Chapter 460: The Grand First-Year Combat Festival: Sixth Round

"Good morning, Britannians!!!!!"

Patrick West’s voice came out loudly through the entire Arena.

His voice was carried through the large sound system installed around the fighting grounds, reaching every section of the enormous structure and even the areas where the guests from the various Noble Houses were seated.

"WOOOOAAAHHHHH!"

The crowd responded as usual with the same energy.

The moment Patrick finished his greeting, thousands of voices rose together, creating a wave of noise that travelled through the Arena.

Some spectators raised their hands.

Others stood from their seats.

Several first-year students, who were now spectators after losing in the earlier rounds, shouted the names of their favorite competitors, while groups of fans had already begun waving banners and other items they had brought specifically for the Combat Festival.

The atmosphere was even more intense than before.

The further the tournament progressed, the more people seemed to care about every match.

The earlier rounds had been filled with plenty of students who some were still unfamiliar to the wider public, but the Sixth Round was different.

Of course, most of the students who remained already had names for themselves across Britannia.

But for the unfamiliar ones...

Their previous fights had been broadcast throughout Britannia, and their faces had become familiar to people who had never even visited the Royal Academy.

In the live chat of the BNC Group Broadcast linked with the Royal Academy’s Linsta page...

The place also went wild.

Messages were already appearing one after another across the Holographic Screen connected to the broadcast.

***

’Let’s go!!!’

Mimi_88

’WE ARE BACK GUYS!!’

Lone_Alchemist

’Lady Vera Ashenlocke’

Vera_Fan234056

’Lady Vera Ashenlocke is going to smash through easily again.’

Vera_Fan300000

’Lady Diane Bergwyn is the best Flower.’

Diane_Fan1293

’You are joking right... all Lady Diane Bergwyn lovers are losers.’

Vera_Fan33

’Lady Diane Bergwyn already beat your Lady ones, and guess what... she will do it again.’

Diane_Fan50049

’Sir Ravenor, I love you.’

Ravenor_The_One

***

The noise echoing across the different regions of Britannia became even more ecstatic, and the noise inside the Arena wasn’t any better.

Even before the first match had begun, the audience had already divided itself into different groups, each one supporting a particular student.

The names of Vera, Diane, Ravenor, and the other popular First-Years continued appearing through the live chat while the broadcast cameras moved across the Arena, capturing the excitement of the spectators.

The Sixth Round had finally arrived.

And unlike the earlier rounds...

There were now far fewer students standing between the remaining competitors and the final.

"Today commences the Sixth Round of the Grand First-Year Combat Festival!!"

Patrick West said with a bright smile on his face.

He raised his microphone slightly as he looked across the audience.

"And I would like to introduce my Co-Host for today’s round..."

He paused deliberately.

The crowd quieted for a brief moment, waiting for the name.

"Professor Liliana Galehart!!"

His voice echoed excitedly through the Arena.

A round of applause immediately erupted from the crowd.

Professor Liliana Galehart walked out from the right entrance of the Arena.

She stepped onto the fighting platform area with a bright smile on her face, raising one hand and waving toward the audience as she walked.

"Professor Liliana!!!"

"Professor Liliana!!"

The voices overlapped throughout the audience section.

Some students of different years stood up to wave toward her.

Others simply cheered while watching the Professor approach Patrick.

Professor Liliana Galehart, as expected from a Professor of the Royal Academy, was already a popular figure in the eyes of many people across Britannia.

It wasn’t only because of her beauty or her strength as a Wind Alchemist of the Duke House Galehart.

Her position itself was enough to give her considerable recognition.

She had become a Senior Professor of the Royal Alchemist, and that achievement had placed her name in high regard among the people of Britannia.

She wasn’t simply an instructor standing in front of students.

She was an accomplished Professor Alchemist who had reached a level that many aspiring Alchemists could only dream about.

"Goood morning, my lovely and amazing Britannians!!"

Liliana held the microphone up.

At the same time, she raised her other hand toward the sky and pointed upward with an energetic smile.

"WOOOAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

The crowd responded with an even louder cheer.

The sound was so loud that Liliana’s smile widened.

She lowered her raised hand.

"Let’s get the Sixth Round started."

Her voice volume dropped down slightly as she moved closer to Patrick.

"These are the listings for the Sixth Round’s twenty-four matchups."

Patrick West waved his hand upward.

A huge Holographic Screen immediately materialized in the air before them.

The enormous screen remained suspended above the fighting platform for a moment.

Then...

It began to separate.

One screen became several.

Several became more.

Until twenty-four small Holographic Screens appeared before Patrick and Liliana.

Each screen displayed a different matchup scheduled for the Sixth Round.

The names of the students appeared clearly.

Screen 1: Ezra Ashenlocke vs. Nate Ashenlocke

Screen 2: Maxwell vs. Davie Wakener

Screen 3: Felix Ashenlocke vs. Collins Berg

Screen 4: Page Laverdale vs. Phiora Casper

Screen 5: Priscilla Ashenlocke vs. Liam Burnwick

Screen 6: Nina Ashenlocke vs. Edmund Winter

Screen 7: Zack Ashenlocke vs. Roderick Bergwyn

Screen 8: Nickolas Balor vs. Rupert Hawthorne

Screen 9: Willow Derlis vs. Leopold Brittan

Screen 10: Desmond Derlis vs. Octavia Smith

Screen 11: Sasha Burnwick vs. Constance Derlis

Screen 12: Arabella Silver vs. Philippa Bergwyn

Screen 13: Vera Ashenlocke vs. Gareth Ashenlocke

Screen 14: Lyra Ashburn vs. Logan Drakes

Screen 15: Veda Ashenlocke vs. Basil Evermont

Screen 16: Ravenor Burnwick vs. Charles Aethelmont

Screen 17: Diane Bergwyn vs. Starke Drakes

Screen 18: Selena Galehart vs. Elena Galehart

Screen 19: Gill Galehart vs. Stella Aethelmont

Screen 20: Tristin Aethelmont vs. Cyrus Burnwick

Screen 21: Grace Evergrey vs. Lavinia Burns

Screen 22: Grant Evergrey vs. Gin Drakes

Screen 23: Theodora Brittan vs. Styles Burns

Screen 24: Crispin Greenwood vs. Kane Casper

The names facing each other were shown boldly through the other large Holographic Screens positioned around the upper parts of the Arena.

