Chapter 278: End of the second match (2)
Aegon hit the buzzer and was instantly transported to the challenge room.
As he approached the pedestal in the center, he found himself facing an unexpected challenge-a tablet screen displaying a strange magical path puzzle.
"Uh... do I have to play this game?" Aegon muttered to himself, feeling uneasy.
He had never been particularly good at games, and the pressure was already beginning to mount.
"Good luck, Aegon! We know you can do it," Clarice cheered through the voice chat, trying to boost his morale.
Aegon took a deep breath and began examining the screen.
His task was to guide a small magical orb through a network of interconnected paths and reach the glowing exit at the other end.
However, there was a catch.
Several of the paths were blocked by magical barriers, while others would activate traps if the orb passed through them. The only way to determine the correct route was by studying the symbols placed along each path.
Aegon frowned.
"Seriously?"
The screen displayed dozens of interconnected routes, each marked with different symbols. Some paths curved around one another, while others ended abruptly.
Aegon began tracing the routes with his finger, trying to
determine which paths were safe.
Tap-Tap-
He zoomed in and out of the screen, carefully examining the symbols.
The puzzle seemed to stretch on endlessly.
His heart rate began to rise.
Aegon closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
When he opened them again, his expression became focused.
He activated one of his skills.
The enhanced perception allowed him to notice something he had previously overlooked.
The symbols weren't random.
Each safe path followed a specific sequence.
'So that's how it works.'
Aegon immediately began comparing the symbols.
A moon was followed by a star.
The star was followed by a flame.
The flame was followed by a water symbol.
Then the sequence repeated.
He began tracing a route based on the pattern.
Tap-Tap-
His heart pounded as he moved the magical orb from one section to another, carefully avoiding the paths that didn't match the sequence,
At one point, the orb reached a junction with three
different routes.
Aegon hesitated.
"Left... no."
He moved his finger back.
"That one breaks the pattern."
He selected the middle route.
The orb moved forward.
Aegon continued.
"Okay... I think I'm getting somewhere."
His eyes darted across the screen as he carefully followed the sequence.
His teaminates watched with bated breath, silently urging him on.
Diana leaned forward on the sofa, her eyes glued to the screen.
"Go left, Senior Aegon! No, no, wait! Go right!"
Aegon followed her advice.
The orb immediately struck a barrier.
The screen flashed red.
Aegon stared at it.
...That wasn't right."
Diana quickly corrected herself.
"Sorry! Go back!"
Aegon sighed but continued.
Her attempts to guide him only made the situation more confusing, and he soon found himself facing another
difficult junction.
Frustration began to set in, but he refused to give up.
This was a matter of life and death, and he refused to become dead weight for his team.
He carefully examined the symbols again.
Then his eyes widened.
"Wait..."
He looked at the previous sequence.
"I think I got it!"
Aegon quickly moved the orb along the correct path.
One section after another disappeared behind him.
Finally, the orb reached the glowing exit.
The entire screen flashed brightly.
The rest of the team erupted into cheers.
Aegon released a long breath.
"I did it..."
{Congratulations! You have completed Puzzle 3/5 of the Puzzle Relay Round-the Arcane Path!}
Aegon was teleported back to the room, still catching his breath.
"Sorry I took quite a lot of time completing it," he said, his voice filled with disappointment.
"Don't be sorry, Aegon. You did great," Riley reassured him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
However, Inwardly, Diana was biting her nails with anxiety.
As team captain, she had been keeping track of the time, and she knew that this Puzzle Relay Round was turning into
a major time-waster.
Although the puzzles were relatively easy, completing them one after another was consuming a considerable amount of time.
"Senior Riley! It's your turn. Press that buzzer now!" Diana commanded, her calm demeanor fading.
!?
Startled by her sudden urgency, Riley Instinctively pressed the buzzer without questioning her.
Buzz-
"What the hell?" Riley muttered, confused by Diana's sudden change in mood as he was teleported into the white room.
However, he quickly shrugged off his confusion and approached the center of the room.
There, he found a tablet screen displaying a magical number-placement puzzle.
Riley stared at it for a moment.
"It's a number sequence puzzle!"
He quickly examined the screen.
Rows of numbers were displayed across it, but several spaces were empty. Above the puzzle were several clues describing the mathematical relationships between the numbers.
Riley's eyes immediately lit up.
"Interesting"
He loved puzzles like this, and he was determined to complete it as quickly as possible,
Do you need any help?" Diana asked through the voice chat.
"Don't worry. I got this," Riley replied confidently.
He immediately began analyzing the first row.
"If the difference between these two numbers is four, then this one should be..."
He quickly entered the number.
A soft chime sounded.
"Correct."
Riley's smile widened.
He moved to the next sequence.
"This one doubles every time..."
Tap.
Another number appeared.
"Correct."
He continued working through the puzzle, identifying patterns between the numbers and using the clues to determine the missing values.
The rest of the team watched in amazement as he filled in one space after another.
"You're Incredible, Riley! I can barely even understand this puzzle," Aegon said admiringly.
Riley smiled, feeling a sense of satisfaction as he completed each sequence,
"Almost done,.,,"
The pressure was on, but Riley remained calm and focused.
He took a deep breath and examined the final sequence
carefully.
There was only one empty space remaining.
He studied the numbers around it.
Then his eyes narrowed.
"Got you."
Tap.
He entered the final number.
The entire screen immediately lit up.
"Done!"
Riley exclaimed, holding up the completed screen with a grin.
[Congratulations! You have completed Puzzle 4/5 of the Puzzle Relay Round-the Sequence Challenge!}
Riley felt a sense of pride as he was teleported back to the room.
Swish-
Diana glanced at the timer on her wrist and sighed Inwardly.
Time was running out, and they still had one more puzzle to solve.
She turned toward Liana.
