Carter quickly scratched his head, forcing a sheepish smile before vanishing from the arena's edge. Viola let out a small sigh, a hint of disappointnt flickering across her face, but she pushed the feeling aside and refocused on the giant before her.
"I surrender."
The man from the Cui race raised his hands, exhaustion and defeat written all over his face. A white light enveloped him, and in an instant, his body vanished from the duel platform. The sa glow surrounded Viola—transporting her back to the main stage.
—
Elsewhere in the arena, fierce battles raged on. The duels in the higher tiers, especially Tier-3, were far more brutal.
The fighters there weren't just ordinary warriors—they were close to becoming true "masters." Their duel platforms were different as well, larger and more reinforced, with each side spanning 50 ters. Every fight there was a spectacle, filled with bursts of energy and clashes of skills that sent dazzling streaks of light through the air.
The massive video panels installed for the audience displayed the most captivating battle at the mont—a duel between a blond-haired youth and a handso man who stood with an air of arrogance.
The crowd erupted in cheers, but Carter remained silent. His eyes were locked onto the screen, his brow furrowed.
"This fight… is more than just an ordinary duel."
From the clothing worn by the blond-haired young man, it was clear that he ca from Earth's human race—more precisely, a student from Star Academy.
In the grand main tribune towering above the arena, Lein sat calmly, observing the ongoing battle. The light from the giant crystals surrounding the arena reflected the sharp silhouette of his face.
"Nita," Lein spoke without taking his eyes off the arena. "That man over there, is he one of Star Academy's top students?"
Nita, who sat beside him, gave a slight nod before answering, "Yes, Brother. He's of mixed Indonesian and English descent. His na is Bima."
Lein nodded slowly, his expression remaining calm. "No wonder he didn't follow William," he murmured. "He still has Indonesian blood in him."
Not that the Indonesian race had any particular advantage over others, but as the strongest ruler in the Divine Sky Realm, Lein felt more familiar with those who shared his roots.
His gaze returned to the arena, where William stood firmly, facing his opponent—a young man from the Elf race wielding a jet-black bow. The Elf's aura was no weaker than Bima's, and his bow pulsed with dark energy so dense it was almost suffocating.
From the corner of his eye, Lein noticed Haikal, the overseer of the Tier-1 duel, watching the fight without blinking.
"Hah, Haikal is getting nervous," Lein comnted with a small smile.
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Nita nodded in agreent. "That arrow... there's sothing unusual about it."
Lein narrowed his eyes back at the arena. "Let it be. Keep watching. Don't let anything bad happen."
Even though this was a friendly duel, there was no room for carelessness. There could be no casualties of any kind. If necessary, Lein was prepared to rewind ti to prevent a tragedy.
Lein then shifted his gaze elsewhere, toward the platform where the blacksmithing competition was taking place. High in the sky, Bagus stood calmly, watching several platforms below with a sharp gaze.
Unlike the combat arenas, the blacksmithing platforms were much larger, each asuring 100 ters on each side. A hundred participants stood at their workstations, with blazing forges beside them, and the sound of clashing tal echoed through the air, creating a symphony unique to the art of smithing.
Lein smiled faintly. Within every spark and every hamr strike, there was ambition burning just as fiercely as in the combat arenas.
Most of the participants in the blacksmithing competition were n. Their muscles were well-defined, showing how often they had worked tal, how much effort they poured into every hamr swing. However, among them, a few won also stood tall. They might not have had the sa muscular build as their male counterparts, but the sweat dripping down their faces, their neatly tied-back hair, and their focused expressions showed determination no less intense.
"Nita, could you do what they're doing?" Lein asked without taking his eyes off the platform.
Hearing her brother's question, Nita also observed the won. A small smile ford on her lips before she glanced at Lein.
"Of course! I could make weapons like that in re seconds," she replied confidently.
Lein glanced at her briefly, then chuckled. "Really? You're getting arrogant again, huh?"
Nita giggled, lifting her chin slightly. "Ehehe… of course not. But if I were given a month, maybe I could be like them."
Lein nodded. With the resources they had now, reaching the level of those blacksmiths wouldn't be too difficult. Of course, Nita was referring to the average blacksmiths, not the master craftsn who had been honing their skills for decades.
On one of the blacksmithing duel platforms, a participant suddenly raised his hand. A newly forged longsword glead under the light.
In an instant, Bagus appeared above the platform. Calmly, he extended his hand, and the sword floated toward him. His gaze was sharp as he examined the participant's work, scrutinizing every detail with great care.
"Bagus… you can wait for the others to finish," Bagus finally said after a mont, a small approving nod on his face.
The participant smiled in satisfaction. Receiving praise from Bagus, even just a single word, was enough to reassure him that he would advance to the next round.
Unlike direct combat duels, skill-based duels weren't just about speed. The most important factor was the quality of the weapon produced. Every engraving, every strike of the hamr, determined how strong and sharp the weapon would be on the battlefield.
Bagus himself had an extraordinary talent for blacksmithing. When selecting the core mbers of the alliance, Lein had been drawn to his unique skill in forging weapons. In fact, most of the items sold in the alliance store and the seed shop were crafted by Bagus and his apprentices.
"Brother Bagus is always so serious when it cos to blacksmithing," Nita comnted with an amused tone.
Lein rely smiled. He knew all too well what Bagus was like outside of his work. The talented blacksmith had often been reported for destroying buildings while chasing chicken thieves. He also frequently acted without thinking, taking action before waiting for orders, which often led to misunderstandings.
"Well… maybe he's just more suited for that field," Lein said casually. Differences were what made the world more colorful. As long as they didn't beco serious problems, he wouldn't concern himself too much.
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