The air inside the stone arena buzzed with tension.
Children from all over Terraverde stood within a massive circular coliseum, its high walls built from gray stone and sealed with runes that glowed faintly warding sigils, meant to keep the chaos of combat contained. The stands above were mostly empty, save for a few instructors and observers who watched with sharp eyes.
Ashura stood quietly among the gathered competitors, his dark cloak pulled around him like a second skin. Beneath it, the light armor Valerie had given him hugged his small frame silent, resilient, made for speed. His wrapped scythe was slung over his back, drawing the usual glances. He didn't care. His black-clear eyes stayed focused on the platform ahead, where a group of instructors had just appeared, all dressed in the red-trimmed gray cloaks of Ironblood officials.
One of them, a tall woman with a high ponytail and a spear across her back, stepped forward and raised a hand.
"Silence."
The murmurs among the children ceased instantly.
"You've passed the Obstacle Gauntlet," she said. "Now comes the true test: Phase Two Combat Readiness. This will be the filter. Those who pass will move on to the final selection."
Her voice echoed throughout the arena.
"This phase will be divided into three rounds. Each will test a different aspect of your ability to survive and fight under pressure."
Another instructor, a broad-shouldered man with a trimmed beard, stepped forward beside her.
"Round one: One-on-one duels. You'll be matched randomly. Victory is achieved by knockout, ring-out, or submission. You lose, you're out."
Ashura's eyes narrowed. His hand shifted slightly toward his scythe's hilt.
"Round two: Team Coordination Trial. You will be randomly placed in four-man teams. Your group will face simulated ambushes, traps, and cooperative challenges. The goal is to complete the objective with the fewest injuries and the most efficiency."
Ashura's lips tightened."So it's not just raw combat… they're testing cooperation too."
"And round three," the woman added, her eyes sharp as flint, "is the Survival Zone. You'll be dropped into a mock wilderness filled with illusionary beasts, environment hazards, and aggressive conditions. The last sixteen competitors standing at the end of a full day will proceed to the main tournament."
A ripple passed through the children. Some looked uneasy. Others clenched their fists or stood straighter.
Ashura's gaze didn't waver.
'Sixteen... So I have to last through all of it. No breaks. No safety nets. Just survive...'
From across the group, Renji stood watching the officials with wide eyes, his fingers twitching nervously. He saw Ashura in the crowd and their eyes met. Ashura gave him a small nod. Renji's face lit up with a flicker of reassurance.
"I will now begin announcing the first-round pairings!" another instructor shouted.
Ashura turned his attention forward, waiting.
'Let's see what they throw at me. I didn't come here to scrape by I came to stand above the rest.'
From the stands, a cloaked observer an older woman with narrow golden eyes leaned forward. She whispered to her colleague beside her.
"Who is that child with the scythe?"
The man beside her squinted. "Looks like a dark elf… too young for his weapon. But… something about his presence is unnatural."
Ashura's name appeared on the floating projection stone above the arena.
ASHURA OF NOVA vs. VELON DRAKE
The other boy stepped forward taller than Ashura, with bronze skin, a shaved head, and two daggers spinning in his hands.
He smirked. "Guess I got matched with the reaper."
Ashura walked silently to the center of the dueling platform, his cloak fluttering behind him.
He let the cloth drop from his scythe, revealing the gleaming crescent blade and the faintly pulsing etchings that ran along the staff. Murmurs erupted in the audience again.
Velon's smirk faltered just slightly.
The instructor between them raised a hand. "Begin when the signal flares."
Ashura lowered into a low stance, the scythe angled behind him like a coiled serpent. His heartbeat slowed. His thoughts sharpened.
Stay focused. One strike. Clean and certain.
The flare fired.
Velon darted in with quick footwork, daggers flashing.
Ashura didn't move.
At the last second, Velon lunged for a feint left dagger first.
Ashura stepped sideways, pivoted his scythe low, and brought the shaft up in a short arc.
THWACK.
Velon's legs were swept clean from under him.
Ashura spun, reversed his grip, and halted the tip of the blade a mere inch from Velon's throat before he could even hit the ground.
The arena fell silent.
The instructor raised his hand. "Winner Ashura."
Ashura pulled the blade back and turned away, cloak settling back over the weapon.
From the observation deck, the cloaked woman stared at the boy's retreating form.
"…Keep an eye on that one," she murmured.
The Med team rushed in and retrieved Velon.
The crowd sat in stunned silence for a moment longer before erupting into a mix of gasps, cheers, and hushed whispers. Ashura stood in the center of the platform, breathing steadily, his cloak slightly torn and the cloth around his scythe fluttering from the force of the final swing. The faint shimmer of Cosmic Aura still clung to his body like smoke dissipating in the wind.
From the elevated seats overlooking the arena, several instructors exchanged glances.
"Did you see that last movement?" one of them murmured. "He used his opponent's momentum… redirected it, then struck before the boy even hit the ground."
"He's six," another said with disbelief. "That shouldn't be possible."
One of the judges, a tall woman with short silver hair, scribbled something into her logbook. "He's using some kind of flow technique refined. Not just brute talent. That child's been trained."
Meanwhile, the other competitors waiting their turn exchanged wary looks. Some had seen Ashura earlier calm, small, unassuming. But now? They saw the danger beneath the quiet demeanor. A reaper, cloaked in shadow.
Renji, watching from the waiting area with the other fighters, couldn't help but grin.
The duels continued, each pair called out one by one. Some fights were quick, with a decisive blow ending it in seconds. Others were longer, brutal battles of attrition. Spectators watched from above, cheering for their favorites or placing hushed bets on who would proceed.
The announcer's voice echoed across the grounds. "Next match Renji Irelis versus Loro Varn!"
Renji stepped forward, a nervous flutter in his chest. But Ashura's fight had lit a fire in him. 'If he can do it… I can too.'
Loro Varn approached the platform, a confident smirk on his face. In his hands, he wielded a long-handled chain weapon, its metallic links glinting under the arena lights. The weapon's weighted end swung lazily, hinting at the controlled power behind it.
Their battle commenced with the flare of the signal. Loro immediately set his chain in motion, the weapon whirling in wide arcs, creating a zone of control that kept Renji at bay. Each swing was precise, the chain slicing through the air with a menacing whistle.
Renji circled cautiously, using his staff to deflect the chain's strikes. He noted Loro's rhythm, the slight pause before each directional change. Timing his move, Renji feinted to the left, drawing a sweeping attack, then darted to the right, closing the distance.
With a swift maneuver, Renji hooked his staff around the chain mid-swing, yanking it downward. The unexpected move disrupted Loro's balance, causing him to stumble. Seizing the opportunity, Renji delivered a decisive strike to Loro's side, sending him tumbling out of bounds.
The crowd erupted in cheers as the verdict was declared Renji had advanced.
Minutes turned to an hour. One by one, the number of competitors dwindled.
To be Continued