"It's your turn, Liana. Let's move quickly."
Liana nodded and immediately pressed the buzzer.
Buzz-
In a flash of light, she was transported to the white room.
She rushed toward the pedestal, her mind already racing with possibilities.
As she approached the pedestal, Liana took a deep breath and focused her attention on the task at hand.
The puzzle in front of her was completely different from the previous ones.
A large collection of magical symbols appeared on the screen, arranged in several rows and columns.
At the top of the screen was a simple Instruction.
(Find the hidden sequence.)
Liana stared at the puzzle.
Several symbols appeared identical at first glance, but tiny differences could be found between them.
Some symbols had an extra line.
Others were rotated slightly.
A few contained hidden markings that could only be noticed by looking carefully.
Liana's eyes narrowed.
Many people only ever saw her qualities as a swordswoman firsthand.
But even from her childhood, she had grown up playing games with Arthur and Arina.
Arthur and Arina were the only ones who knew that she was also good at games like this-games that demanded logic, observation, and the ability to recognize patterns.
That was the only reason she could think of for why Arthur had chosen her for this round.
However, as she thought about it, perhaps there was another reason.
After all, someone had to die if they falled this round.
Liana pushed those thoughts aside and forced herself to focus on the task at hand.
She stared intently at the symbols, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves.
She knew this puzzle was going to be tricky, and she needed to concentrate if she wanted to solve it.
The puzzle was divided into several sections, each containing a sequence of magical symbols.
Liana scanned them carefully, looking for patterns and connections.
"Okay, let's see here..."
She pointed toward the first sequence.
"The first symbol rotates clockwise, then the second one changes its shape."
She studied the next group.
"Then the third symbol gains an additional mark."
Her eyes narrowed.
"So the next one should..."
She selected the corresponding symbol.
A soft chime sounded.
Correct.
Liana's expression became slightly more confident.
She moved on to the next sequence.
This one was more complicated.
The symbols appeared almost identical, but each contained subtle differences,
Liana carefully compared them.
The outer ring changes first..."
She moved her finger across the screen.
"Then the center symbol changes."
She paused.
"And after that, the entire symbol rotates."
She selected the correct sequence.
Another chime sounded.
Correct.
The rest of the team watched closely.
Diana leaned forward.
"You're doing great, Liana. Keep going."
Liana nodded.
She continued studying the remaining sequences.
As she worked, the puzzle became increasingly difficult.
Several symbols looked almost identical, and one wrong choice could disrupt the entire sequence.
Liana listened to the team's suggestions through the voice chat while continuing to analyze the symbols herself.
"Wait..."
She suddenly stopped.
Her eyes widened.
"I think I see it."
She compared the final three symbols.
The pattern wasn't moving randomly.
Each symbol was changing according to a fixed sequence.
Liana quickly entered the next symbol.
Nothing happened.
She frowned.
"That wasn't it."
She examined the sequence again.
Then she noticed a tiny marking in the corner of one of the symbols.
"Of course..."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"The hidden mark changes the order."
She corrected her answer.
This time-
Ding!
The entire puzzle lit up.
Liana's eyes widened.
"I got it!"
The final symbols rearranged themselves, forming a glowing magical crest.
The rest of the team immediately erupted into cheers.
"Great job, Liana!"
"You did it!"
Liana held her fist tightly, a wide smile spreading across her face.
She had done it.
{Congratulations, Team Celestias Academy! You have proven yourselves worthy and have successfully completed Round 4: Puzzle Relay!)
The volce boomed throughout the chamber.
"We did it! Great job, Liana!"
The team gathered around her as soon as she returned, giving her high-fives and congratulating her.
Liana beamed with pride and a sense of accomplishment.
They had completed another round.
But there was no time to celebrate.
A powerful golden light suddenly enveloped the entire team.
Diana Immediately looked toward the others.
"The final round..."
Her expression became serious.
The teleportation magic activated.
In the next instant, the entire team disappeared from the lavish room and was transported toward the location of the final round.
Chapter 279: End of the second match (3) final
As soon as Diana and her team completed Round 4, the Puzzle Relay, they were teleported Into a cave-like chamber adorned with ancient drawings.
The walls were covered in faded murals depicting battles, strange creatures, forgotten civilizations, and mysterious figures whose identities had been lost to time.
Small blue crystals were embedded between the cracks in the stone ceiling, providing just enough light to illuminate the enormous chamber.
Diana slowly looked around.
"So, this is where the final round will be taking place?"
As they examined the cave, they soon noticed something unusual.
Invisible barriers divided the chamber into eight separate sections, each clearly designated for a different academy team.
And to their surprise, they discovered that one team had already arrived.
The students from Plum-Blossom Academy were already inside their designated area, frantically examining the contents of their section.
"T-They have already arrived before us?" Aegon stuttered in disbelief.
"We don't have time to waste, Let's hurry up."
Diana immediately began moving toward their designated area.
The Celestias Academy flag was positioned near one of the invisible boundaries, directly beside the Plum-Blossom Academy's section.
The rest of the team quickly followed her.
Once they reached their designated area, they found a stone pedestal positioned in the center.
A scroll rested on top of it.
Beside the scroll was a red button.
Diana immediately picked up the scroll and unrolled it.
She began reading its contents aloud.
[Welcome to the thrilling final round: The Mystery Challenge!
In this ultimate test of knowledge and skill, teams must use their wits and expertise to examine mysterious artifacts and uncover their true purpose.
But that is not all.
The teams must also unlock the full potential of these ancient relics by discovering the secret to activating them.
The stakes have never been higher, so prepare yourselves for an intense battle of the minds.
The time limit for this round had been set at one hour, beginning the moment an academy reached the final round.
[Time Remaining: 45 Minutes, 29 Seconds]
May the most cunning and resourceful team emerge victorious.
