CHAPTER 112: ALMIGHTY’S DECISION

Chapter 111

Han stood frozen, stunned into silence.

Ever since he had created the Analyzer Eye, it had become one of his most relied-upon abilities—his strongest non-combat skill by far. Its value lay in its near-limitless capability to analyze individuals, regardless of how powerful or weak they were. To Han, it was borderline heaven-defying, a skill that had never failed him.

Until now.

He gulped.

When used on the Null, the Analyzer Eye returned... nothing.

As if the man didn’t exist at all.

And yet, Han could see him standing right there.

It was a disturbing paradox.

Just then, the Null slowly turned to face him.

Han’s heartbeat quickened, but his expression didn’t waver.

The Null’s face was like a swirling abyss of darkness, a shifting void where features should have been. It was like staring into the unknown—depthless, silent, and ancient.

There was no hatred in that gaze.

No emotion at all.

Just a hollow presence that pressed against Han’s senses, testing, watching. Still, Han kept his composure, maintaining a calm exterior, though inside, he was on edge. Something about the Null gnawed at his instincts.

The strange figure held Han’s gaze for several tense seconds... then looked away.

Only then did Han feel the crushing pressure lift from his shoulders. He exhaled silently.

"I need to be careful of him," Han thought.

A booming voice broke the silence.

"Congratulations to all of you for winning the selection match and officially becoming participants in the Tournament of Power!" Lord Tech announced.

The crowd erupted into cheers, thunderous and unrelenting.

But one name echoed above all others.

Almighty.

The cheers for him drowned out every other name. He had become the undisputed favorite of the tournament. His unmatched performance—untouched throughout the entire selection round—had convinced the audience that no one else stood a chance. To them, the rest of the participants were mere stepping stones. The moment anyone reached Almighty... they fell.

"Almighty is the best! Almighty is the best!"

The chant started small, then grew louder—until Lord Tech raised a hand, politely quieting the arena.

He turned his attention to the sixteen selected contestants. His tone was serious now.

"Before we move forward... if anyone among you feels unprepared to continue into the main tournament, now is your chance to step down. Say the words ’I’m out,’ and you will be dismissed."

A heavy pause followed as he scanned the group. His gaze briefly stopped on one person—Clara, his younger sister.

She noticed.

He didn’t have to say anything. She could read it in his eyes: he didn’t want her to continue. She was strong, yes, but the real tournament wasn’t like the selection round. The power gap between fighters could be immense—and with that gap came the very real possibility of death.

Clara met his eyes and shook her head. Her expression was firm, her eyes unwavering.

She wasn’t backing down.

Lord Tech sighed silently and looked away.

He’d said his piece, even without words.

"No one?" he asked again.

Just as he prepared to move on—

A collective gasp swept through the crowd.

A hand was raised.

It belonged to none other than Almighty.

"Are you... choosing to quit the tournament?" Lord Tech asked, his voice composed.

Almighty opened his mouth to reply—

But before a single word could leave his lips, a voice from the crowd pierced the air.

"There’s no way! The one and only Almighty would never quit!"

More voices followed, building into a roar of support.

"He’s the strongest! The greatest! The next Class S hero!"

The chant resumed with renewed fervor.

"Almighty! Almighty! Almighty!"

Almighty glanced around.

Faces beamed at him. Strangers wore clothes printed with his likeness. Children had his name drawn across their cheeks. Dozens of hands flashed him thumbs-up signs and smiles full of admiration.

He was more than just a contestant to them. He was a symbol.

Almighty quickly weighed his options.

Quitting now would mean becoming the greatest disappointment in recent history—maybe even the most hated man alive. But continuing? That meant facing monsters. Literal monsters. And deep down, he knew—he wouldn’t survive.

There was no guarantee. In fact, he was almost certain of death if he fought any one of them.

He had to decide. Now.

Lord Tech’s voice rang out, calm but firm.

"Have you made your decision? Are you quitting the tournament?"

Almighty looked down at his raised hand... and slowly, it transformed.

From an open palm to a single, defiant middle finger.

"Screw quitting. I’m in," he declared.

The stadium exploded.

"ALMIGHTY! ALMIGHTY! ALMIGHTY!"

The chant roared louder than ever, like a wave crashing over him.

Aiden stood nearby, one eye twitching in irritation.

"Why does this guy love the spotlight so much?" he muttered under his breath.

Meanwhile, Almighty flashed the crowd a dazzling smile, soaking in the glory...

...but inside?

He was screaming.

"Damn it! I just signed my own death contract! All for pride?! What the hell is wrong with me?"

But it was too late now.

The massive screens flickered, and the names of the participants appeared in bold, glowing letters. Murmurs filled the arena as the matchups began shifting and pairing randomly.

Then—the final bracket locked in.

---

⚔️ Tournament Matchups ⚔️

1. Jay vs Blazer

2. Ronan vs Argon

3. Elexa vs Stopper

4. Balor vs The Null

5. Han vs Ranz the Cruel

6. Aiden vs Almighty

7. Clara vs Kalen

8. Silver Wing vs Little One

---

The crowd grew silent, eyes glued to the matchups.

Blazer scoffed when he saw Jay listed as his opponent.

He barely spared the boy a glance. "Not worth my time," he muttered.

The only person he considered a threat was that silent one with the black-and-white hair. But even then, Blazer believed he’d crush anyone within minutes.

Jay, however, wasn’t even looking at Blazer.

His eyes were locked on Argon—his fists clenched tight with rage.

"No matter what... you’ll pay for what you did."

Across the lineup, Clara studied her opponent—Kalen, the Second Smasher.

A strange feeling settled in her gut. Something told her... this wouldn’t be easy.

Others began sizing up their opponents too, whispering strategies, worries, and doubts.

Only two stood unmoved—Ronan, whose face betrayed no emotion, and The Null, who seemed like he didn’t belong in the same reality as everyone else.

Suddenly, a burst of laughter shattered the silence.

Everyone turned toward the man, startled.

"Who’s Aiden?!" the man howled. "Poor soul’s about to get annihilated! Facing Almighty? He should just forfeit now and save himself the humiliation!"

The crowd followed his gaze to Match Seven.

Their reactions were almost instant.

"Unlucky bastard."

"Facing Almighty? He’s done for."

"Forget the quarter-finals. This guy’s tournament is already over."

As more joined in the mockery, Aiden glanced at the screen... then at Almighty, who was still waving to the crowd like royalty.

While the crowd laughed and mocked Aiden’s chances, Almighty stood frozen—his heart thudding like a war drum inside his chest.

Aiden? Who the hell is Aiden? he thought, forcing a calm smile as cameras hovered nearby.

Then, the giant screen flickered to life, displaying the names and faces of each selected participant.

Almighty’s eyes darted across the list until they landed on him—the seventh match.

Aiden.

His breath caught.

The moment he saw the face, his blood ran cold.

That was no ordinary contender.

That was him—the same monstrous presence he had encountered in the Blue Portal Zone.

The one he had barely escaped from with his life.

He slowly turned his head... and there he was.

Aiden.

Standing a few feet away, arms folded, that same unnatural calm about him. His eyes gleamed beneath the arena lights.

And he was smiling.

But it wasn’t warm.

It wasn’t friendly.

It was the cold, silent grin of a reaper who’d already chosen his next soul.

Almighty swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry.

He could hear the crowd chanting his name, still believing he was invincible.

But in that moment, he knew the truth.

"I’m screwed," he thought.

"Completely, utterly screwed."

To be continued...