Road To The Best Of 16!
Heian Ciemnosc stood up from the floor and finished munching on that fleshy, slightly bloody snack to look at the new opponent appearing before him. It was a young man, somewhat tall and handsome. Of course, nowhere comparable to Heian Ciemnosc. When he reappeared in Heian Ciemnosc's arena, the young man became startled but sank his eyebrows and started frowning hard.
“Heian Ciemnosc, my Flourishing Empire was unjustly attacked by you! Do you have anything to say to that?!” Heian Ciemnosc was just observing the young man in silence when this one just pointed at him and started yelling. Everyone could see where his confidence came from. Like Lona, the previous duelist, this young man thought himself stronger at the peak of the Broken Crystallization realm 7th stage.
Heian Ciemnosc tilted his head to the left as the young man continued raging. This young man also didn’t take long to reveal his name. As for his organization, Heian Ciemnosc had noticed it as soon as the young man entered the arena. The young man, thus, shouted, “That is unacceptable! My fellow countrymen and women never offended you, and we even helped your students in the other mini-stadiums. Are you even aware of what strain in our organizations’ relationships you’ve made?! I am Nando, a man belonging to that beautiful organization’s world!”
“... What strain? The Flourishing Empire and the Wrath Nihility Academy had never contacted each other,” Heian Ciemnosc said. He calmly stood where he was without caring about the innumerable interested gazes as a small drama was played in their eyes. In response, the young man rapidly answered as if waiting for Heian Ciemnosc’s answer to catch him off guard before continuing more relaxingly. “But we could’ve had a starting point from this event forwards!”
“That doesn’t matter now. Since you know what you’ve done, then… can you kindly pay for your mistakes? It’s nothing much, but if you were willing to help the Academy forsake a million Star Stones, the Flourishing Empire would understand.” Nando confidently spoke, finding no problem in his claims. Meanwhile, Heian Ciemnosc could feel some people facepalming themselves before recomposing and hiding their actions.
“I’ll waste my breath just to explain it a little. So those who come after you know why.” Heian Ciemnosc completely ignored the young man’s words and started speaking. At the same time, he walked forward as the referees in each arena shouted. “The fight starts now!”
“In almost every other mini-stadium, your people could’ve helped my Academy if their goal, and your organization’s, was to actually form a friendship with us. However, you waited and waited. And when the moment came, as my people were suffering and their number was almost negligible, your countrymen and women decided to approach them… But with a price. That price was over the line, and many couldn’t even agree,” Heian Ciemnosc said.
“What, did you think I wouldn’t know this early on? Or that I wouldn’t check the recordings from the battle royale section? No, you were just this stupid. But at least you’re not a spineless coward directly. No, you need a little push for that.” Heian Ciemnosc’s words were directly cold sweat to the now slightly trembling young man, whose eyes had long widened and felt like a disaster was about to befall him.
However, after 2 seconds, he recomposed and looked at Heian Ciemnosc, who strangely walked towards him without fear despite the enormous cultivation base difference. Nando regained confidence and stood almost with a straight back. After taking a deep breath, he spoke to the pale young man with some certainty. “Heian Ciemnosc, even when you say that, we still helped you and wanted to pick your side. It doesn’t matter if the other side paid more, my people have the right to choose what’s best for their surv-”
“Oh no, nonono,” Heian Ciemnosc interrupted with a sudden, little shake of his head and his eyebrows up. He momentarily halted moving forwards and said with a calm expression and even calmer words. “I’m not blaming you. If I were to know one of my COs was alone in a mini-stadium, I wouldn’t mind if they did anything they could to survive. Don’t put that face on. I refer to my direct team members representing my Concealed Ornament Team.”
“... … Well, ev-” Nando was left speechless at Heian Ciemnosc’s exposing words without being overly direct and blatant. Yet, he was interrupted again as Heian Ciemnosc’s tone turned… somewhat quiet. Even then, all Nando felt was hostility and a strange bloodthirst from Heian Ciemnosc’s words and how those darkest eyes ‘changed’ when looking at his pitiful self.
