The arena pulsed with energy — a crowd of elites, talents, and successors from across the realms filled the stands. Mira smirked as her eyes scanned the spectacle. Finn stood beside her, too stunned to speak, while Coral wore a cryptic expression, her thoughts unreadable.
Azure was absent; it was his turn to compete. He had trained in all four categories, but competitors were limited to only two. Naturally, Azure had chosen combat and magic. The first round: combat.
His opponent stood tall in the center of the stage — a dark elf. Towering, composed, and cloaked in shadowy grace, he exuded an intimidating aura. His obsidian skin and pitch-black hair made him appear carved from night itself. But his fearsome appearance wasn't what unnerved the spectators; it was who he was.
He was no ordinary dark elf. He was the crowned successor of the dark elf realm, a warrior trained in a lineage of merciless power. And today, he would face Azure, the successor of the sea realm. A battle between two heirs.
"Will Azure be alright?" Coral asked, her voice tight with concern.
Finn hesitated. "I guess so. He's a genius — I've never seen anyone like him. Also…" He trailed off.
Both Coral and Mira turned to him, puzzled. But Finn only shook his head and looked away. They understood. Some truths were better left unsaid.
On stage, Azure and the dark elf faced each other. A hush fell over the arena. Then, in a gesture that shocked everyone, the dark elf nodded, a respectful greeting. Azure returned it with equal calm.
A murmur rippled through the stands. Dark elves never bowed. Never greeted. Especially not before a fight. Known for their pride and secrecy, such behavior was unheard of.
The horn blared. The match began. But neither moved.
They studied each other, calculating, poised. Minutes ticked by, and both warriors locked in a silent standoff. The judges issued a warning — any further delay would result in disqualification.
Then, at the same instant, they launched.
Azure's body shimmered with blue energy, while the dark elf unleashed a surge of pure black magic. Their powers collided, a storm of clashing light and shadow. Blow after blow, they fought with precision and fury, draining their strength with every move.
As the fight neared its conclusion, the dark elf suddenly darted forward, channeling the last of his energy into a piercing strike. His hand, cloaked in black power, brushed against Azure's chest.
Azure moved to dodge. Too late. The blow struck his heart. And Azure collapsed. The entire arena shot to its feet. Judges, competitors, and spectators froze in shock.
Killing was forbidden. And Azure's heart had stopped.
Even the dark elves stood in alarm. Their prince, their successor, looked horrified.
He dropped beside Azure, panic flashing across his otherwise impassive face. The blow had been meant to paralyze, not kill. He hadn't aimed for the heart.
Desperate, the dark elf pulled a wooden pearl from his robes. Placing it over Azure's chest, he funneled his remaining energy into it. The pearl pulsed, shifting into a brilliant array of colors before glowing silver.
The silver light sank into Azure's heart. Silence consumed the arena.
Mira, Finn, and Coral rushed toward the stage, breath caught in their throats. They'd just reached the stairs when a familiar gasp echoed across the silence. They turned. Azure opened his eyes and inhaled sharply, as if drawing in life itself. His chest rose and fell. His lungs ached, but he was alive.
The dark elf let out a breath of relief. The pearl still hovered, spinning slowly above Azure's chest. Azure looked at him and understood. He tried to sit up but failed. The dark elf reached out, steadying him. A strange, wordless understanding passed between them.
By the stairs, Mira and the others exhaled in unison. Relief flooded their faces.
But not everyone was pleased. Whispers began to rise. A few individuals left the arena, faces sour, their eyes filled with resentment. The judges approached, but before they could speak, a messenger arrived, handing them a sealed scroll.
"Neptune's seal."
The message was simple: Azure is to withdraw. He will not fight again today. Neptune had seen enough — Azure had potential worth protecting.
The semi-finals will continue tomorrow. Azure had lost one chance to reach the finals… but he still had another. As Azure stepped down from the stage, he paused at the final step. He turned back.
The dark elf was still watching him. This time, his smile — awkward and crooked — was sincere, almost humorous. Azure gave him a faint smile in return. A silent thank you. A quiet promise of friendship.
The crowd watched, stunned. And with that, the dark elf was declared the winner.
The next day, Azure returned — and won the semi-final with unwavering determination. Few from the sea realm made it this far. Aside from Azure, only Coral in medicine, Mira in spells, and Finn in magic had reached the finals.
The arena brimmed with anticipation. Everyone awaited the final matches. But there were more than just the finals on everyone's mind. The sixteen-year-old prodigy, who would soon challenge the winners of all four categories. And just as the excitement reached its peak, a voice rang out from the pavilion:
"The dark elf participant has withdrawn from the combat category. The winner, by default, is Azure of the sea realm!"
