Proofreader: M_W Miss Fierce

Not long after, Leo finally arrived at the arc door leading to the stage. Unlike the last time, though, there was no longer that strikingly bright light blocking his sight, apparently because he had long already got used to it. What remained still was the loud cheering noises coming from all the spectators, calling out the people they supported, just like all the previous games. 

Without wasting any time, Leo stepped out of the arc door and saw the arena in front of him right after. At this moment, the stage of the Victory Arena is similar to almost all arenas throughout the entire Emerald Tree Kingdom. It was just a wide-open stage with nothing else in sight aside from the other nine remaining players spread to form a circular shape. Also, right at the center were Prince Elmont, Princess Tifa, and Princess Tila hosting the fifth game of the Emerald Elven Battle Competition while the staff were surrounding them.

Observing the surrounding, Leo quickly spotted Selina, Osborne, Edgar Pierce, Eme Clarity, and Faye. They nodded their heads towards him in greetings, which he nodded back in response. He didn't bother looking at the other four players as they are nothing worth mentioning.

"So, brother Elmont was really serious about not participating in the fifth game?" Leo asked Selina, who was just a few meters to his side, similar to the location of Elmont back then during the Survival Games. As everyone already knows, the person that participates in the Survival Games would also be the one to participate in the fifth game of the Emerald Elven Battle Competition. 

"Brother Elmont said that it would be unfair if he participates since everyone might just start hesitating whenever he is their opponent. That's why he sent me instead," Selina replied. After all, Elmont is the Seventh Prince of the Emerald Tree Kingdom, so it is expected already that his opponents would hesitate to hurt him in fear of offending the Evergreen Royal Family, especially considering the fact that almost all participants in the Emerald Elven Battle Competition are from the Emerald Tree Kingdom and all of them also desires to continue participating in the next year's event. If they want to continue staying in this territory and achieve that, then they'd better not do anything to displease the family of the King of the Emerald Tree Kingdom.

Selina continued, "Well, to begin with, I was supposedly going to participate in both the Survival Games and the Battle Competition. But Elmont insisted on participating in the former as he wanted to play at least one game because his brothers previously did the same. The game makers agreed with this, so I had no choice but to accept his decision as well,"

"That's truly unfortunate," Leo expressed his thoughts. Now that Selina is going to participate in the fifth game of the Emerald Elven Battle Competition, he'd have to change the plans they have prepared before.

After greeting everyone and talking with Selina for a brief moment, Leo turned to look at the center where Elmont and the others were, seemingly waiting for all players to arrive on stage for them to finally start.

A few minutes later, all the ten remaining participants that qualified to participate in the fifth game of the Emerald Elven Battle Competition finally arrived.

Seeing that everyone had finally arrived, Princess Tila then introduced everyone, "Welcome everyone to the fifth and last game of this year's Emerald Elven Battle Competition. Just like what the name of this event suggests, it is going to be none other than a Battle Competition. During this game, all ten remaining players would have to fight against each other in a one versus one fight until only one player remains to claim the throne of the champion!"

Princess Tila took out a round glass with five small pieces of paper inside before calling out, "Guild Leader Loki, Selina, Osborne, Edi, and Makky, please come in front of me to choose your opponents,"

With his name called by Princess Tila, Leo turned to look at the others first before walking in her direction.

As soon as they saw this, Selina, Osborne, Edi, and Makky also did the same, following behind Leo.

"It seems like you'd be the first to pick your opponent, brother Loki," Princess Tila said while letting out a soft giggle.

"It can't be helped since everyone has decided to let me choose first," Leo simply smiled and ignored the giggle that Princess Tila has just let out. When he looked at the other just now, all of them were pretending not to hear their names being called by Princess Tila, obviously implying that they wanted him to go first.

With a pout on her face, Princess Tila shoved the round glass in front of Leo as she muttered annoyingly, "Go and Pick!"

"Okay," Leo shook his head dismissively before putting his hand inside the round glass and beginning to pick a piece of paper. He really doesn't care who he was going to pick as he could, without a doubt, easily win against the majority of the people's names who are each listed in these five pieces of paper. Most of the people that he was concern about since they could post a threat against him were also in the same situation as him, which means to say that they can't pick one another as of this moment and would have to wait for the next round before they could fight each other. Needless to say, except for Edgar Pierce, as he is not one of the five players that Princess Tila had called out. But he could already expect that he wouldn't have to fight against him this early in the Battle Competition as that would ruin all the thrill and fun aspects for all the spectators watching.

Princess Tifa might have made it looked like that the fight would be against random players. But honestly speaking, that isn't really the case. That is because she could control the five pieces of paper inside the round glass using the tiny piece of Mana that she has secretly put onto them. Using that tiny piece of Mana, she could easily replace the paper that anyone has chosen to her liking.

That aside, it didn't take that long for Leo to pick a piece of paper. He carefully pulled his hand out from the round glass before slowly unfolding the piece of paper on his hand to see who he was going to fight against in the first round of the Emerald Elven Battle Competition.

Soon, the name of his opponent was revealed.

"How unfortunate for you, brother Loki. You have chosen Eme Clarity to be your first opponent," Princess Tila inwardly rejoices at Leo's lousy pick. 

Shaking his head, Leo replied, "Not necessarily,"

Eme Clarity might be good, especially now that she can use her weapons and equipment, unlike the Survival Games. But just like what he said earlier ago, he considers her as an easy opponent nonetheless. 

"Well, good luck then," Princess Tila smiled before quickly calling out for Osborne to choose his opponent next.

The moment Leo stepped to the side, one staff immediately approached him and led him towards Eme Clarity.

"Hail the Moon Elf God for instantly giving me the opportunity to make Guild Leader Loki pay for what he had done to me," Eme Clarity said as she stared at Guild Leader Loki with a deep grudge in her eyes. Though not to the point that she would kill him, at least just make him suffer a little as payback.

"We will see," Leo didn't bother with Eme Clarity as he simply followed after the staff that led him to her towards a corner of the stage where the three of them are far from the others.

"Are we going to carry out all the fights at the same time?" Eme Clarity asked the staff that led them out of curiosity. 

"Yes, so that we can conserve time and proceed to the next round quick," The staff nodded his head in response. After saying that, he then pointed towards a location opposite from each other and said, "Please position yourself in those two corners so that we can proceed with the fight,"

"Okay!" Leo nodded his head in affirmation before starting to walk towards his corner.

"I can't wait for this fight to start!" Eme Clarity said excitingly as she also started walking towards the opposite corner.

Both corners weren't really considered that far, so it didn't take that long for both Leo and Eme Clarity to arrive at their location.

However, before the staff started the fight, he first checked on the others to confirm that everyone was also fully prepared and ready to start the first round of the Battle Competition.

Curious to know who the opponents of the other players are, in particular Selina, Osborne, and Edgar Pierce, Leo also turned to look at the side. 

The arrangements of the fight were as follows; Selina versus Faye, Osborne versus Edgar Pierce, Edi versus Harold, and lastly, Makky versus Coni.