A wave of crushing darkness washed over me, a terrifying aura enveloped my senses, its power so immense it felt like the very air was being compressed. It was hard for me to breathe and to think.
For a moment, I was sure this was the end, my head turning, everything slowly became hazy as I fought to stay conscious. But a primal instinct to survive forced me to stay conscious, and I broke free, running with everything I had.
Escaping from its clasp drained me, I can't even use my ability.
A sudden burst of static filled my mind. "Sari! Get back here now, there's only one minute left before the game ends. I'm sending you the coordinates." It was Ate Clydelle, her telepathic message cutting off as she disabled her link. I mimicked her actions, my eyes darting to the coordinates on my wristband.
My heart pounded as the chilling words of the stranger echoed in my mind, a taunting whisper from just moments ago.
"Are you afraid of me? If you are…" he had chuckled, the sound a low, menacing rumble. "...then you can't possibly escape, little one."
I wasn't sure what he meant, but I suspected it had something to do with his ability. His power felt different—it was an all-consuming dread that crawled under my skin, making my knees feel weak and my head throb with an intense, piercing pain. It was a fear I couldn't understand, a terror that felt foreign and forced upon me.
As I ran, my own energy was dwindling with every step, and the ache in my head only grew more severe.
"Ate Clydelle!" I gasped, collapsing the moment I arrived at the rendezvous point. Frank and Tyler caught me just before I hit the ground.
"What happened?" Clydelle's voice was sharp with alarm.
"Nothing," I lied, my voice strained. "I think I overused my time control ability." It was a plausible excuse. Ate Clydelle was already pushing her own limits and wouldn't be able to sense my deception, and I knew if she found out I had engaged the enemy, a lecture about my recklessness would follow.
"You're always so careless," she chided, her expression a mix of concern and exasperation. "When are you going to learn to take care of yourself?"
But Frank, with his unnerving ability to read people, wasn't convinced. "Are you sure? Tell us what really happened," he pressed, his gaze piercing.
A wave of nausea hit me, and my voice caught in my throat. "I don't... know…" I stammered. A searing pain, it was like the worst possible cramp, but multiplied by five exploded in my gut. A cry of agony escaped from my lips, and my legs gave out.
But just as I was about to collapse, Frank and Tyler caught me, each slinging one of my arms over their shoulders. "It hurts…" I groaned, the world spinning around me.
"A-ate?" the boys stammered, their voices laced with fear.
"Sari, please tell us what happened," Clydelle pleaded, her expression softening.
"Nothing…" I insisted, trying to push through the agony.
"You're not telling the truth. Your heart rate is increasing."
"You shouldn't use your ability to check me…" I grumbled, closing my eyes. "I don't have the energy to… respond."
"Okay, okay," she conceded. "But you have to tell me all the details later."
After the final announcement, we were all instantly teleported to the safe zone with the other winners. Class K healers were already there, ready to tend to our wounds and exhaustion.
"I want to congratulate each and everyone of you on passing the test! You've all earned a spot in the upcoming tournament next month!" a voice boomed over the loudspeakers. "Please stay in your designated areas while the Class S sorceress heals you. While you recover, we'll announce the winners and their ranks!"
On the large screen above the stage, the winning four-person teams were displayed one by one.
1st Place: Team 21 and 19
15 crystals stolen from other teams, they have a total of 16 crystals.
"Wow! They've gained a lot!" Miss Samantha exclaimed.
"That is to be expected from the Eclipse Family! We are grateful to the king for allowing their prince and princess to participate in the tournament," Mr. Lemueleon said merrily.
"Wow! I'm so excited to see more of their fights!" she squealed.
2nd Place: Team 11 and 17
7 crystals obtained, with a total of 8.
"They're outstanding as well!" the administrator announced. "Team 11 is made up of the well-known Harmony Sisters, each with their own key element!"
"And Team 17 included two princesses from the Fairy and Elf kingdoms!" she added proudly. "It's no surprise they've gained so much!"
3rd Place: Team 09
4 crystals obtained, with a total of 5.
"Woah! I'd never heard of them—and oh! They're from another world! The one where mortals live!" Mr. Lemueleon announced, a look of surprise on his face.
"Really?" Miss Samantha asked. "Is it even possible for a mortal to have such powers? Aren't theirs too great for a human without royal blood?"
