Chapter 81
The air was filled with cheers and excited chatter from the countless people seated throughout the massive tournament building, their voices echoing across the enormous arena as everyone eagerly waited for the main event to begin.
The tiered benches stretched around the arena in wide circles and continued upward toward the highest sections, giving the spectators occupying every level an excellent view of the stage positioned far below.
Standing upon the stage were the Heroes of Solmaria, each maintaining a straight posture with their hands held behind their backs and their heads raised with the confidence expected from renowned heroes representing their academy.
The girls wore their academy's formal uniforms, consisting of a refined black-and-white ensemble with a cropped jacket, pleated skirt, and bow-accented thigh-high boots, creating an elegant appearance with a distinctly aristocratic academy aesthetic.
The boys wore matching formal attire in the same monochrome style, featuring tailored black blazers, layered vests, and fitted trousers that completed the sophisticated appearance shared by the academy's representatives.
Haruto's students stood apart from the Heroes with a noticeable gap between the two groups, making it clear that they were not affiliated with Solmaria's academy, although Arisa, Althea, Maki, and Iris stood among Haruto's representatives despite not being students of the academy themselves.
They wore respectful military-style uniforms consisting of refined black double-breasted jackets with silver buttons, shoulder epaulettes, decorative cords, and formal belts, while white trousers, knee-high black boots, and long flowing capes completed their disciplined appearance.
(So these are the people Teacher assigned us to fight.) Takumi thought as he glanced toward the opposing group, a slight frustration appearing in his expression while he silently questioned why their teacher believed a few additional opponents would be enough to overwhelm them.
(I am quite disappointed. Are these really the people we are going to fight, they only possess slightly above-average magical power.) Seryn thought as she calmly observed the opposite team, her special eyes allowing her to perceive the auras surrounding them and judge their magical strength without difficulty.
As the anticipation throughout the massive arena continued to build, the attention of the spectators gradually shifted toward the VIP seating positioned at the highest part of the ring, where everyone waited for Haruto, the Emperor of Satoria, to finally appear before them.
Haruto soon walked onto the balcony overlooking the arena with a calm expression and quiet confidence, and the sheer presence surrounding him was enough to cause the enormous noise of the crowd to gradually diminish without requiring him to say a single word.
He wore a majestic golden throne crown designed with jagged, flame-like spikes and dark metallic accents, while a large faceted crimson gemstone occupied its center and smaller red jewels surrounded it with intricate golden filigree.
His clothing consisted of a long black-and-white ceremonial coat with a high collar, blue-silver embroidered accents, layered panels, wide flowing sleeves, ornate clasps, and decorative tassels, while a white fur shoulder piece added another regal touch to the ensemble.
The dark fitted lower garment and pointed black boots completed the elegant aristocratic design, giving Haruto an appearance that matched the authority expected of the Emperor standing before thousands of citizens and foreign guests.
"Welcome, everyone. Citizens of Satoria, honored guests, and visitors from nations across the world. I am pleased to see so many of you gathered here for this year's festival," Haruto said calmly as the spectators listened closely to their Emperor.
"Today is a day of celebration, friendship, and, of course, a little friendly competition," Haruto continued as he looked across the arena with a composed expression, allowing his words to carry naturally through the immense tournament building. "And for our main event, we have something particularly special prepared."
"Standing before you are the students of Satoria Academy, who will have the opportunity to face some of Solmaria's most renowned heroes."
"To our students, give it everything you have."
"And to our guests from Solmaria, I hope you will enjoy the match."
"Everyone, enjoy the festival."
As Haruto finished speaking, the entire arena immediately erupted into deafening cheers and enthusiastic applause, with thousands of spectators shouting in excitement while hands clapped together throughout the enormous building.
Haruto turned around effortlessly after acknowledging the crowd and calmly made his way toward his seat, which was noticeably different from the several ordinary VIP seats positioned around and behind it because of its more elaborate design and elevated placement.
As Haruto looked upward toward the surrounding VIP section, Azuraith gave him a thumbs-up while wearing a slightly smug smile, and Haruto immediately recognized the expression as another playful attempt to tease him after his formal speech.
