The moment V's voice faded, the crowd shifted restlessly.
Students whispered to one another; a few cracked their knuckles or rolled their shoulders. Mana shimmered faintly across the wide marble platform like heat waves before a storm.
Everyone wanted to see blood.
Caelum stood near the back, hands in his pockets, eyes half-lidded. He could feel the buzz of excitement, the pulse of greed, the nervous tension that tasted almost metallic in the air.
"They're all nervous," he thought idly. "It smells like fear wrapped in adrenaline."
Some gave him glances — curious, mocking, even wary — but he ignored them, quietly tracing the edge of his plague plate with his thumb. They can't seem to understand how he'll come in such an entrance, score last, used nepotism and still looked so unbordered. He could still feel the faint residual pulse of his domain deep in his consciousness, the forest breathing inside him.
"Attention!" a clear voice called.
The massive crimson board above them pulsed once, then words scrolled across it like living flame.
[Round One: Random Selection in Progress…]
Selected Participant: Lirien Vael (Rank 34)
A petite elf girl stepped forward, her expression calm but determined. Her silvery-green hair shimmered faintly with mana as she lifted her staff.
"Opponent selection?" V prompted from above, his tone languid.
Lirien's eyes scanned the crowd before she pointed.
"Rank 29. Daren Luth."
A large man with dark crimson skin cracked his neck, grinning as he strode forward. His aura burned like embers, fierce and hot.
The space between them shimmered as glowing runes appeared — the dueling barrier activating. The air inside the boundary thickened, carrying faint distortion.
"Begin."
---
The ground exploded the moment V's voice fell.
Daren's fist slammed into the marble, sending a shockwave of molten mana through it. Lava burst from the cracks like fiery veins, snaking toward Lirien.
But before the flames reached her, roots shot out from beneath her feet — smooth, gleaming, glowing green. They twisted together, forming a wall that split open into blooming flowers. A mist of green energy spilled out, dampening the fire instantly.
Caelum's eyes flicked slightly. "Plant-based, huh."
The crowd gasped as Lirien whispered something under her breath. The flowers released a flurry of glowing seeds that transformed midair into razor-sharp vines. They lashed toward Daren, striking from different angles.
The man roared, his arms swelling with magma-like veins, and punched through the vines. His aura flared — brute force, raw and primal.
But Lirien smiled faintly. "Predictable."
The vines weren't attacking. They were marking.
From the ground beneath Daren, glowing runes lit up — detonation seals.
A thunderous boom erupted, hurling him backward and ending the match.
V clapped lazily from above. "Winner — Lirien Vael."
The barrier fell. The elf bowed politely, her calm expression unbroken, though her mana was already fading from exhaustion.
---
"Interesting," Caelum murmured, tilting his head slightly. "She doesn't have much raw strength, but her control is… elegant."
A few around him nodded quietly. Others ignored him, muttering about techniques or mana flow. The noise and smell of blood still hung faintly in the air.
[Round Two: Random Selection…]
Selected Participant: Ivo Kain (Rank 4)
The atmosphere shifted immediately.
Even Caelum straightened slightly.
A young man with short, white hair and a blade resting casually on his shoulder stepped forward. He had the air of someone who had killed before — not in desperation, but out of practice.
"Opponent," V said.
Ivo smirked, his pale eyes gleaming.
"Rank 3. Todd Alvareen."
A collective murmur ran through the crowd.
"Two top-fivers right off the bat?"
"This'll be brutal."
Todd, a tall girl with twin braids and steel gauntlets, grinned back. "Finally," she said, cracking her knuckles. "Someone worth the warmup."
V gave a lazy wave. "Begin."
---
The barrier sealed. The next second, the world seemed to vanish.
Neither moved — but the air between them ripped apart.
Caelum's eyes narrowed. "Speed."
A flicker of motion — sparks burst midair as blade met gauntlet. The sound wasn't like metal striking metal. It was like thunder compressed into a single note.
Ivo's sword traced arcs of white light, so fast it left afterimages. Todd met him head-on, each punch carrying bursts of wind strong enough to tear through stone.
She caught one slash with her bare hand.
The ground cracked.
Ivo twisted his wrist — the blade hummed, vibrating with sharp mana.
The collision detonated a shockwave that cracked the barrier itself.
Students watching from the sides had to shield their eyes.
Then—silence.
When the light cleared, Todd was kneeling, one gauntlet shattered, breathing heavily. Ivo stood over her, blade resting on her shoulder, smiling faintly.
"I win."
"Winner — Ivo Kain."
Applause thundered through the arena.
Caelum blinked slowly, faintly impressed. "His sword..."
The guide's voice murmured faintly in his mind: He's touched the Law of Wind — the beginnings of elemental comprehension. Be wary if you face him.
Caelum's lips quirked. "Heh. Sounds fun."
---
More matches continued. Blood spilled, cheers rose and fell. Each fight was a dance — some elegant, some vicious, some short-lived and pathetic.
But as the rounds went on, something became obvious:
Most participants were strong, yes… but unrefined. They fought like people born in light — not in survival.
And Caelum was growing restless.
He could feel his hunger stirring again — that raw, aching desire to consume. The smell of mana-rich blood was intoxicating. He pressed a hand to his throat, forcing down the urge.
From the balcony, V noticed. His golden eyes sharpened.
"Still holding back, are we?" he muttered under his breath.
---
The crimson board pulsed again.
[Round Nineteen: Random Selection…]
Selected Participant: Caelum.
A hush fell instantly.
The name glowed on the board like a challenge to the heavens.
Caelum blinked once, then smirked. "Ah," he murmured. "Finally."
He stepped forward. The crowd parted as if his presence carried its own pressure — quiet, languid, yet strangely heavy.
V leaned against the balcony rail, grinning faintly. "Well, let's see how you dance, little forest brat."
Caelum's gaze lifted toward the ranks. His voice came out calm, even playful:
"I'll pick…" — he pointed — "…Rank 10. Elias."
A shocked murmur swept the crowd.
Even Seren froze.
Elias' expression hardened as he stepped forward. "You sure you want that, Caelum?"
Caelum smiled — that unsettling, faintly unhinged smile.
"Oh, absolutely."
V raised a hand. The barrier flared around them, thick with energy.
"Begin."