The Glorious Evolution

As the Gamemaster smashed the gavel against the podium, he declared excitedly,

”Dispute Floor is now open! Rifters, the bid to challenge Palimpsest starts at two minutes!”

”Three minutes!”

”Four minutes and thirty seconds!”

”Six minutes and forty seconds!”

”Six minutes and ten seconds!”

Six Rifters started the bidding war without an ounce of hesitation, their expressions displaying nothing but absolute confidence that they would win the bid no matter what.

Meanwhile, Jasmine remained as silent and unmoving as the Dead Sea... People were bidding for the right to kill her, and yet she pulled out a small scroll and started sketching on it to pass the time.

The viewers and café customers were left speechless by her nonchalance... but at the same time, it stirred a sense of mystery within their hearts.

Palimpsest... Who was this girl?

’Show-off.’

Levi chuckled in amusement and then refocused on his own table, where the bottle had already arrived alongside two half-filled glasses containing a pink, starry drink.

Meanwhile, Simon had been absolutely livid the entire time... Everything he had done since sitting down was a power play meant to dominate the conversation from the get-go... especially spending a whole ten thousand credits on a bottle he didn’t even like.

Yet, Levi ignored everything and kept watching the screen, making Simon feel as though Levi was using his own power play to dominate him.

Hence, he waited in silence despite his boiling emotions, determined to maintain the upper hand... The moment Levi finally turned to face him, Simon swiftly took advantage of the cue and spoke.

”Nocturnal Games, huh...” Simon said calmly. ”I didn’t take you for a fan.”

Levi tilted his head a fraction and replied with a small smile, ”I’m not... but I am a fan of interesting people.”

As he said this, Levi turned toward the screen and continued watching before Simon could even let out a response... Simon’s jaw tightened, realizing that Levi had indirectly insulted him for not being as interesting as some random Rifter in a game.

His temper clawed its way back up... He could feel it rising in his throat... that hot, familiar urge to curse Levi out; one he’d been swallowing ever since the bastard gave him the middle finger in the form of an entire aetheric mountain.

But he swallowed it... He couldn’t ruin this deal when his father had already laid out the groundwork for him.

He couldn’t afford two failures, two strikes in a row, and still expect to remain the Heir.

Simon closed his eyes and let out a deep exhale... then he unhooked his arm from the chair’s backrest and placed both feet on the floor.

He picked up his glass, drank a mouthful, then set it down politely... He folded his arms and kept telling himself: He isn’t ignoring you; he’s testing you. Wait like a man who has all day.

And so, he matched Levi’s actions and turned to watch the game with him... though the moment his eyes landed on the screen, his heart skipped a beat at the sight of a Rifter getting absolutely trampled to death by a dozen gigantic inked summons inside a massive, empty wooden arena.

-DISPUTE RESOLVED. 00:45 SECONDS REMAINING... WINNER: PALIMPSEST.-

Immediately, Jasmine was teleported back to her podium, and the tall Rifter’s Clock... twenty-five minutes and change... detached from above his empty podium and floated toward hers.

His remaining time poured into her Clock, raising its new tally to:

45 Minutes.

Only then did the fallen Rifter’s Clock fade into nothingness beneath the horrified gazes of the nearby Rifters.

Meanwhile, the live viewers and the café erupted in cheers, not anticipating such a one-sided beatdown.

’Not even using her Erasure Aspect offensively...’ Levi smiled. ’I was worried for nothing.’

He picked up his coffee, drank what was left of it, and finally returned his attention to his own business now that Simon had decided to behave at last.

”Sorry,” Levi apologized with a polite smile. ”You were saying?”

Simon let out another long exhale and forwarded a small, note-like dimensional screen invisible to everyone except Levi.

”Two hundred thousand?” Levi laughed at the written offer. ”Do I look like a beggar?”

A straight-out rejection... Simon’s expression beneath the mask twisted slightly, but his tone remained stoic.

”What do you suggest?” he asked.

”Knowing what I know... I think one million is appropriate, don’t you?” Levi said with a smile.

Simon sneered, and this time... he made sure Levi heard it.

”Two hundred thousand credits is already doing you a favor,” he added coldly. ”You’re getting paid without needing to lift a finger, and you want one million? Greed will damn you.”

”Funny coming from you.”

Levi chuckled and returned to watching the game, which had been quite entertaining so far, with Jasmine dominating the auction house.

Seeing that Levi planned on ignoring him again, Simon increased the offer by another hundred thousand credits... Alas, Levi still refused to look in his direction.

His eyes twitching, Simon added another hundred thousand credits and told him that it was his final offer.

Too bad... he was still negotiating with himself.

Realizing that Levi was serious about this, Simon slammed his hand against the table and uttered coldly, ”Five hundred thousand... Take it or leave it. This matter ends today.”

At this point, Simon was hoping Levi would reject their final offer so he could bring out the name of the Patron supporting their conquest from the shadows... However, his father had insisted that he use this path only if Levi refused the money and walked away, since they still had no idea about Levi’s background.

It was foolish to complicate their conquest at its final stage... Six weeks remained, and House Zen’s territory and assets would be theirs.

