Chapter 160

Meanwhile back at the arena.

The crowd leaned forward in frozen silence as Lucian charged. His attacks were relentless, a blur of speed and power few could even track, let alone match. Jaden blocked and parried, but it was clear-Lucian wasn't playing anymore.

He was out for blood.

And Jaden? He was still standing.

Lucian's footwork was a dancer's. His fists, sledgehammers. He threw a spinning kick, a knee, a jab combo that ended in a brutal elbow-only for Jaden to duck, pivot, and counter. But this time, Lucian didn't pull back.

He snapped.

"ENOUGH!" Jaden bellowed.

A sudden burst of energy surged from his core. In a blink, he twisted his body,

cocked his fist back, and drove it straight into Lucian's chest.

The impact was thunder.

Lucian's body flew across the arena like a missile. He hit the ground hard, bouncing once, twice, then skidding on his back as a trail of blood followed.

The crowd gasped.

Then silence.

Whispers broke the quiet like cracks in glass.

"...Did he just...?"

"Lucian's down?"

"No one's ever done that."

"Not just down-he's bleeding!"

"Bleeding? No one's even touched him before."

"Is this it? Is Lucian... done?"

In the prep booth above the arena, Michael stood frozen in front of the holo-screen. His fists clenched. Eyes wide.

"No... Father..." he whispered.

Even the announcer didn't know what to say. His mic crackled. “...I-I can't believe what we're seeing, folks..."

All eyes remained on Lucian's motionless body.

Until

A low chuckle.

It grew. Became deeper. Darker.

Lucian pushed himself up from the ground. Blood dripped from his mouth, painting

his jawline crimson. He rose, laughing-slowly, then madly.

Then he spoke, his voice cold and giddy with thrill.

“Bravo, Jaden.....” he said, grinning as he tasted the blood on his lips. "You're the first

to make me bleed in years. You should be proud."

He tore off his upper garments, revealing a body chiseled like stone, covered in

scars, runes, and the faint glow of dormant power now waking.

"But enough warm-up. Time to show you real pain.”

The air trembled.

Lucian roared—and with it, a pulse of dark, ancient energy exploded outward. Dust lifted. Cracks formed on the ground beneath his feet.

He took his stance.

Jaden narrowed his eyes. He could feel it. The change. Something primal.

Lucian grinned. "Let me show you something special. I didn't want to waste this on a

brat like you, but hey you earned it."

From the crowd, a scream rang out.

"He's using it! The Crimson Fang technique!"

People began to panic. Spectators backed away from the arena's edge. Even the guards shifted nervously.

"That technique's been banned for twenty years!"

"It's a kill move! It doesn't leave survivors!"

Michael's breath hitched. His voice was barely audible. "... Yes... yes, that's it. End him."

Jaden stood still, sweat beading on his temple. His hands instinctively raised into a defensive position. His instincts screamed.

Lucian charged.

Faster than sound. The Crimson Fang was a blur-five strikes, each

dead

than the last, finishing with

a thrust that aimed straight for Jaden's heart content

Jaden reacted.

His arms snapped together. A barrier of raw energy flared into existence, shielding

him.

Lucian's strike slammed into it like a warhead.

BOOM.

The ground cracked beneath them. The force of the impact created a crater. The

field cracked like glass. And then-

The energy shield shattered.

Jaden's eyes widened as Lucian's killing strike came straight for his face.

But at the last moment-

Jaden moved.

He ducked, twisted, caught Lucian's wrist

his own he drove a brutal uppercut into Lucian's jaw

trike. And with a roar of

Lucian staggered back, stunned.

But Jaden wasn't finished.

His body glowed with a golden light. The ground beneath him began to vibrate with

pure kinetic energy.

Lucian's eyes widened.

Jaden whispered, "This ends now."

He took a deep breath and shifted into his final stance-Void Breaker Style: Final Heaven.

Lucian's lips trembled.

"No..."

Jaden shot forward. His fist blazed with cosmic fire, symbols lighting up his arms. Lucian tried to react, but it was too late.

Jaden's fist punched straight into his chest. The strike tore through flesh, through muscle, through bone.

Time froze.

The crowd went dead silent.

Jaden's hand erupted through

Lucian's back, glowing with the force

of the ancient technique-fist

clenched around Lucian's

still-beating heart.

fo

Lucian's eyes widened.

Blood pooled from his lips.

"No... no..."

High above the arena, Michael collapsed to his knees. His voice broke as he

gripped the edge of the console in front of him.

“No... No, Father..... This is impossible... You can't lose, Father..."