**A Few Days Prior**

  Raiden strode into the vast throne room, his boots echoing against the stone floor until he halted before the dais.

  "I summoned Ryuji," the King began, his voice heavy. "But there’s been no reply."

  The monarch turned from the throne and paced toward the high arched window, gazing out at the distant horizon. "Monster incursions in the northern territories have doubled this year. We need Ryuji on the front lines as usual, yet he hasn't shown."

  Raiden considered the situation. "Need me to take his place?"

  The King shook his head. "No. I’ve called you here for a different matter."

  The air shimmered, and an elderly figure draped in opulent robes materialized. The Court Sorcerer’s expression was grave. "I sensed a resonance of dark sorcery in Ryozan City."

  He paused, his eyes narrowing. "It was fleeting. A pulse of malevolent energy that vanished the instant it appeared. I can't say if it was real or a trick of the mind, but Ryuji’s absence makes it unsettling."

  The King turned back to Raiden. "Raiden, I’m assigning you an official decree. Go to Ryozan. Locate Ryuji and investigate this anomaly. The Royal Knights stand ready to deploy at a moment's notice."

  "The Royal Knights?" Raiden asked, eyebrows raised. "That seems excessive. Is this related to the demoness from years ago?"

  "No," the King replied. "However, intelligence suggests certain nobles oppose my rule. A spy informed us of a plot to stage a coup and wage war on the capital, though we lack concrete proof."

  Raiden bowed his head. "Understood, Your Majesty. I’ll leave immediately."

  **The Present**

  Hikari sprinted alongside Raiden, their shadows stretching long across the dark city streets.

  "I arrived and began surveillance," Raiden explained, his voice steady despite their pace. "First I looked for Ryuji, but he’s gone. At night, however, I sense dark spiritual energy. It’s not standard magic. It feels like trapped souls that vanish instantly. They were scattered all over the city, no specific location."

  He continued, "After sundown, monsters swarm the streets. I’ve been culling them while waiting for a lead on their nest. I’ve already sent a confirmation signal to the capital. The Royal Knights will be here soon."

  They reached a narrow alley where a pack of beasts emerged from the gloom. Raiden dispatched them with fluid, precise strikes, not breaking his stride.

  "Is it connected to the Dark Moon ritual at the Colosseum?" Hikari asked.

  "Perhaps. It’s unclear." Raiden vaulted over a wooden barricade. "The Dark Moon ritual is designed to siphon energy into a crystal. I considered several scenarios. At first, I thought it was just rigging the Colosseum matches to help that boy, Haru."

  He tilted his head toward the rooftops as they ran. "I dug into Haru’s background and found nothing suspicious, so I kept looking. The only anomaly was the disappearance of Colosseum fighters. Warriors from different regions simply vanishing without a trace. These monsters confirm my suspicions."

  Hikari glanced at him.

  "There’s a forbidden spell," Raiden said. "The Vicious Cycle."

  Hikari’s expression darkened. "I know it. Thirteenth-tier magic. That explains it. I felt something unnatural about these creatures, but I didn't expect that."

  He skidded to a halt. "Wait. The Colosseum? You’re saying the arena is a lure?"

  Raiden stopped and nodded. "Exactly. Someone used the tournament as bait to attract warriors. The Vicious Cycle allows the caster to control corpses, granting them strength rivaling a living body. They’re building an army of elite undead soldiers that can only be stopped by shattering their core crystals."

  Hikari frowned in thought. "Do you know how long they’ve been here?"

  "I can't be sure, but I’d wager it’s been many months. " Raiden paused in the empty street. "They likely have a massive force by now, and they might be preparing to deploy it. I need to find them fast."

  "Wouldn't their base be inside the Colosseum?"

  "That was my first thought. I searched it top to bottom and found nothing. I tried sensing souls, but the place reads as empty. They have a powerful mage masking their presence perfectly."

