The arena was large and round, packed with people shouting and cheering. Dust and noise filled the air. At the top, a raised platform stood — the special seat for the king and his guests, giving a clear view of everything below.
The king, queen, their children, and Trickster entered the arena together. The crowd erupted in cheers, their voices echoing through the stone walls as the royal family took their seats.
An announcer stepped into the center of the arena, his voice booming through the air. "Hello everyone! My name's Rydan, and today we're here for one of the most exciting events yet!" he said with a grin. "We've got 24 warriors, split into two groups — A and B. Each group will battle until only six remain, and from those six, the final three winners will become our squad leaders!"
"The rules are simple," Rydan continued. "Win by knockout or make your opponent give up. That's it — no fancy tricks, no second chances!"
"The first match is about to begin," Rydan announced. "Rex versus Lee — both strong contenders from group A. Let's see who takes the first win!"
"You should just give up, Rex. Your time's over," Lee said confidently.
Rex smirked and lunged forward, thrusting his spear straight at Lee's chest—only for the weapon to clang against something solid. Lee entire body coated in hardened rock.
Without wasting a second, Rex twisted mid-air, swinging his spear toward Lee's neck. But before the strike could land, Lee vanished. In the next instant, he appeared behind Rex and drove a heavy punch straight into his chest, sending Rex crashing into the arena wall, far outside the fighting ring.
Rex struggled to his feet, barely able to stand. His spear was shattered, but he still charged forward, throwing a desperate punch. Lee leapt into the air, hand aimed down, and as he descended, he slammed a rock-covered fist straight into Rex's face — DUM! The impact thundered through the arena, even heavier than before, leaving Rex sprawled motionless on the ground.
Rex blocked the blow, flames erupting around his arms. His eyes burned with fire as he grabbed Lee by the neck and lifted him off the ground. Lee struggled, gasping for air, trying to break free — but Rex's grip only tightened. With a fiery roar, Rex drove a blazing punch into Lee's chest, shattering his rock armor and sending him crashing to the ground, completely knocked out.
Next up were Ema and Jack.
Ema stood firm in her heavy armor, a massive sword resting on her shoulder. Her golden hair flowed freely, glinting under the arena lights. Jack, on the other hand, was tall and lean — his split tongue flicking out slightly as he grinned, eyes sharp and playful like a serpent waiting to strike.
He stretched his tongue toward her — long, sharp, and unnaturally fast.
"Wait," Ema said, raising her hand.
Jack paused mid-motion, a smirk on his lips.
"Is it okay if I hit that thing with my sword? I don't want this turning into a bloody mess. I just want to win, that's all."
"Yeah, sure," he replied with a grin.
Ema swung her sword, aiming cleanly — but the blade passed straight through his tongue like it was made of mist.
Her eyes widened. "What—"
Before she could finish, the tongue lashed out and struck her square in the chest. Her armor shattered into pieces with a deafening crack.
Jack tilted his head, laughing darkly. "You thought my tongue was fake, didn't you? Ke ke ke ke…"
Ema rolled aside just in time, the ground cracking where she'd been a second ago. Despite her heavy armor, she moved fast—shockingly fast. She lunged to grab Jack, but the moment her hand reached out—he vanished.
"Ke ke ke ke… you're finished now," his voice echoed around her.
Invisible strikes came from every direction—sharp, precise, relentless. She swung her sword wildly, blocking what she could, but the blows kept landing. Clang! Crack! Her armor began to splinter piece by piece as she struggled to track where he was.
"Fine… I'll show you."
Ema suddenly stopped defending herself, lowering her sword as sparks flew off her battered armor. The crowd murmured in confusion—what was she doing? For a brief second, she stood perfectly still, eyes half-closed, listening.
Then—whoosh!—her hand shot forward and clamped around something invisible. Gasps echoed as Jack's form flickered into view, her grip tight around his neck.
"You should've stopped your breathing too," she said calmly. "I could hear it."
With a sharp motion, she lifted him and slammed him hard into the ground. The impact echoed across the arena. Jack's body went limp—match over.
The third match began between Zek and Lucy.
Zek stood tall, his face hidden beneath a black scarf, body wrapped in dark armor, and three swords strapped across his back. His very presence was sharp—like a blade waiting to strike.
Across from him, Lucy looked completely opposite—small, soft, with fluffy pink hair and a cheerful smile. She waved at the crowd like she was at a festival, not a battlefield.
The contrast was so strong that even the audience murmured, wondering if the pairing was some kind of mistake.
Without wasting a second, Zek created several shadow clones, each darting to the sides, leaving streaks of afterimages behind.
"Come on, uncle, you can't scare me with that!" Lucy said playfully, smiling as if this were a game.
All the clones rushed her at once. She tilted her head, grinning, and tossed a small glowing ball toward the real Zek's feet.
"My gift for you, uncle~ te he!"
A second later—BOOM! A massive ring of fire erupted, spinning violently with a deafening roar, flames swirling high into the air. The shockwave shook the arena floor.
Zek stood firm inside the raging fire, his stance unwavering. With a sharp exhale, he began spinning his blades in a precise rhythm—one, then two, then faster and faster.
The air around him twisted from the force of his swings, and soon the flames that tried to consume him were caught in his motion, spiraling upward before vanishing into the air.
His swords came to a stop, the smoke clearing—Zek stood there untouched, his eyes locked on Lucy.
With a flick of his wrist, Zek summoned another wave of clones, each one twirling their blades as they charged in perfect sync. Within seconds, Lucy was surrounded—blades flashing from every direction.
She lifted her hands, puffing her cheeks. "Okay, okay! I give up! Geez, uncle, are you tryna kill me or what?"
The crowd burst into laughter as the clones vanished into smoke, leaving Zek standing there with a quiet nod.