Before Yman arrived near the wall,

In the room of Ice,

"So the last part of this first-round elimination is the castle-siege!" Kesha exclaimed.

"A castle siege under an Apocalyptic World. This kind of elimination is just unusual," Almina added with her eyes scanning around all the participants who are currently battling with a group of Skeleton Warriors.

"Fufufu, what a lively competition!" Ice giggled at the chaotic battle.

All the participants fought together and tried to break through the monster's defenses.

"Look, those Skeleton Warriors brandished their weapons while at the same time used their numerical advantage to surround their enemies. Fufu, aren't they a clever bunch?" Chuckled Ice.

"Though the participants did good jobs for fighting back even in the disadvantageous situation they are in," Maena added.

"However, they have a big problem. All of them are uncertain if they rushed forward or stayed on their feet. They must be thinking, 'What if the others didn't follow after they rushed in?' This kind of thinking will put them in danger," Ice followed up.

"Right!" Almina agreed. Then she continued, "Not just that, another problem came in, the Elder Skeleton!"

[Dark-Birth Pagoda]! The Elder Skeleton cast a dark spell!

(WAAAAMMM! RUMBLE RUSTLE!)

The ground shook that caused the participants and Skeleton Warriors around to stopped on their feet. Near the participants, from the ground, a tower of about 25 meters tall protruded. It was leaking with red miasma. When the surrounding participants breathed on it, they suddenly fell to their knees.

"F-F**k! T-This m-miasma has a 'weaken' effect…" one participant said in difficulty. But after his words,

(Shing! AAAAARRGH!)

A broken old sword pierced his chest!

(Shing shing shing shing shing!)

Countless blades followed closer, carving his body with countless holes.

(Thump!)

His lifeless body fell on the ground and slowly turned into light particles. Not only the pagoda was leaking with dark red miasma, to where the participant died — a Skeleton appeared in exchange.

The others grimaced at the sight. After that, was a horrible death to all of the participants who breathed the dark red miasma. Their bodies were skewered and pierced by the weapons of the Skeleton Warriors.

While the participant's number decreased, the Skeleton Warriors number increased.

"Gulp!" Almina and the others subconsciously gulped after witnessing the fate of the participants.

"H-How can someone survive against that thing?" Almina questioned, trying to shift the atmosphere.

Even though it wasn't real, they couldn't help feeling gloomy at the sight.

"L-Look, some participants shot range attacks." Spells of different colors shot towards the Elder Skeleton.

"However, the monster's group did not lose, as they too have their own Spell Casters. Together with their Skeleton Archers."

A magical shield protected the Elder Skeleton and was able to survive the attack from the participants.

The walls were 25 meters high. But the top was heavily guarded by Skeleton Archers and Spell Casters.

It was possible to climb, but since everyone did not prepare any tools for it, they had no way to climb it.

For them to enter the castle, they needed to go through the front gate which was located in the northern part. There, towering double doors were shut tightly.

Also, the participants had trust issues with the other participants. So no matter what plan they are about to try, it only will be executed halfway.

Because in their minds, it was full of 'what if's!'

The battles were chaotic and scattered. Each one of them was on their own devices.

The girls inside Ices' room furrowed their brows while watching the battle, at the same time giving their comments.

"Did the empire always do this kind of competition Miss Ace?" Maena, who had a bitter face at the moment, asked Ice.

Before she replied to her question, she frowned and sighed. "How many times I need to tell you to call me Big Sister, hm!" Ice said while poking Maena's face.

"Ah-eh—erm. B-B-Big Sister I-Ace…"

"....."

"Fufu, you can't change her right away, Miss Ice, perhaps only one person did it…" Almina chimed in.

"W-W-What are you talking about, Almina Amulet?" Maena said with a little fluster face.

"Almina, you too, call me Big Sister!" Said Ice, pointing to Almina.

"Ehhhh!"

Maena sticks out her tongue towards Almina.

After seeing the knitted brows of Ice, "O-Okay B-Big Sister I-Ice," said Almina, a little embarrassed.

"Pufft!"

Almina shot a look to Maena who was holding her laughter. "Humph!"

She sighed in defeat.

Ice on the other hand was so happy. Finally, these two girls called her big sister, 'Yay! Success!'. She taught as she clenched her face while giggling. Well, she also successfully diverted the atmosphere.

"Ah, Miss Ice, can I call you Big Sister too?" Kesha asked too, did't want to be left out.

"Mhm!" She nodded. Now she has three younger sisters, "Fufufu…"

Almina sighed at the happy giggle of their Academy's Ace.

She darted back her eyes to the monitor. Her curiosity urged her to question, "In any case, do the empire want to wipe out their participants? Do they even want someone to win? Just looking at the current situation, it looks so hopeless no matter how one sees it."

"Yeah, Amulet was right. There are only a few hundred participants left, while there are thousands of Skeleton Soldiers together with Demons and other monsters. Aside from that, those pagodas are troublesome tools," Maena unexpectedly agreed with her with the addition of her assessment.

Kesha, also added, saying, "So if they all die in this battle, isn't it a waste of effort only? I wonder what the competition staff is planning in this kind of elimination round."

Ice wanted to gossip a little more about the person who can change Maena's resolute behavior, but Almina's question was also a good topic. Nonetheless, the competition had reached its climax. It is only a matter of time before it ends.

