Chapter 249 Loki and Arabella  Once Amelia and Rebecca were both eliminated, Rio canceled his aura avatar and walked towards Valtor, who was panting heavily.

Rio had controlled his avatar to not show the blessing of gluttony to anyone, cause if anyone learned about this method, even those SS rankers and leaders wouldn't hesitate to come after him.

After all, all the high rankers had many strong blessings and many high ranked gods behind them, so a method which can let them use one of their strongest skills into a separate entity, who wouldn't want that.

Sure, if they knew the backlash of it, many might hesitate and give up, but even then, they'd like to take this method.

After all, if someone bound a blessing with too much power and too much backlash with their aura avatar, not only could they get rid of that cursed skill, but also get an avatar which could perfect that op blessing without any setbacks.

Anyway, until the gods come down and directly interfere themselves, Rio's all secrets were safe, unless he showed them himself. After all, there are too many loopholes and limitations by the world system, that this world yet has no idea about, not even the gods. And he knew exactly how to use them for his goals.

"How long?" Valtor asked as he forced his body to stand straight.

Though he didn't finish his question, Rio could understand what he meant. Valtor just wanted to ask how long it took him to reach that mastery over his aura.

After all, he had been training since childhood too, and both of them had even fought once while entering a dungeon. Even though Valtor lost at that time too, but it was a close match. And after that match, Valtor was sure he could defeat Rio someday if he tried hard.

Yet the feeling he got today, after facing that avatar, was like standing against an insurmountable wall. A mountain he could never cross and only look up to.

He hated this feeling.

If he couldn't defeat Rio, then he might not be able to defeat Shade guild. And if he can't defeat Shade, how was he supposed to get his father's guild, his own guild, Nexus at the top.

At this moment, he felt his determination waver. A seed of doubt and drop in competition rose in his heart - telling him, he'll never catch up. That he'll never succeed. But then Rio's words echoed in his ears, bringing him back.

"8 years." Rio said honestly. magic

Counting from the time he woke up in this strange world, it had indeed been 8 years. Since the moment he decided to protect Amy and change his ending, everything he did, every choice, every decision, every move, it had always been for this.

"I will defeat you. One day." Valtor said, before being eliminated as Rio pierced his heart with a sword.

"Did we win?" The last remaining teammate from Rio's team, beside him and Katherine, stared at everything with wide eyes, and couldn't help but mutter.

"Not yet. One of them is still alive. And we haven't destroyed their core yet." Katherine said with a stoic face.

She had healed a little after resting for some time.

She closed her eyes as she replayed the match in her hand, guessing the strengths and weaknesses of everyone who participated. To see how she'd fare against any of them. And the conclusion she got, only forced a frown on her face.

'I need to get stronger.' She thought as she clenched her fists.

[Time left - 57 seconds.]

Rio looked at the time on his watch and sighed, why is it taking so long.

He waved his hand, and a bow from inside the barrier flew into his hands. He jumped up onto a stone pillar and stood there. Pulling the bowstring, he looked ahead, as his eyes glowed focusing on a certain direction.

A black arrow formed in his fingers, when he took aim and gently he released it.

-swish- trrrtrrr-

As the arrow left his hands, cutting through the air, only the sound of vibrating bowstring was left behind, and soon it broke in two pieces too. Amaya, who was reading a book while sitting on a chair made of wood, looked upwards as she felt the disturbance in her surroundings. She looked at the sky which started to darken suddenly, and she just sighed slowly. "So it's over already." She whispered, as ripples formed in the barrier covering their base. But it didn't break, and the scene calmed down.

Yet before the calmness could settle in, another arrow hit the barrier, and the same scene repeated again.

In the 4th arrow the barrier completely collapsed and shattered in pieces.

Amaya looked upwards and saw a black arrow slithering in the air, as if a serpent was coming towards her. Without the interference of the barrier the arrow directly entered the space in their base. Amaya looked at the timer and saw only 5 seconds were left, so she created a barrier herself around the magic core, hoping to delay him. Yet after some time, she noticed the arrow didn't attack the core but fell down in front of her, with a note attached to it.

"What would be the fun, if everything ended just like this."

Amaya read the letter and smiled, as the match ended and a white light enveloped her senses, transporting everyone back to the quantum hub.

When Rio opened his eyes into the quantum hub, what greeted him was the silent stares of everyone around him. Though some matches were still ongoing, most of the eliminated students were glued to the screens of his match playing on replay.

[You happy now.] The notification from system appeared on his screen, when he glanced at Leon, who was still downcasted about how he was defeated. [There's no way fate's letting you play anywhere near the protagonist again.] System said, still feeling happy about Leon's death, but acting cold. "Who said I need fate.' Rio said, and called Hela. "Your father's watching this match, right?"

[He is. He's quite happy with your performance.] Just in a moment, the reply from his goddess came to his ears.

"Tell him, I need a favor." Rio said, ignoring the chill he felt hearing her ghastly cold voice. The effect of her voice increases with her emotions, and now, she was probably feeling amused or happy.

[He says it'll be done.] Hela replied, before Rio could even say what he wanted.

'Knew it.' Rio thought and shook his head.

Experiment number 7 - Fate needs mediums to act out it's will. - is always right.' Rio thought to himself and turned his eyes towards the little fangirl of tricksters , professor Arabella.

When he looked at her, she turned towards him too. Their gazes met, and Rio just kept staring at her, until she smiled and nodded her head. Confirming to the request Loki probably suggested her.

'System'

[Yes host.]

'Be sure to use my points if Loki and Arabella fails somehow. I need to be on that team.' Rio said, as he looked at the front where random names for 10 students started to appear, who'll enter the second stage.

'This time let's not kill him easy and torture him a little.' Rio said and closed his eyes.