Orion returned Atlas to his beast space, feeling a sense of pride in his victory. He had won the battle without even fighting. Atlas's size and power had intimidated his opponent, and she had ultimately forfeited the match to protect her newly contracted beast.
As he made his way back to his place in the arena, Orion could feel the eyes of the other participants on him. They were all sizing him up, wondering just how powerful he really was. Orion paid them no mind, instead focusing on the sense of accomplishment that he felt. He had managed to contract a First-Stage Warrior Realm Beast and had won his first battle in the Celestial Harmony Sect.
Just as he was settling back into his spot, he felt a presence approaching him. He turned to see Aurora walking towards him, a smile on her face. "Congratulations on winning the match, Orion," she said, her voice warm and friendly.
Orion smiled back at her, feeling a sense of warmth in his chest at her kind words. "Thank you,"
Aurora smiled slightly at his words, and Orion could see there was something wrong in her eyes. "Is something wrong?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.
Aurora shook her head quickly, her smile returning to her face. "No, no, everything is fine," she said, "I just wanted to congratulate you on your victory."
Orion could tell that she was hiding something, but he didn't push the matter. Instead, he decided to address the elephant in the room. "Aurora, you don't need to act like that anymore," he said gently.
Aurora looked up at him in surprise, her eyes widening. "What do you mean?" she asked, confusion evident in her voice.
Orion took a deep breath, deciding to be honest with her. "I know that you've been trying to act kind to me, but I can see through it," he said, "You don't need to hide your true self from me."
Aurora was taken aback by his words, her expression one of shock and surprise. "Impressive, Orion," she said, a small smile playing on her lips, "To think that you saw through it."
Orion watched as Aurora's smile faded from her face, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. He could feel the temperature drop several degrees as Aurora's true self emerged. The warmth that he had felt just moments ago was gone, replaced by an icy chill.
Aurora's eyes narrowed as she regarded him, a new level of intensity in her gaze. "You are perceptive, Orion," she said, her voice low and measured. "But you don't know me well enough to make such assumptions."
Orion kept his calm, refusing to be intimidated by Aurora's sudden change in demeanor. "I may not know everything about you, Aurora," he said evenly, "But I can see through the facade that you're trying to put up."
Aurora's lips twisted into a smirk, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. "And what makes you think that I'm putting up a facade?" she asked, her tone challenging.
Orion met her gaze, holding her stare without flinching. "Because I know that the person in front of me is not the same person that I just saw a few seconds ago," he said, his voice steady and unwavering.
Aurora chuckled softly, a sound that sent shivers down Orion's spine. "You're right, Orion," she said, "I am not the warm and friendly person that I was pretending to be."
Orion kept his expression neutral, but inside, he was reeling. He had never met anyone like Aurora before, someone who could change their demeanor so quickly and so completely. He wondered what kind of person she was and what kind of secrets she was hiding.
Aurora seemed to sense his curiosity because she spoke up again. "I am a woman who will do whatever it takes to achieve my goals," she said, her voice cold and hard. "I don't let emotions get in the way of what needs to be done."
Orion listened intently, trying to understand what she was saying. He knew what she meant by that. Sometimes emotion can get in the way of someone's success.
"You may not agree with my methods, Orion," Aurora continued, "But I believe that they are necessary. In this world, only the strong survive."
After hearing Aurora's confession, Orion only smiled and looked at her. "It's okay," he said softly, "I understand it. I know what you mean, but I don't like you to hide that personality. I like your personality quite a bit. Do you know it?"
Aurora looked at him in surprise, her eyes wide. She had not expected such a response from Orion, and she wasn't sure how to react. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Orion leaned towards her. His expression was serious. "I mean that I see through the act you put on, Aurora," he said, "I know that you're not as kind as you pretend to be, but that doesn't change the fact that I like you for who you are."
Aurora felt her heart flutter at his words, and she couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. She had spent so much time trying to hide her true self from Orion, but Orion had seen through her facade. "You...you really mean that?" she asked, her voice uncertain.
Orion nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Of course I do," he said, "I think your true self is much more interesting than the persona you've been putting on. You don't need to hide who you really are, Aurora."
After a few moments of silence, Aurora took a deep breath and composed herself. She could feel her face burning with embarrassment at having her true personality exposed, but she knew that she needed to face it head-on.
"Thank you for your words, Orion," she said, her voice steady but slightly subdued. "I see that I don't need to hide it anymore. I want to tell you that if you want to get me, become stronger than everyone else."
Orion looked at her, his eyes searching hers. He could see the determination in her gaze, and he knew that she was serious. He had already sensed that she was a woman with strong ambitions, but now he understood just how far she was willing to go to achieve them.
"I understand," he said, nodding slowly. "I will do my best to become stronger."
Aurora nodded, a hint of a smile returning to her lips. "Good," she said, "I'm glad that we can be honest with each other now."
Orion smiled back at her, feeling a sense of relief that their conversation had gone well. He had always been a straightforward person, and he appreciated Aurora's honesty.
