Chapter 794 Rebirth
Following Nova's orders and the AI referee's approval, the mana stone carriers swiftly began moving toward the Colosseum.
As the first ship arrived and entered, it wasted no time, promptly unloading its entire cargo of mana stones before departing to make way for the next carrier to do the same. The process was conducted with remarkable efficiency, ensuring a steady flow of mana stones into the Colosseum without any unnecessary delays.
The process continued as over fifty ships unloaded their cargo of mana stones, an act many from the Conclave viewed as both excessive and wasteful. With each successive ship, the pain of the Conclave's viewers grew, particularly when the fifth ship alone had already matched the quantity of mana stones used during the Colosseum's initial construction. Yet, they didn’t stop there; instead, they went on to unload ten times that amount, as if mana stones were an endless resource, leaving the Conclave citizens bewildered and horrified by such apparent extravagance.
By the time the twentieth batch of mana stones was dropped, viewers from the Conclave began to suspect that the Empire was sparing no effort to provide a favorable environment for their Emperor. This led to widespread questioning of whether such actions were within the rules. However, the lack of objection or intervention from the AI referee confirmed that everything was still legal. What the Conclave citizens didn’t realize was that when drafting the rules, they had only established a minimum mana threshold without setting an upper limit. They had never imagined the Empire would be "foolish" enough to expend such an absurd amount of mana stones. Now, the Empire was exploiting this loophole to its fullest extent.
However, their anger was tempered by the realization that increasing the mana within the Colosseum would also aid the Trinarian fighter, Zyranel, in recovering from his mana depletion more quickly. This made the Empire's actions a double-edged sword. Yet, their initial hope quickly dimmed as they remembered that even if Zyranel recovered, he had no means of directly harming Aron. But then came a sliver of optimism: Zyranel didn’t need to kill Aron to win the fight—he only had to force him out of the arena. They clung to the hope that this was still possible and wouldn’t be neutralized by Aron’s overwhelming capabilities.
However, if they had witnessed what was truly happening with the mana, even that faint glimmer of hope would have been crushed. Every ounce of mana within the Colosseum was being relentlessly drawn into Aron’s runic heart, leaving none to circulate or assist Zyranel’s recovery. The overwhelming absorption left no room for anyone else to benefit, extinguishing any chance of turning the tide.
After completing its absorption, the runic heart settled into a new rhythmic pulse, signaling the beginning of its next phase. The runes, now saturated with mana, activated in perfect synchronization. With each powerful heartbeat, shockwaves radiated throughout Aron’s body, shaking every part except his brain. These pulses acted as a scanning mechanism, systematically analyzing the damage inflicted and assessing the condition of each remaining component.
First slowly, then accelerating with each passing second hair began sprouting from Aron's head. It grew rapidly, surpassing its original length and continuing until it cascaded down to his lap. Only then did the growth process cease. The strands shimmered with an almost ethereal luster, a mesmerizing blend of glowing silver, gold, and black that seemed to shift and dance with the light.
Once the previous process had concluded, another long sequence of runic lines illuminated, sending a pulse across Aron's body. This new pulse moved methodically, sweeping over every inch, ensuring that no step had been missed during the extensive regeneration. It was as if the runes themselves were performing a final check, double-checking every detail to guarantee perfection.
After confirming that the restoration was complete, a small, precise pulse was directed into Aron's brain—deliberate and exact. The previous runes, having carefully avoided the delicate structure of his mind, now bathed it gently with a small amount of mana. This infusion was subtle, almost imperceptible, designed to awaken the neural pathways without overwhelming them.
The mana coursed through his brain like a soft current, reactivating the dormant connections, sparking life back into his consciousness. It was not a jarring force but a gentle awakening, allowing his mind to recalibrate and fully synchronize with the newly restored body.
And then, as if responding to the call, his eyelids fluttered—twitching once, then twice, before suddenly—BAM! His eyes snapped open.
The camera, which had been zooming in on his face, caught the entire transformation, capturing the full extent of his features for the first time since the process began.
A sharp intake of breath rippled through the arena as every spectator witnessed the moment. His eyes—now as white as milk with glowing golden irises—burned with an intensity that struck fear into the hearts of those who met them. Despite the mesmerizing beauty of his gaze, there was no mistaking the raw power they contained. It was as if the very essence of his being had been reborn, with the force of destruction that had preceded this awakening now contained in those eyes.
The emperor had awakened. And it was undeniable—he was no longer the same.