MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

In a separate building, the delegates sat in quiet observation, their gazes fixed on the distant spectacle.

"I must admit, the humans have exceeded my expectations this time"

A delegate from the Ignivore race remarked, his words hanging in the air, not directed at anyone in particular.

"Having a human claim the number one rank is no trivial feat"

Another delegate added, nodding in acknowledgment.

A representative from the Voidwalker race leaned forward, his tone carrying a hint of amusement.

"Why not entrust the champion to us? With our superior resources, we could refine his potential far beyond its current limits"

At his words, the room shifted, all eyes turning toward the delegates of the Blue Planet, for it was clear that the discussion centered around Anthony.

As expected, the Null family offered no response.

As always, they chose to ignore such remarks, their silence a statement in itself.

However, Gorath Storm, the formidable Titan Patriarch, was not one to let such words pass unchallenged.

"Claiming to have more resources than us, when we just secured first place in this tournament, is the most absurd thing I've ever heard in my existence"

He stated, his voice like rolling thunder.

A heavy silence fell over the hall.

Yet, the Voidwalker delegate showed no sign of offense.

Instead, he let out a low chuckle and said nothing more.

The other delegates of the top races, however, were unsurprised by his composure.

After all, they all shared the same unspoken thought as the Voidwalker, one that did not need to be voiced aloud.

____________

The soft hum of music drifted through the grand ballroom, its melody weaving seamlessly with the murmurs of noble conversations and the occasional clinking of crystal glasses.

Anthony stood at the edge of the dance floor, his gaze roving over the elegantly adorned women who graced the evening with their presence.

Each one was a vision of refinement, yet his attention was soon captured by a singular figure approaching him with a slow, deliberate grace.

She was breathtaking, an elf of unparalleled beauty, her presence commanding without need for words.

Long, silken hair of silver cascaded down her back, catching the glow of the chandeliers like strands of moonlight.

Her almond shaped eyes, a deep shade of amethyst, held an enigmatic allure, framed by dark, sweeping lashes that accentuated their depth.

Her skin was a flawless shade of porcelain, smooth and untouched by imperfection, its luster reminiscent of polished pearl.

Draped in an elegant gown of sky blue, the fabric clung to her lithe, hourglass frame, accentuating the gentle swell of her bosom without immodesty.

The delicate curve of her waist flowed seamlessly into the soft flare of her hips, each movement exuding a quiet, mesmerizing sensuality.

The dress shimmered subtly as she moved, mirroring the quiet confidence in her every step.

She stopped before Anthony, her full lips curving into a knowing smile as she extended a delicate hand toward him.

"May I have this dance?"

Her voice was like velvet, smooth, rich, and laced with an undertone of amusement.

Anthony's lips curled slightly at the edges, his gaze lingering on hers as he took her offered hand.

Lowering his head slightly, he brushed a feather light kiss across her knuckles before straightening, the corners of his mouth lifting in a subtle smirk.

Without a word, he led her to the center of the dance floor.

Their movements were effortless, bodies swaying in perfect synchrony as they danced beneath the glow of the grand chandeliers.

Their gazes remained locked, an unspoken conversation flowing between them as the music carried them through each graceful step.

Time seemed to slow, the world around them fading into irrelevance.

As the final note of the melody whispered through the air, they came to a gentle halt.

Neither spoke, words were unnecessary.

Instead, Anthony cupped her cheek with a tenderness he hadn't anticipated, and she leaned into him, their lips meeting in a slow, intoxicating kiss.

But as they parted, just as Anthony opened his mouth to speak, a sudden shift in the atmosphere made him pause.

A powerful aura spread through the hall like an invisible storm, suffocating and undeniable.

The Overseer had made his presence known.

"We will speak later"

She said, her tone neutral as she acknowledged the Overseer's arrival.

Without another word, she turned away, her measured steps carrying her seamlessly back into the crowd.

At that moment, a grand stage materialized from the void as the Overseer descended onto it with effortless grace.

"We will begin the award ceremony"

He announced, his voice sharp and direct, leaving no room for delay.

Now that the battles had concluded, he had little interest in watching lesser beings revel in their fleeting victories.

To him, this was nothing more than a formality, one he intended to conclude as swiftly as possible.

