Tenebras arrived at the competition arena, only to find that everyone had already gathered before him.
The arena was filled with nobles who had come to support their children. Among the spectators were members of the Eternal Dawn Council, the eyes of the Emperor of the Normadia Empire, watching everything that happened within the Kingdom of Salimar. Two representatives from the World Silent Court were also present, tasked with observing every small and great matter within the kingdom.
The heads of the great families were seated in their places, and even the King of Salimar himself had come to watch the event.
Tenebras stepped into the arena and glanced toward the audience seats, searching for a familiar face. But his father was nowhere to be seen.
A faint tension crept into his heart.
There were a large number of participants standing inside the arena. Soon, the judge of the competition stepped forward to explain the rules.
"The competition will consist of three rounds."
First Round:
The participants must enter a dark tunnel filled with hundreds of beasts. Whoever manages to exit the tunnel will pass the first round.
Tenebras and the other competitors entered the tunnel.
Almost instantly, it turned into a true massacre.
Blood splattered across the darkness as screams echoed through the tunnel. Within a short time, the beasts had slaughtered more than half of the competitors.
Tenebras faced the monsters with unwavering determination. He carried no weapon, yet his hands were his weapon.
The brutal body training he had endured began to show its results. He fought fiercely, releasing bursts of dark power that burned the beasts before him. But that power drained his energy and strained his body.
After a fierce struggle, Tenebras finally emerged from the tunnel, utterly exhausted.
During the break before the second round, Tenebras' eyes met those of Jacky, the heir of the Kryo family, and William, the second son of the King of Salimar.
They gave him a malicious smile.
At that moment, Tenebras noticed that Trido James was absent from the competition, which raised suspicion in his mind.
Soon after, Amelia Faridas approached him, and the two decided to form a team for the next round.
The judge returned to the center of the arena and announced the rules of the second round.
The second round would test the resilience of the participants' souls and the strength of their cores.
A group of elders stepped forward. They were cultivators at the Destruction Body rank, four entire levels above Tenebras.
They began releasing an overwhelming spiritual pressure upon the competitors.
From the very beginning, many participants felt dizzy and nauseous. One after another, they collapsed to the ground.
Soon, only nine competitors remained… and Tenebras was one of them.
At first, he managed to endure. But the pressure continued to intensify, slowly crushing his body.
With difficulty, he lifted his eyes and saw his rival Grace Kars still standing firmly.
Tenebras took it as a challenge.
Gathering the last of his strength, he forced himself to endure. In the final moments, the elders increased the pressure even further.
Another competitor fell.
Now only eight remained.
Tenebras could barely endure any longer. At the moment he was about to give up, he raised his eyes toward the audience one last time.
And there he saw them.
Sharp, cold gazes staring directly at him.
His father Henry, and his grandfather James, were looking at him with clear hatred.
Something deep within Tenebras suddenly awakened.
His will ignited.
A thin layer of dark energy formed around his body, resisting the crushing pressure.
He remained standing… until the judge's whistle echoed across the arena, announcing the end of the second round.
Everyone finally relaxed.
The competitors were given one hour of rest before the final test.
Then the moment arrived.
The third and final round of the competition began, and the judge stepped forward once again to explain its rules…