Bang!

Unlike the first time, Julien's speed was visible to the naked eye. He didn't use the green orb like he did at first.

The strain on his legs was far too much for him to bear.

He could use the skill at most two more times before his legs would give out on him. He had to be careful when using the skill.

Perhaps in the future, he'd be able to fully utilize the green and red orbs, but for now, he could only utilize them in quick and short bursts that would ease the strain that his body sustained.

This was the price to pay for trying to optimize his body when he was a mage...

Bang!

The ground beneath him shattered, with each step that he took, and he shot for Caius who wiped the blood that traced down the right side of his chin.

'How is this possible...?'

Caius's mind was in a state of confusion.

He wasn't confused by the fact Julien had managed to get him.

He wouldn't be fazed by something like that. He was, however, confused by the method that had caused him to bleed.

Recalling the pain he felt on his torso, and the emotions that came crawling to his mind the moment that Julien snapped his fingers, the answer was right before Caius's eyes.

The realization was like a thunderbolt, striking at his mind with such ferocity that it left him dazed for a few seconds.

"That was... That was an Emotive Tag.'

....The fourth phase of Emotive Magic.

His breath left his lungs and his body tensed.

"H-how is this possible...?"

The idea left him petrified.

Wasn't Julien his age...? How could it be possible for him to perform such a skill?

It made no sense.

Especially since he was still far away from reaching that level.

Was this implying that he was worse...?

'No, it makes no sense...'

After what he had gone through to get that power, how could anyone be better than him? It made no sense.

He refused to believe it.

Nobody would be able to survive what he survived...!

Lifting his head, a change occurred in his eyes.

His yellow pupils rippled, an unsettling change taking hold as they began to spin in a strange, mesmerizing pattern. It was as if they reflected the very sun itself, glowing with an intense, otherworldly light.

"Ah..."

Staring into those eyes, Julien felt himself slow down as he felt his consciousness get sucked into them.

The world around him started to wobble, and Caius's figure started to distort before his eyes. Julien's mind became sluggish, and so did his movements.

The change became apparent to all those viewing who looked curiously between the two, unaware of what was happening.

"!"

Thankfully, Julien was quick to pick up the changes occurring in his mind.

He realized rather quickly that he was being attacked mentally. Sucking in a cold breath he protected his mind, shouting subtly in his mind and stomping his foot down.

Bang!

His mind cleared, but it was not fast enough.

By the time he regained control of his mind, Caius was no longer in sight.

"Uh?"

'Where did he go...?'

Julien looked around, his eyes turning sharp and his ears twitching as he strained to hear for any shift in the wind around him.

A deadly silence took over the platform as neither the spectators nor Julien let out a single breath.

All eyes were fixed on the platform.

No, more specifically toward him, seemingly waiting for something to happen.

Julien stood in the silence, his face showing no expression. The silence felt suffocating while

his entire body was tense.

'Where is he is? Where did he go...?'

Caius's disappearance set him on edge.

As far as he was aware, Caius didn't have a skill that rendered him invisible. But at the same time, Julien didn't really know much about how Caius fought.

He never had the chance to show off his cards...

Swoosh!

"....."

The air behind Julien rippled, and his expression changed. He didn't waste a second and

twisted his torso, his arm bulging and cracking as his shirt became tight.

In one swift and smooth motion, he threw a punch in Caius's direction.

Swoosh!

The air twisted and whistled at his motion, forming a thin funnel that enveloped his arm. He was so fast that hardly anyone could keep up with his movements.

Boom!

The air shattered the moment he threw the punch.

But there was a problem.

It missed.

Tak.

A light step echoed right behind Julien, and just as he was about to turn around to strike, Caius waved his hand, freezing Julien in place. Without hesitation, Caius followed up with a swift,

stinging slap.

Swoosh!

A slap that similarly missed as Julien's body faded into nothing.

An illusion...?

Caius turned his head to see a figure materialize right behind him. Julien's fist was raised, back arched in preparation to strike down like an arrow drawn taut on a bowstring.

....An arrow that shot down on his face the moment that it had the chance to do so.

Swoosh!

Julien punched down with all his power, his face straining due to his exertion.

Staring at the incoming fist, Caius remained calm.

Abnormally calm.

Closing his eyes, he found himself standing in the middle of the pond in his mind. Beneath

him, he could see the six different versions of himself.

They all stared back at him, their expressions slowly changing into one of indifference before

they all knelt down.

Caius nodded and the fist appeared in his vision once more.

Raising his hand, he mumbled,

"Stop."

The fist stopped an inch away from his face.

"Ukeh...!"

Seeing his first stop, Julien's face was red as he tried to exert more power, but it was of no use.

Caius raised his hand forward and slapped the fist to the side.

"....!"

