After the first round of battles ended, the twenty victorious soldiers were escorted down from the stages.
The crowd applauded loudly as they descended.
Some of the warriors could barely stand straight after two hours of relentless fighting. Their armor was dented, their clothes soaked in sweat, and small cuts marked their arms and faces.
Royal attendants quickly approached them.
Servants carried trays filled with cool water, fruit, and bread, while royal physicians followed behind with boxes of ointments and bandages.
Large chairs were arranged under shaded tents beside the arena.
The victors were guided there one by one.
Some warriors sat down heavily while others simply leaned back and closed their eyes in relief.
"Easy there," one physician said while wrapping a bandage around a soldier's arm.
"You fought well."
Another attendant gently cleaned the blood from a female soldier's forehead.
"You will be fine, Captain."
Servants massaged the shoulders and arms of the exhausted warriors, loosening the stiffness from their muscles.
Gradually their breathing steadied and strength returned to their bodies.
The crowd watched with excitement.
They knew this was only the intermission.
The real contest among the new captains was about to begin.
After nearly half an hour of rest, General Dracona returned to the center of the arena.
He raised his voice so the entire stadium could hear.
"The twenty victors will now face each other in the final round!"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Ten smaller stages had been arranged across the arena floor.
Each stage would host one duel.
The twenty soldiers stepped forward.
General Dracona called out the pairings one by one.
Warriors stepped onto their assigned stages.
Some carried swords.
Others held spears.
One used twin daggers.
Two of the female soldiers wielded curved blades that glinted sharply under the sun.
When the final pair stepped onto the tenth stage, General Dracona raised his arm.
"Prepare yourselves!"
The arena grew quiet.
Thousands of spectators leaned forward in anticipation.
Then—
CLANG!
The bell rang.
All ten duels exploded into action at once.
Steel rang across the arena.
CLASH!
CLANG!
THUD!
The noise rose into the sky like a thunderstorm.
The crowd roared so loudly it could be heard for kilometers beyond the capital city.
Some spectators jumped to their feet.
Others shouted encouragement.
"Strike!"
"Watch your left!"
"Finish him!"
On one stage, two spearmen circled each other cautiously before one suddenly lunged forward.
On another, a warrior with twin daggers moved like a shadow, dodging every heavy strike of his opponent's sword.
A tall soldier lifted his enemy by the armor and nearly threw him off the platform before the man twisted and pushed back desperately.
The crowd gasped and cheered with every near fall.
From the royal seating area, Keyla watched the battles with keen interest.
Her eyes moved constantly between the stages.
This was the first time she had witnessed such a grand arena competition.
Hundreds of skilled warriors fighting before thousands of spectators.
The energy of the crowd.
The clash of steel.
The tension in the air.
It was exhilarating.
Lady Dhalia clapped enthusiastically beside her.
"This is amazing!"
General Don only smiled quietly.
Meanwhile, seated nearby, Crown Prince Sage tried to focus on the battles.
But every now and then…
His gaze drifted toward Keyla.
He studied her expression.
The calm confidence.
The sharp attention in her eyes.
He wondered silently.
How strong is she really?
When Keyla suddenly shifted her gaze toward the royal seats, Sage quickly turned his attention back to the arena as if nothing had happened.
His younger brothers noticed.
Prince Damis smirked quietly.
As the battles continued, some duels ended quickly.
One warrior slipped and fell off his stage within minutes.
Another was disarmed and surrendered.
But one stage drew more attention than the others.
The ninth stage.
Two female soldiers faced each other there.
Both were already bloodied from their earlier battles.
One had a long sword.
The other held a spear.
Their armor was scratched and stained with blood.
But neither showed the slightest intention of giving up.
The swordswoman rushed forward first.
Her blade struck down with brutal force.
CLANG!
The spear wielder blocked the attack and countered with a lightning thrust.
The swordswoman twisted aside just in time.
Their movements were fast and deadly.
Again and again they clashed.
Neither gained the advantage.
The crowd began shouting louder.
"Fight!"
"Don't stop!"
The spear fighter spun her weapon and struck the swordswoman across the shoulder.
A thin line of blood appeared.
But the swordswoman only grinned.
She stepped forward again.
Their weapons collided with explosive force.
CLANG!
Dust rose around the stage.
Sweat and blood ran down their faces.
Still—
Neither admitted defeat.
In the royal pavilion, even Keyla leaned forward slightly, watching the battle closely.
Her eyes narrowed with interest.
These two warriors were no longer simply competing.
They were fighting with true pride.
And neither intended to fall first.
The crowd held its breath as their duel reached its fiercest moment. ⚔️