"We are all here for one reason, resources. And those who now stand among the top ten shall receive them"

The Overseer's voice was firm, carrying the weight of finality.

With a single clap of his hands, an illusionary list shimmered into existence above the stage, each name accompanied by a number.

"This is the official ranking. Your number reflects your standing in the tournament"

He stated, his tone devoid of emotion.

As his words settled, countless eyes turned toward the floating list.

They had already accepted that a human had claimed the top spot, yet a lingering thought, perhaps even a sliver of hope, remained among some.

Could it be that the dominant races might reject Anthony's ranking?

Might they challenge the results?

But as the names solidified in irrefutable clarity, that fragile hope was shattered.

They had been wrong.

Utterly wrong.

1] NULL ANTHONY/ HUMAN

2] AAANINJA CHRONISYNTH ETERNOS/ CELESTIAL

3] LUCIAN DARKHEART/ HUMAN

4] CHARLES EVANDER/ HUMAN

5] THYROS EMBERFORGE/ IGNIVORE

6] MALRIK SHADECORE/ NETHERBORN

7] ZERATH NEX/ VOIDWALKER

8] SOLARA LUMINAEUS/ LUMINARI

9] ARIUS FROSTBOUND/ CRYONiD

10] KAERON EARTHSHARD/ TERRAMORPH

Their throats went dry as they stared at the list, unable to utter a single word.

What they saw was beyond shocking.

HUMANS

Not just one, but three, three humans had secured spots in the top rankings.

And not at the bottom.

No, they had dominated.

First. Third. Fourth.

They had surpassed nearly every other race, standing at the very pinnacle of the tournament.

Aaaninja, the Celestial, was the only non-human within the top four, a lone outlier among the unexpected victors.

For the so called top races, it was an undeniable humiliation.

Their long standing pride, their unwavering belief in their superiority, lay in ruins before the cold, undeniable truth of the rankings.

And the lower races, vampires, dragons, elves, did not let this moment pass unnoticed.

They seized the opportunity, their smirks and quiet laughter a stinging reminder that the mighty had fallen.

The once dominant races, who had always looked down upon others, now found themselves ridiculed.

The humans had shattered their expectations.

The Overseer, however, remained utterly indifferent.

Unlike the others, he felt no shattered pride, no wounded ego. Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire

To him, only carnage and ability mattered, status and race were irrelevant.

"If your name is on this list, step onto the stage"

He commanded, his voice cutting through the heavy silence.

At his words, ten figures moved forward, each stepping into the spotlight.

Without ceremony, space rings materialized in the Overseer's palm, ten in total, each bearing a number corresponding to the rankings.

These rings contained the very rewards they had all fought so desperately for since the tournament's beginning.

With a flick of his wrist, the Overseer simply tossed them toward their respective owners, as if they were of little consequence.

The ring marked with a bold '1' landed squarely in Anthony's palm.

The gathered races could only watch, both awed and unsettled by the Overseer's sheer indifference.

To him, this ceremony was nothing more than a hassle, one he had no patience for.

The Overseer turned to the crowd, his expression as unreadable as ever.

"You can run back to your planets now"

With those final words, he vanished, his presence dissolving as if he had never been there.

Anthony barely spared the departing figure a glance.

Instead, his gaze shifted, seeking.

Then, he found her.

The Elf woman from earlier.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he took a step forward, intent on closing the distance between them.

But just as his foot lifted,

Space bent.

Before he could react, a force beyond his control warped reality around him.

His body twisted, stretched, and in the next instant,

He was gone.

A curse roared through his mind as the world stabilized around him.

'FUCKKKK!!! I finally get a girl, and this happens?!'

But it was too late.

When his vision cleared, he was no longer in the grand hall.

He was back aboard the aircraft they had arrived in.

"We are leaving"

Collins' voice rang out, firm and absolute.

Then, without pause, he issued the next command.

"Set coordinates for Blue Planet. Full speed"

"Affirmative"

A mechanical voice acknowledged the order.

The engines roared to life, energy surging through the vessel.

Then, with a sharp whistle, the ship vanished, breaking through the void, leaving the barren planet behind as it shot toward home.

______________

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Second Arc has officially come to an end.

Thank you for staying with me, on this journey to the peak

Let the world burn under peak action during the third arc