“Alright, everyone! It’s time for Stage Two of the tournament!”

  The announcer’s voice boomed across the stadium, cutting through the murmurs of anticipation. Fighters in both divisions sat in their respective waiting areas, watching the displays with unwavering focus.

  “As tradition dictates, Stage Two is a wildcard event!” the announcer continued. “Every year, the format is decided at random—courtesy of our esteemed Lord Clament!”

  At his cue, the displays above the tournament changed. Above, in their reserved special section, a tournament official stepped forward to Lord Clament, who was sitting next to Headmaster Laventis. The official was carrying an ornate wooden box embossed with the city’s crest. Inside were sealed scrolls, each containing a different challenge for this stage of the competition.

  The crowd murmured with excitement. There were considerably more people in the stands now, as most people knew that people held back in the preliminary rounds. It was obvious whether you had the prowess to at least pass that round, making half the matches boring to watch. Now, however, was when the stragglers were mostly weeded out.

  “For those unfamiliar with our tradition, let’s review last year’s selection.” The announcer gestured to one of the display panels, which flashed to life with an image of last year's Monster Gauntlet. “Last tournament, participants faced increasingly powerful monsters. Each victory earned points, and consecutive wins granted bonus streak multipliers.”

  A wave of nostalgia—or dread—washed over some returning fighters. The Monster Gauntlet had been a brutal test of endurance, rewarding those who pushed themselves but punishing those who overextended. Each fighter was given one single break to recoup and recover—at the cost of ending their current streak. It tested whether or not one knew their own limits. If you happened to continue fighting, but lost to a monster, half of their points would be lost. People had to know when to quit.

  “But this is a new year, and that means a new challenge!” the announcer boomed.

  The official stopped in front of Lord Clament himself. The crowd hushed as the City Lord reached in, fingers brushing over several scrolls before pulling one free. With a flick of his wrist, he broke the seal and unrolled it. His eyes scanned the contents.

  Then, with a small, amused smile, he leaned forward.

  “The King’s Game.”

  A wave of noise erupted from the stadium.

  The announcer grinned. “You heard it, folks! This year’s Stage Two is the King’s Game!”

  The screens shifted, displaying an animated diagram of the game’s mechanics.

  “All fighters, listen carefully! The King’s Game is a 2v2 format, designed to test both offensive and defensive ability!”

  On the displays, the mock battle played out—two teams facing off, each with one fighter wearing a golden crown.

  “Each team will have a designated King, marked by their crown. The objective? Steal the enemy King’s crown and return it to your own King!”

  The animation showed a fighter tearing the crown from the opponent’s head before sprinting back to hand it to their own King.

  “A team wins when their King possesses both crowns!”

  Enya exhaled, absorbing the rules. This was going to be completely different from the first round.

  “Strategy will be key!” the announcer continued, his voice rising with enthusiasm. “Do you protect your King? Go on the offensive? Balance both? Only those who can work together will survive this stage!”

  Excited whispers filled the waiting room. Some fighters looked eager, others wary. Enya, however, only had one thought.

  Who’s going to be my partner?

  The announcer raised his hand, waiting for the crowd’s murmurs to settle before continuing.

  “Now, because this is a 2v2 format, we need exactly four fighters per match.” His voice carried across the stadium, commanding attention. “However, there’s an issue—”

  The visual panels flickered, displaying a chart of the remaining participants in both divisions.

  “In the Advanced Division, we are missing two participants to form a full set of teams. In the Youngling Division, we are also missing two. We were very fortunate this year to have an even amount of participants for the elimination matches, but with the king’s game, we need multiples of four!”

  A ripple of confusion spread through the waiting rooms.

  “To fix this, we will be allowing some individuals who have previously lost to re-enter the tournament and compete!”

  The room stirred with hushed whispers. Enya’s eyes widened slightly.

  “For those who step up, here’s the deal!” The announcer gestured broadly. “If you compete in this round and win, you will be allowed to bypass Stage Two in the redemption tournament!”

