ONLINE: Blades of Eternity - Chapter 58

Chapter 58: DAY ONE INTO THE TOURNAMENT

“The day has finally come, wish me luck”

“Sure, but if u end up facing my sister, that luck will run out”

“Haha, sure thing”

“S*t! I forgot my weapon!”

“Huh? How in the world did you forget your weapon?”

In a vast and open expanse is where an eye-catching arena is located which is surrounded by towering stone walls, etched with intricate symbols of ancient battles. The ground is a mix of hardened earth and patches of green, marked by various terrain features—rocky outcrops, shallow pits, and scattered trees—that offer both cover and obstacles for the competitors.

If someone looks into the arena, they could see multiple platforms which is gleaming under the sunlight, with the academy’s emblem engraved in the center of each of the platforms. Spectator stands encircle the arena, filled with eager students and faculty, the air buzzing with anticipation.

“Well, this is it Ethan” And in front of such a grand infrastructure, Morris and Ethan could be seen standing while gazing on the arena as Morris commented.

“Yeah, good luck on your battles. I won’t be able to witness it as I need to report what happened yesterday to the family” Ethan said with a light smile on his face.

“Yeah” Ethan replied with a wondering look on his face as he thought ‘I wonder how Kaelen is faring’

Yesterday, General Cao had a meeting with them and told them the situation Kaelen is currently in. When they heard this news, they were both shocked and dumbfounded. But at this moment, he couldn’t help but be happy for Kaelen since he has finally embarked on his path on being who he wants to be.

Morris didn’t stay in this state for long though as he quickly came back to his senses before he said to Ethan while he began to walk into the arena.

“Ok, see you later then”

“Yeah” Ethan replied with a friendly smile on his face as he waved at Morris until he went into the arena. As soon as he couldn’t see Morris anymore, his expression quickly became stalwart as he thought while he suddenly vanished from the spot he stood.

‘Seems like the family head’s prophecy will come to pass’

As soon as Morris walked into the arena, he finally saw the participants of the tournament standing around the various platforms in the arena. While facing both the participants and the spectators is a middle aged man that has sly aura around him.

The middle-aged man exudes a sly aura, with sharp, calculating eyes that seem to miss nothing. His slicked-back hair is flecked with gray, and a faint smirk often plays on his thin lips. He carries himself with a smooth, almost predatory grace, dressed in dark, well-tailored clothes that hint at both wealth and danger. His presence is unsettling, as if he’s always one step ahead, weaving unseen schemes in the shadows.

“All participants should stand in front of a platform that doesn’t have up to 8 people standing in front of it” The sly looking man suddenly exclaimed as a few flickers appeared in his eyes for a short moment.

When Morris heard him, he quickly began to look around before he spotted a platform that only has seven people standing in front of it so he quickly went to that platform.

Coincidentally, Morris was the last person who came into the arena so as soon as Morris stood in front of the platform, the middle aged man began to speak.

“As you all may have already known through the grand ceremony yesterday, you all along with the others in the other platforms will battle it out until the last 32 of you will remain.”

“Now how these battles will be carried out will be a free for all. You can climb the platform and challenge any of the other participants of the tournament that is in the same platform as you, but I need to warn you, if you loose three times in this phase, you will automatically be disqualified so chose your opponent wisely”

“So now, let the battles begin!” The sly looking middle aged man finally exclaimed before he stretched out his arms and a clipboard and an inkpen suddenly appeared in his hands.

Right at this moment, participants began to climb their designated platforms and began to pick out their opponents. In Morris’s platform, the person who climbed the platform seems to be an archer.

This person has a lean, athletic build, perfectly suited for the agility and precision of an archer. His sharp eyes, a deep shade of green, constantly scan his surroundings with a hunter’s focus. He wears a sleek, fitted uniform that allows for maximum movement, with a quiver of arrows strapped to his back and a finely crafted bow slung across his chest. His hair, dark and tousled, falls just above his eyebrows, and his posture is always poised, ready to draw and release an arrow at a moment’s notice. There’s a quiet confidence about him, a testament to his skill and experience in the art of archery.

“I pick you” Not too long after this person climbed the platform, he suddenly picked a one of the three girls that is standing in front of the same platform the archer is on.

“You know it isn’t nice for a man to challenge a lady right at the start of a tournament. Seems like you weren’t taught in this aspect” The girl suddenly commented with a disappointed expression on her face as she stepped on the platform.

This girl exudes an unsettling, ominous aura that seems to darken the space around her. Her piercing eyes, shadowed by long, dark lashes, glint with a dangerous intensity, giving away little of her thoughts or intentions. She stands with a quiet, predatory grace, her slender fingers wrapped around the handles of two well-crafted twin daggers that gleam with a sinister edge. Her movements are fluid, almost serpentine, as if she could strike at any moment. Clad in a dark, close-fitting uniform that enhances her stealth, she radiates an air of cold, calculated menace.

“Shut up and fight me” The archer replied coldly as he quickly took hold of his bow while his other hands have already gone behind him to pick one of his arrows.

“Well luckily I get to fight you first amongst the other girls, let me teach you proper etiquette” The girl still said in a helpless tone before she suddenly had a creepy smile on her face.

And suddenly, the platform in the arena crackled with tension as the archer and the ominous girl faced off, each poised to strike. The archer, a lean and agile figure, nocked an arrow and drew his bowstring back, eyes narrowed in concentration. His quiver bristled with arrows, their fletchings fluttering in the wind as he calculated the perfect shot. He knew he had to be quick; one mistake against this girl could be his last.

The ominous girl, with her unsettling aura, stood calmly on the other side, her twin daggers resting loosely in her hands. Her dark, penetrating eyes never left the archer, and a ghost of a smile played on her lips. She moved with a quiet, deadly grace, her steps barely making a sound on the stone platform. The crowd hushed, sensing the lethal dance about to unfold.

The archer struck first, releasing a volley of arrows in quick succession. They streaked toward the girl like bolts of lightning, each one aimed to incapacitate. But the girl moved with unnatural speed, her body a blur as she dodged and weaved through the arrows, her movements fluid and precise. Not a single arrow found its mark.

In the blink of an eye, the girl closed the distance between them. The archer barely had time to draw another arrow before she was upon him. Her daggers flashed in the arena lights, striking with precision and deadly intent. The archer twisted and turned, desperately trying to parry her attacks with his bow, but her strikes were relentless, each one driving him further back.

With a final, graceful spin, the girl knocked the bow from his hands and swept his legs out from under him. The archer hit the ground hard, winded and disarmed. Before he could react, the girl was on him, one dagger pressed against his throat, the other poised to strike.

The archer froze, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The crowd held their breath, waiting for the final blow. But instead, the girl leaned in close, her voice a soft, chilling whisper that only he could hear.

“You fought well,” she said, her tone almost mocking. “But not well enough.”

With a swift motion, she flicked her dagger, drawing a thin line of blood on his neck. Then, just as quickly, she withdrew, stepping back with a fluid grace that left the archer stunned and defeated on the ground.

“Winner on platform 3: Sabrina Alexandria” The sly looking middle aged man suddenly exclaimed as he glanced over at the platform Morris belongs to.

The crowd erupted into a mix of cheers and uneasy murmurs. The girl, unfazed, turned away from her fallen opponent, her twin daggers gleaming as she walked off the platform. She had won, and she hadn’t even broken a sweat. The archer, still on the ground, could only watch her retreating form, a mix of fear and grudging respect in his eyes. The ominous girl had claimed her victory, and she had done it with chilling ease.

‘She is strong’ Morris thought with a grim look on his face as he glanced at the girl while she walked off the stage.