The first rays of sunlight crept over the towering walls of Voidspire.
The city that had been filled with excitement yesterday...
Had become strangely quiet.
No laughter echoed through the streets.
No merchants shouted louder than necessary.
Everyone knew...
Today was different.
High above the city, the blue System countdown continued to tick relentlessly.
18:59:47
18:59:46
18:59:45
Only nineteen hours remained.
Inside the Starlight Haven...
The group had awakened long before dawn.
No one complained.
No one needed to be reminded.
This was the day they had all been preparing for.
Arthur stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel before quietly getting dressed in his familiar black outfit.
Across the hallway...
Sunny had somehow managed to wake up before Rivien.
"...That has never happened before."
Rivien stared at him suspiciously.
"...Who are you?"
Sunny smirked.
"The future champion."
Rivien rolled his eyes.
"Get dressed."
Sunny's smile slowly faded.
"...Yeah."
Even he understood.
Today wasn't a day for jokes.
---
Within the next hour...
The hotel became unusually busy.
Tom and Alex quietly shared breakfast while discussing routes to the arena.
Kierran and Lucas checked every piece of equipment they owned.
Alexi prepared a warm breakfast for everyone despite repeatedly being told she didn't have to.
"No one competes on an empty stomach."
She smiled.
"So eat."
Nobody argued.
After breakfast...
Each member of the group found a quiet place.
Some sat cross-legged.
Others remained standing.
Slowly...
They began drawing the surrounding Aether toward themselves.
Not recklessly.
Not greedily.
Just enough.
Small streams of refined Aether entered their bodies before settling inside their Aether Cores.
Each core carefully refined the foreign energy...
Making it their own.
Little by little...
Their reserves filled.
Until every one of them could feel their Personal Aether resting at its limit.
Ready.
---
Arthur returned to his room once everything was finished.
He quietly sat beside the window.
Hands resting on his knees.
Eyes closed.
His breathing slow.
Steady.
He wasn't meditating anymore.
He was simply waiting.
The door quietly opened.
Layla stepped inside.
She closed the door behind her before walking over without saying a word.
For several seconds...
She simply looked at him.
Arthur opened one eye.
"...Everything alright?"
Layla nodded.
"...Yeah."
She sat beside him.
The silence between them felt comfortable.
Outside...
The city continued preparing for the tournament.
Inside...
Only the sound of their breathing remained.
After a while...
Layla gently wrapped both arms around him.
Arthur blinked in surprise before smiling softly.
She rested her head against his shoulder.
"...Promise me something."
Arthur looked at her.
"What is it?"
She lifted her head just enough to meet his eyes.
"...Come back."
Arthur's smile softened.
"I plan to."
"No."
She interrupted quietly.
"I'm serious."
Her voice trembled ever so slightly.
"We don't know what's waiting out there."
"We don't know how dangerous the Survival Trial really is."
"We don't even know whether the System will keep teammates together."
"It could separate everyone."
"It could pair you with complete strangers."
"There are thousands of participants."
She lowered her eyes.
"And only a few hundred..."
"...will probably survive long enough to reach the later stages."
Arthur listened quietly.
Layla continued.
"I've been thinking about it."
"My deduction skill isn't perfect..."
"But if I had to guess..."
"The System isn't trying to find the strongest person immediately."
"It's trying to reduce the numbers."
She began counting on her fingers.
"The first stage..."
"Survival."
"It eliminates the majority."
"The second stage..."
"Probably tests teamwork or adaptability."
"The stages after that..."
"They'll continue reducing the remaining participants."
"Until only the strongest awakened remain."
She looked toward the distant arena.
"And the final stage..."
"...will decide who truly deserves to ascend."
Arthur stared at her for several moments.
Then...
He smiled.
"...I'm impressed."
Layla looked back at him.
"You really thought all of that through?"
She shrugged shyly.
"I've had a lot of time to think."
Arthur chuckled.
"I think you're right."
He gently placed a hand on her head before leaning forward and kissing her forehead.
"I promise."
"I'll come back."
Layla smiled.
"You'd better."
"Because when you do..."
She poked his chest with one finger.
"...I'm not letting you out of my sight."
Arthur laughed.
"Is that a threat?"
"It's a promise."
They both laughed quietly.
For just a brief moment...
The fear disappeared.
Arthur gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
"I'll return."
"No matter what the System throws at me."
"No matter who stands in my way."
Layla looked into his eyes.
She wanted to believe him.
She truly did.
But somewhere deep inside...
A small part of her couldn't shake the feeling...
