The glass panel shimmered again as Nuna adjusted it, cycling through different perspectives of the realm. They saw Serena battling a pair of crimson-furred beasts, her blade flashing under the pale sun. Sweat glistened on her brow, but her strikes were precise and relentless.
"She's good," Nuna murmured softly.
Kyle nodded. "She'll make it through the first day."
"She reminds me of you, in a way," Nuna said.
Kyle laughed under his breath. "In what way?"
Nuna gave a mock pout. "She is resilient. And every move she makes is calculated."
Before he could respond, a flash of light rippled across the screen. A group of disciples from another sect—robed in dark indigo—were ambushed by three cloaked figures. The clash was brutal and fast; the air itself seemed to tremble under their attacks.
Down below, a streak of silver exploded into view, cutting through one of the indigo-robed disciples. The impact threw the man backward, his token shattering in a burst of light.
"Another one down," Kyle muttered, his gaze sharp. "That's the seventh from the Azure Blade Sect."
Nuna glanced toward the elder's section visible through the side screen. One of the older men from the Azure Blade Sect sat perfectly still—but his armrest wasn't so fortunate. With a sharp crack, the stone shattered beneath his grip.
The other elders pretended not to notice.
"Do you think they'll complain?" Nuna asked softly.
"They won't," Kyle replied. "Whatever treasure was used to keep those disciples together—it's within the rules. They'll just fume quietly."
The scene shifted again, now showing a different forest deep within the hidden realm. Disciples from smaller sects were moving cautiously through the canopy, communicating in whispers. Tension hung in the air like fog.
One of them—a young woman with a bow—froze suddenly. "Wait… do you hear that?"
A rustle answered her. Then, before anyone could react, a figure dropped from above, landing silently among them. A blur of motion followed. Blades flashed. Cries echoed through the trees.
Kyle leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing. "They're fighting among themselves already."
Nuna tilted her head. "It's only the first day. You'd think they'd at least try to form alliances."
Kyle smirked. "Alliances? In the realm? Trust me, Nuna—everyone in there has the same goal. Survival. And glory."
Back in the chamber, the scent Sebastian had mentioned earlier seemed to fade—or perhaps it had never been there at all. The older man remained silent, standing like a statue at the back of the room.
"Perhaps I am tired after all," he murmured under his breath. He closed his eyes briefly and exhaled.
Kyle leaned closer to Nuna, his tone mischievous. "Three days of rest. We should make use of it."
Nuna raised a brow. "Training?"
"Something like that." He grinned mischievously.
She smiled faintly. "You're impossible."
"Haha. You mean charming." Nuna chuckled lightly in response.
....
The arena was alive.
The noise alone could shake mountains—cheers, chants, and laughter filling the massive coliseum that stretched wider than cities. Floating screens displayed hundreds of images at once: the replayed battles from the hidden realm, moments of glory, and moments of terror.
And in the middle of that storm of excitement stood Annalise, her golden hair shimmering beneath the sunlight, her smile radiant. She raised her arms dramatically, and her amplified voice echoed through every corner of the arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen, nobles, elders, and disciples alike—what a sight we have today!"
The crowd erupted, their cheers deafening.
"The first round of the Grand Tournament has officially ended!" she continued, her voice carrying effortlessly, brimming with charm and confidence. "Three whole days of chaos, blood, and brilliance! Tell me—were you entertained!?"
The spectators screamed in delight, a thunderous wave of noise rolling through the air.
"I said—were you entertained!?"
The arena shook. Flags waved. Even the elders watching from their elevated balconies allowed the faintest smiles.
Annalise grinned, clearly pleased. "Good! Because things are just about to get more exciting!"
The glowing formation at the center of the arena flickered to life. Golden lines traced patterns in the air, forming a massive sigil that pulsed with energy.
"Behold—the victors of the Hidden Realm!"
In an instant, nearly a thousand beams of light shot down into the center of the coliseum. When the light faded, hundreds of young cultivators stood there—bloodied, ragged, and exhausted. Their robes were torn, faces dirty, eyes wary but alive.
