The First Trial – The Island of Keys

The grand Coliseum of Arcadia stood tall, its towering walls built from ancient enchanted stone. Within, thousands of students and nobles gathered to witness the first stage of the First-Year Tournament—the Island of Keys.

Ethan stood among the participants, his hands in his pockets, eyes calm as he surveyed the competition.

500 first-year students had entered, but only 50 would advance.

The rules were simple:

300 keys were scattered across the tournament island.

To pass, a contestant needed to collect 10 keys before the time limit.

Keys could be obtained from hidden locations, defeating magical beasts, or stealing from others.

Defeated students would be teleported out and lose all their keys.

Forming teams was forbidden.

A massive magic projection above the arena displayed a map of the island, divided into different terrains:

Dense forests

Caverns

Ruined temples

Lava pits

Frozen lakes

"So it's basically a free-for-all survival challenge," Ethan mused.

The instructors began their countdown.

"5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Begin!"

A brilliant golden circle flared beneath the students.

Light swallowed them whole.

When it faded, Ethan found himself standing in the middle of a thick jungle.

The air was humid, filled with the sounds of unknown creatures lurking in the distance. A distant roar shook the trees.

"They really went all out." Ethan smirked.

As he surveyed his surroundings, a faint golden glow caught his attention—

A key was stuck inside a tree trunk.

"That's one."

But before he could take it—

SHWIIING!

A fireball whizzed past his face.

Ethan calmly tilted his head, avoiding it.

"Oh? We're starting already?"

A boy with flaming red hair and an ornate staff stepped forward.

"That key is mine."

Ethan yawned. "Then come take it."

The first battle had begun.

Meanwhile, across the island, other students raced to claim keys.

Noble heirs formed temporary alliances, only to betray each other moments later.

Some students focused on hunting magical beasts for keys, avoiding fights.

Others hid in the shadows, waiting to ambush the unsuspecting.

Celeste Everhart stood atop a frozen hill, ice rapier in hand, calmly dispatching a pack of Snowfang Wolves. 

Dante Everwinter sat upon his frozen throne freezing everything in his part till he could not see anyone again.

Cedric Valefor was full blown mode collecting keys every where he went.

Iris Valeria, meanwhile, had already stolen three keys by catching her opponents off guard.

But the real hunt was only just beginning.

The fire mage launched a barrage of flame projectiles.

Ethan side-stepped, weaved, and dodged effortlessly through the attacks.

"H-How?! No one's that fast!"

Ethan sighed.

"This is getting boring."

He disappeared—

—then reappeared behind the boy.

Before his opponent could react, Ethan struck with a precise palm strike to the chest.

BAM!

The fire mage collapsed, the wind knocked out of him.

A golden light engulfed his body—he had been eliminated.

Ethan bent down, picking up two keys from his opponent's bag.

"Eight more to go."

With that, he vanished into the jungle, leaving behind the fallen contestant.

The Tournament Rages On

As the first stage continued, chaos unfolded:

Students fought desperately for keys.

Dangerous magical beasts roamed the island, attacking indiscriminately.

Betrayals and ambushes became common.

But Ethan?

He was hunting at his own pace.

One key at a time.

With his shadow techniques, his unmatched combat skills, and his calm strategy, he was on his way to dominating the first trial.

The Battle for Keys Intensifies

The tournament was in full swing.

Across the island, battles erupted as students clashed, desperate to collect enough keys to advance. The competition was fierce, but among the hundreds of contestants, several individuals stood above the rest—each a powerhouse in their own right.

And Ethan would soon have to face them all.

Deep in the heart of the volcanic region, flames blazed across the battlefield as a tall, striking girl with crimson hair and golden eyes cut down her foes with burning precision.

A daughter of the Ignis Family, one of the strongest noble houses in the Human Continent, Seraphina was a master of fire magic and swordsmanship, wielding a flaming greatsword that left a trail of molten destruction in her wake.

Right now, she faced three opponents—all eliminated within seconds.

FWOOSH!

She spun her sword, sending a fiery arc through the air, cutting one opponent's sword in half before kicking them aside.

The second tried to escape—

Too late.

Seraphina raised her hand, and pillars of fire erupted, blocking the path. The heat was suffocating.