That this tournament was the beginning of something far greater than either of them could imagine.
Outside...
The countdown continued.
Every second brought the participants closer...
To the moment that would change all of their lives forever.
18 Hours Later...
The countdown had almost reached zero.
The Grand Arena of Voidspire towered over the city like a monument built for legends.
Its colossal walls were engraved with ancient runes that shimmered with Aether, while enormous floating crystal screens hovered high above the battlefield, allowing every spectator to witness the events below.
The stadium was overflowing.
Thousands of awakened stood upon the arena floor.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators filled the seats.
The air itself felt heavy with anticipation.
Among the spectators sat Layla, Alexi, Tom, Kierran and Rivien.
Kierran leaned forward with his elbows resting on the railing.
"I still can't believe I wasn't chosen."
Tom smiled faintly.
"The System has its own reasons."
Kierran sighed.
"I know..."
"But watching from the sidelines isn't exactly fun."
Layla couldn't take her eyes off the arena.
Far below...
Arthur stood calmly with Sunny, Lucas and Alex.
Each of them wore serious expressions.
No one spoke.
There was nothing left to say.
The waiting was over.
Suddenly...
The sky darkened.
The conversations throughout the arena came to an abrupt stop.
A brilliant blue screen stretched across the heavens.
---
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT]
The Grand Tournament Opening Ceremony will now commence.
All participants are ordered to remain in their designated positions.
---
The notification vanished.
Moments later...
A pillar of radiant golden light descended from the sky and struck the centre of the arena.
The pressure released by the light alone forced many participants to instinctively step backwards.
When the light slowly faded...
A lone figure stood at its centre.
He wore immaculate white robes embroidered with flowing golden patterns.
A long white cloak rested behind him.
His silver hair reached his shoulders, and his calm golden eyes overlooked the arena with quiet authority.
He neither smiled...
Nor frowned.
Yet his presence alone silenced thousands.
Gasps erupted from the spectators.
"...That's..."
"...Aris..."
"...No way..."
"...The God of Creation's right-hand man..."
"...I thought he was only a legend..."
Even veteran awakened lowered their heads in respect.
Arthur remained perfectly still.
His emerald eyes never left the man.
Watching.
Observing.
Studying.
Sunny quietly swallowed.
"So that's..."
Lucas finished the sentence.
"...Aris."
Alex remained expressionless, though his eyes sharpened ever so slightly.
Unlike the others...
He understood exactly how dangerous the man before them truly was.
Aris slowly stepped forward.
Despite speaking in a calm voice...
Every word reached every corner of the stadium.
"Welcome..."
"...Awakened."
His voice echoed throughout the arena.
"You have travelled from every continent."
"You have crossed oceans..."
"Mountains..."
"Ruins..."
"And battlefields."
"Each of you stands here for your own reason."
He slowly scanned the endless crowd.
"Some seek glory."
"Some seek power."
"Some seek revenge."
"And some..."
"...simply wish to survive."
Silence answered him.
Aris continued.
"But understand this."
"This tournament does not exist merely to crown the strongest."
"It exists..."
"...to honour His Majesty."
The atmosphere immediately became even heavier.
"The God of Creation."
"The One who shaped this world."
"The One who watches over every living soul."
He raised one hand toward the sky.
"I ask only one thing of you."
"Fight with everything you possess."
"Grow stronger."
"Survive."
"And above all else..."
"...strive to please His Majesty."
The stadium remained deathly quiet.
Arthur continued staring at him.
Every movement.
Every pause.
Every word.
He committed them all to memory.
Beside him...
Sunny's usual carefree smile was nowhere to be seen.
Lucas stood with folded arms, listening carefully.
Alex remained silent, his gaze fixed on Aris as though searching for something hidden beneath the man's calm expression.
High above...
Layla gripped the railing without realizing it.
"...Come back safely..."
She whispered so quietly that only she could hear herself.
Alexi placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Tom silently observed the arena.
Kierran crossed his arms, unable to shake the feeling that something about today's ceremony felt... wrong.
Elsewhere among the spectators...
Kael watched with a faint smile.
"So..."
"...it finally begins."
Not far away...
Vaelis stood quietly beside Lola.
She looked around the enormous arena with amazement.
"He's incredible..."
Vaelis didn't answer.
His eyes remained fixed on Aris.
For reasons he couldn't explain...
The moment their eyes briefly met across the vast arena...
Vaelis felt something deep inside him stir.
As though this tournament...
Had already begun long before anyone entered the arena.
