Chapter 31: Godbreaker vs Heirs
`CRACK.`
The sound of a divine artifact shattering echoed across the arena like thunder.
50,000 people went silent.
Team 01’s S-Rank Sword Saint stared at his broken sword.
Half of it was in his hand. The other half was melted in Scrap’s fist.
The arena lights reflected off Scrap Mark IV’s voidsteel armor.
2.5 meters of matte black death.
Aetherium veins running white-hot under the plates.
Dragonbone cables pulsing with kinetic energy.
And eyes like dying stars.
`[Protocol: GODBREAKER: INITIATED]`
`[Threat Level: S-RANK CONFIRMED]`
`[Executing: Termination Sequence]`
`[Target Priority: Sword Saint]`
`BOOM.`
Scrap’s fist came down.
_The First Exchange: God vs Machine_
The Sword Saint moved.
S-Rank reflexes honed since birth.
`SHING!`
He drew a second sword from his back. `Heaven’s Fang`. Artifact grade.
Forged by the Headmaster himself.
He blocked Scrap’s punch.
`KRAKOOOM!`
The shockwave blew back the first 3 rows of spectators.
The arena barrier flashed red and almost shattered.
The Saint’s feet dug 2-meter trenches in the reinforced arena floor.
He was pushed back 10 meters, skidding.
His arms were shaking.
"What... what is this thing?" he panted. Sweat on his brow.
Kael stood 30 meters back.
Hand on the port on his back.
`[Direct Link: 99%]`
`[Synchronization: PEAK]`
`[Mana: 100%]`
`[Mental Load: 91%]`
Blood trickled from his nose. He smiled anyway.
"That’s GODBREAKER."
`[ANNOUNCER, SHOUTING SO HARD HIS VOICE CRACKED]`
`[THE SEMIFINALS HAVE BEGUN!]`
`[TEAM 47’S GOLEM JUST BROKE AN ARTIFACT WITH ITS BARE HAND!]`
`[TEAM 01: SWORD SAINT - ON THE DEFENSIVE!]`
`[I REPEAT! THE 0.01% UNDERDOGS ARE WINNING!]`
The crowd lost their minds.
_Team 01 Reacts: The Heirs Move_
The other 2 members of Team 01 weren’t idiots.
They moved instantly.
The `Elemental Monarch` raised both hands to the sky.
Gold and white robes flaring.
`[Skill: [Elemental Cataclysm: Fire + Lightning + Wind]]`
The sky above the arena turned blood red.
Clouds boiled.
A storm of fire, lightning, and tornadoes formed directly above Scrap.
100 meters wide.
`[Estimated Damage: City Level]`
The `Strategist` didn’t attack.
He stood still. Eyes glowing gold.
`[Skill: [Tactical Analysis: Complete]]`
`[Scanning: Team 47]`
`[Weakness Found: Neural Link on Master’s Back. 99.7% Kill Probability]`
"Kill the master," the Strategist said coldly. Voice like ice. "The golem is nothing without him. Cut the head, the body dies."
The Monarch nodded. Her face was serene. Deadly.
`[Skill: [Judgement Spear]]`
A spear of condensed elements - fire core, lightning shaft, wind edge - shot down at Kael at mach 3.
Lira appeared out of nowhere.
`[Skill: [Absolute Zero Wall]]`
`KSSSSS`
Ice met fire.
Steam filled half the arena.
The temperature dropped 60 degrees in 1 second.
Lira stood in front of Kael. Spear planted.
Her breath was fog.
"Try me."
Ren was already moving.
`[Skill: [Tempest Dance: Final Form]]`
He blurred and appeared in front of the Strategist in 0.3 seconds.
3 swords. 1 in each hand, 1 in his teeth.
His grin was wild.
"You’re the brains, huh?" Ren said around the sword. "Let’s see how smart you are when you’re dead."
The Strategist smiled back. Calm.
"Interesting. You fight like a cornered animal."
_Scrap vs The Saint: 60 Seconds of Hell_
While Lira held the Monarch and Ren fought the Strategist,
Scrap and the Sword Saint clashed.
`CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!`
Sword vs Fist.
Artifact vs Voidsteel.
The Saint was fast. Inhumanly fast.
`[Skill: [Flash Step: 10th Form]]`
He landed 7 cuts on Scrap’s armor in 2 seconds.
`[Armor Integrity: 98%]`
`[Damage: Negligible]`
Scrap didn’t care. It didn’t feel pain.
