After Erebus’ and Lisset’s match, the day just was not the same. No competitors were able to equal the amount of skill and power shown earlier.

The two had set the bar unbelievably high and no one could reach it. So, even though the audience was still excited, it didn’t match the previous roars and shouts.

If anything, the reaction (using the term loosely) now could be called docile in comparison to earlier..

Even the jubilant Weryn was hardly focused on the ongoing games. He was too busy recalling the match... his master was unbelievably skilled!

He remembered when he naively thought he could reach the level of Erebus. But, during the match, he realized that was impossible.

Just like Erebus had told him.

Weryn tightened his fist at his sides.

He would still become the very best he could ever be. Yes, he wouldn’t let his inability to become that strong hinder any of his progress.

Erebus (who, by the way, wasn’t in the best of moods after losing to Lisset) noticed a change in Weryn almost instantly. So did the surrounding dragons, even though the young boy didn’t notice it, his aura had shifted.

Confidence. Determination.

Rolut smiled softly. The boy displayed so much promise already. To give off such an aura!

The focus of everyone else, though, was on the current game occurring. It was definitely designed for wind magic specialist, but if the specialist of other elementals and various types of magic knew how to use their own properly, the playing field would be leveled.

In essence, it was designed to weed out all of those who weren’t skilled or proficient enough in magic.

They may have called the first and second day the ones designated for picking out the competition; however, the truth was, everyday but the last was made to take out the weaklings.

It was due to the fifth’s day event.

The ultimate battle royale, the scene of the Tournament shifted to the humungous caldera that Erebus and Weryn had practiced in previously.

All of the last twenty-five competitors would fight until there was one left standing. It wasn’t an all out brawl, though. It was the use of knowledge and tactic to defeat their opponent.

Those who would attack aimlessly with the intent of knocking out everyone else would quickly lose.

Anyway, the current event was one where groups of ten competitors would have to leap in the air and retrieve floating mana balls that were worth certain amounts of points.

Blue balls were twenty points, the highest.

Green balls were fifteen points.

Yellow balls were ten points.

Red balls worth five points.

Since it wasn’t against the rules or a penalty, they were allowed to steal balls from others and also knock others out of the way of retrieving the balls.

Only five would succeed with the highest scores and move onto the next round.

Often enough, teams would be formed among the competitors. Some would hand their balls to their ‘star player’ who would proceed to the next day. They were rather efficient in this way, and nobody cared about the tactics they used to win in the slightest.

There were currently one hundred competitors, so there were ten matches in total. By the end of day three, only fifty would be left.

The matches were each thirty minutes long.

Of course, the games varied, but they were all based on the same points system. The specified colored objects were all worth equal amounts throughout the games.

The same conditions, with fewer numbers, applied for the fourth day. Until only twenty-five competitors were left for the battle royale.

The current game was the last of the day. And it was intense. The only star player in this match was Fia, the teal-haired beauty was allied with two others.

They were hoarding the highest ranking balls, and no one was strong enough to combat all three at once while defending their own stock.

The seven others fought amongst each other. Even the crowd wasn’t focused on Fia and her crew but rather the seven who were viciously attacking each other and stealing balls.

A man with vivid pink hair with streaks of white and ghostly pale skin was currently dominating the air. With skill, he managed to keep all the others away from him and secure his own spot. He had enough balls that would allow him to scrape into the next round, and he was also stealing the balls from those who would attack him.

Fierce. Two women were battling each other in the air, one was standing on a small pillar of the earth and the other was on a disc of water that resembled a surfboard of some sorts. The one with the earth pillar would jump into the air occasionally and secure a couple balls before falling back down.

However, the other woman had noticed this and was now attempting her best to prevent the other from getting any more points.

They were firing magic at each other, stealing balls, grabbing balls that floated in the air, all at the same time.

Their skill was fearsome, but their magic wasn’t as flawless as Erebus’ and Lisset’s, so the crowd didn’t find them particularly amazing.

The other four were engaged in similar activities.

It was more of a: this kind of thing is expected, isn’t it? That was the atmosphere coming from the audience as they watched the events unfold.

The announcer was the most amazing of them all, in my opinion. He was narrating everything that was happening without missing a single second. He flawlessly switched over between the fighting competitors. His voice containing the same amount of excitement and energy throughout. Not once did his voice crack!

As a fellow commentator, my heart is warmed by watching such a magnificent sight.

Erebus, however, did not appreciate it. He was currently asleep, his eye closed and head hanging low.

Amazing, to be able to fall asleep during such an intense battle.

Even the Napping King Massath couldn’t accomplish such a feat. Massath’s eyes were focused on the match, full of sadness.

Why had he come here?

Why could he not sleep as soundly as Erebus?

Why had he come here!

Another tragedy played out, Massath’s internal and eternal struggle of resting.

Five minutes left in the round.

The battle intensifies.

The announcer’s voice manages to gather even more energy! A break-through.

“Fia is in the lead with a total of twenty blues, nine greens, ten yellows, and five reds! A total of 660 points, amazing!”

The audience whooped and began to roar once more. The volcano shook as their feet stomped against the ground and they clapped their hands in an erratic rhythm.

Erebus cracked open his eye at the noise.

Two more minutes.

“Currently in second place, Lucas! A total of 590 points! The gap between first and second is immense.”

Lucas was the pink-haired man.

More roaring. It sounded like a stampede of millions of animals was currently passing through.

Fia and her group stopped grabbing balls, the other two now surrounded her, prepped to fight in case the others turned and jumped them.

“Myra in third place, 545 points!”

Myra was the water mage.

“Lyra in fourth place, 515 points!”

Ironically enough, the water mage and earth mage were sisters competing to beat each other.

“Mayx in fifth place, 490 points!”

Mayx was a mage specialized in utilizing sound. He was a rather annoying opponent to face.

A minute left.

The rankings were more or less set in place, the other competitors were too far behind to catch up, but they tried anyway.

A desperate struggle was occurring.

The top five were attempting to maintain their position while the other three attacked them madly.

They had to get to the battle royale! It was the ultimate privilege for any dragon.

The winners of the tournament had almost had the same amount of fame as the embers of the Council.

Belonging to a rather greedy race, of course they wanted fame, glory, and money.

Mostly money.

The siren ending the battle blared loudly, accompanied with the endless shouting of the audience, the sound was deafening.

Erebus, once again, clamped his hands over his ears and let out a groan of annoyance.

Ehm, I would just like to thank everyone who read, followed, favorited, rated, whatever. I know that the amount I have is miniscule compared to others, but it really means a lot to me that there are people out there enjoying my writing. You guys are awesome! God... I'm such a dolt.