The announcer's voice boomed through the speakers, echoing across the Red City Arena.

> "Ladies and gentlemen, the match has concluded! By official ruling, it is… a draw!"

The crowd erupted instantly. Cheers, boos, laughter, and gasps all blended into one chaotic wave of noise.

"A draw?!"

"No way, did you see the way Kael-X had him at the end? He was about to kill him!"

"Darius is lucky that buzzer saved his life!"

"This Kael-X guy… he's not normal."

Some fans pounded the rails of the stands, others whistled in support, and a few cursed loudly. But no matter what side they were on, every single person knew one thing: Kael-X had just stolen the spotlight.

Kael, however, wasn't celebrating.

He stood calmly in the ring, hood casting a shadow over his face, the storm of noise around him fading into nothing. He didn't care about the announcer's words, or the points, or even the 500 UN dollars that had just been handed to him as prize money.

Augustus, he thought, his voice low in his head. I think I just grasped a glimpse of something.

> [Open attributes?]

"Do it."

And the holographic screen flickered to life inside his vision.

---

Kael-X Attribute Stats

[Name: Kael-X]

[Level: 80]

[Energy: Speed Force (Red), Voidstream (Grade 5)]

[Energy Level: 100%]

[Attributes: Speed–Spatial Laws]

[Speed: 1286]

[Space Control: 638]

[Strength: 511]

[Stamina: 600]

[Combat Prowess: 176,522]

---

Kael's eyes lingered on the numbers, his lips tightening.

"...Pathetic."

The word slipped out before he could stop it. His hand curled into a fist, the leather of his gloves creaking.

He remembered Zypheron. His true world. The place where the sky cracked with lightning storms, and fighters like gods tore mountains apart with casual swings. He remembered standing on battlefields where the ground itself couldn't survive their power. And now—this?

"Damn Zulek…" Kael muttered under his breath, his voice venomous. "It can never be well with him. Because of his seal, I should've crossed this threshold ages ago. Instead I'm stuck playing rookie in this… toy world."

---

Zypheron vs. Earth

He scrolled through the numbers again. Speed: 1286. Space Control: 638. He shook his head, almost laughing in disbelief.

In Zypheron-5, this wouldn't even put him in the top thousand of his age bracket. Maybe not even the top ten thousand. He would've been considered fodder.

The stages replayed in his mind:

Level 1–100: Mortal Stage

101–200: Disciple Stage

201–350: Champion Stage

351–500: Overlord Stage

501–700: Sovereign Stage

701–900: Calamity Stage

901–1000: Apex Stage

He was barely scratching the surface of Mortal Stage. Barely level 80. If he could just push to 100, the seal would break, and his cultivation—his true self—would return.

That thought made his chest ache with both longing and fury.

And then came the cruel laugh.

> [Pfft—hahahaha.]

Kael's eyebrow twitched. "…Augustus?"

> [I can't help it. Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. Look at you. Mighty Kael-X, once feared across Zypheron, reduced to bragging about a thousand meters per second. A snail compared to your past self.]

Kael gritted his teeth. "You—"

> [No, no, hear me out. You're strong here, don't get me wrong. But compared to Zypheron-5? You're a toddler with a stick. Admit it.]

"Damn, fuck you."

---

The Walk Out

The crowd was still roaring his name—

"KAEL-X! KAEL-X! KAEL-X!"

—but Kael ignored it. He hopped down from the ring, his coat sweeping behind him, and walked straight out without acknowledging a single cheer or chant.

Waiting outside was Samantha. She rushed to his side, her hands fidgeting nervously.

"Kael… are you okay?"

He tilted his head, looking at her briefly. For a second, she thought she saw a glimmer of exhaustion, or maybe frustration, beneath that hood. But then it vanished, replaced with his usual cool detachment.

"Yeah," he said. "Come on, I'll walk you home."

The streets of Red City were still buzzing with arena gossip. Neon lights reflected off wet pavement, casting everything in shades of crimson. People were crowded in front of holo-screens, replaying clips of Kael's dodges and that terrifying aura at the last minute.

"Did you see his eyes? They glowed!"

"He's a rookie? No rookie fights like that."

"Mark my words, that Kael-X is going to tear the league apart."

Kael walked through it all as if it didn't exist. His steps were steady, his hood shielding him from the curious gazes. Samantha walked quietly beside him, clutching her small bag, sneaking glances at him now and then.

Finally, they reached her street. She paused in front of her house, shifting awkwardly.

"Kael… thank you. For… for fighting. For… for everything."

He gave her a faint nod. "Go inside. I'll see you tomorrow."

She hesitated, then smiled softly and slipped into her house.

---

Back Home

Kael's own walk home was quieter, lonelier. The city lights stretched out before him, red neon and dark alleys. His steps echoed softly in the night.

Inside his head, Augustus was still chuckling.

> [So, your current speed is just about 1286 meters per second. Not bad—for Earth.]

Kael shoved his hands into his pockets. "Still pathetic."

> [You said it, not me.]

"Shut up."

> [What's wrong, Kael? Does it sting? Knowing that even though you terrify these people, in Zypheron you wouldn't even be considered a side character?]

"…I'll kill you."

> [You've been trying to kill me for years. Didn't work then, won't work now.]

Kael stopped at a crosswalk, the red glow of the signal casting his hood in a sinister shadow. He tilted his head up, staring at the holographic billboard of the Red City Arena, where his hooded face was already being replayed on highlight reels.

He sighed.

"…Pathetic."

The light turned green. He crossed the street, muttering under his breath.

"So my current speed is just some 1000 m/s. Still pathetic."

And Augustus, of course, couldn't resist the final jab.

> [You are really pathetic.]

Kael clenched his jaw, trying not to laugh des

pite his anger. "…Damn. Fuck you."

---

And that night, the city of Red buzzed with Kael-X's name—yet all he could think of was how weak he still was, and how much stronger he had to become.

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