Good luck!)
The round had already begun the moment Cherry Blossom
Academy reached the final round.
They had been given a total of one hour to complete it.
Now, only 45 minutes remained.
As soon as Diana finished reading the scroll, she pressed the red button without hesitation.
Click.
The ground beneath them suddenly began to tremble.
Rumble-
The pedestal slowly sank into the ground.
Then, several meters in front of them, the stone floor split apart.
A hidden mechanism activated beneath the ground.
With a deep grinding sound, an ancient stone sarcophagus slowly rose from beneath the floor.
The entire team froze.
For several seconds, nobody said anything.
Then Diana quickly regained her composure.
"Aegon, Riley! Get over here and help me open this. There must be an artifact inside, and we need to find it quickly!"
Her urgency immediately snapped everyone out of their daze.
Aegon and Riley rushed forward.
The three of them grabbed the edges of the massive stone lid and pushed.
Groan-
The ancient stone shifted with a deafening creak.
Dust fell from the ceiling as the lid slowly moved aside.
Then they finally saw what was hidden inside.
Everyone froze.
Resting within the sarcophagus was an enormous circular artifact made from a strange silver-black metal.
It resembled a large metallic disc, almost the size of a shield, with several rotating rings surrounding its center.
Dozens of tiny crystals were embedded along its outer edge.
Unlike ordinary gemstones, however, these crystals weren't glowing.
Instead, they seemed to absorb the surrounding light.
Several ancient symbols had been engraved across the surface of the artifact.
Clarice's eyes widened.
"What... is that?"
Diana stepped closer.
Her gaze remained fixed on the mysterious relic.
"This is definitely enchanted."
She carefully reached out and touched its surface.
The moment her fingers made contact with the artifact-Buzz-
A faint vibration traveled through her hand.
Diana immediately pulled back.
"It's reacting to mana."
Clarice nodded and began examining the artifact.
"It doesn't look like any weapon I've ever seen."
Liana walked around it, studying its strange circular structure.
"Maybe it's some kind of magical device."
Aegon leaned closer.
"Whatever it is, I'm getting the feeling that activating it won't be easy"
Beside the artifact was another object.
A thìn ancient book rested inside a small stone compartment.
Aegon picked it up and carefully opened the cover.
"This might contain Information about the artifact."
James glanced over his shoulder.
"What does it say?"
Aegon quickly flipped through several pages.
"Most of it is written in an ancient language. But there are diagrams."
Diana immediately looked toward the artifact.
"Then let's start there."
She pointed toward the strange rings surrounding the device.
"Examine everything. The crystals, the symbols, the rings, and the book. We need to figure out what this thing does and how to activate it."
Everyone nodded.
The team immediately divided the work.
Diana examined the crystals, using her knowledge of magic to determine their properties.
Liana studied the artifact's construction and the strange symbols engraved across its surface.
Aegon carefully compared the diagrams in the ancient book with the artifact.
Clarice focused on the runes.
Riley began translating the fragments of text that he could understand.
Time passed rapidly.
The team debated different theories and tested several possibilities.
At first, they believed the crystals were storing mana.
Then they suspected that the rotating rings were connected to elemental magic.
But every theory they tested failed.
Suddenly, Clarice stopped.
Her eyes shifted toward the wall.
"Wait."
Everyone turned toward her.
Clarice pointed at one of the ancient murals.
"Look at that."
Diana immediately walked over.
The mural depicted an enormous circular object floating above a ruined city.
Around it stood several robed figures.
Diana examined the painting carefully.
"The artifact.,,"
Clarice nodded.
"It's the same shape."
They looked back at the relic.
Then Clarice pointed toward the symbols surrounding the painted artifact.
"Those symbols are also engraved on it."
Diana's eyes narrowed.
"You're right."
Liana stepped closer to the mural.
"But what were they doing with it?"
Aegon studied the Image.
"They weren't fighting."
Everyone looked at him.
Aegon pointed toward the figures surrounding the artifact.
"They're standing around it in a circle."
Riley's expression changed.
"And look at their hands."
The figures in the mural were each holding a different object.
One held a crystal.
Another held a piece of metal.
Another held what appeared to be a small stone.
Diana immediately turned toward the artifact.
"Maybe the crystals aren't meant to be activated individually,"
She examined the outer ring.
"They're supposed to be arranged according to something."
Clarice's eyes lit up.
"Like a sequence."
"Exactly."
The team immediately returned to the artifact.
They began examining the crystals one by one.
Each crystal contained a different pattern.
Some resembled flames.
Others resembled waves, clouds, mountains, stars, and shadows.
Liana carefully compared them.
"These aren't elemental symbols."
Diana looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
"They represent natural forces."
Liana pointed toward several crystals.
"Fire. Water. Wind. Earth. Light. Darkness."
She then pointed toward two others.
"And these two represent life and death."
Riley opened the ancient book again.
He quickly turned several pages.
"There's something here."
Everyone gathered around him.
Riley read the translated passage.
"The eight forces must return to their proper positions. Only when balance is restored will the sleeping eye awaken."
Diana's eyes widened.
"The sleeping eye..."
She looked toward the center of the artifact.
There was a circular depression in the middle.
It looked almost like an eye.
"So that's what we're supposed to activate."
Aegon nodded.
"But how do we know the correct order?"
The team fell silent.
Diana looked toward the mural again.
The answer had to be somewhere.
She studied every detail.
Then her gaze stopped at the bottom of the painting.
There were eight symbols arranged in a circle.
Diana's expression changed.
"Wait."
She quickly returned to the artifact.
"The mural isn't showing the order in which the people activated it."
She pointed toward the symbols.
"It's showing the order of the forces."
Clarice quickly compared the symbols.
"Life..."
She pointed to the first.
"Then water."
Liana continued.
