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The players watched the start and immediately felt the match decided. Compared to them, Eldrian\'s magic was lighting fast. But compared to Zaphreal\'s attack, Eldrian\'s reaction seemed as slow as a turtle.

The sight before the players seemed the embodiment of, "There is always a taller mountain."

Eldrian cursed, afraid to use his ice aura to form a shield. As far as he knew, the electricity would simply conduct through it. \'I might—I don\'t have time to consider!\' Cursing, Eldrian called upon this power, which required him to clear his mind and enter a calm, clear state of mind.

Sadly, his current state was anything but calm and clear. His emotions were running rampant and his fear of entering the contract filled his mind while his body refused his orders—adding even more to the turmoil already in his heart.

He willed for the power of tranquility to form a shield to protect him, but all he got was plain ice.

The lighting pierced the half-formed ice shield with ease, piercing Eldrian\'s chest and sending him into shock. Pain coursed through his entire being as his body failed to work. His heart stopped, his muscles spasmed, and his mind turned blank.

As he fell to the side, Eldrian thought he had already died. But he could not accept that. He might have tried to trick the contract, but he had no certainty his tricks would work.

He had no desire to return to Miracle. And worse still, if he did, he had no way of ensuring his family\'s safety. Even if the trick worked, returning to Miracle was not an option. He couldn\'t accept a defeat.

Fighting the pain, a familiar companion to him. Eldrian used it as his guide to clear his mind of his inner turmoil, allowing him to consider his situation. With plenty of experience dying, Eldrian realized he wasn\'t dead, yet—though he wasn\'t far off.

To clear his mind, he allowed the pain to fill him entirely. Allowing it to encompass him to the limits, dispelling all the turmoil and emotions in him until only the pain remained. This was truly hell, but it allowed him to focus. And once he focused, he dispelled the pain from his mind, too.

Focusing on his a singular goal: He could not lose here.

He could not lose so completely.

If it was his fate to lose here, he would place his life on the line. He had signed the contract because he had no other option. However, he had no desire to become Zaphreal\'s lab rat, nor did Eldrian wish to become his dog.

The only acceptable outcome for him was winning or achieving a draw. \'If we both die, then it\'ll be a draw,\' Eldrian thought.

He hoped to escape the contract through the draw, which had simpler terms than winning and losing. Terms stating that Eldrian would keep magic a secret, and Zaphreal would keep his family safe. In time, once he learned more of the contract and confirmed that his trick had worked, Eldrian would try to reveal magic to the public again.

However, for that possibility to exist, Eldrian could not accept defeat.

Pushing deeper into himself, Eldrian moved past the powers of his auras. While powerful, it was now clear that they would not be enough for him to overcome his opponent

However, he needed time. And they might just be capable of giving him that. As he dived past them, Eldrian let them free. Sending them to rampage. With all the emotions he had suppressed, he fueled the flames. While letting the ice encompass his mind, bringing him to a peculiar, serene state.

Diving deeper, Eldrian tried to find the power of time within himself. Trying everything he could think of to call upon the powers of his bloodline.

—

Zaphreal and all the other looked at Eldrian\'s fallen form. Zaphreal smiling calmly, the result completely expected. Eldrian simply stood no chance against him.

Everyone else felt completely let down. They had expected a grand duel, something that would be the talk of the community for years, or at least the months to come.

Instead, they simply witnessed Eldrian being crushed like an insignificant bug by an admin. It seemed unfair. At least, when Eldrian squashed the players, they could claim he was also a player. That they could one day reach his heights.

They could place him on a pedestal and make him their goal. Something to aspire to, to aim for, to work towards.

But this, how could one fight an admin?

It was disheartening. The speech Zaphreal had given to motivate the players fell flat as everyone watched Eldrian\'s unmoving body. His skin turning pale and his death at hand. "How can this be called a duel?" they asked, everyone believing the fight over.

However, the announcement never came. Realizing this, Zaphreal lifted his hand again, pointing at Eldrian and gathering his mana. Ready to finish him off. The sight causing the players to sigh. The admin would not even give Eldrian a single sliver of hope.

However, as the  thunder roared, a blizzard of fire and ice sprang from Eldrian.

The development shocked everyone and rekindled the fire in all the player\'s hearts. Everyone cheered for Eldrian to fight on. Forgetting about their bets. They simply wished for a grand showing, regardless of profits.

No matter how slim, everyone hoped for Eldrian to bring forth a miracle. To fight against an admin, to fight as a player against the ultimate authority of the game.

Not because they hated Miracle, but simply because they felt disgusted that Zaphreal had dared call this a duel and given such a grand speech. Everyone feeling the least he could have done was put up a good show, not directly aim for victory with his advantages as an admin.

And as if to answer everyone\'s hopes, the blizzard of fire and ice absorbed the bolt of lightning.

The blizzard failed to harm Zaphreal, who had formed a cage of lighting around himself. But still, Eldrian hadn\'t lost yet!

—

Eldrian called in his heart his linkage to the element of time, but this time, it was not enough. He searched and searched, and as he entered hopelessness, he turned to his inventory.

Still alive, though only by his will, Eldrian forced his mind to work and connect with his avatar and the system GAIA had given him. Diving into his inventory, he gathered up the elements for his hidden quest. Summoning them and letting them fall on his chest.

His avatar was dead, and only his will remained. Using this will, Eldrian called upon the mana from his soul and moved the components next to each other. And prayed that the quest would unlock and guide him forward.

Yet nothing happened, and finally Eldrian felt a pull on his consciousness. He recognized it immediately. The system, even though it was separate from the normal one, had recognized him as dead and was guiding him to the realm of souls.

\'I can\'t!\' Eldrian fought the pull, refusing to budge. And by luck, because of this, the normal system still recognized him as alive. So, even while technically dead, Eldrian dragged the duel on.

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