Slifer watched with interest as the next two contestants stepped into the arena - Ziven of the Heavenly Light Sect, and Katherine of the Black Rose Sect.

The cocky Son of Heaven wore a smirk as he faced Katherine across the arena. "Try not to bore me too quickly, will you?"

Katherine bristled, flames already dancing along her fingertips. "We'll see who's bored after I burn off that stupid grin!"

"Begin!" Elder Fred announced.

Katherine immediately leapt at Ziven, propelling herself forward on jets of fire from her feet. With a fierce cry, she hurled a massive fireball straight at her opponent's head.

But faster than she could react, Ziven thrust out a palm, conjuring a swirling vortex of wind that swallowed up the fireball. With his other hand, he made a squeezing motion.

"Wind Lock!"

Before she could retreat, the air around Katherine condensed with an audible crack, forming into glowing green chains that clamped onto her limbs and held her suspended in the air.

"Already?" Ziven yawned. "What a disappointment."

He flicked his wrist, and the chains flung Katherine against the ground, then up into the barrier wall. Over and over her battered body smashed back and forth between the two surfaces as she screamed.

Finally, Ziven recalled the chains, dropping Katherine to lie crumpled on the floor, barely conscious. He prodded her with the tip of his boot.

"Pathetic. Is this the best your wretched sect can muster?"

Elder Fred hurried over and checked Katherine's condition. Her face was badly bruised, and blood dripped from her nose and mouth. With a shake of his head, the Elder raised his hand.

"The winner is Ziven!"

The Heavenly Light disciples erupted into deafening cheers for their victorious sect brother. Chants of "Son of Heaven! Son of Heaven!" rang out from the stands. Even spectators from the other sects looked impressed by Ziven's swift and utter demolition of his opponent.

As for the Black Rose section, it was silent except for a few muttered curses. Hughie slammed his fist angrily against the railing.

"He’s cocky now but wait till I face him!"

"That is the fate of all demonic cultivators!" Ziven declared loudly enough for all to hear. "To be crushed under the foot of the righteous!"

More cheers erupted from the Heavenly Light disciples. Slifer resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Protagonists were always one for dramatic speeches.

"I quite like his style," Vowron chuckled.

"As expected of our finest. None of the disciples here can match Ziven," Zofia said with a proud smile on her face.

So he defeated some no-name scrub, big deal. My own disciples are far more entertaining to watch. And he’s already lost against Amelia before anyway.

As if sensing Slifer’s thoughts, Elder Fred stepped forward for the next announcement.

"Amelia of Black Rose versus Adrian of White Tiger Sect!"

A petite silver-haired girl stepped into the arena with an innocent smile on her face. Adrian towered over her, rippling with muscle.

"I'll try not to hurt you too badly little girl," Adrian laughed.

Amelia's smile grew even more innocent as she clutched her hands to her chest. "Oh my, you're so big and strong! Please be gentle with me!"

Slifer had to resist the urge to snort out loud. The little minx was laying it on thick with her act. He could already predict what was about to happen.

As expected, the moment Elder Fred announced the start of the match, Amelia's entire demeanour changed. Her innocent smile twisted into a vicious grin and her hand snapped out, backhanding Adrian across the face before he could react.

The White Tiger disciple reeled back with a startled shout, clutching his cheek. "Why you little—!"

Amelia immediately schooled her features back into a mask of terror.

"I'm so sorry!" Amelia exclaimed. "But I got scared, forgive me!"

“I…I didn’t even atta—"

But Amelia was already on him, hands covered in purple qi.

"Spirit Severing Claw!"

Her nails elongated into wicked talons that she raked across Adrian's chest in a blurred series of swipes. Blood sprayed as Adrian's robes were shredded, five deep gashes slicing across his torso.

He stumbled back with a cry of pain as his soul burned. "Damn you!"

Amelia dropped her innocent act as a cruel smile appeared on her face. "Mmm, not bad,” She murmured as she licked the blood from her claws. “But big strong men always taste the sweetest when their arrogance turns to despair."

