The arena had changed.
No longer a battlefield of chaos—it had become a stage of destiny. Ten colossal floating discs hovered in the sky, each layered with hundreds of shimmering runic circles, their edges glowing with the sigils of ancient races.
One by one, the 1,000 participants materialized across the discs.
> "This is the Grand Convergence!" the announcer's voice echoed across continents. "The first real trial—where legends are made and illusions are shattered!"
This year, the Academy of Astral Dominion would only admit 100 students.
The method? Brutal.
Every participant started with 0 points. Each successful clash, strategic action, or defeat of a notable opponent granted points. The higher the opponent's power or fame, the greater the reward.
Each student wore a crystalline badge on their chest displaying their current points and rank.
At the end of six hours, only the top 100 scorers would remain.
Then the Top 20 would enter the Final Arena for combat ranking.
—
From the beginning, it was a bloodbath.
Explosions shook the platforms as students clashed in teams, ambushes, and one-on-one duels.
Lightning tore through the air as Zephyron of the Skyborne annihilated a cluster of orc duelists. With each strike, his badge pulsed brighter.
Nyssa of the Glacial Thorn danced through three elite elf warriors, encasing them in crystalline frost with ruthless grace.
Valrik Stormhowl laughed as he ripped apart the earth itself, turning the battlefield into a storm-scorched wasteland.
And Elric, with his golden aura shining brighter than ever, fought with divine elegance—his system granting him mid-battle quests and points multipliers.
> System Alert:
"Eliminate three opponents above Rank 50 without taking damage: Reward – 500 pts"
"Style Bonus Activated – Public Favor +15%"
His name quickly climbed the rankings—hovering at #1.
Cameras across the continent followed his every movement.
People cheered. Noble houses clapped.
He was the golden child of the noble element—the hope of the generation.
But amidst the chaos… one name remained mysterious.
—
Alaric Thorneveil – Rank: ??? – Points: ???
No visuals.
No updates.
No known opponents defeated.
No confirmed presence.
Speculation spread like wildfire.
"Was he eliminated early?"
"Maybe he gave up. Last I saw, he wasn't even moving."
"He's probably hiding."
And yet… on Disc 9, within a shadowed corner beside an abandoned shrine, he sat.
Calm.
Unbothered.
A cup of steaming coffee in hand—held by a thin thread of mana that stirred it gently.
His expression?
Utterly indifferent.
Behind him, three unconscious students lay collapsed—one of them a top-50 candidate.
He hadn't moved since the beginning.
And yet, the badge on his chest had turned black and gold—an indicator of a hidden ranking.
> System Notification – Binding Sync: 22%
Skill Linked (Passive): Reputation Predator
"As bound targets gain fame, your unseen influence passively grows. Enemies defeated by bound targets count toward your system's passive siphon."
> System Bonus:
"+60% Passive Point Drain via Synced Bonded Entity (Elric)"
Yes.
Alaric hadn't moved.
Because others were feeding him power.
The crowd started to take notice.
"Wait… who's that? Why is he sitting?"
"Did he take out those three without leaving his seat?"
"He hasn't drawn his weapon…"
A second camera drone turned toward him.
At that exact moment, Alaric raised the coffee cup and took a slow, deliberate sip.
The heat fogged the lens briefly—creating an unintentional cinematic flare.
> Alaric Thorneveil – Rank: #3 – Points: 4,820
A beat of silence passed.
Then panic.
"Who the hell is that?!"
"Is that Alaric from the Thorneveil family?!"
"He hasn't even fought!"
The nobles watching were furious.
"He must be cheating!"
"No, I recognize that trait… That's a high-tier passive system."
"But how can someone so unimpressive rise to the top just like that?!"
Yet nothing could be done.
The system had verified his points.
And they were rising by the minute.
—
The six-hour trial ended with a thunderous gong.
Flashes of light pulled away the bottom 900 contestants.
Civilians cheered across the world as the 100 survivors were revealed.
Among them:
Elric – Rank #1
Nyssa – Rank #2
Alaric – Rank #3
Zephyron – Rank #4
Valrik – Rank #5
Korra – Rank #6
… and so on.
But it was Alaric who became the topic of every whisper.
Because while the rest fought tooth and nail…
He merely sipped coffee and conquered.
—
Final Phase: The Top 20 Battle Royale
The academy summoned the top 20 to the Grand Sky Stage—a floating obsidian platform above the clouds, etched with magic that amplified spiritual pressure.
Their names blazed in the sky.
Each would fight for their ranking—not for glory, but for benefits like elite dorms, higher-tier training zones, and artifact selections.
The crowd screamed Elric's name.
Some shouted Nyssa's.
But a rising chant was now forming—hesitant, curious… yet persistent.
> "Thorneveil… Thorneveil…"
Alaric stood at the edge of the platform, the wind lifting the hem of his coat. His gaze was unreadable, calm—and dangerous.
The world didn't know him yet.
But they would.
Not because he announced himself.
But because he couldn't be ignored.