Blazing Red Hair

The Initiation of the Tournament

A middle-aged man with sleek black hair.

A middle-aged man with blazing red hair.

And an old man with the lower half of a horse.

Those were the basic descriptions of the men who stood near the doors of the Academy, which was arguably the most prestigious Academy in the Conscientious Faction.

Their reputation, strength, authority, and looks were all superior to the other humans who resided on Earth.

There wasn't a single human on the planet who didn't know about the three Rulers of Earth and their deeds, whether they were righteous or unjustifiable.

That was obvious, however, since two of them were supported by Deities who roamed the Inner Cosmos as the supreme beings alongside the Celestials and the Fragments of Primordials.

Noah Williams, although not supported by as high of a being as the one supporting Genro Govel, was similar in terms of strength to the latter.

Little was known about Oliver Tree, but he had become notorious throughout the planet in only a year and a half.

"They're finally here."

Ace whispered gently before taking off, leaving Leo in the dust.

He had no plans to interact with the three, but he wanted to observe them.

In his previous life, he hadn't participated in the main events of the Tournament, not even receiving the chance to look at Noah and Genro.

Since Oliver Tree hadn't arrived on Earth in the previous timeline, he was out of the picture.

As he exited the building near the arena where the Tournament was supposed to happen, he ran towards the exit of the campus, stopping only a hundred meters away from it.

All three of them noticed Ace, but didn't comment on it as they probably thought he was a fan.

Noah shook hands with the both of them before heading towards the principal Felix's office.

Genro and Oliver awkwardly stood at the entrance, waiting for someone to escort them towards where they would stay.

Immediately, a staff member approached the two, escorting them towards their rooms.

'Oliver is similar to Noah in terms of strength. However, I couldn't feel any strength emanating from Genro. Is he hiding his power, or is it too high? No, it can't be higher than Noah's, right?'

Perplexed by the power emanating from the Head of the Iniquitous Faction, he began returning to his VIP Room.

However, he was stopped by a certain individual.

"Kid."

It was Genro Govel.

His blazing red hair fell down to his chest, which was exposed due to him not buttoning the white shirt he wore. His black trousers were as loose as they could possibly be, and were only hung up using a leather belt.

His eyes, which looked fiercer than a hungry wolf looking for its prey, darted across his surroundings, calculating anything and everything that may or may not cause him harm in the future.

"Y–Yes?"

Despite this cool-headed nature most of the time, standing against the Head of the Faction opposing his own still felt suffocating.

Of course, it was nothing compared to the sensation Ace felt when looking at the Deity of Destruction's body.

However, it was still significant.

"You were observing me…why do I feel an incompatible force flowing inside of you?"

He asked as his eyes narrowed to slits.

Having tasted every single kind of magic on Earth and on several other planets he had visited after the arrival of other species, he was very proficient in the field of mana theory, arts, and magic.

Being supported by the Deity of Magic as well, his understanding of concepts regarding mana was top-notch.

However, there existed a substance inside a puny boy in an insignificant academy which could confuse the eyes of the expert?

He couldn't believe it.

Even Noah Williams and Oliver Tree hadn't possessed such a substance inside of their relatively strong bodies.

Of course, the substance he mentioned was Aether, and Ace knew that.

Despite this, he didn't feel the need to reveal such an important subject to a person affiliated with someone who can identify the substance.

At least, he thought that.

Except for some of the Celestials and Akash, no one could verify Aether inside of the Inner Cosmos.

"I believe it is a mistake, sir."

He regained his composure while trying to prevent his voice from cracking.

Although the person he was talking to was the strongest person in the Iniquitous Faction, a force that rivaled the Conscientious Faction, he couldn't stutter in front of a person who wasn't a divine being!

He had threatened a Fragment of a Primordial, so why would he be nervous against a puny mortal?

"Oh, I know it isn't a mistake. However, if you don't want to satisfy my curiosity, so be it. I'll find out one way or another."

His rough face contorted into a devilish smile while his eyes glowed a shade of red.

Then suddenly, he vanished, leaving behind stale air.

Inwardly, he shuddered thinking about the possibility of meeting Genro Govel again in the future.

However, he knew he had to get rid of his fears to succeed in his final goal, which was to defeat the Deity of Destruction.

Gripping his scabbard for a split second, he walked towards the building where he had left Leo.

The moment with Genro Govel was etched into his mind clearer than day.

'One day… One day, I'll stand on equal footing with you.'

"Where were you?"

Leo asked instantly as Ace entered the room with a dark expression on his face.

"I met Genro Govel."

Leo's eyes suddenly widened as his jaw dropped to the floor.

His eyes dulled for a second before returning back to normal.

Gritting his head, he managed to utter two words.

"What…happened."

"His strength is… overwhelming. From my calculations, his overall power is exponentially greater than Noah Williams and Oliver Tree."

Although he wasn't sure, there was no way Genro would hide his strength.

