Chapter 42: Hostile Takeover

After a relaxing night in a high-end hotel, Auren finds himself walking into the grand, prestigious arena located on the upper floors of Heaven’s Arena. This place is reserved exclusively for Floor Master challenges and is way larger and more impressive than the standard Arenas.He grips Eternity’s sheath tightly as he steps onto the stage.

“Welcome to tonight’s big fight! This is one you definitely don’t want to miss! After more than three months, we finally have another challenger for one of our Floor Masters!” the moderator announces. This time, it’s someone new—at least a decade older than the usual hosts and far more seasoned in tone. Auren faintly recognizes her voice from a few other Floor Master fights he watched during his research.

“There he is! The challenger, and honestly, the favorite to win tonight’s battle! He’s a Master Swordsman, wielding his deadly black katana! Please welcome... Auren!”

The crowd roars. The arena is massive, packed with thousands of spectators, cameras on him from every angle.

“And now, our defending Floor Master makes his entrance! After a grueling match around three months ago, he claimed floor 239 for himself! Armed with his weapon of choice—his deadly spear—can he defend his title? Please welcome... Floor Master Flein!”

Both Auren and Flein step into the ring. As Auren locks eyes with his opponent, he ignores the snake-like appearance and instead focuses on the spear Flein is carrying.

Could it be...?

Auren activates Gyo.

Sure enough, the spear carries a lingering aura—small, but noticeable. It reminds him of Ben’s Knives.

“You surprise me… you actually showed up. Are you just stupid, or straight-up suicidal? Nice spear, by the way. I’ll be taking that as compensation,” Auren says with a grin.

Flein doesn’t react to the taunt. He just glares at Auren, hatred simmering in his eyes.

“Challenger Auren, Floor Master Flein—allow me to explain the rules!” the referee says, his voice slightly nervous.

He runs through the standard rules quickly, then steps back to give the fighters space.

“It’s about to start! Don’t blink or you’ll miss it!” the moderator shouts, hyping up the crowd.

Auren faces his opponent, Eternity still sheathed at his side. Flein grips his spear and lowers into a stance, ready to strike.

I’ve got a plan. Let’s see if I can hit you where it really hurts.

“Are you ready, Challenger Auren?” The referee asks, a little stumped about Auren’s behaviour.

“Yes, go ahead,” Auren replies politely.

“Fight!” the referee shouts, throwing his arms wide.

Flein doesn’t hesitate. He steps forward, activating his Hatsu. His spear glows with a dense aura, its length extending by at least thirty percent.

Auren simply smiles.

Flein lunges, thrusting the spear forward. Auren barely dodges the attack with a step to the side. Unfazed, Flein attacks again—Auren continues to dodge his attack.

The pattern continues. After a few exchanges, Auren is not just dodging—he’s now doing it with complete ease, barely moving.

Yeah… he’s not terrible. But he’s just weak. I can see he’s sweating already and he’s scared of taking one more step forward.

Growing frustrated, Flein snarls and unleashes his Hatsu—his spear shifts mid-attack, its form warping as a small snake head materializes, redirecting the strike toward Auren’s right.

But Auren’s already seen it coming.

Instead of sidestepping again, he charges straight at Flein in one explosive burst, channeling aura into his legs.

With a single, lightning-fast step, he closes the gap. His hands transform into claws, and he grabs Flein’s arm with his left claw, his fingers slicing into the flesh.

Flein screams, his arm now firmly seized by Auren and dripping blood onto the floor.

Without hesitation, Auren lifts the arm—still clutching the spear—and drives his right claw into Flein’s chest, piercing his body.

The referee rushes over. “STOP! THAT’S ENOUGH!”

Auren lets go and lets Flein collapse. Smirking, he forcefully pries the spear from Flein’s hand, still tightly clenched.

I’ll take it.

“Unbelievable! It looked like Challenger Auren couldn’t overcome Flein’s range advantage. But just when Flein used his signature trick, Auren read it perfectly and closed the gap in a single step! Up close, he used his terrifying ability—those devilish claws—to finish the fight instantly! A flawless victory! Congratulations to Auren for becoming the new Floor Master of floor 239! At just twelve years old, this is nearly unprecedented—he’s the third youngest Floor Master in the entire history of Heaven’s Arena!”

The arena erupts in applause.

But Auren pays no attention. His eyes are fixed on the spear in his hands. It’s a heavy broadspear with a deadly, razor-sharp tip. The shaft isn’t made of wood, but some sort of flexible metal.

Strange… it’s metal, but not stiff. What kind of material is this...?

He grips it with both hands and thrusts it high into the air.

This is nice. Now that I think about it... I could try something similar to what he did with Limitless Waters. Ging mentioned experts—maybe I’ll ask him about this spear down the line.

Just then, the moderator steps down into the arena, microphone in hand.

“Congratulations, Floor Master Auren! A perfect run—ten wins, zero losses, and now a clean victory to top it off! What’s your next goal?” she asks, beaming with excitement.