”Now you’ve got my interest.” Levi smiled.

”Good.”

Irked, Simon brought out an already-drafted Nocturnal Contract and placed it on the table... then he extended it toward Levi and told him that the money would be wired to his account the moment he signed it.

Levi took a mere glance at the contract and shook his head. ”You must be mistaken; I don’t have the authority to make such a decision... I still need to run it by my superiors. But fret not, I am fairly confident they will sign the contract.”

As the last sentence left Levi’s mouth, he stood up and extended a palm for a handshake.

Simon glanced at his extended hand and then at his phony, polite smile... Many thoughts coursed through his mind, but he kept them to himself.

He reached out and shook it even though he didn’t want to... He simply couldn’t afford to disrespect Levi any further after what had occurred during their previous encounters.

The entire deal could fall apart at the very end, and he would be the only one punished for it... So, he sweetened his voice and nodded in understanding while gripping Levi’s hand tightly.

”You know how to contact us... and Mr. Problem.” Simon warned him one last time, ”Don’t make us wait too long.”

”I’ll try.”

Levi broke off contact and returned to his seat to continue watching the game in peace... He even ordered another cup of coffee.

As for Simon? He remained standing... his gaze affixed to the ten-thousand-credit bottle. He might not like its taste, but it still cost a hefty sum.

Too bad... one of them needed to leave, and Levi had already returned to his seat.

’Fuck.’

In the end, he cursed inwardly and walked away, having no intention of embarrassing himself by taking the bottle with him.

As Levi watched his slouched retreat, a sudden voice resounded in his mind.

’Did you plant the egg?’ Ash’Kral asked.

’Yes...’ Levi nodded while glancing at his palm. ’Now... we can only wait and hope for the best.’

Ink Queen! Ink Queen! Ink Queen!

Suddenly, Levi’s attention was drawn back to the game after he picked up on the rowdy chants of the live viewers.

’Ink Queen?’ His eyebrows twitched.

He wasn’t jealous, but he was bothered that Jasmine’s beautiful and poetic name was getting butchered into something so... average.

But when he looked at the Dispute Floor’s arena, he couldn’t help but smile wryly.

’No wonder...’

The entire arena had become a canvas.

Black and white ink covered almost every inch of the floor, splattered across the walls and pooled into thick rivers between the shattered remains of whatever had once occupied the wooden arena.

Great arcs of ink stretched across the ground like enormous brushstrokes, while countless handprints and streaks marked the walls.

There was barely a clean surface left...

Except for one.

Jasmine.

She stood alone in the very center of the arena... Her long white hair flowed loosely behind her, completely untainted. Even her clothes remained perfectly clean, not a single drop of ink staining the fabric.

”GAME CONCLUDED! THE WINNER OF HAMMER PRICE IS...”

A short pause, followed by a passionate howl.

”PALIMPSEST, THE UNCROWNED SILENT INK QUEEN!”

The announcement thundered through the arena, merging with the overwhelming, unified chants of the viewers... Even the customers in the café applauded, having quite enjoyed the game and witnessed the birth of a new superstar.

It was quite easy to tell when a superstar was born during their debut game... It was almost always accompanied by:

”You have won every single bid and every single challenge on the Dispute Floor! For that, my dear girl, I hereby bestow upon you the title...”

Following the Gamemaster’s enthralled voice, a golden, shimmering title manifested above Jasmine’s head, decorated with two hammers on either side.

-SOLE BIDDER!-

Despite the excitement and attention surrounding her... Jasmine maintained the same indifferent expression.

Everyone assumed she was being arrogant or cold, but she simply couldn’t hear any of it and, in the same breath... didn’t care.

The only reason she had joined the platform was to reach enlightenment and unlock the Scripture Aspect; unfortunately... no one had pushed her hard enough in this game.

Just like Levi, she had no interest in standing around after the game, answering questions or entertaining interviews. She simply raised her brush and opened a dimensional gate.

Two steps later, the Game’s Map disappeared behind her.

Yet, the moment Jasmine returned to camp, she barely had time to take a breath.

”Jasmine!”

Arthur and the girls rushed toward her with bright, delighted smiles.

Before she could react, several hands grabbed her... They lifted her straight into the air, taking her by surprise as her eyes widened slightly while she was tossed upward.

She floated for a moment before being caught again, the girls laughing as they celebrated around her.

”Congratulations, Jasmine! That was a well-deserved victory!” Arthur grinned.

Jasmine couldn’t hear him... She couldn’t hear any of them. Yet, she could see their smiles, their excitement, and the way they looked at her with genuine pride and support.

And then... a familiar voice appeared in her mind.

Levi.

His voice echoed through her thoughts as clearly as though he were standing right beside her.

’You did well, Jasmine... Keep it up.’

It was a small praise, and yet... for the first time since joining the game, her composed expression cracked.

Her eyes softened, and a small smile slowly appeared on her lips.

’Thank you... Levi.’

And somehow, hearing Levi’s voice in that moment made the victory feel more rewarding than any title or prize the Nocturnal Ring could have given her...

’Get a grip...’ N’ibby rolled her eyes at Jasmine’s poorly hidden reaction.