If he did, his reputation would shatter immediately, since he was known for his impulsive behavior.

The only reason the Iniquitous Faction hadn't been burned to the ground was because of the #2 Iniquitous Ranker, who was just above Daphne.

"I…see."

Steadying his intense breathing, he turned around as he found the most comfortable position on the couch.

"So there's no chance."

Ace lowered his head. Having known about Leo's past, he was one who could empathize with him.

*

*

*

A day passed in an instant, and the Tournament officially began.

The ceremony was a joyous occasion for everyone who was experiencing the Tournament for the first time in their entire lives.

This was not the case for the adults, but for the students, this was true.

Since the Tournament is hosted by a different academy with a gap of four years in the middle, ¼ of the students never get the chance to participate or view a tournament.

As Felix Edwards continued his boring speech, Leo dozed off, drooling all over his clothes.

As Ace smiled wryly, Felix began the announcements for the events being held in this year's tournament.

"This year, we will have Archery, Racing, Mana Control, Javelin Throw, Strength Battle, Team Battle Royale, and finally… Duels!"

Everyone cheered at the top of their lungs as Felix continued.

"The Tournament will begin with the event, Archery. All students who are participating must arrive at the destination within five minutes."

Walking off the stage, he handed the microphone to Phantom, who was acting as Felix's secretary for the day.

Ace gazed absent-mindedly at the VIP Room in which the Heads of various Families were staying, including the Kadz, Yearning, and Smith Family.

However, he had heard the announcement. Having already witnessed the event in his previous life, he didn't pay much attention to it.

However, Leo, who had woken up, stared intently at the arena, in which the Archery event was going to take place.

"Do you even like archery?"

Ace asked, causing a grin to appear on Leo's face.

"I used to practice archery when I was little. I quit soon after, but I still have a minimal amount of interest in it."

Many Rankers used bows as their weapons, but it wasn't very popular.

"Moreover, my uncle is a Conscientious Ranker who utilizes a bow in battle."

"I see."

Ace nodded his head in acknowledgement as he began staring at the arena.

"Are you interested too?"

"Not in archery, but in those two students."

Ace pointed towards two boys who were warming up for the event.

One of them was a short boy with long, curly hair and a childish face.

The other was a tall boy with freckles splotched all over his face.

"Who are they?"

"Anthony and Ryan. The former is from Academy 01 while the latter is from Academy 02. The two of them are talented individuals in almost everything they do."

His intense gaze was locked on the two boys, and unbeknownst to him, it was sending shivers down their spines.

"Oh? It's quite rare for such a prodigy to be interested in puny students."

"This tournament has several students I'm interested in. Other species settling on Earth has made it interesting to watch such a tournament."

"I see. What about Grace over there?"

Leo pointed towards a scrawny girl with curly hair that fell down to her shoulders. She wore a plaid tunic and walked around with a fierce gaze.

"As I said, there are several students I'm interested in. And yeah, Grace is a candidate too.

"What about Luna?"

Luna was the girl that Ace had desperately wanted to fight.

And, it wasn't only because of her strength, but also because of her familial background.

Yes, she was Genro Govel's daughter, and attended Academy 76 in the Iniquitous Faction.

Not only was she incredibly talented, Ace wanted to witness what a familial background could help with in her case.

"Yeah, her too. I hope we can have a battle in the finals."

"Nah, it's gonna be you and I in the finals."

Leo revealed a toothy grin, proudly pointing to himself using his thumb.

"You wish."

Ace let out a wry chuckle, shaking his head in mockery of the person in front of him.

*

*

*

Anthony gripped his bow as tight as he possibly could before walking towards the arena.

He was participating in the Archery event as one of the top ten Kings of Academy 01, who were chosen to enter the main events.

Although this wasn't a main event, Anthony specialized in fighting using a bow, and that mostly turned out to be disadvantageous.

Despite that, he had become one of the top ten Kings due to pure effort.

His short body was not well-suited for close-combat, and his mana control wasn't the best.

Thus, using a low amount of mana and infusing it into an arrow was easier than learning martial arts, weaponmanship, or magic.

However, the accuracy was obtained through pure effort.

At least, that's what he believed.

In reality, unbeknownst to him, he had the stigma of the Deity of Bows, who was affiliated with the Deity of Swords and other medieval-age Deities.

Since Akash had informed Ace about all of the Deities interfering with the planet Earth, the latter had a pretty good idea of who to recruit and who to not.

And, Anthony was a person he didn't want to recruit due to his stigma giver's affiliation to Noah William's supporter.

"Now, stand in your positions and ready your bows."

The referee stated as everyone straightened their backs.

Their target had six colors, and one had to pierce cleanly through the center color, which was black.

The term for hitting the black part of the target was 'Blackberry'.

Anthony sneaked a glance at someone who he considered a rival.

A tall boy with freckles splotched all over face and black hair which was brushed back.

His name was Ryan, and he was one of the best archers in Academy 02.