"Earth. Wind. Fire."
Aegon followed.
"Light and darkness."
Riley looked toward the final symbol.
"And death."
Diana nodded.
"That's it."
They began rearranging the crystals.
One by one, they placed them into the corresponding positions.
Click.
The first crystal locked into place.
Click.
The second followed.
Then the third.
The artifact began vibrating.
Buzz-
The entire chamber suddenly became quieter.
Diana's eyes widened.
"It's reacting!"
They continued.
The fourth crystal locked into position.
Then the fifth.
The sixth.
The seventh.
Finally, Liana placed the final crystal into its slot.
Click.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then-
BOOM!
A powerful wave of magical energy erupted from the artifact.
The crystals suddenly began glowing.
The eight rotating rings started moving simultaneously.
The artifact began spinning slowly in the air.
Clarice gasped.
"Look!"
A beam of light emerged from the center.
It struck the ceiling.
A gigantic magical formation appeared above them.
Riley quickly opened the ancient book.
"There should be an activation phrase!"
He began scanning the pages.
"Wait... here!"
He found a passage.
"These symbols describe the final activation."
Diana looked at him.
"What do we have to do?"
Riley studied the instructions.
"We need to synchronize the eight crystals with the formation above us."
Aegon frowned.
"How?"
Riley pointed toward the rings.
"The symbols on the rings correspond to the formation."
Liana immediately understood.
"So we have to rotate the rings into the correct positions."
"Exactly."
The team immediately got to work.
Diana adjusted the first ring.
Liana handled the second.
Aegon moved the third.
Clarice focused on the fourth.
Riley followed the instructions in the ancient book.
One by one, the symbols began aligning.
The magical formation above them grew brighter.
"We're close!" Riley shouted.
The team continued.
Then suddenly-
Click
All eight rings locked into position.
The artifact stopped spinning.
A deep pulse of energy erupted from its center.
The entire cave shook.
BOOM!
A massive pillar of light shot toward the ceiling.
The artifact had awakened.
Everyone stared at it in amazement.
"We did it!" Liana cheered.
Clarice smiled brightly.
"We actually figured it out!"
Diana, however, didn't celebrate immediately.
She was staring at the artifact.
Something about it felt familiar.
Then she suddenly realized what they had discovered.
"This isn't a weapon."
Everyone looked at her.
"It's a magical gateway."
Riley's expression changed.
"A gateway?"
Diana nodded.
"The artifact wasn't created to attack anything."
She pointed toward the glowing formation.
"It was designed to open a connection between the physical world and a higher magical realm."
The team stared at the artifact in disbelief.
Before anyone could respond-
Tap-Tap-Tap-
Footsteps echoed through the cave.
Everyone turned around.
A team had just entered the chamber.
The students from Glacier Peak Academy rushed into their designated area.
Diana immediately regained focus.
"We don't have much time. Focus on the artifact!"
With only five minutes remaining before the end of the challenge, she knew every second mattered.
The Glacier Peak team scrambled toward their own artifact.
Diana wasn't too worried about them.
They had arrived too late.
There simply wasn't enough time for them to completely analyze their artifact and activate it.
But there was something else that concerned her.
The Plum-Blossom Academy team had already been here before them.
They had probably been working on their artifact for much longer.
And if they had already figured out its secret...
Diana shook her head.
"Don't think about them.'
She forced herself to concentrate.
The artifact before them continued to glow.
Riley quickly checked the ancient book again.
"There's one final step!"
"What is it?" Diana asked,
"We have to activate the central core."
He pointed toward the glowing circular depression in the middle
"But it requires all eight forces to be synchronized."
Aegon stepped forward.
"Then let's do it."
The team positioned themselves around the artifact.
Diana counted down.
Three..."
The crystals began glowing brighter.
"Two..."
The rings started rotating.
"One!"
Diana pressed her hand against the central core.
The others followed.
BOOM!
A massive wave of energy erupted from the artifact.
The entire chamber trembled.
The magical formation above them expanded.
The gateway opened completely.
The team stared at the phenomenon in awe.
"We did it!" Liana cheered.
Clarice's eyes sparkled.
"That's incredible!"
Then-
Beep-
Beep-
Beep-
Three sharp sounds echoed throughout the cave simultaneously.
Everyone froze.
Diana's expression immediately changed.
Three teams had completed the challenge.
At almost exactly the same time.
Her heart sank.
...Looks like we have some tough competition."
She turned toward the other sections.
The Glacier Peak Academy team had also completed their challenge.
And the Plum-Blossom Academy team had done the same.
The three teams stood silently in their respective areas as the final seconds of the challenge disappeared.
Then the magical formations beneath them activated.
Golden light surrounded every team.
The final round had ended.
As Diana and her teammates were teleported away, she looked back toward the other teams.
She couldn't help but wonder how they had fared against the remaining academies,
The competition had reached its final stage.
And now, there was only one question left.
Which academy had performed well enough across all five rounds to claim victory?
And who will be the unfounate one's to be sacrificed.
Meanwhile, Arthur was watching his team's performance from another section of the arena.
A white-haired woman stood beside him, watching the ongoing challenge with a faint smile. Without warning, she reached over and gently brushed her fingers along Arthur's cheek.
"Your team has performed really well, it's unfortunate for others, isn't it, Mr. Arthur?" she asked.
Arthur turned his gaze toward her, his expression calm.
"You say that as if you already know the outcome."
The woman's smile widened.
"But I do."
Arthur flicked her hand away from his face.
"You're the one who was trying to kill Layla back at the academy, aren't you?"
For the briefest moment, the woman's eyes sharpened.
Arthur noticed it immediately.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
Chapter 280: Authority of death
Arthur stood a little further away from the edge of Celestias Academy's designated section, his crimson eyes fixed on the white-haired woman standing before him.
