For a few days, Malikai did nothing.
No battles. No breakthroughs. No challenges.
Just quiet.
He rested beneath the crimson skies of Bloodforge City, occasionally walking the Doom Clan's courtyard garden with Iris at his side. They shared meals, exchanged sparse words, and passed the time in rare stillness.
But while he seemed relaxed, his soul was forging itself in silence.
In the span of a few days, Malikai not only consolidated his realm in Core Formation…, but he refined it to the limit.
He could now retract his aura completely, so well that even a Nascent Soul cultivator would mistake him for a mortal… unless he chose otherwise.
Watching him, Iris couldn't help but feel a tinge of unease.
'He just broke through to Core Formation not long ago… and yet…'
She narrowed her eyes, stealing a sideways glance at the young demon prince walking beside her.
'That dominant divine pressure from before… It's almost gone. He feels like a normal core formation demon now, though that noble aura can't be hidden entirely.
Yet she knew the truth.
That emptiness was more terrifying than any aura.
It meant control. Ruthless, refined control.
And that scared her more than anything.
After a simple breakfast of roasted beast meat and blood-fruit, Malikai stood from the stone bench under the blackblood tree.
"I'm heading to the arena," he said calmly.
Iris nodded without asking why.
Together, they exited the Doom Clan guest manor.
The moment Malikai stepped outside, eyes began to follow him.
There was something about him—an unnatural handsomeness that now turned heads wherever he walked. Asuras were not ugly by any means. Their demonic bloodlines often gave them beauty laced with danger—horns, tails, wings, and powerful physiques. Some even had eyes on their foreheads, signs of advanced bloodline awakenings.
But Malikai was something else.
His features, sharpened by cultivation and shaped by his mysterious heritage, now radiated a dark nobility that drew gazes, especially from women.
Even those at higher realms found their breath hitching.
Whispers followed him like perfume.
"Who is that…?"
"Isn't that the one who killed Virell…?"
"Doom Clan's new prodigy… look at those eyes."
But Malikai paid them no mind.
His stride never faltered, never hastened.
Until they neared the arena reception hall.
Before they could even reach the stairs, a shadow flickered into their path.
A woman stood there, tall and regal, with long black-violet hair and eyes like molten silver. Her pupils were vertical slits, and her presence gave off a cold, slippery pressure.
Void Serpent bloodline. Nascent Soul Realm.
Her beauty was eerie, venomous—like a blade dipped in wine.
She narrowed her eyes.
"So you're the Doom brat who slaughtered Virell."
Malikai paused, gaze calm and flat.
The woman's voice dripped with cold fury. "Dug out his heart core. Left his corpse in the sand like a beast. Do you think that's not a slap in the face to the Divine Beast Alliance?"
For a moment, silence reigned.
Then Malikai tilted his head slightly.
Expression unreadable.
Voice even colder than hers.
"So what?"
The Void Serpent girl flinched—not physically, but something in her aura wavered for a split second.
He continued, "If he was weak enough to die, he deserved to."
Her eyes narrowed, slits tightening.
"You'll regret that," she said quietly, stepping aside with venom in her smile. "Watch your back, Doom brat."
But Malikai had already walked past her.
Inside the Arena Reception Hall, a human woman with graying hair and bronze robes sat behind a jade counter. She looked up from her talisman slips the moment he stepped in.
Her brows arched slightly.
"You're Malikai Doom, right? The one who jumped to Rank 900 in a single match."
He didn't respond.
"I want to know how many points are needed to access the Battle Tower and special training realms," he said instead.
The woman blinked, then brought up a glowing screen from her jade talisman.
"Your account has 1000 points from the Virell match—impressive. That was a high-difficulty ranked kill. Normally, one win would only get you about 100 points per match."
She tapped her finger across the projection.
"Battle Tower costs 1000 points for 4 hours. Simulates real fights using clones based on experts who left spiritual imprints. Good for testing your combat limits. Special realms include Gravity Chambers, Elemental Pools, and Soul Pressure Fields. Same cost structure."
Malikai tapped his fingers thoughtfully.
"Which realm's best for combat simulation?"
"Battle Tower, hands down," she said. "It can replicate Qi condensation to Dao Foundation opponents to train with. Some of our top talents use it before entering tournaments."
He nodded once.
"Reserve me four hours. I want to enter immediately."
"Room 13's available," the receptionist confirmed. "Present this token to the guards at the tower gate."
She handed him a crimson hexagonal token etched with strange runes.
He accepted it and turned away.
Iris glanced at him. "You're not going to challenge anyone today?"
Malikai's eyes glinted faintly.
"No need, go back to the clan and wait for me."
Then he walked off, leaving Iris behind.