Soren leaned forward anxiously: "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
Kyran gave a dry laugh.
"I'm fine. But he erased all my attacks like they were nothing. Worse… he can teleport."
The entire table fell silent.
Spatial teleportation, a power reserved only for those who had reached Saint Rank, level 11★ or higher, was said to be nearly extinct among living beings.
In this world, the hierarchy of human strength was divided as follows.
Lower Rank: 1–3 stars.
Intermediate Rank: 4–7 stars.
High Rank: 8–10 stars.
Saint Rank: 11 stars.
And finally, towering above all, Legendary Rank, 12 stars.
Aria spoke quietly, brows furrowed.
"From what I know, only the Commander of the Seven Saint Armies can use that spell. No one else in the entire kingdom is capable of it."
Lyra nodded in grim agreement.
That could only mean one thing, Everen Fredrick's power rivaled, or perhaps even surpassed, that of the strongest man in the realm.
Soren hesitated: "Then… the masked man who saved us earlier, he also used teleportation magic. Could it be… he's on the same level as them?"
No one answered. The team fell into uneasy silence.
Far away, in a dark, damp underground chamber. A man clad in tattered battle gear thrashed against iron chains.
Blood dripped onto the stone floor, its stench thick and suffocating.
That man was Meverdet Likhail, the fool who had mocked Soren and Mira in the forest of beasts.
And now, he was paying for it.
A cold, contemptuous voice echoed through the shadows: "My, my… what a pitiful sight. Perhaps I should find someone else to replace you in this tournament."
Meverdet's eyes went wide with terror. "No please! I beg you! Don't remove me from the trials! I have to become a warrior! If I fail… my family will kill me! I didn't know who I was offending!"
A shriek tore through the chamber as iron thorns pierced through his flesh, one by one.
The voice continued, half amusement, half deathly calm: "I heard someone intervened and saved them. But you see… you insulted me. And I do not forgive insults. Those who anger me… meet this fate."
The air filled with screams that clawed at the walls.
Even the three remaining members of Team Damian including Damian himself shuddered.
They covered their ears, faces pale as wax.
"D… damn it…" one of them muttered, trembling.
None dared to breathe too loudly.
They all knew, this was the price of defiance.
The next day dawned.
The Head-to-Head Tournament, where only the most promising young warriors remained, was about to begin.
The arena roared with life, tens of thousands of voices thundered under the vaulted dome.
Magic lights flared overhead, heat and excitement mingling in a storm of anticipation.
Spectators stomped, cheered, and clapped in rhythm, turning the whole coliseum into a sea of fire.
On the grand dais, the Holy Knights and the kingdom's highest officials took their seats, their gazes sharp and expectant.
This wasn't just a competition, it was a crucible to forge the future of the kingdom's might.
Six teams strode out onto the battlefield, each carrying their own aura, six blazing stars ready to collide.
The announcer's voice boomed with ceremonial grandeur: "Now, please welcome our contenders into the arena!"
"Team White Horse, ranked sixth in the preliminaries led by Ranga Headmaster!"
The crowd erupted.
"Next, Team Black Serpent, ranked fifth led by Sharian Lethial!"
A formation of warriors cloaked in black marched out, serpent insignias coiled on their shoulders cold, arrogant, and lethal.
"Team Infernal Flame, led by Kelly Charm, please enter the stage!"
"Team Shooting Star, captained by Kyran famed for his ability to manipulate magic without a medium!"
The stands exploded in cheers. All eyes turned to Kyran, who scratched his head awkwardly under the attention.
"Team Luminous Star, second place in the preliminaries led by Mike Lilton of the Northern Empire!"
"And finally… Team Overlord, champions of the qualifiers led by Damian Von Rozen, a man born to rule!"
The crowd went wild.
Soren frowned, annoyed: "Ugh, what's so great about him anyway?"
Mira tugged his sleeve nervously: "C'mon, Soren… calm down, okay?"
Hovering above the arena, the host raised his staff, threads of magic swirling like ribbons of light. His voice boomed like a temple bell: "Ladies and gentlemen! Today's battles will follow the 2:2:1 format, two team duels, followed by a final one-on-one match. The team with the most victories will advance to the championship!"
Weapons tightened in their grips.
Hearts pounded in rhythm with the drums of war.
Four massive screens rotated above the arena, finally locking onto the matchups.
Round 1: Black Serpent vs Shooting Star.
Round 2: Infernal Flame vs Luminous Star.
Round 3: White Horse vs Overlord.
Kyran grinned, eyes alight with confidence.
"Perfect. We're up first. Let's make sure the entire arena remembers the name Shooting Star!"
"Right. Opening the match gives us the momentum."
"Let's give it everything we've got!"
The team raised their fists together, shouting in unison.
Across the field, Team Black Serpent gathered, eyes gleaming like blades.
Mira's hands trembled slightly, heart pounding: "What if… I mess everything up…"
Soren placed a steady hand on her shoulder, smiling gently: "Don't worry. You're paired with me. If anything happens, I'll handle it."
She nodded, confidence flickering in her eyes.
Kyran sighed, half amused. "You two seriously… already making your own plans."
From the spectators' section, Team Overlord watched.
A strange tension hung over them their faces pale, expressions unreadable.
Yet Damian's eyes burned sharply, fixed on Kyran's team.
"The first match! Sam Harmas and Bell Sway of Team Black Serpent versus Aria Lume and Lyra Helvar of Team Shooting Star!"
The horn blared.
Sam's aura burst to life, the wind howled as he summoned a massive Berserk Wolf, nearly four meters tall, eyes glowing emerald, fangs gleaming.
The audience gasped.
"Ha! Terrified already, aren't you?" Sam sneered.
"Not even close." Lyra's voice rang clear and defiant.
She spun midair, unleashing Tempest Fury, a roaring vortex that trapped the beast in a cyclone of slicing wind.
Without pause, she chained it with Raging Wind Slash, a crescent gale that cut clean through the wolf's chest.
The beast let out a guttural roar, then collapsed into dust.
"Incredible!" the commentator shouted.
"Two chained spells! Lyra Helvar has taken down the beast in seconds!"
Damian reclined in his seat, unimpressed: "A weak summon was bound to fall... " he muttered.
Bell retaliated, hurling a barrage of Toxic Spikes and Venom Shadows, thousands of poisoned needles slicing through the air.
But in the blink of an eye, Aria closed her eyes, calm and composed. Her hands glowed faint blue and with a soft motion, she whispered, Frozen Requiem.
A wave of frost swept across the arena, turning every poison dart into glittering shards of ice that fell harmlessly to the ground.
Bell paled. "That's… impossible…"
Aria's eyes opened cold, merciless: "You two are far too weak."
Lyra moved again, activating Tempest Spiral, the colossal wind pillar hurling Sam clean out of the arena with a deafening crash.
Sam Harmas... OUT!
Bell barely had time to react before Aria raised her hand once more.
A sapphire frost enveloped her and in a heartbeat, she was frozen solid, locked in a crystalline prison.
The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers. The arena shook with excitement.
"Unbelievable! Team Shooting Star claims a crushing victory in the very first match!"