The sun hung high over Valoria, casting golden light over the grand coliseum, which was now packed to the brim with spectators eager for the second phase of the Battle Convention. The air buzzed with excitent, anticipation thick as noble families, warriors, and scholars alike turned their gazes toward the grand arena.
The VIP section was nearly full. King Alexandria sat at the center, his regal presence undeniable, flanked by his son, Crown Prince Lysander, who observed the competitors below with sharp, calculating eyes. Beside them, Alden smirked confidently, whispering sothing to his ever-present lackey, Griffo. Lockwood, the chancellor of Dawning of Magic Academy, sat with a composed air, his gaze betraying nothing. anwhile, on the other side of the section, Kael Dragonyx sat with his aged right-hand man, his gaze like a predator eyeing prey. His focus was set on the arena below, where a particular competitor stood. Not too far from him was the prestigious First Magi along with his cherished daughter Elara whose gazed was fixed on a particular individual down in the arena. Castenada, the Pacesetters Academy chancellor, sat beside his old friend Marel, exchanging a few words as they surveyed the upcoming warriors.
"What about the dignitary from the Elf kingdom?" Suddenly, King Alexandria asked the First Magi with a slight yet friendly smile on his face. "She was summoned back to her kingdom due to so urgent matters that cropped up there" The First Magi replied with a the sa kind of smile on his face.
"Oh, I see" King Alexandria muttered before he put his attention back on the arena. But in the next mont, Elara who is beside the First Magi as she fixed her gaze on an individual down on the arena suddenly had a slight shiver down her spine as her heart skipped a beat.
'What was that!?' after experiencing that, she quickly diverted her gaze away from the individual as she thought in surprise. But not long after, she secretly glanced at King Alexandria as a drop of cold sweat ran down the left side of her face as she thought.
'Was that him?'
Down in the coliseum, the participating academies and families stood lined up, forming a formidable sight. Each group carried themselves with pride, their banners fluttering in the slight breeze. Among them stood Kaelen Dragonyx, eyes forward, his body steady, but his mind alert. He had already begun to analyze potential threats among the competitors. His gaze briefly flicked to Kent Harrow of Dawning of Magic Academy, a man shrouded in mystery with an intense aura. Then, his attention shifted to Althea Dragonyx, the representative from his supposed family. Though they shared the sa bloodline, there was no warmth there—only the weight of deep grudges and an unrelenting revenge.
Just as the tension reached its peak, a sudden ripple of energy filled the air, followed by the appearance of a shimring light above the arena. There, hovering above them all, was Seraphine. Her presence alone demanded attention. Her celestial robes fluttered as she radiated authority, her voice cutting through the excited murmurs.
"Welco, warriors, nobles, and honored guests," she declared, her voice both soothing and commanding. "The ti has co! The second phase of the Battle Convention shall now comnce!"
A thunderous cheer erupted from the stands, shaking the very foundations of the coliseum as the tournant pressed forward into its next stage.
As Seraphine stood at the center of the grand arena, her composed expression held an air of authority. The tension in the coliseum was palpable, with countless spectators, nobles, and warriors watching with bated breath.
"Before the second phase comnces," Seraphine's clear voice echoed through the coliseum, "I shall first reveal the current rankings."
'The battle convention rankings' Kaelen thought as his interest was piqued.
A flicker of mana surged through the air, and in the blink of an eye, a massive shimring screen materialized beside her, displaying a series of glowing nas and numbers in elegant script.
Official Rankings
1—Pacesetters Academy — 75 points
2—Valen Military Academy — 70 points
3—Dawning of Magic Academy — 68 points
4—Dragonyx Family — 65 points
5—The Royal Chosens — 62 points
6—Ferrum Clan — 60 points
7—Stormfell Family — 59 points
8—Lucent Family — 54 points
9—Blightmore House — 52 points
As the rankings solidified on the screen, murmurs and hushed gasps rippled through the crowd. So expressions were filled with shock, others with confusion, and a few with concealed delight.
