Sparks of magic lit up the arena as Charles and Meridith clashed in a fierce duel.

Charles had coated his arms with earth magic, forming them into gauntlet-like armor, while using air magic to amplify his speed and the force behind every strike.

Meridith, on the other hand, darted around like a living shadow, her body infused with lightning magic. Her movements were so fast, they were nearly impossible to follow.

In a flash, she closed the distance, her fiery punch roaring toward Charles like a lightning bolt. He somehow dodged at the last second, though the sheer heat of her strike still grazed the fabric of his clothes.

But just then...

Crack!

Thick earth shackles burst from the ground, latching onto Meridith's legs. She tried to leap back, but it was already too late.

Charles charged in and drove a powerful punch, packed with earth magic, straight into her stomach.

Boom!

The impact shattered the shackles and sent her flying.

Before she could even regain her footing, her body slammed hard into a solid earth wall that had erupted behind her.

Bam!

A thunderous sound echoed through the arena.

Meridith's body slid down the wall.

And before she had the chance to recover, fresh earth shackles emerged again, binding her limbs in place.

Thalan calmly walked forward and raised his voice, "Winner... Charles!"

A wave of cheers erupted from the Caelondor section of the gallery. On the other side, Solmyr's supporters looked disheartened, their mood clearly grim.

Charles turned, satisfaction glowing on his face, and walked out of the arena with a confident smile.

In the royal balcony, Caelondor's king leaned back with a smirk. "Hmph. So what if Arcadia claimed the first victory? All three of my kingdom's fighters are the best of the best. That earlier guy from Drahzul must've just been weak."

The tournament continued as more duels played out.

Leonard managed to win against a fighter from Velkar, but Damian wasn't as lucky. He lost to a female fighter from Solmyr.

Seven matches had now concluded. Fourteen fighters had competed, and seven had advanced to the next round.

Only one participant remained, a fighter from Velkar.

Every year, it was tradition: the last remaining fighter could choose their opponent from among the seven who had lost.

This time, the final fighter was Leon.

He stepped into the center of the arena. Thalan approached him and asked, "Who would you like to fight?"

Leon stood silently for a moment, deep in thought. Then he pointed. "Robert."

Gasps ran through the gallery.

Robert, Charles' close companion who had traveled to Arcadia to help Logan against the Third Eye Sect had unfortunately lost his match earlier today.

But now, hearing his name called, his face lit up.

Overjoyed, Robert quickly walked into the arena and stood tall before Leon.

Once both were ready, Thalan raised his hand.

"Begin!"

And just like that, another breathtaking match exploded into motion.

Robert wasted no time. Flames erupted from his body as he activated his fire affinity to its limit. He didn't let a single drop of energy go to waste. "No matter what… I won't lose this match. If I keep winning then I'll get the chance to fight Logan. I want to feel that power with my own fists."

Unbeknownst to Logan, seated quietly in the stands, he had already become a dream opponent for many of the fighters below.

Even though Robert knew he'd stand no chance, he still burned with the desire to test himself.

Meanwhile, Leon from Velkar wasn't some pushover either.

Mana surged through his arm as he conjured an ice blade, and then charged.

He slashed fiercely at Robert...

But Robert ducked, dodging cleanly, and in the next second...

Crack!

His flaming fist buried itself into Leon's gut.

It wasn't flashy but it was devastating.

Leon's eyes widened in pain. His knees hit the ground, arms clutching his stomach. Blood spilled from his lips in heavy drops.

It didn't take long.

Thalan stepped forward.

"Winner... Robert!"

Robert stood tall, gasping with joy.

The crowd erupted into wild cheers and murmurs.

Meanwhile, up in the royal balcony, King Malrik of Velkar seethed with fury.

His face twisted as he slammed a hand on the railing.

"Losers! All of them! And they dare call themselves the pride of A-class? Pathetic. Two defeats already."

With the first round concluded, the dust of battle settled over the arena.

Only eight fighters remained.

Three from Caelondor, now holding a clear lead: Charles, Robert, and a fighter named Adler.

Two from Arcadia: Leonard and Logan.

