The teleportation disorientation faded, and Jade found himself standing in a massive arrival area within the arena complex. Around him, thousands of other participants were materializing in flashes of light as the arrays pulled everyone who'd advanced from the continent simultaneously.
But they weren't alone.
The arrival area was packed with people who'd been waiting: retainers, family members, sponsors, all pressed against barriers that kept them from overwhelming the arriving participants. The noise was deafening. People shouting names, crying in relief or despair, pushing forward to see if their fighters had survived.
Jade's void sense swept outward, searching through the chaos for familiar signatures. There. About fifty meters away, behind one of the barriers. Niamh's distinctive mana signature, and beside her, Lio's.
He moved through the crowd of arriving participants, shadow-traveling short distances through gaps until he reached the barrier. Niamh saw him first. Her expression remained composed, but something in her eyes spoke of seven days of vigilance finally ending. She didn't rush forward when the barrier dropped—just waited for him to cross the distance.
When he reached her, she pulled him into a brief, tight embrace. No words needed. Just confirmation that he was real, solid, unharmed.
Lio appeared beside them, his grin shaky with exhaustion and relief. "Gods, Jade. Seven days." His voice cracked slightly on the words.
"I'm fine," Jade said.
"Yeah." Lio's laugh was more breath than sound. "Yeah, I can see that."
Around them, similar reunions played out. Some joyful, others desperate as people searched for participants who weren't arriving. Jade could hear sobbing from multiple directions—retainers realizing their fighters hadn't made it.
"Come on," Niamh said, her hand briefly on Jade's shoulder before she turned toward the transit systems. "Let's get back."
They moved through the arena complex, leaving the emotional chaos behind. The crowds thinned as they got further from the arrival area. Lio walked beside Jade, occasionally glancing at him like he needed to confirm he was really there.
"You weren't in the top thousand," Lio said eventually. "The feeds never showed you. We had to check rankings manually every few hours just to confirm you were still competing."
"That was intentional," Jade said.
"I know. Doesn't mean it wasn't nerve-wracking to watch."
They boarded a transit vehicle heading towards their housing block. The ride was quieter, though still crowded with returning participants and their retainers. Niamh sat across from Jade, her expression calm now that the initial reunion was complete.
"Over a million eliminated," she said quietly. "Three hundred forty-seven thousand confirmed deaths. The news feeds are calling it the deadliest Tenday Tournament in decades."
Jade processed that. "More than previous tournaments?"
"Significantly. The last tournament ten years ago eliminated eight hundred thousand total. This one exceeded that by nearly three hundred thousand." Niamh's tone was analytical, clinical. "Multiple planets are filing formal complaints. Some houses lost heirs. The political fallout is substantial."
"But not our concern right now," Lio added quickly. "You focus on the battle rounds. We'll handle everything else."
The transit vehicle arrived at Housing Block Seven. They disembarked and made their way through familiar corridors back to Section D. The accommodations looked exactly as they'd left them—their rooms unchanged.
Jade entered his room and dropped his pack. Seven days of hunting, and his body felt fine. The elimination round had been less demanding than his normal training routine.
His watch chimed. Incoming communication.
He accepted, and Selene's face appeared in holographic projection. She immediately burst into tears.
"JADE!" Her voice was so loud Jade adjusted the projection's volume. "Oh thank the gods you're alive you're safe—"
"I'm fine, Selene."
"FINE?! Seven days! SEVEN DAYS I didn't see you on a single feed! Do you know what that was like?!" Tears streamed down her face as she gestured wildly. "I thought—I kept thinking—what if something happened and I'd never know because you stayed off the feeds—"
Kael's face appeared beside her. "Selene, breathe."
"I'm BREATHING!" But she took a shuddering breath anyway. "The death toll, Jade. Three hundred thousand. The news is showing memorial services, families grieving—" Her voice broke completely.
"I survived," Jade said simply. "I'm advancing to the battle rounds."
"Good!" Selene wiped at her tears furiously. "Good. Because you're going to WIN this tournament. You're going to show everyone how strong you are. You're going to be the champion."
"Selene—"
"I believe in you!" She was crying again, but smiling through it now. "I know you can do this. You're the strongest person I know. Just—just be careful. Please. Promise me you'll be careful."
"I promise."
Kael gently steered Selene away from the projection, murmuring something soothing. She waved tiredly at Jade before the call ended.
The projection faded. Jade stood in his room, sighed with a shake of his head at Selene's antics, a small smile on his lips.
A knock at his door. Niamh stood there with food.
"Thought you might be hungry," she said.
Jade accepted the tray. "Thank you."
"The briefing for round two is tomorrow morning," Niamh said. "Rest tonight. We'll handle whatever comes next together."
