The battlefield continued to shift after the first Capture the Flag match, the roaring crowd barely having time to settle before the announcer shot out of the ground again — spinning dramatically in the air with his arms raised like a ringmaster basking in glory.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Warriors, spectators, and children of WAR! Phase Two has begun — and 126 fighters remain! From swordmasters to saints, monsters to mystery men — the true contenders are about to show their fangs!"
The arena quaked with roars and chants, and the sky itself seemed to shimmer with the energy of awakened auras.
The holograms above the arena flared to life, cycling rapidly through names until—
Match One: Dai of the Iron Fangs vs. Rin Talvas
Dai, the beastman warrior with iron scales over his fists, cracked his knuckles and growled like a cornered wolf. Across from him stood Rin, lithe and graceful, with a crimson spear on her back and wind fluttering around her feet.
"Capture the Flag — match one… BEGIN!"
Dai lunged, each step cracking the ground. Rin danced backward, flipping over him and kicking off the flag pole like a leaf in a storm. She snatched it midair — and the 60-second timer lit up in glowing gold.
"59… 58…"
Dai hurled chunks of stone and metal. Rin ducked and weaved like the wind itself, her crimson spear slicing through the air with ballet-like grace. But a single misstep — Dai gripped her leg and hurled her into a wall.
The timer reset.
Now Dai had the flag.
"59… 58…"
Rin gritted her teeth. "You'll have to do better than brute force."
She released a wind burst from her palm, launching herself like a missile, reclaiming the flag in a fierce tackle just as the seconds ticked down.
"3… 2… 1—"
Rin Talvas wins.
Dai grunted and clapped her shoulder. "You fly like a hawk."
Rin smiled. "And you hit like a boulder."
Match Two: Loka the Chained Priest vs. Tess of the Thousand Eyes
The arena dimmed ominously. Loka stepped barefoot into the battlefield, his heavy chains dragging behind him. A divine aura surrounded him, silent and suffocating. Across from him floated Tess, her cloak of eyes blinking in eerie synchronization.
Tess's illusions filled the arena instantly — serpents, spirits, mirror copies, and mirages of the flag.
Loka kneeled.
He did not fight.
He prayed.
His voice thundered:
"No weapon formed against me shall prosper… and every tongue that rises against me in judgment, thou shalt condemn." — Isaiah 54:17
The illusions shattered like smoke in a storm.
A holy chain struck Tess from behind. She gasped, bound in blinding light.
The crowd watched in stunned silence as Loka picked up the real flag — and held it until the minute passed.
Loka wins.
He left the field whispering more scripture:
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death... I shall fear no evil."
Match Three: Vin vs. Varn
"THE TWINS!" screamed a spectator.
The two stood on opposite sides. Identical twins. Black hair, mirrored tattoos, twin curved swords.
"Let's finish what we started as kids," Vin said, smirking.
"No holding back, brother," Varn replied, his aura pulsing violently.
The bell rang.
Their swords clashed in a blur — flashes of silver, cries of pain, laughter even in the chaos. They tossed the flag between each other like they were playing a childhood game… but it was war.
Vin caught the flag first.
"59… 58…"
Varn teleported behind him, slashing upward. The flag hit the air. Varn snatched it.
"59… 58… 57…"
The timer kept resetting.
Back and forth.
Cut for cut. Step for step. Brothers in the most brutal ballet the crowd had ever seen.
Eventually, bloodied and exhausted, Vin collapsed.
Varn stood — barely — clutching the flag.
"4… 3… 2… 1…"
Varn wins.
He dropped to his knees, tears pouring down his cheeks.
Vin smiled from the ground. "Looks like I taught you well."
Varn hugged him. "I didn't want to win… I just didn't want to lose you."
Match Four: Kuro vs… A Special Entry?!
Just when the crowd thought they'd seen it all, the arena lights flickered… then the announcer's voice boomed again.
"AND NOW—!! A FIGHT YOU DIDN'T SEE COMING!"
Kuro stood, hair brushing over one eye, golden eyes locked forward. He was smiling like he'd been waiting all day for this.
"The East's ruthless prodigy… the wolf without a leash…"
"KURO!"
The crowd roared.
But then…
The lights dimmed again.
The announcer pointed to the sky.
"AND ENTERING LATE — BY ROYAL DECREE… A WARRIOR WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION TO THOSE WHO WATCH THE SHADOWS."
The wind shifted. Silver mist poured into the air like moonlight being spilled.
She floated down from the sky.
"ASTRID VALE!"
My heart dropped.
What?!
I stood up in shock.
That's… the girl from the registration building! The one who warned me about Kuro!
I stared, stunned.
How is she allowed to enter NOW? Who is she really? Why was she watching the others from the beginning…?
Kuro tilted his head, slightly amused.
She didn't even look at him.
Her eyes scanned the crowd — and paused. On me.
That was no coincidence.
"Something's going on here," I muttered behind my mask.
This tournament... It's more than just a fight. It's a battlefield of hidden truths and demons dressed in gold.
The arena held its breath.
And the real battle?
It hadn't even begun yet.