Chapter 85: Fame

Chapter 85: FameThe sun peeked through the heavy curtains of the hotel room, casting long shadows across the floor.

The soft murmur of the city outside barely penetrated Eratz's ears as his eyes fluttered open.

His body, already in motion, sprang up, no time to waste.

He moved to the simple treadmill tucked into the corner of his temporary space. His breaths were controlled, matching the steady speed of the treadmill.

After his run, he dropped to the floor, moving fluidly into a series of pushups. His muscles tensed and relaxed with each motion.

And after pushups came a series of sit-ups.

A quick bath followed, the steam filling the room, clearing his mind. The water rushed over This skin, washing away the tension of his mind.

He felt light, very light.

In the next moment, he was at the breakfast table, devouring a rich meal with a lot of milk, bread, eggs, bacon, fruits, and cereal while his phone buzzed with notifications about his upcoming events.

Fans comments, sponsors announcement, bets. His name was everywhere in these forums.

The moment he stepped outside, the sun high and bright, his day truly began.

The sponsor event was next, an energy drink brand, not a major brand but respectable enough. Inside the modest office building, the director was all smiles. Papers were quickly signed, a few photos snapped with the team, and Eratz posed in front of their new product, his face, his presence, now part of their campaign.

The staff buzzed around him, thanking him, and he made sure to give each one a nod or a handshake, trying his best to not forget everything they told him about the story of their business.

The day moved quickly, pictures, autographs, handshakes, more photos, a brief tour of the facility.

Eratz went through the motions smoothly, but as the hours ticked by, the constant demand on his attention began to wear him down.

More exhausting than any match he had fought, the endless engagement with people sapped his energy.

By the time the evening rolled around, his body felt heavy.

Back in his hotel room, he sighed deeply, collapsing onto the bed. His mind spun with all the events of the day.

Training felt easy compared to this kind of work. Eratz shook his head, letting out a soft chuckle.

"I did nothing today, damn..." he groaned.

He leaned back, scrolling through the forums again, maintaining the constant state of beastification.

He had become more accustomed to this state and could now maintain it even as he slept. The next day passed faster than the previous day. It was the afternoon, and the new arena, Vastcliff Arena, was buzzing with excitement.

Crowds filled the stands, their cheers loud, the energy electric. It was a grand arena, with towering walls of steel and glass, overlooking a sprawling battlefield that looked almost too serene for the destruction that was about to unfold.

Eratz calmly stood in his half, watching his opponent with an impassive gaze.

His opponent, a young woman in her twenties with a determined fire in her eyes, already had her three monsters out on the field.

A Molgrax, a massive creature made of molten rock, lumbered forward with every step shaking the ground.

Beside it slithered a Silvithor, a gleaming serpent made of metal, its body coiling and uncoiling with deadly precision.

Floating above them was a Veldra, a wraith-like spirit, its dark winds swirling menacingly around its ethereal form.

Eratz just smiled. With a calm motion, he summoned his Thunder Lycaon and Aetheri, the air crackling with power as his beasts materialized on the battlefield.

The crowd gasped as the Thunder Lycaon appeared, its dark fur rippling with electric energy,

blue veins pulsing under its skin like streams of lightning.

The Lycaon snarled, the sound echoing through the arena.

Beside it, the Aetheri hovered, its ethereal form shimmering with otherworldly light, its glowing eyes scanning the battlefield.

"Go," Eratz commanded, his voice quiet yet absolute.

The Thunder Lycaon moved first, a blur of lightning and shadow as it charged toward Molgrax. The molten beast roared, raising its rocky fists to strike, but the Lycaon was too fast.

It vanished in a flash of lightning, reappearing behind the Molgrax before delivering a devastating strike to its back. Lightning exploded from the impact, sending shockwaves through the arena.

The Molgrax's molten body shattered under the assault, collapsing in a heap of smoking rubble.

The Silvithor hissed, its metallic body twisting and coiling as it shot toward the Thunder Lycaon, but the Aetheri intercepted.

With a wave of its glowing hand, it projected a spiritual shield, deflecting the Silvithor's attack with ease. The shield pulsed, sending out a shockwave that momentarily stunned the

serpent.

The Aetheri's eyes gleamed, and with a subtle motion, it lifted Silvithor into the air through telekinesis.

The metallic serpent twisted and struggled, but it was no match for the Aetheri's mental grip. The spirit beast unleashed a spiritual beam, striking the Silvithor mid-air.

The blast of energy coursed through its body, leaving it limp as it was dropped to the ground,

defeated.

Above, the Veldra watched, its dark winds swirling faster as it tried to stay out of reach.

The woman, seeing her monsters fall so quickly, growled in frustration, but she had another trick under her sleeves: beastification.

Her body shifted, molten skin and metallic scales blending as she merged with the powers of her fallen beasts.

With a burst of energy, she charged directly at Eratz, her hands forming into molten claws as she aimed to take him down herself.

