The Valtara Competition had reached a completely different level.
The easy matches were over.
Now, every warrior who stepped into the arena understood one thing.
There would be no mercy.
The enormous arena was surrounded by thousands of spectators.
Warriors stood along the edges.
Generals watched from the highest platform.
Even members of the royal family had gathered to witness the battles.
Kaelion sat forward in his seat, unable to stay still.
Jarek sat beside him, calmer as usual.
Lyra stood among the spectators.
Her eyes were fixed on one person.
Ryuzen.
The announcer raised his hand.
“NEXT MATCH!”
The crowd roared.
“RYUZEN OF THE BLUE THUNDER!”
The arena exploded with cheers.
Ryuzen walked into the center.
His Life Contract sword rested against his back.
His training whip was wrapped around his waist.
Blue sparks occasionally moved across his fingers.
The announcer continued.
“His opponent…”
A huge warrior stepped into the arena.
He was nearly twice Ryuzen’s size.
His Inner Beast had strengthened his muscles until his arms looked like tree trunks.
The crowd became excited.
The warrior cracked his neck.
“I’ve watched your previous battles.”
Ryuzen looked at him.
“And?”
The warrior smiled.
“You rely too much on speed.”
Ryuzen tilted his head.
“Maybe.”
The warrior charged.
BOOOOOOM!
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
His fist came directly toward Ryuzen’s face.
Ryuzen didn’t move.
At the last possible second—
He tilted his head.
The fist passed beside his cheek.
Ryuzen stepped forward.
BAM!
His shoulder struck the warrior’s chest.
The giant barely moved.
He grinned.
“Too weak.”
His knee came upward.
Ryuzen jumped.
The knee passed beneath him.
While still in the air, Ryuzen grabbed his whip.
WHAAAAAP!
The weighted whip struck the warrior’s arm.
The man blocked.
But Ryuzen wasn’t trying to hurt him.
He was measuring him.
His eyes followed the warrior’s movement.
Left shoulder.
Right leg.
Breathing.
Balance.
Ryuzen landed.
The warrior attacked again.
Punch.
Ryuzen dodged.
Kick.
Ryuzen stepped aside.
Elbow.
Ryuzen ducked.
The warrior became frustrated.
“STOP RUNNING!”
Ryuzen smiled.
“I’m not running.”
He suddenly stepped forward.
“I’M LEARNING.”
BOOOOM!
Blue thunder exploded from Ryuzen’s fist.
The warrior’s body flew backward.
The crowd erupted.
“WHAAAAAT?!”
Ryuzen didn’t chase him.
He waited.
The warrior slowly stood.
Ryuzen noticed something.
His left leg was slower.
Every time he attacked with his right side, his left foot dragged slightly.
Ryuzen had discovered the weakness.
The warrior charged again.
Ryuzen moved directly toward him.
The audience gasped.
They expected Ryuzen to dodge.
Instead—
Ryuzen stepped into the attack.
He struck the warrior’s left knee.
BAM!
The man’s balance broke.
Ryuzen spun.
His whip wrapped around the warrior’s waist.
WHAP!
Ryuzen pulled.
The giant stumbled forward.
Ryuzen released the whip.
Then struck him directly in the chest.
KRAAAAA-BOOM!
The warrior flew across the arena.
He landed outside the marked boundary.
Silence.
Then—
ROOOOOOOAR!
The entire arena erupted.
Ryuzen lowered his hand.
The announcer stared for a moment before shouting:
“RYUZEN WINS!”
Lyra immediately raised both hands.
“YES!”
She was smiling brightly.
“THAT’S IT, RYUZEN!”
Ryuzen looked toward the crowd.
He found her.
Lyra was already cheering.
“YOU SAW THAT?” she shouted.
Ryuzen laughed.
“I think everyone saw it.”
Lyra shook her head.
“I SAW IT FIRST!”
Kaelion looked at her.
Then looked at Ryuzen. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
Then back at Lyra.
He slowly smiled.
Jarek noticed.
“You’ve got competition.”
Kaelion immediately elbowed him.
“Shut up.”
The next battles became even harder.
Jarek entered the arena.
His opponent carried two enormous axes.
Jarek raised one hand.
CLANG!
An iron spear appeared.
The crowd cheered.
The opponent attacked.
Jarek blocked.
CLANG!
The spear shattered.
Jarek smiled.
“Fine.”
Another weapon appeared.
A sword.
CLANG!
The opponent broke it.
Jarek created two short blades.
The opponent destroyed those too.
Jarek stepped backward.
“You’re annoying.”
He raised both hands.
Iron weapons began appearing around him.
One.
Five.
Ten.
Twenty.
The arena became filled with floating weapons.
The opponent’s eyes widened.
Jarek pointed forward.
“Endless Iron Forge.”
The weapons launched.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The warrior was forced backward.
Jarek eventually defeated him with a massive iron hammer.
Kaelion laughed from the stands.
“Jarek! You could’ve finished that faster!”
Jarek looked toward him.
“Then you do better.”
Kaelion stood.
“Gladly.”
Kaelion’s battle was completely different.
The moment he entered the arena—
Sapphire energy erupted behind him.
