Faiser stood calmly at the entrance of the main arena while the enormous noise around him grew louder with every passing moment.
The voices, the disciples' shouts, the fluttering of the massive banners above the stone buildings, even the pressure of the chi spreading throughout the place… everything suggested that this was not merely an ordinary competition, but an event the entire sect had awaited for a very long time.
Faiser slowly raised his eyes and began looking toward the elevated stands surrounding the arena.
Many disciples sat in every direction.
The third generation mostly occupied the lower seats, while the second and first generations were spread across higher areas, and some distant seats had been reserved for guests.
But what caught his attention the most… was the elders' platform.
Six elders sat atop a high stone platform, each wearing the official robe of the Heavenly Phoenix Sect, those long black-and-green robes embroidered with faint golden threads along the edges.
Their mere presence was enough to make the atmosphere heavier.
But Faiser narrowed his eyes slightly, then calmly said inwardly:
"Only six…"
The book asked:
"Hah? And what about it?"
Faiser kept his gaze fixed on the platform before saying:
"This sect has a leader, doesn't it?"
The book fell silent for a moment, then replied:
"Hmm… true."
Faiser slowly continued scanning the surroundings.
"But I don't see anyone who looks like the sect master. The elders are obvious because of their clothes and where they sit… but that person is nowhere to be seen."
The book mockingly said:
"Maybe he died and they hid it so the sect wouldn't collapse, hahahahaha."
Faiser did not respond. Instead, he shifted his gaze toward the rest of the stands.
And there, he noticed something else.
Several people among the crowd… were not wearing the sect's official clothing.
Different garments. Different symbols and colors.
Some carried strange swords, while others looked around with obvious arrogance.
Faiser said:
"Disciples from other sects…"
The book replied:
"Hmm… it seems this competition is bigger than I expected."
Then it laughed lightly.
"Or maybe they just came to watch your bones get shattered, hahahaha… I'm joking."
But Faiser was not interested.
Because at that moment… his eyes met the Sixth Elder's.
The Sixth Elder was staring directly at him, a gaze filled with anger, contempt, and pressure suppressed for days.
But—
Faiser suddenly smiled.
A strangely wide smile, broad and calm, yet not natural in the slightest.
It resembled the smile of someone who had finally found something entertaining amidst a long boredom.
And the moment that smile appeared—
The Sixth Elder's face stiffened further.
Faint veins appeared near his forehead while his eyes grew colder.
As for Faiser… he simply kept smiling as if genuinely enjoying his reaction.
At that moment, a laughing voice echoed beside the Sixth Elder.
"Well, well… is this the boy who angered you this much, Sixth Elder? Hahahaha."
The person who spoke was an elder with long blue hair flowing calmly behind him, and his features seemed strangely relaxed compared to the other elders.
He smiled while observing Faiser with clear interest.
The Sixth Elder coldly replied:
"Third Elder… if you came only to mock me, then stay silent."
The Third Elder smiled even more and said:
"No, I'm simply entertained."
Then he added while watching Faiser:
"Because this boy does not seem afraid of you at all… and that alone is rare within this sect."
The Sixth Elder responded in a low voice:
"Overconfidence shatters quickly."
The Third Elder laughed lightly.
"Perhaps… but I don't think this type breaks easily. This type usually drags everyone else into chaos first."
Elsewhere in the stands—
Lin sat atop one of the stone seats, his arms crossed and his eyes fixed on Faiser ever since his arrival.
His expression was far from calm.
It was filled with pressure and suppressed anger.
Then he muttered through clenched teeth:
"Just wait…"
His eyes narrowed further.
"Just wait for my turn, you weakling…"
Then a cold smile appeared on his face.
"And I'll shatter that arrogance you speak with in front of everyone."
On the opposite side—
Mira stood calmly while her hair moved slightly with the gentle breeze inside the arena.
Her eyes remained fixed on Faiser, but not with the same look as the others.
It was as though she were trying to understand something unclear.
She thought inwardly:
"He… changed…"
Then she narrowed her eyes slightly.
"I don't know exactly what changed… but his presence became heavier than before."
But after only a moment—
She smiled faintly before looking away from him.
"Hmm… that makes this even more interesting."
Above on the elders' platform—
Another elder leaned back with obvious boredom.
His long black hair was slightly scattered behind him, and his eyes were half-closed as though he barely cared about what was happening.
He slowly sighed, then glanced toward Faiser with half an eye and said:
"Haaah…"
"So this is the boy they've been talking about for days?"
Then he added while observing him:
"He truly looks weak…"
A brief silence followed…
But then the corner of his mouth slightly lifted into a faint smile.
"But why does his presence give off such a strange feeling?"
He raised his gaze toward the sky before sighing again.
"I just hope this competition won't be boring like every year…"
Meanwhile, far away atop one of the sect's tall buildings—
A mysterious man stood silently upon the stone rooftop.
His face was not fully visible because of the shadows, but his eyes were clear as they looked directly toward the battle arena.
