ONLINE: Blades of Eternity - Chapter 286

Chapter 286: THE FINAL CLAIM
Ethan’s figure blurred as he dodged past the creeping tendrils of slime, his speed unmatched, his movements swift as lightning.

He was so close—

The Battle Crown lay just a few meters away, gleaming in the chaos, untouched by the destruction around it.

“Almost there—!”

But just as his fingertips nearly brushed against the crown, a sickening force crashed into him.

“Ugh!”

A massive slime tendril struck him with devastating force, hurling him backward at terrifying speed.

He barely managed to twist midair, channeling mana to soften his landing—

But the force was too much.

He slammed into the frozen ground near Lila, Morris, and the unconscious Kaelen, ice cracking beneath him as he coughed out blood.

Lila’s eyes widened.

Morris cursed under his breath.

The Slime Harbinger loomed over the battlefield, its grotesque mass undulating, its black-purple ooze shifting ominously as it let out a deep, distorted chuckle.

“Fools,” it gurgled. “The Battle Crown belongs to me.”

And then—

Its slimy tendrils extended, slithering toward the crown, ready to seize ultimate victory.

But just as it was about to touch it—

FWOOSH!

A blinding explosion of crimson flames erupted out of nowhere—

Slamming into the Slime Harbinger’s mana domain.

“AAAAARGH!”

The slime writhed and screeched, recoiling violently as its corrosive aura burned away.

The flames weren’t ordinary—

They were Lehavot red Flames.

Divine, destructive, unyielding.

The battlefield fell into a stunned silence—

And then, a new presence emerged.

A figure bathed in roaring, hellish flames, her crimson hair flowing wildly, her crimson eyes burning with unshakable resolve.

Guinevere.

She stepped forward, flames dancing around her as she raised a single hand, summoning more of her Lehavot inferno.

Her voice was calm, yet brimming with power.

“You guys look like you could use some help.”

Lila exhaled sharply, a small smirk forming on her lips.

“Took you long enough. But if you are here, that means Charlotte and Valir is watching over Forbes”

“You got that right” Guinevere said as she fixed her gaze on the Slime Harbinger.

And in the next moment, the coliseum trembled as the Slime Harbinger roared defiantly, its corrosive mana domain surging once more, expanding outward in a final attempt to dominate the battlefield.

Dark tendrils of slime shot out in all directions, each coated in a putrid, mana-draining aura, twisting toward the Battle Crown and the warriors who dared to oppose it.

“I will not fall!” the Harbinger howled, its voice distorted and unnatural. “This victory belongs to me!”

Guinevere narrowed her eyes.

“Not today.”

She clenched her fists, and the Lehavot flames erupted—a raging inferno of divine crimson fire that devoured the air itself.

BOOM!

The firestorm collided with the Slime Harbinger’s mana domain, and an explosive shockwave erupted, shaking the arena.

The black ooze hissed and shrieked as the flames ate away at its very essence, searing through its monstrous form like an unstoppable plague.

“No—!”

The Harbinger tried to regenerate, but then—

“Mana Reinforcement: Eternal Ice Bastion!”

Morris slammed his hands together, and instantly—

The battlefield shifted.

A colossal wave of mana-infused ice erupted, reinforcing Guinevere’s flames, locking the Slime Harbinger in a relentless storm of destruction.

The Lehavot flames and Eternal Ice created a devastating combination—fire to consume, ice to suppress.

The Slime Harbinger thrashed violently, tendrils lashing out desperately, but the flames burned through every last piece of ooze it tried to regenerate.

“Damn you all!” it shrieked, its body melting and freezing at the same time, cracks forming across its monstrous form.

It tried to reach for the Battle Crown one last time—

But it never made it.

Guinevere extended her palm, her golden eyes flashing as the flames surged to their peak.

“Burn.”

FOOOOOSH!

A final pillar of red-hot inferno erupted, consuming the Slime Harbinger completely.

“AAAAAAAAAARGH!!!”

With a final, ear-piercing shriek, the Slime Harbinger’s mana domain shattered.

Its oozing form disintegrated, its corrosive presence erased from existence.

The battlefield fell silent.

Guinevere let out a slow breath, her flames flickering as she lowered her hand.

Morris clenched his fists, ice crackling around him before fading away.

The Slime Harbinger was gone.

Lila smirked, exhaling. “That’s one down.”

Guinevere’s gaze snapped to the Battle Crown.

“Now…” She raised her chin as she plans on going to get the battle crown. “Let’s end this for good.”

“Wait.”

Morris lifted a hand, halting Guinevere just as she was about to step forward. His sharp eyes narrowed as they locked onto the Devouring King, who stood unmoving, his monstrous form draped in the eerie shadows of his devouring aura.

“Are you just going to stand there?” Morris questioned, his mana subtly flaring, ready to act. “Or are you waiting for an opportunity?”

The air turned tense.

For a brief moment, the Devouring King remained silent, his dark, abyssal energy churning around him, his crimson eyes flickering with something unreadable.

