Is this really a Game?!

"We lost." Reign said with a sigh, breaking the silence that had been present in the large room for over an hour.

They had lost.

It was true, against the immense power that the man, who they now knew was called Radagan, they were unable to win.

"To think that there would be a guy that could defeat not only you, but the rest of us while in the same realm as us … I didn't think it was possible," Shadow said with a gloomy expression as he glanced at Reign who chuckled.

"A mountain above every mountain, a sky above a sky, isn't that how it goes?"

"We lost … but at least we know just how powerful one can become while in the same Tier as us … it's a bit … exciting, right?" Reign asked as he glanced at the others.

"We should stop acting like this, it's not like this is the end … we were given another chance, we just need to pass a couple of very difficult new trials without losing once and we will be given another chance at the throne, we will do that and evolve." Reign stated before standing up.

Even though he spoke such words, inside his head, his thoughts were still swirling around what happened back at the platform.

It happened 3 hours ago when the man told them he would go all out.

3 hours ago.

"You're going … all out?" Jin asked the mysterious man with a confused expression as the latter stood calmly before smiling at them.

"My name is Radagan, remember it." The man said as his aura changed.

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The tension was palpable. Reign, Jin, and the rest of the team felt an impending sense of dread as the swordsman now revealed as Radagan, prepared to show his full power. They had pushed him to this point, but there was no satisfaction in it—only a deep-seated fear of what was to come.

Radagan's calm demeanor didn't change. His smile remained, but there was something ominous about it. His presence, already overwhelming, began to expand further, pressing down on everyone like a crushing weight. The air crackled with a force that felt both ancient and unstoppable. It was as though the entire battlefield was holding its breath, waiting for the storm to be unleashed.

Radagan's aura, which had previously shone with a blinding silver light, began to shift. The silver deepened into a metallic sheen, and then it darkened into a swirling mix of obsidian and white—an unsettling contrast of light and darkness, perfectly intertwined. The ground beneath his feet started to crack and crumble, unable to bear the sheer intensity of the energy radiating from him.

"Prepare yourselves," Radagan said softly, his voice echoing unnaturally. "This is the culmination of countless battles, honed over a century."

"From this moment onward, I'm using my ability as well."

Everybody froze as they heard his words.

He was using … his ability?

He … did he not use it at all till now?

Reign's thoughts swirled as he realized it … Radagan, during the entire battle, had only used sword aura, nothing else.

Before anyone could think further, Radagan moved.

It was as if time had fractured. One moment he was standing still, and in the next, he was everywhere at once. Blades of silver energy, sharper than anything they had encountered before, rained down on them from every angle. Each strike was perfectly timed, perfectly aimed—there was no wasted movement, no flaw in his technique. It was swordsmanship elevated to a level none of them had ever imagined.

Reign's eyes widened as he barely managed to deflect one of the strikes aimed at his chest, only to find another blade slicing toward his side. He twisted, narrowly avoiding it, but Radagan was already ahead of him, appearing behind him with a downward slash that Reign could barely block.

"Impossible!" Shadow muttered as he used his speed and shadows to evade the onslaught, but even his usually elusive movements were rendered almost ineffective. Every time he thought he had slipped into a safe space, a blade of energy would be waiting for him.

It wasn't just Radagan's speed or strength; it was his mastery of combat. He wasn't just reacting to their movements—he was predicting them, forcing them into positions where they had no choice but to take a hit or expend more energy just to stay alive.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Mia and Laura unleashed a barrage of their strongest spells and attacks—icy winds with large icicles and demonic energy swirling together in a deadly combination. But Radagan cut through them as if they were nothing.

He moved with a grace that seemed more like dancing than fighting, slipping through every attack with fluidity while delivering precise strikes that left both women struggling to maintain their composure.

