Ascension Gates: Rise of the Beast Monarch-Chapter 69: The Second Round — Illusions and Instinct
The conclusion of the first round arrived far more swiftly than anyone had anticipated.
What had initially begun as a massive gathering of hopeful participants—each one carrying their own ambitions, confidence, and hidden fears—had been reduced in what felt like mere moments.
Victories had been decided.
Defeats had been sealed.
And the difference between the two had often been determined in a single exchange.
There had been no time to adjust.
No time to recover.
No opportunity to hesitate.
From a total of five hundred and twelve participants, only two hundred and fifty-six remained standing.
Exactly half.
The rest had already been eliminated, their journey ending before it had truly begun.
Yet, despite such a drastic reduction, the arena showed no signs of slowing down.
There was no announcement calling for rest.
No interval granted for recovery.
No consideration given to exhaustion or injury.
Because this place was not designed to nurture.
It was designed to filter.
To observe.
To select.
Only those who could endure continuous pressure would be allowed to advance.
Aether stood quietly near the edge of the battlefield, his posture relaxed yet unwavering.
The stone floor beneath his feet still carried faint traces of residual energy from previous battles. It was subtle, but to someone attentive, it was unmistakable.
Beside him, the Flame Sovereign Pup remained calm.
Its body radiated a steady warmth, and the flames surrounding it moved in a controlled, rhythmic pattern. They were not wild or chaotic—instead, they resembled the steady breathing of a disciplined warrior.
Unlike many others who had struggled in their first match, the Flame Sovereign Pup had not been pushed at all.
Its strength had remained largely concealed.
And yet, Aether did not allow that fact to influence his mindset.
His expression, compared to before, had subtly changed.
He was more focused.
More attentive.
More prepared.
Because he understood something clearly—
The second round would not resemble the first.
"You feel different."
The voice echoed softly within his mind, carrying a tone of quiet observation.
Aether did not open his eyes.
Instead, he simply responded in a calm and measured voice.
"Yes."
There was no hesitation in his reply.
No attempt to deny it.
A brief silence followed, as though she was carefully analyzing the shift in his demeanor.
"You’re more cautious now," she continued. "More aware."
Aether exhaled slowly, his breathing steady.
"The first round was for observation," he said. "That won’t be enough anymore."
A faint hum of approval echoed in his mind.
"Good. You’re learning."
Her tone shifted slightly, becoming lighter, almost curious.
"I wonder," she continued, "how you will handle an opponent who refuses to fight you directly."
At that, Aether slowly opened his eyes.
A flicker of understanding passed through them.
"...An illusion-type opponent?" he asked.
A soft, amused laugh followed.
"You’re catching on faster than expected."
"Aether."
The instructor’s voice rang out clearly across the arena, cutting through the noise of the crowd.
"Platform Four."
Without hesitation, Aether stepped forward.
The Flame Sovereign Pup rose immediately and followed him, its movements smooth and synchronized.
As he approached the platform, the atmosphere around him began to shift.
The crowd was still loud—but the tone had changed.
There was less skepticism now.
Less dismissal.
Instead, there was anticipation.
"That’s him, right? The one who ended his first match so quickly?"
"Yes, that’s him. He didn’t even look serious."
"Well, this round won’t be so easy."
"Let’s see if he can keep that composure."
Aether paid no attention to the voices.
They were irrelevant.
His focus remained entirely on what lay ahead.
He stepped onto Platform Four.
His opponent was already waiting.
A girl stood calmly at the center of the platform, her posture relaxed but composed.
At first glance, she appeared unassuming.
However, her eyes told a different story.
They were sharp.
Focused.
Constantly observing.
Nothing seemed to escape her attention.
Standing beside her was a small fox-like creature.
Its silver fur shimmered faintly under the arena lights, giving it an almost ethereal appearance.
Its violet eyes glowed softly, carrying an unsettling depth that hinted at something far more complex than its size suggested.
For a brief moment, its body appeared to flicker—as though it did not fully belong to the physical world.
Aether slowed his steps before stopping a short distance away.
"...Illusion-type," he said quietly.
The girl smiled faintly.
"So, you noticed."
The fox tilted its head slightly, its form shimmering once more.
"Phantom Mirage Fox," she said calmly. "It specializes in manipulating perception and distorting reality."
Aether gave a small nod. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
"I see."
She studied him carefully.
"You don’t seem surprised."
"I expected something like this," Aether replied.
Her smile deepened slightly.
"Good."
The instructor raised his hand.
"Begin."
The moment the signal was given, the battlefield transformed.
Or rather—
It appeared to transform.
The ground beneath Aether’s feet rippled subtly, as though it had momentarily become liquid.
The air itself began to distort.
Edges blurred.
Distances shifted.
The boundaries of the platform became unclear.
The Phantom Mirage Fox’s eyes glowed brighter.
And yet, Aether remained still.
"You can see it, can’t you?" the girl asked softly.
