The rest of the day went by in a flash. The swordsman had mastered the art of instant sleep, and had passed out as soon as his head touched the pillow. That was how the rest of the day was spent. It was unknown what the others were doing in the meantime.
It was another day and the sun made its presence known. The citizens of Breim Port were already out and about. Some went to their job, while others went to Streline, the Institute of Magic. For those who didn't wish to become a soldier or warrior, this was the next best thing.
A humongous amount of research was done in this sanctified school. The headmaster would always share his findings with the King. The ruler of Valsir was known as Solomon the Merchant King. Even though he was considered a merchant, he was actually a mage that hoarded information. He had reached Legendary like other rulers, but a symbiotic relationship had been established with the Golden Circle.
Solomon was the man with full control over the actual energy source, the golden ring. It was a deterrent to anybody with nefarious thoughts across the sea, since it floated in the sky. It was directly over the colosseum which sat on the body of water. Valsir had complete dominance over ocean warfare due to this.
Back in the colosseum, the remaining contestants were waiting. It was time to finish the exams and learn of their fate. All of the captains soon arrived on top of the ring. What caught everyone off guard was when an unknown man in black and gold robes appeared.
"Who is that?" One of the participants spoke. This caused everyone else to look up at the golden ring.
The man had shaggy black hair that stopped at his shoulders. The light and dark element swirled around him in the form of butterflies and fairies. He looked down at the possible recruits with an air of superiority. Power radiated from him in intense waves.
Vance of Tree of Eden stood beside the man. After conversing with him, the bald captain connected his voice to the surroundings. Everyone could hear him getting ready to speak.
"Welcome to the final assessment. Joining us here today is our king, the esteemed Archmage. The Merchant King of Valsir, Solomon Col!" He announced.
The audience, as well as contestants, looked up to him in awe. It was the first time a lot of these people had laid eyes on a Legendary figure. Such powerful people were rarely seen. Every Legendary figure had the strength to level continents. There are tiers to the status, and the highest ones could shatter portions of the world in a single blow.
Massive cheers had drowned out the stadium. Shu once again covered his ears, trying not to go deaf. He'd just woken up and didn't plan on fighting today. The young samurai would just wait until the end and join a battalion. There was no point in showing off his strength any longer. His job was done.
"Alright, let's get these matches underway. If you have a red card, please step forward." Vance declared.
As the chosen people approached, a glowing rune lit up which surrounded the arena. Any stray attacks or damage would hit an invisible wall. The audience would be safe. Shu had already disappeared. If anyone looked for him, they'd have a hard time finding him.
The first match was slated to begin. A woman with long black hair that almost touched the floor was on one side. There were needles in her hand. A man with an elegant shield was on the other side. It broke into two parts, becoming chakrams that were held on each arm. An interesting weapon.
"Begin."
As the two fighters engaged, the captains were speaking amongst themselves. Idun walked up to Vance with a frown. She didn't seem happy at all.
"What did you do?" She asked. The bald commander raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" He responded.
"Yesterday. Don't think I didn't notice when you manipulated the tassels. When the Legendary grabbed a tassel, you did something."
The jig was up. Tree of Eden's commander heaved a sigh of loss. His earlier movement was so minor, he wasn't expecting them to notice or care. He should've known Idun would see it. She was always very particular about everything.
"I can't just have the Legendary beat the other contestants to the ground. There'd be no chance for others to showcase their abilities." He reasoned.
"So what did you actually do?!" She interrogated.
"All I did was switch the role of his tassel. Instead of having an opponent, he was given a free pass. That is all." Vance explained. King Solomon, who was beside them, shook his head.
"I see you haven't changed a bit. You still have no respect for rules and tradition." The archmage said. His voice was deep and powerful.
"Haha…It's not even like that." The bald man answered nervously. The king crossed his arms.
"Sure it isn't. You don't TRY to disregard the rules. You just do it, right?"
"Ah geez…"
As the upper echelon of Valsir had a conversation, the contestants were battling for their livelihoods. The man with the chakrams had won and a new match was underway. Etris could be seen in the arena frying her opponent with lightning. If the referees hadn't stopped her, the contestant would've died.
The next match was in progress. An angry man with a magic baseball bat was fighting against another man with loads of technology and gadgets. Small pod drones flew around the colosseum while shooting energy beams. Blaine of Phoenix Talon was extremely invested in the battle.
Contrary to the audience's expectations, the man with the bat won. He smacked the magic away like ping pong balls, and destroyed technology like trash. The angry man was like an unstoppable force. The match only ended when the opponent's legs were broken. A medic team would enter the fray and hoist the injured participants away.
Shu spent his time in the stands. He was able to see Eldan absolutely dominate his match. It wasn't even a question who was stronger. A single jab or tap was always enough for the white haired man to defeat his opponent. His attacks always flowed in a smooth manner.
The young samurai also paid attention to Faye's matches. She had lost both of them, but her clerical skills were shown off beautifully. It seemed that she learned a few holy incantations in her spare time. Her mana output and capacity had improved. The innocent girl was sad, believing that her chance of getting into a battalion had disappeared.
Unexpectedly, a psychotic fighter had brutally murdered one of the contestants. He was disqualified while the family of the dead fighter mourned on top of his body. A moment of silence was given to the fallen warrior. As a punishment for defying the rules of the Golden Circle, the crazy man had his mana core and pathways shattered, reducing him to a cripple.
A few more hours passed before the makeshift tournament ended. A white haired girl with a floating energy spear, Etris, Eldan, the angry man with a bat, and several more, won their first match. They were now regarded as the shining rookies. The majority of them were Supreme potentials.
"To those who failed, don't leave. There's still a chance for you to be recruited. Wait along with the others. One by one, your name will be called. You will step forward into the light of the golden ring, then we'll evaluate you." Vance announced.
Everyone grew solemn. This was the moment that would decide their future. The captains spoke amongst themselves before nudging the king. They then pointed toward the audience. Solomon raised his hand, and a massive spotlight appeared on top of Shu.
"Every contestant must come down to the arena. Even you, Shu." The bald commander declared.
Everyone in the audience turned to the young samurai in surprise. When the hell did he get there?! Nobody had even noticed his presence. The captains also realized his talent for stealth. They couldn't help but look at Aiden. Rin the snow demon was no longer there, probably off doing her own thing. As Shu made his way down, Vance spoke again.
"I also noticed that you didn't challenge any of the winners to a match. Are you sure you don't wish to show any more of your skills? It may affect the recruitment process." He questioned. Shu had finally made it to the other participants by this point.
"...My sword is only a tool used for killing…For slaughter. I won't participate in games." The swordsman responded.
All of the commanders and participants frowned. Was he insulting them? Let's hope not. Another target would be placed on his back.
"I see…The recruitment will begin then."