'Now this is unexpected' Kent Harrow thought with a slight smile on his face as he gazed on the screen hovering right beside Seraphine.
As for Kelvin, he simply narrowed his eyes as he gazed upon the screen beside Seraphine.
Up in the VIP section, Lockwood of Dawning of Magic Academy furrowed his brows in contemplation. Even as a composed and calculative man, he still found himself slightly bewildered. His gaze shifted to King Alexandria, who chuckled lightly at his reaction.
"The rankings are not solely based on who wins the individual class battles," King Alexandria stated as if he could read minds, his voice filled with wisdom. "Rather, they reflect the overall performance of each academy and family—how many of their participants could endure till the very end. And in that regard..." He smirked. "Pacesetters Academy perford exceptionally well."
'Oh, now I understand' Lysander who is beside King Alexandria thought as realization dawned on him.
Hearing this, Lockwood's eyes darkened as he absorbed the information. anwhile, not too far from where Lockwood is seated in the VIP section, Chancellor Castenada and his old friend Marel exchanged amused glances, their expressions smug with satisfaction.
Down in the coliseum, Forbes Hernandez, Kaelen Dragonyx,Lila, Morris, Charlotte Stark, Ethan Kent, and their fellow Pacesetters representatives couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. They had fought tooth and nail to get to this stage, and now their efforts were being recognized.
As the crowd continued to murmur, Seraphine's authoritative voice cut through the air again.
"With that said," she announced, "we shall now proceed to the second phase of the final stage!"
The crowd erupted into cheers as anticipation for what ca next surged through the arena.
As Seraphine stood at the center of the grand coliseum, her voice rang clear and authoritative, capturing the attention of every participant and spectator alike.
"For the next phase of the Battle Convention," she announced, "we will now transition into the Group Battle Phase, which will be conducted in a knockout system. Each team will be required to form a group of five participants, who will engage in battle against another group. Victory will be determined when either all five mbers of a team are eliminated or when surrender is declared."
As she spoke, the massive screen high above the coliseum suddenly flickered, its contents shifting to reveal a tournant bracket that neatly arranged the matchups. The screen displayed various families and academies pitted against each other, the nas of each faction boldly highlighted.
But then—sothing unusual.
The Pacesetters Academy was notably absent from the first round, their na placed directly in the second phase of the bracket.
A mont of silence fell over the coliseum. Then, murmurs erupted from the audience. So were confused, while others outright questioned the fairness of the arrangent.
Seraphine, however, remained composed.
"Before any of you dwell on why this is the case," she continued smoothly, "let clarify: The Pacesetters Academy currently holds the first position in this tournant. As a result, they have been granted the privilege of bypassing the first round."
The explanation was direct, but it only fueled the shock further.
'Seems like our fated duel won't be too soon, but am not in a rush' Kent thought leisurely as he glued his eyes on the screen beside Seraphine. But unbeknownst to him, Rafaela was looking at him with an unreadable expression on her face before she shifted her gaze on the sa screen.
The Pacesetters' advantage took everyone off guard, even so of the participants. The other academies and families had been preparing for a grueling first round, yet here was the Pacesetters Academy, already waiting comfortably in the next stage.
Seraphine, however, wasn't interested in their reactions.
She pressed on.
"As I ntioned, each group must have five participants to qualify," she said. "Academies with ten representatives will be able to designate five as their primary team, while the remaining five will act as substitutes. These substitutes may be switched in only when necessary, such as in the event of injury or exhaustion."
She then shifted her gaze towards the families competing.
"For family-based teams, however, there will be no substitutes available. Since they lack additional mbers, dical attention will be prioritized for them instead."
As the weight of her words settled over the coliseum, the mood turned serious.
This next phase wasn't just a test of individual strength—it was about team strategy, endurance, and resilience. One mistake, one injury, could cost an entire faction their chance at victory.
But for the Pacesetters Academy…
They had already secured their spot in the next round.
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