ONLINE: Blades of Eternity - Chapter 253

Chapter 253: THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
As the coliseum buzzed with murmurs—some filled with excitement, others with unease—Seraphine raised a hand.

With just that simple gesture, the whispers faded.

“Everyone,” she announced, her voice carrying effortlessly across the grand stadium, “calm yourselves.”

The crowd obeyed, their eyes locking onto her.

She waited a beat before continuing, her signature smirk returning.

“I understand that what we just witnessed was… intense.” She let her gaze sweep over the coliseum. “But the convention must go on.”

A brief pause.

Then—

“We will now have a thirty-minute break before the final match-up of the group battles begins!”

“The final matchup?”

“But there are three teams left”

“Wait…. What if….?”

As soon as she said those words which sparked confusion discussion amongst the crowd, a massive screen materialized above the arena, displaying the three remaining groups.

Final Three-Way Group Battle:

1. Pacesetters Academy

2. Valen Military Academy

3. Dawning of Magic Academy

The audience erupted.

A three-way battle?!

This had never happened before in the history of the convention!

Some were thrilled.

Others were wary.

But one thing was clear—the final match would be nothing short of legendary.

Away from the commotion, in one of the designated resting areas, Kaelen and his group gathered.

Their expressions were serious. Focused.

Morris leaned forward, arms crossed. “We need to be careful. The Valen Military Academy seemed to be built for team fights, and even with Kent gone, the Dawning of Magic Academy is still dangerous.”

Ethan nodded. “The military guys will be tough, but my biggest concern is Sylphie.”

Sofia, who had silent for most of the time at the second phase of the convention, suddenly glanced at Kaelen as she asked. “You’ve been awfully quiet, Kaelen.”

Kaelen didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, his gaze was locked onto a single person across the arena.

Sylphie.

She sat quietly, legs crossed, her bow resting on her lap.

Her eyes were closed.

Her expression was unreadable.

She wasn’t talking to her teammates.

She wasn’t stretching or preparing like the others.

She just… sat there.

Still. Calm.

It was unsettling.

After a moment, Kaelen finally spoke.

“Forbes,” he said, his voice low, “do you know anything about Sylphie?”

Forbes, who had been chugging a bottle of water, paused mid-drink.

After a brief moment, he shook his head.

“This is my first time seeing her in the convention.”

Kaelen frowned. “You’re kidding.”

Forbes sighed. “Wish I was.” He ran a hand through his hair. “But here’s what I do know. I asked around earlier, and from what I’ve heard… she’s terrifying.”

Kaelen’s expression darkened.

Forbes continued, “She didn’t compete in the earlier phases, but in her individual class battles, she one-shotted every single opponent without breaking a sweat.”

The group fell silent.

Lila, who had been listening quietly, furrowed her brows. “Wait… Every opponent?”

Forbes nodded grimly.

“She never needed a second shot.”

The atmosphere among the Pacesetters turned heavier.

Sofia exhaled, gripping her staff tighter. “So she’s not just a strong archer—she’s lethal.”

Kaelen said nothing.

He just stared at Sylphie, watching the way she didn’t move.

And as he did, a single thought formed in his mind.

‘This girl… is going to be a problem.’

Meanwhile, In the section reserved for Valen Military Academy, the atmosphere was thick with tension.

Most of the group was gathered, discussing strategies, weighing their options.

But Kelvin?

His eyes were glued to Sylphie.

She sat still, her bow resting on her lap, her expression as unreadable as ever.

But to Kelvin, she wasn’t just quiet—she was dangerous.

Something about her presence unnerved him in a way no other opponent had before.

It wasn’t just strength.

It wasn’t just skill.

It was an unstoppable force.

A presence that could not be deterred, could not be denied.

His fists clenched as he thought.

‘What the hell is she?’

Then—

“Oi, Kelvin.”

The voice came from the Slime Harbinger.

Kelvin barely acknowledged him.

“Come strategize with us. We need to figure out how we’re going to win this thing.”

Silence.

Kelvin didn’t even blink.

The Slime Harbinger scowled. “Tch, ignoring me again?”

Before he could press further, a calm yet chilling voice cut in.

“Give it up,” the Devouring King muttered. “He won’t listen.”

Kelvin remained still, still staring at Sylphie.

Then—

He spoke.

“I have a plan”

A single sentence.

A single declaration.

