Chapter 77 - When Fate is Called
The corridor outside the arena was warr than it should have been.
Not from fire.
From people.
Families filled the wide stone passageways reserved for guests, their voices overlapping in nervous excitent, pride, worry, and disbelief. For many of them, this was the first ti seeing such a grand stage. For a few—
It was the first ti seeing their children here.
"Brother!"
The small figure ran without hesitation.
Long Hao turned just in ti to catch his little sister as she threw herself into him, arms wrapping tightly around his waist.
"Oof—"
He absorbed the impact, adjusting his stance subtly so the movent wouldn’t tug at his still-healing chest. The pain flared briefly, sharp and unwelco.
He did not let it show.
"...You’re heavier," he said calmly.
She pulled back instantly, offended. "I am NOT."
Chen Wulian choked on air. "SHE’S ADORABLE."
Ling Yifan cleared his throat. "Chen."
"What?," Chen defended weakly.
Long Hao’s sister looked around, eyes wide as she took in the team.
"Wow..." she breathed. "Are these your friends?"
Bai Qianlan smiled faintly. "Teammates."
"That’s cooler," the girl decided imdiately.
Ouyang Xue’er crouched slightly to her level. "You’re brave, running into a place like this."
The girl puffed up proudly. "My brother fights monsters."
That made Chen straighten. "SEE? LEGEND."
Long Hao’s parents approached more slowly.
His father’s posture was straight, restrained, pride clear but controlled. His mother, however—
She stopped two steps away.
Her eyes moved over him carefully.
Too carefully.
"You look thinner," she said softly.
Long Hao t her gaze, calm as ever.
"Training," he replied.
Her brow furrowed.
"And tired."
"Long days."
She reached out, hesitated, then placed a hand lightly on his arm.
"You’re not hurt, are you?"
The corridor felt suddenly too quiet.
Long Hao smiled.
A gentle one.
"No," he said easily. "Nothing happened. I’m perfectly fine."
It was the truth.
Just... selectively frad.
His mother didn’t look convinced.
Mothers rarely were.
But she nodded anyway, fingers tightening slightly around his sleeve before she let go.
"...Just be careful," she said.
"I am," he replied.
That, at least, was completely true.
i Ying approached calmly, hands behind her back.
"You must be his family," she said evenly.
His father bowed slightly. "Thank you for looking after him."
i Ying inclined her head. "He looks after himself."
Chen muttered, "Unfortunately."
His sister tugged Long Hao’s sleeve again. "Are you fighting today?"
Long Hao shook his head. "Not today."
She frowned. "Then when?"
"Soon."
She nodded solemnly, as if accepting a sacred promise.
"Then I’ll watch very carefully."
Long Hao ruffled her hair lightly.
Behind him, Longyu sighed inside his chest.
"...You’re really going to do this injured."
He didn’t respond.
So things weren’t negotiable.
A deep, resonant chi echoed through the corridors.
Once.
Twice.
Three tis.
The sound rolled outward, reaching into the stands, the platforms, the passages—calling everyone back.
The draw ceremony was about to begin.
An attendant gestured politely. "Please proceed to the arena."
Long Hao’s parents were guided toward the family seating section. His sister waved enthusiastically as she went.
"DON’T LOSE!"
Chen raised a thumb. "NO PROMISES."
Long Hao watched until they were seated.
Then he turned.
The warmth faded.
The calm sharpened.
The arena was even louder now.
Anticipation buzzed through the crowd like static before lightning.
The Vermillion Phoenix Academy dean stood alone at the center platform once more. Behind her, the Draw Engine had fully risen—multiple concentric rings of glowing crystal rotating slowly, each inscribed with academy sigils.
The floating panels shifted.
Instead of pairings imdiately appearing, FORMAT DESIGNATIONS lit up in succession
4 formats in total.
Each designed to test a different aspect of combat psychology and team structure.
No explanations were given.
Those who understood, understood.
FORMAT TWO — ASSIGNED
VERMILLION PHOENIX ACADEMY
A soft murmur spread through the stands.