Tank, using every ounce of his formidable defense, charged forward, intending to act as a shield. He swung his axe with all the force he could muster, but Radagan met his attack with a single, effortless parry. The impact sent shockwaves through the ground, but Radagan didn't budge. He spun around Tank and delivered a brutal strike that shattered his armor, sending him crashing into the rubble.

Greenie roared, swinging his massive hammer in a desperate attempt to catch Radagan off guard. The sheer force behind the swing could have leveled a building, but Radagan ducked under it with ease, delivering a counterstrike that sent Greenie reeling back, blood dripping from a deep gash in his arm.

Jin, seeing his comrades faltering, unleashed a powerful crimson explosion that rolled forward like a wave. Radagan's eyes flickered with interest as he met the wave head-on, slicing through it with a single strike that split the crimson wave in two. In that brief moment of distraction, Jin closed the distance, his fist crackling with energy as he aimed for Radagan's chest.

Radagan caught the punch with his free hand. The sheer force behind it would have obliterated most enemies, but Radagan held firm, a faint smile still playing on his lips. He twisted Jin's arm with brutal efficiency, forcing the man to his knees before delivering a knee strike to his gut that left him gasping for air.

"Such power… but still so unrefined," Radagan murmured as he released Jin and turned his attention back to Reign.

Reign was at his limit. His vision blurred, and his body screamed in pain, but he refused to fall. He had to find a way—any way—to turn the tide. With a desperate cry, he unleashed a combined blast of light and darkness, focusing everything he had left into a single, devastating attack.

The explosion of energy was immense. It shattered the remaining fragments of the battlefield, sending debris flying in every direction. For a moment, everything was consumed by the blinding flash of power.

But when the light faded, Radagan stood unharmed. His aura, now fully unleashed, formed a vortex around his sword that had dispelled the power of Reign's attack.

"This is the difference between us," Radagan said softly, his tone almost regretful. "It's not just power or skill—it's experience, patience, and mastery over every aspect of combat. You are all strong, exceptionally so, but you still have much to learn."

With a swift motion, Radagan vanished and reappeared behind Reign, delivering a strike that knocked him to the ground, his weapons clattering out of his grasp. Reign's body convulsed in pain as he tried to rise, but he was spent.

"Stay down," Radagan advised. "You've done well to come this far, but this battle is mine."

But Reign refused to give in. His hand twitched as he reached for his sword, but before he could grasp it, a foot came down on his wrist, pinning him in place.

"Don't overthink it and hold to pride so much," Radagan said, his voice losing its warmth. "There's no shame in recognizing when you're outmatched."

Suddenly, a surge of energy flared from the distance, and Radagan's eyes shifted. Jin, battered but defiant, had risen once more. His aura blazed, dark and fearsome, as he advanced with determination.

Radagan's smile returned. "Oh? You still have some fight left in you? Good. Show me."

But as Jin charged, it became clear that even he was running on fumes. His strikes were powerful, but Radagan countered them effortlessly, weaving through the attacks like a dancer. With a swift combination, Radagan disarmed Jin and delivered a crushing kick that sent him sprawling to the ground.

One by one, each member of the team tried to rise, only to be cut down again by Radagan's merciless precision. It was clear that they were no match for him in his fully unleashed state. The man was a monster—unstoppable, unyielding, and far beyond anything they had ever faced.

But as Reign lay there, staring at the cracked sky above, he realized something. Even in defeat, they had forced Radagan to reveal his true strength. They had pushed him to his limit, and in doing so, they had seen the peak of what it meant to be a master.

They were outclassed today, but this was not the end. They had lost, yes, but they would learn, grow, and come back stronger. They had glimpsed the heights they needed to reach, and they would not stop until they got there.

Radagan, sensing the shift in their determination, paused. He sheathed his sword and looked down at them with a mix of respect and sadness. "You all have potential," he said quietly. "If you survive and continue to grow, we may meet again in the future."

"And do not feel shame for losing against me … in the Leveling Realm, I am probably the one that stands atop any Tier I am in."

And then, a wave of silver light washed over them all, and they died.