It didn't take long for the Alpha Chosen teams that were not assigned numbers one to one hundred to settle into their seats.
They were assigned based on their respective Trial Zones. Most of those participating in the first batch came from the First Trial Continent, with a handful from the Second.
Hundreds of Reality Emulators materialized across the colosseum ground. One after another, the remaining Alpha Chosen stepped forward, each choosing an emulator. With that, the First Round officially began.
Just like in the previous tournaments, massive holographic screens lit up above the arena, displaying the virtual battles taking place inside the emulators.
This time, however, only the top 100 individual scores were shown. The moment someone's score dropped below that threshold, their screen vanished and was replaced by another.
Among those hundred displays, one screen stood out.
It was larger than the rest and locked permanently at the center, showing the individual with the highest score. Since the very first batch began, that screen had not changed even once.
The name displayed was Phosseh.
The fourth-ranked Power Ranker and one of the core circle members of Orion Vanguard.
Members of the Raider Guild were especially fired up, cheering loudly as they watched their Guild Master dominate. Phosseh cleared each difficulty level with ease, barely slowing down.
Within just a few minutes, he reached the sixteenth difficulty level, where he was matched against a Tier-6 Mid-Phase monster.
Even then, the fight did not last long.
Despite its strength, Phosseh defeated it without much trouble. Only then did he take a ten-minute break, restoring his stamina and Spirit Energy by consuming Essence Fruits.
Back in the seating area, discussions began to stir. Many wondered whether Phosseh could clear the 17th difficulty level.
The same conversation echoed near the Earth team's section, which was surrounded by several top teams from Orion Vanguard.
Akor, who had recently been promoted to Marshal within the Guardian Guild, leaned toward Brandon.
He asked, "Guild Master, do you think he can defeat a Tier-6 Mid-Phase monster again at the next level?"
Several nearby Alpha Chosen subtly shifted closer, listening in.
As one of the five Guild Masters, Brandon's reputation within Orion Vanguard was second only to Olivia, the Guild Master of the Commerce Guild.
He considered the question for a moment before answering.
"This time, Phosseh formed Transference Pacts with members who aren't participating in the Tournament and carefully power-leveled them. From what I've heard, most of them reached Peak Tier-4."
A quiet murmur spread.
"If he can transfer even one-fourth of their stats to himself, his raw stats would be second only to Jay."
He paused briefly, then added, "The real question is whether he can actually make use of all those stats. Even if he has access to them, that doesn't mean his body can handle it. If he can adapt fully, clearing even the eighteenth difficulty wouldn't be surprising."
Many around him were at Tier-5, just like Brandon, and were also Sigil Holders. They understood the problem all too well.
Rudimentary Sigil Holders could access looted stats equal to ten percent of Jay's total. Minor Sigil Holders could access up to twenty-five percent.
Yet even then, most of them struggled to adapt to even half of what they had access to.
They knew exactly what it felt like to possess overwhelming stats, yet be unable to wield them properly.
Just as many had expected, Phosseh used the ten-minute break to prepare properly.
He activated his ability to its fullest and began adjusting to the surge in attribute stats flowing into him through his Transference Pacts.
Adapting to such a sharp increase in stats was never easy. The pain alone was enough to break most, especially when the stats came in such massive quantities.
His muscles swelled visibly, bulging as though they might tear through his dark-brown skin. Veins stood out sharply, and the strained expression on his face that resembled a jackal made it clear how much he was enduring.
This time, Phosseh pushed himself to a personal best.
He increased his stats to 2.3 times his original total, reaching nearly 18,000 overall attribute stats. Even though he was only at the peak of Tier-5, his raw stats now rivaled those at the peak of Tier-6.
The reason he dared to go all out against a Tier-6 Mid-Phase monster was simple. He could not fully utilize every bit of the power he had gained.
In theory, he could have transferred even more stats. But, in practice, his control over his own body would degrade to the point where he could barely move without stumbling or crashing into obstacles.
