The first stage ended in noise.
Cries of defeat.
Cheers from the stands.
Names flashing across the floating crystal board.
Zael stood near the edge of the arena, cloak dusty, breathing steady.
He had made it.
Barely.
Which was exactly the point.
He had spent most of the rumble doing three things:
Staying near the inner ring.
Letting others collide with each other.
Using just enough force to knock people away without drawing attention.
No flashy skills.
No obvious talent.
No reason for anyone to remember him.
Across the arena, the wind mages and earth shapers repaired the shattered floor. Cracks sealed. Bloodstains evaporated under cleansing runes. The barrier reshaped itself into a tighter dueling field.
The mayor's voice boomed through amplification arrays.
"Stage One is complete. One hundred remain."
Applause rolled like thunder.
"Stage Two will now begin. One-on-one elimination. Defeat means disqualification. Victory brings you closer to the top ten."
A massive crystal wheel formed in the air.
Names spun.
Zael's stomach tightened.
Don't pair me with someone loud…
The wheel slowed.
Stopped.
Two names glowed.
[Zael Nightshade]
[Brant Hollow — Level 9]
Zael exhaled.
Manageable.
Brant Hollow cracked his neck and stepped forward with a grin, hammer strapped to his back. "Didn't notice you in the rumble. You hide well."
Zael shrugged. "Crowds make me nervous."
The barrier sealed.
BEGIN.
Brant rushed in with a sweeping hammer strike.
Zael activated Strategic Marking.
Blue lines traced muscle and bone.
Gold points lit up at the shoulder joint and behind the knee.
He stepped aside.
The hammer smashed stone.
Zael tapped Brant's knee with the flat of his blade.
The joint buckled.
A sweep.
Brant hit the floor.
Zael rested the blade at his throat.
"I yield!" Brant blurted.
"Winner: Zael Nightshade."
A few heads turned.
Most didn't.
Good.
---
While he waited, Zael watched other matches.
On the far side, a familiar figure stepped onto the platform.
Zane.
Black hair, calm posture, eyes like a still sea.
Whispers rippled.
"That's him."
"The one with the unique talent."
"They say his skills are legendary."
Zane's opponent was a spear user, Level 10, aura sharp and aggressive.
The duel began.
The spear shot forward like lightning.
Zane didn't dodge.
He slid half a step to the side and let the spear skim past his shoulder. His blade moved once.
The spear shaft split.
The opponent froze.
A heartbeat later, the cut reached the man's chest guard and knocked him backward.
"…I yield."
The crowd stirred.
"Clean."
"No wasted movement."
"That's a genius type."
Zael lowered his gaze.
Good. Draw their eyes there.
---
Another platform flared.
Tyron.
Lightning crackled faintly along his limbs as he faced a burly brawler.
The brawler charged.
Tyron didn't retreat.
He met him head-on.
Thunder exploded from his fist.
The impact launched the man backward into the barrier.
"I—yield!" the brawler shouted, coughing.
Cheers erupted.
"That's Thunder Strider!"
"He's fast!"
"He'll be top ten for sure!"
Tyron scratched his head awkwardly as he stepped down, glancing around for Zael but not seeing him.
---
Seraphina's match came next.
She faced a twin-blade rogue who vanished into mist.
Shadow veiled her form.
Two silhouettes flickered across the platform.
Then one was thrown out of the shadow cloud and hit the ground hard.
Seraphina stood with her blade resting at the rogue's throat.
"I yield…" he whispered.
Her victory drew more whispers.
"As expected."
"Shadow Veil with an Epic profession…"
"She's untouchable."
Her eyes scanned the arena briefly.
They did not linger on Zael.
---
Selvig's match was louder.
He stepped onto the platform clad in golden armor formed from his talent, a massive halberd in hand.
His opponent raised a shield and braced.
Selvig charged.
The halberd struck.
The shield shattered.
The opponent flew across the arena and slammed into the barrier.
Silence followed.
Then laughter.
"Hero-grade talent…"
"That's bullying."
"He didn't even try."
Selvig rested the weapon on his shoulder and looked around with a grin, clearly enjoying the attention.
His gaze flicked over Zael's area once.
He scoffed and turned away.
---
Zael's second match appeared.
[Zael Nightshade]
[Lira Fen — Level 10]
A green-haired girl with twin daggers stepped forward, eyes sharp.
"You're the quiet one," she said. "I don't like people I can't read."
Zael smiled faintly. "Then don't blink."
She vanished into a blur.
Zael activated Foresight Frame.
Afterimages traced her path.
He turned before she reappeared.
Steel rang.
He struck her wrist.
One dagger flew free.
