Whispers filled the massive arena.
"Who is he…?"
"Where did he come from?"
"I've never seen him in any academy…"
"Look at his clothes… all black…"
"That pressure… he doesn't feel normal…"
The tall young man stood quietly beside his cauldron, long white hair falling over his shoulders, face calm as if none of this mattered.
Participants from noble families glanced at him with curiosity… and contempt.
On the high platform, the elders of Azure Sky Academy suddenly leaned forward.
Elder Varos narrowed his eyes.
"…That figure… do you feel it?"
Elder Myra whispered,
"…Yes… that presence… don't tell me…"
Grand Elder Seraphis spoke slowly,
"…Is that the boy from six months ago…?"
All of them fell silent.
Back then, Keal had been thin, wounded, powerless.
Now the person standing there felt… completely different.
Not weak.
Not nervous.
Not even excited.
Just still.
Like a calm abyss.
At the center stage, the announcer stepped forward, his voice echoing across the entire arena through a sound-amplifying formation.
"Participant in black! Step forward and declare yourself!"
The entire arena quieted.
Thousands of eyes focused on him.
He stepped forward slowly.
Announcer: "State your name, origin, and academy affiliation!"
The boy's voice came out calm and steady.
"…None of that matters."
Murmurs exploded instantly.
"What?"
"Did he just say that?"
"Arrogant brat…"
He continued,
"I stand… on the side of Azure Sky Academy."
Silence.
Then—
Laughter erupted from several noble sections.
"Hahahaha!"
"Azure Sky brought THIS?"
"A beggar in black?"
"Did they give up already?"
"So this is their secret disciple?"
One noble participant from a golden-robed academy smirked loudly.
"Azure Sky must be desperate… sending street children to compete."
More laughter followed.
On the Azure Sky platform, some elders clenched their fists in anger.
But Grand Elder Seraphis simply watched the boy.
"…His eyes…"
"…They're not the same as before…"
Back at center stage, the announcer raised his hand.
"Silence!"
The entire arena quieted instantly.
"Now… the rules of the First Round!"
A massive formation lit up in the sky, projecting glowing symbols.
"This round tests alchemy foundation and control."
A pause.
Then the announcer spoke clearly.
"Every participant must refine… a Tri-Origin Rebirth Pill."
For a moment—
No one spoke.
Then shock exploded across the arena.
"WHAT?!"
"Tri-Origin Rebirth Pill?!"
"That's insane!"
"That's a level-4 advanced pill!"
"We're only new disciples!"
Many participants from smaller academies turned pale.
Some even stepped back from their cauldrons.
Whispers spread rapidly.
"That pill requires three-phase fusion…"
"And dual flame balance…"
"If the temperature shifts even slightly it explodes…"
"It normally takes senior disciples months to master…"
"And they're giving only one attempt?"
The announcer continued coldly.
"Time limit… 40 minutes."
Another wave of shock.
"FORTY?!"
"Impossible!"
"Even with perfect refining it needs an hour…"
"This is elimination…"
He raised his hand again.
"The Tri-Origin Rebirth Pill requires:
• Perfect impurity removal during refining
• Simultaneous fusion of three conflicting essences
• Condensation without spiritual collapse
• Completion under stable soul flame"
"If any stage fails… the pill will collapse."
Silence spread.
Many disciples lowered their heads.
They already knew.
They would lose in the first round.
Then the announcer spoke again.
"The winner of this round… will receive 100 spiritual stones."
This time—
Even elders reacted.
"100?!"
"That's academy-level reward!"
"For first round only?"
"They're serious…"
Spiritual stones were not ordinary currency.
Even noble families valued them highly.
On the platform, several academy masters exchanged glances.
"They're raising stakes…"
"This contest isn't just a test…"
"It's a battlefield…"
The announcer raised his hand.
A massive glowing clock formation appeared in the sky above the arena.
Golden symbols rotated slowly, counting down from 40:00.
"Time begins… NOW!"
A bell rang across the arena.
Instantly—
Flames ignited everywhere.
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
Hundreds of cauldrons lit with different colored flames.
Some blue.
Some gold.
Some violet.
Top academy disciples moved with confidence.
Noble Participant – Riven Hale (Solaris Academy)
A tall boy with golden hair lifted his hand.
Golden flame burst beneath his cauldron.
He refined herbs rapidly, movements precise and elegant.
Crowd whispers:
"That's Riven Hale…"
"He mastered dual-flame control at age ten…"
"Solaris Academy's genius…"
Noble Participant – Lyra Voss (Moonveil Academy)
A calm girl closed her eyes.
Her spiritual sense spread into the cauldron before flame even rose.
Then—
Silver fire ignited gently.
Her refining stage began without a single wasted motion.
Whispers:
"Moonveil prodigy…"
"She can sense impurity without touching herbs…"
"Terrifying control…"
Noble Participant – Darius Kain (Iron Blood Academy)
A muscular boy slammed herbs into the cauldron boldly.
His flame roared violently.
Instead of delicate refining, he used brute heat control.
Whispers:
"Iron Blood style…"
"Force refinement…"
"Dangerous but fast…"
Across the arena, top disciples began showing their skills.
Precise refining.
Smooth fusion.
Careful condensation.
Some already reached mid-stage within minutes.
But in one corner—
Silence.
The black-clothed boy still stood motionless.
He hadn't lit a flame.
Hadn't touched herbs.
Hadn't even looked at the cauldron.
Five minutes passed.
Ten minutes.
Whispers slowly rose.
"…Why isn't he moving?"
"Did he give up?"
"Is he scared?"
"Maybe he doesn't even know alchemy…"
A noble participant laughed loudly.
"Azure Sky's genius is frozen already."
More laughter followed.
On the Azure Sky platform, tension rose.
Elder Varos frowned.
"…Why isn't he starting?"
Elder Myra whispered,
"…He's not nervous…"
Grand Elder Seraphis watched carefully.
"…No… he's observing."
Back on the arena floor—
The black-clothed boy finally moved.
Not toward the cauldron.
He simply lifted his gaze… and looked at the massive clock in the sky.
28 minutes remaining.
He then looked around the arena slowly… watching every participant.
Their flames.
Their control.
Their mistakes.
Then he closed his eyes.
And still… did nothing.
Whispers turned louder.
"…Is he insane?"
"…He'll run out of time…"
"…Even refining needs 20 minutes…"
On the high platform, several academy masters smirked.
"Azure Sky truly sent a fool."
"He won't even pass first stage."
"This will be embarrassing…"
But Grand Elder Seraphis did not speak.
His eyes remained fixed on the boy in black.
"…You're waiting…" he murmured softly.
"…For what…?"