The screens displayed the matchups one after another, allowing the spectators to see who would be facing whom.

Some spectators immediately reacted when they noticed certain names.

The moment Ezra Ashenlocke and Nate Ashenlocke appeared together...

Several Ashenlocke supporters began talking among themselves.

When Vera Ashenlocke and Gareth Ashenlocke appeared...

The reaction was similar.

And when Selena Galehart and Elena Galehart appeared on the same list...

The members of House Galehart naturally paid closer attention.

The small Holographic Screen hovering above Patrick and Liliana remained in a circular formation, rotating gently as it continued displaying the different matchups.

"Wow..."

Patrick said as he quietly looked toward Liliana.

He glanced at the list again.

"Two of your nieces will be facing each other."

He said, waiting for Liliana’s reaction.

Liliana looked toward the matchup.

Her expression changed slightly.

"Well, it’s really sad, because it’s obviously my dear Selena that will win that fight."

Liliana answered without hesitation.

She placed her right hand against her cheek making a troubled expression.

The way she spoke made it sound as though she was genuinely saddened by the situation.

But her answer had already been decided.

"Ehn?"

Patrick looked at her in surprise.

"Aren’t you being too biased?"

He asked, still dumbfounded by how quickly she had chosen one of the sisters.

"No way..."

Liliana gently shook her head.

"Of course, Elena is strong, and I do want to see her go all the way, but Selena is just a level above her sister, and it’s not close."

She continued speaking without any hesitation.

"As their aunty, I have to be truthful with my words."

She said it directly, without toning down her reply for the sake of avoiding embarrassment.

A few people in the crowd, especially members of House Galehart, stared at Liliana with awkward expressions.

Several of them exchanged glances.

The mother of Elena maintained her graceful smile, but her eyes were visibly glaring at Liliana on the stage.

She continued smiling for the sake of appearances, yet the look in her eyes made it obvious that she hadn’t appreciated her sister-in-law’s blunt statement.

On the other hand...

Selena’s mother simply kept laughing with a pleased expression.

She seemed to have no problem with Liliana’s words at all.

The Duke simply continued watching with his usual calm and indifferent expression.

Nothing about his daughters fighting against each other seemed to make him react.

He remained seated comfortably while observing the stage.

But...

At least, they shouldn’t severely injure themselves, because I wouldn’t know who to support.

Since my daughters are so cute, and my wives are cute too.

Ahh...

Elena might already be feeling the pressure from Liliana’s straightforward replies.

But they should at least not go too far.

Can’t allow my babies to get wounded over a fight against themselves.

The Duke of Galehart thought to himself while keeping his calm composure.

His face showed almost none of what was going through his mind.

Who would have guessed what he was thinking exactly in his mind?

To everyone else, he was simply the Duke of Galehart sitting calmly while his two daughters prepared to fight one another.

"Now... Let the first match of today begin!"

Patrick West’s voice echoed loudly through the entire Arena.

The Holographic Screens showing the twenty-four matchups disappeared.

The attention of the crowd immediately shifted toward the fighting platform.

"Logan Drakes..."

Liliana Galehart took over the announcement of the fighter smoothly.

She raised her microphone.

"Vs. Lyra Ashburn!!!"

She shouted excitedly.

The crowd immediately responded with the same excitement.

"WOOOOAAAHHHHHHH!"

These two students who had just been called for the first match had already displayed some of the best Alchemist combat strength among their respective Alchemy Paths.

The audience had watched their previous fights.

So, they knew what each of them was capable of.

And now...

They were finally going to see the two of them fight each other.

The large Holographic Screens around the Arena began showing the previous fights of Lyra Ashburn and Logan Drakes.

Scenes from their earlier matches played across the screens.

The audience watched their previous movements, attacks, and displays of Alchemy while the two competitors prepared themselves to enter the fighting platform.

Also...

Another thing that made the fight worthy of anticipation was the fact that the Ashenlockes and Drakes had always fought brutally against each other during this Festival.

Not many people knew why.

Since there was no clear explanation given to the wider public.

But the fights between members of the two families had repeatedly become some of the most intense matches of the tournament.

The exchanges were aggressive.

The students fought as though losing to the other family was something they simply couldn’t accept.

Because of that...

The matches were something worth watching over and over again.

Even after a fight ended, people continued discussing it.

Some watched the recordings again.

Others argued over which family had shown greater strength.

And now, the next battle between the two sides was about to begin.

Lyra Ashburn walked out from the left entrance of the Arena with her usual excited smile on her face.

Her steps were light as she made her way toward the fighting platform.

She looked as though she had been waiting for this moment.

There was no hesitation in her expression.

She simply smiled as the cheers from the crowd grew louder around her.

While...

Logan Drakes walked out from the right entrance of the Arena.

Unlike Lyra...

He didn’t smile.

Nor did he look excited.

His face was simply serious.

His eyes remained fixed ahead as he walked toward the fighting platform.

The difference between the two was obvious.

One entered the Arena with excitement.

The other entered with a serious expression that gave away almost nothing.

The crowd’s voices continued rising around them as both students approached the center of the Arena.

The Sixth Round had officially begun.