Who would win the battle, was uncertain.

Ice showed a thinking gesture and said, "If that happened, then it only means, no one is capable enough to become the champion."

"Eh? So they didn't care if no champion would come out?" Almina replied sooner.

"Yeah, what the empire is trying to promote is a real champion who can survive in any situation. Not only by strength but also by luck. A whole package warrior that can symbolize the Empire's dominance."

"Make sense," Almina agreed and Maena nodded.

In the Public Square of Encantasia, the atmosphere was lively. Likely because they saw when the people that were killed inside the monitor respawn outside the painting.

The legendary welcoming squad resumed with their welcoming joke towards the new respawn people.

Although a mocking and taunt element was part of it, it also helped the person to forget faster the bitter experience he experienced inside the painting.

In one of the good spots around the Public Square, the Encantasia Magic Academy's Council President Hannah, together with her friends from the student council were also watching at the current elimination round of the competition.

A girl beside her pointed to the monitor, "Pres. Hannah, look, Jura and Nicholas are over there!"

"Fufu, those two like acting low-key, huh!"

"Look at their points! Not even half as much as Gilion and the others."

"I bet, they're just chilling inside."

"Well, they always said that the main character only showed his true power at the most exciting event."

"Fufu, those two likes showing off, but also know when is the right timing for it."

"Jura is a clever person. He knew how to play his card well. If I make a guess, he was reserving his stamina and strength for the entire time. He probably thought already that everyone would gather at the last barrier. In that case, acquiring points would be easy for them as everyone was certainly already exhausted."

As expected, after Hannah said this, in the monitor, Jura and Nicholas activated their Artefacts.

Together with their three other friends from the Student Council group, they were bashing every monster and participants alike. Killing everyone who comes on their way. Their points were rapidly increasing because of it.

"If things keep going on like this, they will eventually be able to catch up with the others!" Exclaimed the girl again.

"Mhm! That's a high possibility," Hannah agreed.

In the palace balcony,

"Fufu looks like some promising youth also arrived in the battlefield," mentioned the empress while changing her sitting position.

"That's Jura of Gorthalion family and Nicholas Senrod, together with the other members of Student Council in the Academy," Ella added.

"I see, so that's why I felt he looked like the valiant General Beleggor Gorthalion," said the empress with a tinge of curiosity.

"Anyhow, I wonder if it was their strategy to kill both monsters and participants alike," said the empress.

"Isn't it going to be more difficult for them later?" Ella asked in puzzlement.

"I don't think the valiant general would teach his son how to become blind. Since they did that, there should be a reason behind it."

Ella glanced at the empress and noticed her unbothered face. Looks like she only has an interest in the result of this competition. She turned back her eyes to the monitor and saw other familiar people, "t-the other experts from great families also started to arrive, Aunt," she said.

"Oh, those wolf ears and silver hair, they are from the Lowe family of Canine Sect," said the empress upon seeing Harou and Lyka. She continued saying, "Even Roman is also there now, followed by the younger brother of Gustav."

"That irregular from the adventurers guild arrived too," Ella added.

Around this time, the expert participants started to appear one after another. They were adventurers, nobles, talented soldiers, and some students from the empire's academies. They were the participants who survived the past struggle on searching the first and second barriers.

The ground surrounding the castle was cluttered with gravestones. It was like the whole place was a graveyard.

From the gravestones, skeleton hands jutted, then came crawling from the ground.

Not only the gravestones were cluttering around, but also different kinds of weapons were scattered disorderly.

The mishmash noises from the clattering of weapon collisions could be overheard around the place.

"Fufufu, I wonder how everyone is going to adapt to the situation. Will they follow what the son of the valiant General Gorthalion did? Or perhaps do something different… fufu!" The excitement was visible on her face.

As expected, after seeing the already chaotic battle, everyone one of the experts from a well-known family did their strategy.

Harou and Lyka teamed up together and dashed forward, killing all the skeletons on their way.

Hilion and his White Leo Knights, together with their captain Leon, rushed forward while trying to take command of the other participants.

Gilion and Gath went solo.

On the other hand, when the other participants saw Roman. They gathered beside him.

The battle continued, but this time, the participants were able to advance slowly. However, still, not an easy battle as more monsters and undead together with demons came rushing forward.

Right at this moment, Almina, the empress, and Ella's eyes glued in the monitor when, in the mist, some shadows appeared.

"S-Someone had just arrived, I think it's that person," said Ella.

She glanced beside her and gawked. Her aunt showed an excited face. "Now, this battle is going to be more interesting," said the empress with a broad smile on her face.

'What is she, a fan of him?' Ella thought with an unbelievable face.

On the battlefield, Yman and the others finally arrived.

But they were greeted by scattered battles that were happening everywhere.

"Fufu, what a lively place…hehe!" His whisper reverberated to the ears of the people beside him.

"Hah~!" Cinder sighed. And continued saying, "said the battle maniac person."

He heard it but he chose to disregard it. He then waved his hand while saying, "come forward my soldiers!"

"!!"

'What in her Grace Htraerea name !!' Exclaimed the people around him when some black monster-looking entities suddenly appeared around them. They also stood taller than the rest.