The demonic stadium roared around them. Demons shouted from the stands, dark elves watched with cold amusement, and vampires leaned forward in their seats with crimson eyes filled with hunger. Werewolves snarled and laughed whenever one of the terrified human students cried out.
But Arthur ignored them all.
His attention remained on the woman standing before him -the woman who had called herself Maya, the woman who had taken control of the Death Game, and the same woman Arthur had encountered once before.
Arthur narrowed his eyes as he studied her. "You're the one who tried to kill Layla at the academy, aren't you?"
For the briefest moment, Maya's dark eyes sharpened.
The reaction was subtle enough that nobody else would have noticed it, but Arthur immediately caught it. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
He had been right.
"Alright," Arthur said, his expression becoming colder. "Let's start again. Who are you, and why are you doing all this?"
Maya smiled as she casually brushed her snow-white hair over her shoulder, "Now I understand why they all want you dead. You're quite sharp."
Arthur remained silent, watching her carefully.
Maya's smile widened as she placed one hand over her
chest. "Before you die, I'll give you the honor of knowing my name. It is Maya."
She paused for a moment before continuing, "And yes, you were right. I was the one trying to kill that Layla girl back at the academy."
Arthur's eyes narrowed. "You must be powerful if you were able to move around under Athena's nose."
Maya sighed dramatically. "Oh, it was incredibly annoying. I was ordered not to cause trouble with her, so I had to change my appearance."
Her fingers touched the small device wrapped around her wrist.
The device immediately lit up with a soft metallic hum.
Maya's snow-white hair began turning black, her facial features shifted, and her crimson eyes appeared. Within seconds, the woman standing before Arthur had transformed into an exact copy of him.
The same hair.
The same eyes.
The same face,
Even the same posture.
Arthur stared at his own face standing in front of him, his expression remaining surprisingly calm.
Maya grinned while wearing his appearance before touching the device again. Her transformation quickly disappeared, returning her to her original form.
"Convenient, isn't it?" she asked.
"It is."
Arthur's gaze moved toward the device on her wrist. "Can
you get me one of those?"
Maya laughed. "You won't need one."
Her expression suddenly became cold.
"Since you'll be dead soon."
Arthur simply shrugged. "Is that so?"
"Yes." Maya's eyes narrowed. "We Sentinels were created to exterminate fucking cheaters like you."
Arthur's expression remained unchanged.
"People who possess Systems that violate the balance of the world," Maya continued. "Systems that only bring destruction."
Arthur's crimson eyes sharpened. "How did you know about me?"
"Not only me."
Maya smiled casually. "Every Sentinel personnel deployed in this world knows about you."
She tilted her head.
"You could say there's quite a large bounty on your head."
Arthur's mood immediately soured.
'Another bounty.
He looked away with a quiet sigh.
'At this point, perhaps I should just get used to it.'
Maya continued, "Even I found it strange when the order arrived. Every Sentinel was instructed to place you on their priority list of targets,"
Her smile became faintly mocking.
"Someone specifically tipped us off about you."
She paused before adding, "And they paid me in advance."
Maya's eyes glinted as she smiled. "So sorry, darling. There really is no escape for you."
Arthur looked at her calmly. "Don't worry. I've survived worse."
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"I'll survive this somehow too."
Maya burst into laughter, and the demonic crowd surrounding them soon joined her.
"Keep dreaming," she said, leaning slightly toward him. "Just so you know, I'm one of the highest-ranking Sentinels."
Her eyes became cold.
"And I've never failed to kill a target."
Maya suddenly glanced toward the massive screens hanging above the stadium.
"Oh."
Her smile returned.
"It looks like it's time for the other teams to choose their sacrifices."
Arthur's expression darkened.
Maya spread her arms, gesturing toward the enormous arena. "Look around you."
Arthur's eyes moved across the stands.
Demons,
Vampires.
Dark elves.
Werewolves.
Beastmen.
And countless other creatures he couldn't even identify.
Maya's voice became quleter. "Everyone you see here is a customer."
Arthur looked back at her.
"You may not know this, but human flesh is highly valuable to certain races."
Her smile became disturbing.
"Dead or alive."
Arthur's fists clenched. "Don't tell me you're planning to sell Innocent students to them."
Maya simply smiled.
"You see, I've Invested quite a lot into this plan. So I need to recover my losses."
Her eyes swept across the terrified students trapped inside the stadium.
"And you people are going to become my profit."
Arthur stared at her for several seconds before sighing.
"You really are a crazy bitch, you know that?"
Maya laughed softly. "I've heard that many times."
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
His earlier provocations weren't working.
Maya wasn't angry.
She wasn't frightened,
She was enjoying every second of it.
So Arthur decided to change his approach.
"Alright."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Since I'm going to die anyway, can you do me a small favor?"
Maya's eyes narrowed with curiosity.
"Oh?"
A faint smile appeared on her face. "Why do I feel like there's a desperate plan brewing Inside that head of yours?"
Arthur looked away. "Don't tell me you're scared of a small favor."
Maya's mouth twitched.
"Cheap provocation."
She folded her arms. "Fine. Tell me. What is this little favor?"
Arthur smiled.
"Nothing big."
His crimson eyes slowly moved across the stadium, taking in the creatures watching the terrified humans.
They were laughing.
Waiting.
Enjoying their fear.
Arthur's expression gradually became colder.
'I swear,
His hand tightened around the katana at his waist.
'Not one of them will go back alive,'
Arthur then turned toward Maya and made his request.
......
Arthur had already left after making his request, leaving Maya standing there alone in silence.
She stared in the direction he had gone, her expression thoughtful as she considered his favour.
"I thought he was going to ask for something Important," she muttered, her dark eyes narrowing. "But It's something this simple?"
She glanced toward the arena.
"What could he possibly be scheming?"
Maya shook her head.