Unable to fight back, Julien could only watch as he was flung aside, creating an opening for

Caius to exploit.

An opening that he did exploit as he opened his palm and reached out for his exposed chest.

It was the same move as before.

Only that...

Swoosh!

A purple hand appeared right at the back of Caius's head, trying to reach for his exposed neck.

It was a move that Julien had carefully set up in advance.

Knowing just how capable Caius was with his telekinesis, he knew that fighting short-range

was suicide against him.

For that reason, he had to rely on his curse and emotive magic.

"...!"

A lot of the audience jumped out of their seats the moment they saw what Julien had done,

holding their breath and waiting for Caius to react.

Was Julien going to take the initiative?

Was he-

"Stop."

Caius's voice echoed again. But this time, it was a little different as it gently transmitted

throughout the entire Colosseum.

His voice was rather quiet, and yet, it ranged loudly in the minds of all present.

....Everyone froze.

Not a single person moved from the moment his words fell.

No, rather than them not moving, it was more like they couldn't move at all. As if his words

were law, the weaker people found themselves struggling to move.

But most importantly, the purple hand that was reaching out for Caius from behind...

That also stopped in the middle of the air.

"...."

Julien's pupils shook at the sight.

He prepared to stomp his foot to distance himself from Caius, but he was soon horrified to

notice that he was also unable to move.

'What the...!'

Julien felt his heart sink.

Raising his head, his eyes fell on the calm-looking Caius.

"Haa."

He let out a soft sigh, lowering his hands and gently smiling.

"....I didn't really want to do this, to be honest."

Caius patted his cheeks which grew a little pale. Feeling the audience's stares, and the

shocked expressions on the faces of a few others, Caius sighed in resignation.

He really did not want to do this.

At the start of the competition, he never thought he'd be forced to use his 'Concept' but here

he was, using the very same thing he thought he wouldn't need to use.

His 'Concept' of 'Authority'.

"Kneel." Thump!

Julien's legs buckled and he knelt on the floor.

His eyes shook as he raised his head to look at Caius with shock. Caius reciprocated his gaze

with a calm look.

"My words, my law."

Such was the 'Concept' of 'Authority'.

Whatever he said was the law. Nobody could go against his words.

'It's a pity, but I'm going to end the match here.'

Originally, Caius had planned on battling it out with Julien using his Emotive Magic, but from

the moment Julien used the 'tag', Caius realized that he couldn't entertain that fight for now.

If he brought it there, the results would be unknown.

He still believed he'd win, but he had to be careful.

He was arrogant, but he wasn't going to let his arrogance be his downfall.

Since he wanted to win, he had to win.

11

Under the shocked eyes of all those witnessing, Caius raised his hand and brought it down.

It was a swift and decisive action that left no room for Julien to exploit.

He planned to end the match then and there.

The eyes of many squinted as the result of the match seemed to be decided, but just as most

people thought the fight was over, Julien's eyes clouded, slowly turning purple.

Purple...?

Caius's expression changed.

He had never seen Julien's eyes turn purple.

Immediately, his heart sank, but it was too late. His hand cleaved down, directly phasing into

Julien's body.

"This...!"

Caius's eyes constricted at the sight.

However, before Caius could even grasp what had happened, Julien's body sprang up and

twisted around him. Floating in the air, his form seemed to blur, becoming almost 'cloudy,'

as if he were slipping between the physical and the ethereal.

A few people stood up on the spot.

Staring at the scene with open eyes. This was also true for Karl who pointed at the broadcast

with shock.

"Isn't that...!?"

"Yes."

Johanna nodded, her expression turning serious.

"...The same skill that Angela, Julien's previous opponent used."

Tap!

Appearing right behind Caius, Julien's body started to return to its physical state.

Snapping out of his shock, Caius shook his head and opened his mouth in preparation for

using his decree, but just as his mouth opened, Julien's eyes turned green. The world around him slowed down significantly, his vision stretching

Turning his head to look around, Julien lowered his body and dashed toward Caius's front.

The tiles shattered with each step he took, and as he arrived before Caius, he twisted his torso

and brought his fist back, his back arching and tensing as his eyes switched from green to red.

....It was also then that the world returned to its usual speed and Julien's fist smashed down on

Caius who was halfway through issuing his 'decree'.

"Sto-!"

Boom-!

As if a bomb had detonated, the platform beneath shattered as his fist bore down on Caius

who just barely managed to raise his guard.

Nonetheless, the hit still hit him. Julien heard subtle cracking sounds coming from Caius's

arms, and his body skidded back several steps.

"Uerkh...!"

With a pale face, Caius barely managed to stabilize himself before looking up at Julien.

It was then that Caius saw it.

"Наа... Наа..."

A look of exhaustion.