The Grand Arena hummed with energy as nearly a million participants settled into their assigned contestant sections. Above them, spectator seating filled with millions more—retainers, family members, sponsors, and viewers who'd paid premium prices for live attendance. Holographic displays floated throughout the massive space, each one showing different stage feeds, rankings, and tournament information.
Jade sat in the middle rows of Section 14, his hood pulled low and his posture relaxed. Around him, thousands of other Stage 14 participants were preparing in various ways. Some were doing last-minute stretches and warm-ups. Others sat in rigid meditation, focusing their energy. A few were engaged in animated conversations with neighbors, nervous energy seeking outlet through talk.
Jade simply closed his eyes and let his consciousness drift.
Not meditation, exactly. Not sleep either. Something between—a state where his mind remained loosely aware of his surroundings through void sense while his body rested in perfect stillness. It was a technique he'd perfected over years of dealing with Selene, allowing him to conserve energy while maintaining awareness.
To anyone observing, he looked like he was sleeping.
"Hey."
Jade didn't open his eyes or respond. His void sense had detected the person approaching—a male participant, probably early twenties based on his mana signature, with average strength for this level of competition.
"Hey, you," the voice said again, closer now. "You assigned to Stage 14?"
Jade remained still, breathing slow and even. The question was stupid anyway—only Stage 14 participants could access this seating section.
A pause, then the sound of the person moving away while muttering something about "antisocial people."
Around Jade, similar interactions were playing out as participants tried to form temporary alliances or gather information about potential opponents. Some were successful, building rapport with neighbors. Others, like Jade, made it clear they had no interest in conversation.
A chime echoed across the Grand Arena, amplified to reach every corner of the massive space.
Holographic displays above each stage lit up simultaneously, showing match information:
STAGE 1: MATCH 1
PARTICIPANT 847 VS PARTICIPANT 23,445
STAGE 2: MATCH 1
PARTICIPANT 15,223 VS PARTICIPANT 76,891
And so on, across all twenty stages. The first matches of Round Two were beginning.
On Stage 1, two figures entered through opposite sides of the barrier. One was immediately recognizable even from this distance—Darius Kane, the elimination round's top performer, his golden armor gleaming under the arena lights. His opponent was smaller, less imposing, clearly outmatched based on presence alone.
The referee's voice carried through amplification: "Match begins in three... two... one... FIGHT!"
Darius moved like a force of nature. His opponent barely had time to raise a defensive technique before Darius's warhammer connected with his barrier, shattering it and sending him flying across the stage. The match lasted less than five seconds.
"MATCH! Winner: Participant 847!"
The crowd erupted in cheers. Even from Section 14, Jade could hear the roar of approval from spectators throughout the arena.
Commentary immediately kicked in, multiple voices analyzing the match from different angles:
"Overwhelming power from Darius Kane! That's the kind of dominance we expect from the elimination round's top ranker!"
"His opponent never stood a chance! Look at that technique—pure destruction with no wasted movement!"
"This sets the tone for Stage 1! Anyone facing Participant 847 needs to bring their absolute best!"
Jade's attention drifted to other stages. On Stage 3, Cassia Mordren was facing an opponent who'd clearly studied her tactics. The fighter was using hit-and-run techniques, refusing to engage directly where her gravity manipulation would be most effective. It was smart strategy, but ultimately insufficient. After three minutes of evasive maneuvering, Cassia caught her opponent in a gravity field and ended the match with ruthless efficiency.
More cheers. More commentary praising her tactical adaptation and combat intelligence.
Stage 7 showed a match between two relatively unknown fighters. The fight was technical and cautious, both participants probing for weaknesses. It lasted nearly eight minutes before one managed to land a decisive strike.
Around Jade, Stage 14 participants were watching the various feeds with mixed expressions. Some looked excited, energized by the displays of power. Others appeared nervous, clearly calculating their own odds. A few seemed dismissive, confidence bordering on arrogance.
Jade closed his eyes again and returned to his previous state.
"Is he seriously sleeping?"
The voice came from somewhere behind Jade. Female, carrying disbelief mixed with amusement.
"Look at him. Matches starting and he's checked out. Either incredibly confident or incredibly stupid."
"Maybe he's one of those freeloaders? Got lucky in the elimination round, made it through on points without actually being strong?"
"Probably. There's always a few who advance more on luck than skill. He'll get knocked out first match and we won't see him again."
"Not worth worrying about then."
The voices moved away, interest already fading. Around Jade, attention returned to the stages where actual fighters were demonstrating their abilities.
On Stage 14, the first match was called.
"STAGE 14: MATCH 1
PARTICIPANT 5,892 VS PARTICIPANT 31,776"
Two fighters entered the stage from opposite sides. The barriers sealed behind them, creating a contained battlefield. The referee confirmed both participants were ready, then signaled the start.
The match was brutal and efficient. Participant 5,892 had some kind of electric-based talent that allowed rapid strikes with electrical enhancement. His opponent tried to counter with earth-based defensive techniques, but the speed differential was too great. After two minutes of increasingly desperate blocking, the earth user went down.
"MATCH! Winner: Participant 5,892!"