And everyone in the group stiffened.

Because Kelvin never spoke unless it was something that mattered.

And this?

This was big.

As he laid out his plan, the group listened in silence.

And by the time he was finished—

They understood.

“Well honestly this plan seems solid to me. But the fact that it was you who thought it up just took to another level” The Slime Harbinger said with a strange smile on his face.

“So does that mean you guys are in on the plan?” Kelvin asked with a stalwart look on his face. “If we refuse to cooperate, you will still go ahead and execute the plan. So what’s the point on asking us If we want to?” But not long after, The Devouring King asked with an indifferent look on his face.

“Then it is decided” Kelvin said before he shifted his gaze back on Sylphie with a single thought in his head.

‘Lets see what you have in store for us’

Meanwhile, In the Dawning of Magic Academy’s section, tension hung in the air.

The unconscious Kent Harrow had just been handed over to the medics.

Rafaela, her expression serious, warned them:

“Be careful not to wake him up… or all hell will break loose.”

The medics exchanged uneasy glances but nodded, quickly carrying Kent away.

As soon as they left, a voice cut through the silence.

“Pacesetters and Valen Military are staring at us… and it’s not friendly.”

It was Pine, arms crossed, his tone casual but laced with meaning.

Helen, sitting nearby, barely spared a glance toward the other groups before scoffing.

“Let them act all they want.”

Then, she turned her gaze—her piercing gaze—toward one person.

Sylphie.

Still silent. Still motionless.

Still in a world of her own.

“… In the end, we will still come out as winners. Because of you-know-who.”

Her words carried absolute certainty.

But before anyone could respond—

“That’s only part of the reason.”

Rafaela’s voice rang out, cutting through the moment.

She wasn’t looking at Sylphie.

She wasn’t looking at Helen.

She was looking at the boy who had just shown up.

And as her gaze settled on him—

A knowing smile played on her lips.

Not long after, the 30-minute break had finally come to an end.

Seraphine’s voice rang through the coliseum.

“The time is up! Pacesetters Academy, Valen Military Academy, and Dawning of Magic Academy—step forward!”

The crowd erupted in cheers as the three teams began to ascend the arena.

Kaelen and Kelvin, though from opposing factions, found themselves in sync.

Their gazes immediately snapped toward the Dawning of Magic Academy.

And that was when they saw it—

A new face.

Standing beside Pine, right at the forefront of the Dawning of Magic’s lineup, was someone unfamiliar.

Kaelen, Kelvin, and the rest of the competitors narrowed their eyes, trying to gauge who he was.

But before any of them could voice their confusion—

The boy took a step forward.

And with a calm, almost bored expression, he raised his hand.

In the very next second—

Nine blades materialized around him.

Floating.

Suspended by thin, nearly invisible mana strings.

The coliseum fell into stunned silence.

Then—

His voice, cool and composed, cut through the air:

“My name is Belerick Ywach, pleased to meet you all”

The coliseum was silent.

Kaelen, Kelvin, and the rest of the competitors stared at Belerick, their eyes gleaming with surprise.

Magic being used like strings? Controlling nine floating blades with precision?

It was unlike anything they had seen before.

But before they could even fully process this revelation—

Seraphine’s voice rang out like a thunderclap.

“BEGIN!”

And in that very moment—

Belerick struck first.

The nine blades hanging around him screeched forward, launching at both opposing teams simultaneously!

Fast. Precise. Deadly.

The crowd gasped in shock—was he attacking both at the same time?!

But then—

A wave of gelatinous slime surged from the Valen Military Academy’s side.

The Slime Harbinger had reacted instantly, his slime magic stretching out to intercept the flying blades.

On the Pacesetters’ side, a thick mist suddenly materialized, twisting and swallowing the incoming weapons.

Ethan.

His rare and mysterious Mist Magic was just as fast as the Slime Harbinger’s.

CLANG! CLANG!

The nine blades were deflected mid-air, their momentum stalled.

The attacks had failed.

“Kelvin!! Get your shit together!!”

“Kaelen!! Snap out of it!!”

Both Ethan and The Slime Harbinger exclaimed with a serious looks on their faces. And finally–

Kelvin’s gaze sharpened.

Kaelen’s aura flared.

Both of them along with the most of the crowd in the coliseum had now fully snapped back to reality as the both of them simultaneously brought out their weapons.

The battle had begun.