Primordial Lust System

"Woah... it's beautiful," Amber muttered, finally finding her voice. Her purple eyes shimmered with awe as she steadied herself, scanning the surroundings.

They stood within a vast golden dome, its surface etched with intricate patterns that pulsed faintly with mana. The runes weaved endlessly across the structure, giving off a mystical aura. It stretched as far as her eyes could see — and yet, it was empty. Empty except for the countless other awakened sprawled across the dome, each examining their surroundings with the same mix of wonder and caution.

"It sure is, but don't let it fool you," Eira said from the side, her eyes narrowing, a cautious light flickering within. She'd participated in this event before, she knew all too well the horrors hidden within this golden dome.

"Huh?" Amber frowned, noticing their tense expressions. Was there something off about this place? She inhaled sharply, assuming a combat stance, ready to activate her talent.

"She's right. Listen to her," Carl began from the front, planting his massive shield into the ground. "The golden dome isn't as peaceful as it looks."

"They're coming," a black-robed youth muttered quietly from the back, his voice carrying to the rest.

"Y-you... how do you know that?" Arthur whispered, tightening his grip on his bow as he nocked an arrow. His gaze flicked to Aurelian in disbelief. Only those who had previously participated in the academy selections knew the dome's secrets, at least parts of them. But Aurelian was different. He was a recent awakened, and more importantly, no one had told him anything.

"Hmm." Aurelian smiled faintly, hands clasped behind his back as the pieces fell into place within his mind.

Ignoring the question, his gaze lifted toward the sky, the smile on his face widening.

High above, a massive projection shimmered into existence — a golden screen, radiant and alive with runic light. Numbers and names flickered across its surface. At the very top, one stood out: Azrael Chaos — 205 points.

"Interesting... very interesting," Aurelian murmured. His theory was complete. By piecing it all together, he could tell that the participants had been scattered across different regions of the golden dome. The glowing screen above tracked their kills, converting them into points. If he had to guess, a mirrored projection likely hovered outside, displaying the same results to the spectators.

"So this is what she meant by indirect watching..." he whispered, his obsidian eyes glinting as he stepped forward, each movement measured and deliberate. He turned to the group, giving a small nod.

"A horde of thousands of monsters is heading our way," Aurelian said evenly.

Amber's face tightened. Mana surged around her, cloaking her form in an intrinsic purple armor — the manifestation of her A-rank talent, Iron Mirage. Her stance lowered instinctively, combat readiness flowing through her veins. The others exchanged wary looks, feeling the faint, dangerous aura radiating from her.

The warmth in her eyes faded, replaced by icy focus. A stark contrast to the cheerful girl from moments ago.

"Argh... yeah, we were just about to tell you..." Carl muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.

"No, you weren't," Aurelian whispered.

Before Carl could react, Aurelian's figure blurred, appearing right in front of him. A devilish smirk curved his lips. In the next instant, his hand shot forward, seizing Carl by the throat and lifting him effortlessly.

"You... what are you doing?" Carl croaked, eyes bulging in disbelief.

The group gasped, shock rippling through them as their focus shifted entirely to Aurelian, processing the sudden shift in events.

"Stop whatever it is you're doing, or I'll make you stop!" one of the mages shouted, a girl with short dark hair and piercing eyes. Standing beside Eira, she raised her hand, sparks of fire igniting at her fingertips, ready to strike.

"I'd like to see you try," Aurelian breathed, tightening his grip. His obsidian eyes glowed faintly, power humming beneath his skin like a restrained storm.

Another mage followed suit, her palms glowing with raw mana, moments away from launching her spell.

"Wait...guys, stop! I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding!" Eira blurted, raising her arms in an attempt to calm them. "We can sort this out before the monsters..."

"You can drop the act now," Aurelian cut in, his smirk widening.

"Huh?" Eira blinked, confused. And from the outside, her puzzled expression seemed genuine. For a moment, it even fooled the others.

But then, as her gaze met the depthless black of Aurelian's eyes — that same unfathomable glint she could never pierce...the façade cracked.

The confusion on her face melted away, replaced by a cold, sinister light. Her lips curled upward, and soon, laughter burst out of her.

"Hahaha! Impressive!" she wheezed, wiping a tear from her eye. "Seems like I gave you way less credit than you deserved."

And just as she spoke, the rest of her group moved in unison, a perfectly coordinated assault.

Arthur drew his bow, but instead of aiming at Aurelian, his arrow turned toward Amber.

The mages circled in, forming a protective barrier around the healer. The warrior stepped forward beside Eira, sword gleaming as he prepared to clash.

"But it's already too late," Eira said coldly, her short blonde hair swaying as she advanced toward Amber.

"I gotta hand it to you, you're sharp. I don't know how you saw through us, but it doesn't change a thing now," she whispered. Her tone was calm, almost amused. "Our attacks might not work on you... but on her?" She tilted her chin toward Amber. "That's another story."

Her eyes narrowed, lips curving in a wicked smile. "If I were you, I'd think long and hard about your next move."

Then, tilting her head slightly, curiosity flickered through her gaze. "Though I am a bit curious," she murmured, voice dropping to a drawl. "How did you figure it out?"

"Hahahaha!" Aurelian burst into laughter, unbothered by all their threats. His eyes finally settled, a whisper escaping his lips.

"…It all now makes perfect sense."

"Huh?" Eira mumbled, genuinely startled this time, her brows furrowing in confusion. This was by far the least expected reaction. Wasn't he supposed to storm out in anger? To be blinded by rage or something...not this. Did he not care about Amber?

Multiple thoughts swirled at the back of her mind, the uncertainty twisting her gut. She involuntarily took a step back.

"I knew something was off the moment I saw you in the dungeon," Aurelian began, pacing around while dragging Carl with him effortlessly, lost in thought. "You could've easily taken out the first wave of dungeon minions, but you dragged it out… almost as if you were waiting for someone to save you."

He continued, "And you, didn't you heal up a little too fast?" Aurelian whispered, his eyes locking with Carl's, sending shivers down his spine.

"Unless…" he muttered, flicking his fingers playfully. Dark blue energy coated his fingers, spreading toward Carl, and as it did,

He let go. Carl's form floated up slowly, as if he weighed nothing. Resistance was useless.

"…It had all been a ruse."

Eira and the rest watched with growing alarm as Carl flailed his arms frantically, trying to get down but failing again and again.

Their eyes shifted back to Aurelian, whose hands were now clasped behind his back, as if what he had just done was of no consequence.

"I don't think you understand…" Eira began, trying to regain control of the situation. Her hand extended to grab Amber's shoulder to reinforce her threat, but she froze. Her hand phased through. The words caught in her throat. "B-but… how… an illusion?"

"I think it's you who doesn't understand," Aurelian said, his grin widening.

He snapped his fingers. A form flickered behind him, as Amber appeared.

A smirk stretched across her face as she watched the group's mouths gape in shock. Pride swelling deep inside her of her newly discovered skill. By tapping into her talent, she'd discovered her ability to harness the power of illusions. The only question had been, how far could she push it? The thought had haunted her, and her unrestrained curiosity had driven her to fully explore her gift. The results had been surprising. One of them: the ability to erase her presence completely. To turn invisible. Just as she had a few seconds ago.

"I figured your motive had to do with my presence, with taking me through the preliminaries," Aurelian continued, unfazed. "Just as your guild leader, Sera, said." He paused. "But based on your reactions just now… I can see it's far deeper than that. And honestly, I don't even care what it is at this point. I only have one question for you."

Aurelian's voice grew deeper, that devilish smirk widening. "Just how do you want to die?"