The next morning,
Kailash woke up sore from the previous day's battles, his ribs still aching from the spiritual beast's tail swipe.
As he sat on the edge of his creaky bed, staring out of the tiny window at the rising sun, he muttered to himself, "Final round. Battle royale. What could possibly go wrong?"
Ravi, ever the early riser, was already at the door, his arms crossed and his face as unreadable as ever. "Ready to get trampled?"
Kailash groaned, stretching his arms. "You've got to work on your motivational speeches. Ever heard of positive reinforcement?"
Ravi smirked. "Positive reinforcement doesn't toughen you up. Get moving. The arena's waiting."
The arena today was buzzing like a beehive. Spectators filled every seat, their cheers and shouts blending into a cacophony of excitement.
Vendors outside the gates yelled over the crowd, peddling snacks and trinkets, each one promising to be "lucky" for the competitors.
Kailash stood with the other finalists near the arena's entrance, trying to keep his nerves in check.
There were nineteen others, all looking far more confident or at least trying to appear that way.
Some were seasoned fighters from powerful sects, while others, like Kailash, were surprises who had clawed their way to the top.
The announcer, now looking particularly dramatic in a flowing red robe, stepped onto the raised platform in the center of the arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" he boomed, his voice carrying effortlessly across the crowd. "Welcome to the grand finale of the Jade Youth Tournament!"
The crowd roared, and Kailash rolled his eyes. "Does he ever stop yelling?" he muttered under his breath.
The announcer continued, oblivious to Kailash's grumblings. "Today, twenty brave warriors enter this sacred ring, but only one will emerge as the champion! The final round is a battle royale, a test of skill, strategy, and survival!"
Kailash felt a bead of sweat roll down his temple. A battle royale meant chaos, and chaos wasn't something he could plan for.
"Let me remind you of the rules!" the announcer declared, holding up a finger for emphasis. "There are no teams, no alliances, and no mercy! The match ends when only three competitors remain standing. Those three will advance to the final ceremony for the ultimate duel!"
The crowd cheered louder, and Kailash sighed. "No mercy? That's encouraging."
One by one, the announcer began calling the names of the finalists.
Each fighter stepped forward into the ring as their name was announced.
"Lian of the Crimson Viper Sect!" The pale girl with her creepy puppets strode forward, her blank expression unchanging as the crowd murmured in recognition.
"Jorik of the Ironfist Clan!" The burly axe-wielder flexed his muscles, drawing cheers and whistles from the audience.
"Haren of the Stormclaw Sect!" The wiry boy with the lightning staff received a mix of cheers and wary looks.
The names continued, each fighter stepping into the ring with their weapon or skill on display, as if trying to intimidate the others.
Finally, the announcer reached the last name. "And Kailash Varuna of Kalith Village!"
The cheers were polite but noticeably quieter compared to the others.
Kailash didn't mind, he was used to being underestimated. With his Basic Spirit Sword strapped to his back and his Qi-Infused Gloves hidden under his sleeves, he stepped into the ring, trying not to trip over his own feet.
Ravi, watching from the sidelines, gave him a small nod. Kailash took a deep breath. "No pressure. Just nineteen people trying to knock me out. Easy."
The ring was enormous, wide enough to hold all twenty fighters with room to spare.
The ground was a mix of packed dirt and jagged rocks, with the occasional stone pillar rising from the floor like a natural obstacle.
The announcer raised his hand. "Finalists, prepare yourselves! The battle begins… NOW!"
As soon as the signal was given, chaos erupted.
Jorik, the hulking axe-wielder, charged straight into the fray, swinging his weapon in a wide arc that forced several fighters to leap back.
His booming laughter echoed through the arena. "Come on, then! Let's see what you're made of!"
Lian, meanwhile, hung back, her puppets advancing in her place.
The eerie wooden constructs moved with unnerving precision, their spiked clubs targeting anyone who came too close.
Kailash darted to the side, avoiding a spear thrust from one fighter and narrowly dodging a fireball hurled by another. "Great. This is exactly how I wanted to spend my morning, dodging fire and pointy sticks."
He quickly found himself in a skirmish with a short, stocky boy wielding a pair of curved daggers.
The boy grinned, his movements quick and slippery as he tried to close the distance. Kailash deflected the first strike with his sword, using the Gale Strike technique to send a gust of wind that forced his opponent back.
"Not bad," the boy said, smirking as he adjusted his stance. "But let's see how you handle this!"
The boy lunged again, his daggers moving in a flurry of strikes.
Kailash dodged and parried, the vibrations of the impacts running up his arm.
He saw an opening and swung his sword in a wide arc, releasing another Gale Strike.
The wind knocked the boy off balance, and Kailash followed up with a Qi-infused punch to the chest, sending him sprawling.
Before Kailash could catch his breath, a massive shadow loomed over him.
He turned just in time to see Jorik's axe descending toward him.
Kailash dove to the side, the blade embedding itself in the ground where he'd been standing.
"You're quick," Jorik rumbled, yanking his axe free. "But I like a challenge."
"Glad to be of service," Kailash said, scrambling to his feet.
He swung his sword, aiming for Jorik's legs, but the big man blocked it with the shaft of his axe.
The two clashed, trading blows in a flurry of strikes and counters.
Kailash's arms burned with the effort of deflecting Jorik's powerful swings, but he refused to back down.
Across the ring, Lian's puppets were wreaking havoc, their spiked clubs smashing through anyone who dared approach her.
Haren was holding his own against three fighters, his lightning staff crackling with energy as he kept them at bay.
Meanwhile, a spiritual beast some kind of horned wolf had joined the fray, its snarls adding to the chaos.
It pounced on an unlucky fighter, pinning him to the ground before being driven back by another's fiery Qi attack.