She spun and slashed low.
He jumped.
Her second blade cut air.
He landed and kicked her ankle.
She fell.
Blade to throat.
"…I yield."
"Winner: Zael Nightshade."
Now more eyes followed him.
Not admiration.
Curiosity.
"That guy's precise."
"He's not flashy."
"Tactician type?"
Zael stepped away.
Careful.
---
The matches continued.
Twenty became fifteen.
Fifteen became twelve.
Zane won again, dismantling a fire mage with three movements.
Tyron overwhelmed a shield user with speed.
Seraphina ended a duel without ever leaving shadow.
Selvig crushed another opponent with a single blow.
Then Zael's next match appeared.
[Zael Nightshade]
[Hektor Rune — Level 11]
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
Hektor's bronze-grade body enhancement made his skin gleam faintly.
"So you're the slippery one," he said. "Let's see if you slip from this."
The barrier rose.
Hektor charged.
The platform trembled.
Zael sidestepped.
A punch boomed past his ear.
He struck Hektor's ribs.
It felt like iron.
No effect.
Hektor grinned. "That all?"
Zael retreated.
Strategic Marking pulsed.
Gold points appeared at joints.
Hektor lunged again.
Zael slid inside the punch and slammed the pommel into his elbow.
The arm spasmed.
A slash behind the knee.
Hektor staggered.
Zael struck the side of the neck with the flat of his blade.
Hektor dropped to one knee.
"…Yield."
The barrier fell.
This time, applause followed.
Zael bowed lightly and left the platform at once.
That was close.
---
At last, the crystal board flashed.
TEN NAMES REMAIN.
Zael's name glowed among them.
So did:
Zane.
Tyron.
Seraphina.
Selvig.
The mayor rose.
"These ten will advance to the provincial trial. Rest tonight. At dawn, you depart."
Cheers thundered.
Selvig lifted his halberd in triumph.
Tyron laughed with a group of commoners.
Seraphina stood alone, composed.
Zane accepted congratulations with quiet nods.
Zael slipped through the crowd.
City… done.
Next would be the province.
Stronger awakeners.
Sharper eyes.
Somewhere, in another city, a white-haired girl who saw the future was also advancing.
He didn't know that.
What he knew was simple:
Zane would be seen.
Zael would not.
And as the top ten were celebrated, Zael vanished into the streets, already planning how to survive the next round without becoming a name worth remembering.
The arena trembled with anticipation. Dust swirled underfoot as the ten remaining awakeners faced each other. Floating crystal screens above the stage displayed their professions, grades, and levels.
Two Legendary-grade awakeners—Lirien and Vaylen—stood out immediately. Tyron's aura radiated raw precision. Zane's presence hummed with something the crowd couldn't define, while Zael, labeled as a common-grade Combat Scholar, drew whispers of skepticism. How had he made it this far?
The mayor's voice boomed from above.
"Stage two begins. All matches are one-on-one. Defeat disqualifies you from advancing in this bracket. Good luck."
---
Round One — Ascension Matches
Match 1 — Tyron vs. Selvig
Tyron — Thunder Strider (Epic Grade, Level 12)
Selvig — Knight Architect (Hero Grade, Level 12)
The moment the gong sounded, Selvig slammed the ground with his hammer, sending a shockwave across the arena. Tyron dodged with blinding speed, his body leaving faint afterimages as he closed the distance.
Selvig swung again, wider this time, trying to corner Tyron. But Tyron leapt onto the edge of the platform, flipping over the hammer's arc, landing behind Selvig. A bolt of lightning surged from his gauntlets, grazing Selvig's armor.
Selvig countered, activating Construct Formation, summoning a metallic shield to block Tyron's next strike. The crowd gasped as Tyron twisted mid-air, slipping under the shield to land a controlled, precise strike to Selvig's side—enough to force submission without injury.
Winner: Tyron → Upper Bracket
---
Match 2 — Zane vs. Vaylen Tross
Zane — Battle God (Mythical Grade, Level 13)
Vaylen — Beastmaster (Legendary Grade, Level 12)
Vaylen's beasts surged first, a pack of spectral hounds and massive wyvern-kin. Zane assessed their movements instantly, his Battle God talent calculating the optimal counter sequence.
He sidestepped a charging wyvern, tripping its legs and flipping it over with minimal effort. One hound lunged at his flank; Zane pivoted, thrusting his blade through a structural weak point in its skull.
The crowd watched in stunned silence. Vaylen's summons fell one by one, each strike perfectly measured. Finally, recognizing the precision of Zane's movements, Vaylen lowered his head in concession.