And one each from the remaining kingdoms:

Seraphine from Solmyr, Solemon from Velkar, and Dave from Drahzul.

The crowd was still murmuring about the upset victories and early eliminations when Thalan's voice echoed across the massive stage. "The first round has concluded. Eight contestants remain."

A short pause followed as all eyes locked on the stage. "We will now begin the second round. It will follow the same format as before, one-on-one battles. And once only four fighters remain, they will enter the final stage…"

A wave of excitement surged through the crowd.

One ring. Four fighters. One champion.

The tone had shifted. Thalan continued, his voice steady. "The first match of the second round.. Leonard from Arcadia versus Dave from Drahzul."

Ali Arkman, the Guildmaster, watching from the gallery, narrowed his eyes. "Give your best, Leonard."

Though Ali knew about his charecter he still didn't want someone from own kingdom to lose.

Leonard stepped into the arena, his eyes sharp and shoulders relaxed. Lightning crackled faintly around his fingers, his breath calm.

Opposite to him, Dave from Drahzul cracked his knuckles, a smug smile spread on his face. His body shimmered with both water and fire mana, steam curling off his skin as the elements clashed in perfect harmony.

The moment Thalan shouted "Begin!" the battlefield ignited with energy.

Dave moved first. Water surged under his feet, boosting his momentum as it minimized the resistance, while fire erupted from his fists. He charged at Leonard, unleashing a fiery straight punch that whistled through the air.

Leonard meanwhile moved so fast, his speed boosted by air magic that it seemed he had vanished.

A split-second later, a crackling bolt of lightning struck down from the sky.. no, not the sky. Leonard had launched himself into the air and came crashing down like thunder.

Dave barely rolled aside.

The two clashed again. Flame met lightning, water surged against wind.

The ground was scorched. Wind howled in every direction.

It was an even match until Dave tried to trap Leonard in a spiral of boiling steam. The mist blinded the field.

But Leonard grinned.

"Bad move."

Air gathered around him, forming a dome. The steam was pushed away violently in all directions clearing the view.

In that exact second, lightning raced through his limbs. Leonard flashed forward and his electrified palm slammed into Dave's chest.

Boom!

Dave was sent flying back, his body skidding across the ground.

He groaned, barely trying to get up, but his body gave out.

"Winner.. Leonard!"

Cheers burst from the Arcadia side.

Leonard walked back calmly, his face unreadable.

As silence returned, Thalan raised his voice once more.

"Next match... Logan from Arcadia versus Solemon of Velkar."

A hush fell. Earlier, many had dismissed Logan as nothing more than a foolish gamble by Arcadia. After all, what kind of kingdom would recklessly send a kid to face off against the finest fighters just beneath S-class from across all the kingdoms?

But that was before his first match.

Now, they knew just how wrong they had been.

So the moment his name was announced again, every head turned.

Whether they were from Arcadia or rival kingdoms, everyone leaned forward in their seats, eyes fixed on the stage.

Even the King of Caelondor, who had scoffed at Logan earlier, now watched with quiet focus.

The boy they had once underestimated… had become the one no one could afford to ignore.

Logan stood again.

With unhurried steps, he made his way to the arena.

From the other side, Solemon, a lean, dark-robed fighter stepped forward. His eyes were sharp, his mana cold and restrained as if he was trying to hide his actual strength.

The air seemed to grow heavier as both reached the center of the field.

Whispers began to spread like wildfire.

"It's that kid again."

"The one who defeated an S-class fighter without using a single spell."

"Solemon is no joke either. He's Velkar's top A-class hunter. He is almost there, only inches away from becoming a S-class fighter."

"This match… It's going to be intense."

Many guesses started to take root. But only if the knew what was going on inside Logan's mind. He glanced once toward the Arcadia corner, where Alice, Rudeous, and others watched quietly.

Then he locked eyes with Solemon.

Neither spoke.

After watching Logan's first match, Solemon knew his opponent was no way simple. So he didn't dare to mock Logan for his Age.

Thalan stepped forward, arm raised.

"Both fighters ready?"

Logan gave a slight nod.

Solemon tilted his head and lifted his blade. "Ready."

"Begin..."

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