After several days of competition, it was finally Akeno's turn to step into the arena.
Unlike the first days of the tournament, every young competitor was now under far greater pressure.
Two days earlier, news from the sect elders had spread throughout the tournament.
A member of the Order of the Shining Heavens was personally present to observe the competition.
Those who achieved the highest rankings would have a chance to return with him to the Imperial Capital and join the Empire's elite youth, where they would be trained by the Empire's finest instructors.
For many, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to soar directly into the heavens.
It was the first time the Empire had ever organized such an event.
The Empire's elite gathered in one place.
Naturally, the sects were in a foul mood about losing their most promising young talents to the Empire without compensation.
But before they could even protest, every Sect Master throughout the Empire was immediately summoned to the capital to meet the Emperor, supposedly to prepare the Empire's future.
An unusual event, considering how rarely all the Sect Masters had ever gathered in the same room.
Over the past century, such a gathering had only occurred three times.
The last one had taken place more than fifteen years ago, when the Empire ordered the complete extermination of an entire sect.
At the time, the announcement spread through every province like a shockwave. An Imperial decree was proclaimed in every major city and displayed at the gates of every settlement.
According to the Empire's official statement, that sect practiced forbidden demonic arts and had committed crimes against humanity.
Experiments on mortals, ritual sacrifices, and the corruption of spiritual arts into forbidden techniques.
Its true name was quickly erased from all public records.
Instead, the Empire bestowed upon it a new title.
The Sect of Heavenly Abomination.
A name that, over time, became synonymous with everything considered the worst among sects that pursued demonic arts.
The purification campaign that followed was swift... and absolute.
The Imperial armies, accompanied by several great loyal sects, launched a merciless hunt.
Their strongholds were destroyed, their cultivators hunted across mountains and valleys, and the last survivors disappeared in the flames of war.
In less than a month, the sect had ceased to exist.
In the Empire's official archives, the operation was simply recorded as:
A Complete Success.
From that day onward, very few Sect Masters dared openly challenge an Imperial decision.
And today...
For the fourth time in a century, every Sect Master of the Empire had been summoned into the same hall.
Keeping his focus on his opponent, Akeno also paid attention to the bracelet on his wrist, which provided an additional layer of concealment over Reibi's seal, acting as a second smokescreen to mask that dark energy and allowing him to release a small amount of Dark Chakra without being discovered.
But even with the seal on his stomach and the bracelet, Akeno did not dare use Dark Chakra openly in front of a member of the Order of the Shining Heavens.
"So... this is what they're like."
From inside the arena, Akeno had a clear view of the upper stands. The sight of the man in radiant armor, with his calm aura as though everything belonged to him, was especially captivating.
As far as Akeno had read, they were said to stand at the very summit of this world.
Their strength rivaled that of the greatest Sect Masters.
The elite of the world.
The pinnacle that everyone with even the slightest talent and ambition dreamed of reaching.
And now, one of those peaks stood before him.
"One day... one day I'll reach that summit... and surpass it."
Drawing his blade, he faced a young man his own age who also wielded a sword.
Two opponents practicing the same sword art.
Akeno attacked first, putting all his strength behind his opening strike.
Rushing straight toward his opponent, he aimed a clean horizontal slash.
But unlike his previous matches, his blade was effortlessly blocked and deflected.
His opponent parried at the perfect angle, redirecting more than ninety percent of Akeno's force.
Taking advantage of his successful defense, the young man immediately launched his own attack, aiming to completely throw Akeno off balance.
His bones emitted the sound of a pump-action shotgun, while his heart thundered like a war drum as he forced his body beyond its limits to block the attack in turn.
Both of them were at the Organ Fortification stage, but Akeno possessed a slight advantage in raw strength.
Forcing his opponent backward with all his might, the two separated by several meters.
Without exchanging a single word, they charged at each other once again beneath the eyes of the audience, who appreciated every detail of the duel.
Elsewhere, in the private stands reserved for the various clans of Glory City, Liu Mei sat beside her clan's patriarch, paying little attention to the matches taking place below.
Normally, they would never have bothered attending a tournament at this stage of the competition, but the presence of a member of the Order of the Shining Heavens left them with little choice.
Even if the members of that Order cared nothing for their attendance, they preferred not to take any risks.
But while Liu Mei was growing bored pretending to pay attention, the appearance of Akeno jolted her awake.
It was that kid from Hope City!
Watching Akeno exchange blows with his opponent, she took a moment to observe his swordsmanship, which seemed rather unimpressive to her.
"So he's not that talented after all."
After confirming his presence, she immediately lost interest and looked away.
But as her eyes fell upon her grandfather, the patriarch of the Liu Clan, she witnessed a scene she had never imagined possible.
Her grandfather's face—a face that almost never displayed strong emotions, one that every clan in Glory City knew and respected—was covered in beads of sweat, revealing an expression of shock... and fear.
Following the direction of his gaze, Liu Mei found herself staring directly into the eyes of the member of the Order of the Shining Heavens.
Suddenly, it was as though the entire world had stopped.
The fear of death overwhelmed her in a single instant, freezing her where she stood.
Beside her, her grandfather trembled as he struggled to whisper a few words.
After what felt like an eternity, the member of the Order slowly shifted his gaze back toward the arena, where the matches continued one after another.
Only then was Liu Mei able to breathe again.
Shocked and terrified, she managed to whisper,
"W-What... what just happened?"
After several seconds, her grandfather, who seemed lost in deep thought, took hold of his cane and stood up, pulling Liu Mei by the shoulder to follow him.
As the noise of the crowd gradually faded behind them, her grandfather finally spoke.
"Gather the young members of the clan."
"...Glory City..."
"...No..."
"We no longer have a place anywhere in the Empire."
Liu Mei felt as though her mind had stopped working.
Why was her grandfather saying such things?
What was happening!?
The streets around them were silent.
Everyone had gone to watch the tournament at the sect's coliseum, leaving the city far emptier than usual.
Within that silence, only their footsteps and the sound of her grandfather's cane echoed through the streets.
Regaining her senses, she hurried after him.
Despite her talent, despite her reputation as the greatest genius of both her clan and Glory City itself, tears began to well up in her eyes.
"Grandfather! What's happening!? Is this because of that member of the Order? But we've never betrayed the Empire... we've never even thought of betraying it! That's impossible!"
Seeing her grandfather remain silent, walking forward with darkened eyes, Liu Mei lost what little composure she had left and collapsed to her knees upon the stone-paved street.
"It has to be a mistake... this can't be happening..."
At last, her grandfather—the Patriarch of the Liu Clan—spoke in a voice devoid of all hope, carrying only cold certainty.
"We've been set up."
Liu Mei slowly raised her head, her heart pounding violently.
Her grandfather did not even turn around.
"Gather them," he continued calmly. "The youngest. The most promising. Those who can still escape."
His voice was empty.
"The others... will stay behind."
At last, tears streamed down Liu Mei's cheeks.
"No... no..."
But deep inside, a horrifying certainty had already begun to take root.
This was...
the end.
In the distance, the cheers of the tournament continued to echo.
As though nothing had changed.
As though the world had not already condemned the Liu Clan.