  A few of the fighters shifted at that, suddenly paying close attention.

  “But that’s not all!” The announcer’s grin widened. “If you win in Stage Three after this, you can bypass the entire redemption bracket altogether! That means—straight to the main tournament rankings!”

  That got real reactions. Some fighters bolted upright in their seats, while others muttered under their breath. Basically, this meant that those who had lost in the first round, could immediately get back in, as if they had won their matches originally.

  “These slots are first come, first serve. Those who wish to rejoin—your chance is now. In each waiting room, there is a rune embedded in the wall. The first to tap their tournament badge against it will claim the slot.”

  For a split second, there was silence.

  Then—

  A chair scraped violently against the floor as Risha exploded out of her seat.

  “Risha—?!” Enya barely had time to react before her friend bolted forward, badge already in hand.

  Risha didn’t hesitate. She sprinted across the waiting room, arms pumping, eyes locked on the rune at the far side of the wall.

  Enya blinked. Then it clicked—most of the fighters who lost their matches had already left.

  Some had gone to the stands to sit with their families, while others had simply exited the tournament altogether.

  As for Risha? She was the only one in the room who had come back. Not to reclaim her spot. Not for redemption. But just to watch Enya’s matches right next to her. And now, that loyalty gave her a guaranteed lead.

  The rune, previously invisible and dormant, flared to life the moment the announcer spoke of its existence.

  Risha dashed forward, weaving past Jamie and Lucian so fast that their heads turned in confusion. She neared the opposite end of the room. A soft hum filled the air as arcane symbols spread across the stone wall, forming a glowing sigil.

  She slammed her badge against it.

  The rune flashed, responding to her touch, and her badge pulsed with the same glow. She stared at it for a few beats. Then—realization hit her.

  “I MADE IT!” she shouted, throwing her arms into the air.

  A few seconds of victorious celebration was all she got before an ominous rumbling echoed from the fighter’s hall beyond the waiting room.

  The noise was getting closer.

  Enya, back in her seat, looked up at the visual panel. From among the stands, there were images of people that quickly flashed by, young kids and older teens. They all ran in a singular direction, all headed towards the fighter hall.

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  The walls trembled slightly, and before anyone could properly react, the doors to the waiting room burst open with a stampede of bodies.

  A rush of people flooded inside.

  At least ten fighters—all participants who had lost in the first stage—spilled into the room, scrambling over one another in a frantic sprint toward the rune. Some had been positioned further away in the stands when the announcement was made, while others had burst in from side corridors, trying to gain ground.

  The moment they spotted Risha—already standing next to the glowing rune—all of them zeroed in on her.

  Risha’s heart skipped.

  A dozen pairs of eyes locked onto her position, and the rush turned into an all-out charge.

  “Eep!” With an undignified squeal, Risha dodged out of the way, barely avoiding getting trampled. The crowd collided with the wall, elbows and shoulders smashing against each other as they all tried to slam their badges into the rune at once.

  For a moment, it was pure chaos.

  But as soon as the chaos started, it was over in an instant.

  A single badge had made contact first. Everyone that rushed in stared at the sigil, darting their head from it to their own badges.

  The sigil pulsed again, its glow stabilizing. The rest of the participants that were further away skidded to a stop, groaning in frustration as they realized they had lost their chance.

  Among the conglomeration of people, about six people had touched their badge to the sigil. However; the first one to make it—was Kennan.

  A boy with a fighter’s build, toned but lean. His stance was always steady, legs positioned just right—because his entire fighting style revolved around his kicks. A martial artist who specialized in powerful, precise leg strikes.

  He had lost in the first stage of the tournament against Rose, a girl whose plant magic had restricted his movements, wrapping around his legs and tossing him off the arena before he could really get into his rhythm.

  Kennan exhaled, running a hand through his sweat-damp hair, then grinned. He looked down at his badge, which was now glowing with a slight shine; it was dim, but still much brighter and active than the dead badges of those around him.