Then—
A faint smile appeared on his face.
And silence returned once more.
Meanwhile, inside the arena—
The focus returned to Faiser.
The book suddenly said:
"A lot of eyes are watching you, you bastard…"
Then it added with obvious jealousy:
"I truly hate you."
Faiser lightly sighed before saying while looking toward the arena:
"The first battle… Mira against Kael."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Doesn't that seem suspicious to you?"
The book asked in confusion:
"What do you mean?"
Faiser's smile widened slightly more before he calmly said, as though explaining a foolish game to a child:
"It's very simple… so simple it's laughable."
He kept his eyes on the arena and continued:
"In any normal competition… the strongest participants are separated at the start, because having them face each other early ruins the excitement and lowers the value of the finals."
Then he slightly raised a finger.
"But here?"
"One of the sect's strongest disciples against another considered among the strongest participants… from the very first match."
He laughed lightly.
"This is not bad luck… it's deliberate arrangement."
Silence filled his mind for a moment before the book slowly said:
"You think the Sixth Elder manipulated the draw…?"
Faiser replied:
"I don't think so… I'm certain."
Then he continued in a more amused tone:
"That fat elder wants to remove every obstacle from his path. He wants Kael to face the strongest opponents early while I face weaker ones, because he believes that if I fight one of the stronger disciples, I'll lose and never meet his disciple. So he wants to place me against weaklings first until I eventually end up against Kael."
Then he laughed.
"And at the perfect moment… Kael enters and crushes me in front of everyone, hahahahahaha."
A strange gleam appeared in his eyes.
"He doesn't only want revenge… he wants to humiliate me before the entire sect."
Then he tilted his head slightly while smiling.
"A stupid plan… but smart against idiots."
The book spoke with obvious hesitation:
"Sometimes… sometimes you truly scare me, Faiser."
Then it slowly added:
"The way you connect things together… does not seem normal."
Faiser smiled wider and spoke in a low voice filled with cold excitement:
"Book… can you imagine how entertaining it will be…"
Then his smile widened further.
"To crush Kael before everyone… and destroy that elder's pride upon the very same board he thought would grant him victory?"
Then he spoke in an even lower… but more dangerous voice:
"But the thing I love most about humans… is how they collapse the moment they realize their plans were nothing more than ridiculous illusions from the beginning."
Inside his mind, the book said hesitantly:
"Faiser… you're smiling in a truly terrifying way right now…"
But Faiser paid no attention.
He continued staring at the arena as though seeing something no one else could see.
Then he slowly said, word after word:
"How entertaining that elder's face will be… when he realizes that the disciple in whom he placed all his trust… is merely the first thing I will destroy inside this arena."
This time, his laughter rose more clearly.
"Hahahahahahaha… Kael… the Sixth Elder… and even this entire sect…"
Then a cold smile appeared on his face.
"Let them all climb as high as they can… because their fall will be more beautiful the higher they rise."
He laughed softly.
"I'm truly excited."
Then he looked toward the arena.
"So…"
"Let us enjoy this a little."
"And watch how the cockroaches fight… before their exterminator appears."
At that moment—
Both Mira and Kael stepped onto the massive stone arena.
Their footsteps alone were enough to gradually quiet the arena.
Then a third person appeared between them.
The Fifth Elder.
He stood in the center while looking at the two of them, then inwardly sighed and thought:
"Seriously… Sixth Elder… what the hell are you planning…"
But his expression remained calm.
Then he raised his voice so it echoed throughout the entire arena:
"This battle is the opening of the competition, so remember well…"
He first looked at Kael, then at Mira.
"Strength alone does not make a true fighter."
Then he continued in a deeper voice:
"The one who loses their composure inside the arena… loses before they even fall."
Afterward, he turned toward the stands.
"And as for all of you… watch carefully, because true combat is not measured only by who strikes harder… but by who can maintain control over themselves even amidst chaos."
Silence spread for a moment.
Then he finally raised his hand and declared clearly:
"Begin."
In the very next instant—
The Fifth Elder vanished from his place suddenly, appearing outside the arena in the blink of an eye.
Leaving the two alone.
Mira gripped a slender long sword whose hilt was decorated with a finely carved pink flower.
As for Kael—
He slowly unsheathed his two broad swords.
They were clearly much wider than ordinary swords, to the point they resembled sharp axes more than blades.
Silence filled the arena.
For only a single second.
Then—
The two vanished from their spots at the exact same moment.
And a massive metallic explosion erupted at the center of the arena—
As their swords collided directly with such force that the arena floor cracked beneath their feet…
While a gigantic wave of chi swept across the stands like a sudden storm.
On the other side—
Faiser slowly smiled, then slightly tilted his head while observing the two upon the arena.
And he said in a calm voice… yet one that sounded disturbingly sinister:
"Hah…"
Then he laughed lightly.
"The more the pieces move upon the board… the more enjoyable it becomes to destroy the entire game."