The day of Hiro's wedding arrived, and everyone was buzzing with excitement and preparation. Sadi always kept himself away from crowds and the chaos that accompanied such grand events. He preferred solitude, finding comfort in the quiet corners. But Laura tried to involve Sadi in preparation; after all, it was his brother's ceremony. Sadi could not ignore his mother's demand, as he loved his mother the most.The Draconis realm buzzed with preparations, every corner filled with decorations of flowers and laughter as it was the head's son's wedding ceremony. Guests from the allied realms enhanced the magnificence of the occasion. The marriage between Hiro and Anna, the daughter of Eldoria Prime's chief, was more than a personal union; it was a political one. It was a deal of two powerful realms. After a few hours, the deal was going to be for real.At the ceremony, people from Celestoria, Imperion, Aegisara, and some high-ranking martial arts realm's chief families were invited. Though

Ethan touched the cool, damp moss on the wall of the temple; his expression was stern; he knew Mason was right; the longer they kept the secret, the more dangerous it became. But Ethan knew that the time had come when everyone would know everything.However, the one they needed, the one who could save them from the chaos, would show his presence soon. Ethan took a deep breath and said in a steady voice, "On this selection day, we will reveal the truth.""Chief!" Mason became concerned; his brows narrowed. The truth could shatter the balance of power they had held for so long."Let's go; Dimitri will be back," Ethan said in a stern tone. There would be no more arguments. His decision was final; he ended the conversation by changing the topic.Mason took a deep breath, and without further discussion, he accepted what Ethan said. He followed Ethan down the path away from the temple.The scenario changed to the realm of Draconis.The atmosphere of Draconis was noticeably different.The ma

Illusions of the stars crafted detailed and convincing illusions that could deceive the senses or obscure reality. Distinguishing those illusions from reality was an arduous task, which made the overall task even more challenging. If participants distinguished the illusions and returned to reality, then they would go to the next challenge; if not, then they would be out of the selection. Illusions of stars were difficult arts; if anyone could not master the arts well, then he could stay in the illusions.It could easily trap an untrained mind, so one should have needed to settle his mind to get through the illusions. The second challenge started with Sadi's turn. Sadi stepped in the middle of the stage, his gaze unwavering. When Sadi stepped, the crowd did not make any sound of mockery; they just sat on their seats silently, their attention fully on Sadi.The atmosphere in the amphitheater differed totally from a moment ago—no laughter, no mockery, no whispers of doubt. Sadi moved his

Sadi met Thor's gaze; he sighed and finally uttered with a steady and clear voice, "Can you beat?""A normal competitor?"Thor arched his brows in surprise as Sadi gave a counterattack. Sadi, a person known for their timidity and reserved nature, was not particularly talkative. But after that day, Sadi did not hesitate to taunt Thor.Thor was about to answer him, but he spoke in the middle, his words sharp: "You mentioned that, except for Dimitri and Draco, everyone is normal here.""Then do you count yourself as a normal one?""How dare you compare me with others?" Thor suddenly burst out. His outburst drew attention to other competitors who had been listening to them. They heard what Thor said. Thor's anger was not possible to ignore.Max, one of the competitors, thought to step in because Thor insulted the others; he spoke out, "Thor, then what do you mean by normal?""We come here after working so hard, then complete the challenges. Don't you think you are insulting everyone by ca

Mason stepped forward once more, his voice echoing through the arena. "Our next competitors are... Draco from the Shadow Realm and Loki from the Dragon Realm!"The name announcement hit the crowd like a chill. The noise and cheers fell away, replaced by a hushed, almost reverent silence. The atmosphere shifted, charged with a tension that seemed to weigh down the air itself. The audience watched as Loki stepped onto the stage, his face drawn and serious. He held his head high, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of dread. Facing Draco was not merely a test of skill—it felt like a confrontation with darkness itself.Then Draco emerged. His presence seemed to chill the air around him. Dressed in shadowy armor that absorbed the light, he moved with an almost ethereal grace. A whisper of wind swept across the stage, and as he met Loki's gaze, the arena felt colder still.Mason, sensing the palpable tension between the two, quickly stepped back."Alright, let the duel… begin!"Draco's eyes clo