  “That was close.”

  The others who had lost out groaned, most frustrated, some chuckling in defeat. But the rules were clear—first come, first serve. And Kennan was in.

  Risha let out a huge breath of relief, clutching her own, now glowing badge.

  “Alright, fighters! You have five minutes to choose your partner for the King’s Game!”

  The announcer’s voice rang loud and clear over the stadium, cutting through the lingering murmurs of the audience and participants alike.

  Inside the Youngling Division waiting room, some fighters immediately turned to those they knew, already making their selections. Others hesitated, casting wary glances around the room, weighing their options.

  “For those who do not have a partner by the end of the time limit, a random teammate will be assigned.”

  That got a few groans. Fighting alongside an unknown teammate in a 2v2 match could spell disaster—especially in a game where teamwork was key.

  “However—” The announcer’s tone shifted, drawing attention back to the screens. “Choosing a random partner instead of picking one yourself will grant a special enchantment during combat.”

  All muttering voices went silent.

  “Your team’s crown will be enchanted with a special effect.” The visual panels displayed a demonstration—one fighter losing their crown, only for it to glow and vanish from the enemy’s hands, reappearing back on their head a moment later.

  “If your crown is stolen, it will automatically teleport back to your head if it remains out of your control for over a minute!”

  That changed things.

  “So choose wisely! Do you form a team with someone you’re confident in winning with? Or do you take the risk with a random ally and gain an advantage?”

  The waiting room stirred with newfound urgency. Fighters broke into conversations, some strategizing, some moving quickly to secure a solid partner.

  Risha turned to Enya, grinning wide.

  “No way I’m leaving this to chance,” she said, already holding out a hand. “Partners?”

  Enya glanced at her, unsurprised. It felt natural for Risha to ask—after all, they’d been watching the matches together, analyzing every fight side by side. They sat in the same room and had conversed a lot with each other, and now, this moment was just another step forward.

  Still, she tilted her head.

  “What makes you think I wasn’t already considering someone else?” Enya asked, voice casual.

  Risha’s grin froze for a split second, then faltered. Her hand wavered, hesitating, before she lowered it.

  “Oh… uhm…” She glanced away, rubbing her arm. “Yeah… you’d probably want to choose someone really strong, right? Sorry for assuming…”

  The brightness in her voice dimmed, and for the first time, she actually looked uncertain.

  Enya stared at her for a moment, then let out a small sigh.

  Without hesitation, she reached forward and grabbed Risha’s hand, clasping it firmly.

  “I wasn’t considering anyone else,” she said, her tone steady. “You stayed. So of course, I’d choose you.”

  Risha blinked, eyes widening. Then, in an instant, she brightened—beaming—before throwing herself forward and wrapping her arms around Enya in a tight hug.

  “Eee! You’re the best, Enya!” she squeezed tightly, practically bouncing on her feet.

  After one strong hug, Risha pulled away, grinning. “With your minions, there’s no way we’ll lose! I’ll be the attacker, and you keep the crown safe while your minions guard you!”

  Enya considered it. It made sense. She could summon her minions instantly if needed, forming a protective barrier while Risha handled offense. Enya could still contribute at a distance, directing half her minions forward while keeping the rest as a defensive line.

  It was a solid strategy.

  As the five-minute deadline approached, a tournament official stepped into the waiting room, clipboard in hand.

  "Time’s up!" he called. "Pairings are locked in."

  He began recording the finalized teams, assigning them official team numbers for the match-ups.

  “Enya and Risha, Team Three.”

  Enya watched as the rest of the fighters received their placements. In total, there were 14 teams—28 participants competing in this stage.

  As expected, Jamie and Lucian had paired up. Other teams had also formed based on pre-existing friendships or strategic alliances.

  Enya frowned slightly. If she and Risha got lucky, they’d face a randomly assigned team, one that might have weaker synergy. But at the same time, maybe it was better not to—those teams had an advantage with the crown enchantment.

