Disappointment of the Three Genius

The atmosphere in the colosseum was electric as the names of Rise, Mitchel, and Razen were called by Lunar Eclipse. The crowd fell silent, their attention fixed on the trio as they prepared to face the final phase of the trial. Liva, watching from the sidelines, whispered a quiet prayer. "After those three, Mixarnt is the only one left," she said, her voice filled with hope and anxiety.

Razen stood up and stretched, her usual calm demeanor intact. "Hey, Mixarnt, we'll go on ahead, okay?" she said, glancing at him with a small smile.

"Yeah, see you on the other side!" Rise added, his grin as confident as ever.

"Good luck later, Mixarnt," Mitchel said, her tone warm and encouraging. The trio then made their way toward the corridor, leaving Mixarnt behind.

Mixarnt, still lazing on the floor of the encased dome, yawned loudly. "Good luck to you three too! Yawwwnn!" he called out, his voice dripping with sleepiness. He then turned to Gerald, who was standing nearby. "Hey, old man, aren't you the one who usually calls the names? Why is it a woman's voice this time around?" he asked, his tone curious.

Gerald shrugged, a playful grin on his face. "I dunno, but who cares? I just want this event to finish too," he said, clearly enjoying the chaos of the trials.

As Rise, Mitchel, and Razen walked down the corridor, they felt a chilling aura emanating from the room ahead. However, none of them seemed particularly affected by it. Razen even yawned, her lack of concern evident. When they entered the wide room, they found Lunar Eclipse standing there, her presence as imposing as ever. Yet, the trio remained unfazed.

"Hmmm. You three don't seem intimidated," Lunar Eclipse observed, her voice cold and logical.

"Do we have to be?" Rise replied with a grin. "After experiencing fighting a General in the previous phase, there's really nothing to fear."

The three of them knew that taking on Lunar Eclipse would require all of their strength, but they were ready for whatever challenge she presented. However, instead of a physical test, Lunar Eclipse posed a question to Razen. "Razen, if you are given a task by the kingdom to kill your father, what will you do?" she asked, her tone icy and her gaze piercing.

The pressure in the room intensified, but Razen remained composed. She didn't hesitate. "Is that even a question? Of course, I'll kill my father," she said, her voice calm and matter-of-fact.

In the grand hall, Kalavan, Razen's father, was utterly dumbfounded. He took a step back, his face pale. "W-what!? My daughter will kill me without hesitation!?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief and sadness.

Gawain, standing nearby, couldn't help but tease him. "You're kidding... In the previous phase, you didn't care when she was about to die from Lamorak's attack," he said, his tone mocking.

"Yeah, he only cares if someone is going to court his daughter, and now he's acting like this," Kay added, rolling her eyes.

Kalavan stammered, trying to defend himself. "T-that's two different things! No way my daughter would want to kill me. Heh," he said, though his confidence wavered. But then, he heard Razen's next words on the screen.

"I would kill him no matter what! He is an annoying father anyway!" Razen declared with a grin.

Kalavan's jaw dropped, and he turned as white as a statue, his pride thoroughly shattered.

Back in the wide room, Lunar Eclipse shifted her focus. "If you are asked to kill Mixarnt, what will you do?" she asked, her demeanor unchanged.

This time, Razen was caught off guard. She began to stutter, her cheeks turning bright red. "I.. uhm... I-I'll... I'll first ask for a reason, and if the reason isn't provided, I would investigate.... If Mixarnt is doing something evil, then I would, uhm... Ask him if he can stop and be arrested by me, and I would arrest him and put him under my jurisdiction and f-feed him day and night and take care of him—" she rambled, her blush deepening with every word.

The audience in the colosseum erupted into laughter and cheers, some finding Razen's flustered state endearing, while others were touched by the obvious affection, she held for Mixarnt. The magical monitor had broadcasted everything, including Mixarnt's earlier confession to Razen, which had already made their relationship a topic of public interest.

In the grand hall, Kalavan was once again burning with anger. "You brat, Mixarnt!!!!" he shouted, his fists clenched.

Gawain and the others could only shake their heads in disbelief. "Here we go again," Gawain muttered, clearly amused by Kalavan's over-the-top reactions.

Back in the wide room, Mitchel quickly covered Razen's mouth, cutting off her rambling. "I guess that's enough, Razen? Aha... hahaha..." she said awkwardly, trying to diffuse the situation.

Lunar Eclipse, unfazed by the display, turned her attention to Rise and Mitchel. "What about you two? Mitchel and Rise?" she asked, her tone still cold and logical.

Rise grinned, his confidence unwavering. "Hmmm... I would do it as long as there is a reasonable cause. But if there isn't, I would stay by Mixarnt's side," he said, his loyalty clear.

Mitchel sighed, removing her hand from Razen's mouth. "The point is, all of us will choose Mixarnt's side if the kingdom itself is the one in the wrong," she said, her voice firm and resolute.

Lunar Eclipse studied them for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, she nodded. "Your loyalty to your comrades is commendable. You have shown that your principles are unwavering, even in the face of difficult choices. For that, you pass the final phase of the exam."

The trio exchanged relieved smiles, their bond stronger than ever. As they left the room, they knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together, united by their shared values and unbreakable friendship.

The moment Razen, Rise, and Mitchel materialized outside the encased dome, a wall of sound hit them. The colosseum crowd roared, chanting their names and applauding.

"Mitchel! Razen! Rise!" Liva sprinted toward them, her grin stretching ear to ear. "You passed! We're all Aetherlight Knights now!"

The trio froze.

"...That's it?" Mitchel blinked, dumbfounded.

Rise scratched his head. "Kinda anti-climactic after nearly dying six times from all the trials, huh?"

Razen crossed her arms. "Well, of course it's simpl—"

Her words died as the crowd's cheers shifted—into chants of "Razen and Mixarnt! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

Her face burned crimson. "W-WHAT?! HOW DO THEY—?!"

Mitchel sighed. "Told you not to confess your undying love in front of the magical observers."

Liva, Ewan, and the others burst into laughter, crowding around a mortified Razen as she ducked behind Mitchel. "SHUT UP, YOU IDIOTS!"

The merriment faded as Gerald's voice boomed through the arena:

"Final participant: Mixarnt."

A hush fell over the crowd. Rise smirked. "Well. This'll be fun."

Inside the dome, Gerald clapped Mixarnt's shoulder. "Your turn, kid. Don't die." With a flash, he teleported away—finally free of his duties.

Mixarnt cracked his neck. "Alright. Time to show off."