Then—he let out a low chuckle.

“A losing battle is not worth fighting.” His deep, distorted voice reverberated across the arena. He slowly raised his clawed hand, then let it drop to his side. “I know when to retreat.”

Morris’s gaze remained locked onto him, searching for any deception, but after a tense pause, he let out a slow breath and lowered his guard slightly.

“Fine,” he muttered, though he didn’t turn his back on him.

Guinevere, seeing that Morris was no longer stopping her, stepped forward, her Lehavot flames still flickering faintly as she made her way toward the Battle Crown.

The once-chaotic battlefield now felt eerily silent, the weight of countless battles settled in the air.

The Battle Crown rested elusively on the cold stone floor, untouched, glimmering faintly under the remaining mana lingering in the atmosphere.

Guinevere exhaled, then reached out.

Her fingers wrapped around the crown’s golden frame—

And the moment she lifted it—

A resounding, ethereal chime rang out across the entire Valoria Kingdom.

DONG!

The sound echoed through the sky, vibrating through the very fabric of the realm.

Then, a grand announcement resounded, infused with the power of the Kingdom itself.

“THE BATTLE CONVENTION HAS CONCLUDED! THE CHAMPIONSHIP HAS BEEN CLAIMED!”

The declaration boomed throughout the kingdom, reaching every city, every town, every corner of Valoria.

The entire coliseum fell into a stunned silence, as reality finally settled in—

The yearly battle convention was over.

But in a split second later, a thunderous, earth-shattering cheer burst forth from the massive crowd, their voices blending into a deafening roar that shook the very foundations of the arena. The people of Valoria, noble and commoner alike, rose to their feet, shouting in jubilation.

“Pacesetters Academy! Pacesetters Academy! Pacesetters Academy!”

The chant grew louder, echoing across the vast coliseum, carrying through the open skies of Valoria.

Up in the grand VIP section, Chancellor Castaneda sat with his usual composed demeanor, yet even he couldn’t hide the glint of satisfaction in his eyes.

“Congratulations, Castaneda.”

The voice belonged to none other than First Magi, the legendary figure of the Dawning of Magic Academy, his piercing gaze filled with respect.

Beside him, Lockwood, the esteemed Chancellor of Dawning of Magic Academy, gave a small, knowing smirk.

“Impressive as always,” Lockwood remarked, his voice laced with amusement. “You’ve raised quite the monsters this time, haven’t you?”

But the most notable figure of them all was King Alexandria himself, clad in his majestic royal regalia, his golden eyes gleaming with approval.

He took a step forward, extending his gloved hand toward Castaneda.

“A well-earned victory.” His voice was calm yet regal, carrying the weight of the kingdom itself. “Valoria recognizes the strength of Pacesetters Academy.”

Castaneda, ever the humble yet formidable leader, accepted the congratulations with a respectful nod, clasping the King’s hand firmly.

“It is an honor, Your Majesty,” he said with a slight bow. “But all credit goes to the students who fought for this.”

Meanwhile, in the sub-VIP section, a similar scene played out for Vice Chancellor Reeves and General Cao.

The heads of three of the most influential families in Valoria—the Lucent, Ferrum, and Stormfell families—approached them, their expressions a mix of respect and acknowledgment.

“Pacesetters Academy has once again proven itself,” the Lucent Family Head commented, his voice carrying a tone of admiration.

The Ferrum Family Head gave a low chuckle. “Reeves, you must be proud. Your academy remains untouchable.”

Even the Stormfell Family Head, despite Alaric’s tragic loss, nodded in recognition. “A battle convention well fought.”

Both Reeves and General Cao bowed slightly, accepting the recognition with measured humility.

“It was the will of our students,” Reeves replied simply. “We only guided them.”

General Cao, always the stoic warrior, merely grunted in agreement, though a rare flicker of pride crossed his face.

Not long after, Gregory, the host of the final stage of the battle convention, stepped forward, raising his hands to settle the roaring crowd.

Slowly, the cheers died down, and the air of excitement simmered into anticipation.

Gregory’s voice boomed across the coliseum, infused with mana so that all could hear him clearly.

“What a battle! What a convention! This has truly been a momentous event!”

The crowd burst into applause again before quickly settling.

Gregory turned his gaze toward the students of Pacesetters Academy, his expression one of deep respect.

“To all the warriors who fought in this battle convention, you have proven yourselves! You have shown courage, strength, and the unwavering will to surpass your limits!”

He then gestured toward Guinevere, Kaelen, Kelvin, Morris, Lila, Ethan, and the others.

“And today, we crown Pacesetters Academy as this year’s victors!”

Another wave of cheers erupted.

Then, with utmost respect, Gregory turned toward King Alexandria, who still stood in the VIP section.

He bowed deeply.

“And now, to give the closing remarks for this year’s Battle Convention, I humbly invite His Majesty, King Alexandria!”

As the crowd fell into an expectant silence, all eyes turned to the ruler of Valoria, waiting for his final words.