Novel's Extra: I Awakened The Strongest Physique From The Start - Chapter 237

Chapter 237: CHAPTER 238 – One Favor.
The Colosseum was a maelstrom of confusion.

The thick fog hung like an unnatural storm cloud, obscuring everything within the arena.

The audience clamored in their seats, their voices a chaotic mix of speculation and worry.

“What the hell is that fog?! Is it part of Alex’s abilities?!”

“Yo, is this a new DLC? Why wasn’t I informed?!”

“Ain’t no way Alex just unlocked ‘Fog of War’ mid-fight…”

“I can’t see anything! Someone dispel this already!”

“Bro really said ‘You can’t hit what you can’t see’ and made it everyone’s problem.”

“Wait, wait! What if this isn’t Alex’s magic but Varacius’s?? Or maybe someone else is interfering?”

“The wyvern… is it still alive? Or did Alex finish it before the mist spread?”

“Damn, even the referees look confused. This ain’t part of the script?”

“I swear, if Alex pulled out another insane trump card, I’m gonna lose my mind!”

“Tch, why did I bet on Varacius?! Damn it!”

“Forget that—what if something else is in there?!”

Some whispered about hidden abilities; others feared outside interference. But none could pierce the veil to see what was unfolding inside.

The referee, who seemed as confused as the audience made it out to be, stood at the edge of the barrier, his fingers twitching as he activated his communication crystal.

“Something’s happening down here,” he muttered, his voice tense. “The fog—it feels like an outside interference.”

He quickly took out a communication device pulsating with golden ruins before he spoke. “Requesting immediate guidance. What are my orders?”

Static crackled over the connection. Then silence.

The higher-ups were deliberating.

The higher-ups, however, weren’t far away.

A silhouette could be seen above the Colosseum, but no one seemed to be looking at it. It was more like no one could see it.

“Hmm…” The figure hummed, his hand stroking his flowing white beard. “Why is she here?”

It was an old man wearing a loose mage robe, flying in the sky as if it were nothing major.

He squinted his eyes, trying to see what was happening, his silver eyes shining mysteriously.

…………………

Meanwhile, inside the arena, Alex remained motionless, his eyes locked onto the woman before him. Even through the mist, her presence radiated power—controlled yet undeniable.

[She’s probably an elder dragon,] Sophie informed him, making him frown inwardly, wondering what an elder dragon was doing here.

His grip on Verathian remained firm, but he did not raise the blade. Not yet.

“You know my name,” he said, his tone measured.

“I know much about you, Alex Drakathor,” the dragon replied smoothly, her gaze unwavering. “I came to observe this competition. Tales of promising students reached my ears, but my interest shifted when I saw that wyvern.”

She turned slightly, her golden eyes flickering toward the unconscious beast. “It carries the blood of one I once knew. A descendant of an elder dragon, fallen long ago. I will not let it perish here.”

Her words made her intentions for coming here clear, and Alex, hearing those words, got a better picture of what was happening.

He exhaled, his expression unreadable. “Interfering in an official match is a serious offense. Even for someone like you.”

“Had I struck at you, had I forced the outcome in my favor, then yes, the consequences I would face would be something even my status cannot erase.” Her voice was calm but firm. “But I merely created an opportunity. A choice. And now, I extend that same courtesy to you.”

Before Alex could say anything, she stepped forward, the fog swirling around her. “Relinquish your claim to the wyvern, and I will take it with me.”

Alex said nothing at first. His mind worked quickly, calculating the angles.

The Wyvern was strong, but its value to him was limited.

Slaying it would only grant prestige—something he already possessed in abundance.

Yes, it could be sold for a large sum, but the last thing Alex needed was money. Even if he didn’t earn anything, Gurrak, the golden goblin working for him, could keep generating money.

There was no tangible benefit in killing the wyvern, not when a negotiation could yield something more useful.

He didn’t need to kill the wyvern to win the match after all.

However, Alex needed to show that he wasn’t intimidated since, for a while, the dragon in front of him had been leading the conversation.

“You’re powerful,” he admitted, “but even an elder dragon has limits. You know you can’t afford to overreach here.”

The dragon’s lips curled in the barest hint of amusement. “And you are perceptive enough to recognize that. Good.”

She wasn’t concerned; she was merely amused.

But Alex had made his point, so he tilted his head. “Very well. I’ll give up the wyvern. But I have conditions.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Speak.”

“First, you leave this fog intact for at least five minutes after you take the wyvern.”

A flicker of interest crossed her face. “You want to use my power for your gain.”

“I would leave that to your imagination,” Alex corrected. “But it would be better if you don’t speak of it to anyone.”

She considered him for a moment before nodding. “Alright. What else?”

“Second, you owe me a favor. A single favor, to be called upon when I choose.”

At that, the dragon’s expression darkened slightly. “You test the boundaries of my patience.”

It would’ve been fine if Alex had said that he would make a request later, which she had to fulfill, but a favor meant that she had to work for Alex.

To a dragon as old as her, nothing was more shameful than working for a human.

She knew Alex was no normal human—she even doubted if he was a human—but she still wasn’t someone he could call upon as if she were his follower.

Alex, however, remained steady, his expression calm despite the pressure she gave off. “I’m giving you something of value. I expect something in return.”

A tense silence stretched between them as the dragon contemplated. Finally, she exhaled, as if indulging a particularly stubborn child. “One favor. Within reason.”

“Within reason,” Alex echoed, satisfied.

As the deal was struck, the fog remained thick, undisturbed. Outside the barrier, the referee shifted anxiously, still awaiting orders.

Then, at last, the voice of a higher-up crackled through the communication crystal.

“Leave it be.”

The referee hesitated, then nodded. “Understood.”

The old man, who was flying above the Colosseum, however, was nowhere to be seen anymore.

He seemed to have judged the situation to be under control or unworthy of being alarmed.

Inside the arena, Alex watched as the dragoness moved toward the wyvern, her fingers trailing over its scorched scales.

Then, in a whisper of magic, she and the beast vanished into the mist, leaving nothing but silence behind.

Alex turned toward Varacius, and a grin marred his face.

“Let’s wake up the star, shall we?”

………………….

Minutes later, the fog began to lift.

The Colosseum held its breath as the battlefield was revealed.

The wyvern was gone.

Alex and Varacius stood side by side, their forms emerging from the dissipating haze. Alex’s blade remained at his side, unbloodied, his stance relaxed yet unreadable.

The audience erupted into frenzied speculation.

“Where did the wyvern go?!”

“Did he—did he vaporize it?!”

“That wasn’t a normal fight! Something happened!”

Yet no one could say for certain what had transpired within the fog. And Alex, as he sheathed Verathian, merely allowed a knowing smirk to cross his lips.

The battle was over.

But the game had only just begun.