As the two-day break drew to a close, I knew it was time to leave the beautiful peak behind and return to the tournament venue. With a deep breath, I cast a final glance over my shoulder, taking in the rugged beauty of the mountain one last time

With one last deep breath, I spread my wings and took to the air, soaring towards the tournament venue once again. As I approached, the sounds of the crowds grew louder and louder, the excitement of the tournament palpable in the air.

I landed on the grand platform once again, feeling the energy and anticipation of the crowds wash over me. With a fierce roar, I declared the tournament to be resumed, "Welcome back, to the first edition of this grand tournament. I hope that you all made the most of the break, for the challenges that lie ahead will test your mettle like never before," I paused and scanned the crowd that was already gathered, before I continued, "So let us resume this tournament with renewed vigor and determination, and may the strongest and wisest amongst you emerge victorious. Let the games begin!"

As my speech reached its crescendo, the mood in the arena grew wild with excitement. The crowds erupted into a cacophony of cheers and roars, the sound echoing off the walls and ringing in my ears.

The air was electric with anticipation, and the energy of the people was palpable as they prepared for the battles ahead. The stands were packed with spectators, their faces twisted into expressions of fierce determination and anticipation.

It could be said that this was the true main event of the ceremony. The tournament that will decide the new ranking of the countries. Will the standings remain the same as before? Or will it change?

The arena itself was impressive to say the least, a vast space carved out of the earth with towering walls and a grand platform at its center. The ground was covered in a layer of sand, the perfect arena for the magic battles to come. Still, there was a need for a barrier to protect the stands, and although I could have let one one of my disciples do it, I decided to go ahead with it myself.

Without hesitation, I reached out with my water magic, calling out to the mana elements and beckoning them to my side. They responded eagerly, rushing to my call like a flood of water rushing down a mountainside.

As the water elements gathered around me, I could feel their power coursing through my body like a raging river. With a deep breath, I focused my energy, channeling the mana into a powerful shield that would protect the crowds from the magical spells and energies that would be unleashed in the heat of battle.

The shield grew larger and larger, expanding to cover the entire arena and rising high into the sky. It was a thing of beauty, a shimmering wall of pure mana elements that glowed with a thousand colors.

And as the crowd looked up in wonder, I could see the relief and gratitude on their faces, knowing that they would be safe from harm as they watched the battles unfold.

For a moment, the arena fell silent, with everyone taking in the sight before them. And then, I unleashed a fierce roar to indicate the start of the tournament.

****

The rules of the tournament were simple; the slots were drawn based on luck, and the church members were in charge of that to ensure fairness. Now, I wasn't sure if the so-called fairness will remain far in the future, but for now, with my presence as a deterrent, none dared to overstep the boundaries.

The battles were technically not battles to the death. If a challenger is rendered unconscious or unable to fight anymore, then the battle will end. Though, 'killing' wasn't prohibited either. So in the end, it was up to them, how they decide to play the games. For me, it didn't matter, I was in for a good show either way.

The first battle soon began, and It was Zasal against Tinada. The dynasty sent their only wind mage to fight against Tinada's only earth mage. My eyes gleamed as I looked forward to seeing how the humans would use their newfound magical prowess.

*****

The wind mage stood tall and proud, her long black hair whipping in the wind as she gazed out at the arena. She was a vision of strength and beauty, her eyes alight with the fire of battle as she prepared to face her opponent.

Across the arena, the earth mage stood firm, his muscles bulging beneath his tunic as he surveyed the field before him. He was a man of middling years, his face lined with wisdom and experience.

And as the two mages began to circle each other, the crowds below held their breath, waiting for the battle to begin.

The wind mage suddenly stopped and stood with her arms outstretched, her long hair whipping wildly in the wind that swirled around her, as the small wind elements answered her call.

The earth mage, on the other hand, stood with his feet planted firmly on the ground, his muscles bulging beneath his tunic as he surveyed the scene before him with a frown. The earth elements gathered around him as well in preparation.

With a deep breath, the wind mage summoned the mana elements, and launched herself into the air, soaring high above the arena as she prepared to unleash her fury. Her flight was not fast, nor was it graceful, it seemed like she was not yet used to her powers, but still, her mana manipulation was commendable.

The earth mage did not stand idle, he quickly responded with a powerful blast of rocks, aiming to take her down. The wind mage, however, managed to dart and weave clumsily through the air, dodging his attacks, before she launched powerful gusts of wind that threatened to knock him off his feet.

The earth mage struggled against her, and continued to summon large projectiles and hurled them toward the wind mage. but she was too fast for them.

The battle raged on, the two mages locked in a fierce struggle of wills and powers. The wind mage continued to whip up powerful gusts of wind, sending the earth mage stumbling backwards, while he fought back with blasts of earth and rock that shook the arena to its foundations.

But in the end, it was the wind mage who emerged victorious. With a final burst of wind mana, she unleashed a decisive blast of wind that sent the earth mage tumbling to the ground, making his earth elements scatter.

The crowd quickly erupted into cheers and applause, with the wind mage slowly descending to the ground before she stood tall and proud, her eyes shining with the fire of victory as she basked in the adoration of the crowds below.