Aria lowered her head, her hands trembling slightly. Finally, her voice cracked as she stammered,
"I… I…"
But Kyran suddenly shattered the heavy silence with a teasing grin.
"Whoa, that's it? I thought it was something serious. I only awakened my mana six months ago!"
The group blinked in surprise before Mira burst out laughing, her voice bright and sweet.
"Ha ha! Same here! I've only got four stars and I awakened about a year ago."
Those simple words made Aria lift her gaze, astonishment flickering in her eyes.
"Re… really?"
Both nodded with radiant smiles, as warm and gentle as the dawn.
For the first time in a long while, Aria felt a weight lift from her chest perhaps she wasn't alone after all.
And so, she began to speak.
She told them everything from the day she turned thirteen, at the sacred baptism ceremony in the temple.
When every other child received a divine blessing, she received only the disappointed gaze of her father, the king.
She spoke of the days of neglect, of being mocked by her brother, until one night, the Eleventh Guardian, Icella appeared before her, granting her a holy blessing that saved her very soul from the abyss.
"I see…" Kyran said quietly: "Then… it's all in the past now. Don't let it weigh on you anymore, Princess. It's not worth it."
"That's right!" Mira nodded hard, her seriousness so exaggerated it was almost comical: "That stupid brother of yours... ugh, what a jerk! Forget about him already. But still…"
She trailed off, her eyes shifting sideways, a mischievous curl at her lips.
"That Ice Guardian Icella really is a good god, huh?"
Their honest encouragement made Aria smile, her eyes glistening.
"Th… thank you, everyone."
From afar, someone watched the scene quietly, lips curling into a faint smirk. A low sigh escaped him as his voice whispered like the chill of midnight wind:
"My master… how long do you plan to stir up trouble in this place?"
The small gathering ended on a warm note. As everyone prepared to return to their tents, Mira tugged gently on Soren's sleeve, pulling him aside behind one of the tents.
"Uh… wh-what is it, Mira?" Soren stammered, face reddening.
Mira pressed a finger to her lips.
"Shh. Keep quiet. Now… take your shirt off."
"W–WHAT?!" Soren nearly choked on air.
Before he could react, Mira swiftly unbuttoned his outer coat and slipped it off, followed by the thin shirt beneath. Soren froze, face burning red as steam.
"Look." Mira's tone was unexpectedly serious. "Your body's covered in purple marks. The poison from Rouge hasn't faded yet."
"How… how do you know that?"
Mira didn't answer. She only sighed softly, her eyes steady with resolve.
Without activating any visible spell, she simply placed her palm over Soren's chest. A pure white light radiated from her hand, enveloping his entire body. Slowly, every dark bruise, every trace of poison, dissolved into nothing.
Soren stared in disbelief.
"You… who are you, really? How can you use holy power without a divine bangle? Wait, weren't you a mana user? That wasn't mana just now, it was holy power…"
Mira blinked, then smiled innocently.
"Eh? I'm just Mira! What are you talking about? I used mana, and I just drew the poison out into this bracelet, see?"
She raised her wrist. The platinum bangle glimmered faintly, tiny purple streaks swirling within its core.
Soren's brow furrowed. "If you absorbed the poison, won't it harm you?"
"It's fine." Mira shook her head, her smile as gentle as moonlight: "This bracelet can purify all impurities. The poison will be gone by tomorrow."
Soren exhaled in relief, though something in him still felt strange. Mana had never been capable of purification, only holy energy could do that.
"Thank you so much, Mira. But… may I ask you something?"
"Of course. Go ahead."
"Why are you helping me this much? We've only just met."
Mira tilted her head slightly, then giggled, her voice soft as a breeze.
"Oh, that's easy… because I like you, that's all."
The short sentence froze time itself. Soren's face turned scarlet; his entire body stiffened like stone.
"Ah... uh, I... I see…! I'll, uh, head back to the tent first!"
He fled in a fluster, leaving Mira behind, watching his retreating back with an amused smile.
"That blushing face… isn't it adorable? My Soren really is such a cute boy."
Her laughter melted into the quiet of the night as the moon slipped behind the clouds.
Morning came with a sky blazing gold. The great bell rang out, echoing through the camp the final selection round was about to begin.
In the grand arena, thousands of spectators roared in excitement, waiting for the strongest contenders to appear.
No one knew that the battles to come would not simply decide ranks but would mark the beginning of a true storm.
At last, the long-awaited moment arrived: the final round of the Warrior Selection Tournament, an event held once every three years. For every contestant, this was the chance of a lifetime, a doorway to destiny.
The coliseum gleamed brighter than ever.
Each team had its own sea of supporters, their flags and colors flooding the stands.
The sound of horns, drums, and cheers filled the air, pulsing with the shared heartbeat of tens of thousands.
One by one, the teams were announced. Under the dazzling glow of enchanted orbs, they marched onto the field with fiery determination, eyes burning with ambition.
As always, the host's magically amplified voice thundered across the stadium.
"AYO! Welcome, everyone, to today's grand finale! I bet you're all dying to know who will be crowned as the new Royal Warriors, aren't you?"
The crowd erupted into a tidal wave of cheers, shaking the arena.
"Now, let me reveal something special!" the host continued dramatically. "After today's final round, the top twelve contestants, chosen by both the Council and audience votes, will officially join the Royal Army!"
The announcement struck like thunder. The audience leapt from their seats, waving flags, shouting names, their mana lights flickering like stars across the coliseum.
The atmosphere was electric sacred even as if destiny itself was holding its breath.
"Hold on, hold on!" The host gestured for quiet. "Let me explain the rules for today's matches. Every battle will be one-on-one. Teams will face off based on random draws. Even if your team loses, individual scores still count so if your performance ranks in the top twelve, you can still become a Royal Warrior!"
Excited murmurs rippled through the stands.
The contestants exchanged glances realizing that even in defeat, there was still a path to victory.
A priceless opportunity.
Kyran's team gathered, gripping each other's hands tightly. Determination blazed in every eye.
"All together, we'll win this!"
Their united cry echoed through the arena.
High above, the massive magic screen flickered to life, revealing the matchups:
Match 1: Black Serpent Team vs. Luminour Star Team
Match 2: Shooting Star Team vs. Overlord Team
The moment Kyran's group saw the name Overlord, their faces paled.
If fate paired them against that team, they'd have to fight Everen, the "monster" of the tournament.
No one wanted that.
The tension was palpable, a string stretched to breaking. But Kyran's expression remained calm, eyes glinting with fierce resolve.
He had already tasted bitter defeat once before at the hunting grounds.
This time, he swore to settle the score, to rise again with everything he had.
"Don't worry, everyone," he said firmly: "We just need to beat the other four teams. No matter who stands in our way, we'll break through."
The team froze for a second, then smiled. Yes… they still had hope.
The heavy air lifted, replaced by the blazing spirit of determination.
The final battle of the selection had begun...