Then Troy gazed towards Joy.And Joy Valentine felt a shiver pierce down his spine—sharp, instinctive, like the cold edge of steel pressed to bare flesh.At that exact moment, lightning cracked behind him once again, splitting the sky open with a violent white tear.The thunder followed instantly, so loud it rattled the soaked earth and made the battlefield tremble.More and heavier rain hammered down in relentless sheets, drenching armor, banners, and blood alike, as if the heavens themselves were bearing witness to something unreal.Joy turned stiffly, his breath caught in his throat.Troy hovered in the air above them, suspended like a phantom in the storm—cloak whipping in the wind, hair soaked and wild, one hand resting on the hilt of a blade.His eyes glowed faintly beneath the flashes of lightning, calm yet impossibly sharp, as though he were gazing through Joy’s chest and into his very soul.“Are you by any chance under the man by the name Baca Welvard, Lord of Tranquility and

The participants of the first group moved toward one of the massive stone platforms, their footsteps slow and steady as if drawn forward by fate itself.The colossal sanctuary trembled under the thunderous chants of hundreds of thousands.The morning glow spilled over the horizon, bathing the sanctuary in a pale gold sheen, turning every weapon, robe, and strand of hair into something divine.Oasis walked among the group, his presence quiet yet impossorily heavy—like a blade sheathed but ready to slaughter at a moment’s notice.Iren walked parallel but a bit further from him, chest puffed out, trying to look fearless… but even from afar, one could see his stiff shoulders and the nervous swallow he failed to hide.A thin mist hovered above the platform, remnants of dawn dew evaporating under the heat of the rising sun.The murmurs of the crowd rose and crashed like ocean waves, waiting—hungering—for the first battle of the tournament to begin.Above in the general stands, Venak, Daku,

“What kind of technique is this kid using…? I have never seen such a technique—one that can even cut natural mana, and the very mana of a person,”Eclipse thought, pupils narrowing as the shimmering threads of Oasis’s Heavenly Slicing Technique curved through the air like living blades.A collective murmur rippled through the noble gallery.Shock.Awe.Disbelief.They weren’t witnessing a simple art. They were witnessing a technique that defied the rules of the world.The nobles leaned forward instinctively, as if the closer they got, the more they would understand the phenomenon unfolding below.“Eclipse, what do you think about the way the kid uses his mana and techniques?” Ryu Pogoda asked, eyes locked on Oasis—unblinking, focused, almost predatory.Eclipse’s jaw tightened, then he exhaled slowly.“Mhh… beyond talented. He only releases what he needs—no movements or mana wasted.His control and efficiency are beyond anything I’ve seen from a child.”Ryu’s face darkened, realizing w

Oasis’s blade started vibrating intensely as it moved with him toward Iren, each step he took making the very air quiver as though reality itself feared the weight of his intent.Cyan sparks danced wildly around the blade’s edge, flickering like living embers of a celestial storm.The cyan flames wrapped around the weapon glowed more intensely with each passing breath—almost roaring—like a beast awakening inside the steel.The blade hummed, then howled.The aura pouring from Oasis created shimmering waves that distorted the battlefield around him.Stone beneath his feet cracked in spiderweb patterns, unable to withstand the violent pressure of his aura.His eyes were locked on Iren—cold, unwavering, almost divine.The audience could feel the heat from where they sat.Many leaned back instinctively.Others squinted.The younger disciples covered their faces with their sleeves, as if Oasis’s aura alone could sear their skin.Meanwhile, Iren’s own technique grew monstrously large.His br

Oasis smirked.Then—!!!whoosh!!!He unleashed his magical energy instead of martial aura—pure wind magical essence, tinged with faint trims of emerald that flickered like liquid sunlight trapped in motion.The surge ripped through the battlefield like a living storm.Iren’s body screamed as the force hit him full on.His fingers, the only ones left on his left hand, bent unnaturally under the invisible grip of the wind.His palm, once aimed at Oasis’s chest, twisted violently as if his own bones were betraying him.Scarlet aura and wind clashed violently, yet the wind essence overpowered, bending and snapping Iren’s energy flows like fragile reeds.He was lifted, blown away like a ragdoll in a storm, sent hurtling toward the barrier wall.Thud!He collided with the barrier with a deafening crack, embedding himself into the surface as if impaled on invisible stakes.Scarlet blood leaked from his nose and mouth, trailing down his scorched robes.Heavy, rattling coughs tore through his