ONLINE: Blades of Eternity

Inside the pocket dimension, tension reached its peak.

The barrier Charlotte had erected still held strong, but cracks had begun forming as relentless attacks from the Devouring King, Slime Harbinger, and the other competitors continued hammering against it.

"I can't hold this much longer!" Charlotte gritted her teeth, her arms trembling from the strain of maintaining the Divine Shield Technique.

The Devouring King, his blade coated in devouring energy, carved deep gashes into the barrier, each strike sending out shockwaves.

The Slime Harbinger, a grotesque figure with a shifting amorphous body, tried to slip his corrosive magic through the cracks, but Charlotte forced it back with a surge of divine energy.

Despite her efforts, it was only a matter of time before the barrier collapsed.

Seeing this, Forbes quickly stepped forward, shoving two bags that has shimmering fruits in it into Kaelen and Lila's hands.

"Go. Take the Battle Crown for the academy!"

Kaelen's brows furrowed. "What do you mean? We don't even know how to use these to leave."

Forbes flashed a confident grin, though sweat beaded his forehead.

"Trust me. If these fruits are the key to exiting this place, then am sure you guys will surely find the way of doing so!"

Lila looked hesitant. "But—"

"No buts!" Forbes snapped. "You two go! We'll hold them off!"

A flicker of hesitation crossed Kaelen's face, but then he glanced at Morris, Charlotte, Guinevere, Ethan, Valir, Sofia, and the others.

They weren't backing down.

They had already resolved themselves to fight.

Kaelen's grip tightened on the bags of mana fruit.

"Lila, let's go."

Lila exhaled sharply, then gave a firm nod. "Fine. Just don't die before we get back."

"No promises," Morris said with a smirk, swirling his scepter as he prepared for the incoming battle.

Charlotte clenched her fists, her mana surging as she braced herself for the final impact.

"It's about to break…!"

And in the next second—

The barrier shattered.

A deafening BOOM echoed as the divine energy exploded outward, sending waves of force rippling across the battlefield.

And just like that—

Chaos ensued.

Kaelen and Lila vanished in a burst of speed, dashing toward the top of the humongous tree that stood at the centre of the area.

Behind them, the battlefield erupted into chaos.

Charlotte swung her shield, sending shockwaves rippling through the air as she blocked an incoming strike from a spear-wielding warrior.

Morris conjured massive spikes of ice, impaling multiple attackers before dodging a fireball hurled at him.

Forbes unleashed his silent swordplay, creating crushing yet silent slashes that threw several enemies off balance.

Guinevere, her fiery mana blazing like the sun, sent a torrent of flames toward the Devouring King—only for him to consume the fire, his twisted grin widening.

Ethan instantly disappearred thanks to the help of his mist magic and began to pick on his fighters one after the other.

Valir also did the same as he seemed to be the ambassador of darkness with his menacing twin daggers.

Sofia quickly stayed at the backline of the team as she began sending out supportive spells to the group.

The battle was ruthless, brutal, and unrelenting.

But in the midst of it all—

Kaelen and Lila didn't look back.

Their goal was clear.

They had to reach the Battle Crown.

Before it was too late.

After a while, Kaelen and Lila finally arrived at the top of the humongous tree. But as soon as they did, they quickly witnessed a battle ongoing in that same area.

The top of the humongous tree was nothing short of a battleground.

As Rafeala and Kent were locked in combat against Kelvin and Aric, their weapons clashing in bursts of elemental power.

And behind Kent and Rafeala—stood a large, ornate door.

The exit.

The way back to Valoria's Coliseum.

"That must be it," Kaelen muttered, his eyes narrowing.

But before he could move, Kent suddenly turned his gaze toward them, a sharp glint in his eyes.

A slow grin spread across his face.

"Oh? Finally, all the key figures have arrived."

The words carried a hidden amusement, but also undeniable excitement.

Kent straightened, stepping away from his battle with Kelvin.

"How about we give the audience back in Valoria a good show?"

The air grew tense.

Kaelen's grip on his sword tightened.

Lila's eyes gleamed coldly, a chilling mana swirling around her fingertips.

There would be no avoiding this.

But before anyone could react—

Kelvin vanished.

A sharp boom followed as his afterimage burst into lightning, reappearing directly beside Kaelen, his hand already thrusting forward in a spear-like strike with the help of his dark scythe.

Kaelen barely had time to react—but Lila did.