Despite his looks which suggested otherwise, he was a calm and rational young man who only trusted reasoning and logic.

Having been compared to Ryan his entire life due to the weapon they both used, he had already begun considering him a rival.

However, it wasn't in a negative way.

Deep inside, he admired Ryan.

Whether it was due to his confidence or his calm demeanor, he didn't know.

"3."

Anthony quickly aimed his bow at the target that stood a couple hundred meters away from him, and so did the other participants.

Despite how easy hitting the target was, the real challenge was piercing the fabric that it was made out of of.

The fabric was almost immune to mana, so the concentration of mana needed was significantly greater than what it normally took.

This was a great experience for those who wanted to pursue the arts of archery in the future, as it taught them how to imbue mana in their weapons the correct way.

"2."

Anthony imbued a little mana into the bow to create a more substantial release.

He concentrated the majority of his mana into the arrow, which would soon go on an adventure to pierce a fabric that regular arrows couldn't.

His eyes locked on the target, scrutinizing it and positioning his bow accordingly, hoping for a direct hit to the middle.

If he could just–

"1."

"Go!"

His eyes widened as he realized he had been too late.

Having been focused on perfecting his shot, he lost track of time, causing this incident.

The arrow slipped out of the bow, landing a couple of meters away from Anthony as a result of the conclusion of the mana flow.

He glanced over at Ryan, who had successfully pierced the black part of the target, and was cheering disinterestedly.

A part of him wanted to crawl up into a hole and never leave.

However, he knew he had two more chances to prove his worthiness.

If the archery event was so short, it wouldn't be as popular as it currently was.

Despite the low number of people interested in archery, the event still stands in the Inter-Academy Tournament due to it being loved by some of the Rankers.

"Now, round two."

The referee announced as everyone readied their bows for another shot.

This time, Anthony repeated the same process but quicker.

His bow and arrow was infused with his mana, enhancing them greatly.

Moreover, this time, the concentration on the tip of his arrow was more stable and dense.

The mana revolved around the tip, making it look majestic.

His surroundings darkened as the mana was the only illuminating factor.

His consciousness was now locked onto the arrow that would shoot towards his target and pierce the center.

"3."

"2."

"1."

"Go!"

Whoosh!

The arrow pierced through the wind, darting towards the target at inhumane speeds, forcing some of the competitors off course solely due to the wind pressure generated.

At this moment, Ace watched in pure excitement as he gazed at the arrow about to arrive at its destination–the target.

'That kid really is something.'

He stroked his chin, observing the arrow approach the target.

Stab!

The arrowhead penetrated the fabric wrapped around the target, forcing its way in.

As soon as it did, the spectators heard cheering noises off in the distance from a short boy with curly hair.

'He did it.'

Ace gazed at the boy was jumping up and down in glee even though there was one more shot left until the end of the event.

"Now, the third round."

The boy's cheers died down as the referee announced the third round of the archery event.

Anthony quickly readied his bow, and so did Ryan, who had not been able to hit the target due to the former's arrow.

Ryan gritted his teeth while gripping his bow tight.

As they both readied their bows and imbued mana, the referee began the countdown for the third round.

"3."

Grip!

"2."

Swoosh!

"1."

Cr–Cra–!

"Go!"

Boom!

The arrows shot out like cannonballs, none worse than the other.

The two circled around, entangling around each other, darting towards the target that stood before them.

Everyone's gazes were locked on the two arrows as they passed several other arrows, heading straight to the target as if hunting down their prey.

Several cheers were heard as even Oliver Tree raised one of his eyebrows as the showdown.

Bam!

Crack!

Silence.

"..."

"..."

Anthony and Ryan were bewildered by what had just occurred before them.

The two arrows had run out of mana and had destroyed each other.

Several gaping mouths opened and closed as the arrows fell down to the durable ground. However, no sound was heard.

'What the f–"

Ace scrunched his eyebrows as his eyes darted across the arena, looking for the possible culprit.

He believed that the incident couldn't have occurred due to pure coincidence.

There had to be some unknown variable that had altered the trajectory of the arrows. Otherwise, the two would have hit the target simultaneously.

"What do you think happened?"

Leo asked, raising an eyebrow at what had occurred.

Maintaining his conflicted look, he uttered.

"I don't know yet, but I sure am going to find out."

Chuckling softly, Leo shook his head as his gaze soon returned to the arena.

On the podium stood two boys, Anthony and Ryan.

The two had conflicted expressions and were still shocked by that incident that had occurred.

Despite that, they tried their best to form smiles for the crowd.

Ace remembered something as he saw that, and his gaze fell down to his feet.

Cold winds blew as they penetrated Ace's skin, causing it to tingle.

Leo turned his head to look at him but soon averted his gaze due to the expression on his face.

"The Winners are Anthony Parker and Ryan Philips."

Several cheers resounded throughout the arena, but none of them were heard by Ace.

He had remembered that…

'My parents didn't come.'