Of the two remaining matches, Augustus and Eira were the first to conclude theirs. Although both had been recognized as members of the five tournament favorites, a clear difference in their standings remained.
Eira was the youngest, hailed by many influential figures as one of the five top contenders, yet also regarded as the weakest in raw strength.
Augustus, on the other hand, hailed from the Imperial Star Area, the mightiest sector governed by the Star Council. He was the pride of his homeland, a prodigy whose awakened planet had dazzled from the very beginning.
For this competition, the Imperial Star Area spared no effort, pouring resources into Augustus's full-spectrum training. As a result, he became widely regarded as one of the strongest participants, alongside Sergey and Iris, while Jeffery and Eira were seen as slightly inferior.
Of course, they all competed on the same tier, but what truly mattered was performance on the battlefield. In previous tournaments, upsets in which the underdog triumphed over the favorite had been common.
Yet in this match, Augustus gave Eira no opening whatsoever. From start to finish, it was a relentless suppression. He made no mistakes; his entire performance radiated ease, almost effortless, as if he had not even revealed his true strength.
After more than an hour of fierce combat, Eira's constructed race finally collapsed under the relentless assault of Augustus's Dragon forces. With no other option, she conceded defeat, frustration, and helplessness etched on her face.
"So strong," Huo Kong murmured as he watched the outcome unfold. "It looked like a back-and-forth battle at first glance, but from start to finish… she never had a single chance."
Sebastian saw it clearly as well; there was no way he wouldn't.
Even Bru nodded subtly. "This Augustus likely held back power he hasn't shown yet. I'd wager he still has a trump card."
Svananóg smiled. "And when he faces Sergey next, he'll be forced to use it."
After defeating Eira, Augustus's next opponent was Sergey, who had overcome Aya.b. These two weren't just among the five favorites; they were recognized as two of the strongest. Sergey's strength was on par with Augustus's; those placing their hopes on him were no fewer than those betting on Augustus.
"This will be excellent," a Level 6 Planetary Lord commented. "Eira was too weak, but Sergey will absolutely put up a fight. It's impossible to predict who'll win. Each has distinct advantages; it all depends on who performs better on the field."
Many Planetary Lords watched with anticipation. Yet their focus quickly shifted to another match, the clash between Iris and Jeffery, still underway. Their strengths were nearly equal, and this duel of ice against fire burned fiercely for two hours. It was intense, electrifying, with both sides exercising utmost caution. At such a level, even a tiny mistake could prove fatal. Spectators could scarcely breathe.
After this brutal hour, Iris finally emerged victorious, winning by the slimmest margin. She secured her place among the top four.
"The battle of ice and fire. Looks like ice is slightly stronger," Huo Kong remarked with a grin. Then he turned to Sebastian. "That means your next opponent is Iris from the Ice Moon Holy Land."
With all top-eight matches concluded, the matchup lineup was revealed:
Augustus versus Sergey. Sebastian versus Iris.
Both matchups were immensely compelling. If this had been earlier in the tournament, no one would have imagined Sebastian reaching the semifinals. But after defeating powerful opponents one after another, doubts faded. He was now considered at least on par with Eira.
Before the semifinals, the competitors were granted a one-hour break. The four finalists and their factions entered an intense final round of preparation. The Ice Moon Holy Land, in particular, boasted a formidable analysis team dedicated to studying every possible opponent's racial lineup.
Until recently, their focus had been on the other four favorites; they had not expected Sebastian to reach the top four. This surprise threw their analysts into chaos as they scrambled to gather every scrap of information about him.
"Iris..." A middle-aged woman pointed to a projection while addressing Iris, who was calmly sipping water. "Sebastian has constructed two races: Musketeers and Pilots. Both excel at long-range output. The Pilots are stronger and can use tracking weapons, but the Musketeers shouldn't be underestimated, especially the Legendary Musketeer. Mok from the Emperor Star District and Ann from the Elves Empire were both defeated by him. That means…"
Iris raised an eyebrow. "As long as we handle the Legendary Musketeer and the Pilots, we should be able to defeat him, right?"
"You could say that," the woman nodded. "The other Musketeers aren't strong enough to pose a threat."
"I understand," Iris replied with a composed expression, her demeanor cool and unwavering.
Meanwhile, Sebastian watched as Svananóg and Bru approached. They had come to advise him, as they always did. In earlier rounds, Svananóg hadn't offered much guidance, but this time was different. His opponent was Iris, and this fight involved a unique race.
"Here's some information on Iris. Study it well," Svananóg said, quickly forwarding the details.
"At this stage," Bru added, "there's little more we can say. It will come down to your performance on the field. Her execution was better than Jeffery's in the last match. You can beat her, but she can also beat you."