Applause rippled through Section 14 and nearby spectator areas. The winner exited looking satisfied. The loser was helped out by medical personnel, conscious but clearly exhausted.
More matches followed on Stage 14. The referee kept a steady pace, calling new fighters as soon as medical teams confirmed the previous match was clear.
Jade observed through his void sense, noting patterns. The random matching meant power levels varied wildly. Sometimes two evenly-matched fighters would produce extended battles. Other times, one would be clearly outclassed, resulting in quick defeats.
The crowd loved the quick victories—displays of overwhelming power always drew enthusiastic responses. Technical matches generated different energy, with spectators and commentators analyzing every exchange.
"Did you see that opening at the thirty-second mark? Should have capitalized!"
"The defensive transition left vulnerability for almost a full second—against a stronger opponent, that would have been fatal!"
"I'm not impressed. The elimination points suggest top fifty thousand, but that performance was barely top two thousand quality!"
The commentary was relentless, dissecting every fight with brutal honesty.
Hours passed. The sun's position shifted as day-night cycles progressed through the arena's atmospheric controls. Stage 14 had processed nearly two hundred matches—each of the approximately forty-six thousand participants in the pool getting their first call.
Around Jade, fighters returned from their matches. Some victorious, settling back with satisfaction. Others defeated, expressions ranging from frustrated to devastated. Medical personnel circulated, treating minor injuries and directing more serious cases to dedicated facilities.
Jade remained in his half-aware state through all of it. His breathing slow and even. His posture relaxed. To casual observation, he looked completely checked out.
But his void sense tracked everything. Every match. Every technique. Every fighter's strength. Information accumulated like pieces on a strategic board.
The sun set. Arena lights shifted to provide illumination as artificial evening arrived. The matches continued without pause—the tournament operated continuously, the only breaks coming from the time needed to clear stages between fights.
In the spectator sections high above, crowds were beginning to rotate. Some viewers left to rest or handle other obligations, while others arrived to take their places. The awakeners among the spectators remained in their seats—their enhanced bodies requiring less rest. The non-awakeners cycled through in shifts, ensuring the stands never emptied entirely.
Niamh and Lio sat in their section, having been there since the battles began. Neither showed signs of fatigue despite the hours. Lio had his datapad out, tracking match progressions across Stage 14.
"They're still working through first matches," he noted. "The size of each pool means it's taking longer than I expected to get through everyone once."
"Approximately forty-six thousand participants per stage," Niamh said calmly. "Even with matches averaging five to ten minutes including transitions, that's hundreds of hours of fighting. This round will take days to process properly."
"Has Jade's number been called yet?"
Niamh checked her own datapad, which was linked to Jade's contestant profile through official tournament channels available to registered retainers. "Not yet. He's still in queue."
Lio settled back, watching the feeds showing various Stage 14 matches. "This is going to be a long tournament."
"That's why we're here," Niamh said. "To watch and support. However long it takes."
Back in Section 14, more matches progressed. The night deepened, then gradually gave way to dawn as the arena's atmospheric systems cycled through another day. Contestants who'd already fought their first matches were resting in their seats or engaging in light training to stay warm. Those still waiting remained focused, knowing their calls could come at any moment.
Jade's watch finally vibrated.
His eyes opened, consciousness returning to full awareness instantly. He glanced down at the display:
MATCH ALERT
STAGE 14: YOUR MATCH IN 5 MINUTES
OPPONENT: PARTICIPANT 23,887
PROCEED TO STAGE ENTRANCE
Jade remained seated, making no move to stand. Around him, several people who'd been watching for hours noticed his stillness despite the alert.
"Did his watch go off?"
"I think so. Saw him move slightly. But he's not going to the stage?"
"Maybe he's forfeiting? Some people realize they're outmatched and don't even bother fighting."
"Probably for the best. Save himself the embarrassment."
Jade let the minutes tick past. Three minutes. Two minutes. One minute remaining.
Then he stood in a single fluid motion and vanished.
One moment he was there. The next, he was standing in the center of Stage 14, directly across from his opponent, as if he'd always been there.
The transition was instantaneous. No movement. No travel time. He simply appeared.
Section 14 erupted in shocked murmurs. Throughout the spectator areas, people who'd been watching Stage 14's feed sat forward suddenly, expressions shifting from boredom to intense interest.
"What was that?!"
"Did anyone see him move?!"
"I was watching the entrance and he just—he was just there!"
"Is that teleportation? Or movement too fast to track?"
The commentary teams picked up on it immediately:
"Remarkable entrance from Participant 847,392! Either incredible speed or spatial manipulation—we'll need to watch this fighter closely!"
"That's not a common technique! Most spatial talents are incredibly rare and difficult to master!"
"Stage 14 just got a lot more interesting!"
The referee, professional despite the surprise, moved to the center of the stage. "Participants confirmed. Match begins in three... two... one..."
Jade stood perfectly still, his hood still concealing most of his features, his hands relaxed at his sides.
His opponent's confidence had faltered slightly at the unexpected entrance, but he recovered quickly, settling into a combat stance that suggested years of training.
"FIGHT!"
...
To be continued