Sun rises from the distant mountains casting its radiance to the continent of Myriad, birds chirping and normal people are waking up to their daily lives.
But amidst all of this peace at the very center of the continent, a large number of beings can be seen from various races gathered around in different groups, they all emit dangerous aura like a great battle is about to happen at any time, But the elves are standing amidst this in a peaceful manner not caring about the other's pressure weighing down own them in the slightest.
"Tsk, looks like those blood suckers are the last to arrive I see..." a tall man with two red horns on his forehead spoke while eyeing everyone standing at the front, emitting overbearing aura of a Constellation Realm practitioner. He's the ruler of Dragon Race, Dragon King Ignarion. The people behind him looks like humans but they all have horns on their forehead, their colours varying from red to green, white, black and blue. They're all dragons in their Polymorphed form, taking human like appearance.
"As usual I guess...haha" A woman with a pointed hat spoke up, her voice hypnotizing the others. She's the current ruler of the Witch race, Queen of Witches Lysandra.
The Witch race is famous for potion making, their creations make other races crave their talent for potion making envious, But what they're most feared for is the witchcraft. Unusual ways to hurt their enemies even from afar makes them unpredictable.
"Can you shut up... Kazar's ears are hurting from all this screaming, as if running for hours isn't enough already." a muscular man wearing jacket that only covers his back and shows his entire muscular build spoke up. He has a tail of a cat and also ears of a cat. It looks cute, but those ears are very sensitive, He's the current ruler of the Beastmen, Beast King Kazar.
"No need to wait they're here" the man standing at the very front of the elves said. He's a handsome man with a gentle appearance. His appearance would make anyone feel like he's the kindest man in the world, naturally he is kind until someone angers him. He's the current Elf King Aerion.
As Aerion said, it could be seen that hundreds of moving shadow like things suddenly materialised out of the ground from the shadows at once. Their blood red eyes are the most striking things and they also have pointed ears but unlike the elves they have short pointed ears, Another striking thing is their fangs.
At the very front of those beings is a strikingly handsome man with silver white hair, with a charming smile on his face. He is the Vampire King Valerius.
"My apologies for being late, friends." Valerius spoke bowing his head with his right hand placed on his heart.
"Hmph, Apologies my ass. You blood suckers are always late." Ignarion, the dragon king sneered at his antics.
"Right, even the lazy bums who always sleep came earlier yet you vampires are always late." Emperor Kael spoke up eyeing Ignarion with a smirk.
"What else can we do, being the strongest creatures in this continent makes it boring for us, other than sleeping." Ignarion ignored his remarks and spoke in a sarcastic manner.
"Tsk" Kael clicked his mouth and looked the other way.
"Haha" Lysandra laughed while covering her mouth making the present men staring at her absentmindedly, regardless of their races.
"Alright build the stadium, Let's get this over with" Emperor Thorn said looking and Aerion, the Elf King.
Aerion nodded his head and looked back at his fellow elves as they nodded at him, they started kneeling down and touching the ground, later thick roots of vines started coming from the ground making Briar, Lyra and others astonished.
These vines started weaving together a perfect stadium and a perfect platform for champions to battle.
Less than 5 minutes have gone by and already a large stadium capable of holding thousands of people have already been built.
"Amazing" Briar spoke with her eyes widened.
"How beautiful, I have to experiment on this..." Lyra also spoke breathing in and feeling the nature aura surrounding her.
Seraphina also looked amazed at their powers but she controlled her emotions to not show it in her face, she's an Empress, she cannot show such emotions in front of the others.
To others it may not look like much, but for the young ones who didn't have much interact with other races, they are amazing things, especially humans who are always curious.
"Let's go" Ignarion ignored the others and materialised a pair of wings from his back and flew toward floating thrones created specifically for rulers.
The other rulers also flew toward the thrones created for them.
The seating arrangement was a hierarchy in itself. While the Rulers took the highest thrones that floated slightly above the stands, supported by levitation formations, they were created on a large box, A VIP section created just for them. The champions and the scions of noble families took the first row of the vine-woven bleachers.
