Nat's eyes widen once she hears a foreign voice in her head, but she takes in a gasp of air and I continue talking to her before too much time passes.

"I can grant you the power to win, but you're going to have to put your full trust in me. Focus. To win this battle, you must visualize me as your leader and recite these words."

Nat grits her teeth, conceptualizing the situation in slow motion, nodding while I tell her what to say. The words that travel through our link are words I didn't imagine I'd be saying during my time in the Apex Region, but when an opportunity like this makes itself known, I can either take the risk or lose the chance.

Her eyes widen more as she hears the order I've given, then replies through our link while she gets stabbed through the gut by an earth-imbued sword.

"Whoever you are... If this is true, I would do anything to win. I swear my loyalty to you, The Flame Emperor, grant me power, please help me..."

Blood gushes out from her mouth as she attempts to heal her wounds and get away from the attacker.

Nat's eyes are filled with fear as her health drops dangerously close to the respawn trigger threshold.

Trax's laugh echoes through the arena as the floor becomes stained red with blood.

Nat mana-steps toward my transparent door as the earth user from the Phantom Region follows her while charging up a final strike to kill.

I speak through the link again.

"Out loud... Yell it out for all to hear. Give me your trust and you'll make it home to the Veridian Region. I promise you that."

She coughs up blood to clear her throat, then does as I wish, yelling out for the whole arena to hear with tears in her eyes.

"Flame Emperor! I swear my loyalty to you! Grant me power... The power to win!"

While this isn't what it would take to actually create a link of loyalty, a simple verbal acknowledgment or even a strong bond of trust is usually enough to make the connection; I need something more for Nat's link to trigger in such a short amount of time.

A much more simple display could have been done, even her whispering under her breath, but I want all attention to be on her once the link is created.

The more flashy and dramatic the better.

As a notification rings and our link of loyalty forms, my eyes sparkle with excitement.

I take a deep breath and begin mentally activating portions of my Rising Emperors Domain's interface to grant her 5% of all my base stats, 1% of my mana control, and the ability to now use extreme fire summoning.

A full 10% of everything isn't necessary. The mana control I've shared is already overkill.

The fire magic touch isn't needed either, but If eyebrows are already being raised, I might as well give them something to look at.

The arena goes silent as Natalie's echoing yells cease and the only thing remaining is the earth blade aimed straight for her heart.

It collides with the silver lightweight armor chest plate she took from the resting room and melts through the metal like butter.

However, at the same time, she feels a warm surge of intense energy fill her body.

Billions of MP worth of mana control energy enter her bloodstream, and her proficiency with shielding increases by over 1000% in a matter of milliseconds.

Her baseline stats all raise a noticeable amount and are multiplied by the full set of gear she has on.

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Nat's perception of the entire arena changes.

With this added level of mana control coursing through her, she mana-steps out of the way before the tip of the blade can touch her skin.

She can feel each individual mana particle floating through the ring.

Her breaths in and out feel deeper, and she can instinctually formulate entire battle strategies before she even breathes in again.

The white-haired healer places both her hands on her stomach, healing all of her injuries on the surface while turning her gaze to see one of her daggers on the blood-stained ground less than 10 meters away.

Her steps feel both light and filled with new limitless power.

Before the earth magic user can even turn to attack again, she's already picked up her knife and turned in the air to make a counterattack.

Mid-air, while pushing the blade in her grasp forward at her attacker's head, fire begins to flicker in her eyes.

Every mana-step she takes forward begins to pulse red and grow in brightness.

By the time the silver blade in her hand makes contact with the Phantom Region applicant's forehead, her steps are flickering with flames, and the blade she carries erupts into a massive dark red ball of fire.

As she follows through and slashes downward, the white transportation magic of the item around the man's neck activates, and he disappears from the ring.

At the same instant I see him disappear, I deactivate my buff and take all of the stat enhancements and shared skills away from Natalie, and she falls to the floor panting as the mana-imbued flames in the air dissipate to leave the healer lying in a pile of her own blood in the center of the ring.

No applicants say a word.

Everyone stares at the scene in the arena with disbelief.

Even the regional leaders are surprised to see what happened.

The Vice and Veridian Region Directors both stand up from their thrones to step forward and get a closer look into the ring.

After over 10 full seconds of silence pass, whispers begin to build up.

Not only between the applicants surrounding the ring, but also the directors and their guests.

No one understands what they just witnessed.

Even as Rodrigo announces Natalie as the winner, I can hear in his tone that he too has no clue how this match turned around so quickly for such an explosive victory.

Nat manages to get up off the floor and heal herself enough to walk slowly back to her room.

The most entertaining expression in the arena is Trax's face, baffled by this display, with his mouth wide open.

Rodrigo senses the tension and speaks up before announcing the next event.

"Today is a trial to show off our abilities. Remember, applicants, there are no rules to this tournament. You may use whatever powers are at your disposal. Magic amplifiers, cursed items, and especially hidden abilities like the one shown here in the last round. Anything goes, remember, you are fighting for your future! Only 12 of you will become B-Class hunters this year. Give it everything you have."

While he does this, the arena is cleaned by a pair of Apex Region workers.

Chatter begins to spread between everyone, and I feel my telepathy link with Ember open next.

"Are you sure that was a good idea?"

I stare forward, watching the men wipe away Nat's blood, and reply.

"Helping her win, yes, that is a good idea. Having all 8 regions hear the name of the Flame Emperor in broad daylight, on the other hand..."

I let out a sigh, looking over to Nat's room, then up at the black box above this dome. Then continue my reply to Ember.

"Well, it's neither good nor bad yet, it's just what has been done. I was planning on making an expansion out of the Dark Continent sooner or later... Might as well get people accustomed to this name and power now. It's not like I'm showing my face, I'm just giving them a teaser. Those who are not truly strong will fear unknown and unpredictable outcomes... My plan is now set in motion."

I cross my arms and grin while staring up at the Apex Region black box in the sky while the 7 regions below continue to discuss this round's events and make theories of everything they just witnessed.

The leaderboards have information on each hunter's skills, Natalie's says nothing about possessing any fire abilities and this is what makes her prayer to summon this power all the more mystifying.

While Rodrigo announces the next match, chatter dies down, and I share my mythic grade self-regeneration skill with Natalie next. It has passive properties to heal fatigue and minor injuries even if the user is not consciously using it.

I don't say a word as she's sat in the middle of her room staring down at her hands.

After a few seconds, once I see the color come back in her face, I deactivate my buff and take the skill off of her status while opening another link.

"You did well."

Her eyes open wide and I can tell she wants to look my way but doesn't.

I reply before she does.

"You can ask me as many questions as you want once this is all over. I don't know your situation, and you surely do not know mine. However, I have a hunch becoming a B-Class hunter will solve a lot of your problems."

She still stares at the ground when she replies,

"Yes. It would."

"Good. I get you a B-Class license, and you show me around the Veridian Region after the exam is over... and it goes without saying you will never speak a word of how you received this power, understood?"

I see a smile come across her face as she stands to her feet and watches the next match start.

"Understood."