"There is no way he can participate in their match until tomorrow."
Her gaze shifted toward the massive screens.
"Forget it."
A smile returned to her face.
"I should get this done soon."
Her eyes moved toward the terrified humans.
"After killing them all, I won't have much time."
Her expression darkened.
"I wonder how the others are holding up in the outside world."
Meanwhile, far away from the demonic stadium, in the outside world in deserted wasteland an entire battlefield had been reduced to ruins.
The ground was soaked in blood, smoke filled the air, and destroyed buildings burned in the distance.
At the center of the ruined landscape stood a woman covered in blood.
Astarte.
Her violet hair was matted against her face, while cuts and wounds covered her body. Her breathing came in ragged, uneven bursts, yet the bloodlust surrounding her had not weakened.
It had only grown stronger.
Darker.
The aura of death surrounding Astarte spread across the battlefield like an endless shadow.
She stared ahead,
A handsome man stood before her with brown hair, brown eyes, and an almost flawless face that seemed completely out of place amid the blood and destruction.
Raphael.
He looked at Astarte with a gentle smile.
"Astarte, why do you keep struggling?"
His voice was calm, but there was no warmth in his eyes.
"Everything is already over. You've lost once again."
He stepped closer.
"Just let me take your Authority so I can move one step closer to achieving my goal."
Astarte's violet eyes narrowed.
Then her body suddenly disappeared into darkness.
A black silhouette appeared in her place, laughing with a broken, almost maniacal sound.
The silhouette dissolved moments later and entered
Raphael's body.
Raphael looked down at his stomach and frowned.
"Wow"
He placed a hand against it.
"This feels awful"
His expression became irritated.
"Is this your lazy resort?"
BOOM!
Raphael's body exploded.
The resulting force tore through the battlefield, shattering the ground and destroying the remaining ruins. A massive shockwave swept across the area, sending dust and debris flying in every direction.
For several seconds, nothing moved.
No body.
No presence.
No soul.
Then Astarte's silhouette slowly emerged from the darkness.
She took several deep breaths.
"Finally."
Her voice was exhausted,
"That bastard is dead."
Darkness began gathering around her body as she slowly reformed.
"I need to go help Arthur and Alden."
Astarte took a single step forward.
Schlk!
A golden sword suddenly pierced through her body.
Astarte froze.
Blood spilled from her lips as she slowly looked down at the golden blade protruding from her abdomen.
Her eyes widened.
Then she slowly turned her head.
"Was it... a fake?"
Her voice was weak.
"It can't be."
Raphael stood behind her.
His brown eyes were calm, and a faint smile rested on his face.
"Well, it wasn't exactly a fake."
He tightened his grip around the golden sword.
"It was a real fragment of my soul."
Astarte's body trembled.
Raphael continued, "If I wanted to deceive someone of your caliber, I had to sacrifice something real."
Astarte's eyes moved toward the golden blade.
Then they widened again.
"This sword..."
Raphael smiled,
"It seems you recognize it."
He slowly twisted the blade.
Astarte coughed up blood.
"The Sword of Destruction..."
Raphael's voice became almost gentle.
"It is futile to struggle."
His eyes gleamed as he looked at the blade.
"Originally, this sword was created to kill dragons. You should know what happens once someone is impaled by it."
The golden sword began to glow.
"It feeds on their soul,"
Astarte's darkness Immediately began to weaken.
Her silhouette trembled as the shadows surrounding her body flickered like dying flames.
Raphael leaned closer.
"Don't worry."
His voice was almost affectionate.
"Your beloved Arthur will die soon too."
His smile widened.
"And when he does, he'll join you in your rest."
A ring on Raphael's finger suddenly began to shine.
Astarte's eyes widened.
"No..."
Raphael smiled faintly.
"Goodbye"
[Ring of Containment Activated.]
A strange force enveloped Astarte's body.
Her form began breaking apart, with particles of darkness
slowly drifting away from her body.
Astarte's violet eyes turned toward the distant sky as her vision gradually became blurry.
'I am sorry, Arthur.'
Her thoughts were faint.
I am sorry, Alden.'
A weak smile appeared on her face.
'It was short... but after a millennium, I finally felt happy.!
Her body continued fading.
'So this is what that emotion was...'
Then Astarte disappeared completely.
Silence descended upon the battlefield.
Raphael stood alone among the ruins as a notification appeared before him.
[Primordial Daemon Bloodline: 50% Evolution]
Progress:
5/10 Demon Lord Bloodlines Absorbed
Requirement:
Absorb the bloodlines of 5 additional Demon Lords to complete the evolution.
Raphael slowly closed his eyes.
A tremendous surge of power erupted from his body, causing his mana to rise and his aura to become significantly heavier. The surrounding air distorted, while the ruined earth beneath his feet began trembling from the
pressure.
Raphael opened his eyes.
His expression was completely devold of emotion.
"Only five more to go. I wonder if Karina is doing her Job property"
Chapter 281: The outcome and selections for death
Meanwhile, as all the teams were teleported back from the virtual subspace, the atmosphere inside the stadium had changed completely
The academies that had falled to reach the final round stood in their designated sections with grim expressions.
Many of the students were trembling, their faces pale as they remembered the white-haired woman's announcement.
They knew what was coming next.
One candidate from every academy that falled to win would be sacrificed.
The thought alone was enough to send fear through the students.
Yet the creatures filling the demonic stadium had an entirely different reaction.
The moment the teams began returning, the roar of the crowd grew even louder.
Demons screamed with excitement, vampires smiled hungrily, werewolves slammed their fists against the railings, and dark elves watched with cold anticipation.
They had been waiting for this moment.
They had come here to watch humans suffer.
And now, they were finally going to witness their first sacrifices.
Diana and the rest of her team were instantly teleported back into the real world.
