The platform lights came up again.
"Next match."
"Lin Hao — Starfall Second Academy." "Deng Yu — Starfall Fifth Academy."
The reaction was immediate this time, sharper than before.
"So it's him." "The Lin Hao." "He finally stepped in."
The display unfolded above the arena.
Lin Hao
Academy: Starfall Second Academy
Primary Monster Gene: Cloudmane Silver Lion
Elemental Affinity: Light — Mid-High
Rank: Three-Star Warrior [High]
Deng Yu
Academy: Starfall Fifth Academy
Primary Monster Gene: Riftclaw Sand Scorpion
Elemental Affinity: Earth — Mid-High
Rank: Three-Star Warrior [High]
Deng Yu walked onto the platform first, calm and focused, eyes steady. He'd fought too hard to get here to be shaken by names.
Lin Hao stepped onto the platform with one hand in his pocket, not even looking toward his opponent at first. His gaze drifted across the arena instead—over the lower-academy sections—then paused briefly on Starfall First.
Lu Shen.
Lin Hao nodded once, satisfied.
Only then did he look at Deng Yu.
"…Fifth Academy?" he said, like he was confirming a detail he didn't care about.
Deng Yu didn't rise to it. He tightened his grip and settled into stance.
The barrier sealed.
The signal sounded.
Deng Yu moved fast.
[ Sand Rift Lunge ]
The ground split as he surged forward, earth snapping upward in hooked arcs meant to trap Lin Hao's legs and force a close exchange.
Lin Hao stepped aside at the last moment, light flickering around his feet just enough to avoid being caught.
"Hm," he said. "You guys do train harder than I expected."
Deng Yu followed through, stacking pressure.
[ Dune Spiral ]
Rotating layers of sand closed in, forcing Lin Hao back for the first time.
The arena stirred.
"He's pushing him." "Fifth Academy's first rank isn't weak."
Lin Hao exhaled slowly, almost annoyed.
Light flared.
[ Radiant Drift ]
He slipped through the gap and struck Deng Yu across the chest, sending him skidding back.
Lin Hao didn't chase.
He just stood there, head tilted slightly.
"That's about as far as you get," he said. "You should be proud."
Deng Yu wiped blood from his lip and stepped forward again.
"I didn't come here to be proud."
Lin Hao smiled—not wide, not cruel. Just… dismissive.
"Yeah," he said. "That's the problem with lower schools."
They clashed again.
Deng Yu fought cleanly, efficiently, forcing exchanges, refusing to give ground. He even landed a solid hit—earth tearing across Lin Hao's side.
A ripple passed through the crowd.
Lin Hao glanced down at the torn uniform, then back at Deng Yu.
"…You actually think this is a match."
The light around him intensified.
[ Lion's Gleam ]
Pressure rolled outward as Lin Hao advanced, strikes heavier now, faster, forcing Deng Yu on the defensive. Deng Yu blocked, retreated, endured—but the gap showed.
Lin Hao stepped in close.
"You're not bad," he said quietly. "For someone from a low level school."
A faint distortion shimmered along the barrier's edge.
Subtle. Easy to miss.
Deng Yu's footing slipped for half a second.
That was enough.
[ Luminous Break ]
The blow sent Deng Yu crashing into the barrier. He hit the ground hard, breath gone, muscles refusing to respond.
He tried to push up.
The medic signal flared immediately.
---
[ Match Ended ]
Winner: Lin Hao — Starfall Second Academy
The silence afterward was tense.
"That was early…" "He wasn't finished." "Did you see the barrier?"
Deng Yu stayed on one knee, staring at the floor, fists clenched. He knew exactly what had happened.
Lin Hao straightened his uniform and turned away.
As he left the platform, he spoke again—clearly, deliberately.
"Don't get the wrong idea," he said, voice carrying. "This round is just cleanup."
His gaze locked onto Lu Shen.
"You're the only one here worth my time."
The words landed like a slap.
Whispers exploded.
"That's Lin Hao for you." "Lin Group's heir. He's always been like this." "No wonder officials won't touch him."
From the lower sections, no one shouted back.
Because they knew exactly what he meant.
To Lin Hao, this wasn't arrogance.
It was just the natural order.
The lights shifted again, slower this time, like the arena itself understood what was coming.
"Next match."
"Zhao Chen — Starfall Tenth Academy." "Wei Jin — Starfall Tenth Academy."
For half a second, the arena froze.
Then it erupted.
"No way—" "This is the match." "Same academy, but this is going to be insane."
Cheers rolled out from all sides, not divided by academy colors this time. Everyone knew both names. Everyone had seen what they'd done to get here.
On the platform, Chen and Jin stepped forward at the same time.
They met at the center.
There was a soft thud as their shoulders bumped—not aggressive, not friendly either. Just acknowledgment.
Chen looked over. "Try not to lose too badly."
Jin snorted. "Yeah? We'll see."
A pause. Then Chen smiled, small and genuine.
"May the best one win."
Jin nodded once. "No holding back."
They turned and walked to their sides as the noise swelled again. Even neutral sections were leaning forward now. This wasn't just another elimination match. This felt like something people would remember.
In the Starfall Tenth section, students were shouting both names, voices overlapping, proud and conflicted all at once.
On the teacher platform, Han Qiu didn't join them.
He stood rigid, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the platform—but not with excitement.
With frustration.
"…Damn it," he muttered. "Both of them. Top sixteen. And they're forced to cut each other down."
If they'd been on opposite sides, either could've gone further. He was sure of it.
His jaw tightened.
"I need to know who arranged this."
A voice answered from behind him, smooth and faintly amused.
"Looks to me like your academy's doing very well, Teacher Han."
Han Qiu stiffened.
He turned sharply.
The man standing there wore an official badge pinned neatly to his chest, hands folded behind his back, smile polite enough to be irritating.
"…Director Luo," Han Qiu said, disbelief flashing across his face. "Why are you here?"
Luo Ming tilted his head slightly. "Is it strange for an oversight director to observe Phase Three?"
Han Qiu's eyes dropped to the badge, then back to Luo Ming's face. His expression hardened.
"Don't play games with me," he said flatly. "You're the one behind the bracket shuffling, aren't you?"
Luo Ming blinked once, then laughed softly. "That's a serious accusation."
He leaned in just a little. "Do you really think I'm that kind of person?"
The smile never left his face.
Han Qiu's hand shot out.
He grabbed Luo Ming by the collar and yanked him forward, voice low and shaking with restrained fury.
"Don't think I don't know your methods," he hissed. "You've always targeted the lower academies. This isn't coincidence."
A few nearby instructors stiffened but didn't intervene.
Luo Ming glanced past Han Qiu's shoulder.
"Oh," he said lightly, "looks like your students' match is about to start. Aren't you going to watch?"
The arena signal tone echoed faintly.
Han Qiu held him for a second longer, then shoved him back and released his grip.
"This isn't over," Han Qiu said coldly. "I'll report this."
Luo Ming straightened his collar, unbothered.
"I'll be looking forward to it," he replied, still smiling.
He turned and walked away as if nothing had happened.
Han Qiu exhaled sharply, then turned back toward the arena just as the barrier sealed around Platform Eight.
Inside, Zhao Chen and Wei Jin stood facing each other.
The noise dimmed.
The signal sounded.