Ren began casually walking backward, maintaining the distance between them effortlessly as Jace slashed wildly and Ren leaned back with the blade missing him by millimeters and that was followed with another slash where Ren sidestepped right to dodge.

Jace was being led backward across the arena and soon Ren’s shoulders bumped against something solid.

He’d reached the wall of the stands which was the barrier that separated the fighting floor from the spectator seats rising up behind him.

’Good...’ Ren thought while Jace’s eyes lit up with triumph... finally, Ren was trapped with nowhere to dodge!

The Hero charged upward, preparing to drive his holy blade through Ren’s chest and pin him to the wall however Ren hopped up onto the wall itself.

His boots stuck to the vertical surface as if it were horizontal ground, and he began running straight up the wall with ease.

Jace’s blade stabbed into the stone where Ren had been with the impact sending massive cracks spider-webbing through the entire section of wall as the structure shook but didn’t break.

Jace immediately began climbing after him with his blade stabbing into the wall repeatedly as he used it like a pick to ascend.

Ren continued running upward, dodging strikes left and right as Jace pursued and slashed right only Ren stepped left on the vertical surface and when he slashed left... Ren stepped right and then the Hero tried an upward thrust but Ren just jumped higher up the wall.

They climbed higher and higher, approaching the level where they would reach the protective barrier separating the arena from the spectator stands.

Ren reached the top of the wall and stepped onto the magical barrier itself which was a shimmering translucent surface designed to protect the audience.

His foot landed on the barrier and immediately began to slip. The surface was perfectly frictionless, designed specifically so nothing could climb over it.

’Fuck!’ Ren thought as his arms windmilled with his balance completely gone and Jace’s eyes blazed with vindictive triumph.

’Finally! A real opening!’

The Hero surged upward with one final explosive burst of speed, the holy blade raised high for a finishing blow.

He slashed forward with everything he had, aiming to cleave Ren in two while the noble was helpless and off-balance.

’...Got you.’

At the last possible instant, Ren dropped and ducked beneath the wild slash with the blade passing harmlessly over his head.

Ren clenched his right fist as he channeled mana into his arm and he drove his fist forward in a devastating straight punch with every ounce of his considerable strength focused into a single point.

His knuckles slammed into Jace’s chest dead center.

BOOM!

The impact created a shockwave that rattled the entire stadium and Jace’s eyes went wide as all the air exploded from his lungs.

His mouth opened involuntarily and a spray of saliva mixed with blood erupted from his lips, misting in the air.

His body shot backward like he’d been fired from a cannon.

Jace’s back slammed into the dirt arena floor in the exact center of the fighting ground as the impact was so hard it created a crater and sent up a massive cloud of dust.

His body bounced once, twice, then lay completely still as the stadium fell into absolute, deafening silence and even the wind seemed to stop.

Ren landed lightly on his feet back in the arena with a calm expression.

’Shouldn’t this be enou—’

『Ding!』

『Congratulations! You have completed the Main Mission!』

『Main Mission: Disgrace the Hero, Jace, completely in this duel in the face of millions of viewers.』

『Reward: Hyper Mystery Box』

『The reward has been deposited into your inventory.』

A genuine smile crossed Ren’s face as he walked over to where the holy sword Caliburn had clattered to the ground after falling from Jace’s grip.

Ren bent down and picked up the legendary blade, feeling its weight in his hand... If it was the complete Caliburn then he would have been burned but no, he could hold the holy blade.

He channeled Blade Resonance through the weapon, feeling the holy energy within it respond to his touch.

’I’m done with the mission,’ Ren thought as he began walking slowly toward Jace’s prone form. ’so I don’t need to hold back anymore.’

The crowd watched in tense anticipation as Ren approached the fallen Hero.

Jace sat up slowly and painfully as his ribs screamed in protest, likely several of them cracked or broken from that last punch.

The cheering that had surrounded him earlier had completely vanished and the only sound was his own labored breathing and the footsteps of Ren approaching.

For some reason, Jace couldn’t see Ren’s actual face anymore... instead, all he could perceive was darkness... an oppressive suffocating shadow and within that darkness, two burning crimson eyes stared down at him with absolute contempt.