“Well, I’d say I’m done here. Might be interested in checking out the next Battle Olympia, come to think of it,” Auren says, before turning to the moderator. “When is it exactly?”

“Oh! It looks like our new Floor Master is already eyeing the greatest honor in Heaven’s Arena! The next Battle Olympia will take place in exactly sixteen months!”

“I’ll see you then,” Auren says quietly, leaving the arena without another word.

Just minutes after stepping out, his phone buzzes.

A polite voice on the other end asks him to come to the ground floor for an important meeting.

I hope this is not an endless parade of formalities…. I fear the worst.

As a new Floor Master, Auren doesn’t hesitate. He heads straight for the elevator. The girl operating it gives him a respectful bow as he enters.

Still unsure where exactly to go, Auren heads toward the reception. Dozens of people are queued up, but before he can say anything, a man in a suit approaches him with a friendly smile. Auren immediately recognizes him—it’s the same man who handled his mess and repaired his door when someone tried to sneak into his room that night.

“Congratulations, Floor Master Auren, please follow me into the meeting room,” the man says cheerfully, even clapping.

This guy feels fake… whatever.

“Thanks,” Auren replies simply, following him without a fuss.

He’s led into an office where a small group of suited individuals are already waiting. The man steps into the center, clearly the one in charge. As soon as Auren enters, everyone claps.

Auren nearly scoffs.

The lead man offers him a card. Auren glances at it: Jort Nikra — Heaven’s Arena 200th Class Manager.

Accepting it without a word, Jort gestures toward a chair. Auren takes a seat, setting his new spear beside the table. Jort sits with the others on the opposite side.

“Now, Auren,” Jort begins smoothly, “we won’t keep you long or bother you with formalities. We know how fighters like you despise these things. We’re just here to explain a few essential things. Battle Olympia is a tournament-style event held every two years. The rules change a little each time to keep things fresh, but essentially, it’s a grand battle between all Floor Masters. Participation is optional, of course.”

He leans forward slightly.

“But more importantly, you now own Floor 239—or rather, you’re authorized to manage it.”

Auren sighs. “Look, I really like Heaven’s Arena, and I’ll definitely honor any challenger. But I don’t have any plans to spend time managing that floor.”

Jort nods understandingly. “Most Floor Masters feel the same. Actually, very few of them reside here full-time. You can manage it yourself if you want—utilities are fully covered, and we’ll support you however we can. Or, if you’d rather leave it to us, we’ll handle the floor’s rentals and send you fifty percent of the revenue. We are very experienced and can guarantee a stable source of income.”

In the long run, it probably makes more sense to let someone else handle it, preferably someone hired by me. Fifty percent isn’t amazing, I could earn more, but I really don’t want more on my table… I just leave it to them. No stress, no hassle.

“Fine. You people obviously know what you’re doing. Go ahead and manage it,” Auren agrees.

Jort smiles and reaches into a folder, pulling out a few papers. “I’ve already prepared the contract. You’re welcome to sign it now or later—no pressure. It’s our standard contract. No tricks, I assure you.”

Auren takes the document and starts reading.

Hmm... cancelable every three months, fifty percent income, no management required. Just one page—clean and clear. Looks like a genuinely open deal.

To Jort’s mild surprise, Auren signs it on the spot and hands it back.

“Thank you!”

Jort beams. “Would you like to check out your floor? While we’ll rent out most of it, you can reserve it anytime you like—especially if you’re scheduled for a fight. In those cases, it’s automatically yours.”

“Honestly? No,” Auren says bluntly. “I’m busy. I had a great time here, and I’ll probably join Battle Olympia. But for now, I’m done.”

“No problem at all. I appreciate the honesty—and I’m glad you enjoyed your stay. If you ever get challenged, you have up to ninety days to respond, so there’s no need to rush back,” Jort explains.

Auren stands, grabs his spear with his left hand, and stretches out his right toward Jort. The two shake hands firmly.

He returns to his room.

As he opens the door, he sees Konrad and Neffi sitting on the floor with a cake in front of them, Neffi already eating a slice.

Silly guys.

“So this is my celebration? I guess it’s also a goodbye party, huh?” Auren says.

“Yes,” Konrad replies, “but I’ll stay in touch. I’ll probably have more questions later. And I’ll keep you updated about our company. I’ll also help you look for more Knives. I’ll deduct the cost from your income from the company if you are okay with it.”

Auren nods before Konrad continues.

“Neffi here also gets to benefit from my corporate expertise—I’ll be handling her two companies for her.”

He shoots her a look.

“Though, I already regret it. Her ‘custom order’ is insane. She basically bought two whole companies just to have them make clothes for her! That’s ridiculously luxurious—even for me!”

Neffi silently kicks Konrad in the side, sending him rolling across the floor.

“Let’s eat!” Auren says with a grin, watching Konrad struggle.