“Jokes on you, that actually happened. Even worse, one of my COs had to survive in a mini-stadium where you and the Interchanging Dust Dynasty’s people exterminated whoever wasn’t in your circle.” Heian Ciemnosc spoke without a stop despite not being quick. Nando’s face started sweating as he swiftly responded, “You did the same! In fact, if you didn’t create such a mess and even put the top 8 organizations in an awkward spot, nobody would’ve died!”
“No, I’m not asking or helping you see the truth. So, shut up and don’t speak to me!” Heian Ciemnosc took 2 steps forwards, and, at that moment, Nando strangely quieted down while the spectators’ eyebrows raised and their eyes widened. Heian Ciemnosc nonchalantly continued, “It wouldn’t be fine if you helped from the get-go. If you charged my people with money and favors but decided to do so only after many died. By then, they couldn’t even amount that much.”
“The problem isn’t your morals,” Heian Ciemnosc said, and as he did, a strange transparent, golden cube appeared floating above his right shoulder. Nando didn’t understand what it was immediately and simply squinted his eyes. But the crowd could, and they gasped and excitedly muttered to one another, and everyone could hear them. Suddenly, one old man from the bleachers rose to his feet and shouted, peak Third Step Vigor Energy rumbling in the air. “Nando, stop wasting time and surrender! You foolish kid!!”
“...” - “!!” However, a glare from Bai Yue’er kept the old man paralyzed before sitting down after several seconds. Meanwhile, Heian Ciemnosc finished his speech and was already just a couple hundred meters from where Nando was. “The problem was you chose to target me and my people. And you dared not help us immediately. You might come from a Third Step organization, but even they acknowledge the stupidity of their members, even those ‘promising’ ones like you.”
“...?!” Nando was somewhat distracted by the old man’s shouting, but he didn’t have problems keeping his guard up, even if his opponent was a mere beginner in the same realm, and he himself was already at the beginning of the later stages. However, he was guarded, and more so after seeing Heian Ciemnosc’s confidence and humbleness while walking towards him. Thus, when he remembered what was one of Heian Ciemnosc’s major strong points. His eyes widened. However, by then, it was too late.
Pshiiiiiiiift~! A golden flash swept by, passing above his head as Nando tried following with his Spirit Sense, but it was too fast. Nando didn’t dare turn around to watch what the thing could do, maintaining his eyes on Heian Ciemnosc, the greatest danger alive now. As for the pale young man, Heian Ciemnosc stood there without a care and slowly started walking as the Golden Array Snakes caged them both.
As a golden barrier was being set up, everyone understood Heian Ciemnosc’s ‘strong points’ were, at the very least, a tool about to become an Artifact! If that were the case, any mediocre array formations Craftsperson could evolve such a tool, making Heian Ciemnosc even more powerful! However, this further confused the crowd. Heian Ciemnosc was from the Wrath Nihility Academy. How could he lack those Craftspeople? Especially when he could become more powerful or guarantee his safety to a certain level.
As for that tool being an Artifact, not many in the bleachers thought so. Only the Third Step cultivators present, or higher, could tell it was actually one! The rest didn’t believe it since an Artifact, even in the Second Step, meant a major advantage, for they were too powerful. On the other hand, this golden barrier seemed entirely ordinary, with its color simply belonging to whatever the tool was modified with.
Everyone watched as both Heian Ciemnosc and Nando were caged within this golden barrier, encompassing over a whole kilometer gradually. Heian Ciemnosc didn’t show all of his Golden Array Snakes’ capabilities. Even if he wasn’t fearful to have his moves discovered, he still had property. Thus, the crowd could only see its slowed activation as Heian Ciemnosc came even closer to Heian Ciemnosc.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“!” Suddenly, just as Nando was circulating rigorous Power Energy within like crazy, he remembered the old man’s words. Instead of launching an attack as planned, he took 2 steps backward as Heian Ciemnosc was just a couple tens of meters before him. Nando opened his mouth, wanting to shout something. However, just then, he noticed a reaction from the outside while the referee above them looked down with a strange face and a frown.