The familiar stone floor of the stadium appeared beneath their feet, and for a moment, none of them spoke.
Aegon glanced around nervously before looking toward Diana. "It was us who completed the final round first, right?"
The others exchanged uncertain looks.
Nobody knew the answer.
They had been Inside the final round until the very last moment, and there had been no indication of which team had finished first.
"We'll find out soon enough," Diana replied, although even she wasn't certain.
Her gaze soon shifted toward the leader of Glacier Peak Academy.
The amber-haired girl stood among her teammates, looking surprisingly calm despite everything that had happened.
"Did she say her name was Alia?" Diana muttered.
She couldn't help but wonder how Alla had managed to accomplish something that had seemed almost impossible.
GLACIER PEAK Academy had reached the fifth round with only five minutes remaining, and even with their combined knowledge, identifying the artifact, understanding its purpose, and activating it within such a short period had seemed impossible.
At least for them.
Before Diana could think about it any further, another group of students was teleported back into the hall.
Swish!
The remaining teams appeared one after another, many of them wearing expressions of disappointment. As they noticed the three teams already standing in the hall, envy became visible in several of their eyes
They had all fought through the same challenge
Yet only three academies had managed to reach the final round
Suddenly-
Clap
Clap
The sound of slow applause echoed through the hall
Every student turned toward the source
The white-haired woman stood at the front of the hall with a huge grin on her face, looking far too excited about what was about to happen.
"Welcome, welcome, my dear students!" she exclaimed. "I must say, I am absolutely thrilled with how well you all performed in Match 2"
"But who won?!" a student from Cherry Blossom Academy Impatiently shouted.
"Oh, yes!" The woman laughed. "That is the question, isn't
She paused deliberately, clearly enjoying the anticipation.
"The winner of Match 2 Is..."
She stopped again.
Then her smile widened,
"Ahhh! What an exciting match that was! Not one, but three teams were able to complete the Clash of Intellectuals!"
The students immediately began whispering among themselves.
The white-haired woman raised one finger.
"Unfortunately, it seems that not everyone was quite as exceptional."
Her smile became strangely sinister.
"And some of you will now have to face the consequences."
A wave of uneasiness spread through the hall.
"However, before we get to that," she continued, "let me show you the results of all the academies that performed so spectacularly."
She flicked her finger.
A massive holographic screen materialized above the hall.
[TIME TAKEN BY THE TEAMS THAT COMPLETED THE FINAL ROUND!]
#1 GLACIER PEAK ACADEMY - 59:00.0
#2 CHERRY BLOSSOM ACADEMY - 59:00.3
#3 CELESTIAS ACADEMY-59:00.4
The moment Diana and her teammates saw the results, their blood ran cold.
The difference between the three teams was almost nonexistent.
Glacier Peak Academy had finished at exactly fifty-nine minutes.
Cherry Blossom Academy had finished only 0.3 seconds later.
And Celestias Academy had finished merely 0.4 seconds after Glacier Peak Academy.
Diana's hands slowly clenched into fists.
Her nails dug so deeply into her palms that blood began to trickle between her fingers.
They had been that close.
So incredibly close.
Clarice noticed the blood running down Diana's hand and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"If only I hadn't hesitated during the first round..." Clarice whispered, her voice trembling as tears began filling her eyes. "If I had just pressed the buzzer..."
Diana turned toward her.
"Don't worry, Sentor Clarice," she said softly. "It's not your fault."
She forced a faint smile.
"As captain, I'm responsible for the outcome."
Diana's expression became determined.
"So I'll tell Arthur to sacrifice me instead."
Clarice's eyes widened.
"But-
"It's my responsibility," Diana interrupted.
Yet despite her disappointment, something else occupied Diana's mind.
Glacier Peak Academy,
They had somehow completed the final challenge in only a few minutes.
Diana's eyes shifted toward Alla.
'How did they do it?"
They had arrived at the fifth round with almost the same amount of time remaining as Celestias Academy.
Yet while Celestias Academy had struggled to understand the artifact, Glacier Peak Academy had solved everything almost immediately.
It was a result Diana couldn't comprehend.
For the first time in a long while, she realized something.
"The world really is much bigger than I thought.'
There were people out there who could surpass even her own abilities.
The thought wasn't discouraging.
It was humbling.
Then the white-haired woman suddenly spoke again.
"Well, it seems like we have a clear winner for Match 2!"
She pointed toward the holographic display.
"Glacier Peak Academy!"
The students of Glacier Peak Academy immediately erupted into cheers.
Their victory had been decided by less than a second, but that tiny difference had been enough.
The other academies could only stare at the results in despair.
The white-haired woman continued, "Glacier Peak Academy arrived at the final round in third place, but they completed the final challenge in less than five minutes."
She smiled brightly.
Because of their exceptional performance, they will receive three additional bonus points, bringing their total to twenty!"
The students of Glacier Peak Academy cheered even louder.
"Celestias Academy and Cherry Blossom Academy both completed all five rounds, so they have each been awarded seventeen points."
Her finger moved down the list.
"The academies that reached the fourth round have been awarded ten points each."
Then her expression became amused.
"Except for one unfortunate academy."
The Iron Fortress Academy students immediately lowered their heads.
"The Iron Fortress Academy only managed to reach the third round, earning them six points."
Another holographic screen appeared.
[MATCH 2: POINTS TABLE!]
#1 GLACIER PEAK ACADEMY - 20 POINTS
#2 CELESTIAS ACADEMY-17 POINTS
#3 CHERRY BLOSSOM ACADEMY - 17 POINTS
#4 BLACK STAR ACADEMY - 10 POINTS
#5 MARTIAL STAR ACADEMY - 10 POINTS
#6 LUMINA ACADEMY-10 POINTS
#7 MIRAGE CROWN ACADEMY-10 POINTS
#8 RAVEN ACADEMY-10 POINTS
#9 STORMVEIL ACADEMY-10 POINTS
#10 THE IRON FORTRESS ACADEMY-6 POINTS
The Glacier Peak Academy students Immediately celebrated upon seeing the final ranking.