Ren raised the holy sword Caliburn high above his head and from Jace’s perspective on the ground, Ren seemed to grow larger, towering over him like some ancient demon of legend with the noble’s figure expanded impossibly, blocking out the sky itself.

Jace felt himself shrinking in response, becoming smaller and more insignificant with each passing second.

Terror... pure overwhelming terror seized his heart and his hands came up instinctively, covering his face in a pathetic attempt at protection.

"No... sto—" Jace’s voice cracked with the plea dying in his throat as the oppressive feeling disappeared instantly. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Jace lowered his hands slightly, peeking through his fingers.

Ren was looking down at him with an expression of complete disgust, as if viewing something particularly unpleasant he’d found stuck to his boot and Jace’s confused mind tried to process what had changed.

Then he felt it... the warmth spreading down his legs as the acrid smell reached his nostrils.

Jace looked down, his trousers were wet with a dark stain spreading across the fabric... He had pissed himself... in fear... in front of millions of people... not just the crowd packed into the stadium stands... not just the high-ranking nobles watching from their private boxes... not just Princess Azayla herself but the millions of viewers watching through the Mirror Network streaming service across the entire world and the realization hit him like a physical blow.

His face went pale then bright red with shame.

The referee, Claire, finally seemed to shake off her own shock as she raised her hand high into the air, her voice magically amplified.

"The winner," Claire announced, though her voice lacked its usual enthusiasm. "is Ren Crowhurst!"

No cheers followed the proclamation as nobody knew what to say since the crowd sat in stunned uncomfortable silence.

Ren casually discarded the holy sword, tossing it to the side where it clattered against the ground. He turned away from Jace without another glance and began walking toward the arena exit.

A sharp headache suddenly stabbed through his skull as several translucent notification windows materialized in rapid succession before his eyes.

『You have been noticed by the God of Fire!』

『You have been noticed by the God of War!』

『You have been noticed by the God of Lightning!』

『You have been noticed by the God of Shadows!』

『You have been noticed by the God of Mountains!』

『You have been noticed by the God of Storms!』

『You have been noticed by the Celestial Goddess of Light!』

『CONGRATULATIONS! You have been promoted to Employee of the Month!』

『The Honorable Venerable Supreme Paragon God of Games has granted you a special hidden skill to be awakened at a later time!』

’All these notifications just for beating one bum?’ Ren thought and he looked up toward the sky.

"Reo," Ren called out. "Come on down."

His white griffin descended from where it had been circling high above, landing gracefully beside its master and Ren climbed onto Reo’s back, settling into his usual sitting position then he gave one last look at the fallen Hero lying in the dirt, piss-stained and broken and Ren grinned.

"Let’s go, Reo."

With a powerful thrust of his wings, Reo shot into the air, carrying Ren away from the battlefield and leaving the stadium behind in shocked silence.

...

"Aw~ My son is growing up so much~" Stella said, her arms wrapped tightly around Ren in a warm embrace.

They stood together in front of the massive front doors of the Crowhurst Estate with the moon casting long shadows across the courtyard.

Stella finally released him and turned to Mandy, who stood at attention nearby.

"Mandy," Stella instructed seriously, "make sure he eats every morning, afternoon, and evening. And make absolutely sure he doesn’t overwork himself. He has a terrible habit of skipping meals when he’s focused on something."

The short butler snapped to attention, giving her a crisp salute.

"Yes, Ma’am!" Mandy replied with absolute conviction.

Stella smiled warmly at his dedication, then turned back to her son. She reached up and pinched both of Ren’s cheeks affectionately, stretching them slightly.

"How do you like your disguise?" Stella asked. Ren nodded, though his response was slightly muffled by her hands still squishing his face.

"It’s fine..." Ren managed to say.

Instead of his distinctive blue hair and golden eyes, he now had generic black hair and crimson eyes which was a common enough combination that he’d blend into any crowd. It wasn’t particularly creative, but it was effective.

Stella released his cheeks and her expression grew slightly more serious.

"Your father would have been here to see you off," Stella explained, "but something urgent came up. All the noble house heads were suddenly gathered for an emergency meeting, and he had to take Alina with him as well."

