The arena slowly emptied, but the tension it had created did not fade.
If anything—
It spread.
Groups of disciples whispered among themselves, their voices lower than before, their expressions more cautious. Some avoided looking in Zarek's direction altogether. Others stared openly, curiosity mixed with unease.
"…He drained Darius."
"I saw it. That wasn't normal."
"…That's not cultivation."
Zarek walked past them without stopping.
Their words meant nothing.
What mattered—
Was that they were starting to understand.
But above the arena, within a secluded chamber overlooking the training grounds, the elders had already gathered.
The atmosphere inside was heavy.
Not with power—
But with tension.
"He crossed the line."
The voice came from one of the senior elders, his expression cold.
"That ability… is not something we can allow to grow unchecked."
Another elder nodded slowly.
"…It interferes with the natural flow of energy. It's not refinement—it's consumption."
A brief silence followed.
Rovan stood near the edge of the chamber, his gaze directed outward.
"…He showed restraint," he said.
The first elder turned toward him.
"…Restraint?"
"Yes," Rovan replied calmly. "He could have taken more."
That statement caused a shift in the room.
"…Which makes it worse," another elder said quietly.
All eyes turned to him.
"If he can choose how much to take… then he can also choose not to stop."
Silence fell again.
The implication was clear.
Control did not make Zarek safer.
It made him more dangerous.
"…Then we eliminate him now," one elder said bluntly.
The words landed heavily.
Rovan's gaze sharpened slightly.
"…On what grounds?"
"On the grounds that he is a potential threat to the sect."
Rovan turned fully this time.
"…He is also a potential asset."
The two elders stared at each other.
"An asset that could destroy us," the first elder replied.
"And one that could elevate us," Rovan countered.
The tension in the room tightened.
Another elder finally spoke, his tone calmer, more measured.
"…We lack information."
The others turned toward him.
"We don't understand the nature of his power. Acting too quickly could be a mistake."
"…Or waiting could be the mistake," someone else muttered.
The calm elder continued.
"…There is another option."
Rovan already knew what was coming.
"…Observation," he said.
The elder nodded.
"Yes. We watch. We test. We push him."
A pause.
"And if he proves unstable…"
The sentence didn't need to be finished.
Rovan's expression remained unreadable.
But inside—
He understood.
Zarek's future in the sect now rested on a fragile line.
One mistake—
And it would be over.
Elsewhere, Zarek stood alone in the courtyard.
The noise of the arena had faded, replaced by the quiet hum of the sect.
He closed his eyes briefly.
The energy within him responded.
Stronger now.
More stable.
But still—
Hungry.
The system activated.
[Combat Data Integrated]
[Devour Efficiency Increased]
[Energy Capacity Expanding]
Zarek exhaled slowly.
"…Not enough," he murmured.
Despite everything—
It still wasn't enough.
A presence approached.
Zarek opened his eyes.
Kael.
"…You're becoming a problem," Kael said, stopping a few steps away.
Zarek didn't react.
"…For who?"
Kael hesitated slightly.
"…For everyone."
A brief silence followed.
"…You felt it too, didn't you?" Kael added.
Zarek's gaze shifted slightly.
"…What?"
"That thing you do," Kael said. "It's not like ours."
Zarek didn't deny it.
"…No," he said simply.
Kael exhaled slowly.
"…Then be careful."
Zarek looked at him directly.
"…Are you warning me?"
Kael shook his head.
"…No."
His expression hardened slightly.
"…I'm telling you what's coming."
Zarek said nothing.
But he understood.
This wasn't just about strength anymore.
It was about survival.
Within the sect.
Against it.
Later that night, in a deeper section of the sect, far from the outer court—
A single figure stood in the shadows.
"…So it's true," the figure murmured.
A faint ripple of energy spread through the darkness.
"…A devouring-type ability…"
The figure's gaze lifted slightly, as if seeing something far beyond the walls of the sect.
"…This may become troublesome."
A pause.
Then—
"…No."
The voice lowered.
"…It will become troublesome."
Back in the courtyard, Zarek sat alone.
His eyes closed.
His breathing steady.
The energy within him moved more smoothly now.
But something else had changed.
His awareness.
He could feel it.
Not clearly—
But faintly.
Eyes.
Watching.
Judging.
Waiting.
The system spoke again.
[Warning]
[Host under continuous observation]
[Threat Probability Increasing]
Zarek's eyes opened slowly.
There was no fear in them.
Only focus.
"…Good."
If they were watching—
Then he would grow faster.
Stronger.
Beyond their expectations.
Beyond their control.
Because one thing was already certain—
This sect…
Would not be able to contain him forever.