Tower of god:Skybender

As the chaos of the Crown Game unfolded, Kael observed from the shadows. He remained unnoticed, his sharp eyes tracking every movement, every shift in energy. He had no interest in the trivial battles that unfolded between the other contestants, nor did he care about the alliances being formed or broken. His goal was simple: wait, watch, and strike when the moment was right.

The tension between Bam and Anaak caught Kael's attention. He didn't know either of them well, but something about the confrontation intrigued him. As Anaak revealed her lineage as a Jahad Princess and the power of her weapon, the Green April, Kael's eyes narrowed. He had never heard of the 13 Month Series,being legendary weapons forged for the princesses of Jahad, each one capable of unimaginable destruction. Anaak's Green April and Bam's Black March—two of these powerful weapons—were reacting to each other, their presence sparking an invisible tension that everyone in the arena could feel.

When Anaak demanded the Black March from Bam, Kael's interest deepened. Bam's refusal, firm and steady, surprised him. Despite the difference in their strength, Bam stood his ground, stating that the Black March wasn't his to give—it belonged to Princess Yuri. Anaak's frustration was evident, and as she prepared to take the Black March by force, Kael could see that this was no longer about the game for her. This was personal.

Just as Anaak was about to launch her attack, Lero-Ro intervened, his calm but commanding presence halting the brewing conflict. "Enough, Anaak. You've already disqualified your team from the game. Return to your starting room."

Anaak, glaring at Lero-Ro, reluctantly complied. But she wasn't finished. "Fine," she said, her voice dripping with venom. "But let's raise the stakes. I propose a rule change. Whoever wins this Crown Game gets both the Black March and the Green April."

Kael's eyes narrowed . This was becoming more interesting by the second. A fight over what that anaak girl called two of the 13 Month Series? Now that was something worth watching. He could feel the tension among the other participants rising, but he stayed calm, waiting.

Bam hesitated, unsure of whether he should accept such a reckless bet. It wasn't just his weapon that was on the line, but his pride, his trust in his friends, and perhaps something even deeper that he himself hadn't fully realized. Seeing his struggle, Anaak taunted him. "What's wrong? Afraid you can't win with your weak teammates?"

Her words struck a nerve, and though Bam was quiet, Khun and Rak stepped forward, accepting the challenge on his behalf. "We'll take the bet," Khun said, his voice steady and confident. "But don't think it will be that easy."

Lero-Ro, intrigued by the heightened stakes, agreed to the rule change. "Very well. The winner will take both weapons. The Crown Game will continue, but the Shibisu/Anaak/Hatz team is officially disqualified."

As Anaak walked back to her starting room with her team, Kael's eyes shifted once more to Bam, Khun, and Rak. This would be the moment he had been waiting for. With Anaak out of the picture, the power dynamics had shifted, and Kael knew it was time to make his move.

As the next round began, Kael emerged from the shadows. He wasn't part of any team, but his presence alone was enough to draw attention. His huge grayish blue wings, moved with him, and his steps were light, almost imperceptible, as he walked toward the center of the arena. His sky-bending abilities, which allowed him to manipulate air and stay just above the ground.

The teams for this round had been set. Bam, Khun, and Rak stood prepared, facing off against three other teams: Rozeal, Chichi, and HyunSeung; Levin, Catan, and Palgyon; and Aleksai, Chungchung, and Leon. The atmosphere was tense. Everyone's attention fixated on the throne, each team deducing that speed would be the key to victory—whoever claimed the crown first would secure the advantage.

Kael observed intently as the game unfolded.

Before anyone could act, Khun had already made his move. With a smug grin, he suddenly appeared by the crown chair, tricking the other teams with his impeccable strategy. Kael couldn't help but be impressed. Khun, rather than immediately taking the crown for himself, taunted the opposing teams. He tossed the crown onto the arena floor and dared them to fight over it. The air of arrogance he displayed stirred rage in the other participants, forcing them into an uneasy truce.

Kael noticed Shibisu, who was watching from the sidelines, smirk. He, too, understood what Khun was up to: stall for time. Khun was waiting for Bam to make his way to the chair, where he could place the crown on Bam's head, solidifying their victory. Rak, in the meantime, would guard the throne with his sheer brute strength, while Khun acted as the mastermind, orchestrating the entire confrontation like a game of chess.