  Raiden lowered his head toward the cobblestones. "The energy signature is extremely stable underground in this sector. It flickers and returns. They’re below us, but I don't know exactly where."

  Hikari fell silent, then his eyes lit up. "Stop. I think I know how to find them."

  Raiden turned to him.

  "I have a wide-range utility spell," Hikari said. "It’ll let me know if anyone is down there."

  Stolen novel; please report.

  **Meanwhile, Underground Dungeon**

  Haru, Saki, and Mirai were trapped in the dim gloom of a cell. Mirai lay in the corner, her eyes half-closed and breathing labored. Haru and Saki stood by the bars, staring out.

  "This is strange," Saki muttered. "They didn't lock us up for no reason."

  Haru gripped his spear. "Stand back."

  Saki retreated a few steps. Haru lunged, striking the bars with all his strength. Metal clashed against metal in a flurry of blows, but the gate didn't budge.

  Haru sighed and lowered his weapon. "We’re trapped. Those aren't ordinary iron bars."

  They sat on the cold floor. "So we just wait?" Saki asked.

  "Likely. There’s nothing else to do. But as long as I have my spear, I can fight."

  "Alright then."

  Saki glanced at Mirai in the shadows. She wanted to speak but chose silence, respecting the girl's exhaustion.

  Time passed in the heavy quiet. Suddenly, footsteps echoed in the corridor. Valdor appeared before the cell.

  "Valdor?" Saki’s voice was sharp. "You... you’re involved in this? You don't look like someone here to help."

  Valdor smiled. "Yes, your instincts are excellent as always. I’m finished with you two, actually. Thank you for everything you’ve provided."

  "What do you mean?" Haru demanded.

  Valdor kept smiling. "Well, I don't mind telling you, since you’ll be my soldiers soon enough. The Colosseum was merely bait to lure fighters so I could convert them into my army."

  Haru froze. He recalled the monsters he had fought, their disturbing resemblance to warriors. He scrambled up and gripped the bars, hands trembling. "Valdor... when I fought in the arena... were you doing something?"

  Valdor chuckled softly. "Of course. A special spell. It drains the opponent’s energy without them realizing it."

  Haru released the bars and stumbled back, his heart pounding against his ribs.

  "So, thank you," Valdor continued. "I’ve gathered immense magical energy and a legion of warriors."

  Haru fell to his knees, staring at the floor as memories of his battles replayed in his mind, tainted by this new truth.

  "Why me?" he choked out. "Why did you choose me specifically?"

  Valdor stepped closer to the bars. "We needed someone to stay in the Colosseum constantly. A figurehead with a reputation to draw the crowds. Fighters crave glory, money, and fame, so you were the perfect lure. You’re naive enough to believe you’re a hero, and you care only about winning. More importantly, you’re Ryuji’s student. Beating you means beating someone with Ryuji’s training. That’s why I chose you and offered you the champion’s title. It was simple; I took Ryuji, controlled the region, and gained access to the Colosseum."

  Valdor laughed loudly. "What a joke. If they knew the truth about how weak you really are. Every victory, every fight, you didn't win a single one. You probably couldn't defeat anyone on your own."

  The words crushed Haru’s mind. He remembered the matches, his belief in his own hard work, but it was all hollow.

  Saki couldn't listen anymore. She drew her wand and fired an attack spell at Valdor. The magic struck the enchanted bars and dissipated harmlessly.

  "Fine," Valdor said coldly. "In a short while, you’ll both be monsters in my service. I’ll wait for my partner to transform you with his ritual. Enjoy your final moments."

  He turned and walked away, leaving them in the silence.

  Moments later, Saki calmed herself and turned to Haru, who remained on his knees. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

  Haru didn't speak. His mind was a chaotic void. Finally, he opened his mouth.

  "Saki... was it real? Was it mine?"

  He looked at the empty spot where her necklace used to be. "Was it worth it?"

