The sun was just rising, casting a soft golden glow across the city. We had woken up early, ready to face the day. Something about this place felt off—the flow of time, especially. I had quickly come to realize that the days here were longer, stretching to 26 hours. The year was divided into 13 months, each with 390 days. Today marked the start of Spring in the [Holy Empire], and it was the 7th day of the 7th month of Year 823 in the ‘New Era.’
The others—Lily, Jonny, May, and Goblee—arrived at my room shortly after I finished preparing. We gathered around a table in the inn’s restaurant, our food still on its way. I leaned back, surveying the group, and declared, “Today is the start of the [Tournament], and I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: you all need to win until you’re in the top 8, fight each other, and meet me in the finals.”
As I looked around, I noticed Ronald. He was sitting in the corner of the room, his eyes fixed on me. It was then that I saw someone else at his table—a familiar face from my past. Anaya. She had been quite famous in our school, and her presence with Ronald wasn’t something I expected.
They were whispering to each other, clearly unaware that I could hear every word. Using my heightened senses, I caught snippets of their conversation.
“If we tell the kingdom to help us, they might,” Anaya said, her tone low, but serious.
“Those assholes are too busy dealing with Lucas, Martin, and the rest of them. Even Mr. Sera has stopped contacting the people who were supposed to serve in the army. I’m a knight, and you’re a mage, Anaya. What do you think we can do?” Ronald replied, frustration evident in his voice.
I couldn’t help but feel a surge of curiosity. What had they been talking about? What had the kingdom done to them? From the bits I overheard, it seemed like the kingdom had cast aside anyone whose [Class] wasn’t deemed [Royal]. They were either pressed into military service or pushed into becoming [Adventurers].
I wanted to strike them down right there. The anger I felt toward Ronald was palpable. But something told me I could use them. I stood from my seat and, with a purpose in my step, approached their table.
Ronald’s eyes locked onto mine the moment I neared. His gaze was full of contempt, mixed with something else. Fear.
“What do you want?” he demanded, his voice a blend of anger and wariness.
I didn’t respond immediately. Instead, I casually stated, “I know how the kingdom treated the [Summoned Ones].”
The shock was instantaneous. Both Ronald and Anaya stared at me, mouths agape. They were speechless for a moment, their eyes wide with disbelief.
“I can help you take revenge,” I added, extending my hand toward Ronald.
He hesitated, eyeing me suspiciously. After a long, tense moment, he reluctantly shook my hand. “How can you help us?” he asked, voice laced with both curiosity and doubt.
Before I could respond, he blurted out, “First, why are you helping us?”
I paused, carefully crafting my response. It had to be convincing, something that would align with their bitterness toward the kingdom. “You heard of Alchemy, right?” I asked.
They both nodded, prompting me to continue.
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“The kingdom sacrificed countless villages just to summon you all here. I was from one of those villages, right on the edge of the last one they attacked. My parents helped me escape. They didn’t follow me, but they took my parents. The kingdom took them. They’re gone now. I’ve been angry ever since, and that’s why I’ve trained—so I can avenge my family.”
It was a fabricated story, but one that would work. The pain of betrayal was something they could relate to. I could see it in their eyes—their trust in my words growing, especially since they had no reason to doubt the kingdom’s cruelty.
After a long pause, Anaya asked, “Okay. So, how will you help us?”
I smiled, my expression turning cold and calculating. “It would be quite the statement to have someone who’s not affiliated with any kingdom win this tournament, don’t you think?” I let the words hang in the air, my voice laced with menace. I saw their eyes narrow, but I could tell that they were intrigued.
“You sure you can win?” Anaya asked skeptically, her gaze lingering on me and my team.
I smiled, glancing back at my teammates. Without saying a word, they burst into laughter. It was loud, boisterous, and full of confidence, completely shattering the tension in the room. People turned to look at us, some curious, others uncomfortable. But we didn’t care.
“Quiet down,” I said, my voice carrying a subtle weight that immediately silenced the laughter. In an instant, the entire room grew still. I fixed my gaze on Anaya. “You really don’t know who you’re dealing with.”
With that, I turned and signaled to my team. “We’ll meet you at the end of the tournament, for ‘normal’ people,” I said, grinning at the confusion in their eyes as we left the restaurant.
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We made our way to the stadium, the energy of the crowd palpable as we entered the waiting area. The guards checked our registration cards and let us through. The [Normal People] section was divided into two stages, with a massive stone slab displaying the names of all participants. As competitors lost, their names would be erased from the list.
The matches were a breeze. The first round was a Battle Royale with 50 people, but we finished it in seconds. I unleashed my [Bloodlust Aura] on the arena, and the competitors crumbled without a fight. They accepted their defeat, some visibly shaking as they fell.
Then came the Top 64, and I barely broke a sweat. [Bloodlust Aura] was all I needed. By the time we reached the Top 32, I began experimenting. I realized something important: I didn’t need to rely on ‘The System’ to grow stronger. If I wanted to become powerful, I had to use my willpower to activate and control my skills on my own.
I continued through the Top 8 match without a hitch. For the first time, I activated [Bloodlust Aura] using only my own power, and it felt different. Lighter, almost. When I reached the Top 4, my team remained, except for Jonny. Goblee had defeated him, and Jonny was out of the running. In the Semi-Finals, Goblee surrendered, and Lily did the same in the Finals when I stepped onto the stage.
As per the rules, the Top 4 of the [Normal Tournament] would move on to the [Representatives Tournament], where only the best would face each other. It was just me and my team, minus Jonny, now heading into the next round.
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After the ceremony and the awards, we avoided some unwanted attention and met up with Ronald and Anaya.
“Did you even use any skills?” Ronald asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked me over.
“Y…yes,” I replied uncertainly, unsure of what to say. He seemed suspicious, but I didn’t give him the chance to ask more.
“So, what do you want to know?” he asked, eager to change the subject.
I wasted no time. “Everything about the [Holy Empire] and the [Demonic Empire].”
Ronald started explaining everything he knew—political secrets, the relationship between the various species, alliances, betrayals, and wars. I had anticipated getting only a little useful information, but he provided a wealth of knowledge. I learned far more than I expected.
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After gathering all the information I needed, I led them into the forest under false pretenses. “Thanks for the information, by the way,” I said casually as we walked.
“No problem,” Ronald responded, his attention clearly elsewhere.
“Why are we here?” Anaya asked, her voice skeptical.
I turned to face them, a cold smile on my lips. “There’s a secret I want to share with you.”
Before they could react, I altered my face. It was instantaneous, but their shock was evident.
“Y-You’re... alive?” Anaya stammered, disbelief washing over her face.
“Yes, I’m alive, bitches,” I said, my voice dripping with malice as I activated [Omnipotent]—without relying on ‘The System.’