Farmboy becomes King with the Lust System

Suddenly, the air around Sun seemed to compress, a low, resonant hum vibrating through the arena, sending a shiver down Jae's spine as a glowing circle flared into existence around the noble prince. Its edges pulsed with raw, crackling mana, a radiant barrier that shimmered with power.

Varic's magical threads, moments ago taut and precise as they streaked toward Sun, went limp in an instant, falling to the polished floor like cut strings, no longer responding to Varic's desperate, frantic tugs.

Sun's lips curled into a smug, condescending smirk, his voice smooth and mocking as he took a slow, deliberate step forward.

"Your thread manipulation is cool, Varic," he said, his tone dripping with arrogance, "but everything in my domain belongs to me."

Jae gasped, his breath catching in his throat as the realization hit him like a punch: Sun's fighting with a domain. No wonder he was ranked top two in the class, neck-and-neck with Byun's shadow-weaving prowess.

A domain was a rare, advanced technique, one that bent the entire battlefield to the user's will, and Sun wielded it with a terrifying, almost effortless ease that made Jae's stomach churn.

Varic's face twisted with effort, his hands yanking desperately at his magical threads as he tried to anchor himself against the overwhelming force of Sun's domain.

But his body froze, pinned to the ground by an invisible, crushing pressure that seemed to radiate from Sun himself. Varic groaned, a pained mix of agony and anger, his muscles straining visibly as the weight bore down on him, relentless and unyielding.

The crowd's murmurs grew hushed, their eyes wide with awe and disbelief as Varic's knees buckled under the strain, his shimmering threads snapping one by one with faint, sharp pops that echoed in the tense silence.

Sun walked toward him, his steps slow and majestic, his flowing robes billowing slightly, his presence commanding the arena like a king surveying a defeated foe.

When he was just a meter away, Sun raised a single hand, his fingers splaying with deliberate grace, and the pressure spiked sharply, a suffocating force that seemed to squeeze the air itself.

Varic slammed into the polished floor with a bone-jarring thud, his arms trembling, blood trickling from his nose in a thin, crimson stream, his ragged gasps barely audible as he lay helpless, unable to move or fight back, his mana threads utterly useless against the might of Sun's domain.

The referee's voice cut through the stunned silence, amplified by mana to ring clear and commanding. "Sun is the winner!"

The crowd erupted in a deafening roar, some cheering wildly for Sun's dominance, others whispering in quiet awe at the sheer power they'd witnessed.

Sun turned and strode back to his seat, his smirk fixed directly on Jae, his dark eyes glinting with a mocking challenge.

Jae's stomach twisted into a tight knot, his mind racing with a mix of fear and determination. How do I beat that? he thought, his fists clenching so tightly his knuckles whitened.

Sun's power was overwhelming, possibly even surpassing Byun's shadow-weaving in its raw, oppressive strength. The match had been the shortest Jae had seen, over in mere moments, and it left him grappling with the daunting question of whether he could ever close the gap if they were pitted against each other.

Sun's mocking glance burned into him, fueling Jae's resolve, but a gnawing doubt lingered, his earlier victory over Selric feeling small and insignificant in comparison to Sun's effortless dominance.

The tournament pressed forward, shifting to the next match, the final one of the first round: Elise versus her opponent, a wiry boy named Toren.

Jae's attention snapped to the arena, his heart lifting as Elise stepped into the ring, her dark hair tied back neatly, her bright eyes gleaming with sharp, focused determination.

She fought in an unusual, striking way, relying on her fists and legs rather than weapons, each punch and kick reinforced with glowing green mana that made the air hum with a soft, vibrant energy. Toren, a fire-type fighter, countered with quick bursts of flame, his attacks fast and precise, the flames licking at Elise's uniform, leaving singed patches on the fabric.

But whenever a scratch or burn marred her skin, Elise's healing magic flared to life, the green glow enveloping her wounds and knitting them closed in mere seconds, her health replenishing as if she'd never been touched.

Jae watched, his chest swelling with a fierce pride, his mind flashing back to their sparring session and her surprising, fiery aggression. She's tougher than she looks, he thought, a grin tugging at his lips, his heart racing with admiration for her strength.

At first, Toren seemed to hold his own, dodging Elise's powerful punches with quick, nimble steps and landing a few hits of his own, his flames grazing her arms and legs, leaving faint red marks. The crowd murmured, some dismissing her as just a healer, their voices tinged with skepticism.

But as the match wore on, a clear gap emerged between the two fighters. Elise's Stamina held strong, her movements relentless and unyielding, her mana-reinforced fists and kicks striking with unwavering force.

Toren's energy, by contrast, began to wane, his flames growing weaker, flickering faintly as his breaths came in short, labored gasps.

Elise pressed forward with fierce determination, her fists slamming into Toren's guard, her kicks forcing him back step by step across the arena floor.

Toren's face paled, his attacks faltering under her onslaught, and Elise seized the moment, landing a heavy, mana-charged punch to his chest that sent him sprawling backward.

He hit the ground hard, bloodied and exhausted, his body limp as the referee's voice rang out, "Elise is the winner!"

The crowd's cheers were mixed, some clapping enthusiastically for Elise's unexpected strength, others whispering about her unorthodox, almost brutish fighting style that defied her healer reputation.

Jae's grin widened, his heart pounding with pride for her, a warmth spreading through him at her victory.

But his mind drifted back to Sun's terrifying domain, Byun's elusive shadows, and his own raw, unpolished fighting style that relied on grit over finesse. I've got a long way to go, he thought, his jaw clenching as he glanced at Sun, who lounged in his seat, his smirk still fixed in place, radiating arrogance.

Elise caught Jae's eye as she left the arena, her smile shy but brimming with quiet triumph, and he nodded back, his resolve hardening like steel. The first round was over, but the real fights were just beginning,