?


    The pristine white walls of the academy''s infirmary surrounded me, their sterile ambiance offering a sense of tranquility. As my eyes adjusted to the soft light, fragments of memories flooded my mind, reminding me of the extraordinary events that had unfolded in the arena.


    "I remember now," I murmured to myself, a mix of awe and realization evident in my voice. The power unleashed by the ck Sun had been more formidable than I had anticipated, leaving both Winand and me unconscious in its wake. The sheer force of the skill had overwhelmed me into temporary oblivion.


    With a sense of curiosity and eagerness, I reached for the device provided by the academy to check the current rankings. The projection screen flickered to life, disying the results in vivid detail. And there it was, a moment of triumph captured in two simple words.


    Rank 95 - Eren Pendragon


    Rank 96 - Winand Klee


    .


    .


    Relief flooded through me as I realized that I had emerged victorious.


    It seems as I was thest standing one in the arena, the match was dered to be my win.


    The thrill of triumph coursed through my veins, apanied by an infectious smile that spread across my face. The effort and hardwork that I had put into my training has paid off.


    Finally, I would be able to visit the royal museum without any hindrances or limitations.


    Carefully, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, feeling a faint ache in my muscles as I rose to my feet. The soreness was a reminder of the physical toll that wielding such immense power had taken on my body. As I took my first tentative steps, I vowed to be more cautious in the future, to harness the might of the ck Sun.


    Ignoring the pain that lingered in my body, I concentrated on the things that need to be done for the future. Now that my ticket to the royal museum has been confirmed, I need to find a way to acquire ''that'' weapon.


    Not to mention, I had yet to find ways to prevent the terrorist attack. In the first ce, I doubted if I could prevent the act. Firstly, I didn''t know the identity of attacker. Secondly, I wasn''t even there in my past life to know what has actually transpired, not to mention the fact that my involvement could change the course of things that could happen.


    It was aplete unknown situation, but weirdly enough I wasn''t afraid. I was confident in fact, from what I have heard most of rebels who attacked the royal museum were individuals with 4- star to 5-star power and only one 7-star individual was supposed to appear there.


    As Professor Llyod Frontera, who was a 8-star mage, will be in charge of students safety during this event, I could safely say that as long as I could stay close to him, I would be very safe.


    Then, the only thing that I need to think about is to how I should acquire ''that'' weapon.


    But let''s just rest for now. I have been thinking about so many things from the movement that I was reborn that I found it a necessary to provide some rest to myself.


    The cool breeze passing through the window of the infirmary and the peaceful surrounding helped me ease my mind. I loosed up my body as I once again copsed on the bed.


    And just as a sense of rxation began to permeate my weary body, a sudden notification chimed from the academy''s device, jolting me back to alertness. The message shed before my eyes,


    [You have been challenged to a duel in the Ranking battle!]


    It was a notification that informed me that I was challenged by someone in the ranking battles.


    My heart skipped a beat as I read the words, realizing that someone had dared to challenge me in the heat of my recovery.


    "Shit! Who the hell is that? Who is so shameless as to challenge an injured opponent?"


    My heart skipped a beat as I read the words, realizing that someone had dared to challenge me in the heat of my recovery. A surge of frustration mixed with fatigue coursed through my veins, as I questioned the identity of this audacious adversary.


    " In my current state, It would be hard to even run, not to mention a fight!"<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    How could they choose such an inopportune moment, when I could barely summon the strength to even contemte engaging inbat?


    With a muttered curse, I reluctantly tapped on the message, hoping to uncover the name of the challenger who had disrupted my much-needed respite. However, what awaited me on the screen was far more startling than I could have anticipated.


    [ You have been challenged to a duel in a ranking battle!]


    [Challenger => Rank 258 - Zephyr]


    For a brief moment, I stood frozen, unable to fullyprehend the audacity of this situation.


    "F*cking bastard!" I muttered vehemently, my voiceced with frustration and anger.


    I should have known that he was this kind of bastard!


    ***


    After Zephyr and Eren emerged from the Exile, a remarkable transformation urred in their rtionship. Zephyr''s demeanor shifted, and he started exhibiting a newfound friendliness towards Eren.


    The catalyst behind this change was Zephyr''s first hand witness of Eren''s astonishing power during their time in exile. Initially, Zephyr''s motive for bringing Eren to exile was driven by curiosity, with a dark n to eliminate him once they cleared the Exile''s challenges as Zephyr had no intention of sharing the rewards from the exile with anyone. But little did he know that his intentions would be thwarted.


    The exile they ventured into happened to be an intermediate-ranked exile, exceeding Zephyr''s expectations. Its boss monster proved to be an intimidating force, forcing Zephyr to rely on a necknell provided by his master—ast-resortmunication device used to summon aid in dire situations.


    This reliance on external assistance was an ufortable realization for Zephyr, one that he begrudgingly epted in order to ensure his survival. It was a humbling experience for someone who prided himself on self-reliance.


    Yet, before he resorted to calling for aid, Zephyr witnessed something that challenged his preconceived notions. Eren Pendragon, the unassuming young man whom Zephyr initially perceived as average, wielded a power that sent shivers down his spine.


    Although Eren wasn''t able to kill the boss with that power, Zephyr had realized that the power he disyed was something that was beyond humane.


    This realization was further solidified by witnessing Eren''s recent battle, where the familiar pitch-ck energy enveloped his sword. Zephyr couldn''t deny it any longer—the power was unmistakably the same. The puzzle pieces started toe together, leading Zephyr to a resolute conclusion.


    "Eren Pendragon is concealing his true power," Zephyr concluded, a mix of awe and determination coloring his voice.


    In the past month, Zephyr had observed Eren''s rigorous training as they attended Professor Joshua''s sessions together. Eren''s unwaveringmitment, never skipping a day and pushing through the grueling exercises withoutint, exceeded the capabilities of an ordinary individual.


    Zephyr couldn''t fathom any other exnation than Eren deliberately hiding his strength, but the reasons behind this ndestine act remained a mystery.


    "Even his copse just now could be a well-executed act," Zephyr pondered, his disbelief evident. The aftermath of Eren''s skill—a devastating spectacle that caused craters in the arena—resulted in the suspension of ranking battles for a half-hour.


    Zephyr struggled to reconcile the idea that someone capable of such a feat would sumb to exhaustion immediately after achieving victory. It seemed more like an orchestrated performance to him, fueling his curiosity further.


    However, Zephyr''s primary concern transcended the theatrics of Eren''s copse. His burning desire to gauge Eren''s true power consumed him. The notion of facing Eren inbat and determining whether Eren surpassed him in strength became an irresistible temptation.


    Even if it meant sacrificing one of his precious three opportunities to engage in ranking battles, Zephyr made up his mind. When the moment arrived to choose three opponents, he boldly selected Eren as his first target, followed by the formidable Babel Von Agnus as his second.


    "Ah...! The excitement is already coursing through my veins," Zephyr eximed, his voiceced with anticipation. Like a battle maniac discovering a captivating new ything, his enthusiasm was palpable, brimming with the thrill of an impending sh.


    ---***---


    Daily release Chapter~