Wielding his scythe with deadly precision, Ghost locked his gaze solely on his opponent.
His thoughts were etched into every swing:
"I didn't sacrifice everything… just for this."
He had given it all.
He had revealed all his cards to the world—
For one reason only:
To witness the true brilliance of that light.
But what was the point?
"What's the point if my darkness outshines your light?!"
The shockwaves kept coming—
"Fight!!"
Ghost roared with everything he had.
"Bring it all out!!!"
With every clash—every collision—
Everyone could clearly hear it—
The sound of Snow's scream.
Ghost's eyes widened as he saw it.
The size of the aura Snow unleashed was growing at a terrifying rate.
Slash!!!
Snow's sword tore through the darkness violently—
Unleashing dozens—no, hundreds—of bolts of lightning and fire—
Followed by ice and howling storms—
It looked like a natural disaster had descended.
And Ghost stood against it, enduring with everything he had.
"More!!"
This couldn't be all.
"More!!!"
Their screams rose in unison.
Snow and Ghost—white and black—
Hundreds of collisions each second.
Snow Lionheart, his eyes glowing fiercely—
His aura—
Didn't stop.
It only grew stronger—faster.
Little by little, Ghost began to fall back.
Against the unstoppable catastrophe that Snow was hurling at him.
Amidst the explosions of countless elements—
Even the Empire's Titans watching from afar were stunned.
Was this even possible?
Snow's strength didn't stop increasing.
He launched attacks of every element imaginable—
Something no one had ever seen before.
Not even Kazis Valerion—the First Emperor—had ever displayed such a feat.
And even more shocking ..
Was Ghost's ability to withstand it all, screaming at the top of his lungs—
"More! Bring out everything you have!!!"
Boom, boom, boom, boom!!!
Amid the torrents of aura, the sweat, the filth, and the blood—
Both warriors entered a drunken frenzy.
Those who watched the battle—
Didn't want it to ever end.
BOOOOOOM!!
They tore into each other violently.
Blow for blow.
A black shadow clashed against a white star.
The arena itself groaned under the pressure—
The barriers barely containing the shockwaves.
It was like a fireworks show—
A brutal one—
That only stopped for a moment when the ground was stained crimson—
And a severed hand, still gripping a scythe, fell to the ground.
Snow appeared behind Ghost.
Meanwhile, the assassin fell silently to one knee—
Clutching his left shoulder, trying to stem the bleeding.
On one knee, the assassin bowed his head...
His face showing no pain.
No anger.
Nothing.
He stared silently at his severed hand.
Snow Lionheart, injured in multiple places, raised his sword—
Pointing it directly at his opponent.
"This is… the end."
Snow's face was blank—drunk on the thrill of the battle he had just fought.
But Ghost stood up again.
"The end?"
The shadow beneath him began to expand....
Relentlessly.
"How arrogant you are… Snow Lionheart."
The chosen Hero's eyes widened as he sensed it—
The intensity of the killing intent Ghost now released—
Surpassing even the murderous pressure Frey Starlight had shown in the past.
"You think it's over… just because you cut off one hand?"
Ghost poured out every last drop of his strength.
"If you cut off one hand…
I'll fight with the other."
The shadow grew wider and wider—
Until it swallowed the entire arena.
Drenched in darkness, Snow could only stare at his opponent in awe.
"If you cut off both my arms...
I'll hold the weapon between my teeth."
Tendrils of shadow began to coil around Snow—
But he slashed through them immediately.
Even so, there was no escape—
The shadow had swallowed the entire arena.
"If you break my teeth…
I'll fight with my bones."
This was the creed of the Shadow Court's greatest assassin.
"So no—this isn't over yet, Hero."
Ghost raised his hand toward Snow.
"Blackout."
In a bizarre twist, a vortex appeared—
Ripping the sword straight from Snow's hand, leaving him stunned.
Before he could react, the shadows coiled violently around his body.
Ghost—
Staring coldly at his opponent—
Displayed a terrifying resolve.
"This… is my darkness."
This was—
Everything he had.
Thousands of wounds.
Unending, brutal training.
A childhood spent on battlefields.
He had sacrificed everything to reach this level.
And now—the assassin wanted his answer.
And from within the swirling dark ...
It almost looked like Ghost had won.
But the growing light radiating from Snow's body said otherwise.
With Vermithor pulsing inside him—
The sword that granted him an endless supply of power ..
Snow raised his hand high.
"Let me return your words to you, Ghost..."
Slowly, he gathered his aura—
Forming an ethereal sword from pure energy.
A weapon forged from pure, concentrated aura.
A blade similar in form to Ghost's scythe.
"Just like you don't need that arm ...
I don't need that sword."
The gate had opened.
A star shining blindingly within the dark void.
Snow unleashed everything.
Gripping the imaginary sword tightly in his hand—
Channeling an insane amount of aura into it—
Snow swung vertically—
Erasing everything in his path.
"Fourth Sword—Worldbreaker."
SWOOOOOOSH!
From deep within the darkness ...
A blinding light erupted.
Ghost's shadow was split in two.
A colossal strike swept through everything before it, Completely overwhelming Ghost,
And smashing violently into the arena's barrier.
The brilliance of that strike ...
Blinded everyone who witnessed it.
The entire audience sat frozen,
Awestruck by what they had just seen.
Above the shattered remains of the arena ...
They heard footsteps ...
The steady steps of Snow Lionheart,
Walking calmly as he retrieved his fallen sword from the ground.
Ahead of him ...
Collapsed against the broken stone wall ...
Ghost lay there, surrounded by his own blood.
The final blow had activated his armor's emergency protection ..
Signaling his defeat.
Yet somehow ...
The assassin resisted the shock that should've knocked him unconscious.
Collapsed there ...
His body could no longer continue fighting.
Blood dripping down his face ...
Ghost stared silently at the young man standing before him.
"Huff... huff..."
His breathing was ragged.
As for Snow Lionheart ...
Wounded across his body ...
He was already beginning to recover, thanks to the Vermithor coursing through him.
He looked genuinely grateful to his opponent.
"I hope you found your answer, Ghost Umbra."
Ghost let out a strange, broken laugh at those words.
"What... huff... are you talking about?"
"You did it.
You forced me to bring out everything I had."
Hearing that, Ghost laughed even harder—
A hollow, almost mocking sound.
"You lying bastard..."
Snow said nothing—
Choosing instead to respect his fallen opponent, refusing to answer.
But Ghost wasn't finished.
"Even now... even to the very end...
You didn't show it all."
"You're simply..."
"Too strong."
Snow turned and walked away—
Leaving Ghost lying behind him.
---
First-Year Semifinal:
Snow Lionheart vs. Ghost Umbra
Winner: Snow Lionheart.
In the end ...
The strongest had prevailed.