The moment the old man appeared, the entire Neutral Galaxy of Andimadoria fell into absolute silence.
It was not because he released an overwhelming amount of energy.
It was because his very existence represented something far greater than power.
Age.
Wisdom.
Authority.
The feeling that this being had stood before the rise and fall of civilizations beyond counting.
Even the ancient rulers who normally considered stars insignificant lowered their voices in his presence.
His eyes swept across the endless gathering.
Across the countless spectators.
Across the supreme beings who had come to witness the birth of a new generation.
And finally—
Across the candidates.
Thousands of extraordinary individuals, each one carrying the hope of a unique physique.
Each one the sole candidate of a specific body.
None of them were chosen by the same body
Because in the end, every body had only one successor.
The old man's voice echoed through the stars.
"Today, you stand before a path that countless beings have desired to walk."
"A path that has created rulers of galaxies, conquerors of dimensions, and legends whose names are engraved into the laws of existence themselves."
"But understand this clearly."
His gaze sharpened.
"The power you seek is not a gift."
"It is not a reward."
"It is a responsibility."
A terrifying pressure spread through the surroundings.
Many young candidates felt their souls tremble.
Some lowered their heads.
Others clenched their fists.
Even the most arrogant among them became serious.
"The bodies that await you are not tools."
"They are the manifestation of truths that existed before your birth and will remain after your death."
"If you seek them for pride, you will fail."
"If you seek them for domination, you may obtain strength but never understanding."
"If you wish to become their true successors..."
The old man raised his hand.
"Then prove that your existence deserves to stand alongside theirs."
Silence followed.
A silence filled with countless emotions.
Excitement.
The Fear.
Determination.
Ambition.
Then the old man continued.
"The Great Tournament shall proceed through five stages."
The First Stage
A gigantic projection appeared in the sky.
One hundred colossal platforms materialized.
Each platform was larger than an entire continent.
"The candidates shall be divided into one hundred groups."
"Each group shall contain sixty candidates."
"Only the one who remains standing at the end of the battle shall advance."
Many candidates became tense.
There were no complicated rules.
No time limits.
No methods to escape.
Only survival.
Only victory.
The weak would be eliminated immediately.
The Second Stage
The platforms disappeared and were replaced by a new image.
"The one hundred victors from the first stage shall automatically qualify."
"Among those who were defeated, the candidates with the highest battle evaluations shall be selected."
A murmur spread throughout the audience.
A second chance.
A final opportunity.
The old man continued.
"All selected candidates shall enter a drawing."
"Every two names chosen will battle."
"The winner of each battle will advance."
This meant that talent would not be discarded simply because a candidate had been unfortunate enough to encounter an overwhelming opponent in the first round.
Even defeat could still leave a path forward.
The Third Stage
The old man's expression became more serious.
"Only fifty candidates will remain."
The sky trembled as fifty golden platforms appeared.
They floated in an endless void.
Each one shining like a small sun.
"The rules of this stage are simple."
"The first fifty candidates to occupy these platforms become their owners."
A slight smile appeared on the old man's face.
"But ownership does not mean safety."
The candidates became silent.
"Every remaining contestant will have two opportunities to challenge an owner and take their place."
"And every owner must accept up to two challenges each day."
"No one can refuse a challenge as long as they have not reached their daily limit."
Immediately, countless minds began calculating.
Strength alone was not enough.
Strategy.
Timing.
Endurance.
The ability to conceal one's true abilities.
All of these would become weapons.
Some would fight to claim a throne.
Others would fight to defend it.
The Fourth Stage
"After the completion of the siege of the fifty platforms..."
The old man's voice became even heavier.
"The fifty survivors shall battle among themselves."
The stars behind him seemed to darken.
"Only ten shall remain."
The entire galaxy became silent.
Thousands of candidates.
Reduced to ten.
The true monsters among monsters.
"Those ten will receive a precious opportunity."
"A chance to deepen their understanding of the bodies they seek."
"For a brief period, they shall be allowed to perceive a fragment of the truth behind their destined physiques."
Many supreme beings in the audience revealed slight changes in expression.
Even for them, such an opportunity was priceless.
The Final Stage
The old man's eyes became solemn.
"This stage has only one purpose."
The universe itself seemed to listen.
"Recognition."
The word echoed through the stars.
"Each remaining candidate shall face the final trial of their own destined body."
At that moment, many candidates held their breath.
The old man continued.
"The energies of the special bodies do not appear together."
"Only the energies of the bodies whose candidates have reached this stage will manifest."
A wave of understanding spread among the audience.
If the candidate of a certain body failed before reaching the end—
That body's energy would never appear.
It would remain silent.
Waiting for another era.
The old man's voice became deeper.
"Each candidate will be transported before the essence of their own body."
"There, they will attempt to understand it."
"To synchronize with it."
"To prove that they are worthy of becoming its successor."
"No one will compete against another in this final trial."
"Because no one can steal another's path."
His eyes swept over the ten future finalists.
"For every body chooses its own heir."
A profound silence covered Andimadoria.
At that moment, every candidate realized something terrifying.
The tournament was not truly about defeating others.
The battles.
The blood.
The strategies.
The victories.
They were merely the road.
The real challenge waited at the end.
A confrontation between the candidate and the body
And the very truth that had been waiting for them since the beginning of their existence.
The old man slowly closed his eyes.
Then he spoke his final words.
"Show the universe why you were chosen."
"Show your bodies that they did not make a mistake."
"Let the Great Tournament of Ascension..."
His ancient aura exploded across the endless cosmos.
"BEGIN."
For a brief moment—
The entire universe seemed to hold its breath.
Because a new era was about to be born.