Meanwhile, the remaining academies could only stare at the display with grim expressions.
The white-haired woman glanced toward Glacier Peak Academy.
"Well... look at that."
Her eyes settled on Alla.
"Not bad at all."
Everyone's attention immediately turned toward the amber-haired girl.
Alia's cheeks reddened slightly as she realized that everyone was staring at her.
She awkwardly lowered her gaze.
Despite her modest reaction, there was no denying it.
Alla possessed a monstrous level of intelligence.
She had managed to complete the final challenge in less than five minutes-a challenge that had taken the other two teams nearly the entire allotted time to solve.
Diana could only stare at her in awe.
'So there really are people who can surpass me.'
The realization quietly settled inside her mind.
The white-haired woman suddenly clapped her hands
together.
"And now..."
Her grin widened.
"Let's see the overall standings."
Another holographic screen materialized above them.
[OVERALL POINTS TABLE!]
#1 CELESTIAS ACADEMY-36 POINTS
#2 GLACIER PEAK ACADEMY-24 POINTS
#3 CHERRY BLOSSOM ACADEMY-21 POINTS
#4 BLACK STAR ACADEMY-17 POINTS
#5 MARTIAL STAR ACADEMY -14 POINTS
#6 LUMINA ACADEMY-14 POINTS
#7 MIRAGE CROWN ACADEMY - 13 POINTS
#8 RAVEN ACADEMY-12 POINTS
#9 STORMVEIL ACADEMY-12 POINTS
#10 THE IRON FORTRESS ACADEMY-7 POINTS
For a brief moment, everyone stared at the standings.
Then the white-haired woman's expression changed.
The playful smile disappeared.
Her eyes sharpened.
"Alright."
Her voice echoed through the hall.
"Now it's time."
The students Immediately became tense.
"Every academy except Glacier Peak Academy must choose one person to be sacrificed."
The atmosphere Instantly became suffocating.
Before anyone could respond, several figures suddenly appeared at the entrance of the hall.
They were the representatives of the other academies.
Christopher of Black Star Academy.
Brian of Martial Star Academy.
Amaya of Cherry Blossom Academy.
Ranga of Iron Fortress Academy.
Karina of Lumina Academy.
Several other representatives entered alongside them.
Diana immediately noticed something.
Arthur wasn't with them.
Her heart tightened.
"Where is Arthur?" she whispered.
The white-haired woman seemed to notice the same thing.
She slowly licked her lips before smiling.
"I take it you've all made your decisions about who to sacrifice?"
Christopher, Brian, Amaya, and Ranga exchanged glances.
Then they laughed.
"It wasn't difficult at all, Christopher sald.
The others nodded.
"Of course," Brian added. "We already discussed it."
Several other academy representatives nodded as well.
The white-haired woman smiled.
"Wonderful."
She looked around the hall before her gaze stopped on the entrance.
"But where is Arthur?"
Her smile widened.
"He has to make a decision too."
She tilted her head.
"Or perhaps..."
"He has decided to sacrifice himself?"
Before anyone could answer, a voice suddenly echoed through the hallway.
"Why don't you ask me yourself?"
Everyone turned toward the entrance.
The students of Celestias Academy were walking into the hall.
Arthur was among them.
The moment he appeared, the students instinctively moved aside, creating a path for him.
Diana's eyes widened.
"Arthur!"
She immediately rushed toward him, followed closely by the rest of her team.
"I'm sorry," Diana said, her voice filled with regret. "We couldn't win."
She lowered her head.
"It's because of me."
Arthur remained silent.
Diana clenched her fists.
"You can sacrifice me. I'm the captain, so I'll take responsibility."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"I should have done better."
"Have you gone Insane, Diana?!"
Damian's voice suddenly thundered through the hall.
He stepped forward, staring at her in disbelief.
"Diana, what the hell are you saying?!"
Diana immediately turned toward him.
"Brother, shut up!"
Her voice was unusually forceful.
"It's the right thing to do."
Damian stared at her.
"You can't be serious."
But Diana Ignored him.
Arthur hadn't said a word.
He simply walked past them.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
He stopped directly before the white-haired woman.
The entire hall became silent.
The woman smiled.
"So, Arthur...
She tilted her head.
"Have you decided who will be sacrificed?"
Arthur stared at her without answering Immediately.
Then he slowly turned his head toward his teammates.
His crimson eyes passed over every member of Celestias
Academy.
Diana.
Damian.
Aegon.
Liana.
Clarice.
And the others.
Nobody understood what he was thinking.
Then Arthur spoke.
"The student who will die from my side will be..."
He paused.
The entire hall seemed to stop breathing.
Arthur's gaze finally settled on one person.
"Aaron Vale Valmont."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Every expression in the hall froze.
Aaron's eyes widened.
For a moment, he couldn't even comprehend what he had just heard.
Then his entire body went cold.
Julia stared at Arthur in disbelief.
Her face Immediately lost all color.
"Aaron..."
He was her brother.
And Arthur had just chosen him.
Julia's hands began trembling as she looked toward Arthur, unable to belleve that he had actually made such a decision.
Around them, the other students stood frozen.
Nobody had expected that name.
Even the white-haired woman appeared momentarily surprised.
Arthur, however, remained completely expressionless.
His crimson eyes met Aaron's.
There was no hesitation in them.
No guilt.
No explanation.
Only an unreadable coldness.
Aaron felt his heart sink as he stared back at him.
For the first time since entering the tournament, he understood just how terrifying the situation had become.
This was no longer a competition.
He was actually going to die,