The battle between Kyle and Selena had begun. Selena raised her sword and activated her gravity manipulation ability, pulling Kyle's body harshly toward the ground. But he wasn't an easy opponent. He unleashed his "Rejection," avoiding her influence, then attacked with his chain, piercing her shoulder.
"Not bad…" Selena muttered, blood dripping from her torn shoulder.
Kyle didn't respond. He had to stay focused.
In a flash, she pulled him toward her with a sudden force and stabbed his shoulder.
'Rejection'
He spun around her sword, trying to stab her, but she dodged his strikes with incredible speed. She didn't give him time to think—she raised several rocks from the ground and hurled them at him. He tried to evade, but before he knew it, he was surrounded on all sides.
Then Selena descended like a meteor, aiming a deadly strike at his chest.
'Rejection!'
But he didn't dodge. Instead, he used her momentum, climbing the rocks and launching toward her. He raised his head, stared at her, then launched his chain at her face and abdomen.
She narrowly dodged. She thought she had escaped—until she looked at her leg and saw his other chain had caught her.
"What?!"
Before she could break free, Kyle yanked her down, sending her crashing into the arena floor. He gave her no time to recover, his chains hovering above, ready to end the fight.
But at the last second, she increased the gravity of his body, pulling the chains back toward him, buying herself a chance to escape.
Selena's mana was nearly depleted, and Kyle had only one use of "Rejection" left.
Selena moved fast—she stabbed him in the shoulder first, then lunged toward his abdomen!
'Rejection!'
He rewound time to the moment of her strike, pulled her sword from her hand, and tossed it out of the ring.
He was ready to deliver the final blow, but suddenly noticed a wicked smile on her face.
"What…?"
Using all her remaining mana, she raised the gravity of her sword to its maximum... and in an instant, it pulled him out of the ring!
"The winner: Selena!"
The crowd roared with excitement:
"Selena! Selena!"
Selena approached Kyle, offering her hand with a smile:
"Good match, Kyle."
But he didn't respond. His grim face remained unchanged. He stood quietly and walked up to the champions' stands.
Selena frowned, then sat beside me.
"What's wrong with your friend?"
"Kyle?"
"He's been like that since your little talk… and you're just as grim. What did he say to you?"
"Nothing. Don't worry about it."
She gave me a suspicious look: "You two are hiding something… and I'll figure it out."
"Good luck with that," I said with a fake smile, which she clearly saw through.
She scowled, muttered something unintelligible, and walked away.
...
Now, the heroes would get an hour of rest, during which a vote would be held to predict the winner of the team battle.
Sheets were handed out with the names of all the heroes, each with a box beside the name for voting.
...
45 minutes later…
"Now, let's see the results!"
A massive screen appeared out of nowhere by some kind of magic.
Top Candidate: Selena
Her unique ability and talent made her an obvious choice for the audience.
Second: Kyle
His strength couldn't be underestimated, and it seemed like he was still hiding something.
Third: Ragnar
His mythical-level ability made him a fierce competitor, and many believed he only lost because of the "ring-out means defeat" rule… Luckily, that rule doesn't apply in the team battle.
Fourth: Victor
He lasted longer against Selena than anyone else after Kyle.
Fifth: Isaac
Despite a quick loss, his intelligence stood out, and some believed he might find a way to close the gap—or even win.
Sixth: Nova
In the same situation as Isaac, and a battle of wits between the two is expected.
Seventh: Alice
Despite her efforts, she lost to Isaac.
Eighth: The Hero
His rank didn't reflect his strength but rather the audience's hatred of him. Though he had the "Disaster," what happened in that incident… disappointed me. I thought he was stronger.
"Wait… I'm seventh?!" Alice shouted.
"I deserved a higher spot," Victor muttered.
"These are just predictions. Don't get your hopes up," Isaac said calmly.
The judge announced:
"Alright, it's time to begin the team battle!"
The crowd went wild, chanting the heroes' names... but Kyle and I?
We were in a different world. All that mattered was winning.
We climbed into the arena, and my eyes never left Kyle.
At the judge's signal,
Selena bent gravity to appear behind me, trying to cut me.
I activated Earthquake—spikes of stone shot from the ground, forcing her back.
Ragnar advanced in his tiger form, joined by Victor. They landed blows on Selena before she dropped them with gravity and moved toward me.
Ragnar roared, pinning everyone in place as he clawed Selena in the side.
Selena raised Ragnar and Victor's gravity, pulling them toward Izak. He then stopped their bodies mid-air. Victor retreated to rethink his strategy.
Selena focused on me again and tried to stab me. I wrapped my body in a wind shield and hurled her away, though she clung to the ground.
I ignored her and moved toward Kyle.
The others tried to stop her, but she pulled me toward her and whispered:
"Don't ignore me."
I activated Lightning Form, and in a flash, stood behind her.
I stabbed her in the abdomen, shoulder, and leg. She fell to her knees.
Ragnar, along with Alice and Isaac, moved in.
I said coldly:
"Get out of my way."
Alice replied:
"And if we don't?"
I summoned a flood from nearby water and blasted her away.
Isaac said: "Ragnar, stop him!"
Ragnar: "Alri—"
I struck him with a lightning bolt before he could finish. His skin burned, and he lost consciousness.
I stood before Isaac. Fear filled his face.
I slashed his chest with my sword and moved on.
"Do you really think you can defeat the great writer?"
The other heroes froze, shocked. I said:
"Even if you all team up, even if you live a million years, or a billion, or infinite lifetimes… you will never stand against the writer. Your fight, your cause—everything was decided before it began."
Kyle:
"We will succeed. We'll cut off the great writer's head… if not after billions, then after more, or the ones after that."
I smirked mockingly:
"Alright, let's say you succeed and kill the great writer… what about that being?"
