Chapter 286: The Game Is Over—Proceed to the Land of Nirvana!

Star Child's expression darkened.

By now, he knew he was bound to lose this arena battle. But he couldn't accept it. It felt unfair.

First, Star Child was confident that his strength surpassed Wendy's. He had entered the match with a high probability of winning.

Second, if he had lost in a direct fight, he would have admitted defeat. If his skills weren't as good as his opponent's, so be it.

But the way things unfolded was beyond his expectations.

At the very beginning, before he could even launch an attack, Wendy had taken to the sky. Then, she conjured a massive tornado that devastated the arena.

With the arena gone, he had no footing. His ability to stay airborne was inferior to Wendy's.

Just like that—he lost.

No proper exchange of blows. No opportunity to strike. No chance to defend himself.

It was frustrating.

Yet, there was no rule against it. Wendy's move, though unconventional, was within the competition's guidelines.

No one had thought to do it before—that was all.

Kaizen watched, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. 

"I didn't expect Wendy to make that kind of choice," Kaizen mused. "But if the goal is to win, it's definitely a smart strategy. And it's completely fair."

Star Child crashed to the ground. Meanwhile, Wendy remained in the sky.

The referee hesitated before announcing the result.

"The winner: Wendy."

Wendy smiled and nodded toward Kaizen before descending slowly.

At this point, Wendy's aura was clearly different from Star Child's. He had barely exerted himself, while she had expended a significant amount of energy. If the fight had continued under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have stood a chance.

But there was no need to fight any further. The outcome was already decided.

In the stands, a middle-aged man dressed in regal attire observed Wendy with an approving gaze.

"Well played," he murmured.

Then, his eyes shifted to Star Child.

"But in terms of potential, this boy has greater promise."

He sighed. "As for the Nirvana Conference… Some opportunities, once missed, are gone forever."

With a glance to the side, he gave his command.

"Prepare them. They will enter the Land of Nirvana."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The crowd gradually dispersed. Soon, only four contestants remained—Wendy, Star Child, Beast Child, and the fourth-place competitor.

A middle-aged man stepped forward, addressing them.

"Wendy Fiora."

"Roben Fiora."

"Ted Fiora."

"Linco Fiora."

The four saluted him in unison.

"Achilles-sama."

Achilles gave a small nod.

"First of all, congratulations. You have secured the top four places in the Nirvana Conference and earned the right to enter the Land of Nirvana."

He retrieved several items, each radiating a strong aura. While they weren't nen tools, their energy was distinct.

Among them, a bone knife exuded the most intense presence.

Achilles handed the bone knife to Wendy, indicating that first place had a slight distinction. The other three prizes were similar in value.

As each contestant stepped forward to receive their item, they noticed something odd—Achilles still had one item left in his hand.

At that moment, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hall. A figure approached.

"Achilles-sama."

Kaizen Zoldyck.

Achilles handed the final item to Kaizen.

The others—especially Wendy—were taken aback. Even she hadn't been informed that Kaizen would be joining them in the Land of Nirvana.

Dominica had never mentioned it.

"Achilles-sama, why is he with us?" Ted demanded. "I thought only members of the Fiora royal family could participate in the Nirvana Conference? He's clearly an outsider."

Roben and Linco exchanged glances, their expressions uncertain, but they remained silent. Ted, however, seemed more agitated, possibly due to his training at the Dojo of Beasts. The transformation techniques they practiced often influenced their personalities, giving them more primal instincts.

Achilles cast a calm, piercing glance at Ted.

"This is His Majesty's decree. Do you wish to question it?"

Ted immediately lowered his head. "Of course not."

"Then mind your own business. Focus on what is within your control. Do not concern yourself with matters beyond your rank."

Achilles' tone was sharp.

"To be honest, I'm disappointed in your performance this time."

Ted's head dipped lower.

Achilles held considerable influence in the Fiora Kingdom. As both the younger brother of the current king and the last Beast Child of the Dojo of Beasts, his words carried weight. No one dared to challenge him.

"Let's move," Achilles ordered.

He led the way, Wendy following closely behind. Kaizen walked alongside her. Roben and Ted exchanged looks before trailing after them. Linco took up the rear.

As they walked, Kaizen turned to Wendy.

"Your strategy earlier… I have to admit, I was surprised. I didn't expect you to go that route."

Roben scoffed internally.

—If you hadn't used that cheap trick, I never would have lost.

Wendy shrugged. "It was a spur-of-the-moment idea. Since it was a ring battle, I figured that if I removed the ring, I'd guarantee my victory. This kind of setup isn't common, so I wanted to test it out."

Roben suddenly interjected. "Wendy, if you hadn't used that strategy, what do you think your chances of winning were?"

He clearly wasn't over the loss.

Wendy glanced at him.

"If it had been a normal fight? Probably sixty-forty in your favor. You have a slight advantage over me. My ability isn't the best counter to yours, and right now, I don't have a great solution for it."

Roben visibly relaxed, feeling somewhat vindicated.

Ted chimed in eagerly, "What about me? How do I compare?"

Wendy smirked. "The results speak for themselves."

Ted fell silent, looking deflated.

Roben's eyes flickered toward Kaizen.

"Wendy, aren't you going to introduce your friend?"

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