Chapter 31 – The Ranking (1)
The survivors reappeared inside a colossal arena, their bodies still bloodied from battle, but their presence undeniable.
The moment they arrived, the crowd erupted.
Roars. Screams. Frenzy.
From the stands, fans cried out for their favorites:
"NOAH, YOU'RE SO COOL!! HOW DID YOU DO THAT THING?!"
"ELIJAH, I LOVE YOU!!"
And then—
"ROUGE!! YOU'RE SO SEXY—COME FIGHT ME ALL NIGHT IF YOU HAVE TO!!!"
Even the guards flinched at that one.
The crowd was wild. The first test had delivered everything the audience dreamed of—blood, power, and untouchable prodigies. They had witnessed the next generation of apex warriors… and they were starving for more.
As for the dead?
No one cared.
This was Apex Academy. A place to forge weapons against demons, not raise pampered elites. Those who died? They were weak. They deserved it. Nothing more to be said.
High above the arena, Damion floated into view once again—serene, distant, like a god overseeing mortals.
"There are eighty of you left," his voice boomed. "All of you are accepted into the Academy."
A pause.
"But this next test—this is where your rank will be decided."
Murmurs rippled through the group.
Damion smiled lazily. "And let me be clear—your rank means everything. Privileges. Resources. Opportunities. This place isn't for the weak. If you want to survive here, you better fight like your life depends on it."
He clapped his hands twice.
"Now… to determine your ranking, what's better than a good, old-fashioned duel?"
The crowd went wild.
"FIRST DUEL: LUCAS VS LUKE!"
The matches began, one after another.
Each duel lit the arena on fire with energy. The remaining candidates all had S-rank talents at minimum, or A-ranks with unique specializations.
Most battles were intense, hard-fought, and won by a hair.
But not all.
For Elijah, Noah, and a few others in the SS-rank and above?
It wasn't even fair.
Elijah used nothing but his sword—no talents, no divine abilities, not even a hint of magic. One strike. Victory. Mercy.
Noah, relaxed as ever, fought with ice alone. The elegance of his technique was deceptive—those who faced him were defeated before they could even understand what was happening.
The crowd noticed. And they loved it.
On and on it went… until only eighteen remained.
That's when the real matches began.
⸻
"Next Duel: Aiden Stoneheart vs. Ren Smith."
A hush fell over the crowd.
Aiden stepped onto the platform, his expression stone cold.
Across from him stood Ren—shorter, broader, wearing that ridiculous heavy armor that no one had managed to scratch.
'Ah, seriously ? what kind of matchup is this ?'
Ren thought silently. He might seem indifferent outside but inside ? He knows damn well Aiden will win.
'Anyway let's just finish this quickly. I am not cut for battle anyway I am damn blacksmith for gods sake.'
Seeing him at his size with this type of armor,
Most would laugh at the sight.
But those who had been watching knew: Ren was dangerous.
Still, Aiden didn't blink.
Since his younger brother's awakening, something in Aiden had changed. That moment—the one where Elijah outshone him—left a scar. A crack in the wall of his pride.
But cracks let the fire through.
'Chosen One or not… I will not be trampled on again.'
The duel began.
Ren activated his armor immediately wanting to finish this duel and go back, he then summoned his massive war hammer. The crowd buzzed. With his stature and gear, he looked more like a walking tank than a fighter.
Noah watched from the side, turning to Sophie.
"Why are you still sulking? I already said sorry—like, five times."
Sophie ignored him.
How dare he let her fight that psychotic maniac earlier? She was still pissed.
Noah sighed, he then looked at the fight unfolding below "what a bad matchup for Ren."
"This match will end in one strike."
He wasn't wrong.
Ren charged, hammer raised—confident, fearless.
Aiden simply stood still, watching.
Then he spoke—not loud, not angry. Just calm.
"You should've brought something bigger and more dangerous. And If that's all you've got… give up."
The words weren't taunts. They were facts.
But Ren didn't care. He surged forward, hammer swinging with deadly weight.
Aiden didn't flinch.
He stepped aside—one fluid motion—and whispered,
"What a fool."
The ground beneath Ren ignited.
A pillar of crimson fire erupted violently, swallowing him whole. His armor and hammer melted within seconds. He screamed—but his voice was nearly drowned by the roar of the flames.
Only Damion's intervention kept him from dying.
The crowd gasped.
Ash settled.
"Winner: Aiden Stoneheart."
He didn't even look back.
⸻
Elijah watched the whole thing, face unreadable.
But deep inside?
He was smiling.
Brother. Sister. He wanted them both. He wanted to fight them.
And He would show them…
He would show them what the son of a prostitute had become.
—End of Chapter 31—
A/N:
Good News, ladies and gentlemen! I have received a contract invitation for this novel.
It's all thanks to you.
So, thank you!
I will still count on you for your support.
For this, Two more chapters today.