With a flick of her wrist, a wall of ice shot up, intercepting Kelvin's attack.

CRACK!

The ice shattered instantly, but it gave Kaelen just enough time to sidestep and counter, his sword flashing in a swift arc.

Kelvin dodged, but just as he did—

BOOM!

A blast of golden energy surged toward Kaelen from the side—Aric.

Kaelen quickly raised his sword, his liquid mana condensing into a protective barrier, barely stopping the attack before he was forced backward.

"Tsk. That almost got me," Kaelen muttered.

Lila, on the other hand, was already engaging Kelvin, launching wave after wave of icy projectiles, while Rafeala clashed with Aric, her spear dancing with precision.

And standing just a few feet away, watching the battle unfold—

Kent.

His smile never wavered.

He simply watched, amused.

"I wish I could see what you all can do. But sadly, I have a crown to take back at Valoria kingdom"

And so, while the battle at the top of the humongous tree was reaching its boiling point.

The air crackled with mana, the sky above them swirling with chaotic energy.

Swords clashed. Magic erupted.

Yet, amidst all the chaos—

Kent suddenly moved.

He simply walked forward, calm as ever, heading directly toward the door that led back to Valoria Kingdom.

A place where the Battle Crown awaited.

"Not so fast!"

Both Kaelen and Kelvin spotted his movement at the exact same moment.

Their gazes locked onto Kent like predators who refused to let their prey escape.

And in a burst of power, both of them freed themselves from their battles, launching themselves at him at breakneck speed.

Kaelen's liquid mana flared, his sword ready to cleave through any defense.

Kelvin's dark magic flared vigorously as the orb of chaos embedded in him actually doubled his speed to match Kaelen's speed whom had the help of his liquid mana.

They were both about to strike—

But then, Kent turned.

A grin, unlike any they had seen before, stretched across his face.

"You guys are idiots, you know that?"

And in the blink of an eye—

BOOM!

The mana around them suddenly twisted.

As if the entire atmosphere itself had been under Kent's control all along.

An invisible force—a pulse of pure mana energy—slammed into Kaelen and Kelvin before they could even react.

"Tsk—!"

"What—?!"

They both muttered in surprise as the impact actually sent them forward like a beeline instead of backwards—

Directly through the door.

SHOOM!

The portal swallowed them whole.

Kent, now standing before the door, let out a light chuckle.

"Now then, let's have some more fun, Kealen and Kelvin"

Then, with a more ecstatic grin on his face, he stepped through, disappearing into the light.

"KAELEN!"

Lila's voice rang with pure anxiety, her eyes wide with panic as she reached out.

But that moment of distraction—

Was a mistake.

Before she could even realize it, a surge of lunar magic slammed into her, sending her skidding backward.

A cold, grim voice followed:

"Do you have a death wish?"

It was Rafeala.

Her silver eyes burned like moons, her scepter pointed at Lila inwhich it's head described planets and stars while at the middle of it all was a brightly colored moon, while her expression filled with disdain.

"Getting distracted in battle… how pathetic."

But something changed in Lila.

At Rafeala's words—

Her expression froze over.

The warmth in her gaze vanished.

Her chilling mana surged, but now it felt different—colder, sharper, deadlier.

Then, in a voice as frigid as death itself, she whispered:

"I will make you regret saying that."

Back in Valoria Kingdom, a blinding flash erupted in the center of the grand coliseum—

BOOM!

Three figures were spat out from a swirling rift of energy, crashing onto the arena floor with force.

Kaelen.

Kelvin.

Kent.

They had arrived.

The prestigious Battle Crown, the ultimate prize of the convention, rested atop a golden pedestal just a few meters away.

The crowd, who had been in a frenzy, fell into complete silence.

Then—

"They're here!"

And in a split second, the entire coliseum and even outside the coliseum erupted with deafening cheers as almost every single person in the kingdom were ecstatic about who will be this year's winner of the battle convention.

But up in the VIP section—

A smirk formed on the lips of King Alexandria.

His fingers tapped rhythmically against the gilded armrest of his throne, his limpid yellow eyes gleaming with an ominous light.

"It begins."

His voice was low, but all those who heard his voice—nobles, warriors, and even the royal elf—involuntarily felt a chill crawl up their spines.

He wasn't just watching.

He was waiting.

Waiting for what was about to unfold in the arena.

Because this battle—

Seems to be far from ordinary.