The heat was unbearable. Charles panted inside the circle of fire, feeling the flames licking his skin, burning his arms and face. Each breath felt like swallowing boiling air, and the pain was so intense he could barely think. His robe, already soaked from the rain, was singed at the edges, and the smell of burnt fabric mixed with the steam rising from the ground.

'Shit...' he thought, gritting his teeth. 'This hurts like hell.'

The fire not only burned his skin but seemed to be consuming his energy. The blue system tab suddenly appeared in his vision, with an urgent message flashing in red.

[Warning: Life in critical danger. Current HP: 10/100. Estimated drop: 1 HP per second. Immediate action recommended.]

Charles groaned, feeling panic rise in his chest.

'Damn Syris!' he thought, squinting his eyes as he watched the summoner through the flames.

Syris Kael stood there, his staff in hand and that damn confident smile on his face. The roar of the crowd filled the arena, now mixed with cries of concern.

"Get him out of there!" shouted a voice from the stands.

"He's going to burn alive!" yelled another.

The announcer, with his voice amplified by the resonance device, didn't help calm the crowd.

"Friends, this looks bad for Rian Cole! Trapped in that circle of fire, it seems we're about to witness the end of his streak! The arena staff is already rushing to intervene!"

Charles glanced sideways and saw several men in light blue robes running toward the edge of the arena, carrying buckets and devices to put out the fire.

But Charles wasn't going to give up. Not now, not after everything that had happened.

'I won't let them take me out like a loser,' he thought, clenching his fists despite the searing pain in his hands.

A thunderclap rumbled in the sky, louder than the previous ones, making the ground shake. The rain continued to fall, but it wasn't enough to put out the flames surrounding him.

The system tab flickered again.

[HP: 9/100… 8/100… 7/100…]

Charles felt a knot in his stomach.

'I'm about to die...' he thought, his heart racing. 'This can't end like this, if only...'

Gradually, Charles's attention shifted away from the arena and focused on the energy of the lightning that was increasingly gathering in the clouds above.

It was a strange sensation, but he could feel the energy accumulating more and more in one specific cloud.

If only he could replicate the accident from last time on his own...

Just as his HP dropped to 5/100, a blinding flash lit up the coliseum.

CRACK!

A lightning bolt struck from the sky, splitting the storm with a thunderclap that made the stands tremble.

The lightning hit Charles directly, enveloping him in a white light that blinded everyone for a moment.

But it didn't only hit him. Syris, who was just a few meters away, was also caught by the strike, his body convulsing as the lightning struck him.

ZAAAAP!

Syris screamed, letting go of his staff, and the circle of fire vanished instantly. The flames disappeared with a hiss, leaving only steam and the smell of ozone in the air.

The fire creatures, the lizard and the monkey, dissolved into sparks that were extinguished by the rain, and a thick cloud of smoke formed in the arena, hiding both fighters from the audience.

The coliseum erupted into chaos.

"What the hell just happened?" shouted a man from the stands.

"A lightning bolt! A damn lightning bolt!" exclaimed a woman, standing up from her seat.

The announcer, for once, seemed at a loss for words, but soon regained his enthusiasm.

"Unbelievable, friends! A lightning bolt has struck from the sky, directly onto the arena! I've never seen anything like this! What is happening with Rian Cole and Syris Kael?"

As the smoke began to dissipate, Charles's silhouette emerged, still standing, his robe torn but his body intact.

His wounds, the burns on his arms and face, were slowly healing, the skin regenerating as though the lightning had recharged his life energy.

'Did I do it...?' Charles thought, confused despite not fully understanding how he had managed it.

In front of him, Syris was on his knees, his clothes torn and his skin reddened from the strike. He was gasping, trying to get up, but his arms gave way, and he collapsed face-first into the ground, unconscious.

Charles breathed heavily, feeling a vibrant energy coursing through his body.

The lightning, instead of harming him, had healed him, just as his element always did.

'I feel... alive,' he thought, a tired smile forming on his lips.

But then, the system tab appeared again, with an urgent message.

[Warning: Complete regeneration could expose your affinity with the lightning element. I recommend discharging the residual energy to the ground to avoid suspicion.]

Charles blinked, realizing the problem.

If his wounds healed completely in front of everyone, someone might suspect that the lightning hadn't just harmed him but had strengthened him.

"Shit," he murmured. "You're right, system. I can't let them figure it out."

Charles quickly crouched, placing one hand on the wet ground.

"Discharge all energy now."

[Discharging residual energy...]

ZAP!

A blue flash shot from his hand, sinking into the ground with a crackling sound.

Charles felt the vibrant energy leave his body, leaving only a slight tingling in his fingers.

His wounds stopped healing, remaining visible but less severe than they should have been. He dropped to his knees, pretending to be on the brink of exhaustion, breathing heavily with his head down.

The audience, seeing Charles on his knees, assumed the worst.

"He's finished!" shouted a voice.

"He can't go on!" added another.

But the announcer, watching the scene, noticed that Syris wasn't moving.

"Wait, friends!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement. "Syris Kael is on the ground, unconscious! Rian Cole, despite everything, is the only one still standing! THIS IS INCREDIBLE! RIAN COLE IS THE WINNER!"

The coliseum erupted in a deafening roar.

"RIAN! RIAN!" the stands chanted, some clapping, others shouting in sheer disbelief.

Charles raised his head, a tired but satisfied smile on his lips.

The system tab flashed again, this time with a different message.

[Victory confirmed. Experience gained: 1100 XP. Total: 3274/3200. Level reached: 7. Upgrade points available: 1.]

Charles felt a wave of excitement.

'I leveled up,' he thought, almost laughing despite the exhaustion. 'I did it.'

But he kept his head down, pretending to be exhausted while the arena staff rushed to Syris to check on him.

The men in light blue robes lifted the summoner, confirming that he was alive but out of combat.

In the stands, Kaira watched the scene with her mouth slightly open.

"How...?" she murmured, turning to Lira. "How the hell can he withstand something like that? A lightning bolt hit him, and he's standing like nothing happened! What's going on with your half-brother?"

Lira, arms crossed, pursed her lips.

She knew the truth about Rian's element, but she wasn't going to say it. Not here, not now.

"Don't think too much about it," Lira said sharply. "Just... let it go. Rian knows what he's doing."

Charles stood up slowly, raising one hand to greet the audience, who were still shouting his name.

The rain continued to fall, but now it felt refreshing, not oppressive.

As he made his way toward the edge of the arena, limping to maintain the facade of being injured, he couldn't help but smile.

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