The senior from the Sacred Light Empire appeared in the arena and went to release Clarion from the ice. His hand glowed as a small fla appeared, hotter than most flas.
However, as he tried to lt the ice quickly, he was surprised to find it resistant. The ice seed more like a diamond than a water-frozen solid. This shocked him, as he had never encountered such a strong ice life force in his life.
Apollo didn’t linger in the arena, heading off to rest as the battle had taken its toll. It hadn’t been as easy as his previous matches; he had given it his all.
Among the crowd, whether they were fellow geniuses or seasoned warriors, all eyes were on Apollo with newfound interest. In this battle, he demonstrated his understanding of the Law of Ice, a feat that only the best geniuses in the world could achieve. This solidified his place among the absolute elite.
Many onlookers had already decided: that once the competition was over, they would do everything in their power to recruit Apollo into their factions.
The battles continued after the ice was cleared from the arena. The third match began, with each contest proving to be world-shattering in its intensity. No one among the remaining fifteen was weak; they all had their own unique advantages and strengths.
However, the last battle of the day drew even more attention. It was a clash between two dark horses who had suddenly erged and taken everyone by surprise.
This match featured the Spirit Master Lilith and Jas, the commoner whose rise had been the most astonishing of all.
Lilith, who had shown her mastery over spiritual force, stepped onto the arena with ethereal grace. Her eyes glowed with a mystic light, and the air around her shimred with the presence of an unseen spiritual power.
Jas, on the other hand, exuded rugged determination. His rise from humble beginnings to the top ranks of this competition had been nothing short of miraculous. The crowd buzzed with anticipation as these two unexpected contenders faced off, each representing the unpredictable nature of this year’s competition.
"Begin!" the old man announced, and the match was underway.
Lilith made her move first, using a mysterious skill, "Mindspace!" Instantly, Jas’s spirit was dragged into a mystical realm.
"Where is this?" he wondered, finding himself in a vast, empty expanse of nothingness. The sudden change surprised Jas, but he quickly cald down as an ethereal figure of Lilith appeared before him.
"This is my world, and the mont you were caught in it, it beca my victory." Lilith’s ethereal voice echoed in the nothingness, and the space around them seed to be enveloped in darkness.
Jas stood his ground, his sword gleaming even in the all-encompassing darkness. "You underestimate , Lilith," he said, his voice echoing through the void. "Your world might be powerful, but my spirit is unyielding."
Lilith’s ethereal form floated above him, her eyes glowing with an eerie light. "You think re willpower can defeat ? This is my domain, where I control everything." She raised her hand, and shadows began to form around Jas, taking the shape of nightmarish creatures.
Jas thought, and a sword manifested as he gripped the sword tightly. "Let’s see how you fare against my Sword Aura in your realm."
With a shout, he unleashed his Sword Aura, a flaming radiant energy that cut through the darkness like a beacon. The nightmarish creatures disintegrated upon contact with the light, and the void seed to recoil from the brilliance of his aura.
Lilith’s eyes widened slightly as the sword Aura seed to be a very powerful and easily severed spirit, but she quickly composed herself. "Impressive, but not enough." She flicked her wrist, and the void around them warped, creating an illusionary labyrinth designed to trap and confuse Jas. The walls of the labyrinth were filled with haunting images and echoes of past fears, all ant to break his spirit.
Jas moved swiftly, his Sword Aura guiding him like a compass. Each swing of his sword sliced through the illusions, dispelling the fearso images and breaking down the walls. He advanced steadily, his determination unwavering.
In the mindscape where the battle took place, Lilith’s presence was overwhelming. Her spirit form exuded a dark, ethereal energy that sought to envelop Jas. She wielded her powers with a finesse that made her seem almost invincible. However, Jas’s spirit was resilient and fierce, his Sword Aura glimring with an intensity that disrupted Lilith’s attacks.
Outside the mindscape, the spectators watched as Jas and Lilith stood motionless, making it difficult to comprehend what was happening.
"What the hell, why are they just standing there?"
