"Never thought I'd be back here so soon!"
Elise looked around at the familiar surroundings and couldn't help but sigh.
It hadn't been long since she'd just competed in the Lindvolus Festa, which was held at the Sirius Dome. And now, just a few days later, she found herself back in the same place.
"Well, we didn't really have a choice—it's Xinglou's invitation after all!" Sylvia laughed beside her. "I wonder what kind of event Xinglou plans to hold this time. Hopefully it won't be all about fighting."
"Banyuu Tenra hosting an event. What do you think?"
"…Fine, I admit I was being overly optimistic."
Anyone who knew Fan Xinglou knew what she was like.
This so-called 'event' would almost certainly end up being some sort of combat tournament.
"Oho! Isn't this the Diva and the Lady Saintess? It's been a while!"
A young, childlike voice called out. A gray-haired little loli came bouncing over, tugging along a boy with orange hair.
"Long time no see, Xinglou!" Sylvia greeted first—she had come to the city of academies earlier than Elise, and had known Fan Xinglou longer.
"Welcome, Xinglou." Elise had only met Fan Xinglou not long ago, but the two had gotten along rather well.
"And the one next to you is… student Zhao from Tenka Buzang, right?"
"Eh? Miss Sylvia, how do you know my name?"
"Of course I know you, Zhao. You always come to my concerts—I see you every time, full of energy!"
"What an honor!"
Seeing Sylvia's smile, the boy—Zhao Hufeng—turned bright red.
Although he ranked highly at Jie Long Seventh Institute, and had even taken second place in the Gryps Festa, in front of Sylvia he was nothing more than an ordinary fan.
"Hahaha! This kid Hufeng really likes you, Diva!" Fan Xinglou chuckled as though she had thought of something amusing. "So, what do you think? Will you consider him?"
"Come on, Xinglou, don't tease me like that!"
As the two spoke, Zhao Hufeng stood to the side, steaming like a kettle, mumbling about things like "dating Miss Sylvia… marriage… children…"
Elise, who had planned to sit back and enjoy the show, suddenly felt an odd pang in her chest at the sight of him.
"And what about your senior sister? Wasn't she your partner for the Gryps Festa? Cecily Wong, right?"
The moment Cecily's name was mentioned, Zhao Hufeng snapped out of his steaming daze. Even Sylvia and Fan Xinglou turned their eyes toward him.
"Se… senior sister…"
"Miss Sylvia…"
"I… I…"
Zhao Hufeng grabbed his head with trembling hands, looking like he'd just remembered something terrifying.
"I'm such a terrible person!"
Sylvia gave Elise a subtle look, as though surprised her friend had this side to her.
Meanwhile, Fan Xinglou's gaze toward Elise had completely changed—her eyes lit up as though she'd just found something very interesting.
Time was almost up, and everyone began preparing to enter the stage. Elise, under the excuse of going to the bathroom, slipped away.
In a quiet corner, she opened her personal terminal, troubled as she watched a video—it was the recording of Zhao Hufeng muttering about being garbage.
"Why… did I even record this?"
Her finger hovered over the delete key for a long time, but in the end she didn't press it. Instead—
"Contestants, please proceed to the stage!"
The broadcast announcement forced Elise's hand. She sighed, pressed the save button, and hurried out.
Little did she know, this seed she had just chosen to preserve would one day grow into a towering tree far beyond her imagination.
...
"Greetings to all the spectators gathered here today!"
The host shouted passionately into the microphone.
"Are you all enjoying this year's academy festival?"
"Whether you feel satisfied already, or still not enough—if you go home without watching this performance, you'll regret it for life!"
"This event is jointly hosted by four academies! A grand occasion, unprecedented and unrepeatable!"
"So without further delay—the Apex Arena now begins!"
With the host's announcement, the stands erupted in thunderous cheers like a storm.
On the arena floor, more than thirty students had already gathered.
"Mm… all strong people."
Elise's perception swept through the crowd, allowing her to clearly gauge everyone's strength.
The host's voice boomed again.
"Nearly every participant in this Apex Arena is a renowned powerhouse within their academy!"
"Since it's such a rare opportunity, let me introduce today's contestants!"
"First, the champion of the Lindvolus Festa! Though she did not participate in Saint Galahadworth Academy's ranking battles, her strength is beyond question! The Wordweaving Strega—Elise Holiness!"
The spotlight fell on Elise, making her shine like a princess surrounded by stars. She gently waved to the crowd, winning the faith and cheers of many at once.
"Next, the first and second in Saint Galahadworth's sequence! Pendragon—Ernest Fairclough! And the Thunder Strega—Laetitia Blanchard! Both have dominated the Gryps Festa for two consecutive years!"
When the light shone on Ernest, the arena erupted with deafening screams and cheers, almost all from his female fans, proof of his overwhelming popularity.
"And now, an unexpected presence! The world's most famous diva! Queenvail's number one! With a voice that can enchant nations—the Battle-Rhythm Strega, Sylvia Lyyneheym!"
As the light landed on Sylvia, the audience's response grew even more explosive than before. No wonder—she was a world-renowned diva, with an unimaginably massive fanbase.
The host continued introducing each participant, every one of them undeniably powerful. But just as he was about to announce the start, an assistant hurried over with a new document.
What was going on?
Even the contestants looked puzzled. And when the host glanced at the paper, his face turned to shock.
"Ohhh! This is truly astonishing!"
"Ladies and gentlemen! An unexpected participant has just entered the competition!"
"She is none other than Jie Long Seventh Institute's number one, with unmatched and overwhelming strength! This is her first time ever appearing before the public!"
"Her name is—"
"Banyuu Tenra—Fan Xinglou!"
In that instant, the entire arena erupted into an uproar.