The Aetheri moved instantly. Its eyes glowed as it teleported the woman high above the arena, disorienting her in mid-air.

With no time to recover, the Aetheri unleashed another spiritual beam, this one more powerful than before. It struck her directly, sending her plummeting toward the ground. Before she could crash, the Thunder Lycaon was already there, its body crackling with energy as it prepared for the final blow.

With a snarl, the Lycaon struck her with lightning claws, sending a shockwave through the arena as she crashed to the ground, unconscious and defeated. Sёarch* The nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

The battle was over.

Eratz hadn't lifted a finger to fight directly, he had accomplished his dream.

The arena shook with the power of his beasts. He smiled, raising his fist in victory as the

crowd erupted into cheers.

The Thunder Lycaon and Aetheri stood at his side, the first roaring and the second glowing.

The battle had been a massacre. The woman had never stood a chance.

Over the next few days, Eratz's fame grew.

In another town, another arena, he stood undefeated, his Thunder Lycaon leading an army of

40 evolved beasts.

Each battle was more impressive than the last, but the outcome was always the same,

absolute dominance, without ever fighting by himself.

The forums buzzed with excitement. Eratz was trending as the one-man-army who never

needed to lift a hand.

[he's stronger in direct combat.]

Fans speculated about who could possibly force him to fight by himself, knowing that his true strength was superior to what they used to see at this level.

His reputation soared, sponsors lined up, and the money flowing into Crescent Moon Agency

skyrocketed.

At Genova Academy, the usual hum of student chatter felt different, a tension filled the air as Eratz's name continued to ripple through the hallways.

It was everywhere, on the screens, on the forums, in the whispers exchanged between

students who marveled at the latest arena victories of the Apex Predator.

"Ah... Too bad, he hasn't fought himself in the last match again," one student said as he

scrolled through the video of Eratz's latest battle.

"Again this Thunder Lycaon? Even the red light couldn't force him to fight... " another chimed

in.

"I can't believe we had someone like that around," someone else added. "The director really screwed up by letting him go."

In one of the quieter corridors, Rowan stood near a window, staring out at the hotel's garden, the weight of his past decisions pressing on his chest.

"Was I wrong?" Rowan murmured to himself, his voice low, almost inaudible. "Was Eratz... innocent this whole time? Did I abandon him without even giving him a chance?" Meanwhile, in her dorm room, Lisa sat across from Clara, biting her lip, her mind racing. She fidgeted with her hands, unsure of how to voice her feelings.

"Clara..." Lisa started hesitantly, her gaze flickering between the floor and Clara's curious

eyes. "What would you do... if you found out someone you knew might have been innocent? Someone who... didn't deserve what happened to them... But even though you knew, you

didn't say anything?"

Clara blinked, caught off guard by the question.

"What do you mean, Lisa? Who are you talking about?"

Rowan exhaled deeply, leaning back in his chair.

"Eratz... He was the best student I ever had, the only one with this kind of passion. If he was

around, everything would have been so different... and I just let him fall. I didn't fight for him, didn't stand by him. And now... I wonder, if I went to him, would he even hear me out? Or

would he just... ignore me?"

Lisa's hands trembled slightly as she spoke.

"I mean, if it turns out he was framed... and you didn't stand up for them... could you ever... fix

that?" She paused, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is there no other option than being

ignored?"

Clara's brow furrowed, her confusion growing.

"I'm not sure to understand... Do you believe in this rumor, that Kenny framed him?"

Lisa glanced away, her heart pounding in her chest.

"I don't know, maybe. What if... everything was a lie? What if he wasn't guilty? What would

you do if you were in my shoes?"

Rowan rubbed his temples, frustration building inside him.

"I could apologize, but would it even matter at this point? He's moved on, become something

far bigger than anything at Genova, he has new connections. And I just... let him down when

he needed someone to believe in him. If I were him I would just erase me from his life."

Clara leaned forward, her voice cautious.

"Lisa... if Eratz really was innocent, then that changes everything. But why didn't you say anything before? If you had doubts, why siding with Kenny?"

Lisa bit her lip, her voice trembling as she avoided Clara's gaze.

"I didn't know for sure, Clara. I didn't want to make things worse. Or maybe I was just a

coward? What if speaking up made it all more complicated?"

Rowan's thoughts grew heavier.

"But in the end, being silent only made it worse... and now it's too late. If I go to him now,

after all this time... what would I even say? 'I'm sorry'? Would that even mean anything to

him? He probably doesn't care anymore... he might just hate me."

Clara watched Lisa closely, her eyes wide with realization.

"Do you think he's innocent, Lisa? Do you really think everything was a lie?"

Lisa hesitated, her voice barely a whisper.

"I don't know. But... what if it was? At this point, I don't want to be forgiven, I would rather

seeing him hating me."

Rowan sighed deeply, his heart heavy with regret.

"Somehow it would feel better than being completely ghosted."

In their separate spaces, both Lisa and Rowan sighed heavily.