Temple of the Demon Lord of Wishes

"Do you think Neli's son, Darian, will be the one to bear the final curse and become the Master of Cruelty?"

Ivaim asked, his voice tense.

The Black Veil Master inclined her head slightly.

"That seems to be the most plausible outcome for now."

She said calmly.

Nathan, who had been silent until then, broke his silence with a cold, measured tone.

"If that's true, then we need to stop his birth."

Ivaim blinked, a bit confused.

"Why so?"

Nathan's expression was unreadable.

"Because if the Master of Cruelty is reborn here, we're as good as dead."

The weight of his words hung heavy in the room.

Ivaim frowned.

"Why would he be that dangerous? If the curse that enters Darian's body hasn't been in it long enough to adapt itself and grow strong, then wouldn't the Master of Cruelty that we know of still be super weak? We could probably kill him easily..."

The Black Veil Master spoke before Nathan could respond.

"Once he's reborn, he'll have the same power he holds in the outside world. He is the Reality Master of this fractured space. That authority doesn't vanish."

Ivaim's brow furrowed deeper.

"So what you're saying is... his strength remains intact, even if he's born anew here?"

"Exactly," Nathan confirmed.

"We wouldn't stand a chance."

Ivaim crossed his arms, thinking aloud.

"So our only option now is to prevent his birth? Would we be able to escape this place if that happens..."

The Black Veil Master's eyes flickered with uncertainty.

"That might satisfy the Fractured Reality's demand for an 'ending', allowing us to escape. It still fulfills its rules, after all."

Ivaim interjected, his gaze sharp.

"But you're not sure, are you?"

The Black Veil Master exhaled softly, admitting with rare honesty.

"No... I am not."

Nathan's voice remained steady, resolute.

"Either way, we can't afford mistakes."

Ivaim shook his head.

"So what's the next move?"

Nathan's expression hardened.

"Ivaim, one of us has to win this regional tournament, fast."

Ivaim raised a brow, confused.

"Why the sudden urgency?"

Nathan crossed his arms.

"I highly suspect that the climax of this Fractured Reality's story happens at the Coliseum of Chosens, and winning the Regionals is a "ticket" to getting there. If we're going to prevent Darian from becoming the Master of Cruelty, or at least survive what's coming.... one of us needs to win this Regionals."

The Black Veil Master nodded slightly in agreement.

"The Fractured Reality craves resolution. The Coliseum... that may very well be where the 'ending' waits."

...

After discussing their plan, the next rounds of the regional tournament played out in a blur of clashing steel, roaring crowds, and relentless determination.

In one match, Nathan faced a formidable opponent wielding twin axes, a towering brute with the strength to crush most challengers.

The arena trembled with each swing of the axes, but Nathan's calm precision turned the chaos into opportunity. Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire

With a single thrust of his [Steel Spear], he shattered the brute's defense, knocking him flat onto the sand. The match was over in minutes.

Ivaim's battles, on the other hand, were filled with energy and unpredictability.

In one fight, his opponent used gravity-based magic to pin him down.

For a moment, it looked like defeat was certain... until Ivaim unleashed a perfectly timed [Lucky Leap], flipping high into the air and landing behind his opponent.

One swift strike ended the match, earning him cheers from the onlookers.

The night before the final match, Ivaim stood at the edge of the training grounds, the cool air brushing against his face.

The glow of distant lanterns flickered like stars on the horizon.

'The final round is tomorrow.' he thought, his lips curling into a confident grin.

'Only me and Nathan left.'

Surprisingly, he didn't feel nervous, in fact he was quite looking forward to it.

'Since it's just the two of us, one of us is definitely getting that "ticket" to the Coliseum of Champions.'

He mused.

'By then, it's just a matter of bringing others along so we can rush to the ending.'

He clenched his fist, a spark of excitement running through him.

'But that doesn't mean I'm gonna just roll over and let Nathan win. No way.'

The memory of their last fight flickered in his mind... how Nathan had completely overwhelmed him, leaving him unable to fight back.

Ivaim's grin widened.

'I'd really rather have fun and try to beat Nathan and that annoyingly stoic face of his up... last time I was caught up in a fight against him, I couldn't even fight back'

he thought with amusement.

'I wonder how strong I am now...'

...

The announcer's voice boomed through the arena, stirring the eager crowd into cheers and roars.

The energy was optimistic and exciting, but Ivaim sat calmly in the Champion's Lounge, rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles in preparation.

The door creaked open, and Reves bounced inside with boundless energy.

"Uncle!"

Ivaim's lips twitched.

"Didn't I tell you to stop calling me that?"

Reves completely ignored the complaint, grinning wide.

"Uncle! Even though I know Dad's probably gonna beat you into a pulp, I still like your funny way of fighting... so, good luck!"

Ivaim smiled, leaning back against the bench.

'I don't need luck, kid. I've got enough of it to practically qualify as plot armor...'

Out loud, he grinned wider.

"Are you betraying your father to cheer me on? I'm honored."

Reves flinched, his face turning red as he waved his arms in denial.

"No! Never! My father is still the best! I-it's just that... well... you're probably the second best, and I don't want Dad to have a boring match."@@novelbin@@

Ivaim laughed, shaking his head.

"You're just worried about me aren't you?."

Reves puffed out his chest with mock bravado.

"Delusional! Hmph! I don't wanna talk to you anymore!"

Ivaim raised a brow.

"Did I hit a nerve? Should I call your dad and let him know you're fraternizing with the enemy?"

Reves groaned dramatically.

"You're impossible to deal with, Uncle!"

The kid stormed out, cheeks still tinged pink, leaving Ivaim chuckling quietly to himself.