Rebirth: Childhood friend of the heroine

As of now, there are three warriors in Alex's eyes who can participate in the Ascension Trials apart from him: Edric, Natasha, and Rebecca. Although he knew who could be the other six, he wasn't seeking them out by himself but rather letting fate decide who would be sharing the arena with him.

Now, the question arises whether the changes in the participants would have a good impact or not; after all, sometimes, what seems better than the original ends up producing a far worse result.

So, what should Alex do? Choose the people he knew would have participated if not for his presence? Well, there was no harm in trying to assess them at least.

"Here they are," Lucan voiced as the three strongest warriors of the Beast realm appeared from the shadows.

On the left stood a fox-woman with golden fur, her four tails elegantly bound by a golden ring, their tips flickering like flames. Opposite her, an ape-man loomed with thick, powerful arms, his black fur bristling as he radiated an intimidating aura.

In the center stood a feral beast with sleek white fur and the face of a tiger. Unlike the others, he masterfully suppressed his aura, exuding a calm yet commanding presence. His poised demeanor hinted at a level of control that set him apart.

'I recognize all three of them…' Alex chuckled inwardly. It seems this realm has a very straightforward method of discerning their strongest since the three top candidates didn't change from the story. It was amusing in a way.

"That is Shuri, Jagaan, and Barrock. They hail from different tribes, yet each carries an unmatched legacy of achievements. These apex predators stand as the unshakable pillars of our realm's defense." Lucan introduced.

Alex hummed as he assessed the people.

Shuri was looking back at him with her gaze narrowed. Barrock was looking behind Alex, at the Vampires who were silently standing behind a human. And Jagaan was standing with a nonchalant look.

Alex stepped forward and asked, "So, you all have a problem working with a team? Why?" He asked a question before he could give any verdict.

"It'd take a coward to rely on someone. And I...ain't a sissy." Shuri simply responded with her arms crossed.

"Who wants to get involved with others and let them steal your glory?" Barrock also had a similar reaction. He seemed genuinely exasperated at the idea of having a team

"Only the weak seek assistance," Jagaan added, his tone stiff and his demeanor oozing with disgust just at the mention of teamwork.

Mostly everyone standing behind Alex had a frown on their faces. Natasha as well, who have mostly hunted alone, found these people quite annoying and full of themselves.

Alex spoke in a heavy tone, "So assuming that you can handle any danger all by yourself, let's conduct a test. Three of us would be attacking you together, and if you defend against us, I will request the Saintess to change the requirement for recruitment."

Shuri grinned at the proposal, and Barrock just shrugged.

Jagaan, for the first time, opened his eyes and directed his cold blue orbs at Alex, "I need not to prove my worth to anyone."

"Considering your opponent could be the daughter of Vampire Monarch...I think you are rather scared here." Alex bluntly stated.

Jagaan growled, "You think I will be scared of some blood-sucking bit-"

"Jagaan." Lucan's voice, cold and commanding, cut through the hall like a blade, freezing Jagaan in place before he could utter another insult toward Natasha. The weight of his words alone was enough to silence the air itself.

It was apparent from how he had reacted until now that Jagaan hated Vampires down to his core.

"Arrogance, huh...well, it would be appreciated if you have the strength to back it." Alex loudly muttered, with the sole intention of riling him up.

And the way Jagaan's muscles began to tense, and his aura flared to life, Alex knew he had succeeded.

"You are pretty eager to see how strong I am. So be it. However, don't expect me to go easy on you." His bulging muscles and that profound Soul presence reminded Alex of Allen when he met him for the first time in Grimland.

'The strongest warriors of the beast realm surely would be as strong as a Vampire Duke.'

"Let's carry this battle to the battleground," Lucan stated as he signaled his soldiers to prepare the arena.

Alex and Jagaan were still having a stare-down.

Alex's posture was relaxed,. He seemed completely unbothered by the excessive blood lust Jagaan was pouring on him.

Shuri had an excited smile on her face while Barrock seemed mildly interested.

Soon Jagaan and the others began to make their way out of the castle.

Alex joined his team, as he heard Sarah saying, "You got a talent for provoking people."

"I will take that as a compliment." He smilingly responded.

They also followed the others to the open arena where the test would be conducted.

"So...who is going to fight him?" Celestria asked with a hopeful look in her eyes. After training for so long, her skills have developed that's why she was slightly eager to show her strength when there was an opportunity.

However, "Since he hates Vampires so much, how about we let our vampire trio deal with him?" Alex suggested.

Jullie was taken aback, "I...Are you sure? I haven't practiced my new skills enough."

"I trust your skills, Professor." That confident remark left Jullie speechless.

Her ears turned slightly red as she softly nodded and accepted her position in the team.

"I can crush him on my own." Natasha voiced. The surprising part was, despite the insult she faced back then, she didn't allow her aura to leak because of the baby she was holding.

None shall disturb the little one's sleep!

Alex was sure that Natasha could easily defeat the Beast alone, however, "We need to show them that it's impossible to defeat your opponent when they are working in a team. So despite what you claimed, you need to work with Rebecca and Professor Jullie."

Natasha clicked her tongue...she really wanted to run havoc and walk out of the battlefield with a dead body. But what Alex said made sense.

....

They soon reached the open training ground.

The training ground was a large, open arena shaped like a funnel, with sloping sides that led down to a wide, flat battlefield in the center.

The high walls helped contain the fights, while the open sky above allowed fresh air and sunlight to pour in.

It was built to test strength and skill, making it the perfect place for intense training.

The Elder and the other two champions have already joined the stands.

Alex had a few words with Rebecca before he patted her shoulder and went to the stands with the other two.

Quinton also soon followed, unsure how things turned out like this

Alice was in Sarah's arms; the woman had formed a barrier around them to block any kind of damage.

It was surprising that despite the conversation earlier, her sleep wasn't disturbed.

Alex was slightly worried if she was okay. But Sarah assured him that her body was recovering slowly, that's why she was sleeping soundly.

And in the first place, if her situation worsens, there could be no better medic than Sarah to heal her.

"Alex...is Natasha the perfect example of a worthy soldier to participate in the trials?" Celestria had been wondering for some time—despite their overwhelming strength, Alex and Edric were still striving for more, never seeming satisfied with where they stood. It was as if no level of power would ever be enough for them.

That curiosity gnawed at her. Just how strong did someone have to be to truly be considered prepared for the trials?

In her eyes, the pinnacle of strength belonged to Azeroth and Natasha. If there was a milestone to measure against, it had to be Natasha.

However, "Even Natasha has to practice more and sharpen her skills. She has potential, but she still hasn't attained her best version?"

"Hmm? Really?" It was Sarah who asked with a surprised tone.

Sarah had read about the opponents they would be facing during the Trials, and from her knowledge, Natasha might be enough to hold her ground against those foes.

Well, surely, there could be more dangerous ones since she has only read until the second last volume. But Alex should also have the same impression since he also hasn't read the last volume.

Alex heaved a sigh at her confusion as he said, "It's not me...rather, the Curse said that there is still some room for improvement for her. And considering Solaris and a few other Gods would be sending their apostles after us, we need to be prepared for the worst."

Sarah and Celestria's expressions turned grim. Because they have been quite busy these days, they nearly forgot that the Gods held animosity against him.

That's right. This wasn't just a trial for survival—it was a battlefield where immortal beings could settle unfinished scores from the past. A chance to rewrite fate, to claim what had once slipped through their grasp.

His eyes caught the figure of the four figures on the battlefield moving.

'It's about to begin...'

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A/N:- I hope you enjoyed reading the chapter. Drop a comment.