"Yes, what is happening?"
Most of the crowd was baffled, but veteran warriors and knowledgeable observers knew that the battle was unfolding in their minds.
Lilith’s illusions were mysterious and formidable, twisting the very fabric of reality within the mindscape. She conjured terrifying nightmares and confusing labyrinths, trying to break Jas’s spirit. But Jas’s Sword Aura, a manifestation of his unyielding will, cut through the illusions with a strong will and determination like no other.
"You’re resilient," Lilith admitted her voice a mix of admiration and frustration. "But can you handle this?" She summoned a vortex of dark spirit force, aiming it directly at Jas. The vortex twisted and spiralled, creating a maelstrom of pure psychic force.
Jas didn’t flinch. He raised his sword high, channelling all his energy into it. "Let’s see if you can survive this. Sword Aura: Spirit Cleave!" With a decisive swing, he brought the sword down in a powerful arc, pouring his soul and spirit into the flaming, burning radiant energy—an embodint of his trials and journey. The sword cleaved through the vortex, splitting it in two and sending shockwaves rippling through the mindscape.
The void around them shattered like glass, and they were both thrust back into reality. The audience, who had been holding their breath, erupted into cheers and gasps of astonishnt.
Lilith, now visibly drained, staggered slightly but managed to stay on her feet. Jas, equally exhausted, took a deep breath, holding his sword.
"You’re stronger than I thought," Lilith said, her voice cold but sincere. After saying this, she left the arena, acknowledging her loss. She wasn’t adept at direct confrontation, and with her spirit having taken a heavy blow, she couldn’t continue fighting.
With a final respectful nod to each other, the match was declared in favour of Jas.
The spectators roared with approval, even though most of them didn’t understand what had just happened. However, that didn’t stop them from following the lead of those who did, acknowledging the incredible ntal and spiritual duel they had just witnessed.
Jas’ victory was the biggest and most unexpected outco of the competition, defying all expectations for a commoner to reach such heights. Seeing this, many commoners in the crowd couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride, taking Jas as their idol.
Jas’ triumph gave them hope, proving that they too could aspire to such greatness. In terms of popularity, Jas had beco the most celebrated figure, even surpassing Prince Michael and every other genius present.
Apollo quietly observed the scene, sighing at how Jas truly embodied the protagonist archetype, gathering everyone’s attention and admiration. Even his victory seed overshadowed by Jas’s, as Apollo’s status was perceived to be higher due to his association with the prince. This perception diminished the impact of his achievents in comparison to Jas’s rise from humble beginnings.
However, Apollo wasn’t jealous. Instead, he felt a sense of relief. It was better for others to bask in the lilight. He believed that being too famous could bring more trouble than it was worth.
At the sa ti, Lilith, who had just lost, didn’t seem to care and left the arena without hesitation. Many forces, intrigued by her mysterious nature, dispatched spies to follow her. However, as soon as she exited the arena, she vanished into thin air, as if she had never been there in the first place.
"Where did she go?" one of the spies muttered in disbelief as they arrived monts later, finding no trace of Lilith. Despite their thorough search, they couldn’t find any clues as to how she had disappeared or where she might have gone. Frustrated and dejected, they had no choice but to leave empty-handed.
But just as Lilith disappeared, sowhere far from Hunter City, in a hidden realm filled with floating islands, a woman opened her eyes. "I finally found him," she murmured, a hint of satisfaction in her voice.
"Anna, co here," she ordered, her eyes fixed on the vast expanse outside the floating island. Her reflection in the glass window bore an uncanny resemblance to Lilith, though older and more experienced.
Anna, a young woman with an air of quiet strength, approached with a respectful bow. "Yes, Master."
"My spirit fragnt has finally found its inheritor. His na is Jas. You need to leave imdiately to protect him and keep it subtle; we don’t want to alert others just yet."
"Yes, Master. I will leave imdiately."
"Ah, wait. One more thing," she added with a hint of hesitation. "Send another group to gather information about a competitor nad Apollo, who also participated in the sa competition."
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