Briar and Lyra sat close to the front, their eyes scanning the competition. The air here was thick, heavy with the conflicting auras of hundreds of geniuses. It was suffocating for the weak, but for those in the Lunar Realm, it was a challenge, a silent war fought with intent before a single weapon was drawn.
"Don't look now," Lyra whispered, nudging Briar's arm, "but the Dragon Race's champions are staring at us."
Briar turned her head sharply, ignoring Lyra's advice. A few seats away, separated by a magical barrier meant to keep the races from killing each other before the matches started, sat a young man with crimson hair and eyes that resembled molten gold. He had patches of red scales running down his neck, vanishing beneath a high-collared combat robe.
This was Ryker, the Third Prince of the Dragon Race. He caught Briar's stare and didn't flinch. Instead, he offered a mocking grin, running a thumb across his throat.
"That over-grown lizard," Briar growled, her hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of the sword at her waist. "I'm going to skin him and make a pair of boots."
"Calm down," Lyra said, though her own gaze was cold. "He's trying to provoke you. Dragons are prideful; they want you to lose your composure. Remember what Empress Seraphina said? Emotion is a tool, not a master."
High above them, the atmosphere among the Rulers was no less tense, though it was veiled behind polite smiles and casual banter.
Seraphina sat on her throne, which seemed to be made of frozen crystal, contrasting the wooden nature of the stadium. She crossed her legs elegantly, her raven hair cascading over the armrest. To her right sat Emperor Kael and Emperor Thorn. To her left, the massive frame of the Beast King Kazar took up enough space for two men.
"So," King Ignarion spoke, his voice booming without effort, echoing slightly across the VIP platform. He swirled a goblet of wine that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. "Shall we make things interesting this year? The usual distribution of resources is fine, but... it lacks flavor."
"Flavor?" Queen Lysandra of the Witches purred, tilting her pointed hat. "And what does the mighty Lizard King propose?"
"A wager," Ignarion grinned, revealing teeth that were slightly too sharp for a human face. "If my champion takes the first place, I want 10% of the Human territory's Spirit Mine production for the next five years."
The air froze. Even the peaceful Elf King Aerion paused, his teacup halfway to his mouth. Spirit Mines were the lifeblood of cultivation. Giving up 10% was astronomical.
Emperor Kael's eyes narrowed. "And if you lose?"
"If the Dragon race fails to secure first place," Ignarion leaned forward, his aura flaring slightly, causing the air to shimmer, "I will give you a Dragon Heart Fruit."
Gasps could be heard from the nobles in the lower stands who had keen hearing. A Dragon Heart Fruit! It was a legendary treasure said to temper the body to the level of a beast, allowing a human cultivator to possess physical strength rivaling a dragon.
"Accepted," Seraphina spoke before Kael or Thorn could answer. Her voice was calm, cutting through the tension like a blade.
Emperor Thorn looked at her, furrowing his burrow. "Seraphina..."
"We accept," Seraphina repeated, locking eyes with the Dragon King. Her brown irises swirled with a hidden light. "But if we win, I don't want the fruit."
Ignarion raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then what does the little Empress desire?"
"A drop of your Essence Blood," Seraphina stated plainly.
The silence that followed was deafening. Essence Blood was the source of a cultivator's life and power. Losing a drop wouldn't kill a being at the Constellation Realm, but it would damage their foundation and take decades to recover.
Ignarion's smile vanished. He stared at Seraphina for a long moment, the pressure around them growing so heavy that the vines of the stadium began to creak. Then, suddenly, he laughed, a roaring sound that shook the clouds.
"Good! Very good! The humans finally have a leader with a spine! I accept!"
King Aerion, seeing the bet concluded, stood up. He waved his hand, and a transparent dome of energy enveloped the central arena. "Then, let us begin. The rules are simple. Surrender, Ring Out, or Death. The last one standing wins the round."
A heavy gong sound resonated through the stadium, originating from nowhere, vibrating in the chests of everyone present.
"Match One!" An announcer, an Elf with a magically amplified voice, shouted. "From the Beastmen Race, Tribe of the Iron-Hide Bears, Gorgon! Versus... From the Human Race, the Kael Family vassal,Sir Alaric!"