(Tch... Man, I hate this stuff.) Haruto thought as he settled back down into his throne-like seat, his expression remaining composed despite the mild embarrassment he felt about having to deliver a formal address in front of such a massive audience. (I hope that was a good enough speech.)
"That wasn't so bad, Emperor Haruto," Veyros said from the seat beside him with a small smile, casually offering his opinion while watching Haruto settle comfortably into his throne-like chair. "But it was not good enough."
"It feels like you guys are trying to make me doubt my own skills," Haruto said simply as he looked toward the two beside him, his expression remaining calm before the ridiculous situation finally drew a soft laugh from both of them.
On the stage, Midori stood before the gathered contestants while holding a microphone inscribed with a magic circle, and at that moment, four transparent blue windows appeared above the arena, with each screen positioned toward a different side so everyone could clearly see the upcoming battlefield.
"As you can all see above, this is where our contestants will face off," Midori announced as she raised her microphone slightly, prompting the participants and spectators alike to turn their attention toward the enormous transparent projections hovering above them.
Within the screens, an expansive landscape could be seen that resembled a ruined modern city, with towering buildings partially collapsed into themselves while the surrounding streets had been reduced to broken paths beneath the remains of a once-developed urban environment.
"That just looks like Earth," Dino said with mild shock as he stared at the projection, his expression changing as he recognized the architectural style displayed across the battlefield, while several of the other Heroes were momentarily stunned by the same sight.
"Yeah..." Selene replied softly as she continued staring at the projected city, a quiet question forming in her mind as she wondered how an Emperor from this world could possibly possess knowledge of buildings that looked so familiar to her.
『Selene, it's him... You have to let me get in contact with the Emperor of this nation.』
Twilight voice echoed within Selene's consciousness, causing Selene to lower her head slightly before glancing toward the sword resting at her side, the familiar presence of Twilight remaining connected to her even though her physical form was currently sealed within the weapon.
(So, is he the one you've been looking for all this time?) Selene asked internally as she considered the unusual request, already understanding that approaching an Emperor directly would not be a simple matter when thousands of people were watching them prepare for battle.
(He is an Emperor, so it will be difficult, but I will see what I can do. First, you have to remain by my side during this battle.)
『Hmm... Fine, I'll do that, but it has to be quick. I can't waste time because they could appear at any moment.』
Selene gave a small nod at Twilight response and returned her attention toward the arena, where the enormous space between the competitors suddenly began to distort as the air itself appeared to split apart.
A dark purple spiral formed in the center of the stage, widening into a strange portal that seemed to pull the surrounding air inward while small sparkling particles of purple light drifted outward from its surface.
"Please enter this portal. Upon arriving at the location shown in the projection, you will all be separated from one another," Midori explained clearly as she addressed the contestants, before adding another important detail that immediately caught their attention. "Oh, and if any of you reach a state of near death, you will be instantly teleported back here and fully recovered, so you may fight without holding yourselves back."
The spectators immediately reacted with greater excitement after hearing those words, clearly pleased by the knowledge that the contestants could fight with their full strength without having to worry about the consequences becoming permanent.
The Heroes of Solmaria and Haruto's students began entering the portal one after another, their individual thoughts and emotions impossible to see from the outside as they disappeared into the strange purple gateway and were transported toward the battlefield awaiting them.
High above the ruined city, atop a towering building that appeared barely capable of remaining standing, Kaito suddenly appeared and opened his eyes while immediately taking in the full scale of the unfamiliar landscape surrounding him.
"Hmm... What a strange place," Kaito muttered after taking a deep breath to clear his mind, keeping his attention focused as he reminded himself that remaining calm would be more important than allowing the unfamiliar environment to distract him. "Right now, I have to remain calm and try to locate my classmates."
Kaito lowered himself onto one knee and placed his hand against the rooftop beneath him before closing his eyes, and a faint blue intangible glow immediately spread outward from his position until it covered everything within a radius of approximately one hundred and fifty meters.
This was an Extra Skill possessed by Kaito known as "Spatial Perception", which allowed him to perceive everything existing within a defined spatial range and use that information to understand his surroundings without relying solely on his physical senses.
As Kaito expanded his perception throughout the surrounding space, numerous details gradually became clear to him, including structures, objects,
However, among those unfamiliar presences, one particular person immediately caught his attention because the figure was located inside the neighboring building beside the one where Kaito currently stood.