“Y-you bitch!” Adrian shouted as he activated his sect's signature White Tiger transformation.

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Muscles bulged and white fur sprouted across his body as he dropped on all fours, morphing into a massive tiger. Razor sharp claws dug into the arena floor as he pounced with a deafening roar.

But Amelia darted around the wild strikes, looking almost bored. As Adrian passed by, she delivered a slap to his bottom.

"Bad kitty! You need to be punished for that little temper tantrum."

She grabbed the tiger by the tail and slammed him down hard. Adrian yowled as the arena floor cracked under the impact.

But Amelia was just getting started. Still holding him by the tail, she swung the helpless Adrian around like he weighed nothing, building momentum before releasing him. He sailed through the air, crashing headfirst through the arena barrier.

Watching Amelia's antics, Slifer sighed internally.

She's never going to learn respect or mercy at this rate. It will take someone finally giving her a taste of her own medicine before she changes. And even that might not be enough...

Astrid, seeing one of her sect members being tortured like this, frowned. "This level of humiliation is unnecessary. She has already clearly won, there's no need to drag it out."

"Oh, I don't know, I'm quite enjoying the show," Vowron laughed.

Adrian had finally reverted back to human form and was now being spun overhead by his ankles before being pile-drived back down.

"While technically allowed, this does seem rather...excessive," Leontius winced.

"What else can be expected from demonic scum. They have no honour!" Zofia sneered down her nose.

Slifer frowned. He may not approve of Amelia's methods either, but he wouldn't stand for outsiders criticizing his disciples. That was his job!

"Amelia is still young," he said. "She has much to learn in controlling her...enthusiasm during battle."

That was probably the understatement of the century,Slifer mused.

The words had barely left his mouth when Amelia leapt onto the semi-conscious Adrian's back. "Giddy-up horsey!" She cackled, slapping his sides as she pretended to ride him around the arena like a bucking bronco.

I give up, Slifer pinched the bridge of his nose. She's hopeless.

Amelia then hopped off and proceeded to repeatedly smash Adrian's face into the ground like she was grinding pepper.

After grinding Adrian's face into the dirt several more times, Amelia seemed to grow bored. With a dismissive sniff, she dusted off her hands and walked away, leaving her opponent in a whimpering heap.

Elder Fred awkwardly raised his arm. "Um...victor, Amelia of Black Rose Sect."

Ding!

Your Disciple Amelia Won!

150 Karmic Credits Gained!

Well, at least she won. Guess I'll have to give her a lecture about 'respecting your opponent', for all the good it will do.

Amelia curtsied to the cheering Black Rose disciples. Then she turned and gave a wink straight at Ziven, blowing him a kiss. The Son of Heaven looked like he wanted to murder her on the spot.

The remaining matches of the first round passed by fairly quickly. Dentos, as efficient as usual, defeated his Black Heart Sect opponent with several well-placed strokes of his paintbrush. The poor cultivator found himself sealed inside a painting of a serene meadow for the remainder of the duel.

Nomed got lucky with his match-up, facing off against a Pure Soul Sect cultivator at only the Mid Foundation Establishment Realm. The mismatch was obvious to everyone as Nomed battered his opponent into submission in less than a minute.

It will take more than a gap of one substage in cultivation to defeat a protagonist.

“Next match – Zack of the Black Rose Sect vs Urion of the Heavenly Light Sect!”

Let's see how my other self does, Slifer straightened up in his seat with interest.

Ding!

New Task: For Every Battle Your Disciples Win In The Second Round, You Will Gain 200 Karmic Credits!

Wow, if I get credits for every battle they win in the rest of the tournament, just how many credits would that be?

Zack strolled into the arena wearing a confident grin as always. Despite Slifer healing his shoulder, he still wore bandages wrapped around one arm for show.

Urion smirked when he saw the bandages. "Just give up now. With you already half-crippled, I'd hate for you to embarrass yourself out there."

"Funny, I was hoping to get matched against one of you Heavenly Light peacocks,” Zack's eyes glinted dangerously. “Can't wait to pluck those arrogant feathers of yours."

"You da-!"

“Begin!”