"In any case, be careful," Svananóg warned, a final reminder to prevent Sebastian from rushing recklessly into the fight out of youthful enthusiasm.
Sebastian smiled and nodded, understanding the importance of caution.
This summit battle between Sebastian and Iris wasn't just drawing attention across the Realm of Stars; millions watched with unwavering focus throughout the Endless Star Territory.
At Hope's Peak Academy, because Sebastian had defeated an unprecedented number of opponents and reached the top four, the principal issued a special order: the entire school would take a full day off to watch his match. All venues are open for live viewing.
Inside the largest arena, a massive hologram projected at the center broadcast the Group Star Competition finals, captivating countless spectators.
Prokopy, Clifford, and others sat together, hearts pounding with a mixture of tension and exhilaration. If Sebastian had only reached the top thousand, that would have been impressive. But to defeat one formidable opponent after another, especially Mok, Ann, and several elite contenders, was nothing short of a miracle. It all felt almost surreal.
"Iris looks strong," Otwin said nervously. "I reviewed her match against Jeffery multiple times, and she didn't slip up once. She's definitely stronger than Mok and Ann," Terrell added. "People are already saying the champion will be either Augustus or her."
"Don't get caught up in rankings," Clifford dismissed dismissively. "When has Sebastian ever backed down? He just charges forward, end of story!"
"That's right," Otwin clenched his fist. "Reckless victory!"
Meanwhile, for the proud and aloof Ice Moon Holy Land, this match was even more critical. Today, all disciples had leave to watch Iris face Sebastian. Along the edge of a serene, icy pool, the current Lord of Ice Moon Holy Land, Iris's master, stood with several elders, silently observing this pivotal duel.
"For billions of years," an elder sighed, "our Holy Land has existed longer than the Group Star Competition itself. Yet we've never claimed the championship. Truly shameful."
The others nodded silently, acknowledging the truth. As a long-standing and powerful faction within the Endless Star Territory, failing to secure a single title was embarrassing.
"This year," another elder said, "even with monsters rampaging and the strongest freshman in history emerging, a victory would only elevate the Holy Maiden's prestige."
"I've studied all four top-eight matches," a younger elder remarked. "The only one who can threaten Iris… is Augustus. Sergey, Jeffery, Eira, they're no match."
"This Sebastian fellow is decent," he added, "but still inferior to her. Her personality alone ensures she'll give her all, even against weaker opponents. She leaves no room for error, no matter who she faces."
"As long as the enemy is weaker," he said confidently, "the outcome is already decided. No upsets will happen."
The elders nodded. Iris's calm, disciplined mindset, never arrogant, never impatient, was one of the reasons they were most proud of her.
"No further discussion," the leader ordered. "Just watch quietly. Anyone reaching the top four isn't weak, especially a newcomer."
After a long but fleeting hour, the Group Star Competition Finals officially began. Like before, both semifinal matches started simultaneously. Sebastian, Iris, Augustus, and Sergey instantly became the focus of billions across the Endless Star Territory.
"Augustus, facing Sergey this time..." Mok said with a grin. "You'll have to go all out."
"Sergey is indeed strong," Augustus replied calmly, his expression unreadable.
"You won't be forced to reveal all your trump cards, will you?" a young man teased.
"That's unlikely," Mok shook his head. "Sergey isn't quite on that level yet. If it were Iris, maybe. The final will probably be against her."
"That so-called strongest freshman, Sebastian, can at best exchange a few moves with Sergey," the black-clothed youth chuckled.
Nearby, Sergey narrowed his eyes, underestimating me, he thought. But this battle? The outcome was far from certain.
Meanwhile, within the Ice Moon Holy Land team, Iris looked at Sebastian with a determined glint. I must win beautifully. Augustus and Sergey may fight fiercely, but if I defeat Sebastian quickly, I'll enter the final fully confident and prepared.
"Sebastian! Go beat Iris!" Huo Kong shouted excitedly before the match began.
Sebastian stifled a sigh. You could just say it normally… why so loud?
People around turned to stare, amused and puzzled.
The hour break ended, and Sebastian and the other semifinalists were transported into their respective planetary battle spaces. The semifinals officially began.
While many spectators watched both matches, most focused on Augustus versus Sergey, believing it would be the closer, more explosive duel. Sebastian, still a freshman, was underestimated; most assumed Iris vastly outclassed him.
As the planetary channels opened and forces deployed simultaneously, the Astra Militarum adopted an unprecedented level of caution.
Before the match, Sebastian had shared recordings of Iris's battles with the Astra Militarum's commanders. After just one viewing, many concluded that this was, by far, their toughest opponent, more dangerous than Mok, Ann, or Baroque.
For this critical battle, the Astra Militarum made thorough preparations, deploying a wide array of specialized weapons.