The next morning.
Ian is waiting outside the hospital for Karl. He looks very anxious as he checks his watch.
Karl finally comes out of the door, yawning loudly. He is wearing his uniform like usual. Ian notices the dark circles under Karl's eyes.
"You seem tired, are you nervous?"
"Yeah. A bitch kept talking to me."
Question mark pops appear on Ian's head. "Hm? The nurse?"
Karl doesn't answer and directly sits in the rover. Ian sits in the front seat and the vehicle takes off.
"Listen now, the knight succession tournament is a big event where people from multiple blocks come to participate. Normally, this event is held in the capital but due to ongoing intense war the tournament is going to held in U-block." Ian sees that Karl is glancing out of the window, he continues anyway. "Every year a large number of people participate and now the number is going only up as more aspiring youth want to become a knight, so they can protect their motherland. But remember, our goal here is not to win but to survive and secure the runner up position. Got it?"
"Yeah."
"The tournament has four phases; First one is selection. Where you will be put in a cage with 10 other people, in there you have to fight everyone and show your prowess."
'The last one standing concept, got it.'
"Second phase is bit tricky. In that the judges will estimate your power level from your first phase's performance and assign you an equal level beast which you will have to kill in order to advance."
"Who are the judges?"
"Selected representatives of various Sentinel families. This year there are two and one from the federation." Karl nods as he gets a bad feeling after hearing that someone from the federation is attending the tournament. He glances outside the window once more and his eyes open wide in shock. In the sky, there are countless vehicles going in the same direction as them. Among the vehicles Karl sees few buses and large van-like rovers too.
"Those all are your competitors. Don't lose." Ian says without looking at Karl.
"Of course."
After three and half an hour, the rover lands on the hard concrete surface and Karl along with Ian steps out of it. Infront of them, there is huge white dome four times bigger than the black mane arena back at the academy.
Ian sees Karl's weird expression "Where is everyone? I thought there would be a huge crowd."
"Oh, they probably landed at the front gate to register themselves."
"Then, why are we here?"
"Patience. Leo, you are now representing the Phirsecot knighthood. That means on paper, you are a part of us. So why would a member of the Phirsecots would go and stand in a line along with the peasants?"
'Wow. That's some solid ego.'
"Y-Yeah."
"Don't forget this. Now, follow me." Karl follows Ian to the back entrance of the dome which was too lavish for a back entrance. Inside, a man wearing a black suit escorts Ian and Karl into an elevator. Once at the top floor, the door opens. Revealing a luxurious suite which a large sofa, a buffet in the corner and a one-way glass to see the tournament. Currently, there are only empty seats and the inner structure of the dome is similar to a large football stadium.
Karl straight goes to the buffet with only one thought in his mind. 'Meat!' His body craves for protein as he didn't eat any during his time in the hospital.
Ian sees this silently smiles.
Few minutes later, Karl is taking a refill for the 4th time. He sits on sofa and takes a huge bite of the large turkey like leg. Meanwhile, Ian is talking to someone via his wristwatch.
TING! The elevator door opens and a man wearing full body armour comes out, the insignia of Phirsecot House was shining on his chest. In his right hand there is a metal sheet with something written on it and a large suitcase in his left hand. Ian hangs up the call and takes the metal sheet in his hands. "Leo. Scan this sheet to complete the registration process."
"Okah." Karl opens the camera on his wrist watch and it automatically scans the sheet. A message pops up. [Have you read the terms & regulations-]
Karl immediately clicks on yes in a single breath. 'Didn't gave a shit in my past life and not giving one in this life as well.'
The metal sheet changes visibly and displays a [SUCCESS!].
"Congratulation on your registration. Your participation number is 118521. Hope you do well sir." The man bows and puts the suitcase on the sofa. Then he leaves the suite. Karl continues to devour the food.
"Leo. About the sword that you wield, I gathered some intel on it."
"Uhawt?" Karl questions back as his mouth is stuffed with food.
Ian explains the history of the sword along with Jora's theory, of course he didn't reveal his death.
"A sword wielded by a beastkin who was a grandmaster and he used it to kill powerful noble vampire. Interesting." He summons the Talwar. "Hmm. So, this sword's element is space, right?"
"Yes." Ian answers.
Seeing Ian's quick response, Karl thinks for a second and asks. "What are the chances that this sword was actually used by the noble and not the grandmaster?"
"W-What?"
"I am saying is what if this sword was actually wield by the vampire and not the beastkin?"
"That's not possible. The vampyer race already has the possession of the forbidden element of Time. Two forbidden elements cannot exist in the among the same race." Ian explains.
"And who said that?"
"The great sage?"
Karl makes a not so convinced face and inserts mana into the blade. The blade glows in purple hue. "So, this explains why the blade phased through that vampire's body along with my own body." He says his thoughts out aloud.
"Not only phasing, but you can use this blade in your every attack." Ian advices. Karl nods in understanding.
For the next 2 hours Ian and Karl kept strategizing about the blade's unique features and how can Karl use it in combat.
WHOOM! A huge trumpet goes on in a distance but the sound waves produced by the instrument shakes the entire dome.
"W-What was that?"
"Looks like the judges are here." Ian stands up and walks towards the glass wall. The empty dome is now filled with thousands of people. A red carpet is spread on the main platform.
Suddenly, three people come on the red carpet and walk towards the main platform. Two male and one female. The crowd is going crazy. Karl quickly recognizes a man out of those three.
'What is he doing here?'
Among the three people there is a man wearing a shirt and tight pants as if he came to a 9 to 5 job. The man yawns loudly and takes a look around the crowd.
"Ugh! Susen did you have to dress in that way?" The man who is walking behind the 9 to 5 man complains. He has dark brown hair with tanned dark skin. It looks good on his average face which has very high bone density. The Chief ignores him and directly looks in Karl's direction. He waves his hand with a smile. Karl shivers visibly.
"W-Who are they?"
"Oh. They are this year's judges. Sir Karlos Hema Ratan, the woman you see is the head of the Treypin knighthood and a high knight. She knowns you, so act accordingly. Lastly, this year's Knight succession tournament was arranged by the federation. Therefore, to represent the federation they sent Chief of logistics department, Sir Susen Theodare.." Ian explains.
All three of them are standing on the platform as crowd cheers loudly. Suddenly, the head of the Treypin knighthood claps her hands together.
TANG!
A deafening sound was heard by everyone present in the dome and eeveryone becomes dead silent. "Now, I assume that everyone is settled." The lady's angelic voice which is like music to everyone's ears was heard by everyone in the dome regardless where they are standing.
"I am Malesia Grover Treypin, the head of Treypin knighthood as well as the Overseer of the U block. I welcome everyone here to this year's knight succession tournament which is arranged by the contributions of the federation, Ratan knighthood and the Treypin Knighthood. And I hereby declare the start of the tournament. May the Horizon bless us with powerful talents this year as well." Malesia prays. Everybody in the crowd cheers loudly one more time.
Among the crowd, Ken reads a message from his watch. 'Leonard? Did he found out?'
On the other side of the dome, Yelm growls in anger. "What's wrong, Yelm?"
"HE IS HEREEEE!" He says it in a distorted voice. His face is barely unrecognizable along with rest of his body which is covered in bandages.
The female vampyer ignores her underling's words and pushes the wheelchair forward.