Below, the three opposing teams raged at Khun's provocations. Levin, a sharpshooter, glared daggers at Khun, his rifle ready to fire, while the others positioned themselves for battle. Chungchung remained in the background, eyeing the crown on the floor, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

Kael hovered quietly, watching, his own motives still hidden from the chaos.

The fight erupted with a violent clash. Rak swung his enormous spear with the force of a battering ram, easily batting away Palgyon's reckless charge. Khun, moving quickly, used his Manbarondena bag to pull Catan into a trap, capturing him effortlessly. "Too easy," Khun taunted, as he quickly turned his attention to the others.

Chichi, a fighter with swift and brutal attacks, charged toward Khun. But before Chichi could land a hit, Kael watched as Khun made a swift move, grabbing Chichi and dispatching him with precision, knocking him out of the game without breaking a sweat. Kael smirked—Khun wasn't just brains; he had the skills to back up his arrogance.

The remaining teams managed to encircle Khun and Rak. Aleksai and Chungchung, sensing an opportunity, moved closer to the crown. Levin, perched at a distance, aimed his rifle at Bam, recognizing him as the weakest link.

Kael's eyes narrowed as he watched the barrel of the rifle gleam under the arena's lights. The shot was fired. A split second later, Bam reacted, though seemingly unconsciously. A shinsu barrier, shimmering like a veil of water, materialized in front of him, freezing the bullet in mid-air. The entire arena froze in shock, including Kael, who hadn't anticipated such raw, instinctive power from Bam.

The stunned silence was broken as Rak hurled his spear at Levin, shattering the rifle in the sharpshooter's hands. Kael watched as the teams' ranks began to crumble. With Levin disarmed, and Khun's traps whittling away at the other participants, it seemed like Bam's team had the upper hand.

Chungchung, however, wasn't done. Seeing his chance, he dashed toward the crown Khun had thrown earlier. This was his opportunity to steal the win. He reached for the crown, his hand inches away from victory—until Khun revealed his final trick.

Kael observed the moment with great interest. Khun smirked and pulled another crown from his bag, holding it up for everyone to see. "Nice try," Khun said mockingly. "But this is the real crown. The one on the ground? Just a fake, courtesy of my Manbarondena bag."

Chungchung's face twisted in disbelief. Khun had duped them all from the beginning, toying with them like pawns on a board. The true crown had never been in reach.

Kael, hovering silently above, finally made his move. With the game seemingly in Bam's team's control, Kael descended from the air, his sky-bending ability allowing him to float inches above the ground without disqualifying himself. He drifted toward the crown Khun held, his eyes cold and calculating. No one had noticed him yet amidst the chaos.

As Khun and Rak disposed of the remaining enemies, Kael struck. With lightning speed, he swooped in toward Khun, his hand reaching for the crown. Khun's eyes widened in surprise. This was the first time he had seen Kael directly involve himself in the game.

But before Kael could grab the crown, Rak intervened, his spear swinging toward Kael with force. Kael narrowly avoided the blow, using a gust of wind to propel himself backward. Hovering mid-air, Kael smirked at Rak's brute force. "You're strong," Kael admitted. "But strength alone won't win this."

Khun, recovering from the surprise, quickly assessed the situation. He didn't know much about Kael, but the mysterious contestant had finally made his move. "So, you've decided to play," Khun remarked, tightening his grip on the crown.

Kael didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the crown. He wasn't part of any formal team, but he had every intention of taking the crown for himself. With a flick of his wrist, Kael unleashed a gust of wind that knocked Khun off balance, sending him skidding backward.

Rak charged again, his massive frame barreling toward Kael. But this time, Kael was ready. He dodged effortlessly, staying just above the ground, always out of reach, thanks to his sky-bending.

But before Kael could press his advantage, a burst of shinsu erupted from Bam. Kael turned his attention to the boy, whose presence was growing more imposing by the second. The shinsu pressure emanating from Bam was almost tangible, pushing against Kael and everyone else in the arena.

Bam, now seated on the throne, held the crown.

Kael, realizing that the game was already over, hovered in place, his plans foiled by Bam's unexpected power. The shinsu that had saved Bam from the earlier attack now served as a warning to anyone else thinking of challenging him.

Kael, eyes still locked on Bam, silently floated back, retreating into the shadows once more. For now, the Crown Game belonged to Bam and his team, but Kael knew that this was only a temporary setback. There would be more games, and more opportunities.