The next morning
Panther and Luoice were in the same room.
Luoice woke up first.
"Good morning, User."
A familiar screen appeared in front of him.
"Okay, okay," Luoice muttered and swiped it away.
He glanced at Panther. Panther was still sleeping, snoring loudly. Luoice grabbed his pillow and threw it straight at him.
Thud.
Panther jolted awake. "What was that?!"
Luoice looked at the clock. 8:00 AM.
"Hey, Panther, wake up. The entrance ceremony is at nine."
Panther rubbed his eyes and slowly got out of bed. "It's already eight? The clock feels fast today."
They quickly got ready and headed toward the academy.
When they arrived, Eve was already there, waiting for them. Beside her stood two other girls—one with thin, long green hair who looked slightly smaller than the rest, and another standing quietly nearby.
Eve waved goodbye to them and came over to Panther and Luoice.
"The ceremony is going to start soon," she said.
Suddenly, the speakers turned on.
"Attention, everyone. Please follow Instructor Kang. He will lead you to the entrance ceremony and then to the battleground."
The students fell silent.
"There are forty Blessed Ones in total this year," the voice continued. "Battles will be conducted between selected pairs. Those who lose will be placed into Class C. The remaining students will continue fighting. Losers of the next round will be classified into Class B, and the overall winners will enter Class A."
"Now, let us begin the entrance ceremony."
Instructor Kang appeared and started leading the students forward. Everyone followed him.
The academy was vast—far larger than Luoice had imagined. Tall structures rose around them as they entered the inner grounds.
"Everyone line up," Kang ordered. "Submit your name, weapon, and ability. Stay in queue."
The students formed a long line and began giving their details.
"I'm getting bored," Panther whispered. "I don't see any bullies here."
"Yeah," Luoice replied quietly. "Everyone's just chilling."
After submitting their information, they moved into the battleground and took their seats.There were countless cameramen from major news channels surrounding the arena, their lenses fixed on every movement. Alongside them stood ordinary people—spectators who had come from far away just to witness the battles of the Blessed with their own eyes. Flashes of cameras lit up the field nonstop, capturing moments that would soon spread across the entire world.
On the right side of the battleground, four people were already seated. Their presence felt different—stronger.
The microphone crackled again.
"We have four Pro Heroes vitnessing today's battles including the latest strongest hero Kayden," the announcer said.
A wave of whispers spread instantly.
"Kaiden… is that him?" Panther whispered, pointing toward the right corner.
Luoice nodded. "Yeah. That's him."
As if noticing the attention, Kaiden casually raised his hand and gave a small wave. The crowd stirred even more before he calmly turned back and continued speaking to the person beside him.
"The battle rules are simple," the announcer continued. "No killing. You may quit at any time. Once a participant quits, no further attacks are allowed."also if u stood outside the red line u will immediately lose.
The atmosphere tightened.
"The first battle will now be announced. The named students must report first and then enter the arena."
A brief pause followed.
"The first battle is between Noel and Cassian."
Excited murmurs filled the battleground.
Noel stood up, calm and focused. Cassian rose with a confident smile, rolling his shoulders.
"Participants, report," Instructor Kang said.
Noel and Cassian walked toward the reporting rooms.
Before they returned, the microphone sounded again.
"The second battle will be between Luoice and Celene."
Panther turned to Luoice. "All the best."
Eve looked at him seriously. "Be careful."
Luoice nodded once. "See you."
Celene stood up from her seat. She had thin, long green hair flowing down her back and carried no visible weapon. Her calm expression made her hard to read.
Luoice walked toward the reporting room.
Two minutes later, the doors opened.
Noel and Cassian stepped into the arena and stopped several meters apart.
A transparent barrier suddenly formed around the arena.
The crowd leaned forward.
Instructor Kang raised his hand.
"First battle," he announced.
"Begin."
The moment the word "Begin" echoed across the ground—
Cassian vanished.
For a split second, Noel saw nothing.
Then—
A sharp presence flared behind him.
Cassian had already reappeared at Noel's back.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three rapid strikes landed before Noel could even turn. The blows were clean, precise, and incredibly fast. Noel's body was sent flying, skidding across the ground before crashing hard.
Gasps rose from the crowd.
Before Noel could catch his breath, Cassian was already moving again.
Noel barely had time to look around.
Cassian appeared in front of him—
A powerful kick struck his side.
Noel was thrown back once more, slamming into the ground.
"So fast…" someone whispered.
Noel clenched his teeth.