  There was no point in worrying about it now. Everything was just up to fate and luck from this point forward.

  Before the next announcement could begin, the tournament staff returned, this time carrying small wooden trays stacked with glass bottles and candy pouches.

  “Before we continue—a reward for all fighters who made it to Stage Two.”

  The trays were set down on a nearby table, and Enya immediately recognized what they contained.

  Health potions.

  And something even more valuable.

  Mana-infused candy.

  Small, chewable pieces of fruit-flavored candy that, despite their appearance, were known to restore an astonishing amount of mana. Apparently, these things were also expensive, given the awe and murmurs from the other fighters.

  Risha grabbed a piece and popped it into her mouth without hesitation. “Mmm! Tastes like orange.”

  Enya examined hers before taking a slow bite. A faint burst of cool energy spread through her body, her mana pool feeling noticeably replenished.

  It was a generous gift—but not a complete reset.

  As Enya rolled the candy over her tongue, a thought struck her.

  They’re topping up our mana and health—but skills with cooldowns… those are still gone.

  No potion, no candy, nothing here could reset a long cooldown ability. If someone had burned a powerful skill in the elimination matches, they wouldn’t have access to it now.

  Frowning, she stepped aside and summoned her Grim Pullet, flipping through its worn pages.

  She scanned through the recorded necromantic artifacts, searching for anything that could reset abilities. There were items that reduced cooldowns, trinkets that accelerated skill recovery, but nothing that could fully reset a used ability.

  That meant every fighter who had spent their trump card in Stage One would have to fight without it here.

  She turned to Risha, voicing her thoughts.

  Risha, already popping another piece of candy into her mouth, simply grinned. “Lucky for me, all my skills are up and ready,” she said confidently. Then, with a pointed glance toward one of the other fighters, she continued. “Sucks for those that wasted their trump cards in the first round, though.”

  Enya followed her gaze toward Edrig, the competitor who had used an undetectable, unavoidable spell in his last match. For Risha’s sake, she could only hope that the attack he used, was a skill, and had a year-long cooldown.

  “I’m fine too,” Enya replied. “I don’t use anything with a long cooldown.”

  Then, something clicked in her mind. I haven’t progressed my quest in a while.

  She had almost forgotten about her task—analyzing 100 different things with her Insight skill. It was probably better to start late then never.

  Without hesitation, she activated it, focusing on Risha.

  Skill: Insight has been activated.

  Target: Risha Lapernt

  Revealed Information: A young girl whose class is ‘Valiance”. She specializes in wielding a claymore and opts to use long-ranged wave slashes. Her strength increases according to how many strikes she launches without breaking rhythm. Her power significantly weakens in close-range, when she can not generate enough force for wave slashes.

  Enya’s eyes flickered with interest at the system message.

  This was the first time she had used Insight on a living person instead of a Crystal Spiderling, and the results were more detailed than she expected. It didn’t just reveal Risha’s class, but it outlined her entire fighting style—her strengths, her mechanics, even her weaknesses.

  Against the Crystal Spiderling Queen, it had only told her about how the Queen was controlling the hive, how the crystals from all around it were feeding it energy. But this? This was so much more detailed than she had expected.

  And the best part? It only had a one-minute cooldown.

  Enya grinned. As long as she had this, she could predict and plan according to her opponent’s moves. Getting to know their strengths and weaknesses.

  The tournament revved up again, the sound of the crowd swelling as the screens shifted, displaying the first match-ups.

  “Teams One and Two, proceed to the stage!”

  The first competitors rose from their seats, stretching their limbs, mentally preparing as they strode toward the arena doors.

  Then—

  “Teams Three and Four!”

  Enya felt Risha bump her shoulder, flashing her a confident grin.

  “That’s us,” Risha said. “Lets go.”

  Enya exhaled, flexing her fingers before rolling her wrist.

  Time for another win.