[Times flies and the competition day finally arrived.]

​A fever pitch of anticipation gripped Eldoria. The air thrummed not just with noise, but with raw excitement, drawing immense crowds toward the city's second wall defense.

​"Today is the day everyone has been waiting for," one citizen exclaimed, pushing through the bustling street.

​"Yes! Countless people have rushed to Eldoria's arena. There must be more than a thousand people just in this crowd!"

​"Wow! I can't wait to see this battle!"

​"I heard there are only twenty contestants. It's a one-on-one bracket, and if you can reach the top five, you'll gain magnificent rewards."

​"Wow! A competition hosted by the God of Wealth himself, what do you think the rewards will be?"

​"I don't know, but it will be absolutely amazing! It has to be."

​"What about the main final fighters? The challenge rounds?"

​"Oh, you mean those who will face the top five? I heard they're members of a special troop, their task is to protect the Princess, and each one of them is a Celestial Rank warrior."

​"Those are just rumors. Only the top figures in that team have that power, surely."

​"You have a point. But even so, these regular soldiers are all Celestial Rank, and I shouldn't even mention the Commanders who are now in the Divine Rank. Eldoria is getting stronger every single day."

​"Yes. All the neighboring nations have already submitted, leaving only the Star and Elves nations holding out."

​"Those two are just arrogant. If God Wolf wants their nations, they can't do anything to stop him."

​"Yeah! But forget all that! We're here for the competition! Can't wait!"

​"Come on! Before the seats are taken! Even the viewing website will get filled with traffic soon!"

​Countless words, gossip, and murmured anxieties spread all over Eldoria as everyone rushed toward the massive Arena built into the second defensive wall.

___

​In a prime, specialized section overlooking the ten stages—each hosting two contestants—sat the three-eyed nation royal Family.

​"Wow!! This place is huge!!" Lola muttered, her eyes wide as she settled beside her brother.

​"Of course," Nioh said with a smile, looking around with pride. "The King made sure it's the best."

_

​"It seems God Wolf went all out building this arena. Not only is it secure to block all the excess energies from the fighters, it's magnificent!" Falkor, the patriarch of the dragon nation, muttered, his gaze fixed on one of the stages where his son stood ready.

​"Can Cain win, Father?" Jessica asked worriedly, staring at her older brother. "His opponent looks very powerful."

​"Don't worry," Lewis said, his gaze flat and focused on the technical aspects.

"Cain is now a Peak Heavenly Rank warrior. If he can join God Wolf's forces, his strength will increase greatly."

​"Indeed. God Wolf's living soldiers are incredibly powerful; the weakest is in the Grand Master Rank. I shouldn't even mention those robot Mercenaries," he added, crossing his arms.

​"But..." Jessica turned to Lewis, her concern shifting from her brother's safety to his duty. "The only recruitment open is for Princess Ellen's personal guards, the Shadow Team. Brother, as the Dragon Race Crown Prince, can't possibly leave the throne for that."

​"Yes," Falkor nodded, understanding her objection. "If he makes it, he can simply take the reward and refuse the offer. Duty first."

​"But, Dad," Lewis grumbled, annoyance creeping into his voice. "If brother becomes a member of the Shadow Team, he will personally get resources from God Wolf. Among all the military forces in Eldoria, the Shadow Team is the most dangerous and most rewarded because they have five confirmed Celestial Rank warriors among them!"

​"Enough," Falkor cut him off sharply, raising a hand. "Cain has a responsibility."

​"Ugh! That's why I wanted to partake in this rather than him!" Lewis muttered under his breath, still convinced his brother was making a mistake.

_

​"Fufufu... It seems the Dragon Royal Family are perpetually lost," Hazel, Queen of the Phoenix Race, said with a light, amused chuckle. Her section was nearest to the Dragon's, and she had clearly heard the family squabble.

​"My Queen, what do you think about this battle?" Brittney, who sat beside her, asked, focusing on the stages.

​"I don't know, Brittney. I am simply here for the fun," Hazel said with a graceful smile. As a sovereign, she wasn't particularly bothered by the outcome, and she had no contestant participating.

​"I am just a little surprised that Sasha is there. Isn't that Xenon princess supposed to be more reserved?" Hazel asked, spotting the fiery Xenon royal.

​"She isn't, My Queen. Sasha and Cain are the only members of the royal bloodlines in the competition. This will certainly be interesting," Brittney noted, a smile playing on her lips.

_

​On the highest platform, adorned with the prominent Eldoria insignia, sat Sunny and his inner circle.

Sunny, Josephine, and Ellen sat at the front row, radiating quiet power. Behind them, sat Jinx, Star, Ericka, and Leon.

​"Sister, why is Peter down there?" Leon asked, his big eyes filled with childish confusion as he looked at one of the contestants.

​"He wants to win the competition and prove himself," Ericka answered with a soft, encouraging smile.

​"I don't think he will get close to the last round," Jinx stated bluntly, her arms folded. She had returned to her human-like Xenon form, purple hair and sharp features contrasting with Ellen's softer human appearance.

​"And why is that?" Leon asked, turning his confused gaze to her.

​Jinx, surprisingly, indulged him, a rare, almost teacher-like smile gracing her lips. "There are three rounds in this competition. The first round, ten people will be eliminated. The second round: five people will be eliminated. And the last round, these remaining five will face members of the Shadow Forces."

​She continued, enjoying the explanation. "If they defeat a Shadow Force member, they gain even more rewards and will have a chance to become a member of the elite team. If they lose, they'll still get a chance to join Eldoria's regular military. Only the top five get this opportunity, making the second round the real filter."

​"Wow... The competition will be interesting then," Leon said, his eyes big and bright with understanding.

​"Yep! The reason I said Peter won't make it is this: in the second round, he will likely face the Sixth Commander under God Wolf, known as Eve, the Fire Dragon. Peter is only human. He stands no chance against her." Jinx finished, her smile turning into a confident smirk.

​"I agree with you," Sunny murmured, looking over the array of fighters and the hidden power within his own ranks.

"This will be interesting indeed."

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