Nando’s lips moved with more strength, veins popping around his head as the golden barrier fluctuated wherever he looked and directed his shouting. However, no matter how hard or however many times Nando shouted, his words didn’t reach the outside. On the other hand, all the crowd could do watching this arena was to look at each other, seemingly asking the same thing. ‘Is something bad going to happen again? Because of the same person?’
“!” - “UUUH~!~!” - “GASP!” - “GASP!” - “GASP!” Just as the crowd was nodding towards each other, they saw the golden barrier emanating dark smoke from below, slowly starting to hide Nando’s body, while Heian Ciemnosc’s body was not even seen anymore. Not even with the features could a spectator hear or see through the golden barrier covered by darkness. They suddenly saw Nando taking some weapons out, but by then, his body was mostly obstructed by the naked eye.
Nando swung his weapon twice before suddenly stopping in place, paralyzed and trembling like a tall building about to stumble down. He did one last effort, though, not giving up on life yet. Well, that is what it seemed, at least. Nando looked up and screamed like a rabid animal about to die. Its eyes were slowly losing focus, and he had to force them to look back up as they kept rotating down, and his eyelids no longer trembled.
In the end, however, Nando’s view was obstructed by the dark barrier, no longer golden, and a minute and a half passed with the crowd none the wiser. At a certain moment, the old man from before stood up again, with reason on his side, this time, as he politely questioned. “Esteemed referee, it… is clear Nando was giving up just now. Even if we couldn’t hear it, we could read his lips. This goes even for civilians!”
The old man gestured to the camera angles before continuing. “Why did nobody come to do something? Why was my Flourishing Empire’s person not saved?”
“Calm down,” the referee looked sideways at the polite old fellow and said before explaining, his eyes returning to fully focus on his arena. “If we referees were to ‘listen’ to whatever gestures or hushed words we see, by illusion or not, we might be forcing participants out of the tournament, losing face for ourselves and the Change Merit Trial. We would also terribly offend said party. Wouldn’t that be worse for everyone?”
“...” The old man dared not say anymore and weakly sat down before sighing. He closed his eyes to rest, no longer wondering what was happening to one of the most flourishing members of his organization who made it this far. A few seconds later, the old man felt his medallion give out a brief, crumbling noise, making him tremble for a few seconds before sighing again and thinking in his mind. ‘You reap what you sow… foolish brat.’
… Swushh~. At last, 30 seconds later, the dark barrier receded downwards to reveal a simple scene. There was no blood, no gore spread everywhere, and no signs of fighting. However, Heian Ciemnosc’s face was bloodied, with his pearly white teeth munching on a bunch of veins placed together as if he was dining enoki mushrooms. When the dark barrier descended, he looked up at the crowd before giving it a few more bites and gulping it down his throat.
“Heian Ciemnosc’s… victory!!” The referee announced, his expression somewhat lost but still managing to declare the victor. Heian Ciemnosc casually nodded and started looking elsewhere with his Spirit Sense. He saw Elena meeting an Obscure Orb Sect disciple this time, making her force her way through several shadow blades and blurry hidden weapons attacks before finishing off her opponent with a tremendous punch in the solar plexus with her Colorful Claw.
It would’ve been a stab if it wasn’t an ally. And after seeing Heian Ciemnosc’s results, if she didn’t kill anyone who wasn’t part of their alliance, she couldn’t be considered his wife anymore- ah. However, Heian Ciemnosc saw Fengli meet with one of Yun Nitu’s commanders, a female, monstrous expert at the beginning of the Broken Crystallization middle stages. After tens of bouts, Fengli gave up with sweat and bruises covering her body.
When she returned to the bleachers, Fera was quiet and acted meekly, disobeying Heian Ciemnosc but following her lovely heart. Afterwards, only Violet and the rest of the frightening trio remain in their arenas. Elena winning was already a big thing since so few early stages participants remained, and the number would only lessen in the next round. By then, only many hundreds, over a few thousand, participants would fight a few times before starting with the highest rankings. By then, anyone who participated — and survived — would be known across the world!
Even though they were just an Existence, and competition among Existences was what really excited anyone alive, to be recognized as a top-notch younger generation cultivator was a rare honor, only to come every few Eons or even Changes at worst. It was just as Sara said to Heian Ciemnosc, but to everyone else. They were lucky to be born at this time when they could enter this Change Merit Trials.