A roar erupted through the arena.
The final stage was set.
The arena vibrated with anticipation, the air heavy with rumor and expectation. Everyone knew the last match would decide the Champion's Challenge, but the identity of the "chosen one" remained shrouded in mystery.
Most assumed it would be a hulking prodigy from the upper realm, a boy built like a fortress, carrying rare magic in his veins. Murmurs of predictions filled the stands, excitement rising with each passing second.
Then the chief judge raised his voice.
"Now, the true battle begins. The Champion's Challenge, the one destined to face the winners of all four categories, will enter the arena."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Whispers tangled into disbelief. Even the defeated competitors craned their necks, desperate to glimpse the name that would be etched into history.
But before the chosen one could appear, the judge continued, "First, I ask the four champions: will you fight the challenger together, or one by one?"
Coral, Finn, and Mira instinctively looked at Azure. As heir of the sea realm, he was their anchor, their quiet leader.
"Azure?" Finn prompted. Azure's gaze was lowered, fixed on a shadow in the arena none of them could see. When he finally spoke, his voice was steady.
"One by one."
The judge nodded. "So be it. Let the chosen one enter the ring."
Every eye strained toward the stage, searching for the warrior they had imagined — broad, armored, exuding power.
Instead, a slender figure ascended the stone steps. Her body was slight, her long black hair woven into a braid. A simple mask covered her face, hiding everything but her eyes, eyes the color of the ocean at its deepest point, steady and unyielding. She wore no gleaming armor, only light robes of blue and brown, edged faintly in silver.
From beneath the pavilion's arch, she stepped into the light with the calm of someone who had nothing to prove, yet everything to protect.
The crowd's gasps turned to laughter. A girl? Frail, fragile, unfit for war. Many muttered that the council had lost its mind.
But on the stage, the four champions reacted differently. Finn took a step back. Coral's breath hitched. Mira's lips parted in a whisper:
"Edel."
Only Azure did not move. His gaze, filled with something far more complex than fear, lingered on her.
And in the shadows of the elite corner, a pair of crimson eyes gleamed with love and longing, fixed solely on her. Edel felt it like a hand across her heart and flicked her gaze toward the darkness. She don't who is watching but she felt familiar .
The judge's voice broke the silence. "Edel, do you accept their decision to face you one by one?"
Edel's answer was clear, unshaken. "No. I'll fight them together."
A collective shudder passed through the champions. Coral flinched beneath Edel's masked stare, while Azure signaled others to follow the plan they had prepared.
They had expected this. They would overwhelm her quickly, strike hard enough to force a defeat without lasting harm. Azure would attack from the front, Finn and Mira from either side, while Coral stood ready to heal if needed. A perfect plan.
The signal came.
Azure lunged, blade aimed true. Finn's magic swelled, Mira's ice encircled, sealing every escape. They attacked, Azure moved to her left hand, with the help of Finn's magic, he created a move to make her unconscious, and Mira was casting a freezing spell on her body, so that she could not defend herself and lose the fight.
And then — it ended.
Before the crowd could blink, all three lay sprawled on the ground, blood at their lips, their strength shattered.
At the center stood Edel, calm and motionless, a blade of faint blue light resting easily in her hand. She had struck faster than sight, cleaner than comprehension. Her left hand remained folded behind her back, as if she had not needed it.
The champions tried to rise. None succeeded. One by one, their eyes rolled shut, consciousness fleeing.
Only Coral remained. Trembling, she fell to her knees before Edel. Her voice never formed the words, but her submission was clear.
The arena plunged into silence. Thousands of eyes watched a truth that defied reason: four champions, heirs of power and promise, defeated in a single breath.
At last, the judge found his voice. "The winner… is Edel."
The silence was shattered. Shock, awe, and disbelief thundered together in the crowd. Some called her a monster. Others, a miracle. All knew the world had changed in that moment.
Edel descended the stairs with unhurried grace, sword gone, mask still in place. She stopped before the judges.
"We knew of your promise," one said, voice trembling with reverence. "Mila and Eva praised you… But you are more than they described. A treasure beyond measure. May fortune guide you."
Edel inclined her head, sliding the mask free. Her smile was faint, almost wistful, yet it silenced the arena once more. She bowed lightly, then turned and left without another word.
For a heartbeat, no one moved. No one dared to breathe.
Then the eruption came, cheers, cries, and frenzied voices calling her name. The weight of a legend had been born in their midst, undeniable and absolute.
And unnoticed in the roar, the man in black from the elite corner rose. His crimson eyes lingered on her retreating figure, filled with tenderness and possession, before he slipped into the shadows with his guard at his side.
Edel did not look back, but the man followed her quietly.