Every match in the Elimination League Phase had finally come to an end. For three full days, the arena had been filled with nonstop action. Every team had stepped forward and given their all. Some teams showed pure dominance, crushing their opponents with overwhelming strength. Some teams fought with incredible bravery, even when they were clearly outmatched. Some failed to meet expectations, while others surprised everyone and rose beyond what anyone imagined.
For the audience, it had been nothing short of a spectacle. Every fight brought something new, different styles, different strategies, different kinds of power. The crowd had cheered, gasped, and even sat in silence during some of the most intense moments. Now, however, all of that excitement came down to one thing, results.
Each team had fought exactly three matches. Points had been earned, lost, and even shared. Now everything depended on the final standings. Only 32 teams would move forward into the next stage. For the rest, their journey in the tournament would end here.
The tension in the arena was different now. It was no longer about cheering for fights. It was about waiting. Waiting to hear names. Waiting to know who would continue and who would be eliminated.
In the center of the arena stood the two voices everyone had come to recognize, Ifa and Shai.
Ifa grabbed the mic, his energy as high as ever. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment everyone, especially these fighters, has been waiting for has finally arrived!"
The crowd erupted instantly. Cheers echoed throughout the massive arena.
Shai stood beside him, calm and composed as always. "And now, we present to you the best among the best… the top teams of the League Phase."
Ifa raised his hand dramatically. "Let's begin from the very top!"
There was a brief pause. The entire arena went silent.
"The only two teams… who remained undefeated… with a perfect score of 27 points!"
The silence broke into loud anticipation.
"From the Kingdom of Cero… The Grand Party!"
The crowd roared with pride.
"And from the Kingdom of Vrikta… Hands of Karma!"
Once again, the cheers filled the arena. Two teams. No losses. Absolute perfection.
Shai continued smoothly, "Next, we have three teams who finished just behind them, with 25 points."
Ifa nodded. "From the Kingdom of Raztak... Karvek!"
Cheers followed.
"From the Kingdom of Cero... Eternal Wings!"
Even louder cheers.
"And from the Kingdom of Wyali... Astra Axis!"
The excitement continued to build.
Shai stepped forward slightly. "At positions 6 to 9, we have four teams with 23 points."
Ifa read them out one by one.
"From the Kingdom of Coarau... Ravento!"
"From the Kingdom of Cero... Divatrix!"
"From the Kingdom of Aosha... Jade Court!"
"And from the Kingdom of Raztak... Velkran!"
Each name was welcomed with equal excitement. By now, it was clear, this tournament had no weak teams.
Shai continued, "That concludes our top contenders for the title. But the remaining teams should not be underestimated."
Ifa smiled. "Absolutely! Now let's quickly go through the rest of the qualified teams."
"With 21 points, we have four teams!"
"From Kingdom of Vrikta... Vajratna!"
"From Kingdom of Wyali... Shooting Stars!"
"From Kingdom of Friendorn... Valkrest!"
"And from Kingdom of Xezin... Azure Fangs!"
The announcements continued without pause.
"With 20 points, five teams!"
"From Kingdom of Aosha... Disciples of Wind and Disciples of Ember!"
"From Kingdom of Xero... The Coil and Redwake!"
"And from Kingdom of Lakra... The Last Crescent!"
The crowd kept cheering. Each team had supporters. Each name meant something.
Shai continued, "With 19 points, we have four teams."
"From Kingdom of Aosha... Disciples of Water!"
"From Kingdom of Eiton... The Broken Compass!"
"From Kingdom of Lakra... Sand Crown!"
"And from Kingdom of Cero... Black Sigil!"
Ifa took over again. "Next, with 18 points, four teams!"
"From Kingdom of Ealp-Wakera... Golden Reef!"
"From Kingdom of Friendorn... Order of the White Pike!"
"And from Kingdom of Cero... The Wave Crew and Prime Heroes!"
The list kept growing, and so did the tension.
"With 17 points, two teams!"
"From Kingdom of Xezin... Shadow Harbour!"
"And from Kingdom of Eiton... Halvern!"
Shai followed calmly, "With 16 points, one team... Storm Phoenix from Kingdom of Xezin."
Ifa added, "And with 15 points... Platinum Edge from Kingdom of Cero!"
There was a small pause.
The crowd slowly realized something.
Only a few spots remained.
Shai took a deep breath. "Now… we move to the final part."
The arena fell silent again.
"With 14 points, we have five teams competing for the last two spots."
The tension was heavy.
"From Kingdom of Cero... The Rising Heroes… and Wind Chasers."
A reaction from the crowd.
"From Kingdom of Wyali... Silver Antlers."
More murmurs.
"From Kingdom of Ealp-Waker... The Savage Company."
"And from Kingdom of Eiton... Fjord Oblivion."
Now the entire arena was silent.
Everyone knew what this meant.
Five teams. Only two would move forward.
Shai continued, her voice steady. "After careful discussion… a decision has been made."
Even the fighters in the tunnels held their breath.
"These final two spots will be given to the teams who showed better overall performance… and fewer losses."
A small pause.
"And also… to the two teams… who faced each other… and ended their match in a tie… without receiving any bonus points."
Now the realization hit.
Ifa raised his voice. "So ladies and gentlemen… the final two teams who will move forward into the Round of 32 are..."
A moment of silence.
"The Rising Heroes!"
A huge roar exploded across the arena.
"And Silver Antlers!"
The cheers continued, louder than ever.
For both teams, it was relief.
For The Rising Heroes, it was especially intense. They had come close to elimination. One wrong result, one different outcome, and they would have been out.
But they survived.
Barely… but they did.
In their resting area, the team reacted differently.
Lila let out a long breath she didn't realize she was holding.
Sera smiled softly, clearly relieved.
Doran clenched his fist with a satisfied grin.
Drakar simply closed his eyes for a moment, calm as always.
Fizzle floated happily around them.
They didn't celebrate loudly.
They knew this wasn't the end.
This was just the beginning.
Back in the arena, Ifa spoke once more, "And with that, the 32 teams for the next stage are locked in!"
Shai added, "From here on, every match will be an elimination match. One loss… and you are out."
The mood shifted again.
This was no longer about points.
This was survival.
Ifa smiled. "So rest well, prepare yourselves, and get ready… because the next stage will be even more intense!"
The crowd cheered one last time as the announcements ended.
Now all that remained was the draw.
Who would face who?
Which teams would clash next?
No one knew.
But one thing was certain.
The real battle…
was about to begin.