A single clap echoed throughout the Grand Arena.
Aris disappeared.
The golden light that surrounded him scattered into thousands of glowing particles before vanishing completely.
For a heartbeat...
Silence filled the stadium.
Then—
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Calculating compatible teams...
Verifying participants...
Synchronizing battlefield...
Please wait...
Blue screens appeared before every participant.
Names began to flicker rapidly.
One after another...
Teams were formed.
Arthur's eyes narrowed as the names slowly stopped changing.
---
Team 13 827
Arthur Ravenheart
Sunny
Vaelis
Lola
---
Arthur blinked.
"...Vaelis?"
"...Lola?"
Sunny leaned over his shoulder.
"...Random teams?"
Arthur slowly nodded.
His eyes remained fixed on the final name.
Lola.
"...It can't be..."
He quietly muttered.
"There are probably hundreds of people named Lola..."
His thoughts drifted back to childhood.
To a girl with a bright smile.
A girl he hadn't seen in years.
He shook his head.
"...There's no way."
Before he could think any further—
The world disappeared.
Golden light swallowed everything.
Thousands of participants vanished simultaneously.
---
Arthur felt the ground beneath his feet once more.
His vision slowly cleared.
He found himself standing inside a circular stone chamber surrounded by transparent blue walls.
Inside the room stood three other people.
Sunny.
A silver-haired young man Arthur had never seen before.
And...
A young woman wearing brown-and-green adventurer's gear.
Light pink hair.
Adventure goggles resting above her head.
A silver cross-shaped chain around her neck.
She slowly turned around.
Her eyes widened.
Arthur's breath caught.
"...Lola?"
She stared at him.
"...Arthur?"
Silence.
Neither of them spoke.
Sunny looked back and forth between them.
"...Wait..."
"You two know each other?"
Before either of them could answer—
Another System notification interrupted.
---
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT]
Welcome...
To the First Survival Trial.
Location: Verdanthos.
---
The transparent walls surrounding every team became completely clear.
Only now did they truly see it.
Verdanthos.
An endless land stretching farther than the eye could see.
Towering mountains pierced the clouds.
Ancient forests covered vast regions.
Black rivers carved through ruined valleys.
The horizon itself seemed impossible to reach.
The System spoke once again.
---
Current Battlefield Size
Approximately equal to the African Continent.
---
Sunny slowly looked across the endless wilderness.
"...You're kidding..."
The System continued.
---
Slight adjustments have been made to the environment.
Terrain difficulty has increased.
Wildlife aggression has increased.
Corrupted monsters have been introduced.
Participants are advised...
Not to underestimate Verdanthos.
---
Far beyond the forests...
Gigantic creatures could be seen sleeping beneath mountains.
Others rested beneath enormous trees.
The earth itself occasionally trembled from their breathing.
Sunny quietly swallowed.
"...They're asleep..."
Vaelis calmly observed the landscape.
"...Let's hope they stay that way."
Another notification appeared.
---
First Survival Trial
Name: First Touch Wins
Objective:
Reach the Golden Statue located at the northern edge of Verdanthos.
The first team to make physical contact with the statue will immediately clear the trial and receive advantages in the next stage.
The trial will continue until all qualifying positions have been filled.
---
The notification changed.
---
Advancing Teams: 500
Advancing Participants: 2 000
Current Participants: 50 000
---
Murmurs spread throughout every standby area.
Sunny frowned.
"...Only two thousand?"
Arthur's expression hardened.
The System continued mercilessly.
---
Failure Conditions
• Elimination by monsters.
• Elimination by other participants.
• Failure to qualify before all positions are filled.
---
The final line appeared.
The blue screen flickered ominously.
---
There are no rules.
Survive.
Advance.
Or perish.
Punishment for failure...
Death.
---
The cheerful atmosphere that had filled the arena only minutes earlier...
Vanished completely.
Every participant understood.
This was never merely a tournament.
It was a battlefield.
A selection.
A place where fifty thousand awakened would enter...
And only two thousand would leave with any hope of seeing the next round.
Arthur slowly looked toward the endless northern horizon.
Then toward Sunny.
Vaelis.
And finally...
Lola.
Four strangers.
Four different paths.
One chance to survive.
Above them...
The System began its final countdown.
Standby barriers will be removed in...
00:00:30
The countdown reached zero.
00:00:00
The transparent barriers surrounding every standby area shattered into countless particles of blue light.
Before anyone could move...
The System acted first.
Space twisted violently.
The world blurred.
