In the end, three ladies from Zasal's side survived the ceremony. Two were water mages, and one was a wind mage. The rest could not handle the mana and ended up dying. The gruesome scene of them exploding was still fresh in everyone's minds, as the ground of the arena was dyed crimson.

Morena, however, didn't seem to be phased and calmly waved her hand using her water magic to wash the ground clean. Jon by her side opened the ground beneath their feet and swallowed the remains of the deceased, making it seem like nothing had happened.

Still, with the three main countries out of the way, it was time for the smaller kingdoms. So far, Yadour was in the lead with four surviving mages, followed by Lumia and Zasal, both with three survivors each.

Rimor's group was the next one that stepped up. The king's expression was pale as he constantly glanced at Yadour's booth. It was understandable since If I remembered correctly, both countries had tensions with each other over a disputed piece of land called the Breil region.

Technically, the Breil region belonged to Rimor, but Yadour also had an interest in the land. The area was a large desert that stood on the borders of both Yadour and Lumia. It was a desolate place that would usually be ignored if not for the reserves of natural ores that Rimor ended up finding by accident. Yadour caught wind of the news and has been trying to create unrest in the area. It was unable to move directly because of the looming threat that Lumia posed.

Now, however, with the emergence of the ascended mages, things were bound to change. Hence why, Rimor's king was nervously watching the ceremony with bated breath. The Yadour emperor, on the other hand, did not care and instead had a wide smile plastered on his face. He would occasionally glance toward Lumia's booth and laugh.

I shook my head inwardly, It looks like one, or maybe more countries will end up destroyed. The royals also seem to forget the looming threat that the other races pose to them. I wasn't sure how things will play out, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious about it.

*****

Unexpectedly, Rimor was the first country to have all of its five candidates survive the ascension. This turned the tables as all eyes turned to the booth of the kingdom where the king could be seen laughing heartily. Gone was his anxious demeanor, instead, he now carried himself hauntingly, his back was straight and his head was raised high in pride as he glared back at Yadour's emperor.

Lumia and Zasal were equally surprised by the sudden appearance of a new dark horse. From their expressions, it seemed like no one took the kingdom seriously before. Now, however, that was bound to change.

With three earth mages, one water mage, and one fire mage all humans, Rimor's selection seemed quite solid. With this, only one country remained, Tinada. The King kept a deadpan expression as he watched his challengers take the stage.

Four humans and one elf. They each chose their respective apprentices and stood before them, the elf surprisingly did not pick Halbor and preferred to stand before Jon instead.

The ceremony resumed, only this time there were no other surprises. Out of the five, only two survived. One wind mage, the other an earth mage. The elf did not make it. I turned to glance at Tinada's king, only to find the same deadpan expression on his face. It looked like he was also expecting a similar result.

'Still, he is too calm. Did he strike a deal with one of the empires?' I wondered.

It didn't matter. With this, the ceremony was finally over. Out of the twenty-five challengers, seventeen survived. The crowd cheered loudly as the final challengers went back.

I slowly stood up, tall and proud on top of the grand platform, overlooking the vast arena below. The crowd continued to roar as the ceremony came to a close, and I knew it was time for me to speak.

With a deep breath, I opened my jaws wide and let out a powerful roar, silencing the thousands of spectators below. I scanned the crowd with my piercing gaze, taking in the sea of faces before me, before I began my speech, my voice echoing through the coliseum, "I am pleased to announce that the first part of this tournament has come to an end," I continued. "We have seen many great feats of bravery and strong will, for that you should all be proud." The crowd erupted into a thunderous applause, and I waited patiently for them to quiet down once again.

"However," I continued, "we have a two-day break before we resume the competition. Use this time wisely. Rest, train, and prepare for what's to come. The challenges ahead will determine your country's future. Only the strongest and wisest among you will emerge victorious."

The crowd roared once again, and I spread my wings wide, basking in the excitement and energy of the moment.

"So go forth and make the most of this break," I concluded. "And when we return, let me see who is worthy of being called the champions!"

With a final roar, I leaped from the platform and took to the skies, leaving the excited crowd below. The tournament will resume after two days. The survivors still needed to solidify their base and get familiar with their cores and new powers. So there was no use in rushing anything.

With the conclusion of my speech, I soared up into the sky. The wind whipped through my scales as I flew high above the clouds, the beauty of the world unfolding below me.

As I glided through the air, I spotted a distant peak, jutting up from the horizon like a beacon of solitude. Without hesitation, I altered my course, banking sharply towards the mountainous terrain.

As I drew closer, I could see that the peak was even more beautiful than I had imagined, with craggy rocks and a wide-open plateau at its summit. I touched down on the rocky outcropping, the sound of my talons echoing across the barren landscape.

For a moment, I stood there, taking in the serene beauty of the place. The air was cool and crisp, the only sound the distant cry of a bird of prey. It was a perfect spot to rest before the tournament resumed.