Tournament

I walk to the dining table and help set it up. Afterwards, I call for my brothers and sister to come for dinner.

When they gathered, I take a moment to secretly cast a protective spell on everyone including my father. My father seemed to have realised but said nothing.

This protective spell activates when something or someone attempts to take the life of the person. The effects of the attack will not only be nullified but will also be reflected.

However, the spell only works on people at the 5th stage of Core Formation and below. But it should be enough. A Baron wasting so much money to hire a core formation to slaughter some mortals isn't possible.

-----------------

For the rest of the days until the tournament, I decide to do nothing but cultivate. I will have to face Mina after all. To get first place in the tournament and complete my quest, my biggest obstacle is Mina...

To avoid suspicion, I did not sell my loot from the Deathworm yet. Everything in the storage ring does not experience time, making it the perfect place to preserve my products in their best condition.

Around the Academy and the first section, news spreads like wildfire. Almost everyone knows that the son of a general crippled the son of a Baron.

I need to become stronger fast. The chances of Carl's family attempting to assassinate me during the tournament are very high.

Carl's family is the Igniz family. They have a huge sense of pride despite just being a Baron. They hate being looked down on the most and will do whatever they can to restore their pride. So the likely hood of them killing me in public, showing their dominance to everyone is very high.

And the perfect stage for that is the tournament.

I predict that they will bribe the referee and administrators of the event as well as the participants.

The entire event is probably already manipulated by the Igniz family.

Carl has one older brother in the 4th year, Kelsey. He is the main pride of Igniz as I have heard of his countless achievements despite being so young.

...

I have to start training Mane and Lee soon. But... My mother...

During the tournament, I will be facing opponents that are hard to handle but easy to defeat. The main purpose will be to tire me out.

When I finally match against Kelsey, he will then proceed to mercilessly cripple me and say that it's an "accident".

I can roughly predict everything because of my thorough understanding of the family.

The only ones that are not willing to give in to bribes are probably Irina and Mina.

I clench my fist tightly in anger. If I become crippled, there's a high chance they will send an assassin after my life to teach a lesson to everyone who wants to go against their family.

And even worse, they will make my family's lives a living hell.

I'm the cause of this and I will take responsibility.

Finally, the day of the tournament arrived.

I am currently in the 10th stage of Qi condensation. The effects of the cultivation method are gradually getting weaker as my cultivation base increases.

I click my tongue in frustration. Can I go against Mina? Her realm by now should at least be at the third stage of foundation establishment. Not to mention her sword intent stage seven.

...

If it was the past me, the older me, I would have decided to forfeit. Logically thinking, she is a gifted reincarnation of someone strong so a person like me has no chance of winning. As I am no one special, I do not take part in fights that I have a high chance of losing.

But now... Even if I want to run away, I can't.

...

No one wanted to form a team with me so I will have to register as a solo.

The most troublesome opponent will be Mina. The teammates she picked might be formidable too.

Shit, I can't remember her team formation because I am not even eligible to participate in the past so I didn't bother to.

...

I get ready for the tournament as I ate my breakfast.

"Honey~, I will be watching your match okay? Don't overdo it. If the opponents are too strong, immediately conceit. Understand?" Says my mother.

I nod with a smile.

Mane, Lee, Christina, and even my father is joining the audience. I wonder how they will react when they realise that I'm going in solo.

I left for the Academy. A huge banner is held up in the sky, advertising the tournaments. Leaflets and posters of the tournament are posted all over the first section and the second section.

Several nobles and merchants from other kingdoms are also visiting the capital to either let their children take part in the tournament or to spectate and scout for potential rising stars.

I walk to the colosseum in the second section. On the way, eyes were glancing at me as people avoided me. Teams were doing warm-up exercises or small spars along the corridor.

The Colosseum is a huge pale peach oval amphitheatre. Built from concentrated orichalcum and Crystal mosses, it can withstand the power of a Nascent soul. Crystal mosses are minerals that manifest in areas high in mana concentration or on certain entities.