"Yes," Aether replied calmly.
Beside him, the Flame Sovereign Pup let out a low growl.
For the first time, its flames flickered unevenly.
There was instability.
Uncertainty.
"Be careful," the voice in Aether’s mind warned. "Illusions are not something you can simply destroy with brute force."
The girl raised her hand slightly.
"Mirage Field."
In an instant, the distortion intensified.
Three foxes appeared.
Then five.
Then ten.
Each one moved independently.
Each one behaved realistically.
Each one felt... real.
There was no immediate way to distinguish between illusion and reality.
The Flame Sovereign Pup reacted instinctively.
It lunged forward, releasing a surge of flames.
But the attack passed straight through one of the foxes.
There was no resistance.
No impact.
An illusion.
At that exact moment, the real fox struck from the side.
Its claws brushed against the Flame Pup’s flank.
The damage was minimal—
But the hit was real.
A murmur spread through the crowd.
"He got hit!"
"So the illusions actually work..."
Aether’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"Stop relying on your sight," the voice in his mind said calmly. "Your vision is already compromised."
Aether took a slow breath.
Then—
He closed his eyes.
The crowd fell into confusion.
"What is he doing?"
"He closed his eyes?!"
"Is he trying to lose?"
---
The battlefield became increasingly chaotic.
The illusions multiplied further, moving in unpredictable patterns.
Everything was designed to overwhelm perception.
To confuse.
To mislead.
But Aether did not react.
He stood still.
Calm.
Centered.
The Flame Sovereign Pup gradually stopped attacking.
Its flames began to stabilize.
"Listen," Aether said quietly.
Amidst the chaos, there were patterns.
Subtle inconsistencies.
Differences that could not be replicated perfectly.
Illusions could deceive the eyes—
But they could not fully replicate presence.
They could not replicate heat.
They could not replicate existence.
"Left," Aether said calmly.
The Flame Pup moved instantly.
It ignored the nearest target.
Ignored the most obvious one.
Instead, it struck slightly behind it.
A loud explosion echoed.
The real fox was revealed.
The illusion shattered instantly.
The crowd gasped.
"He found it!"
"How did he do that?!"
The girl’s expression shifted slightly.
"...Interesting."
She raised both hands.
"Full Mirage."
The battlefield distorted even further.
The ground felt unstable.
The air twisted unnaturally.
Sound echoed in incorrect directions.
Multiple Aethers appeared.
Multiple Flame Sovereign Pups appeared.
Reality itself became unreliable.
Even the audience struggled to understand what was happening.
Aether remained still.
His eyes closed.
"You cannot rely on logic alone anymore," the voice said. "You need instinct."
Aether nodded slightly.
"I understand."
The Flame Sovereign Pup’s flames began to change.
They became sharper.
More concentrated.
More precise.
The illusions moved again, faster than before.
More aggressive.
The real fox prepared to strike.
Hidden among countless false images.
But this time—
Aether moved first.
"Now."
The Flame Sovereign Pup surged forward.
Not toward what it saw—
But toward what it felt.
Its flames expanded outward in a wide arc, covering a large area.
Heat spread across the battlefield.
The illusions began to flicker.
Distort.
Collapse.
Because illusion could deceive vision—
But it could not withstand physical reality.
It could not replicate heat.
The Phantom Mirage Fox was forced into visibility.
Its form flickered.
Exposed.
In the next instant, the Flame Sovereign Pup was already in front of it.
Its claws burned intensely.
Then—
It struck.
A powerful explosion echoed.
The fox was thrown backward.
The illusions shattered completely.
The battlefield returned to normal.
The girl took a step back, her expression filled with realization.
"...So that is how you counter it."
The Phantom Mirage Fox struggled to stand, but it lacked the strength to continue.
She exhaled slowly.
Then raised her hand.
"I surrender."
"Winner: Aether."
The crowd erupted.
"That was incredible!"
"He fought without even using his eyes!"
"He adapted during the fight!"
Aether slowly opened his eyes.
His expression remained calm.
Unchanged.
The Flame Sovereign Pup returned to his side, its flames gradually stabilizing.
"You are learning faster than I expected," the voice said softly.
Aether remained silent for a moment.
Because he had realized something important.
Illusions were not merely deception.
They were control.
Control over perception.
Control over understanding.
Control over reality itself.
And control—
Could be broken.
Aether stepped off the platform.
The noise of the arena returned, louder than before.
But now, the attention he received was different.
People were no longer dismissing him.
They were watching him carefully.
"You are starting to stand out," she said.
Aether looked forward.
"I have not done anything yet."
A soft laugh echoed in his mind.
"...And that is exactly why you are dangerous."
Two rounds.
Two victories.
The tournament continued.
Stronger opponents awaited.
More dangerous battles lay ahead.
But Aether’s pace remained unchanged.
Calm.
Controlled.
Unstoppable.
Because this time—
He was not just fighting to win.
He was preparing...
For something far greater.
