OLD-WORLD EXTRA-Chapter 533: Love Letters II

{Burning Man}

They found Elijah.

Or at least, they thought they did.

Emir tore through the battlefield—Hunters, vehicles, Celestials—it didn't matter. He was a force of nature, cutting through everything in his path.

And when he finally reached Elijah?

Trap.

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They never wanted Elijah. They wanted him.

Someone lunged from the shadows, grabbing onto Emir—before he could react, before he could fight back—sacrificing themselves to teleport him away.

The last thing his people saw was him vanishing.

{Kar Babel}

He knew.

The second his feet hit the ground, he knew.

This was it.

His death.

Purple's prophecy had come to light.

"Where am I?"

Names were thrown at him, but none felt right. None struck a chord.

Until one did.

"Kar Babel."

He stilled.

Oh.

So this is where it happened.

Where he was supposed to die.

But if they thought he was going to go out easy—

They had no idea who they were dealing with.

{Aetherless}

They came in droves.

Celestials, one after another, charging at him with everything they had.

And still, Emir cut them down.

Then the real trap sprung.

A holy relic activated.

It drained the Aether from the air, leaving nothing behind.

Smart.

They knew they couldn't overpower him, so they made it so Aether was no longer an option.

Didn't matter.

Emir fought anyway.

Blades, fists, sheer willpower—without Aether, he still carved through his enemies like a storm of blood and steel.

Eventually, only the mechs remained.

Even they fell.

And then… he arrived.

{The Mastermind}

The man stepped forward, the last piece of this game.

He reminded Emir of Alex—same arrogance, same belief that he was three steps ahead.

"You think too highly of yourself," the man sneered. "You truly thought we weren't aware of your schemes?"

Emir tilted his head.

"I never said that."

The man blinked.

"I never claimed to know everything... I just said I was clever."

"…Why?"

Emir smirked.

"Because this was bait."

The mastermind's expression dropped.

"You see…"

Emir stretched his arms lazily.

"I couldn't start this fight. But I could give you the perfect opportunity."

Amon had told him—the Liberation Army was predictable. Better the devil they knew than an unknown variable that could throw everything into chaos.

So Emir had set the stage.

The man's lips curled. He wasn't impressed. He wasn't amused. He only took a step forward.

"Leave one wolf alive..."

He murmured, flames licking at his hands.

"And the sheep are never safe."

They both moved.

One step at a time.

Closer.

Closer.

Emir's hands rested at his sides, but his glare? It was enough to kill.

The mastermind raised his arms, fire dancing between his fingers.

Then the flames consumed Emir.

His entire body caught fire.

Burning.

Skin searing.

And yet—

He didn't stop.

Didn't scream.

Didn't flinch.

He kept walking.

Straight through the fire, until his hands wrapped around his enemy's neck—

And snapped it.

{Fanatics}

More enemies arrived.

More people calling for his death.

They chanted.

They screamed.

And Emir?

He looked at them.

Unfazed.

Unbothered.

Unimpressed.

"This is why I hate fanatics."

{Fallen Devil}

The fight took him down a hill, terrain shifting beneath his feet as he used every rock, every drop, every obstacle to his advantage.

But even that—even that—wasn't enough to stop him from getting hurt.

A blade cut across his left eye. Blood blurred his vision.

He had a blindside now.

That's what got him.

A trap—laid by the last man he killed—sprang, spears impaling him from all angles.

Skewered.

He could hear his enemies scream in victory even though they were all dead.

And Emir?

He just thought to himself.

"Maybe I was too confident."

{Festival Cancellation}

He woke up in a hospital.

Still breathing.

Still alive.

They had passed their fate. They had survived.

The festival was supposed to mark the occasion.

But a week before the date?

Cancelled.

The Aether surge made monsters run wild. They couldn't risk it.

So instead?

A one-day tournament.

Emir sat up, eyes gleaming.

"Hey, Ly… start spreading the rumors about the monster tide now."

The first act was reaching its conclusion.

Chapter: High Targets

The monsters broke through the front lines.

High-ranking ones.

Dangerous.

And yet, Emir?

He didn't move.

He watched.

Watched as the students, as the others, fought back.

They had to.

Because soon?

They'd be fighting him.

{TOOOOUUURRNNNAAAAMMEEEENNTT ARC!}

The tournament was for the teachers.

Because apparently, some of the new ones doubted Emir's ability to teach.

The Elite decided to make a game out of it.

An interview came first.

"Do you know who you'll be fighting?"

Emir nodded.

"Could you list some of the professors you'll be up against?"

"I don't have any in mind."

"How about ————— ———?"

He tilted his head.

"Who?"

The professors immediately took offense.

They tried to fire back. Tried to get under his skin.

But every single time?

"Who?"

{Underestimated}

Emir thought they'd underestimate him.

That he could bet on himself and clean house.

He was so wrong.

The odds weren't in his favor.

Not because they expected him to lose.

Because everyone knew exactly how this was going to go.

And they were right.

Match after match, Emir crushed his opponents.

Then came the final.

Judas.

"Do you think you could beat Judas?"

"Oh, him?"

Emir hummed.

"It'd be hard."

"So you'd lose?"

"No, no..."

He shook his head.

"I'd win."

{Corruption}

Emir went hard.

Harder than he ever had.

He had the opportunity to inflict pain—to really let loose—and he took it.

But it wasn't enough.

His Aether reserves dwindled.

And then—

The ravings started.

The Sultan of the Sands.

Whispers. Madness. A voice crawling into his mind.

The higher his rank, the worse the corruption became.

And it didn't just affect him.

The Aether around him—

It turned wrong.

Corrupted.

Then realization struck.

If he wanted to boost his rank to an insane degree—

He needed two things.

First. His Aether had to be depleted. It acted as a barrier, shielding him from the Sultan's corruption. Without it?

The corruption would flood in.

Second.

His soul had to be attacked.

That part?

He hadn't figured out yet.

So... it was tie.