Zephyr Ceto stood at the center of the arena, arms crossed, his overwhelming aura drowning the Stage of Dawn in pressure. The crowd was electric— cheering loud enough to rupture eardrums— and all he did was smile. He lifted a single hand, and the arena fell silent instantly.
"Hello again, everyone," he said, pacing in a slow circle as he surveyed the stands. "Due to some... unfortunate circumstances, we weren't able to announce the winners of the Beast Hunt before the first fight. But now, I'm here with something much greater."
The crowd erupted again, chanting his name.
"I have encountered some of the brightest young talents I've ever seen," Zephyr continued, his voice booming with certainty. "You may doubt their strength now, but hear me well. The four individuals you will see in just a moment... will grow to be the strongest fighters you will ever witness." He paused. "Even stronger than myself. And I say that with absolute conviction."
A hush of awe fell through the arena.
Zephyr inhaled, then reached forward as if grasping invisible fabric. The air warped around his fingers before splitting violently—reality itself cracking open. He stepped aside and bowed.
"Everyone, please welcome not only the first-place winners of the Beast Hunt... but the first new set of Visionaries in over sixty years."
The stadium exploded in cheers as Loretta, Erenyx, Rui, and Heartz stepped through the rift. Their eyes widened at the roar of the crowd. Loretta and Erenyx instantly fist-bumped; Rui pulled Heartz into a tight hug.
Zephyr moved to stand before them. "These young people will shape this world for the better, and protect Conravia until their bodies fail them." He placed a hand on Heartz's shoulder. "Now, I'd like you all to hear from this group's leading Visionary." A grin spread across his face. "Make an explosive first impression."
Heartz exhaled, stepped forward, and faced the people.
"You may not believe in us because we're young," he began. "You may not believe in our power because we're unknown. But..."
He lifted his stump into the air.
"On the last arm I have—any threat that comes our way, whether it endangers our world or the entire universe itself... will be blown to smithereens."
The arena detonated in cheers. Heartz had done it: he nailed the first impression.
The Visionaries have always been more than a title—they are a pact. A covenant forged by those who choose to protect Conravia no matter the cost. Throughout history, only a handful have ever been worthy of the name, and once... there was a generation unlike any other.
A group of five whose power reshaped the world.
Zephyr Ceto, The World's Strongest Man — Conravia's unbreakable Pillar of Strength.
Uriel Rakiel, The World's Strongest Creature — the Dragon of Domination whose roar split worlds.
Nos Valhalla, The Demon of Virtue — Conravia's living weapon, forged to face nightmares.
Oraxyn Yami, The Queen of the Lost — the shadowed assassin who ruled the unseen.
Zorren Lightvos, The Phantom Sun — the first to rise, and the beacon who gave the Visionaries their purpose.
Together, they were unrivaled. The five strongest mortal beings to ever walk Conravia. Their legend still stands uncontested— so much so that, even now, with Zorren Lightvos missing from the world, the remaining four are not only alive... they are still the strongest mortals on the planet, each reigning over their own nation.
Their era shaped the world.
And now, a new generation has been chosen to inherit that impossible legacy.
Now seated beside the world's strongest man, the new Visionaries watched the stadium with wide-eyed awe as the second match of the first round prepared to begin. Zephyr glanced at them with a grin. "This one will be interesting. I can promise you that."
The announcer's voice boomed across the arena.
"WELCOME BACK EVERYONE!"
The crowd erupted—some already screaming in anticipation, others drowning in excitement.
"I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW THIS NEXT FIGHTER! PLEASE WELCOME THE RETURN OF OUR SECOND-PLACE FINALIST... JUPITER PONSATO!"
A wave of mixed emotion crashed through the stands: cheers from fans, boos from those who remembered his behavior last tournament. But Jupiter didn't flinch. His pastel-pink hair was messy and unkempt, spiking in every direction. A plain white tee, blue sweatpants, and rings on every finger made him look like he'd rolled out of bed— but the cold seriousness on his face was new. No arrogance. No theatrics. This time, he had come to win.
"AND HIS CHALLENGER—A NEWCOMER WITH LITTLE KNOWN ABOUT HER—PLEASE WELCOME... LYREN ASHWELL!"
The crowd greeted her like a veteran. In the arena, reputation didn't matter—only the fight did. Lyren stepped forward, sharp-eyed and composed, her deep black hair shimmering with the faint glow of the energy she controlled.
"Scum like you shouldn't have been let back in," she said, voice icy.
Jupiter clicked his tongue, scowling. "Shut up, bitch. You wanna die?"
The words sent a cold shiver down her spine, but she lunged forward anyway.
She never got the chance.
"Bang."
Jupiter pointed a single finger at her—something invisible screamed past her cheek.
"Bang. Bang."
Another. Then another. She couldn't see them, couldn't track them, but she didn't need to see what she could feel. Her elemental senses lit up.
In a crack of light, Lyren reappeared directly in front of him—her heel slamming under his chin and sending him flying. The crowd roared.
Jupiter skidded across the ground, caught himself, and rubbed his jaw. "The hell are you so fast for?"
He stood up straight and cracked his neck. The arena floor fractured under his foot as he stepped. In a blur he surged forward—appearing in front of Lyren and catching her face in his hand.
Her eyes widened. He was faster than he'd been last tournament.
A heartbeat before he could slam her head into the earth, Lyren vanished. His hand shattered the ground instead, stone exploding outward.
Jupiter clicked his tongue. "Ah. So that's your trick." His expression twisted into frustration.
"God, you're annoying. I should just kill you."
He cracked his neck again, rolling his shoulders as sparks of raw power rippled off him.