The once-gloomy sky now glowed softly beneath the silver-violet radiance flowing through Libra's hair, each strand shimmering with the wind.
She stood at the center of the colossal Colosseum, upon a floor of white marble that reflected her silhouette like a mirror of the heavens themselves. The golden scales in her hand rotated slowly, releasing a gentle light that blanketed the entire arena.
Libra lifted her gaze toward the two figures seated upon the towering thrones.
The President.
And beside him, The Ancient One in his gleaming golden armor.
Her violet eyes stared deeply.
Gentle.
Yet sharp.
As though they could pierce through the very layers of both their souls.
"I come from far away," she said softly, "from a place where time does not flow as it does in your world. I felt the call of my brother, the Sun, who gazed upon this blue planet with unrest in his heart. So before I pass judgment… I wish to know."
Her voice flowed like music. Every note trembled through the air like the plucking of a celestial harp.
"What truly happened here?"
The Ancient One slowly rose from his throne. His wings spread wide, scattering golden particles that drifted like fragments of sunlight.
His voice was heavy and deep, as though it came from the roots of the earth itself.
"O Libra, judge among the stars. What you see here… is merely the mistake of two worlds equally blinded."
His gaze shifted toward the humans seated across the arena.
"Humanity, with its intellect and courage, tore open a rift between dimensions in pursuit of limitless energy. But without realizing it, that rift pierced the veil of our world—a realm long separated behind the balance."
He paused.
"We, the mythological races, believed it to be an act of war. And so… we retaliated."
The Ancient One's voice grew hoarse with regret.
"Bloodshed became inevitable. Their world and ours have now merged into chaos. And both sides… have lost much."
His golden claws slowly tightened into a fist after the final sentence.
Libra listened calmly. Winds circled gently around her, lifting dust and light alike.
At last, she looked at them both with a soft smile—a smile that warmed the entire Colosseum despite the storm clouds still hanging above.
"So that is it… Two worlds that both wish to live, yet know not how to make peace."
She looked upward toward the heavens, where sunlight pierced through the clouds as though the Sun itself were silently watching from its celestial throne.
"I am grateful I came here. It seems my brother did not call for me without reason."
Her gaze lowered once more. Her steps were light as she walked, each footstep creating ripples of light like circles upon the surface of a tranquil lake.
"Then listen well," she declared firmly.
"I, Libra, child of the heavens and sister to the stars, shall become your judge. I do not side with humanity, nor with mythology. I stand only with balance itself."
Light burst gently from her golden scales, forming a massive ring in the air like a heavenly halo.
"From this day onward, I shall weigh every action, every intention, every soul that fights beneath this sky. And whoever leans toward greed shall lose their place in the new world born from these battles."
The President stared at her in awe.
"You… will judge all of us?" he asked quietly.
Libra looked toward him and smiled.
"Not to punish, Mr. President. I judge in order to uncover the truth left buried beneath blood and dust."
The Ancient One nodded respectfully, though he did not bow too deeply.
"Then this world now rests within your hands, O Libra of the stars."
A rumble of cheers began rising from parts of the audience. Others simply exhaled in relief, as though hope truly existed once more.
And above them, the once-dark clouds slowly parted, revealing the Sun shining gently—almost as though it smiled in welcome toward the judge from the heavens.
The sky above the Colosseum slowly shifted. Soft violet clouds mixed with golden rays piercing through their gaps. The air trembled faintly, signaling that something immense was about to begin.
Suddenly, a low humming sound echoed from every direction.
In several corners of the arena, parts of the stadium roof suddenly opened. From within emerged holographic screens covered in glowing runes, hanging from the ceilings like giant awakening eyes.
Two enormous screens stood above the human stands and the mythology stands, facing one another as though competing to display their spectacle.
The entire audience stared at them with a mixture of awe and caution.
Standing in the center of the arena, Libra observed them with furrowed brows.
"So… these are devices created by humans?" she asked softly, curiosity evident in her tone.
The President, seated beside The Ancient One, watched the screens with uneasy eyes.
"Yes, Lady Libra," he answered slowly.
"A fighter summoning mechanism. A system we use to announce the representatives chosen to fight for each race."
Then—
The sound of a massive gong thundered throughout the Colosseum.
The ground shook.
The clouds churned violently.
Beneath the mythology stands, a red-golden magic circle emerged, spinning slowly while releasing a breeze scented like jasmine petals in spring.
From within it stepped forth a beautiful woman with delicate features and sharp honey-gold eyes. Her long hair, the same color as her eyes, flowed in graceful waves.
Her body was wrapped in a thin kimono of crimson and white, shimmering like moonlight upon a lake.
But the most striking feature of all were the nine long tails behind her, swaying softly as though alive with minds of their own.
The entire arena held its breath.
"Huli Jing…" someone whispered from the mythology stands.
"The illusion trickster of the East…" another murmured with awe and fear intertwined.
Huli Jing walked slowly, each step leaving behind faint trails of light in the air.
She stopped before The Ancient One and lowered her head gracefully.
"My lord," she spoke softly, her voice resembling the delicate song of a flute carried by the wind.
"If the heavens desire a performance… then I shall dance upon their stage."
The Ancient One stared at her for a long moment before slowly nodding.
"Step forward, Huli Jing. Show them the wisdom and strength of your people."
Now standing at the center of the arena, Huli Jing turned and approached Libra.
She stopped before the celestial judge, lowering herself slightly with a smile far too sweet to be mistaken for simple politeness.
"O Judge among the stars," she said softly, "it is a great honor to stand beneath your gaze."
Libra looked at her gently, her smile small yet filled with meaning.
"Rise, Huli Jing. Justice does not see who bows lowest… but who dares to stand with a pure heart."
Huli Jing's brow twitched faintly.
Yet the smile never left her beautiful face.
Her tails swayed slowly behind her, reflecting delicate rainbow glimmers into the air.
At that exact moment, the massive screens above the arena began flickering wildly. Strange symbols danced across the surface before forming glowing crimson letters.
[REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MYTHOLOGY FACTION: HULI JING — THE ILLUSION FOX]
The mythology side erupted into thunderous cheers that echoed toward the heavens. Her name carried pride among them—the legendary deceiver said capable of tricking even dragons themselves.
But on the human side, especially among those familiar with East Asian legends, faces turned tense. Nervous whispers spread between the crowd.
Because they knew.
Huli Jing was no ordinary being.
She was a legend often portrayed in human tales as a seductive demon—a creature capable of trapping someone between dream and reality, never to return again.
Libra observed the humans' reaction before turning her attention back toward Huli Jing, who now seemed to bask in the waves of applause chanting her name.
Her soft violet eyes reflected the light from the floating screens.
"Such a mesmerizing aura…" Libra murmured quietly to herself. "And yet… it feels as though a fog hides beneath its brilliance."
Then she looked toward the screens once more as they slowly began spinning again, preparing to reveal the name of Huli Jing's opponent.
The air grew tense.
As though the entire sky itself held its breath, waiting to see who would step forward from humanity's side.