"Format Two..."
"That one rewards control and adaptability."
"As expected."
The Vermillion students did not react.
They simply acknowledged the assignnt and began internal discussion imdiately.
Lin Huoyan nodded once.
"...That suits us."
FORMAT THREE — ASSIGNED
The panel rotated again.
AZURE DRAGON ACADEMY
Chen straightened. "Format Three."
Qin Shuo exhaled slowly.
"...Chain battle heavy."
Ling Yifan’s eyes narrowed.
"Sequential pressure," he murmured. "No room for wasted exchanges."
i Ying, standing behind them, did not comnt.
But she watched Long Hao closely.
OTHER FORMAT ASSIGNNTS
The remaining panels lit up in succession.
Each announcent triggered its own wave of whispers.
So teams relaxed.
So frowned.
So went completely quiet.
Formats mattered.
And everyone knew it.
THE DRAWS BEGIN
Only after formats were locked did the Draw Engine activate fully.
The crystalline rings rotated faster this ti, light blurring into flowing arcs as academy sigils rose and fell in controlled randomness.
The Vermillion dean raised one hand.
"Now," she said, "you will learn who stands across from you."
The first pairing flared into the air.
FORMAT TWO MATCH
VERMILLION PHOENIX ACADEMY VS FROSTCLOUD ACADEMY
The crowd reacted imdiately.
"That’s cruel—"
"Heavenly Orchid won’t be able to hide—"
"Vermillion starts strong."
The Vermillion section remained calm.
Heavenly Orchid’s team stiffened.
Draw Day had already hurt them.
FORMAT ONE MATCH
The display shifted.
DRAGON TURTLE ACADEMY VS THUNDERCRASH ACADEMY
asured reactions followed.
"Endurance vs corruption."
"That’ll be ugly."
"Neither side minds dragging it out."
FORMAT THREE MATCH — AZURE DRAGON
The arena quieted.
The Azure Dragon sigil rose slowly.
Chen inhaled. "Here it cos."
The opposing symbol rotated.
Once.
Twice.
Locked.
AZURE DRAGON ACADEMY VS CRIMSON SABER IMPERIAL SCHOOL
The reaction was imdiate.
Whispers surged.
"Again?"
"After Stage Two?"
"Chain battle favors Crimson Saber—"
Ling Yifan did not react.
Bai Qianlan’s gaze sharpened.
"...They’ll be prepared this ti."
Qin Shuo adjusted his glasses.
"Formations layered in sequence," he murmured. "They’ll try to dictate tempo."
Long Hao remained silent.
But the na lingered in his mind.
Crimson Saber.
Once humiliated.
Once broken.
Now given ti to prepare.
REMAINING DRAWS
The Draw Engine continued.
Each pairing locked in place.
No changes.
No appeals.
The board filled completely.
Fate, written in light.
FEAR SETTLES
The Vermillion dean lowered her hand.
"Draw Day is complete," she said.
"You now know your format."
"You now know your opponent."
"And from this mont forward," her voice dropped slightly,"you will not stop thinking about tomorrow."
The crystal displays dimd.
But the damage was done.
The arena fractured into movent.
Teams withdrew into clusters.
Formation diagrams appeared mid-air.
Argunts sparked and died.
Orders were whispered.
At Azure Dragon’s side, i Ying finally spoke.
"Crimson Saber will try to control the chain," she said calmly.
"They’ll aim to exhaust you ntally before physically."
Qin Shuo nodded. "We break rhythm."
Chen cracked his knuckles. "I volunteer to break people."
Bai Qianlan glanced at Long Hao.
"And you?"
Long Hao looked toward the arena floor.
Toward tomorrow.
"...We don’t rush," he said quietly.
"We let them show their hand first."
Longyu stirred faintly inside him.
"...Careful," she warned. "They’ll be hunting for weakness."
He smiled faintly.
"Let them."
Draw Day ended without a single blow being struck.
Yet every team left the arena heavier than they entered.
Because now—
Fear had a na.
And tomorrow—
Chains would tighten.
[Chapter ENDS]
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