`[AI: TACTICAL CORE]`
`[Analyzing Opponent: 87% Complete]`
`[Pattern: Predictable. Relies on Speed and Precision.]`
`[Countermeasure: Area Denial. Overwhelm.]`
Scrap’s chest plates slid open.
`[Weapon: Mana Disruptor Cannon: CHARGING]`
`[Charge Time: 3 Seconds]`
The Saint’s eyes widened. "No— That’s forbidden tech!"
He charged.
Too late.
`THOOOM!`
A wave of white energy shot out.
Not a blast. A _field_. 50 meters in every direction.
`[Mana Disruptor Field: ACTIVE]`
`[Duration: 5 Seconds]`
The Monarch’s storm died instantly. The clouds vanished.
The Strategist’s golden eyes flickered and went out.
The Saint’s `Heaven’s Fang` dimmed to a normal sword.
`[Mana Systems: SUPPRESSED]`
`[All S-Rank Abilities: OFFLINE]`
For 5 seconds, no one in the arena could use mana.
Except Scrap.
`[Backup Power: KINETIC REACTOR: ACTIVE]`
`[Power Output: 100%]`
Scrap charged.
`CRUNCH.`
First hit to the ribs. The Saint’s armor cracked.
`CRUNCH.`
Second hit to the shoulder. The Saint flew back.
`CRUNCH.`
Third hit.
The Saint flew back 40 meters and crashed THROUGH the arena barrier.
`[ANNOUNCER]`
`[SWORD SAINT: OUT OF THE ARENA!]`
`[BARRIER BREACH!]`
`[TEAM 01: DOWN 1 MEMBER!]`
`[THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED!]`
Medics rushed to the Saint. He was alive. Barely.
_Lira vs The Monarch: Ice vs Elements_
With no mana, the Monarch was just a woman in fancy robes.
Lira didn’t give her time to recover.
`[Skill: [Glacial Prison]]`
Ice spikes shot from the ground in a circle around the Monarch.
The Monarch dodged 2. The third caught her leg and pinned her.
`[Target: IMMOBILIZED]`
Lira walked to her. Calm. Cold.
Her spear dripped with frost.
"Yield."
The Monarch struggled. "Never. I am an Heir of the Headmaster! I will not—"
Lira’s spear stopped 1cm from her throat.
The air was -40 degrees.
"Then die an Heir."
The Monarch’s face went pale.
She looked at her teammates. Both down.
She looked at Lira. No mercy in those eyes.
"...I yield."
`[ANNOUNCER]`
`[ELEMENTAL MONARCH: SURRENDERED!]`
`[TEAM 01: DOWN 2 MEMBERS!]`
`[IT’S A 3v1!]`
_Ren vs The Strategist: Chaos vs Order_
This was the real fight.
The Strategist had no mana now.
But he had something better: his brain.
`[Skill: [Perfect Prediction]]`
Every time Ren swung, the Strategist wasn’t there.
Every feint, every trick, countered before it happened.
"You fight with emotion," the Strategist said, dodging a blade by 1mm. "I fight with logic. You cannot win."
Ren laughed. Blood on his teeth.
"Then let’s see your logic handle this."
He threw his 3rd sword.
The Strategist caught it. Perfectly.
`[Prediction: 100%]`
And that’s when Ren’s real attack came.
`[Skill: [Blade Storm: Thousand Cuts]]`
100 afterimages of Ren appeared around the Strategist.
All swinging. All real. All fake.
The Strategist’s eyes went wide. "Impossible to predict— Too many variables—"
`SLASH.`
One real blade.
Across his chest.
The Strategist fell to his knees.
`[Target: DISABLED]`
Ren stood over him, breathing hard. Blood from a cut on his arm.
"Logic’s cool," he said. "But crazy wins."
He kicked the Strategist’s sword away.
`[ANNOUNCER, LOSING HIS MIND COMPLETELY]`
`[STRATEGIST: DOWN!]`
`[FULL WIPE!]`
`[WINNER: TEAM 47!]`
`[ADVANCING TO THE FINALS!]`
`[TIME: 4 MINUTES 22 SECONDS!]`
`[THE 0.01% DID IT! THEY BEAT THE HEIRS!]`
_The Aftermath: Silence Then Thunder_
Silence.
For 3 full seconds, 50,000 people didn’t breathe.
Then the arena exploded.