She left, and Jade ate while reviewing the minimal information his watch provided about upcoming rounds. Tomorrow would bring clarity.
--------------------------------------
Afternoon, Day Two of Rest Period - Housing Block Seven, Section D
Jade left his room to find food in the block's common area. The space was crowded with returning participants, some celebrating, others sitting in stunned silence.
He collected a tray and spotted Revik's group at a corner table. Three of them. Only three.
Jade moved toward their table. Revik saw him approaching and his jaw tightened. He nodded once, sharp and minimal. Kessa and Marris did the same.
Jade sat without asking permission. Awkward silence settled over the table as they ate.
Finally, Revik spoke. "We lost Torin." His voice was flat, the words forced out. "On day three."
Jade met his eyes. "I'm sorry."
Revik looked away, jaw clenching. Another long silence.
Marris turned his tablet so Jade could see the screen. "Official statistics."
INITIAL PARTICIPANTS: 2,000,000
FINAL PARTICIPANTS: 921,847
ELIMINATED: 1,078,153
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 347,923
"Three hundred thousand," Kessa whispered. "The news feeds are showing protests. Families demanding investigations."
"Won't change anything," Revik said. "Everyone signed waivers."
"Doesn't make it easier," Kessa said.
They finished eating in silence and dispersed back to their rooms.
Tomorrow morning would bring the briefing for round two.
...
Morning, Day Two of Rest Period - Private Observation Lounge, Arena District
The lounge was restricted to academy scouts and guild recruiters. Holographic displays showed elimination statistics.
Three Silverpeak Academy scouts reviewed data.
"Cassia Mordren performed as expected," the senior scout said. "Rank three, one hundred seventy-three thousand points, zero casualties. Excellent execution."
"The casualty rate is concerning," another said. "Thirty-seven percent elimination with sixteen percent deaths. Unprecedented."
"The creatures were stronger than anticipated," the third suggested.
"Or the participants were weaker," the senior scout countered. "Look at the patterns. Most eliminations occurred in the first three days. Poor preparation killed them, not impossible odds."
Across the lounge, guild recruiters had similar conversations.
"The death toll is causing political problems," one said. "Multiple houses demanding reforms."
"Let them," her colleague dismissed. "The strong survived. That's what matters."
The conversations continued—cold analysis, recruitment calculations. The tournament was business. Deaths were data points.
The battle rounds were about to begin.
----------------------------------
Day Three, Morning
The assembly hall was enormous—a space that could comfortably hold a million people with room to spare. Tiered seating rose in concentric circles around a central platform, each level connected by wide staircases and transit lifts. Holographic displays floated throughout the space, ensuring everyone could see the central platform regardless of their position.
Jade arrived with Niamh and Lio, following the flow of participants streaming into the hall. His hood was pulled low, shadows obscuring his features as they found seats in one of the middle tiers. Around them, nearly a million participants filled the space—some excited, others nervous, all waiting to learn what the battle rounds would entail.
The noise was incredible. Hundreds of thousands of conversations creating a roar that echoed off the vaulted ceiling. Jade tuned most of it out, his void sense casually monitoring their immediate area.
A chime echoed through the hall, amplified to cut through the noise. Conversations died immediately as everyone's attention turned toward the central platform.
Majordomo Prime materialized there—the robot host that had overseen the elimination round. Its appearance was flawless, mimicking an elderly human butler with such precision that most people probably forgot it wasn't organic. The projection was massive, ensuring everyone in the hall could see clearly.
"Participants," Majordomo Prime's voice carried perfect clarity despite addressing a million people. "Congratulations on advancing to Round Two of the Tenday Tournament. You have proven your survival capabilities. Now, you will prove your combat skills."
The holographic displays throughout the hall shifted, showing new information.
"Round Two will utilize a battle stage format within the Grand Arena," Majordomo Prime continued. "The arena contains twenty battle stages, each equipped with advanced barrier systems, monitoring arrays, and referee oversight. You have been assigned to one of these stages. Check your watches now for your stage number."
Jade's watch vibrated softly. He glanced down at the display:
STAGE ASSIGNMENT: STAGE 14
REPORT TO CONTESTANT SEATING SECTION 14 AFTER BRIEFING
Around him, other participants were checking their own watches, murmurs rippling through the crowd as people discovered their assignments.
"Your stage assignment determines your competitive pool," Majordomo Prime said. "All battles will occur on your assigned stage within the Grand Arena. The twenty stages operate simultaneously, each with its own dedicated feed, commentary team, and referee. Contestant seating is organized by stage assignment—you will sit in your designated section between matches for efficient transition when called."
