REINCARNATION OF THE STRONGEST WAR HERO
Chapter 38: WITHIN THE DUST

Chapter 38: WITHIN THE DUST

The dust hadn’t fully settled, but the silence screamed louder than any roar the crowd could’ve offered.

In the middle of the crater, Logan’s body lay sprawled across the stone—blood soaked through his chest, trickling from his side. His cloak was torn, his breathing shallow. But... he was breathing.

Alice clutched the railing tighter, her entire body trembling. A single tear slipped down her cheek, then another, until they fell freely.

"No... Logan..."

Rudeous’s jaw was locked, fists clenched so tight his knuckles cracked. Even he, the war-hardened patriarch of House Smith, had no words.

Mirena stood frozen, her lips barely twitching. She hadn’t expected him to still be alive. So even that wasn’t enough...?

The audience murmured. Gasps, scattered claps, even a few quiet sighs of sympathy.

"I thought he had more fight left..."

"Can’t blame him. Even prodigies aren’t immortal."

"He gave a hell of a performance though."

Another voice added with a scoff, "He’s not Lilith Starwind. Or Rovan Yale. Talented, sure—but not a monster."

None of them realized.

None of them knew.

That Logan had fought the last portion of the match being unable to use a single spell.

The referee approached the crater slowly, stepping through cracked stone and swirling grit. He crouched beside Logan, placing two fingers on his neck.

A heartbeat.

Faint.

But steady.

Then, Logan stirred.

The referee’s eyes widened. "He’s... conscious?!"

A hand moved—slow, shaky, but deliberate.

Then, Logan pushed against the ground and sat up. Blood streamed from his lips. His body trembled. But his eyes... his eyes were still burning.

"I’m not... done yet. I will make you regret playing tricks on me," he whispered hoarsely.

Logan’s eyes were burning with rage now. He only wanted to enjoy the match. But the killing attempt had stirred something else inside him. Something dangerous. Something he had fully suppressed in his new life.

"Do you still want to continue? You are not in good condition. Think carefully before you decide anything," the referee asked.

"I will, for sure," Logan replied without any hesitation.

A collective gasp swept through the stands like a wave.

Lira froze mid-step, her brows furrowing.

"What...?"

Alice cried louder and tried to leap from the balcony. "Logan, stop! You can’t keep fighting! You’ll die out there!"

But Logan slowly raised one hand toward her, managing the faintest smile.

"I’m okay, Mom," he said softly. "It was... just an accident. Nothing serious. Please, don’t worry."

Even now, he was trying to comfort her.

Rudeous stepped forward, his eyes narrowed in disbelief. "He stood up... after that?"

Mirena’s breath caught. For the first time... fear crept in behind her eyes.

From another corner of the balcony, Emily Starwind—Lilith’s mother and one of the most famed healers in the kingdom—stood up.

"I can heal him," she said, her voice calm but urgent. "He’s badly injured. Let me step in."

The referee opened his mouth to deny.

But before he could...

Logan shook his head.

"If I accept help... I lose the match."

Emily paused, then nodded with quiet respect.

"He’s got his pride," she whispered to herself. "Just like Lilith."

The referee hesitated. Then turned back toward Logan.

"Are you saying... you really wish to continue?"

Logan looked up at him, blood on his lips, pain in his eyes, but not even a flicker of fear.

"Yes."

The stadium erupted.

People stood. Shouted. Cheered. Screamed in disbelief.

"No way!!"

"Did you see that? He’s getting back up?!"

"He’s insane!! That was a very powerful spell he tanked! It almost felt like a Tier 3 spell. Or even higher."

Lira didn’t move. Her eyes narrowed.

"He’s still alive... but he can’t use magic. What difference does it make?"

She took a step forward.

"To me... he’s no different from a sheep waiting to be slaughtered."

She lifted her hand. Wind surged again.

The referee stepped back. "Then the match resumes."

Logan stood slowly, breath ragged, body screaming in protest.

But his eyes locked on Lira.

"You look surprised," he said, voice rough but mocking. "What’s wrong? Did something not work the way it was supposed to?"

Lira’s lips twitched. "Bold talk from a crippled mage."

"Maybe," Logan said with a smirk. "But even a cripple can bite if you lean too close."

The fight resumed.

Logan didn’t attack. Not at first.

Instead, he dodged.

Glided.

Spoke.

"You don’t look so calm anymore."

"You missed again."

"What? Can’t even win against a kid?"

Each word cut sharper than a blade. Each taunt twisted deeper.

Lira’s face darkened.

He was mocking her.

Even without magic, he was getting under her skin.

"You think this is a game?" she snarled.

"I think," Logan said, ducking a wind slash, "you’re scared."

She gritted her teeth—and raised both hands.

"Fine. You want to see scared? Then DIE!"

Magic surged.

A massive funnel of wind formed at her fingertips, coalescing, vibrating, warping the very air. The ground cracked under its pressure.

"A powerful spell again...?" someone gasped.

"Is it Tier 3?"

"It seems even stronger than Tier 3!"

"But isn’t she only a Tier Two mage?"

"What’s she doing? Has she gone mad? She seems like she wants to kill that poor child!"

Logan didn’t flinch.

Didn’t blink.

Didn’t move.

"Finally! Just what I’ve been waiting for."

The spell launched.

A blinding vortex of wind magic exploded toward him—raw, untamed, deadly.

BOOOOOM!!

The entire stage vanished in the blast.

Dust swallowed everything.

A wall of force knocked spectators back in their seats. Cloaks whipped. Sand tore at the skin. Even the sky dimmed under the sheer pressure.

No one could see.

Not the stage.

Not Logan.

Not Lira.

Only dust.

Only chaos.

Then—

Boom!

Swoosh!

A body flew out of the smoke.

Slammed through the gate.

Hit the ground beyond the stage.

The impact echoed across the stadium.

It was Lira.

She bounced once, twice—then lay still, her white robe stained crimson, blood spurting from her mouth as she coughed violently.

"She’s... out of the stage!"

"Wait, WHAT just happened?!"

"What did he DO?!"

But the dust still hadn’t cleared.

Inside that swirling chaos...

No one knew.

No one saw.

Only one thing was certain.

Logan Smith was still in the arena.

And something had changed.

To be continued...

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