Selection Of Elites

As the 100 members stood in the open field, a sudden presence filled the air, and Alucard appeared, hovering effortlessly mid-air.

"Hello, everyone," he greeted, his voice smooth and commanding.

All eyes turned to him, from Rhea to Mike and Brandon—the friends Michael had made along the way.

"My name is Alucard," he began, his crimson eyes gleaming with a mix of power and mystery. "I am the leader of this organization known as Eclipse."

The crowd watched in amazement as he appeared, his presence so overwhelming that it felt as if a sea of blood was rising above them, ready to drown them in its depths.

Snap.

Alucard snapped his fingers, breaking the illusion and bringing everyone back to reality.

"Thanks to one of our Moons, the Void Moon, Leon, you all know the benefits our organization can offer," he continued, gesturing towards Leon, who stood with Diablo and Lucifer by his side.

"Before we proceed, let me introduce the top three candidates of our organization," Alucard announced, his voice steady and authoritative.

"In third place, we have Lucifer, Code Name: Blue Moon."

"Second place goes to Diablo, Code Name: Red Moon."

"And of course, the First Ranker, Void Moon—Leon, though I'm sure all of you are already familiar with him."

"Now, you might be wondering why I'm introducing them to all of you," Alucard said, as he dramatically sat mid-air, his crimson eyes scanning the crowd.

"He sure knows how to set the stage," Satoru muttered, as the other instructors and Leon's parents watched Alucard's performance with a mix of amusement and interest.

"Well, the answer is simple. They are the Elites of our organization, and all of you will also be given the chance to join them," he declared.

A wave of gasps spread through the crowd. They all knew about Elites and Super Elites—monsters in their respective organizations.

"But," Alucard continued, "the top three positions are already taken by them."

"However, you all can compete for the next 14 Super Elite equivalent positions," he said, pausing for effect.

"These positions are called Black Moons and White Moons, each group consisting of 7 members."

"Following that, we have the Golden Elites, with 10 members."

"Then come the Silver Elites, with 20 members, and finally, the Bronze Elites, the lowest among the elites, with 30 members."

"As for the rest who don't make it into these categories, we have what we call Common Members," Alucard finished, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

"now, to make this fair, the competition will be held after 100 days" 

"And each of our instructors will train you over the next 100 days," Alucard announced, clapping his hands. Instantly, the other instructors appeared, hovering in mid-air alongside him, looking down at everyone below.

"Also, keep in mind," Alucard continued, "the rewards for making it into the elites are incredibly lucrative. They can make you more powerful than you ever imagined."

He paused, letting the words sink in, as excitement rippled through the crowd. "And during these 100 days, you all have the chance to be chosen as disciples by these instructors if you manage to impress them," Alucard added, causing everyone's eyes to light up with determination. They all clenched their fists, staring eagerly at the instructors.

"All of them seem promising," Scáthach observed.

"Indeed," Akaza agreed, his eyes scanning the candidates.

"This will be interesting," Yoriichi Tsugikuni remarked, his calm demeanor hiding the anticipation he felt.

"I hope there are some with great talent for magic as well," Merlin commented, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"Same here. I'm looking forward to finding a worthy disciple," Ainz added with a grin.

And soon, 100 days passed.

During that time, Leon's mother and father blood Clones also joined the training under the guise of masked ones.

The next day marked the beginning of the competition.

For the event, Leon constructed a grand Colosseum, a vast arena designed not only for fierce battles but also for the audience to enjoy the spectacle. A High Vampire, raised by Ainz with his necromancy, was appointed as the announcer and referee for the competition.

Taking center stage, the High Vampire raised his microphone high, his eyes sweeping over the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's start this selection process!" he announced, his voice echoing through the massive arena. "My name is Liam," he continued, a name granted to him by Ainz, "and today, we are here to select the first-generation elites for our newly formed organization, Eclipse."

He then pointed at the 100 participants, who stood ready for the challenge ahead. "And these 100 lucky individuals have been given this opportunity," he declared, excitement bubbling in the atmosphere.

"Now, without further ado, let's start the very first match!" Liam gestured toward another vampire standing nearby, who had two bowls in front of him.

The vampire shuffled the contents of both bowls, mixing the names thoroughly, before separating them into equal amounts. With a dramatic flair, he reached into each bowl and pulled out two names. "Reynold vs. James," he announced.

Two boys from the group of 100 immediately jumped into the arena. One was burly, with a fierce expression on his face, while the other had a calm demeanor, entering the ring while wearing a pair of gauntlets.

The crowd watched in anticipation, the atmosphere charged with excitement as the first battle of the competition was about to begin.

"They are both good, especially James. He's cunning as well as a natural-born fighter," Scáthach said as she observed them closely.

Leon nodded as the fight began, both participants soon started to display their elemental abilities.

"Hmm, is it you, Yoriichi?" Leon asked as he noticed them using a breathing technique.

"Yes, Scáthach and I developed this breathing technique from my original arts. We've simplified it and made it suitable for everyone, allowing them to empower it with their own elements," Yoriichi replied.

Leon nodded, continuing to watch the match intently.

Reynold's entire body crackled with violet lightning as he raised his greatsword high, gripping it tightly with both hands. He breathed in and out in a specific pattern, each breath synchronized with the electric energy coursing through him. Meanwhile, James remained calm and composed, a gentle breeze swirling around him in a controlled manner.

"I'd say the match is leaning in James's favor," Ainz commented. "He has better control over his breathing technique compared to Reynold."

"Yes, Reynold's mastery is lacking compared to James's," Leon agreed, observing their combat.

The two fighters charged at each other. James moved with precise footwork, while Reynold charged in aggressively with his heavy sword. As Reynold swung his sword, it generated a violent wind that momentarily disrupted James's balance.

Reynold smiled, confident as he aimed a powerful strike at James. However, James had anticipated this move and deftly evaded it. He swiftly reappeared behind Reynold, delivering a precise kick to the back of his neck.

"He used the wind to create a distraction and hide himself," Leon noted.

"Indeed, he's quite clever," Scáthach agreed, recognizing James's strategic brilliance.

Reynold staggered from the kick, nearly knocked out. However, he spun around rapidly, regaining his composure and using his greatsword to defend himself against James's next attack.

The fight continued with both fighters displaying impressive skills until they eventually separated, catching their breath.

"Let's finish this," James suggested, breathing heavily. Reynold, panting hard, nodded in agreement.

Reynold raised his sword high and shouted, "Earth Splitter!" A massive wave of violet energy surged from his sword, splitting the ground beneath him.

James took a stance and murmured, "Tempest Punch," as he thrust his fist forward. A powerful air cannon erupted from his punch, meeting Reynold's energy attack head-on.

The two attacks collided with a thunderous clash. James's Tempest Punch broke through Reynold's Earth Splitter, sending a shockwave that knocked Reynold out of the ring.

James stood calmly, bowed to Alucard, and then to the audience, acknowledging his victory.