The displays showed the Grand Arena's layout—a colossal space similar to the one where the tournament had begun, but configured differently. Twenty massive battle platforms were arranged throughout the arena floor, each surrounded by its own translucent barriers. Tiered spectator seating rose around the entire arena, providing views of all stages. Separate contestant seating sections were positioned closer to the arena floor, clearly marked with stage numbers.
"The battle format is straightforward," Majordomo Prime continued. "You will face other participants from your stage pool in one-on-one combat. Match assignments are random—your watch will alert you when a battle is ready and identify your opponent. You will have five minutes to enter your stage after receiving the alert."
New information appeared on the displays:
BATTLE RULES:
- ONE-ON-ONE COMBAT ONLY
- MATCH ENDS WHEN: OPPONENT SURRENDERS, OPPONENT IS UNABLE TO CONTINUE, OR REFEREE CALLS THE MATCH
- KILLING IS PROHIBITED - REFEREES WILL INTERVENE IF LETHAL INTENT IS DETECTED
- WINS AND LOSSES TRACKED BY YOUR WATCH
- RANKINGS DETERMINED BY: WIN RECORD + ELIMINATION ROUND POINTS
"Your watch will track all victories and defeats," Majordomo Prime explained. "Your ranking within your stage pool will be calculated based on your win-loss record combined with your points from the elimination round. The more you win, the higher you climb."
The formula appeared on displays:
RANKING SCORE = (TOTAL WINS × 1000) - (TOTAL LOSSES × 1000) + (ELIMINATION POINTS ÷ 10)
"Match frequency will vary based on stage population and participant availability," Majordomo Prime said. "Expect multiple battles per day over the course of several days. Medical personnel will be stationed throughout the arena for treatment between matches."
The robot host's projection seemed to sweep across the assembled participants. "Forfeiture is permitted at any time by declaring your intent to the referee. However, forfeitures count as losses for ranking purposes."
A pause, then Majordomo Prime's tone carried weight. "This tournament represents the pinnacle of your generation's combat prowess. Demonstrate your strength. Prove your worth. Those who excel will earn recognition across the empire."
The displays shifted to show the contestant seating layout with all twenty sections clearly marked.
"Proceed to the Grand Arena now," Majordomo Prime instructed. "Contestants report to your assigned seating sections. Retainers and spectators proceed to general spectator seating. The first matches begin in two hours."
The projection faded, and the assembly hall immediately erupted into noise as nearly a million participants began moving.
Jade stood. Niamh placed a hand briefly on his shoulder.
"We'll be in the spectator section." she said.
"Stay safe," Lio added. "And try not to make the other fighters look too bad."
Jade nodded and moved toward the exits designated for contestants. The crowd naturally separated—participants heading one direction, retainers and spectators another. He could feel Niamh and Lio's presence behind him for a moment before they diverged toward different passages.
The contestant corridors were wide and efficiently designed, directing the flow of hundreds of thousands of fighters toward the Grand Arena. Jade followed the signs marked "STAGE 14 CONTESTANT SEATING" along with thousands of others.
The Grand Arena opened before them—a space so vast it made the assembly hall seem small by comparison. The arena floor stretched for what had to be kilometers, with twenty massive battle stages arranged in a grid pattern. Each stage was easily two hundred meters in diameter, surrounded by translucent barriers that shimmered with contained power.
Above and around the arena floor, tiered spectator seating rose in concentric circles, capable of holding millions. Those seats were already filling with spectators, retainers, and viewers who'd come to watch the battles. Holographic displays floated throughout the space, showing information about all twenty stages simultaneously.
Closer to the arena floor, the contestant seating sections were clearly marked—twenty designated areas, each corresponding to a stage. These sections were positioned for quick access to their respective battle platforms, with medical stations and rest areas visible nearby.
Jade located Section 14 and made his way there. The seating was filling rapidly with participants assigned to Stage 14. Thousands of fighters claiming spots, some sitting alone in meditation, others clustering in small groups.
He found a seat in the middle rows and settled in. From here, he had clear view of Stage 14's platform directly ahead, and could see the other nineteen stages spread across the arena floor. Above, he could make out the massive spectator sections, though individual faces were too distant to distinguish.
Around him, other Stage 14 participants were preparing in their own ways. Some meditating. Others watching the arena floor intently. A few already eyeing potential opponents.
Jade pulled his hood lower and closed his eyes, letting his consciousness drift into light meditation. His body was ready. His mind sharp.
The countdown continued.
Throughout the contestant section, he could feel occasional eyes tracking his hooded figure. Curiosity from other participants. Questions forming about who he was.
But he didn't care
The battles would provide answers soon enough.
.....