Swiftly, over the distance of a few arenas, Violet smiled at Heian Ciemnosc and waved at him. The others were too far away to even look at each other with the naked eye, with so many arenas and people in between floating up and down as they fought. Esteban and Sakura looked at Fengli, feeling it was on their hands to defeat their enemies at least once more before stepping down so as to not embarrass their ‘inner’ title and their team leader.
Elena was the same, although not because of Heian Ciemnosc, but because she didn’t think winning another fight would be easy. She decided to try her best the next time, and if she won, she would directly step down. On the other hand, Arla could keep going, even if not for the highest rankings. She would undoubtedly excel with her Broken Crystallization realm 7th stage cultivation base, almost breaking into the 8th stage.
Little Fera humiliated every CO as they returned except Aleksander, whose whole body became bloody again. This time, with Gloria ready and thirsty, she started expertly treating her baby boo under some Godly beings’ interested gazes. It wasn’t rare for cultivators to treat themselves medically, like citizens or civilians, but it was rare to see it look ordinary and non-cultivator-ish but still be of utmost efficiency.
Heian Ciemnosc was still ignored, as the Gods and Goddesses peeking into the dark barrier only saw him slowly take the flesh out and pull some tendons, plucking the hair off the head and disengaging the bones to the body before eating each one by one. It was entertaining somewhat, seeing Heian Ciemnosc’s incredible mastery at doing it, and a couple Gods and Goddesses nodded with crossed arms. They weren’t Human and were used to eating others.
Time passed, and the third opponent was to be decided. Half the arenas crumbled. Their thunderous sound echoed everywhere in the stadium, exciting the crowd and chilling the civilians, watching from their houses as they enjoyed the event, with most placing some censure over it. Although the ‘normal’ and cultivation worlds were one together, there were always more children among the civilians. Always.
Heian Ciemnosc faced a person from the Kiinta Pavilion, whose organization’s participants decided to go for the same ‘strategy’ as the Flourishing Empire, now seen as unfortunate bastards after Heian Ciemnosc’s words and humiliation of one of them. This time, without exchanging a word, facing a Broken Crystallization realm 8th stage cultivator, Heian Ciemnosc finished him off in a single tackling motion, his opponent’s body breaking into two and flying off the stage as the other party didn’t have a chance to even issue a deathly duel.
Violet, Esteban, and Sakura faced off against someone on the same level and won, but they still felt exhausted and felt like they couldn’t continue anymore. It was just alright since they had already planned to leave the big stage. Thus, after winning, they bowed and reneged to continue. After an exemplary show, not being the only ones, the hosts sent them back to the bleachers, where Fera mercilessly attacked Esteban… That was it.
Sakura was like her Big Bro’s top mistress, and Violet was the Eldest Sistah. Nothing would make her go against the pink goddess. Either way, Arla had it easier finding opponents at the same level, not as powerful as others. She effortlessly warmed up. Elena was lucky and found some random low Broken Crystallization realm cultivator, gaining herself another chance.
… This continued for another 2 times, in which Heian Ciemnosc faced off a Liechu Nao Grotto and the Kutsal Durum Cult. The first one was a young woman with good moves, wielding a hammer and a ribbon, the latter almost at the Artifact level, with a great hammer mastery that broke many parts around the arena. Heian Ciemnosc became a dark frog, leaping around and dueling the lady until she ran out of rigorous Power Energy in under 2 minutes of going all-out.
However, she managed Heian Ciemnosc to block her attacks several times, getting herself feeling satisfied enough. He was already seen as the Broken Crystallization realm god and perhaps a contender for the Neutrality Realm. However, the latter was still a big difference, and nobody was willing to believe he could contend against it. Could he? Or could he not?
Heian Ciemnosc didn’t kill her because, although her organization was also… somewhat greedy, her fellow’s work in the other stadiums shifted to his side after he started bombarding anything that moved and didn’t say ‘Heian Ciemnosc’s ally’ in it.
The second one was a young man, and after defeating him, Heian Ciemnosc would enter the top 32 people, only a few steps from the championship!
…