The three rounds of the Monthly Dueling Event had come to an end.
While the defeated disciples wailed in frustration—lamenting their losses, the agony of squandered Sect Points, and the sting of overconfidence—the victors sat back in satisfaction, pride etched across their faces.
In the end, only thirteen disciples had triumphed in all three rounds.
Reon, too, sat comfortably in his spot and exhaled a quiet sigh, his thoughts laced with boredom.
"Hah! There's no one worth fighting after Tian Ju,"
His second and third-round opponents were ranked outside the top 50—nothing special.
Though, to be fair, even Tian Ju had been disappointingly weak.
Still, reaching Rank 18 in the Outer Sect Disciple Rankings was something—for now, at least.
Then—
A powerful voice echoed across the arena, snapping him from his thoughts.
"All winners, step forward to receive your rewards!"
Whoosh!
One by one, the victorious disciples leaped into the arena.
Reon followed suit, his gaze shifting to the other twelve winners beside him.
Nine of them were the Nine Top Disciples—faces he had seen before.
Among the remaining three, two were familiar.
Yang Lie.
Yang Mi.
His brows furrowed.
"So, Yang Lie has already climbed to Rank 8... and Yang Mi is now Rank 5?"
Both of them had defeated others to claim their positions.
Their strength was undeniable.
But then—
Reon's eyes landed on the last unfamiliar figure.
A sudden jolt of shock coursed through him.
The man stood tall, exuding an air of unshakable confidence. His presence alone demanded respect, radiating an overwhelming aura of power—one that surpassed even the Nine Top Disciples.
Reon smirked.
"So this is the thirteenth winner... And here I was, searching for him like hunting rabbits."
His eyes narrowed.
"The top disciple of the Outer Sect, huh? A monster at this stage of the novel."
But then, a question nagged at him.
"How did he even appear as a winner?"
"Why didn't I notice him fighting before?"
Then, realization struck.
"Oh... right. As the strongest Outer Sect disciple, this was one of his privileges. He never even has to fight.
He's automatically declared the winner of every Monthly Dueling Event without so much as registering.
But, of course, if anyone dares to doubt his strength... they're free to challenge him."
Reon's lips curled into a knowing grin.
"That is, if they've also won all three rounds."
Perhaps he wasn't here to compete at all—just to amuse himself while scouting for potential rivals.
As he was lost in thought, a sudden voice jolted him from his daze.
"Alright, since everyone is here, the rewards shall now be distrib—"
The announcer's voice was abruptly cut off.
"Who cares about that measly reward?" Zi Chen interjected, his voice brimming with impatience. "I choose Yang Lie for my Special Round—I want a sword spar with him."
Immediately, another voice joined in—louder and filled with raw aggression.
"Hell yeah! Screw the reward. I want to fight Yang Lie too!"
It was Rou Jin, Rank 4 of the Outer Sect—a bulky warrior with a notorious reputation for his brute strength.
Reon's face darkened as he screamed inwardly.
"Hey, you fuckers! What the hell are you talking about?! My reward! Screw your Special Round—I want my rewards now!"
Then—
Another declaration came.
But this time...
Two voices.
At the exact same moment.
"I want to fight Xue Taiyang."
Silence.
Reon's heart stopped.
"...What?"
He wasn't sure if he had misheard.
Him? Someone actually wanted to challenge him?
No—two people did?
His head instinctively snapped to his right.
Who in their right mind would waste a rare opportunity in the Special Round just to fight Xue Taiyang—a so-called nobody?
And then he saw the first person.
His breath hitched.
The very foundation of the novel's story. Without him, the events of this world would never have unfolded.
And yet... he was here.
Challenging him.
Yes, he was the protagonist himself.
Yang Lie.
Reon's mind spiraled in confusion.
"Why? Why would Yang Lie want to fight me? Shouldn't he be fighting... her?"
"No, wait—he should have fought her in the last Monthly Dueling Event."
"Go to hell with that! Why me?! I've been keeping a low profile ever since arriving in this world! He should be fighting stronger people!"
A sinking feeling twisted in his gut.
Then—
He turned to the second person who had spoken.
And his breath caught in his throat.
Shock.
Pure, unfiltered shock.
Not just Reon—the entire arena fell into stunned silence.
Then, like wildfire, whispers spread among the disciples.
"What... is this? Why are two of the most promising talents challenging a no-name?"
"Yang Lie, the greatest genius of this year... and her too?"
"Her? Shouldn't she be challenging the top disciple? The only one who could rival her?"
"Yes! Yes! What in the world is happening here?!"
.
.
In the arena, Reon's fists clenched tightly.
"Just... why?"
She was a heroine.
The very one who, in the original story, was destined to face Yang Lie.
The duel that was meant to unfold in the last Monthly Dueling Event.
But this time, it wasn't Yang Lie.
It was him she had come to challenge.
There's no contract between them, and he had never sought such an encounter.
Yet here she was.
The girl slowly approached him, her every step deliberate and measured.
Reon's gaze slowly lifted, locking onto the figure standing before him.
Her piercing gaze was also directed at Xue Taiyang.
Her long pink hair cascaded gently in the breeze, while her sharp, intelligent eyes gleamed with amusement.
At her waist, a saber rested—its presence silent, yet loud in its implication. A testament to her mastery of the blade.
Her stance was unwavering.
Noble.
Confident.
She was undeniably a Heavenly Beauty.
However, with a single glance, Reon could tell——this was a woman who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals.
There was no reason for her to approach him unless there was something far deeper behind her challenge.
Something he couldn't yet grasp.
Yes, she was Yi Ran.
The very one who would later be known as the Deceptive Saber Demoness.