Minor Damages

It took a few seconds for the cloud of dust to settle, but once it did, Lero Ro stood before the cell, a shinsu barrier enveloping the entire arena.

Lero Ro narrowed his gaze at Gojo. "You attempted to attack a regular who clearly retreated into their cell. I'll assume you didn't read the rules in your cell, but if it happens again, you will be disqualified," he warned.

Gojo remained silent, not in response to Lero Ro's threat, but because Lero Ro stood there unfazed after blocking his reversal red, even managing to create a barrier strong enough to protect the entire surrounding area using shinsu.

Gojo couldn't help but smile at what he was witnessing; Shinsu was indeed an incredible power.

Gojo responded, "Your words are duly noted," and Lero Ro left the arena the next moment.

A voice from the floating box above said, "You may continue."

As the regulars continued the crown game, Lero Ro was inside the lighthouse, glancing at his shaking arm. A few seconds later, a small amount of blood dripped down it.

"What a monster," he muttered.

Despite knowing Gojo was an irregular, the power he had just displayed was on par with an attack from a ranker.

He knew he could beat Gojo one-on-one, but that might not be the case for long.

Lero Ro sensed that the power Gojo had just used wasn't Shinsu, but something inferior. Once he learned to control Shinsu, he would be unstoppable.

Inside one of the cells, Khun, a blue-haired boy, gritted his teeth. 'Impossible! Anak alone was a regular we couldn't face, but now there's another regular far stronger!' He panicked, searching desperately for a way to deal with him but couldn't think of anything.

'He has incredible Shinsu control and that ignition weapon. There's no chance of winning—' Khun trailed off as he noticed Bam restraining his weapon after it started acting erratically.

"Wh-What's wrong, Bam?!" Khun asked, moving to assist.

"I don't know! The Black March is acting strange!" Bam replied, struggling to keep it under control.

Standing before the throne, Serena was mesmerized by Gojo's power. She began to envy him, coveting his strength.

Gojo threw the crown at her, snapping her out of her daze. "Sit on the throne," Gojo instructed, and this time she complied without complaint.

Laure approached and remarked, "After witnessing your abilities, that ajumma didn't even yell like she usually does, even after you commanded her to do something."

"…"

Laure lay down in front of the throne, preparing to fall asleep. 'Is he one of those?' Laure wondered silently before drifting off.

The countdown started from the lighthouse, but when it reached zero, there was no buzzer. After a long pause, the countdown began again with the same outcome.

This continued unchanged until the fifth round, where this time there was only one buzzer.

Everyone turned to look at the foolish team daring enough to challenge someone like Gojo. There, they saw three hooded figures emerging from their cell.

Everyone quickly recognized them as the team from the other testing area. People began to assume they were extremely powerful, given that they dared to step out of their cell despite Gojo's presence.

"Why did you press the button?!" Shouted the smallest and weakest of the three at the brown-haired girl with golden eyes.

"I just want to see how strong I am compared to that lizard," she said as she approached Gojo.

"You two stay there. I just want to have a small fight with him," she said before stepping in front of Gojo.

Gojo overheard what she said to her teammates and replied, "Don't stress yourself. You're not any stronger than that green lizard." With that, he turned around and walked to the throne, sitting beside Serena.

Endorsi, the brown-haired girl, couldn't help but feel disrespected. Gojo didn't even look her in the eye when he spoke and turned his back to her, an enemy.

She gritted her teeth and dashed at Gojo, but then she sensed danger from her left. She saw Laure with his enormous Shinsu directed right at her.

A massive black and gold shield intercepted the Shinsu. She quickly jumped backward to create some distance.

She gritted her teeth, "Go back to sleep, weirdo!" With a swift motion, Endorsi retrieved five hidden needles and hurled them at Laure, who deftly dodged each one.

"I'm saving you from a lifetime of embarrassment. How about repaying me by returning to your cell?" Laure suggested calmly.

Endorsi ignored Laure's words and dashed towards him, launching a flurry of kicks and punches. Laure skillfully blocked and evaded every attack, though he winced from the impact of her punches.

"What's in those fists of yours?" he asked, curious.

"If you want to find out, how about letting me punch you in the face?" Endorsi challenged, aiming a strike directly at his face.

Her fist grazed Laure's cheek, leaving a small cut. The fight intensified with Laure using Shinsu attacks while Endorsi countered with hidden needles and powerful punches.

After a few intense minutes, Endorsi summoned her shield, which appeared before her and covered her form. Laure focused intensely, trying to predict her next move, but when the shield suddenly shifted, revealing an empty space where Endorsi had vanished.

"What?!" Laure's voice echoed in frustration as he scanned the area.

"Above you!" Serena's voice called out. Laure glanced up just in time to see Endorsi hurtling down at incredible speed, her leg extended towards his head.

With no time to dodge, Laure instinctively raised his arms to shield himself, hearing a small crack as her leg made contact. Using the force of her attack, he redirected her momentum and swiftly moved back to gain distance.

Endorsi was poised to unleash her full strength to finish the fight when a voice boomed through the arena, "Ten minutes have passed! Cease all fighting! The winners of the crown game are: Laure, Serena, and Gojo!"

Endorsi looked at Laure with hatred in her gaze. "You should've just stayed asleep," she said coldly as she turned and walked back to her group.

Laure shrugged off her threat and casually walked back to Gojo and Serena.

"Congratulations on the draw," Gojo said to Laure.

"She had the upper hand, so it was my loss," Laure said as he wrapped himself in his blanket.

"You were at a disadvantage. This is a confined space, and you were fighting someone who specializes in close combat," Gojo added.

Laure, however, still believed it was his loss and fell asleep.