The First Collision

As the first stage of the tournament neared its climax, the island was in complete chaos. The initial 500 participants had dwindled rapidly, with only the strongest and most cunning fighters remaining. Keys were becoming scarcer, and desperation pushed students to their limits.

Some chose to hide and ambush their opponents. Others engaged in brutal, open combat to secure their spot in the next stage. However, among the rising stars of this competition, seven figures stood apart from the rest.

Seraphina Ignis – The Blazing Knight

Cedric Valefor – The lighting spearman 

Damian Blackwood – The Necromancer Prince

Leon Ascar – The Spear of the Ascar Family

Alden Ascar – The Golden Prodigy

Dante Everwinter – The Ice Monarch

Celeste Everhart – The Ice Queen

Iris Gale – The Mage Princess

Ethan Baron – The Dark Magic Knight 

Each of them had already secured several keys, but none of them intended to stop yet. Their paths were about to collide.

Ethan crouched in the dense jungle, his senses sharpened. He had eight keys already, but he knew he needed two more. His strategy so far had been to observe, evade, and strike only when necessary, but now he had to engage in full combat.

His target? A group of three noble heirs who had just defeated another group and stolen their keys.

Ethan's eyes glowed with purple energy as he activated his system.

[System Notification]

[Appraisal Activated]

Opponent 1: Advanced Swordsmanship, Wind Magic.

Opponent 2: Earth Magic, Heavy Armor.

Opponent 3: Quick Reflexes, Dagger Combat.

Ethan smirked. "This will be over fast."

The Clash Begins

The three noble heirs barely had time to react before Ethan struck. Like a shadow, he dashed forward.

Opponent 1 swung their sword—Ethan sidestepped and countered with a lightning-fast palm strike to the ribs.

Opponent 2 tried to crush him with an earth spell—Ethan leaped, twisting in midair, and landed a spinning kick to their helmet.

Opponent 3, the fastest of the group, went for a sneak attack from behind—Ethan grabbed their wrist mid-stab and disarmed them with a swift twist.

Within moments, all three were on the ground, groaning in pain. Ethan picked up the last two keys he needed.

[System Notification]

You have collected 10 Keys! You are now eligible to proceed to the next stage.

Ethan exhaled. "That takes care of that."

Seraphina Ignis – The Blazing Knight

Elsewhere, Seraphina stood atop a battlefield of scorched earth, her flaming greatsword glowing red-hot. She had just defeated five opponents at once, and the flames around her still flickered dangerously.

She twirled a key between her fingers. "Only fools challenge me head-on."

Damian Blackwood – The Necromancer Prince

In the dark swamplands, Damian walked forward, his shadowy specters dragging his fallen enemies into the mist. He retrieved his final key, his voice a whisper of satisfaction.

"Death always claims its due."

Leon Ascar – The Spear of the Ascar Family

Leon parried a rain of attacks before driving his spear into the ground, sending a shockwave through the battlefield. His last opponent collapsed, and he effortlessly collected the key.

"That was barely worth my time."

Alden Ascar – The Golden Prodigy

Alden flicked his wrist, dodging an attack with arrogant ease. His blade moved faster than the eye could track, eliminating his final opponent. With a charming smirk, he caught his tenth key mid-air.

"I was hoping for something more entertaining."

Celeste Everhart – The Ice Queen

Celeste stood at the center of a frozen wasteland, her icy aura chilling the air. With a flick of her fingers, she encased her last opponent in a prison of ice and claimed her final key.

"Pathetic."

Iris Valeria – The Mage Princess

Iris elegantly weaved through enemy attacks, her magic forming beautiful but deadly spells. With a soft smile, she released an explosion of arcane energy, disarming and knocking out her last challenger.

She retrieved the key and dusted off her robes. "That was fun."

The First Stage Ends

A loud chime echoed across the island.

[Announcement]

The First Stage has ended! All participants with 10 keys have successfully passed.

Others have been eliminated.

Ethan, along with Seraphina, Damian, Leon, Alden, Celeste, Cedric, Dante and Iris, stood victorious. Each of them had proven their dominance.

But the tournament was far from over.

As the survivors were teleported off the island, Ethan couldn't help but smirk.

"The real battles are just beginning."