With a smirk, she charged forward, breaking through her opponent's defense in a single slash.

As the third enemy trembled in fear, she simply pointed her sword at them.

"Drop your keys, or burn."

The student immediately surrendered.

With a flick of her wrist, she collected three more keys and walked away without a single burn on her body.

"This is too easy," she muttered, heading towards the island's central ruins.

In the misty swamplands, a chilling presence loomed.

The air grew heavy with an ominous aura as black mist coiled around the ground.

The cause?

A tall figure clad in dark robes, silver chains, and a black raven mask.

Damian Blackwood – The Necromancer Prince.

A direct descendant of the Blackwood House, one of the few noble families that wielded dark magic, Damian was feared for his mastery over necromantic arts.

Currently, he stood before a group of defeated students, their faces pale with fear. Shadows twisted behind him, forming grotesque figures.

He let out a disappointed sigh.

"Weaklings."

Raising a single hand, he snapped his fingers.

Immediately, several spectral arms reached out from the darkness, snatching the keys from his fallen enemies.

One student tried to crawl away.

"P-please… spare me…"

Damian tilted his head.

"I already have what I need."

With another snap, black mist swallowed the defeated contestants, teleporting them out of the tournament.

With seven keys already collected, he vanished into the fog, continuing his hunt.

Meanwhile, in a vast field of ruins, another battle was reaching its climax.

A young man with jet-black hair and sharp silver eyes swung his enchanted spear, moving with deadly efficiency.

The second son of Marquis Ascar, and often overshadowed by his prodigy older brother, Alden Ascar.

But Leon was no weakling.

Right now, he fought against four noble heirs who had foolishly tried to corner him.

CLANG!

His spear danced like a storm, countering every attack with brutal efficiency.

One opponent lunged—Leon sidestepped, sweeping their legs before striking with the blunt side of his spear, sending them crashing into a stone pillar.

Another charged, unleashing a wind spell—Leon spun his spear, redirecting the spell back at them.

CRACK!

With a precise thrust, he shattered another student's sword.

His last opponent panicked, turning to flee.

Leon simply scoffed.

"Coward."

Lifting his spear, he threw it with terrifying force—

WHOOOSH!

The weapon pierced through the air, striking the ground in front of the fleeing student, stopping them in their tracks.

Leon walked up, retrieving his spear as he plucked the keys from their belt.

With eight keys now in hand, he turned towards the deeper parts of the island.

"Where are you, Ethan?" he muttered. "I want to see what you're really capable of."

Elsewhere, Ethan moved effortlessly through the shadows, avoiding unnecessary conflicts.

He had already collected six keys, choosing to outmaneuver rather than waste energy on every fight.

But then—

He sensed a familiar presence nearby.

A presence that made him sigh.

"Him."

On a high cliff, looking down at the battlefield with annoying arrogance, stood a blond-haired, golden-eyed man with a noble posture and an infuriating smirk.

Alden Ascar.

The first son of Marquis Ascar.

A "prodigy."

And a certified pain in Ethan's ass.

Ethan crossed his arms, watching as Alden effortlessly dispatched his enemies, his movements precise, elegant, and disgustingly perfect.

CLANG!

Alden blocked three attacks at once, his swordplay dazzling.

With a flick of his wrist, he disarmed one opponent, kicked another in the gut, and countered the last with a swift cut to their leg.

Within seconds, he had eliminated four students.

He retrieved their keys, flipping one between his fingers as he turned his golden gaze towards Ethan's location.

A smirk curled on his lips.

"I see you, little Baron."

Ethan sighed.

"Of course, you do."

Alden's expression was smug. "I hope you survive long enough to entertain me later."

Then, with a dramatic swirl of his coat, he vanished into the distance.

Ethan clenched his fists.

"One of these days, I'm going to wipe that smirk off his face."

The Battle Continues

As the first stage neared its climax, the true contenders began to emerge.

Seraphina Ignis burned her way through the battlefield.

Damian Blackwood's dark magic left students trembling in fear.

Leon Ascar cut down all in his path, proving himself as a rival to be reckoned with.

Alden Ascar remained untouchable, an unshakable presence in the tournament.

And Ethan?

He was still watching. Still waiting.

He wasn't looking for just any opponent.

No—he was waiting for a real challenge.