Winner: Zane → Upper Bracket
---
Match 3 — Lirien Voss vs. Tyra Kell
Lirien — Elementalist (Legendary Grade, Level 13)
Tyra — Elemental Knight (Epic Grade, Level 12)
Lirien's fire and wind spiraled around the arena, melting stone tiles beneath her feet. Tyra's elemental shield absorbed some blows, but Lirien's Legendary-grade manipulation allowed her to chain attacks seamlessly.
Tyra struck back with a burst of lightning, forcing Lirien to shift into the air, twisting mid-flight to redirect her fire. Every attack was countered. After a final whirlwind of fire and air that left Tyra unable to respond, she yielded.
Winner: Lirien → Upper Bracket
---
Match 4 — Seraphina vs. Morgath Kren
Seraphina — Veil Assassin (Epic Grade, Level 12)
Morgath — Blightblade (Epic Grade, Level 12)
Seraphina vanished into the shadows almost immediately. Morgath's cursed sword slices cut through illusions, though, and he anticipated her vanish points. For every strike she delivered, he had a measured counter, predicting her next location.
Her Shadow Veil talent allowed brief glimpses of the immediate future, but she underestimated Morgath's pattern recognition. With a trap strike across her flank, Morgath pinned her without killing. Seraphina conceded gracefully, forced into the lower bracket.
Winner: Morgath → Upper Bracket
Loser: Seraphina → Lower Bracket
---
Match 5 — Zael vs. Darius Vale
Zael — Combat Scholar (Common Grade, Level 12)
Darius — Wind Dualist (Epic Grade, Level 12)
Zael moved deliberately, yielding after a brief clash, demonstrating skill but holding back. Darius launched a flurry of wind blades, each deflected or dodged. Zael's calculated movements allowed him to avoid defeat without revealing true strength.
Winner: Darius → Upper Bracket
Loser: Zael → Lower Bracket
---
Upper Bracket — Semi-Finals
Tyron vs. Lirien
Tyron's speed clashed with Lirien's Legendary elemental mastery. Lightning and fire arcs intertwined in midair. Tyron used Foresight Frame to predict Lirien's attack angles. With a blinding series of strikes targeting joint weak points, he forced Lirien to yield after a single critical hit broke her stance.
Winner: Tyron → Upper Bracket Final
Zane vs. Vaylen
Zane's Mythical Battle God talent allowed perfect anticipation. Vaylen's beasts and attacks were countered effortlessly. The final wyvern-kin collapsed under a precise strike. Vaylen conceded.
Winner: Zane → Upper Bracket Final
---
Upper Bracket Final — Zane vs. Tyron
The arena quaked with the intensity of their clash. Tyron struck first with blinding speed and precision. Zane sidestepped, countering with surgical efficiency—non-lethal strikes targeted the exact points to break balance without injury.
After several intense rounds, Zane's aura of inevitability won out. Tyron nodded in respect and conceded.
Winner: Zane — First Place (Upper Bracket Champion)
Runner-Up: Tyron — Second Place
---
Lower Bracket — Placement Battles
Seraphina vs. Selvig
Despite her speed and foresight, Seraphina could not match Selvig's versatility. He countered her vanish points and exploited openings, forcing her to concede.
Winner: Selvig → Fourth Place
Loser: Seraphina → Fifth Place
Zael vs. Other Lower Bracket Contenders
Zael continued to yield tactically, showing skill but deliberately avoiding exposure. He retained tenth place, his quiet demeanor unsettling the crowd.
---
Final Top Ten Placements
1. Zane — Battle God (Mythical Grade, Level 13)
2. Tyron — Thunder Strider (Epic Grade, Level 13)
3. Lirien Voss — Elementalist (Legendary Grade, Level 13)
4. Morgath Karen -- Blightblade (epic grade level 12)
5. Darius vale --wind dualist (epic grade level 12)
6. Vaylen tross -- Beastmaster (legendary grade level 13)
7.Tyra kell-- Elemental Knight (epic grade level 12)
8. Selvig — Knight Architect (Hero Grade, Level 12)
9. Seraphina -- Shadow duelist (epic grade level 12)
10. Zael — Combat Scholar (Common Grade, Level 13)
The arena buzzed. Two Legendary-grade awakeners and a common-grade Combat Scholar in the top ten—whispers of disbelief and speculation filled the stands. Some rationalized that Zael's low-level Combat Scholar status would prevent him from lasting much longer, but the precision of his moves hinted otherwise.
Zael watched from the shadows, expression unreadable. He was tenth, low-profile, unnoticed.
Meanwhile, Zane's Mythical aura drew every eye. The mask of genius was complete, the perfect contrast to the hidden strategist: Zael.
---