Ragnarok: Alpha and Omega-Chapter 26 - 25: Semi-final Duo Gods VS Undead Kings 2

I edged closer to Jason, keeping just enough distance to make it look like I wasn't with him. The plan was simple—let the Shadow Manipulator think Jason was vulnerable. If he took the bait, I'd grab him before he could escape.

Meanwhile, Jason was locked in a duel with the Necrotic user, trying to line up a clean headshot. But every time a bullet got close, the Necrotic user's power flared—his decaying touch didn't just work on what he physically touched. It extended outward, disintegrating the bullets in mid-air.

Jason clicked his tongue. Tch. So he's got range too.

I narrowed my eyes. "They didn't show that in their previous fights. They were holding back."

Jason smirked despite the situation. "Smart. But that just means they're serious about getting to the finals."

He wasn't wrong. This wasn't about targeting us specifically—they were doing everything in their power to win. But that didn't change our goal.

Jason shifted his stance, reaching for his second pistol. I caught the hesitation in his movements. His Weapon Mastery still wasn't responding properly.

It wasn't that his power wasn't activated—it was activated, but he couldn't fully control it.

Sometimes he could summon weapons like it was second nature, crafting legendary blades mid-battle. Other times... nothing. It was like trying to breathe underwater. A suffocating sense of power slipping just out of reach.

Right now? He was stuck with what he had:

Excalibur – Too powerful, too flashy. A last resort.

Dual pistols – Fast, but useless against the Necrotic user's ability.

An ordinary sword – Reliable, but nothing special.

Jason had crafted hundreds of weapons at home, experimenting and refining his skills. But most ended up as junk—either too unstable, too weak, or outright failures.

I saw his frustration. The tight grip on his gun. The slight shake in his fingers.

He was forcing his power to work. But power didn't work that way.

The Shadow Manipulator was still lurking, waiting for his opening. If he didn't take the bait, I'd have to make an opening myself.

Because no matter what...

We were going to the finals.

---

Then something clicked in my mind.

A memory.

A figure with wings—one black, one white—descended from the skies.

The image felt distant, unreal, yet familiar.

"If you ever want to become God one day like me, you should know one thing..."

The voice echoed in my head, pulling me deeper into the trance.

"Think of yourself as the god. It's surprising how your mind is your only limitation. You might think you're already doing that... but ask yourself again."

The vision blurred.

Jason's voice snapped me back.

"Ragnarok!"

The Necrotic user was inches from my face. His hand outstretched, green decay pulsing at his fingertips.

Everything slowed.

The crowd held their breath.

Jason was mid-shout, frozen in time.

The Shadow Manipulator was closing in from the darkness, his dagger raised toward Jason.

I exhaled, my mind completely clear.

"If I was a god... I would have a power like that."

Something shifted.

A force deep inside me responded—bending, changing, awakening.

I looked at my hands. Green energy—just like the Necrotic user's—swirled at my fingertips.

Without hesitation, I touched his face.

His body convulsed.

Then I turned—my eyes glowing with golden light.

The Shadow Manipulator was hidden in the shadows near Jason, but to me?

The shadows were transparent.

I could see him.

I dashed forward, still moving in this warped time, and reached out. The Necrotic touch flowed from my hand into the Shadow Manipulator.

Then...

Time resumed.

BOOM.

BOOM.

Two explosions—one from each side—erupted as the Necrotic user and Shadow Manipulator collapsed simultaneously.

I stood in the middle, breathing steady.

The arena fell into silence.

The announcer stammered. I... I don't know what just happened! The Necrotic user was about to counter, the Shadow Manipulator was closing in, but... somehow... they've both been defeated—by what seems to be their own power?!

The crowd erupted.

They must have cheated!

"That white-haired guy from Duo Gods—he was standing there a second ago, now he's over there!"

"Was he hiding his power all this time?!"

"Rewind the footage! Play it in slow motion!"

R𝑒ad latest chapt𝒆rs at freewebnovёl.ƈom Only.

Even in slow motion, the replay didn't capture anything.

The moment I moved—it was as if I vanished and reappeared instantly.

Even I didn't know what I did.

Jason stared at me, arms crossed.

"...What the hell just happened?"

I blinked.

"I... don't know."

I glanced at the defeated opponents, at the still-buzzing crowd.

One moment, I was daydreaming...

The next, I was standing here.

Jason exhaled, shaking his head. Then a grin spread across his face.

"Guess we don't need to know how you did it." He patted my shoulder.

"We're in the finals."

---

I turned my gaze toward the other finalists—the Ice Wielder and the Beastkin.

The Beastkin leaned toward his partner, whispering something, while the Ice Wielder remained still, watching us with cold, detached eyes.

The Beastkin let out a low whistle. "Wow, those guys are strong. Even I couldn't see what happened."

The Ice Wielder's expression remained unreadable. Based on what I saw, I'd call it luck." His tone was calm, almost indifferent. "But even if it wasn't, they're still third-rate in my eyes.

The Beastkin raised an eyebrow. "You sure? They took down those two like it was nothing."

The Ice Wielder scoffed. Doesn't matter. They're lucky our match is a week from now." His breath chilled the air around him. "By then, luck won't save them.

---

As we made our way to the changing room for a quick shower and to change into our normal clothes, we were met with a crowd of guild scouts blocking the entrance.

They swarmed us, each one trying to offer us a spot in their guild.

"Join us, and we'll make you stronger!"

"Our guild has the best resources—money, training, anything you need!"

"You're wasting your talent if you don't come with us!"

Jason and I exchanged glances before shaking our heads.

"We appreciate the offers, but we're already part of the Red Phoenix Guild."

The moment I said that, one of the scouts scoffed.

That newly established guild? Ha! Good luck with that. Our guilds could offer you real opportunities, and yet you're choosing to waste your potential on that pathetic excuse of a guild?

I clenched my jaw, anger flaring in my chest. I stepped forward and met his gaze.

"Tell me something—if we had this same power but lost in the first round of the competition, would you have still approached us?"

The scout fell silent.

I didn't wait for an answer.

Jason and I turned away and entered the changing room, leaving them behind.