He slowly pushed himself up, dust falling from his clothes. His eyes sharpened, calm returning to his face.
"This won't work," Noel muttered.
He placed his hand firmly on the ground.
The air temperature dropped instantly.
Crack—crack—crack—
Ice spread like lightning across the land, freezing everything it touched.
Cassian tried to move—
But his legs were already trapped.
"W–What?" Cassian struggled, pulling hard.
The ice didn't even crack.
He tried to break it with force.
It didn't break.
Slow footsteps echoed.
Cassian looked up.
An ice sword had formed in Noel's hand, its blade resting gently—but decisively—against Cassian's neck.
Cold seeped into his skin.
The match was over.
Cassian let out a breath and raised his hands slightly.
"…I withdraw."
For a moment, the ground was silent.
Then the speaker rang out—
"And the first winner is—Noel."
Cheers erupted ariund the ground.
Noel lowered the sword, the ice melting away as calmly as it had formed.
Panther watched closely.
"That guy…" he muttered, . "He's so cool"
The shattered barrier slowly opened.
One of the teachers stepped forward and placed his palm firmly on the ground.
In an instant, thick mud surged out from beneath his hand, spreading rapidly across the battlefield. Cracks sealed, broken earth fused together, and the arena restored itself completely—returning to how it was before the battle, as if nothing had happened at all.
The crowd murmured in amazement.
Then the speaker echoed once more.
"Next battle—Luoice versus Celene."
Both contestants walked onto the field and stopped a short distance apart.
Luoice stepped forward calmly, drawing his sword and holding it at his side, his eyes fixed on his opponent.
The speaker rang out again.
"Begin."
Celene closed her eyes. Her hands moved slowly, almost gracefully.
At the same moment, Luoice charged forward.
Suddenly, thick tree roots burst from the ground, twisting and snapping toward him from all directions. The audience gasped. Celene opened her eyes—and they glowed a deep green.
Luoice dodged one root, then leaped onto another, using it as a foothold. Roots lashed at him endlessly, but he kept moving.
"You can do it, Luoice!" Eve shouted from the stands.
"Don't hold back!" Panther added.
With sharp movements, Luoice sliced through the roots one after another. Celene continued controlling them, attacking him from every possible angle, trying to trap him.
Then—
In a single blur of motion, Luoice swept through all the remaining tree trunks. In the very next moment, his sword rested lightly on Celene's head.
Silence fell.
"The battle is over. Winner—Luoice."
The crowd erupted. Cheers echoed across the arena, cameras flashing nonstop.
Kayden's eyes widened.
"Did you see that, Parker?"
Parker[, seated beside him], nodded slowly.
"Yes… for a split second, everything inside the barrier froze."
Celene stood frozen in disbelief.
"How…?" she whispered.
But Luoice had already turned away and was walking off the field.
Panther laughed loudly. "I knew he'd use that skill."
Eve crossed her arms. "That's a cheat skill for sure."
Only a few people understood what had just happened.
Soon, the microphone crackled again.
"Next battle—Evelyn versus Daniel."
Eve's fingers tightened for a second. She exhaled slowly,
Panther leaned closer, a small grin on his face.
"Don't think too much. Just fight like you always do."
Eve nodded once.
"…Yeah."
She stepped forward, her eyes steady as the cheers rose around her.
___
"Battle begins!"
Eve stood still for a brief moment, her heart pounding. She took a sharp breath and raised her hand.
"Fireball."
A blazing sphere of flame shot forward—but instead of hitting Daniel, it vanished midair and reappeared behind Eve, crashing into the ground and exploding.
Her eyes widened.
Daniel's ability was portal creation.
A glowing portal shimmered in front of him, while another opened behind Eve. The fireball had entered one and emerged from the other.
Before Eve could fully react, Daniel leaped through the portal. He appeared above her and swung a kick straight at her head.
But Eve wasn't scared.
She caught his leg mid-air, her grip firm, and twisted her body. With a sharp strike to his stomach, she sent him flying.
Daniel crashed onto the ground, sliding dangerously close to the red boundary line.
Gritting his teeth, he slapped his hand forward.
Another portal opened.
In an instant, he vanished and reappeared at the center of the arena, barely regaining his balance.
He looked up—
A massive fireball was already rushing toward him, its heat distorting the air.
"—!"
The flames swallowed him whole.
The explosion echoed through the arena.
Daniel collapsed, unconscious.
A moment of silence followed.
Then the announcement rang out—
"Battle over.The Winner is Evelyn."
Cheers erupted from the stands as cameras flashed wildly.