  Saki looked at him with deep concern, seeing eyes devoid of life.

  "All my victories," Haru whispered brokenly. "The medals... the applause... the glory... everything I wanted to prove... I didn't deserve any of it."

  His voice sounded dead. "Did my life have any value at all?"

  Saki opened her mouth to reply, but another voice cut through the darkness.

  "What exactly did you want to prove in your life?"

  Mirai spoke, her voice faint and exhausted, eyes barely open. Haru and Saki turned to her in shock.

  "Was your training a lie?" Mirai continued. "Was all your effort and dreaming a lie? Then tell me... what do you want from your life?"

  They stared at her in silence.

  Mirai went on, her words fragmented. "Think about it carefully... Me... Darius... Nanaki... Yumi... even the academy students..."

  She paused to take a painful breath. "How many people did you help? How many were weaker than you... and you made them better? You were always helping people... but you neglected yourself."

  Saki moved closer to check on her, then froze when she saw the blood pooling on the floor. Mirai was still bleeding, her eyes dimming as they stared into nothingness.

  "Who..." Saki whispered frantically. "Who are these people you’re talking about? She’s... she’s hallucinating from blood loss."

  Mirai didn't hear her. She closed her eyes, whispering into the dark. "Lars... I never needed you to be strong. I had power enough for both of us. You were already complete. I would have protected you... always."

  Her voice faded to a thread. "But... is the opinion of others what matters to you? If you define your worth by what people say..."

  Her eyes fluttered open, focusing on someone who wasn't there.

  "Don't ever... call me sister again."

  She closed her eyes completely, her head slumped to the side. A heavy silence suffocated the cell.

  Saki looked at Haru in confusion. "What the... who is this girl?"

  Haru didn't answer. He just stared at Mirai. Her words... the strange names... even though she wasn't seeing him, her speech had pierced the darkness in his mind.

  Saki scrambled to apply bandages to the wounds in a panic, but the blood soaked through immediately.

  "This is bad," Saki said, her voice trembling. "The bleeding won't stop... she’ll die soon if this continues!"

  Haru looked at Mirai’s pale face, helpless. Seconds ticked by in agony.

  Suddenly, a warm golden light exploded within the cell, filling the entire space.

  "What...?" Saki recoiled, shielding her eyes.

  Haru stood up, gripping his spear instinctively, then froze.

  The light wrapped around Mirai, seeping into her injuries. The bleeding halted. The deep wounds knit together slowly, skin reforming as if the damage had never existed.

  Haru glanced at his own shoulder. His injury was healing before his eyes.

  "This..." Haru stared in awe. "This is healing magic?!"

  Saki looked around wildly. "But... where is it coming from? There’s no one here."

  The light faded gradually until it was gone. Mirai didn't open her eyes, but her breathing leveled out and color returned to her cheeks.

  Saki approached and checked her with shaking hands. "Gone... all the wounds are completely gone."

  Haru looked at the ceiling and walls. "Who did this? Where did the magic come from?"

  Saki remained silent, staring at Mirai, who now slept peacefully.

  **On the Surface, Colosseum Arena**

  Hikari stood with his eyes closed, Raiden waiting beside him.

  Slowly, Hikari opened his eyes.

  "Did you find them?" Raiden asked.

  Hikari nodded. "Yes. I found many people underground, at a significant depth."

  "How? I tried sensing them and found nothing."

  "I used a spell called Healing Field," Hikari replied. "It allows me to heal targets over vast distances."

  He looked at the ground. "It’s lucky you mentioned the Colosseum. I focused and projected my energy into this specific area, and I managed to connect with them. My spell has incredible range."

  Raiden understood. "So you needed a target location first."

  "Exactly. The spell is powerful, but it doesn't cover the entire city."

  Raiden nodded slowly. "Now we know where they are."

  He drew his sword with a metallic ring. "Good. Leave the rest to me."

  (To be continued)