(Xuan Kai's Perspective)

The match between the dwarf and the demon concluded at last. The fight took longer than we all expected - the demon won in the end, just as we had expected, but the dwarf put up a surprisingly good fight.

Even though she lost, however, she still had a look of determination in her eyes when she walked off the stage, unlike the previous contestants who had lost. I respected that mindset. Next year, she would return stronger, better, and a new self. Those kind of people were the most dangerous and tough opponents to fight against.

A knock came at our door. By this point, we weren't surprised to see who it was.

"15 minutes grace period, then the first Fighters bracket battles will begin. Miss Yu An Xue, you will be competing. Prepare yourselves," the man from the IMF said before quickly retreating out the door once more.

Feng Mian moved to pull up the bracket. Yu An Xue would be facing against a person named Mo Huo Re.

Name: Mo Huo Re

Gender: Female

Race: Human

Role: Fighter

Rank: Intermediate Mage

Elemental Affinities: Fire, Earth, Sky

"Fire is her main element…?" Yu An Yan smirked. "If that's the case, looks like this'll be a good show."

"Oh, yeah…" I chuckled. "Which will be stronger - her flames, or your ice?"

"Hm… I will win," Yu An Xue said softly yet determinedly.

"Man, she's so quiet all the time, but she's actually really confident, huh?" Xiang Peng laughed. "I like that. She didn't even say 'I can win'. She just straight up declared 'I will win', like it was already set in stone. Good attitude, girl."

Minutes later, the man returned to our room to lead Yu An Xue out to the arena. Without a second glance back, she confidently strode out the door.

"Now then… let's see, will the fire melt ice, or will the ice freeze fire?"

*****

(Yu An Xue's Perspective)

I stepped onto the stage first. My opponent was already waiting there, hands on her hips as she eyed me with an impatient look.

"I hate girls like you, you know that? The 'cold' beauties. Why do all the boys always go for your type?"

"…" I didn't respond or show any reaction on my face, mainly because I wasn't even listening.

I was too busy observing her. She appeared to be using a flaming sword of some sort, so I decided to respect her and materialized my own sword - one of water and ice.

"Come, Frozen Fear."

My opponent's eyes widened upon seeing my weapon. "Oh? Is that… one of the Six Divine Weapons?"

"…" Once again, I did not respond, and instead sliced the air in front of me, ready to fight.

"Heh… let's see how you stay silent after I torture you to death."

"AND… BEGIN!" the announcer shouted.

Immediately, the girl charged at me in full speed, waving her flaming sword in front of her dangerously. She jumped up and sliced down with all of her might, but I did not move. Instead, I merely raised Frozen Fear up and blocked the attack. Metal struck metal, and her sword's flames began to erode away as the metal started to accumulate frost.

Her eyes widened and she quickly backed away.

"So… your weapon is stronger, eh? But that doesn't matter…" she muttered in disgust. "Level Two Fire Magic - Twin Dragons."

"Hmph," I scoffed, leaping into the air as two massive flaming orange dragons came flying towards me.

They followed me upwards, but that was exactly what I wanted. I waited for the perfect moment…

… Now.

"Fear this blade mine, that will freeze your hearts and souls. Fear this wielder, who will then shatter them into endless oblivion. Frozen Fear - Decimate!"

I lunged downwards, heading blade-first into the gaping jaws of one of the two dragons. An ice-cold energy surrounded me completely as I cut through, cleaving the flaming dragon cleanly in half. The other dragon, having lost its counterpart, dispersed into thin air.

"… My turn."

I raised my hand towards my opponent calmly, while she wore a look of shock and panic on her face.

"Level Two Ice Magic - Subzero Hail."

Clouds formulated above her as countless deadly pellets of ice shot down towards her.

"Tch… Level Two Fire Magic - Wall of Flames!"

As she put up a curtain of fire to defend against my hail, I moved in swiftly.

"Hmph… Space - Eliminate."

Erasing the space between her and I, I instantly teleported directly in front of her, between her and the wall of flames. Without any hesitation, I cut her throat, spilling her blood across the arena's floor. Her widened eyes and hanging mouth remained fixed on her dead face as she fell limply to the ground.

