The Dark Forest was no longer a place of mystery; it had become a slaughterhouse.
Techyon moved like a ghost between the ancient, blackened trunks. His feet barely touched the mossy ground as he navigated the shadows at a speed that would make an Olympic athlete look like they were standing still.
Swish!
Suddenly, three D-Rank contestants jumped from the canopy. Their eyes were wide with greed, their "Standard" iron swords glowing with low-tier mana.
"Hand over your points, kid!" the leader yelled.
Techyon didn't even slow down. He didn't even draw his blade. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a concentrated burst of White-Bolt energy. The kinetic shockwave didn't just disarm them—it sent them flying backwards through three layers of thick bark.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[TARGETS ELIMINATED: 3]
[TOTAL POINTS: 18]
Techyon stopped for a second and looked up. Hovering above the forest canopy was a massive, magical balloon carrying a flickering mana-screen. It broadcast the grim reality of the Battle Royale to the entire city of Windland.
"Just 5 minutes have passed..." Techyon whispered, his breath hitching. "And there are only 879 people left? Out of thousands?"
The screen shifted, displaying the Leaderboard. One name sat at the very top in blood-red text.
1. RAX — 111 KILLS
Techyon stared at the number. "111 points? In five minutes? What kind of monster is that?" He felt a chill that had nothing to do with the forest air. Somewhere out there, a predator was hunting.
The Incinerator
A few kilometers away, the air was vibrating with heat. A figure in a tattered black hoodie stood in a clearing. This was Rax.
He didn't look like a warrior. He looked like an omen.
'I have to find it,' Rax thought, his eyes scanning the trees with a predatory focus. 'The Spark of Hope. The Monarch said it would be here.'
"Found a big fish!" a voice boomed. Seven C-Rank adventurers, a well-coordinated team, emerged from the brush. They saw Rax's lone figure and smelled an easy victory. "Hey, hoodie! Give us those 111 points and we might let you walk!"
Rax didn't turn around. He didn't even look at them. He simply raised his right hand, his palm facing the ground.
"Boring," Rax whispered.
FWOOM!
He didn't use a spell. He simply released a fraction of his internal heat. In a split second, the seven C-Ranks didn't just die—they were incinerated. Their armor melted into liquid slag before their screams could even leave their throats.
But Rax didn't stop there. He let the fire spread. The ancient trees caught fire instantly, turning the Dark Forest into a towering inferno of orange and violet flames.
The Panic in the Stands
High above the stadium, the Announcer's voice cracked with terror over the speakers.
"ATTENTION! THE DARK FOREST IS UNDER AN UNCONTROLLABLE MAGICAL FIRE! THE BATTLE ROYALE IS OFFICIALLY SHUT DOWN! ALL REMAINING CONTESTANTS ARE BEING FORCIBLY EVACUATED!"
The screen flashed the final results based on the current standings.
[FINAL 16 CANDIDATES SELECTED FOR THE TOURNAMENT FINALS]
In the VIP section, the Wind Arcon sat on his throne of ivory, his brow furrowed. "Who could cause such a fire? My Gale Barrier should have prevented—"
He stopped speaking. The air in the VIP box suddenly became heavy. It felt like the gravity had tripled. A woman in a deep hood was walking toward him. The guards tried to step in her way, but they found themselves frozen, their muscles refusing to move.
She reached the front and slowly lowered her hood.
The Wind Arcon's eyes nearly fell out of his head. He scrambled to his feet, his cape snagging on his throne. "Mi... mis... Miss Mayanee?! What are you doing here in a 'Standard' territory?"
Mayanee, the Strongest Arcon of Today, looked out at the burning forest with bored, violet eyes. "I am just watching your tournament. I wanted to see if the rumors of the 'New Era' were true."
The Wind Arcon turned to his terrified coworkers, shouting, "Get a seat! The Royal Velvet! FAST! You cannot let the Electro-Gravity Arcon stand!"
Mayanee raised a hand, sparks of violet lightning dancing on her fingertips. "No, it's okay. I can stand."
"Please," the Wind Arcon pleaded, sweating. "You have to sit. If the Council finds out I let you stand in my presence, they'll strip my title."
Mayanee sighed, a sound that felt like a localized earthquake. "If you are saying that much... then okay."
The Semi-Finals: Kin vs. Rax
The tournament moved with lightning speed. The "Standard" fighters were being cleared out one by one until only the elite remained.
Techyon stood in the tunnel, watching the arena floor. Kin, his friend and rival, walked up beside him, checking his gauntlets.
"I'm going into the finals," Kin said, his voice determined. "You better be there too, Techyon. Don't go losing to some C-Rank scrub."
Techyon looked at the burning horizon, then back at his friend. "Go and win, Kin. I'll meet you at the top."
The Announcer's voice boomed, amplified by Mayanee's presence in the stands.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE FIRST SEMI-FINAL MATCH! THE LIGHTNING STRIKER, KIN... VERSUS THE MONSTER OF THE FOREST, RAX!"
Techyon watched as Kin stepped onto the sands. Opposite him, the boy in the black hoodie walked out. Rax wasn't looking at Kin. He was looking up at the VIP box—directly at Mayanee.
And for the first time, Mayanee leaned forward in her seat.