The forest was in ruins.
Blades of wind and thunder had torn through the trees, shattering trunks and leaving a battlefield scarred by two monsters—one beast, one boy.
Arthur's blade clashed against the Black Flame Lion's claws once again, sparks lighting the air. The ground trembled beneath each exchange. Arthur pushed off, flipping back as a bolt of lightning cracked from his sword.
"[Thunder Strike]!"
The attack blasted through the air, landing directly on the lion's chest. Smoke and dust rose in a violent burst. But as it cleared… the lion still stood.
Wounded, yes—but not defeated.
Blood trickled down its sides from multiple gashes. The battle had dragged on long enough for both fighters to wear down.
Arthur activated [Appraisal], narrowing his gaze.
[Black Flame Lion]
[Level: Peak Rank 1]
[Status: Very Low Stamina]
He exhaled sharply, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"I've worn it down… but even now, I can't drop my guard. One mistake, one failed strike—and I'm the one who dies."
Arthur's own body was at its limit. Hours of hunting had drained his mana, his stamina, his will. But he refused to fall. His eyes burned with quiet resolve.
He tightened his grip on the sword.
This ends now.
The lion's red eyes glowed fiercely. It growled low, as if responding to Arthur's silent challenge. Yes… let's finish this.
Mana surged around Arthur. His sword glowed gold as he gathered every last drop of energy, compressing it into a single, concentrated point at the blade's tip. His aura flared brighter than ever before—wild and divine.
Even his eyes turned golden.
The lion responded in kind. Its body ignited with dark flames—twisted with corrupted mana. Evil Remnant, energy known only to beasts born of bloodlines tainted by the Abyss. It roared, rearing back as it gathered a massive fireball in its maw.
Then—like a cannon—it launched it toward Arthur.
But Arthur didn't flinch.
He whispered, "[Heaven's Descent]."
In the blink of an eye, he vanished—only to reappear as a golden flash, darting straight toward the incoming flame like a missile.
His sword pierced the center of the fireball. It shattered on contact, breaking apart like scattered embers.
The lion froze.
It tried to move.
Too late.
Arthur was already there.
The sword drove into its skull, piercing straight through the mana core behind its brow. The beast didn't roar. It simply went still—then collapsed with a thunderous thud.
[+1000 Points]
Arthur stood over the body, panting, a smile curling on his lips.
But before he could breathe again, his watch blinked.
[First Round Complete]
[Transferring All Participants from the Virtual World]
The world blurred.
Arthur didn't resist. He let go.
And then everything went dark.
On his watch, glowing brightly before the screen faded—
[Total Points: 3000]
⸻
Everything happening inside the virtual world was being broadcast to all the spectators outside.
The combat zone was massive—far beyond what we'd compare to a stadium on Earth. It could hold over 500,000 people.
That alone was astonishing. Back on Earth, building something of this scale would take thousands of workers and years of effort, but in Aetherion, it could be completed in just a few months using magic and construction-related artifacts.
High Priest Robert, who was watching the tournament, had a shocked expression on his face. His mouth hung open, as if trying to speak—but no words came out. His lips moved silently, opening and closing.
Elyra, seated beside him, was equally stunned.
She couldn't believe her eyes.
An eleven-year-old boy—who hadn't even formed his core yet—had just defeated a Rank 1 beast. And not just any beast… a mutated one.
Elyra didn't know what to say. She had heard stories about her little brother's talent, but Arthur had never even fought real beasts before.
Yet somehow, he had slain every single one he encountered.
After a moment, Robert finally composed himself. "A monster born from another monster… no, perhaps even greater than his father," he muttered.
Even Count Valerian, at his peak, had never been this powerful. In fact, he hadn't even reached the 9th mana circuit at Arthur's age.
Elyra laughed loudly after regaining her composure. "So? Does he meet your expectations now?"
Robert smiled awkwardly, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Ah… good grief. Time to announce the top 5,000."
He turned toward Elyra and said, "My lady, if you'll excuse me," then stood up and exited the VIP area.
Elyra just smirked.
⸻
Meanwhile…
Feldine Sagnius, a 12-year-old vampire boy, wore a confident smile. He truly believed he would claim the top rank.
A maid approached and bowed politely. "Young Lord, here is your recovery potion."
Feldine took the vial and drank it all in one go. Instantly, his mana and stamina were fully restored.
His bodyguard stood nearby, eyes gleaming. "Sir, you're amazing! You've collected 2,300 points! No one in the last thousand years of the Empire has scored that much!"
Feldine laughed arrogantly. "Of course. How can those peasants compare to me?"