From the southern gate, the ground shook. A massive figure walked out. Gorgon stood nearly three meters tall, his body covered in thick brown fur, shirtless, revealing scars that looked like medals of war. He wielded no weapon, his claws seemingly enough.
From the western gate, Alaric stepped forward. He was a nimble fighter, wielding a long spear that hummed with wind energy. He was a Peak Lunar Realm cultivator, known for his speed.
"Begin!"
Alaric didn't wait. He knew he couldn't match the bear in strength. "Wind Style: Piercing Gale!"
His spear turned into a blur of green light, thrusting toward Gorgon's eyes. The speed was blinding, sonic booms cracking the air.
Clang.
The audience gasped. Gorgon hadn't dodged. He had simply raised his forearm. The spear tip, sharp enough to pierce steel, sparked against the beastman's fur as if it had hit a diamond wall.
Gorgon grinned, a terrifying sight. "Tickles."
With a roar, the bear-man swiped his other hand. The air exploded from the force of the swing. Alaric tried to retreat, using his movement technique to slide backward, but the sheer wind pressure from the claw swipe slammed into him like a hammer.
Alaric flew back, crashing into the energy barrier. He coughed a mouthful of blood, his chest armor caved in.
"Pathetic," King Kazar yawned from the VIP throne. "Speed is useless if you cannot break the defense."
Alaric gritted his teeth, his eyes glowing blue. "I am not done! Secret Art: Storm Sacrifice!"
His aura exploded, doubling in intensity. He burned his own blood to temporarily boost his cultivation. He lunged again, this time moving so fast he created five afterimages.
Gorgon looked confused for a split second as attacks rained down on him from all sides. Slash, Stab, Stike. Cuts began to appear on the bear's thick hide, drawing blood.
"Go!" Briar cheered from the stands, her fists clenched. "Take him down!"
But the hope was short-lived. Gorgon's eyes turned red. He ignored the pain, opened his arms wide, and unleashed a deafening roar.
"ROOAARR!"
It wasn't just sound; it was a physical shockwave fueled by the world energy. The sonic blast shattered Alaric's afterimages instantly. The human fighter was stunned, blood leaking from his ears, his equilibrium destroyed.
In that second of vulnerability, Gorgon closed the distance. He grabbed Alaric by the leg and slammed him into the ground.
Boom!
The arena floor cracked. Alaric lay motionless, his spear broken in half.
"Winner: Gorgon of the Beastmen!"
The Beastmen section erupted in howls and cheers, while the human section fell into a grim silence. The difference in raw physical power was terrifying.
Seraphina didn't flinch. She watched Alaric being carried away by healers. "He was too impatient," she murmured, low enough that only Thorn and Kael could hear. "He tried to end it quickly against an endurance type. A mistake." she sighed.
"It's only the first match," Emperor Kael said, though his grip on his throne tightened in irritation "We have better pawns."
Seraphina furrowed her brows at his remark, 'Pawns?'
As the cleaning crew, lower-ranked Earth Elves, fixed the arena floor instantly with magic, the atmosphere grew heavier. The defeat of a human in the first round was a slap in the face, especially when they accepted a bet on a whim showing their confidence.
"Next Match!" The announcer called out. "From the Vampire Race, Countess Vespera! Versus... From the Human Race, the Thorn Family, Briar Thorn!"
The crowd went wild. A Princess of the Human race was fighting this early? Usually, the heavy hitters waited until the later rounds.
Briar froze for a second, then a wide, grin spread across her face. She stood up, cracking her knuckles.
"Finally," she whispered.
"Briar, be careful," Lyra grabbed her wrist, her face pale, her grimoire pressed tighter against her chest. "Vespera is known as the 'Shadow Weaver.' She uses illusions."
"I don't care," Briar laughed, the fire in her spirit igniting. "I'll burn her shadows away."
Briar leaped from the stands, ignoring the stairs, landing in the center of the arena with a heavy impact that kicked up dust. She drew her weapon, a blinding sword with a dark red balde. It was the 'Ignis,' an heirloom of the Thorn family.