The ground disappeared beneath their feet.
Arthur felt himself being pulled through a tunnel of light before—
BOOM!
The four of them landed on solid ground.
A powerful gust of wind swept through the area.
Arthur immediately rolled to his feet, drawing a short black blade from his waist.
Sunny summoned two small daggers into his hands.
Vaelis calmly rested one hand on the hilt of his sword.
Lola instinctively stepped backwards, scanning the dense forest around them.
Towering ancient trees blocked most of the sunlight.
The air felt heavier.
Wild.
Untouched.
Somewhere in the distance...
A monster roared.
Another answered.
Arthur looked around carefully.
"...We're somewhere in the south."
Sunny blinked.
"You figured that out already?"
Arthur pointed toward the moss growing on the massive trees, the direction of the sunlight, and the distant mountain ranges shown on the map they had studied.
"...At least..."
"I think we are."
Vaelis nodded.
"I reached the same conclusion."
"The northern mountain range isn't visible."
"So we're likely in the southern region."
Lola whistled.
"That's... actually impressive."
Before anyone could say another word—
Two pillars of blue light descended in front of them.
The light slowly condensed.
Moments later...
Two human-like figures stood before the group.
One appeared to be a young man dressed in dark blue clothing with silver markings running across his arms.
The other resembled a young woman wearing a long green travelling coat with mechanical eyes that glowed softly.
Both bowed politely.
Their voices spoke in perfect unison.
"Greetings."
"We are your assigned guidance units."
"Guide Bot 01."
"Guide Bot 02."
"Our purpose is to assist your team throughout the Survival Trial."
"We may provide navigation..."
"Information..."
"And battlefield analysis."
Sunny immediately raised an eyebrow.
"...May?"
The male bot smiled.
"Certain information is intentionally restricted by the System."
Lola folded her arms.
"So..."
"Can we trust you?"
The female bot answered almost instantly.
"That decision belongs to you."
Arthur remembered the System's warning.
Some bots may betray their assigned team.
He kept his guard up.
Just in case.
Before anyone could continue...
Lola slowly turned toward Arthur.
She stared at him for several seconds.
Then suddenly—
She ran forward.
"Arthur!"
Before Arthur could react...
She wrapped both arms around him in a tight hug.
"I knew it was you!"
Arthur froze.
"...L-Lola..."
A genuine smile spread across her face.
"I can't believe you're actually here."
"It's been so many years!"
Arthur slowly smiled before returning the hug.
"...Yeah."
"It really has."
Far above...
In the spectator stands...
Layla watched the reunion on one of the enormous crystal screens.
For a brief moment...
She smiled.
"...She's alive."
Relief washed over her.
The little girl who had once been part of their childhood...
Had survived.
Then...
She noticed the hug.
Her smile stiffened ever so slightly.
"...Hmph."
She folded her arms.
Alexi glanced sideways.
"...Jealous?"
Layla's cheeks turned slightly red.
"W-What?"
"No."
"...Maybe a little."
Alexi couldn't help laughing quietly.
"But..."
Layla looked back at the screen.
"...I'm happy."
"I really am."
"After everything that's happened..."
"...seeing Lola alive..."
"...makes me feel like not everything from the past was lost."
Back in Verdanthos...
Lola finally stepped back.
She scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
"...Sorry."
"I got carried away."
Arthur chuckled.
"It's alright."
Vaelis quietly stepped forward.
"My name..."
"...is Vaelis."
His calm voice immediately drew everyone's attention.
"I suppose we're teammates now."
Sunny grinned.
"Sunny."
"The smartest and most handsome member of the team."
Arthur looked at him.
"...According to who?"
"According to me."
Lola laughed.
Arthur shook his head before extending his hand toward Vaelis.
"Arthur Ravenheart."
Vaelis accepted the handshake.
His grip was firm.
"So..."
Sunny clapped his hands together.
"Introductions are done."
He looked toward the endless forest stretching before them.
"Now..."
"...how do we survive a continent the size of Africa?"
The two guide bots looked toward the north.
Almost simultaneously...
They raised one hand.
"The Golden Statue..."
"...lies in that direction."
The forest ahead seemed endless.
Somewhere beyond those countless mountains...
Beyond rivers...
Ruins...
Sleeping corrupted monsters...
And other participants...
Their destination awaited.
Arthur took a deep breath.
"Let's move."
Without another word...
The four awakened...
Accompanied by two mysterious guide bots...
Began their journey into the unforgiving wilderness of Verdanthos.
The tournament...
Had truly begun.