Victor's unexpected victory over the Francis family's top genius had reignited interest in the Star Armor tournament, which had initially suffered a historic dip in popularity due to earlier mishaps.
When observers noticed that the Douglas family contestants occupied nearly half of the tournament's later stages, public attention soared. This unprecedented scenario made the current tournament one of the most talked-about in history.
---
"Little lady, are you planning to fight me?" Victor, his injuries mostly healed, stood in the arena facing his next opponent—a dainty girl from another prominent family.
"Do you think I've come this far just to surrender without a fight?" The girl, wary of Victor's reputation as a madman, sighed inwardly at her misfortune.
To be honest, she had no desire to face someone who treated every match as a life-or-death struggle. Both of them were young talents with bright futures. Why risk everything here?
"If you're not surrendering, let's get started," Victor replied, his eyes scanning her graceful figure. He chuckled mischievously.
"Why are you laughing? You're disgusting!" The girl took two steps back, her unease deepening. In that moment, she resolved to make a decision.
"I'm not laughing at anything in particular," Victor said with a cheeky grin. "I'm just happy that once I win this match and enter the quarterfinals, I won't have to fight anymore. That thought makes me smile."
"Let the match begin!"
At the referee's signal, Victor donned his Star Armor and immediately charged toward the girl like a wolf pouncing on its prey.
Having tasted success in close combat during his previous match, Victor planned to repeat the strategy. He aimed to close the distance and end the fight quickly.
"Ahhh!" The girl shrieked as Victor barreled toward her. She unleashed all her Star Armor weapons in a desperate attempt to keep him at bay.
But her efforts were futile. Victor had sacrificed offensive capabilities for defense, allowing him to steadily close the gap despite her bombardment.
"I surrender!"
After a fruitless struggle, the girl finally yelled the words she'd been holding back.
"Huh?" Victor stopped abruptly, a hint of disappointment on his face. "Little lady, couldn't you have waited a few more minutes?"
"Pervert!" she snapped, glaring at him before dismissing her weapons and storming off the field in a huff.
For her, this match was little more than a formality. She didn't care much about the results as long as she saved face. But realizing the cost of winning against someone like Victor, she had no desire to continue.
"How boring!" Victor declared triumphantly, laughing as he secured victory in under three minutes. The crowd, however, responded with a mix of cheers and jeers.
With this win, Victor officially advanced to the quarterfinals, ensuring the Douglas family claimed one of the top eight spots. And this was only the beginning.
One by one, other students trained by Muria followed Victor's example, overcoming their opponents in surprising and often grueling matches.
While contestants from other families treated the tournament as a game or a display of skill, Douglas family participants approached it as a life-or-death battle.
This stark difference in attitude directly influenced the tournament's outcome.
---
"Jeros-sensei, seven of the quarterfinal spots already belong to our family. You're the only one left. Once you win your match, the top eight will be entirely ours," a young girl said, smiling smugly as she sat across from Muria in a comfortable lounge.
"With my brother competing, the result is a foregone conclusion," Dessily added, her eyes sparkling with admiration for Muria, whose capabilities she had glimpsed during earlier matches.
"Have you decided who will take second and third place?" Muria asked, dismissing the flattery. For him, winning this competition was a given—there was no one who could stop him.
"Uh, we'll decide after the match. Isn't it a bit arrogant to plan that far ahead?"
"Do as you like." Muria stood up and left the room—it was time for his match.
---
"The next match will determine the final quarterfinal spot. It's also a historic moment: if the Douglas family wins, they will claim all eight spots in this year's quarterfinals!" the announcer exclaimed excitedly from the referee's platform.
"This has never happened before in the history of the tournament, at least not during my career!"
On one side of the arena, Muria's opponent smirked but couldn't hide the tension in his eyes.
"You Douglas family maniacs—did you all take some kind of drug this year? Why are you fighting like lunatics?"
"We're not being reckless; we're just determined to win," Muria replied calmly. To him, this match was already decided. Everyone thought so, both inside and outside the arena.
Online, betting odds were absurdly skewed: a wager on Muria yielded a mere 0.001 payout, while his opponent's odds stood at a staggering 1:1000. Almost no one bet on the latter.
"Will you surrender, or should I send you out myself?"
"Can I think about it?" Muria's opponent asked with surprising cheerfulness, stroking his chin. "I've heard that anyone who fights you gets their Star Armor destroyed in one move but comes out alive. If you promise not to kill me, I'd like to experience that."
"Fine," Muria replied indifferently.
"Great. Just so you know, I won't hold back. People say no one's managed to gauge your true strength yet, and I'm curious."
---
The moment the referee started the match, the young man unleashed his full arsenal, firing at maximum capacity.
It was futile.
Before he knew it, Muria's fist had expanded in his vision, growing larger and larger until it consumed everything. His final sight was a white fist obliterating his defenses and crashing down like an unstoppable force.
---
"In an unsurprising yet spectacular display, the Douglas family's 'Star Shatterer' has secured another crushing victory. Even in the quarterfinals, he defeated his opponent with a single punch!"
As the referee declared the result, the announcer's voice grew frenzied. The audience erupted into cheers.
"This year's Star Armor tournament will go down in history! The Douglas family has claimed all eight quarterfinal spots—a historic first!"
---
With no matches left to fight, the Douglas family had effectively monopolized the tournament. The quarterfinals and beyond became a mere formality, with winners predetermined before the matches even began.
This absurd outcome both amused and frustrated spectators. But it also solidified the Douglas family's dominance, elevating their influence within the Federation to unprecedented heights.
As expected, Muria took first place. Dessily claimed second, not because of her strength but due to her close blood ties to Muria. Victor placed third, rewarded for his sheer grit despite his injuries.
---
At the final awards ceremony, all 64 top contestants gathered, though most wore grim expressions. Only the Douglas family members seemed jubilant.
"Lord Jeros, as this year's champion, do you have anything to say?"
Muria stepped onto the podium, smiling as he addressed the assembled contestants.
"I'll give you all a chance. I allow you to challenge me together."
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