It was Kaien, one of Kaito's enemies, who had already been separated from the others and was now positioned only a short distance away from Kaito within the ruined city.
Kaito's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed Kaien through "Spatial Perception", carefully monitoring his movements while the other boy scanned the surrounding rooftops as though searching for something, until he suddenly stopped and turned his head directly toward Kaito's position.
Kaito immediately ducked behind a large chunk of broken stone, his expression showing a hint of surprise as he realized that Kaien appeared to have noticed something unusual despite the distance separating them.
(Someone is watching me.) Kaien thought with deadly seriousness as he fixed his gaze on the exact location where Kaito was hiding, while a Storage Space simultaneously opened beside him and revealed a weapon concealed within its dimensional interior.
Kaien reached into the opened Storage Space and retrieved a slender, elegant spear forged from white and deep-blue metal, its elongated blade glowing with icy-blue energy while intricate crystalline ornaments adorned both the spearhead and its opposite end.
The weapon was a Mythic weapon, and its refined craftsmanship gave it an imposing appearance that contrasted with the ruined buildings surrounding Kaien as he firmly grasped its shaft and prepared to attack his unseen observer.
Kaien shifted one leg backward to establish a stable stance before raising the spear toward the chunk of broken stone concealing Kaito, drawing his arm back while carefully aligning his aim with the hiding place and preparing to throw the weapon with tremendous force.
Kaito cautiously decided to peek around the stone to check Kaien's position, but the moment he looked out, he spotted the spear already hurtling toward him at the speed of sound, forcing him to leap aside before the weapon could strike him directly.
The spear slammed into the stone with tremendous force and shattered the enormous chunk on impact, scattering fragments across the rooftop while its passing trajectory only grazed Kaito's leg, leaving him with barely enough time to escape the attack completely.
Kaito landed roughly on his side and quickly turned his attention toward the location where the spear had struck, only to discover that the Mythic weapon remained embedded in the rooftop floor while its owner was already preparing to move.
In the very next moment, Kaien appeared beside the embedded spear through his unique ability to teleport instantly to the location of his weapon, leaving Kaito little time to react before the situation changed again.
Kaien immediately pulled the spear from the rooftop floor and swung it toward Kaito with overwhelming force, prompting Kaito to raise both arms in an attempt to block the incoming strike, although the impact sent him flying into the neighboring building.
The force of the collision was so overwhelming that the building immediately began collapsing around the point of impact, its already weakened structure giving way as the surrounding walls and remaining supports failed beneath the sudden destruction.
The collapse echoed throughout the otherwise quiet ruined city, its tremendous noise carrying between the damaged buildings and alerting the other contestants scattered across the battlefield, many of whom began moving toward the source of the disturbance to investigate what had happened.
"Yo! You guys, shouldn't we be heading toward the place where that building just collapsed?!" Dino exclaimed with exaggerated enthusiasm as he stood in the middle of the broken road, where thick roots had pushed through the ruined pavement and twisted between the scattered debris.
"Obviously," Seraphine replied calmly as she walked past Dino with elegant steps, resting one hand against her waist while keeping her attention directed toward the distant disturbance. "So get moving, little mouse."
"Yeah, yeah, and would you please stop calling me that?" Dino answered with a playful smile as he hurried after her, his usual confidence returning as he imagined the opportunity waiting for him ahead. (Ehehe... Man, I can't wait to prove myself to her and show her that I'm a true man.)
Back at the ruined building, the shattered remains of the structure suddenly burst outward as debris scattered across the surrounding rooftop, and once the thick cloud of dust began clearing, Kaito gradually emerged from the wreckage with blood trickling down his chin.
"Hahaha! Oh, you're still alive?" Kaien laughed while hovering above the ruined street, casually sitting upon his spear with one leg resting across it as he looked down at Kaito with an amused expression, seemingly entertained that his opponent had survived the previous attack.
Kaien's eyes narrowed slightly when he noticed Kaito kneeling on one knee among the rubble, although he remained unaware that his perception of the situation had already been manipulated through an illusion that Kaito had secretly established around him.
