Chapter 5: Blades, Stars, and Rising Legends
The atmosphere in the arena boiled like a storm on the verge of breaking. Earlier matches had been fierce, setting a high standard as countless hopefuls fought desperately for recognition. Yet, deep down, every spectator knew the true monsters had not yet revealed themselves.
Now, it was their turn.
The announcer's voice thundered across the grand grounds, sharp and commanding.
"Next match—Zoro Tatsumaki versus Galric Stonefang!"
A hulking youth stomped onto the stage with heavy steps, his thick arms crossed proudly over his chest. His aura erupted with violent force, announcing him as a Bronze-Tier Fifth Rank, one of the most feared among the lower-level fighters. His lips curled into a sneer as he stared across the arena.
Zoro stepped forward in contrast, quiet and unreadable. His hands hovered near the hilts of his twin swords. His calm expression betrayed no emotion, no sign of excitement or fear.
"You look weak," Galric scoffed with arrogance. "Are you certain you belong here?"
Zoro gave no answer. His eyes sharpened like blades, his silence cutting deeper than words.
The referee raised his hand. "Begin!"
Galric charged forward like a wild bull, his fists sparking with violent Ki Essence. The ground shook beneath his stampede, the force of his rush drawing gasps from the audience.
But before his strike could land—
Sching!
Steel whispered through the air. A gust of displaced wind followed, too sharp and sudden to track. Galric froze mid-motion, his eyes widening in disbelief. A thin red line blossomed across his chest, and a heartbeat later, his body collapsed onto the stage.
Silence consumed the arena. The fight had ended in less than five seconds.
The referee stood frozen before finally raising his hand, voice shaking. "Zoro Tatsumaki… wins!"
Gasps and whispers erupted through the stands.
"What just happened?"
"Did anyone even see him move?"
"He is far too fast… far too fast for a Bronze-Tier fighter!"
Up in the stands, the true contenders—the hidden Silver-Tier prodigies who had yet to fight—took notice. Among them sat a young girl whose red starry eyes glimmered like cosmic flames. She studied Zoro's form with quiet intrigue, as though measuring him against something only she could perceive.
The announcer soon called the next match.
"Elton Solman versus Darik Rensfeld!"
Darik stepped onto the stage with a spear gripped tightly in his calloused hands. His aura flared at Bronze-Tier Fifth Rank, and his grin carried mocking confidence. "You look scrawny," he jeered. "One of those flashy tricksters, aren't you?"
Elton remained silent, his eyes calm and unshaken.
"Begin!"
Darik's spear lunged forward with the speed of a striking viper. Elton flowed aside effortlessly. Another thrust came, then a sweeping strike meant to cut him down, yet every motion missed as Elton glided gracefully beyond reach.
"Stop dodging and fight me!" Darik shouted, frustration spilling into his voice.
Elton obliged without hesitation.
In a blur of motion, he closed the distance. His palm shot forward—subtle, efficient, yet carrying the raw might of Silver-Tier power. The strike smashed into Darik's chest, sending the boy soaring backward. His body slammed into the arena wall with a thunderous crack.
The fight was over instantly.
The crowd erupted in disbelief.
"That did not look like Bronze-Tier strength!"
"He is hiding something!"
"Who exactly is this guy?"
The girl with red starry eyes leaned forward, her gaze sharpening. Interest flickered as she observed both Elton and Zoro, her expression thoughtful yet unreadable.
Later, as Elton and Zoro left the stage together, they were intercepted.
The girl herself approached, walking with graceful poise. She looked no older than ten, yet her aura radiated refinement and nobility far beyond her years. Her crimson-starred eyes gleamed like embers scattered across the heavens.
"You two were impressive," she said calmly, her tone polite yet laced with quiet authority. "Others fought well, but you stood apart."
Zoro gave only a short, disinterested nod. Elton raised a brow and asked, "And you are?"
"Christy," she answered simply, offering no family name.
Though her words carried courtesy, Elton caught the sharp glint hidden within her gaze. She was not merely complimenting them—she was studying them, measuring their potential as one would weigh weapons. After a brief pause, she turned away with a smile, walking off without another word, leaving them to wonder at her true power.
The tournament pressed forward.
"Zoro Tatsumaki versus Callum Greave!"
Callum strode onto the stage with the calm of experience. Unlike Galric, he was no Bronze fighter. His aura burned with Silver-Tier First Rank cultivation, his confidence obvious. "I saw your match," he declared. "You are fast, but that trick will not work against me."
Zoro drew both swords slowly, sliding into his stance. He still said nothing.
"Begin!"
Callum struck first, his fists glowing with Silver-Tier Ki. Each blow came like thunder, his movements sharp and heavy with trained power. Zoro met them with flawless precision, his blades deflecting the strikes with barely a twitch of effort.
"You are skilled," Callum admitted through clenched teeth. "But all you do is dodge and deflect. What is wrong? Are you afraid to fight me head-on?"
For the first time, Zoro's lips curved faintly. "I am finished playing."
His stance shifted.
—Two Sword Style: Dark Cutting Shadow—
The air dimmed unnaturally, as though his very essence devoured the light. His Dark Sword Ki erupted violently, coating both blades in a shroud of invisible shadow.
Then he vanished.
To the crowd, he simply ceased to exist.
A heartbeat later, twin arcs of black Ki carved across Callum's chest. Blood sprayed violently as the Silver-Tier fighter was hurled off the stage, his body crashing unconscious beyond the boundary.
The silence shattered into thunderous roars of astonishment.
Zoro had crushed a Silver-Tier opponent in front of thousands.
Soon after, Christy's name was called.
Her opponent was a determined teenage girl, aura steady and brimming with Bronze-Tier confidence.
It did not matter.
The referee signaled the start, and Christy's aura ignited instantly. What erupted was not ordinary Ki. This was something far rarer—Greater Energy Essence, a fusion of Ki and Arcane Power, born of her mysterious bloodline.
Her palm glowed with a crimson light.
—Burning Red Star Palm—
Christy blurred forward with speed beyond mortal sight. Her strike landed cleanly against her opponent's chest, the explosion of red energy hurling the girl out of the arena in a single instant.
Dust swirled, then settled. The referee hesitated, stunned, before raising his hand. "Christy wins!"
Gasps spread across the stands like wildfire.
"That was not normal Ki Essence!"
"She is already at peak Silver-Tier Third Rank!"
"She is only ten years old?!"
Elton's gaze narrowed, his mind racing. First Zoro. Now Christy. Both had unleashed overwhelming displays of power that shook the entire arena.
And now, it was his turn.
The announcer's voice rang out once again.
"Next match—Elton Solman versus Cedric Vanthor of Garrfle Country's Light Brim City!"
Cedric stepped onto the stage with arrogant confidence. His aura radiated Silver-Tier Second Rank cultivation, and his noble bearing weighed heavy with pride. "You have been impressive," Cedric said, his voice smooth but dripping with arrogance. "But against me? You will regret ever stepping into this arena."
Elton clenched his fists, his eyes burning with quiet determination.
This fight would be different.
He could no longer afford to hide.
This time, he would unleash everything.
The battle was about to begin.