Supreme Warlock System : From Zero to Ultimate With My Wives-Chapter 290: Floating Battlefield [Part 1]

Warlock Ch 290. Floating Battlefield [Part 1]

Damian leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, watching the room with lazy amusement. The atmosphere had settled into something tense but stagnant, like the calm before a storm. Thirty minutes. That was how long they were given to rest.

And yet, it was the most awkward thirty minutes he had ever sat through.

No one spoke much. Well, no one aside from a few whispering in their small groups. Everyone was too busy either scarfing down food or side-eyeing their competition. Some had taken the chance to patch themselves up, tending to wounds with healing spells and potions. Others simply sat with their backs against the walls, trying to preserve as much energy as possible.

Damian tapped his fingers against the table, eyes flicking toward the drinks.

The spiked drinks.

He hadn't said anything about it. He could have, but really, why should he? This was a test. And if people were too stupid or careless to recognize an obvious trap, that was on them.

He wasn't the only one who noticed either. A few of the more cautious ones—Selena included—stuck to solid food and fruit, getting their hydration from natural sources instead of the conveniently placed beverages.

Some, though? Yeah, not so lucky.

They drank until they were satisfied. Some of them probably noticed something was off but either dismissed it or thought it wouldn't matter. Idiots.

Damian's eyes flicked toward the vampires in the room.

The blood vials weren't spiked. Interesting.

It made sense, though. Maybe the assassins hadn't bothered because they knew Selena couldn't drink it. Or maybe, and this seemed more likely, the officials had kept the blood pure on purpose. After all, for vampires, this was their only source of sustenance. If they poisoned it, it would be too obvious.

So yeah. This was just another test. A hidden one.

'Clever bastards,' Damian mused, hiding his smirk.

He shifted his gaze toward Selena. She sat across from him, arms folded, still looking as irritated as ever.

His eyes flicked to her shoulder.

"How's your wound?" he asked casually.

Selena glanced at him and then at her arm, rolling her shoulder slightly. "It's fine. Doesn't really ache anymore."

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"You sure?"

She sighed. "Yes, Damian."

"You don't want me to check it?"

She deadpanned. "Absolutely not."

He grinned, resting his chin on his palm. "Suit yourself, Princess."

Selena huffed, popping another grape into her mouth.

The minutes stretched on. More contestants filtered in. The tension thickened.

And then— A chime came.

Everyone straightened, instincts flaring.

"Contestants, the second segment of the S-Rank Exam is about to begin. Prepare yourselves. You will be teleported shortly."

A collective silence fell over the room.

Damian cracked his neck, standing up with a lazy stretch. "Well, here we go again."

Selena exhaled, standing beside him. "Any idea what's next?"

He smirked. "Nope. But I'm looking forward to it."

The air shimmered around them.

And then, in a blink, the waiting room disappeared.

Damian felt weightlessness take over as the ground beneath him vanished, his stomach lurching before his feet touched solid ground again. But this… wasn't solid ground. It was different—less stable, like it was humming with energy beneath him.

The floating battlefield stretched out before him, a vast sky littered with shattered landmasses, each one suspended in the air by an unseen force. Jagged cliffs jutted from floating islands, fragments of land drifting lazily around in the void.

Streams of unstable mana coursed through the air like rivers of light, crackling with power. Some places glowed with radiant blue energy, while others pulsed with ominous red. And in the distance, floating fortresses of stone and metal loomed over the battlefield like silent watchmen.

Above them, the sky churned with shifting colors, as if torn between dusk and dawn, streaks of violet and deep orange swirling together. Bolts of raw magic occasionally struck down from the sky, crackling against the floating terrain before vanishing as quickly as they appeared.

Then came the announcement.

"The Arcane Rift. Chaos Battlefield & Strategic Combat."

The voice echoed across the battlefield, causing everyone to tense.

"Each contestant must claim a floating island by imprinting their mana upon it. The longer you hold your island, the stronger your mana buff will grow. However, be warned—remaining stagnant makes you a target. Opponents may steal your island, and wild monsters will seek out those who stay still for too long. In addition, unstable mana storms will periodically erase islands, forcing relocation. The last eight remaining contestants will advance to the final trial."

A moment of silence followed.

"Begin!"

Then the battlefield exploded into movement.

Contestants scattered in different directions, some sprinting toward nearby islands, others immediately taking flight or using teleportation spells. Damian remained still for a moment, eyes scanning his surroundings.

Selena exhaled beside him. "So… find an island, hold it, fight off anything that comes our way. Sounds simple enough."

Damian smirked. "Simple? Princess, did you not hear the part about mana storms and monsters? This place is going to be a deathtrap."

She rolled her eyes. "It's always a deathtrap."

"Fair point."

She glanced at him. "So? Do we take different islands or stick together?"

He turned his gaze to her, then back at the battlefield. "Sticking together is smart—until it isn't. If we hold one island together, we'll just be bigger targets. And when the storm zones force people to move, we'll be separated anyway."

Selena nodded. "So we pick close islands?"

"Exactly."

With that, they moved.

Damian leapt forward, using his Spectral Surge to propel himself toward one of the nearest floating islands. Selena followed, using her agility to nimbly land on another just a short distance away.

The moment Damian touched down, he pressed his palm against the ground and let his mana sink in. The island pulsed as it recognized his imprint, glowing faintly beneath his feet.

"Mana Imprint Confirmed – Territory Claimed!"

A soft hum resonated through his body, and instantly, he felt a surge of power. It was subtle at first—his mana pool slightly expanded, his energy feeling more refined.

"Alright," he muttered. "Let's see how long I can hold this thing."