"Master Gerlos, I have something to inform you about." Just as the Star Armor Masters Tournament was about to begin and promotions were in full swing, Butler Pais contacted Muria again.
"What is it?"
"Due to the competition's rules, Master Gerlos, you may have to endure a small inconvenience."
"Hm?" Muria raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Well, because of the vast expanse of the Federation, the competition is divided into twelve major regions. There will be preliminary matches first, followed by the main competition. You will need to earn your spot in the main competition."
"Oh," Muria nodded, his face showing no change in expression. "What about my sisters?"
"Miss Daisy and the other six young masters and misses have all been granted direct entry to the main competition because their Astral Armor affinity exceeds 80%. However, your affinity is too low, so you do not qualify for this privilege. You'll need to fight your way in."
"That's all?"
"Yes, it will just take up a bit more of your time." Butler Pais studied Muria's expression. In his experience, prodigies like Muria—young and accomplished—often had lofty pride. Now that Muria, the most powerful of the younger generation in the Douglas family, was required to compete on the same terms as ordinary participants, Pais worried this might affect his mindset.
"It's no big deal." Muria was unfazed by being denied privileges due to his lower affinity. Why would he care about such a trivial matter?
He wasn't even particularly interested in winning the tournament. What mattered to him was the impact he could have on the Federation's Astral Armor system through his participation.
"As long as you don't mind." Butler Pais relaxed. If Muria had requested it, the Douglas family could have leveraged their resources to secure him a direct qualification. However, since Muria was willing to go through the competition, there was no need to waste resources on this.
---
"In the previous match, contestant Eckman won by a narrow margin, delivering a thrillingly drawn-out battle that left the surrounding restrooms packed after it ended.
"Now, on to the sixth match at Arena 1965. Let's hope this one won't test our bladders again."
The host stood at the referee's platform, introducing the competitors. When he saw the names on the list, his eyes lit up, and his voice grew louder.
"Next, let us welcome a contestant from one of the Federation's top families—Gerlos Douglas!"
The moment the host loudly announced the name, the arena fell silent for a moment before the audience erupted in excitement. The mere mention of the name "Douglas" electrified the crowd, its prestige casting an almost magical spell.
Amid the enthusiastic cheers and awed gazes, Muria stepped into the arena, bearing the weight of countless eyes filled with reverence and curiosity.
"Now, who is the unlucky soul who gets to face off against a formal member of the Douglas family?"
The host's blatant favoritism didn't provoke any complaints. In everyone's mind, the outcome was a foregone conclusion. A member of a top-tier family entering the preliminaries? It was a massacre waiting to happen.
"His opponent is Bryce, a four-star Astral Armor pilot from Rhine High School! Oh, a mid-tier pilot, too. At least he should last a little longer against the genius of the Douglas family, providing us with a more entertaining match."
As the host spoke, a defiant-looking teenager emerged from the tunnel and stepped onto the field to face Muria. His eyes glared at Muria with a mix of resentment and determination.
"Impressive spirit. It seems this 'lucky' boy isn't intimidated by the Douglas name. From his gaze, it looks like he wants to challenge the strength of a formal member of a top family!"
"Kid, don't back down! I bet you can last ten minutes against that Douglas heir. Hold on for my wallet's sake!"
"Haha, I bet three minutes. Hope the young master delivers!"
"Ten moves—he might make it to ten moves."
The noisy spectators, placing bets and making jeers, only made Bryce's face darker with frustration.
"A top-tier family? Hmph, you may scare others, but not me! I've defeated plenty of kids from wealthy families in school. Let's see what makes you different."
"Born into humble beginnings?"
"Not everyone is born with a silver spoon like you."
"True."
"Stop looking down on me!"
Muria shook his head slightly. He didn't think much of his first opponent in the tournament. The gap in their abilities was simply too vast.
"The match begins! Let's see how long this 'potentially brief' fight lasts!"
After the audience placed their final bets, the referee announced the start of the match.
"Hah! I may be a commoner, but I'm no less than any of you! Even if my start was lowly, I can surpass you all!" Bryce shouted, hyping himself up as his Astral Armor components flew out of his storage case and equipped themselves onto his body in a dazzling display.
In contrast, Muria's arming process was understated. A faint light shone from the ring on his hand, and metallic components materialized, attaching themselves to his right hand and forearm only, with no additional armor appearing.
"Look! Space compression technology—a flawless arming process! Oh, my! He's only armored his right hand! He hasn't even summoned a full set of Astral Armor. Does he think he can win like this? This is madness!"
"You're looking down on me, aren't you, young master of the Douglas family? You're asking to die!"
Bryce's face twisted in anger, feeling his pride shattered by Muria's minimal preparation.
"The match is over," Muria muttered softly. He raised his hand, and an overwhelming wind surged from all directions. Above the arena, it condensed into an enormous hand that overshadowed most of the battlefield.
The instant the massive hand formed, Muria lightly pressed his palm downward. The giant hand followed his motion, crashing down onto the field.
Boom—
The arena trembled violently as dust and debris filled the air, silencing the spectators. Everyone stared, slack-jawed, at the incomprehensible scene before them.
Except for the spot where Muria stood, the entire arena was engulfed in dust. The debris refused to approach him, stopped by an invisible barrier that kept all filth at bay.
"Announce the results," Muria said, glancing at the referee, who was still frozen in shock.
"Oh—oh, right!" Snapping out of his daze, the referee quickly announced, "The winner of Match Six at Arena 1965 is Gerlos Douglas!"
Without waiting for the stunned crowd to react, Muria turned and left the field.
Minutes after he departed, the spectators finally came to their senses, murmurs turning into a buzz of excitement.
"Is this the power of a top-tier family member? What was that attack? How does it even work?"
"This is terrifying! If all family contestants are this strong, why should anyone else even compete?"
"That was so cool. As expected of a Douglas heir—it's everything I ever dreamed of."
As the audience buzzed, the dust on the field settled, revealing the aftermath. The previously solid arena floor now bore the imprint of an enormous hand, covering most of the battlefield. In its center lay Bryce, battered and unconscious, his armor cracked and surrounded by shattered components.
The crowd fell silent again, awestruck by the sight, as if a colossal titan had left its mark.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]