Two enormous wings appeared.
The Sapphire Gryphon.
The crowd screamed.
Kaelion grinned.
“Let’s make this interesting.”
His opponent charged.
Kaelion flew upward.
The warrior looked up.
“Come down here!”
Kaelion smiled.
“No.”
He folded his wings.
Then dropped.
BOOOOOOM!
He struck the arena like a falling star.
The impact sent a wave of compressed air across the ground.
His opponent was thrown backward.
Kaelion landed on one knee.
He immediately stood.
“Too slow.”
The crowd erupted.
Ryuzen laughed from the side.
Kaelion pointed at him.
“You saw that?”
Ryuzen nodded.
“Not bad.”
“NOT BAD?”
Kaelion put a hand over his chest.
“I just destroyed him!”
Jarek laughed.
“He’s right.”
Lyra smiled.
The three friends were becoming known throughout Valtara.
But none of them knew what was coming.
Ryuzen’s Next Battle
Ryuzen returned to the arena.
This opponent was different.
He was fast.
Very fast.
The moment the battle began—
BOOM!
He disappeared.
Ryuzen barely blocked.
CLANG!
A blade struck his sword.
Another attack came.
CLANG!
Ryuzen blocked again.
The warrior moved behind him.
Ryuzen turned.
Too late.
A kick struck his ribs.
BAM!
Ryuzen slid across the arena.
Lyra’s smile disappeared.
“Ryuzen!”
He stood.
The warrior attacked again.
Ryuzen blocked.
The impact pushed him backward.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Ryuzen couldn’t find an opening.
The warrior was too fast.
Kaelion leaned forward.
“He’s controlling the pace.”
Jarek nodded.
“Ryuzen needs to change something.”
Ryuzen knew it too.
He stopped chasing.
The warrior disappeared again.
Ryuzen closed his eyes.
Lyra looked confused.
“Why did he close his eyes?”
The warrior appeared behind him.
“Found you.”
He turned.
BOOM!
His fist struck the warrior’s stomach.
The entire arena shook.
The warrior flew backward.
The crowd exploded.
Lyra jumped up.
“YES!”
She clenched her fists.
“COME ON, RYUZEN!”
Ryuzen looked toward her.
She shouted again.
“YOU CAN DO IT!”
His smile returned.
The warrior charged.
Ryuzen didn’t retreat.
He moved forward.
Thunder surrounded his legs.
KRRRZZZT!
His speed increased.
The two warriors collided.
BOOOOOOM!
Dust covered the arena.
For several seconds, nobody could see them.
Then—
WHAM!
The warrior flew out of the dust.
He crashed onto the ground.
Ryuzen walked out behind him.
Still standing.
The announcer raised his hand.
“RYUZEN WINS!”
Lyra shouted louder than everyone.
“RYUZEN!”
He looked toward her.
She smiled.
“KEEP GOING!”
Ryuzen nodded.
Then something strange happened.
The arena became quiet.
A vibration passed through the ground.
Ryuzen felt it.
So did Kaelion.
Jarek stood.
“What was that?”
Another vibration.
BOOM.
The spectators looked toward the city gates.
A guard came running into the arena.
“GENERAL!”
Everyone turned.
The guard was pale.
“Something is coming.”
The Valtara generals immediately stood.
“What?”
The guard struggled to breathe.
“Wolves.”
The general frowned.
“Wolves?”
The guard shook his head.
“Not normes.”
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
A section of the outer wall shook.
People screamed.
Ryuzen’s expression changed.
The generals rushed toward the wall.
Kaelion spread his sapphire wings.
Jarek summoned weapons.
Lyra moved closer to the others.
Then they saw them.
Huge creatures.
Dark fur.
Massive claws.
Long fangs.
And glowing red eyes.
One wolf stepped onto the wall.
It stared directly toward the arena.
Ryuzen slowly reached for his sword.
The wolf opened its mouth.
For one moment, everything became silent.
Then the creature threw its head toward the sky.
And released a terrifying howl that echoed throughout Valtara.
“AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
A vibration passed through the ground.
Ryuzen felt it.
So did Kaelion.
Jarek stood.
“What was that?”
Another vibration.
BOOM.
The spectators looked toward the city gates.
A guard came running into the arena.
“GENERAL!”
Everyone turned.
The guard was pale.
“Something is coming.”
The Valtara generals immediately stood.
“What?”
The guard struggled to breathe.
“Wolves.”
The general frowned.
“Wolves?”
The guard shook his head.
“Not normal wolves.”
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
A section of the outer wall shook.
People screamed.
Ryuzen’s expression changed.
The generals rushed toward the wall.
Kaelion spread his sapphire wings.
Jarek summoned weapons.
Lyra moved closer to the others.
Then they saw them.
Huge creatures.
Dark fur.
Massive claws.
Long fangs.
And glowing red eyes.
One wolf stepped onto the wall.
It stared directly toward the arena.
Ryuzen slowly reached for his sword.
The wolf opened its mouth.
For one moment, everything became silent.
Then the creature threw its head toward the sky.
And released a terrifying howl that echoed throughout Valtara.
“AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”