There are four entrances, each on the north, south, west, and east of the Colosseum.

I walk to the registration counter beside the entrance at the south. The person behind the counter looks at me and narrows her eyebrows. She is wearing oval glasses and the attire of the Academy. Her overall appearance gives one of a nerd vibe with freckles.

"I'm here to register myself as a candidate for the tournament."

I pass to her an emerald coin with a griffin engraved in it. It contains information about the student and is given to everyone in the Academy.

"How many people?" She asks mockingly as she smirks. Separating us is a simple glass yet her killing intent can be felt.

"One," I reply.

Her eyes widen. She did not expect me to actually go through with it.

She fidgets with something under the counter before passing me a silver plate with a "5" carved in it.

"Here's your number plate. An escort will guide you into your arena when it is your turn. Go in from this entrance and turn right to find a corridor. Find the door that has your number and wait inside."

She didn't have to take that long if it was just giving me a random number plate, this number plate was specifically reserved for me. My predictions are coming true.

I smile at the lady and nod before walking in. Many people, some mages, are shuffling here and there in a hurry. Some of them even throw a glance at me in shock before going on their merry way.

I look at the mages, they are bringing in protective barrier scrolls and helping the administration set up the arena.

The team's on standby are nervously warming up or having a chat. Their heads turn as I walk past alone. Each team consists of 4 to 5 members.

I turn right to see a long corridor with a staircase at the end. Directly 5 doors from the start, the door with the number "5" can be seen. Before I enter, I place my hand on the door and close my eyes.

Mana concentration in the room is normal, there are no signs of mana fluctuation.

I open the door and enter. Luckily, there aren't any traps whatsoever.

Two couches are facing a transparent window with a small coffee table between both couches. The transparent window is facing the arena.

I look around. The door is directly behind the two couches with a minibar fridge on a counter beside the door.

I walk to it and open the fridge

Let's see... Chocolate, teabags, coffee beans, biscuits.

I took some coffee beans and place them inside a coffee machine beside the minibar fridge. Afterwards, I pour some hot water into the machine from a kettle next to the machine.

The kettle is a technology-magic infused tool with a water scroll inside it that goes through a filter and heating system before it pours out at the tip. No electricity is required whatsoever since the filter and heating are done by mana compression.

On the wall beside the counter is a huge black speaker where the announcements are said.

"The first match is starting soon. Candidates, please be on standby. Thank you." Says the speaker.

I stretch my arms a little and relax on the couch while waiting for my coffee. The tournament consists of 6 rounds with a small lunch break after the third round.

After about 10 minutes, the auditorium is already flooded with people.

A man wearing a grey tuxedo with a blue bowtie walks into the arena. His brown hair is gelled back up and he has green eyes. It's the emcee.

He walks to the edge of the arena and suddenly, a platform below him rises, carrying the emcee to the top of the colosseum.

"Welcome everyone! To the twenty-first tournament of Kenja!" He says. "My name is John and I will be the host for today!"

Kenja is the name of the capital.

There are large holographic screens at all four compass sides of the Colosseum. There is also one small screen in the room I am in on the coffee table.

"Without further ado, let's begin the tournament! For our first matchup, we will have a group of 3rd-year swordsmen fighting against a single 2nd-year... Wait, what... Uh... Yeah!" Says John as he scratches his head.

The audience gasps in surprise and some start to scratch their head.

"Let's welcome contestant number 5, Loi Krist, against contestant team number 18, the beetles!" Says John.

Everyone claps awkwardly.

The golden hair man wearing a jewel red crown smirks when he hears that. It's the king. A man with blue eyes and a golden moustache that goes over his chin.

There is a VIP room on the top row of the Colosseum, the king is in it. A special room that is similar to the room I'm in.

...

Someone knocks on my door and I open it, it's a man dressed in black, the escort.

I take my sword with me and went down to the arena with the escort.