Chapter 181: The Weight of Regret
The silver lotus hanging above the battlefield continued descending with unstoppable momentum. Its countless petals illuminating the sky above Nine Lotus Academy until day and night seemed to merge together.
Every spectator could feel the terrifying life energy contained within it, and many older warriors unconsciously stood from their seats because they understood exactly how dangerous Emma’s final attack had become.
This was no longer a technique designed merely to defeat an opponent. It was the culmination of years of resentment, years of loneliness, years of unanswered questions condensed into a single strike.
Emma knew it.
Tony knew it.
Neither looked away.
The distance separating them wasn’t measured in meters anymore. It was measured in years.
The enormous silver lotus reflected within Tony’s eyes as he slowly drew a breath. The dragon aura surrounding him stopped expanding and instead began condensing inward.
Golden energy flowed toward his right arm from every corner of his body, gathering around his fist until the surrounding space itself began trembling.
Emma’s voice suddenly echoed across the battlefield.
"When I was thrown out of the Clark Family, I spent an entire year waiting for someone to come. Every morning I convinced myself that maybe today would be different. Maybe someone would explain everything. Maybe someone would tell me there had been a mistake."
The spectators exchanged confused looks.
Most of them still didn’t understand.
Only Natasha lowered her eyes.
Only Patriarch Rion Clark clenched his fists.
Only the core elders of the Clark Family looked increasingly uncomfortable.
Emma laughed softly.
The sound carried more exhaustion than hatred.
"Then one year became two. Two became three. Eventually I stopped waiting."
The silver lotus descended another several meters.
The pressure intensified... Cracks spread across the protective barriers surrounding the arena.
Tony remained silent. Because there was nothing he could say.
No explanation could erase those years. No apology could return them. The only thing he could offer was the truth. Unfortunately, truth often arrived far too late.
Emma raised her hand.
The giant lotus behind her immediately erupted with dazzling light.
"Do you know what I hated most?" she asked.
Tony looked directly at her.
Emma smiled. "I hated myself for hoping."
The words struck harder than any attack.
The spectators felt chills.
For the first time, many people stopped viewing this as a competition.
This was a reckoning.
A collision between the past and present.
A wound refusing to remain buried.
Then Emma moved.
The silver lotus transformed into a torrent of destructive energy that surged toward Tony like a heavenly river descending from the skies. The battlefield vanished beneath the overwhelming light as the terrifying attack swallowed everything in its path.
The audience stopped breathing.
Several weaker participants instinctively closed their eyes.
The attack looked unstoppable.
Yet amidst the silver radiance, a golden light suddenly appeared.
Small at first.
Then brighter.
Then brighter still.
Until it resembled a newborn sun rising from within the storm.
A dragon roar echoed throughout the battlefield.
Deep.
Ancient.
Domineering.
The silver lotus trembled.
Emma’s pupils contracted.
Tony finally took a step forward.
The golden dragon aura erupted around him, but unlike before, it didn’t spread outward wildly. Every strand of energy compressed toward his fist, creating a frightening concentration of power that caused even Da Vinci to slowly rise from his seat.
The Academy Master had witnessed countless geniuses throughout his life.
Yet even he felt surprised.
Because the energy surrounding Tony no longer resembled ordinary martial power.
It felt alive.
Tony looked at Emma.
Not as an opponent.
Not as an enemy.
Not even as a former wife.
He looked at her as someone who had suffered because of decisions made by people stronger than both of them.
Then he spoke.
His voice wasn’t loud.
Yet the entire arena heard every word.
"If I had known."
The silver lotus continued descending.
The dragon aura continued growing.
"If I had known what happened to you that night, I would’ve left the Clark Family myself."
Emma’s body trembled.
The spectators froze.
The Clark Family elders turned pale.
Patriarch Rion slowly lowered his head.
Because he could hear the sincerity in Tony’s voice.
No performance.
No lies.
No excuses.
Only regret.
Emma stared at him.
The hatred she had carefully preserved for years suddenly felt unstable.
Dangerously unstable.
The battlefield shook violently.
The silver lotus descended.
The golden dragon rose.
And then...
They collided.
The impact surpassed every previous exchange.
The sky itself seemed to split apart.
Silver petals exploded in every direction while golden dragon energy surged upward like an unstoppable tide. The protective formations surrounding the arena shattered layer after layer under the terrifying pressure. Spectators stumbled backward. Elders activated defensive techniques instinctively. Several buildings throughout the academy trembled as the shockwave spread outward.
For a brief moment, nobody could see anything.
The battlefield disappeared beneath endless light.
Silence followed.
Then...
The light slowly faded.
The first thing people saw was the giant crater occupying the center of the arena.
The second thing they saw was Tony.
Still standing.
His clothes were torn.
Blood dripped from one arm.
His breathing had become heavy.
Yet he remained standing.
Several meters away, Emma’s silver lotus had completely vanished.
The silver energy surrounding her body flickered weakly before gradually dispersing into the air.
The result was obvious.
The battle was over.
Yet Emma wasn’t looking at the battlefield.
She wasn’t looking at the spectators.
She wasn’t even looking at the victory screen beginning to form above the arena.
She was looking at Tony.
Because for the first time since the day she left the Clark Family...
She finally believed him.
The realization hurt.
Far more than defeat.
Years of anger suddenly lost their foundation.
Years of hatred suddenly felt misplaced.
The emotion proved overwhelming.
Her knees weakened.
Her body tilted forward.
Before she could fall, Tony appeared beside her.
His hand caught her shoulder.
Above them, Da Vinci looked toward the devastated battlefield and released a slow breath.
Then his voice echoed throughout Nine Lotus Academy.
"The winner of the Golden Flag challenge... Tony Clark."
Thunderous applause erupted instantly.
Yet neither Tony nor Emma paid attention. Because some battles weren’t fought for victory. And some wounds couldn’t be healed by revenge.
Far above the arena, Natasha silently watched the scene while a faint smile appeared on her face.
Emma had been trapped inside the same memory. Today, that prison finally cracked. And sometimes... That was worth more than winning.
