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Sky Origin City is an extravagant metropolis within the Infinite Dread Empire.

The city was built on a floating island and covered at least fifty miles. The buildings were enormous, towering over the streets and crowding them out of existence. Several smaller islands floated around the larger one, one of which would be considered a mountain if it were on land, with dozens of different buildings peppered throughout.

A thick shroud of smog and pollution hung in the air like a ghostly monster. It blocked the sun's light and twisted the features of objects beneath it as though they had been erased from existence by a mad god's eraser.

At least ten million homes sat within this space alone, not counting the countless shops that line every road. These buildings housed at least 10 billion residents, thousands of whom happened to be powerhouses that hail from various corners of the universe.

Naturally, there were countless forces within the city as well.

One such force kept a shallow profile in the city. The Spatial Turf Guild owned dozens of shops and factories throughout the Infinite Dread Empire. Their main factory in Sky Origin City was also home to a terrifying secret. Thirty-five meters under the main factory was a hidden laboratory. The lab has a distinct chemical smell that could stick to your skin, let alone one's clothing. Four researchers burned the late-night oil as they toiled away at their various tasks.

Not one noticed a pair of vertical slits spying on them from the shadows of a corner. Nothing could be seen but those ghost-like eyes that flickered in and out of existence like an invisible flame.

"Prototype-B failed to meet our expectations," a slightly balding researcher spoke his thoughts out loud for a recorder. "However, Experiment-1 is most similar to Prototype B among the four pre-trials."

The researcher sat in front of two intricate machines, and the orbs at their center glowed with a brilliant blue-gold hue. The sphere on the left was brighter than its counterpart but had fewer twinkling stars within its core.

The researcher's mistake triggers a loud explosion, causing the walls to tremble and crack. The balding senior researcher rushes to the scene, bellowing with rage and unbridled fury.

Suddenly, a small dark figure appears out of thin air and lunges towards the machine on the right. Before anyone has time to react, it disappears into thin air, taking one of the most critical items in the lab.

Five minutes later, the researcher returns to his station, unaware of what had just transpired; ignorance is bliss as he continues his work, not once suspecting that something so valuable has disappeared.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

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Although it was already late into the evening, the city was still bustling with activity due to the Tri-Decade Wild Wolf Competition, a fighting and energy arts tournament taking place every 30 years. The city's music and magic lantern lights were as bright as day as thousands of tourists flew in from cities on every continent and small villages worldwide to witness the finals of the wild wolf competition—one of three colossal tournaments.

Exotic birds watched from perches on rooftop gardens while children with wide eyes begged their parents for treats. Dark clouds consumed most of the starry skies as the festive atmosphere of Sky Origin City reached new heights after the conclusion of the Wild Wolf Competition's semi-final matches. The Wild Wolf Grand Battle Arena was a grand stadium and coliseum that stood in the center of the largest floating island in Sky Origin City—Wolf Origin Island. Magical beast mounts and hovercrafts zoomed to and from the island in a frenzy as the stadium quickly filled to capacity.

At the battle arena's main stage, hundreds of thousands of fans cheered as an announcer in an elegant suit made from expensive fabrics took the stage.

He possessed an air of magnificence that left people in awe. He took a wand out of his sleeve and pointed the tip at his throat. The loud arena quickly settled down at this sight. A soft blue light enveloped the wand's tip, and the man's voice was magnified 4,000 times.

"Today is the day of the final round of this year's Tri-Decade Wild Wolf Competition. I want to take this time to recognize all the young warriors who have participated thus far. Out of the 20,000,000 applicants, only 2,000,000 qualified. Of the 2,000,000 qualifiers, only 500,000 made it to the third round. Less than 500 made it to the sixth. Only two of our competitors remain by the end of the semi-finals!" The crowd erupted in cheers, drowning out the announcer's voice. He waited for them to settle down again before continuing.

"Today, these two warriors will face each other in a battle that will determine the champion of the Tri-Decade Wild Wolf Competition. They have both fought valiantly to get here, and they both deserve our utmost respect."

The crowd roared again, shaking the stadium. The announcer waited patiently for them to quiet down once more.

"Without further ado, I give you our finalists!"

The larger-than-life virtual images of two warriors emerged from opposite sides of the arena, their faces stoic and determined. One was a tall, muscular youth with flowing platinum hair and piercing green eyes. The other was a petite woman with long black hair and dark eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light of the stadium.

The crowd fell silent as the two warriors stood facing each other, their eyes locked in a fierce gaze. The announcer raised his wand again. Dozens of thrones wrapped in ethereal light floated down from above. The announcer performed a half-bow in welcome. Once the announcer reached this point, the crowd went wild with more cheering. The announcer smiled knowingly, giving the masses a final chance to calm down.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Immortal Court, we welcome you! Thank you for joining our humble assembly and gracing Wolf Origin Island with your presence. This will be a final match to remember. Finalists, this is the last call! Prepare yourselves! In two hours the final match will start! Luerong Blacc! Sylvester Tricko! Welcome to the stage!"

The stadium's private viewing room was dimly lit, the twelve onlookers seated in awe of two distinct figures standing in the corner by a large window with a breathtaking view. The first figure was a caramel-skinned warrior, muscular and tall, his strong jawline hidden beneath a thick beard, his waist-length hair shining like polished silver. The second figure was much younger -- short and wiry with a wild expression and wolf ears. His hair was an eye-catching crimson color that extended past his shoulders. Looking closely, they both resembled the green-eyed youth in the images below.

The one most in awe was none other than a short-haired youth in black armor who approached cautiously and respectfully.

"Fifth prince, there is still no word from the ninth prince. We fear he has suffered a mishap…" The soldier in black put his fist to his heart and bowed deeply as he spoke. He hesitated momentarily before continuing, "The genius from the Blakroc Clan has already been selected to join the Immortal Court. With the ninth prince's ruthless habits, perhaps it would be better to forfeit the match in his stead."

"Forfeit?" the handsome middle-aged man turned around to reveal a sneer.

An undisguised murderous intent leaked from his crimson eyes. The soldier who spoke felt intense dread. The fifth prince's waist-length silver hair and feral eyes sent a chill down the spine of the newer recruits.

The prince's deep, raspy voice assaulted their minds and overrode their thoughts, "Clan Trickarius will never accept trash who runs away. How will my younger brother ever become the true monarch he was born to be if I dare to let you commit such a cowardly act?"

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