Annalise's tone softened slightly, though her excitement never faded. "Nine hundred and sixty of you remain… out of more than ten thousand."
She paused for effect, letting the weight of that number settle over the crowd.
"That alone deserves applause!"
The arena shook again as applause and cheers rang out. It was kind of sad how the other participants went unacknowledged. Some might find it cruel, over nine thousand deaths, and yet, no one seemed to notice, but such was the reality of the world.
The sect had lost a few good seeds; it would be a blow, yes, but not majorly so. They had thousands more disciples waiting in the sects, and those who died would be labelled as not good enough. And they had come here expecting some of them to die.
Serena stood among the survivors, her chest rising and falling as she steadied her breathing. Dirt streaked her cheeks, her once-bright uniform now torn and burned in several places. But her eyes were sharp—unbroken.
Beside her stood Delia, her usual calm expression replaced by quiet determination. The two exchanged tired but genuine smiles. They hadn't been able to find each other in the two days that remained, but they were both happy to have survived.
"So you actually made it," Serena said with a faint grin.
Delia scoffed softly. "You sound surprised."
"Not at all," Serena replied. "I knew you would."
Delia chuckled under her breath, brushing dirt from her sleeve. "You don't look too bad yourself. I take it the realm didn't kill you after all."
"Barely," Serena said, smiling faintly. "But it tried."
The two stood together quietly for a moment, watching as others collapsed to their knees or leaned on their weapons for support.
High above, Annalise continued, "Look closely, everyone! The survivors represent the pride of their sects! The strongest from the strongest, and even a few hidden gems from smaller clans and rogues!"
The crowd buzzed, pointing out familiar faces, shouting names of their favorites.
Annalise raised her hand again. "And yes, if you look closely, you might recognize a few familiar faces from the lower rounds… Serena! A young, promising talent! With the second most eliminations in the whole first round!"
A wave of applause followed, though Serena only gave a small sigh. She was a bit surprised by the announcement; she had not expected to be among the top performers. "They really didn't have to announce that, did they?" she muttered.
Delia smirked. "Well, maybe if you didn't want the attention, you should have tried to survive instead of taking out so many. Besides, isn't this what you wanted, to be noticed, to raise your chances of getting invited to a good sect? I'm sure a few people already have their eyes on you now."
"Well, if you put it that way, it's not so bad." Serena smiled. Her desire to join a major sect shone as brightly as ever, and from her performance in round one, it was not too far-fetched to assume that a few minor sects would approach her, and a few good ones were monitoring her. And, if she somehow managed to reach the last sixty-four or thirty two if she overperformed, she would be guaranteed an invite from one of the major sects.
In the high viewing rooms, far above the chaos, Kyle stretched lazily on the couch, rolling his shoulders.
"So," he murmured, glancing at the time crystal glowing softly on the table, "it's time."
Beside him, Nuna rose gracefully from her seat, the silver trim of her robe catching the light. Her short hair fell to her shoulders, framing her beautiful face nicely, and when she smiled, it was enough to make the air itself still.
"Yes," she said softly. "Our time to shine has come."
Kyle turned his gaze toward her, his usual calm eyes warming for a moment. "You're beautiful."
Nuna's smile deepened, faint color rising to her cheeks. "Thank you."
They both had had three idle days of rest, and so whenever Sebastian left to tend to their needs, and whenever they returned to the inn, the two of them played around, fucking like rabbits, and fondling whenever the opportunity presented itself.
At this point, Sebastian might have caught on to what they did whenever he left them alone. And he probably didn't dare ask.
Kyle approached Nuna, his movements were slow and deliberate, as if he were savoring each step towards her. When he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, pressing his lips to hers in a deep, passionate kiss.
"Mmmmm..."
Their tongues swirled and twined together, their bodies melding as they lost themselves in the moment. The wet sounds of their kissing echoed in the room, filling it with the scent of their passion.
"Ahhhhh!"