand and flicked a strand of eerie green light onto the stage.
The Life-and-Death Stage slowly rose into the air, carrying Klein's corpse and the bloodstains with it, before disappearing into the clouds.
The crowd in the plaza began to disperse.
Benjamin, Cole, and Yvette stood in place for a long time without moving.
After a while, Cole spoke, his voice dry. "Let's... let's go."
Benjamin nodded, his gaze sweeping over the dispersing crowd, his expression turning even more unsightly.
He had noticed.
The people who had originally been polite and even somewhat fawning toward them were now looking at them with very different eyes.
Benjamin took a deep breath, suppressing the irritation and unease in his heart, and turned to walk toward the Talent District.
Cole and Yvette followed behind him, the silhouettes of the three of them carrying an indescribable air of defeat.
Rate on N.U.