"Oh?" Ren said, genuinely curious. "I wondered why I didn’t see them after the duel."

Stella pulled him into another tight hug though this one lasted longer than the first.

"Be safe out there," Stella whispered into his shoulder. "Both of you."

She looked at Mandy over Ren’s shoulder, including the butler in her concerned gaze and Ren hugged her back, genuinely touched by her maternal concern.

"I’ll bring back gifts," Ren promised. "Good ones."

Stella finally released him and stepped back, though her eyes were slightly misty. Ren turned and opened the grand front doors, stepping out into the world beyond the estate grounds.

The moment the door closed behind him, Stella pulled out her ornate communication Mirror, quickly dialing the magical contact for the Evermere House Head’s wife... one of her closest friends.

"I’m free now, hehe~" Stella said brightly when the connection established. "Why don’t we hang out? Maybe get some tea?"

The woman on the other side of the Mirror immediately lit up.

"Oh, you should absolutely come over!" her friend replied enthusiastically. "I just got a new batch of that spiced tea you loved last time!"

"I’ll be there in a bit," Stella confirmed, already heading toward her private quarters to change into something more appropriate for a social visit.

She ended the call and took a deep breath. Yes, she was worried for her son. What mother wouldn’t be?

But if Ren could beat the supposedly legendary Hero that easily, dispatching him like a common thug in front of millions of witnesses, then what else in this world could possibly kill him?

She needed to relax and trust in his abilities.

’Have a great journey, my son...’ Stella thought.

She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, offering a sincere prayer to the Goddess of Light for her son’s safety during his travels.

...

Ren and Mandy, both now wearing their magical disguises, walked down the cobblestone road leading away from the capital city.

Ren’s attention was focused entirely on the silver pocket watch he held in his hand, turning it over to examine every detail.

This was his reward from the Hyper Mystery Box... the prize for completing the mission to disgrace the Hero and a translucent information window hovered before his eyes.

『Item Name: The Usurper’s Pocket Watch』

『Rank: Legendary』

『Description: This pocket watch possesses an ability called [Parasitic Growth]. If the user designates a target, every time that target trains, bleeds, suffers, and struggles to gain stats and experience, the user passively steals 50% of their gained EXP and stat boosts. This theft occurs automatically, even while the user is literally sleeping in bed. The harder the target works to grow stronger, the more powerful the user becomes without lifting a single finger. Only one target may be designated at a time and the target is unaware of the theft.』

A slow, dark grin spread across Ren’s face as he read the description for the third time... The implications were absolutely beautiful.

Mandy noticed his master’s expression and immediately felt a chill run down his spine.

"My Lord," Mandy asked nervously, "is something wrong?"

"Nothing at all," Ren replied with his grin widening further. "Everything is absolutely perfect."

Ren mentally focused on the pocket watch, activating its primary function.

’Set Target: Jace, The Hero.’

『Target successfully designated!』

『From this moment forward, all stat boosts and experience points gained by the target "Jace, The Hero" will be automatically siphoned to the Host at a rate of 50%.』

『The target will receive only half of their earned growth as the Host will receive the other half passively.』

『This effect is permanent until a new target is designated or the pocket watch is destroyed.』

Ren’s grin transformed into something almost manic.

’Hehehehehehehahahahahahahahaha~’ Ren’s internal laughter echoed through his consciousness with pure villainous glee. ’I love being a Villain, man.’

This was perfect... absolutely perfect.

Jace would train desperately to recover from today’s humiliation, pushing himself to the absolute limit to grow stronger and with every drop of sweat, every moment of pain, every hard-won stat increase...

Ren would get half of it for free... while sleeping... while eating... while doing absolutely nothing at all. The Hero would work himself to exhaustion, and Ren would reap the rewards.

It was the most beautiful parasitic relationship imaginable and the Poor bastard had no idea his suffering had only just begun.

Mandy watched his master’s face cycle through expressions of increasingly unhinged delight and decided it was probably best not to ask any follow-up questions.

Whatever was making Lord Crowhurst smile like that was clearly none of his business.

’Alright, it’s time to go steal the Hero’s aunt.’