On the arena.
The once-arrogant "Number One," who had seemed like a demon god.
Was now kneeling on the ground.
He clutched his head with both hands, his body curled into a ball as he convulsed violently.
The black veins covering his body were withering and fading at a visible rate.
As though some tyrannical force had forcibly drained them dry.
And Han Yuchen.
He was still standing where he was.
Maintaining that "weakened" posture, one hand over his chest and the other braced against his knee.
Gasping for breath.
As if the god who had ruled over everything just moments ago had never been him.
"Cough... cough cough!"
Han Yuchen coughed violently, his face flushed red.
He spat out another mouthful of blood. (His stock was running low.)
"T-That scared me to death..."
Han Yuchen raised his head and looked at the referee with lingering fear on his face.
"Referee... wh-what's wrong with him?"
"Was that... a flashbang just now?"
Han Yuchen pointed at the kneeling "Number One," looking utterly innocent.
"I saw him use some big move. It was all dark and pretty scary."
"So I just wanted to make a water ball for some light..."
"And then... he ended up like this?"
The referee's mouth fell open, his jaw nearly hitting the ground.
The spectators were equally dumbfounded.
What had just happened in there?
All they had seen was darkness, followed by a flash of light.
And then the monster had dropped to his knees?
"B-Backlash?"
Someone cautiously offered an analysis.
"It must be backlash from an evil technique!"
Another person slapped his thigh with certainty.
"That Forbidden Technique Godwind Academy used must have side effects!"
"That move just now was too powerful. The monster's body couldn't take it, so it collapsed on its own!"
"Han Yuchen's