"TRASH KING! TRASH KING! TRASH KING!"
The chant shook the foundations. Chairs were thrown.
People were crying.
Kael disconnected the link.
`[Mana: 3%]`
`[Neural Strain: CRITICAL]`
`[Backup Power: 0%]`
`[System: SHUTDOWN]`
He collapsed.
Lira caught him.
Ren caught him from the other side.
Scrap walked over.
Knelt on one knee.
And placed a massive hand on Kael’s head.
Gently. Like a father.
`[Master: SECURE]`
`[Threats: ELIMINATED]`
`[Status: VICTORY]`
From the VIP box, the Headmaster stood up.
An old man in white robes.
He didn’t clap.
He just looked at Kael.
And nodded once. Slowly.
Then he vanished in a flash of light.
_30 Minutes Later: The Tunnel_
As they carried Kael out, the crowd parted.
No one touched them.
Some people bowed.
Some people cried.
Instructor Garrick was waiting.
He looked at Kael. At the bandages. At the blood.
Then at Scrap. At the dented armor.
"EMP proof. Mana independent. Broke an artifact. Beat 3 S-Ranks in 4 minutes."
He closed his notebook.
"You’re not students anymore, Team 47. You’re legends."
He walked away.
_1 Hour Later: Medical Bay_
`[Status: Severe Mana Depletion. Neural Overload. Critical Fatigue.]`
`[Recovery: 96 Hours]`
`[Note: Patient Refuses Sedation]`
Kael was awake.
Staring at the white ceiling.
Lira sat next to him. Holding his hand. Her thumb rubbing his knuckles.
Ren was asleep on the floor, using his sword as a pillow.
The door opened.
Instructor Garrick.
And behind him: Team 01.
The Sword Saint. Arm in a cast. Face bruised.
The Monarch. Leg in ice. Head bowed.
The Strategist. Bandages around his chest. Walking with a cane.
They walked in. Stopped in front of Kael’s bed.
Silence.
Then the Saint bowed. 90 degrees.
"We were wrong," he said. Voice hoarse. "About you. About trash. About everything."
The Monarch bowed too. "You earned it. All of it."
The Strategist was last.
He looked at Kael. Really looked at him.
"0.01% to Finals in 1 month. Against us. Against the system."
He smiled. A real, tired smile. "The Academy will never be the same. Thank you."
They left.
Garrick closed the door.
"You did it, kid," he said quietly. "You broke the system."
Kael closed his eyes.
"Not yet."
_Night: Workshop 2-B_
`2300`
`1 Day Until Finals`
Kael couldn’t sleep.
Adrenaline. Fear. Hope. All of it.
On the table: a new hologram. Gold letters.
`[FINALS: TEAM 47]`
`[VS]`
`[THE HEADMASTER]`
`[Rank: SSS]`
`[Title: The Living God]`
`[Age: 300+]`
`[Feats: Solo’d a Dragon God. Created the Academy.]`
`[Odds: 0.0001%]`
0.0001%.
1 in a million.
Ren read it and whistled. "Well. That’s new."
Lira didn’t say anything. She just sharpened her spear. The sound was the only noise.
Scrap stood in the corner.
Mark IV. Silent.
But the Aetherium veins pulsed faster. Like it was excited.
Kael stood up. Walked to Scrap.
Put his hand on its chest.
"We have 1 day," he said. Voice rough.
"To fight a God."
`[TRASH SYSTEM: FINAL PROTOCOL]`
`[Project: [Scrap - Mark V: TRASH GOD]]`
`[Time Until Finals: 24 Hours]`
`[Construction Progress: 0%]`
`[Warning: Materials Required: IMPOSSIBLE]`
`[Warning: Success Rate: 0.0001%]`
`[Warning: Failure = Death]`
Kael looked at his team.
"So. What do we do?"
Ren grinned. Stood up. "We do what we always do."
Lira nodded once. "We build."
Kael picked up the torch.
The blue flame ignited. Then turned white-hot.
"Then let’s build a God."
`[Construction: INITIATED]`
`[Materials Needed: The Impossible]`
`[Time: 24 Hours]`
`[Team 47: ALL IN]`
Outside, the entire Academy was awak
e.
Talking about the upset.
About the Trash King.
About the Finals.
Inside Workshop 2-B, 3 people and a golem were going to war against the world.
Because 0.0001% wasn’t impossible.
It was just another number to beat.
`[The Trash God is coming]`
To Be Continued...
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