The air was thick with the scent of moss and damp leaves.
Serena crouched behind a fallen trunk, her breath shallow, her eyes sweeping the forest ahead. The light filtering through the canopy flickered like ghost-fire, painting everything in shifting gold and green. A drop of sweat slid down her cheek.
Every sense screamed move—but she didn't. Not yet. She listened.
Somewhere nearby, the faint crunch of a boot on leaves broke the silence. Slow. Careful. She bit her lip, tightening her grip on her shortblade. The rhythm was wrong for a beast. Too cautious.
A whisper of Qi pulsed under her skin as she steadied her breathing, drawing faint energy from the surrounding air. It tasted of earth and damp bark. Her mentor's words echoed faintly in her memory:
"In battle, your calm is your edge. Let panic pass through you like wind through reeds."
She waited for the steps to come closer—then struck.
In one smooth motion, she leapt over the log, her blade flashing in an arc of silver light.
Her opponent—a tall youth with twin axes—barely had time to raise a guard. Metal met metal with a sharp clang, sparks flying. He staggered, cursing, "You—!"
Serena ducked, sidestepped, and slashed low. The man's boot slipped on the damp moss. She kicked his knee out, forcing him down, then slammed the pommel of her blade into his temple. He dropped.
Her heart pounded. Her hands trembled slightly, but her face stayed composed. One down.
She crouched, searching his belt—no sect insignia. A rogue cultivator. His Qi was faint, his core barely stable. Lucky for me, she thought grimly.
Without wasting a moment, she dragged the body into the brush and moved on.
Coliseum – Upper Viewing Rings
"…and there we have our first confirmed elimination!" Annalise's voice rang through the arena, bright and musical. "Look at that precision! One clean strike, no wasted motion. The young unaffiliated lady shows us what true composure looks like!"
The crowd erupted. Cheers rolled through the stands.
In one of the side boxes, a noble in silver robes leaned forward, squinting. "That girl… not one of the seeded disciples, is she?"
"No," replied another. "Outer ranks. Her cultivation's barely in peak Qi Condensation."
The noble snorted. "Then she's doomed. Luck won't save her once the stronger ones move."
Annalise, watching through her mana-screen, smiled faintly. "Doomed? Perhaps. But sometimes the smallest flame survives the longest wind."
Her words carried softly through the magical amplification, drawing an appreciative murmur from the crowd.
Secluded Realm – Forest Edge
Hours passed. Serena kept moving.
The terrain shifted as she went deeper—roots thicker, air cooler, shadows longer. The forest whispered with life: chittering birds, distant roars, the rustle of unseen creatures. Once, she spotted a wolf-like beast stalking something in the undergrowth, its eyes faintly glowing blue. She gave it a wide berth.
The rules were simple.Survive.Eliminate others if needed. Reach the end of the day alive.
But there were no markers, no guidance. Just endless terrain.
She stopped beside a stream, kneeling to refill her waterskin. The cold water bit pleasantly at her fingertips. For a moment, she allowed herself to breathe.
Her thoughts drifted to Delia.
Where are you now? Are you safe?
A flicker of movement to her right snapped her back. She rolled aside just in time—an arrow hissed through the air, thunking into a tree where her head had been.
Serena's hand flew to her blade. "Show yourself!"
A laugh answered—light, mocking. A figure dropped from the trees: a boy in light armor, with the crest of the Obsidian Drakes on his shoulder.
"Well, well," he said, spinning a dagger lazily. "Didn't expect anyone else this deep already. And I must say, such a beautiful lady! My prayers have been answered!" He licked his lips, glazing them over as if he had seen the most delicious thing in his life.
"Tell you what, become mine, and I will make sure you make it through this round with no problems." Serena's face twisted in disgust.
She hissed as she replied, "How about you leave quietly, and I might just let you keep your manhood."
"Hahahahaha... Such a feisty one aren't you. No matter, I'll beat you up, break your limbs one by one, and pin you over to that tree over there and fuck you from behind!" He snarled, preparing to attack.
Serena's stance shifted, her gaze turning icy cold. "You'll regret saying that."
"Oho?" He smirked. "You've got confidence. Let's see if it's earned."
He lunged, dagger flashing.
Their blades met in a flurry of sparks. Serena ducked under a swing, twisted, and kicked his leg. He countered with surprising speed, slicing her arm. She hissed, the sting sharp. But she didn't back away—she stepped closer, deflecting the next blow, twisting his wrist.
The dagger flew from his hand.
Her blade was at his throat in a heartbeat.
The smirk vanished. "Wait—! I'm a disciple from Obsidian Drake's sect! Are you sure you want to offend my elders as a rogue cultivator!?"
Serena's eyes narrowed. "Normally, I wouldn't want any problems, but I'll decide that. Drop any weapons you have hidden. Try anything funny, and you're dead."
He hesitated—then nodded, gritting his teeth. "Fine. You win."
But as soon as she relaxed her grip, he flung a hidden knife from his sleeve.
Serena reacted on instinct—Qi surged through her veins, a burst of speed as she twisted aside. The blade grazed her cheek. Her return strike slashed clean across his chest.
He gasped, eyes wide, before collapsing.
Serena stood there a moment, breathing hard. Blood trickled down her cheek and arm. The forest seemed suddenly very still.
"…I warned you," she whispered.
Coliseum – Annalise's Commentary Booth
"Ooh! A bold play from a Drake disciple—and an even bolder counter!" Annalise's laughter chimed across the arena. "That, ladies and gentlemen, is the danger of arrogance. The girl—Serena—claims another victory!"
The crowd's cheers grew thunderous.
One of the commentators beside her—a scholar from the Imperial Academy—adjusted his spectacles. "Fascinating technique. That burst of movement—likely a low-grade Qi art for agility. She's rationing her energy carefully."
"Smart girl," Annalise agreed. "Not many think of survival this early. But in this round, endurance is everything."
In the higher VIP seats, elders from various sects murmured amongst themselves.
"She is trained well, but the obsidian brat was not so bad either, but his arrogance became the death of him. I bet he never expected a random cultivator to defeat him, even more so when you think about the brutal training he probably had to go through," one elder of the Divine Lion said grudgingly.
"The Obsidian drakes. They train them long," another replied. "Half their disciples burn out before reaching Foundation. Still… that girl has spirit."
Secluded Realm – Afternoon
By midday, Serena's arms ached, and her wound throbbed with dull pain. She'd fought twice more—once against a beast, once against a desperate pair of disciples who tried to ambush her. Both had failed, but she was bleeding and tired.