With his preparations complete, the seventeenth difficulty level began.
The battle stretched on far longer than the previous ones, but in the end, Phosseh emerged victorious. This time, instead of taking the next ten-minute recovery break, he immediately advanced to the eighteenth difficulty level.
Many spectators were startled by the decision. The opponent he now faced was a Peak Tier-6 monster, and taking time to prepare would have been the wiser choice.
Near the Earth team's seating area, someone from the Owelite team voiced the same concern. Their strongest member, Seath, answered calmly,
"He's trying to finish it before his ability enters cooldown."
Those who heard the explanation nodded in understanding. Brandon, seated not far away, found the reasoning sound as well.
As a Marshal of the Raider Guild, Seath had followed Phosseh through countless raids. He knew his fighting style better than most.
Even so, most believed this was a gamble. The odds of Phosseh clearing the 18th difficulty were low, not because they doubted his strength, but because his opponent possessed a Pseudo-Domain.
Anyone who had challenged Sixth-Order Obelisks knew how terrifying even a pseudo version of a Domain could be.
The difference was overwhelming, and it became painfully clear as the battle dragged on. Phosseh's earlier stat advantage vanished.
Though his raw attributes were comparable to the monster's, he couldn't wield them with the same efficiency. His passive and active regeneration skills, gained through the Transference Pacts, allowed him to endure for a time, but even those began to fail under the oppressive influence of the Pseudo-Domain.
Eventually, Phosseh was pushed to the brink and he chose to withdraw.
He could have forced more stats onto himself, but doing so would have meant gambling with his life. He wasn't willing to cross that line.
His final score settled at 6,505,935 points.
As soon as Phosseh exited the Reality Emulator, three pairs of eyes locked onto him with unmistakable interest.
Malmir was the first to speak, his tone carrying clear approval.
"Well done. Defeating a Tier-6 Mid-Phase monster and even holding your ground against a Peak Tier-6 opponent is no small feat. You are destined for great things."
Felaric followed, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"We've lived long lives and yet remain stalled at the peak of Tier-6. Watching promising youths like you truly stirs memories of our younger days."
The leader of the Bloodfang Cult chimed in next, "With talent like this, even a Universe-level force such as the Hex Reptilia Clan would welcome you with open arms."
Malmir and Felaric exchanged brief glances and rolled their eyes, both clearly unimpressed by the not-so-subtle recruitment pitch. They chose not to comment, planning to approach Phosseh later during the break after Round One.
Phosseh gave a respectful nod.
"Thank you for your praise," he said simply, before turning and heading back toward the seating area.
The moment he returned, his Guild members swarmed him with excitement, their voices overlapping.
"Guild Leader! That was insane!"
"Going head-on with a Peak Tier-6 monster and surviving… that alone puts you in another league."
"Six and a half million points! You're definitely breaking into the top ten."
"....."
"....."
Phosseh acknowledged them with a small nod, but he did not let the praise linger in his heart. He knew better.
Many within Orion Vanguard could score just as high, if not higher. Unlike most of the faction's core members, he had not become a Sigil Holder.
He trusted his talent. As long as he could fully utilize the stats granted through his Transference Pacts, he believed he could become the strongest in the Trial World, perhaps even surpass Jay himself.
But there was one unavoidable problem Phosseh faced. Having access to stats was one thing. Using them properly was another. His body simply couldn't handle too much at once.
That was why his thoughts drifted to Jay.
He had heard of Jay's INVERSE mode, of how he could access massive amounts of stats and still wield them with frightening efficiency. Phosseh wanted to know how he did it. Yet he never asked. Everyone had secrets tied to their abilities, and prying into them was a quick way to offend even allies.
As that thought crossed his mind, a calm voice suddenly spoke beside him.
Little did he expect Jay to respond to the very thought in his mind, and even give him an answer he hadn't seen coming.
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