"Perhaps they are beings favored by magic, which would explain it."
"Or perhaps cursed?" she added with a giggle.
Mr. Alfredo and Ms. Kagame had made sure our mortal identities wouldn't be revealed. I wondered how this information had been leaked. Was it the disembodied voice from last night? The voice that was so similar to the man I'd encountered earlier?
Whispers grew louder around us, and I could hear all the unpleasant words being directed at my team.
"They come from the mortal realm? I thought that was just a myth."
"How much power do they really have?"
"They're trespassers, aren't they?"
"How come they're allowed to participate?"
"Only Zeraschian people can join, right?"
"Maybe they're spies."
"I can't believe such lowly creatures actually exist!"a man sneered as he walked toward us, with three others following closely behind. Everyone made way for him, a clear sign that he was part of a royal family.
"That's the young Lord of the Solaria family, the cousin of the Sun Princess," someone whispered.
"And next to him is young Lady Leonel of the Freyr."
My heart sank. He was the man I'd made eye contact with earlier.
"Finally… We meet again, peasant from an unknown world," he said with a sarcastic tone.
"Do you know who he is?" Ate Clydelle asked.
I looked away, shaking my head. "No."
"No? How could you forget my attractive face? I'm sure you're the one I marked," he said, smirking.
Ate Clydelle looked at me, with a puzzled look, but I avoided her gaze.
"What do you mean?" I asked, feigning ignorance.
"I made a mark on you the moment you felt the connection from my gaze," he replied.
"Huh?"
"Hmm, well..." He started walking toward me. I took a step back, but my body suddenly froze. I couldn't move an inch. He leaned close to my ear and whispered, "That mark will allow me to affect your vitality, but only if you're strong enough to withstand it."
He was far too chatty for an antagonist.
My guess was right; he was the source of these unbearable sensations from a while ago.
"Affect me?" I scoffed, my voice laced with disbelief. "The elimination round is over. There's no reason for you to leave such an imprint unless you're planning something evil."
A condescending smirk spread across his face. "I'm just kidding. Of course, I wouldn't go to such lengths with someone who was lucky enough to survive this round."
Just as the tension threatened to escalate, Miss Samantha's voice boomed over the speakers, cutting through the murmurs.
"Attention everyone! We will now continue announcing the remaining winners of other groups! Please return to your seats and pay attention!"
The crowd quickly dispersed, the commotion fading as people hurried back to their places.
"Sari? Care to explain?" Ate Clydelle asked, her arms crossed and one eyebrow raised, a clear sign she was not amused.
I tried to deflect. "Uhh... Look! They're about to announce the winners! You're the one who told us to watch, right?" I said, pointing at the large screen.
"Tch! Make sure to tell me everything later," she warned, giving me a final glare before turning her attention back to the announcements.
1st Place: Team 6
10 crystals obtained, with a total of 11.
"Oh, this is incredible! It appears we have a special participant from the Divine Haven Realms!" Mr. Lemueleon exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement.
"Really?" Miss Samantha asked.
"Yes! From Team 6, we have top Holy Knights rankers led by our very own guest mentor, Mr. Nicholas Wrighte! He's one of the Legendary Holy Knights!"
Astonishment rippled through the crowd as gossip of the Holy Knights began to circulate.
2nd Place: Team 64
4 crystals obtained, with a total of 5.
3rd Place: Team 15 and Team 57
3 crystals obtained, with a total of 4.
"Wow, they managed to survive in the presence of the Holy Knights!" one person whispered, clearly impressed.
"Next up will be the groups with six members!" Miss Samantha announced, her energy unwavering.
1st Place: Team 13
8 crystals obtained, with a total of 9.
"Aren't they the Sacred Nuns who have been blessed by the king's power? I thought nuns were supposed to protect the church from evil spirits?" Mr. Lemueleon inquired, sounding slightly puzzled.
"Yes, they are Zeraschia's beauty, but they came here to represent the church and show off their tremendous skills," she clarified.
2nd Place: Team 20
3 crystals obtained from their opponents.
3rd Place: Team 54 and Team 62
2 crystals obtained from their opponents.
"I guess some are lucky to have survived the elimination," he chuckled.
"And some of them are beasts who want to mark their territory!" Miss Samantha exclaimed with delight.
1st Place: Team 72
Obtained 81 of their opponent's crystals for a total of 82.