"Being?"
The other heroes interrupted—Victor, Nova, and Selena.
Selena flew using gravity and hurled rocks at Kyle.
He dodged, but before he could respond, Victor's punch pierced his guard—lightly wounding him.
Nova dashed at him with her dagger.
I blew her away with wind, then cut her leg tendons.
She fell, unable to fight.
Selena: "You didn't help him?"
Me: "Because this… is my fight."
Kyle appeared behind her suddenly and struck her back, knocking her out.
Victor, terrified, said: "I surrender."
I looked at him with disgust, then turned to Kyle.
Kyle: "Looks like it's just the two of us."
"Yeah… let's finish this."
I lunged with my sword raised.
I dodged his chains, blocked some, grabbed one—it cut me with its spikes.
I didn't care. I pulled him toward me.
Suddenly, time slowed—my body with it.
Kyle stabbed me several times, then stepped back. His moves were calculated, and his chains moved like extended limbs.
I activated Lightning Form again, breaking through the time-slowing effect, and stabbed him in the chest.
'Rejection.'
I saw time rewind.
I was confused, but I kept going.
"You can rewind time?"
Kyle: "Yeah, you weren't supposed to know. Or maybe… because of your speed."
His chains pierced my chest and exited my back.
I'd reached my limit, but I stabbed his shoulder again.
'Rejection.'
My mana was nearly gone… at this rate, I'd lose.
Kyle:
"You're at your limit? I can still use Rejection three more times… looks like I'll win."
(I'm slow… I need to be faster, faster, faster!)
I activated Lightning Form to its limit. My body glowed with blue light—it wasn't light, but rage.
I charged at him, surpassing time itself.
'Rejection.'
Time rewound… no, not from Kyle—I had surpassed the limit.
With one strike, I slashed his chest and knocked him unconscious,
his body flung back by the sheer force.
"Final winner: The Hero!"
I looked at Kyle's fallen body.
I collapsed to the ground, struggling to stay conscious.
Suddenly, someone appeared out of nowhere.
"I'm sorry… I'll take this one."
He took Kyle's body and vanished.
He said nothing—just disappeared.
Was I the only one who saw him?
The audience seemed unaware, but the heroes' faces told me they saw it too.
While I was being treated, Selena approached.
"Congrats on the win."
"Thanks." I looked at her body, then at the others.
Their bodies were starting to fade.
"We'll entrust this world to you."
I smiled at her:
"Count on me."
They vanished… one after another.
And now, I am alone.
Just like I've always been.
*******
At the Edge of the Abyss…
A black land, stretching endlessly.
Thick mist cloaked the ground, and above… a sky adorned with stars and planets.
Hovering in silence above them all—
A faceless black sphere.
Here… is where all End Writers are born.
[Well done.]
The voice rumbled through existence like an earthquake.
The end writer, who was once Selena, bowed her head.
"Thank you, Great Writer."
"But we lost Kyle," said the one who was once called Ragnar.
[We've lost millions of End Writers before. Our priority is writing that world's end.]
Victor spoke, "I believe we'll fail this mission too."
[I don't think so.]
"How do you expect a mission to succeed when the one tasked with it… doesn't even remember his own name?"
Nova replied coldly, "How dare you question the Writer's wisdom?"
[It's alright… doubt can be useful, sometimes.]
"I've noticed the gap. He's far from us… his skills are leagues below," said the one once named Isaac.
Selena—no, the one who was Selena—stepped forward.
"Great Writer, do you have a Class A world I can enter?"
[Oh? Feeling motivated?]
"I want to close the gap between us."
"Or maybe… just a name," said the one who was once Alice.
The Great Writer snapped his fingers. A gate tore open in the void.
[Your name there shall be… Hera.]
"Yes, sir."
And Hera stepped through the gate.
*******
I was sitting in the waiting room. They told me to stay put while they prepared the summoning of the Hero's Sword.
"Hero!" called Ronald as he opened the door.
"Ronald! Good to see you. How'd I do?"
"You did great. You should've seen the looks on people's faces when you took down three heroes like it was nothing."
I smiled. "That's thanks to your training."
"No… that's thanks to your effort."
"Congrats on the win."
The voice came from behind him—it was Lysia.
"Thanks," I said, then added, "Have Raphael, the King, or Sinister shown up?"
"They're preparing for the Hero's Sword summoning," Ronald replied.
"Shouldn't you be there instead of Raphael? You're the king's heir, aren't you?"
"True, but Raphael's more capable when it comes to these things."
"What about Ryan?"
"No idea. Haven't seen him in a while."
"Why're you asking about him?" Lysia asked.
"I was just wondering."
I continued, "I want to thank the king later… for everything."
"You mean the protests?" Ronald asked.
"Yeah."
"You should, but for now, focus on resting."
Suddenly, a memory from Selena struck me. "You need to be cautious… of the Kingdom of Arkanthia."
Ronald looked at me, puzzled. "Why?"
"They…" Before I could finish, someone interrupted.
"Prince Ronald, Princess Lysia—the King requests your presence."
It was Reinhardt, the Knight Commander. He turned to me. "Apologies for interrupting, Hero, but the royal heirs must go."
I smiled. "No worries."
"Oh—and congratulations on the victory."
With that, he left with the royals.
I sighed and tried to relax.
"At last… they're gone."
A familiar voice. Ryan.
"Ryan? What are you doing here?"
"Came to say hi. And to congratulate you."
"…Thanks."
*******
"Wait, Lysia—did you give the hero his gift?" Ronald asked.
"I forgot! I'll go now."
She ran down the hall until she reached the waiting room—
And saw Ryan.
Ryan? What's he doing here?
Ryan turned with that sly smile—the kind that said he knew everything.
"By the way, Hero… shouldn't End Writers have names?"