The bodyguard hesitated, then added, "But sir… I heard the son of the Northern Blade is also participating. And even though he's a year younger, he's at the same level as you."
Feldine's smile faded slightly. He glared. "So even you believe those baseless rumors? There's no way he's reached the 9th mana circuit at his age. He's just a human."
Feldine Sagnius was no ordinary boy. A vampire noble by birth, his father—Count Azrael Sagnius, known as Archmage Sanguis—was a powerful Intermediate Rank 8 mage. Azrael often told him:
"The Valerian family is different. They may be human, but their blood carries traces of dragons."
Though many believed it was just a myth, there were no official records to confirm or deny the claim.
In Aetherion, humans were considered the weakest of the races. If not for the founder of the Elydrion Empire, they might still be struggling in the dirt.
He built the foundation of the greatest empire in the realm and gave humans the strength to coexist with other races as equals.
But Feldine felt nothing but disdain.
"Lowly humans can never be equal to us vampires," he muttered.
Then he looked at his bodyguard. "Go check the results. They should be out by now."
"Yes, Young Lord," the man replied, bowing before leaving.
Feldine narrowed his eyes and whispered, "System."
An interface appeared before him.
⸻
[System Interface]
Name: Feldine Sagnius
Age: 12
Stats:
• Strength: 45
• Stamina: 60
• Agility: 40
• Mana: 90
Physique: Magus Physique (Grants mastery over all natural elements )
Elemental Affinity: All natural element Master
Unique Skill:
• Vampire Eyes — Allows the user to see the mana quantity of any living being or artifact.
Current Mission:
• Rank in the Top 3 in the Young Champions Tournament, Round 1
• Reward: +5 to all stats
Main Mission:
• Get accepted into Erinoguard Academy
• Reward: Unknown
⸻
Feldine grinned. "Top 3? I'm going to be Number 1. With the system, I'll become the strongest being in this realm."
He had awakened the system the day he opened his mana circuits. Using it, he had reached the 9th mana circuit at age 12. People hailed him as a prodigy—even greater than Count Alaric.
But rumors had begun to spread.
"Maybe Arthur is the real prodigy, not Feldine."
"Yeah, he's even younger and already on the same level!"
Feldine scoffed.
"Arthur must've used dozens of potions. He's a fraud. And after today, I'll prove it."
Just then, his bodyguard returned—visibly shaken.
Feldine frowned. "Well? Tell me the results!"
The man stammered, "Y-Young Lord… it's… um…"
Feldine narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Speak clearly."
The bodyguard handed him a tablet and stepped back, trembling. "S-see for yourself."
Feldine clicked his tongue. "Useless," he muttered, and checked the screen.
What he saw made his blood run cold.
⸻
[Top 6 Rankings – YCT Round 1]
1.Arthur Valerian – 3,000 points
2.Feldine Sagnius – 2,300 points
3.Julien Reinhart – 1,800 points
4.Georgina Evans – 1,500 points
5.Nyx Akers – 1,300 points
6.Davis Aisenworth – 1,000 points
⸻
"What!? This… this can't be right!" Feldine shouted.
He ran outside and stared at the central board.
But the results were the same.
"No way. He must've cheated!"
His bodyguard nodded nervously. "Y-yes, Young Lord…"
"Check again!" Feldine barked.
The guard hesitated. "But… it's already been verified. There's no sign of cheating."
Feldine clenched his fists. He knew no one could cheat in the YCT, yet he couldn't accept the result.
How could a human surpass me?! Even with the system… I'm second?!
He stood there in disbelief. But after a moment, he took a deep breath and calmed down.
"Fine. I'll expose you in the next round," he said, voice filled with cold determination.
With his confidence restored, Feldine turned and walked back into the VIP room.
⸻
Meanwhile…
Arthur slowly woke up in his room.
"Ugh… I've got a bit of a headache. Maybe I need a mind-calming potion."
He called out, "Is anyone there?"
A priestess from the Valhalla Temple entered. "Yes, Young Master?"
"Bring me a mind-calming potion."
"At once, Young Master."
She handed him a small glass bottle filled with glowing blue liquid. Arthur drank it in one gulp.
"Much better. The headache's gone."
He got up, stretched a little, and smiled.
"The results must be out. Let's go check them."
And with that, he walked out of the room
// Author's Note:
Hey dear readers! I realized I made a small mistake earlier—Julien has actually awakened his 8th mana circuit, not his 7th. Sorry about that!
If you're enjoying the story, please leave a review and tell me how I can improve!