Farmboy becomes King with the Lust System

The crowd, packed tightly into the stands, leaned forward in their seats, their breaths held in anticipation, their whispers hushed to a low murmur as they watched the arena below.

Jae's heart pounded in his chest, his eyes flicking between Byun's stoic, unreadable expression and Sun's arrogant, self-assured smirk, knowing this fight would reveal the true extent of the gap between him and the elite fighters at the top.

Can Byun really pull this off? Jae thought, his fists clenching so tightly his nails dug into his palms, drawing faint pinpricks of blood as he watched, torn between awe and nervous anticipation.

Sun stood in the center of the arena, his dark eyes darting urgently, searching for Byun, who had vanished into his shadows like smoke dissolving into the air.

The glowing light from the orbs overhead flickered across Sun's face, his usual smirk replaced by a rare, fleeting flicker of unease as his Sovereign Vein domain hummed with power, its oppressive pressure compressing the air around him into a suffocating force.

Suddenly, Byun materialized behind him, a flicker of darkness, his shadow tendril grazing Sun's leg with a soft, fleeting touch. Sun's knee buckled instantly, his balance faltering, and he spun, his twin blades slashing through the air with a sharp hum of infused mana.

But Byun was gone, dissolving into his shadows once more, only to reappear at a different angle, his tendril brushing Sun's arm.

The limb went numb, Sun's blade drooping slightly, his eyes widening in shock and disbelief.

The crowd gasped, their whispers rising like a swelling tide, nobody had pushed Sun this far in the tournament.

Byun vanished again, reappearing at Sun's side, his shadows grazing the other leg, stiffening it with a subtle touch.

Sun staggered, his movements growing sluggish, his domain still pulsing but less steady, its rhythm faltering.

One final time, Byun appeared behind him, his shadows grazing Sun's remaining arm, rendering it limp.

The prince's blades clattered to the polished floor with a loud clank, his face contorted with raw frustration, his confidence shaken.

Byun's expression was blank as he stepped forward, his shadows swelling like a dark tide. They enveloped Sun completely, a churning mass of darkness that swallowed him whole, the arena falling into a stunned silence except for the faint, eerie hum of mana.

When Byun pulled back his shadows, Sun collapsed flat on the ground, his body limp and motionless, unable to move, his chest heaving with shallow, ragged breaths.

The referee's voice boomed through the hall, amplified by mana, declaring, "Byun is the winner!"

The crowd erupted in a deafening roar, cheers mingling with stunned murmurs, students whispering feverishly about Byun's impossible victory over Sun's seemingly unbeatable domain.

Jae's jaw dropped, his heart racing with a potent mix of pride and disbelief. He did it, he thought, but Byun's solemn, almost haunted look lingered in his mind, a shadow of its own that left Jae uneasy.

xxxx

The next semifinal match was called, snapping Jae back to the present: Jae versus Ryke, a martial artist renowned for his lightning-fast burst speed.

Jae stepped into the arena, his boots scuffing the worn wooden floor, his body tense but ready.

Ryke stood across from him, lean and wiry, his eyes sharp with intense focus, his stance loose but coiled, like a spring ready to snap into action.

The crowd's energy surged, their cheers a roaring backdrop as the referee raised his hand and signaled the start of the match.

Jae and Ryke rushed at each other, their movements a blur of motion.

Jae swung a heavy punch, his fist glowing with mana, but Ryke used his Burst Step, vanishing in a flash of speed, leaving Jae's fist to slice through empty air.

The crowd murmured, and Jae gritted his teeth, frustration flaring in his chest. Too fast, he thought, his mind racing to recalculate his strategy.

He activated his Mana Blade, its vibrant blue glow flaring to life in his hand, the hum of its power steadying his nerves. Charging again, he slashed at Ryke, the blade humming through the air, but Ryke dodged with another Burst Step, his body a streak as he countered with a lightning-fast combo: a feint, two sharp jabs, and a sweeping kick aimed at Jae's legs.

Jae sidestepped the jabs, his reflexes razor-sharp, but the sweep caught him, knocking him off balance. He activated Iron Skin just in time, his body glowing faintly as his flesh hardened, the kick's impact dulled against his reinforced skin.

Ryke recoiled, his foot smarting from the contact, and exclaimed, "What the?" his voice sharp with surprise. Jae smirked, his confidence surging, and slashed again with his Mana Blade, but Ryke's relentless speed carried him out of reach once more.

Ryke pressed his advantage, unleashing a flurry of kicks, each one a blur of motion, the air whistling with their speed.

Jae moved quickly, dodging with Phantom Step, his body blurring as he weaved through the onslaught, the crowd's cheers rising with each narrow escape.

I can't keep this up forever, he thought, his mind racing as he realized Ryke's speed was overwhelming, his martial arts precise and unrelenting.

But Jae's Stamina, bolstered by the Lust System, held strong, his body tireless despite the strain. He decided to change tactics: long-range attacks weren't working, so he needed to get close and fight hand-to-hand.

Activating Phantom Step again, he closed the distance in a flash, his boots pounding the scarred wood with determined force.

Ryke's eyes widened, but he was too slow to react. Jae used Gravity Touch, his fist glowing with a faint shimmer as he delivered a heavy punch to Ryke's chest, the force amplified by the skill's power.

The impact echoed through the arena, a dull, resounding thud, and Ryke staggered, his breath knocked out in a sharp gasp. Jae pressed forward relentlessly, landing another punch, then another, his assault overwhelming Ryke's speed.

Ryke collapsed to the floor, his body hitting the wood with a heavy thud, and the referee's voice rang out, "Jae is the winner!" The crowd roared, their cheers a mix of shock and grudging respect, whispering about the commoner who kept defying the odds.

Jae panted, his heart soaring with triumph, but his thoughts drifted back to Sun's crushing defeat and Byun's solemn, distant look, his mind buzzing with questions about what lay ahead in the finals.