If Feng Mian could do it, I could do it too - and a lot better.

"Weak."

I turned around and walked off the stage, flinging some leftover blood caught on the tip of Frozen Fear off. It splattered across the stage's floor, but I didn't pay it any mind as I dematerialized my weapon and strode through the door that I had came from mere moments earlier.

My enemy was dead. I was not. That's all that mattered.

*****

(Xuan Kai's Perspective)

"Welcome back," I said as Yu An Xue walked through the door that led back to our room.

"Mm…" she nodded faintly and sat back down on her chair. Then, slowly, she tilted her head and looked me in the eyes.

"Did… I… do good?"

I smiled, walked over to her, and patted her head gently. "Yeah… you did great."

How easily she killed that girl, without any hesitation… that's what I'm hoping all the girls will be like in the future. I don't want them to become mindless evil beings who kill for fun, but I want them to be able to take lives, should the situation call for it.

"Hey! You didn't pat my head when I got back…" Feng Mian pouted and puffed out her cheeks cutely.

"Yes, yes…" I patted hers as well, and she giggled happily.

"Eh… Big Brother Xuan Kai, me too, me too~" Qing Yue hugged me tightly.

Uh… why does it always end up like this…

Every time I try to compliment one of them, all the others want the same treatment. It makes everything a hassle, really…

"Master, does this mean as long as we kill our opponents, we get a headpat?" Mei Gui tilted her head curiously.

"Uh, no-"

"Yep! It's decided!" Qing Yue exclaimed happily in my stead.

"… Ugh, sure, fine. If that'll make you all motivated."

All the girls' eyes lit up in response, with the exception of Obsidia, who merely snorted in unamusement.

"Oh, the next match is starting," Feng Mian remarked, pointing to the screen.

We all turned our attention to watch the upcoming battle. It was a boy versus a girl, but there was something off about them. They both wore hoods and masks that covered their entire faces, along with long robes spanning their entire bodies.

"That is… one unusual costume. I kinda like it though?" Yu An Yan said hesitantly.

"If I'm not wrong… those two should be members of the Ethereal race," I said.

"Yep, Xuan Kai's righ- wait, how do you know?" Xiang Peng asked me in confusion.

"O-Oh, uh… I read it in a book in the Library of Infinite Beginnings."

The truth was, I knew because their appearance and outfit was similar to that of Asteryx, the Ethereal Founder's. It had just been a guess, but looks like I was on point.

"Hey, look at them!" Lan Xiao Su exclaimed suddenly.

The battle had just begun, but both of them instantly vanished. A purple hole had emerged below their feet, one they both sunk into respectively. The holes closed soon after that, leaving the audience without a source of entertainment and utterly bewildered.

"W-Well! Since both of our contestants are Ethereals, it seems they will be fighting within the Void realm! Truly a spectacular scene! Or, uh, well, it would be, if we could actually SEE!" the announcer yelled in frustration. He was left without anything to commentate on, so he started rambling about life and philosophy.

Minutes later, the contestants returned. More accurately… only one returned - the girl. She walked off the stage, much to everyone's shock.

"H-Huh?! Does this mean she's forfeiting, or does this mean she has beaten the other contestant?!" the announcer wondered aloud.

But after another few minutes of waiting, the boy never did return. It was a foregone conclusion that the girl had defeated him within the Void realm, leaving him to die.

"Ethereals… what an interesting race," Lan Xiao Su murmured, eyes dazzling in excitement as she looked at the screen. Always on the hunt for more damage, I see. She would be great as a librarian, not going to lie.

"Yu An Yan, think you're up next," I said.

As if on cue, the door to our room clicked open and the IMF staff appeared once more. He opened his mouth to speak, but Yu An Yan quickly cut him off.

"Yes, yes, I know. I'm going next, right? 15 minutes grace period? All that? Great, thank you very much."

"I- uh, yes. Well then."

The man, at a loss for words, merely closed the door once more and left us to ourselves.