Opposite her, Vespera materialized from a cloud of bats. She was elegant, wearing a gothic black dress that seemed impractical for combat, holding a black parasol. Her skin was pale as moonlight, and her eyes were a glowing crimson.
"My, my," Vespera giggled, hiding her mouth behind a lace fan. "Such a brute. Are you sure you shouldn't be playing with dolls, little princess?"
"Dolls? you have no idea what kind of a hell I've been going through" Briar said, her sword erupting in orange flames. The heat was so intense that the air around her shimmered.
"Begin!"
Briar didn't dash; she exploded forward like a cannonball. "Flame Art: Volcanic Smash!"
She swung the sword down. A wave of fire, shaped like a dragon's head, rushed toward the Vampire. Vespera didn't move until the last second, stepping sideways with unnatural grace. The fire wave missed her by an inch, scorching the hem of her dress.
"Too slow," Vespera whispered, appearing behind Briar instantly. She snapped her fan shut, revealing hidden blades at the tips, and swiped at Briar's neck.
Clang!
Briar blocked it with the flat of her sword, spinning around with a kick that wreathed her leg in fire. Vespera floated backward, floating like a feather.
"Shadow Bind," Vespera murmured.
The shadows cast by Briar's own flames suddenly came to life. They shot up from the ground, turning into tendrils that wrapped around Briar's ankles and wrists.
"What?" Briar struggled, but the shadows were as hard as iron.
"You possess great power," Vespera walked closer, twirling her parasol. "But you lack finesse. A common trait of your family."
Up in the VIP box, Emperor Thorn leaned forward, his eyes narrowing in displeasure. "That vampire... she's using the darkness created by the brightness of that girlr's own fire against her. Clever."
"Can she break it?" Seraphina asked, her eyes fixed on the arena a bit nervously.
"She has to," Thorn grunted. "Or she has no place in my family when we go back."
In the arena, Briar screamed in frustration. The shadow tendrils tightened, squeezing her skin. Vespera raised her bladed fan, aiming for a finishing blow to force a surrender.
"Damn it" Briar roared.
Her core spun wildly releasing more world energy. Instead of trying to pull away, she pumped more fire into her body. Her skin began to glow red hot, like iron in a forge.
"If the shadows use my light... then I'll become so bright there ARE no shadows!"
BOOM!
A pillar of fire erupted from Briar, reaching into the sky. It was blinding, like a second sun had appeared in the stadium. The intense light banished every shadow in the arena instantly. The tendrils holding her evaporated into smoke.
Vespera shrieked, shielding her sensitive vampire eyes from the blinding radiance.
"Gotcha," Briar grinned, appearing in front of the blinded vampire. She didn't use her sword. She wound up a fist covered in condensed, white-hot flame. "Thorn Style: Sun Breaker!"
She punched Vespera square in the stomach.
The impact created a shockwave that rattled the barrier. Vespera was launched across the arena, smashing through three layers of stone pillars before embedding herself in the stadium wall. She slumped over, unconscious.
"Winner: Briar Thorn!"
The human crowd roared, their morale restored instantly. Briar stood in the center, panting, her clothes slightly singed, but her fist raised high with a beautiful grin spread across her face.
Down below the earth, thousands of miles deep, the tremors of the battles were felt minisculely. The impact of Gorgon's slam, the heat of Briar's explosion... it traveled through the bedrock.
Ba dump. Ba dump.
The heartbeat grew slightly faster.
"It's time..." the voice in the ground whispered, no longer serene, but twitching with anticipation.
Back in the stadium, Seraphina felt a sudden chill run down her spine. It wasn't the wind. She looked down at the floor of the VIP box, her instincts screaming that something was wrong.
"Did you feel that?" she asked Thorn.
"Feel what?" Thorn was nonchalant about it, even in her own daughters victory.
Seraphina shook her head, dismissing the feeling, though her hand unconsciously gripped the armrest of her throne until the crystal cracked. "Nothing. Just... nerves."
But as Constellation Realm cultivator , King Ignarion knew that something isn't right. While seraphina only felt a sudden chill, Iganrion know that something is here.