Chapter 1406: A Step into the Arena

They were walking through a long, sloping tunnel, moving steadily from beneath the arena toward the open grounds above. The sound of footsteps echoed off the stone walls as the group advanced toward the light.

As they neared the end of the passage, they came face to face with a translucent magical barrier, it shimmered faintly, stopping them from advancing any further for now.

“Remember, during this part we’ll still be with you,” Panla said, turning to face the students behind her.

She looked across the group with a calm but firm expression. “We’ll be allowed to advise you for two minutes before you head into the field, but honestly… there’s not much more to say other than this, give it your best.”

Her eyes lingered briefly on the transfer students.

They stood quietly, composed and still, like they weren’t facing a high-stakes public event but just another scheduled task in their day. Calm. Collected. Unshaken.

And that made sense.

They were students who had seen war. They had already lost people close to them, already faced horrors far greater than a tournament. They had walked into real battles, not just magical simulations. Compared to that, today’s event was nothing.

The outcome of the event itself didn’t mean much to them.

What really mattered… was everything happening outside of the tournament.

Suddenly, a voice boomed across the coliseum.

“Introducing first among our esteemed academies, please welcome, our very own Central Academy!”

The cheers erupted immediately.

Though it wasn’t Ibarin’s voice, the announcer spoke with enthusiasm as the Central Academy students began to step into the light. Though the Wilford students couldn’t yet see them, they could imagine it all: the slow, confident walk, the waves to the crowd, the way the spectators roared for them.

It was no surprise. Everyone here, talented students, guild officials, wealthy elites, they had all come to see Central Academy. The moment they arrived on campus, that much had been obvious. Central had been treated differently from the start.

“Typical,” Moze muttered under his breath. “Of course they call out their academy first.”

“Don’t worry too much about it,” Liam replied with a grin. “You know how this works, right? The best is always saved for last.”

The others chuckled quietly, the tension lifting just slightly. But their laughter was cut short.

“Next, we have Wilford Academy!”

The magical barrier in front of them flickered once, then dissipated completely.

There was a moment of silence, then a few of the students burst into unexpected laughter.

“Well,” Dame said with a smirk, “I guess we weren’t considered the best after all.”

Even so, Liam’s earlier words had done their job.

They stepped forward, their nerves just a little calmer. Their movements more confident. They entered the coliseum to the sound of respectful applause, not roaring support, but an acknowledgment that they were here, and they were to be watched.

The ground beneath their feet was hard, dry earth.

That was intentional.

Most battlegrounds were designed like this, giving Earth magic users an inherent advantage. This event wasn’t about fairness, it was about putting on a show. It always had been.

As they walked forward, they saw the Central Academy students already lined up across the field, a professor standing out in front of them like a general before his troops.

Panla, Luka, and Redrick moved to their positions as well, standing near three circular rings marked out for the challenge.

The Wilford students mirrored the Central Academy formation, lining up with quiet discipline.

From the opposite side, several Central Academy students watched with interest.

“Would you look at that?” Nannan remarked. “They look surprisingly well, considering what they went through not too long ago.”

“Well,” Bones added casually, “we do have the best healers in the world. Sure, they might look fine on the outside, but there’s no way they fully recovered from what Kayzel did to them.”

Moze and Kayzel didn’t glance in their direction. They weren’t interested in playing into the drama. The goal now was clear: focus on the event.

One by one, the other three academies were called into the arena. That included BIMM, with Lee Roy standing tall among their lineup.

Quiet murmurs rippled through the crowd as each new group arrived. A few names were whispered, talented students who had made waves in various circles. One was a top-ranking government official’s heir. Another the son of a decorated military commander. Others were known for their public accomplishments, viral fame, or displays of magical prowess.

Everyone seemed to have a reputation… everyone except Wilford.

There were no prodigies among them. No famous surnames or headlines. Just students standing shoulder to shoulder.

No one was expecting much from them.

After the introductions, a soft mechanical hum filled the air.

Strange, rectangular devices rolled into place in front of the five academies. Sleek and metallic, they looked almost like oversized crates, humming with magical energy. Once in position, their top halves clicked open with a hiss.

Portals flared to life.

Swirling masses of light and shadow flickered in front of each device, glowing entryways to unknown battle zones.

It was a stunning sight. Another technological marvel on display.

In previous years, they had drawn magic circles on the arena floor to summon dimensional gateways. But this… this was the new standard. Mobile portal devices, custom-built to project rifts to exact coordinates.

A Central Academy teacher stepped forward to address the crowd.

“All dimensional zones behind these portals have been evaluated and balanced,” he announced. “Each academy will enter their designated zone at the same time. Victory will be determined in one of two ways:

“Either your team collects the highest number of power stones within the allotted hour, or your team defeats the dimensional boss, which will cause your portal to close.”

The students listened intently, eyes focused.

“While you’re inside,” the teacher continued, “we’ll provide live updates to the crowd, sharing each student’s progress in real time. This will help maintain engagement, and allow our audience to place friendly, no-stakes bets on which academy they think will emerge victorious.”

He gestured toward the portal devices, which pulsed steadily.

“Those who guess correctly will receive free crystals as rewards. Now, with all the rules explained… let’s not waste any more time.”

He turned to the professors.

“You have one minute to speak with your students before they step into the portal.”

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