"Fire Magic," Kaito declared as he initiated his next attack, his focus remaining fixed on Kaien while the illusion surrounding his opponent prevented him from moving away, leaving him trapped in place as the spell began taking shape around the ruined battlefield.
An enormous tornado of fire suddenly manifested around Kaien, its twisting flames surging upward with overwhelming intensity as the temperature climbed to approximately five thousand degrees, turning the surrounding ruins into an inferno that threatened to consume everything caught within its reach.
The heat became so extreme that nearby ruined buildings began melting beneath the sustained exposure, while the surrounding atmosphere became intensely ionized and developed into a plasma-like environment that distorted the air around the blazing tornado.
Kaito flew clear of the fire tornado as it continued raging behind him, his clothes partially scorched despite his "Fire Resistance" skill, which prevented the overwhelming heat from fully damaging him while he moved farther above the devastated city.
"How's that?" Kaito asked with a confident smile as he glanced back toward the enormous tornado, continuing to rise through the air while sunlight illuminated his figure against the ruined landscape below.
A figure suddenly flew out of the raging fire tornado and landed on a distant rooftop, where Seryn caught Kaien in her arms before carefully lowering him onto the damaged surface, her expression remaining composed as she assessed his condition.
Kaien had sustained severe burns across his body, and his hair was badly scorched and matted against his skin, making it clear that the tremendous heat had overwhelmed him before the tournament's safety mechanism finally teleported him away from the battlefield.
(What an idiot; I told you to keep your ego in check.) Seryn thought with a quiet sigh as she turned toward the still-burning tornado, her attention shifting away from Kaien and toward the opponent who had managed to push him beyond his limits.
Without wasting another moment, Seryn extended one finger toward Kaito, who was still positioned near the raging flames, while a small circle of concentrated energy formed at her fingertip before releasing a beam that accelerated toward its target at the speed of light.
Kaito had no opportunity to recognize the incoming attack before the beam struck straight through his chest, its extraordinary speed allowing it to reach him almost instantaneously while he remained focused on the fire tornado surrounding the battlefield.
The pain had barely begun registering in Kaito's body when the tournament's safety mechanism activated and immediately teleported him away from the battlefield, removing him from the confrontation before Seryn could launch another attack against him.
"Guess they're both down," Seryn remarked calmly as she watched the fire tornado gradually weaken and dissolve into nothingness, although her expression soon changed when she sensed another presence approaching from somewhere behind her.
"Ahahaha! Nice, I finally found someone strong!" Maki exclaimed with delighted excitement as she rushed toward Seryn, who immediately retaliated with a powerful kick that Maki managed to block, although the collision generated a shockwave strong enough to destroy multiple surrounding buildings.
Both combatants launched themselves into the air to avoid the collapsing structures beneath their feet, and while the ruined buildings continued breaking apart around them, Maki shifted her hand to the side and activated "Pure Blade", releasing an invisible cutting attack toward Seryn.
The invisible strike swept across the battlefield with devastating force, passing through the space occupied by Seryn while tearing through countless buildings below them, leaving extensive destruction across the already ruined city as debris scattered through the air.
Maki looked slightly surprised when Seryn survived the attack without suffering the expected damage, but her surprise quickly gave way to a confident smile as she realized that her opponent had relied on the Sub-Skill of her Unique Skill to defend herself.
"Universal Barrier" generated a protective field around Seryn, intercepting the incoming attack before its full force could reach her while dispersing the destructive energy outward, which explained why the surrounding buildings had taken the damage instead of Seryn herself.
(Huh, it must be Universal Barrier doing that.) Maki thought as she continued moving through the air, evading the elongated shadow-like hands reaching toward her from different directions while attempting to prevent them from closing around her body.
One of the shadowy hands finally caught Maki, allowing the others enough time to surround her and seize her entire body while she remained suspended in midair, leaving her restrained as Seryn raised an open palm toward her opponent.
Seryn slowly closed her raised hand into a firm fist, and the shadowy hands wrapped around Maki immediately detonated in an enormous sphere of blinding light that expanded outward with overwhelming force, rapidly growing until its scale rivaled that of an entire country.
The gigantic sphere of light then surged upward into the sky as its immense energy concentrated into a towering beam, which gradually narrowed before eventually thinning into nothingness while leaving widespread destruction across the surrounding battlefield.