SUPREME ARCH-MAGUS

The Sky Arena simmered with restless excitement. The audience packed shoulder-to-shoulder. Rumors of Kent’s “shameless win” still boiled in every conversation, but now a new anticipation took hold—the official announcement of the twenty-five groups for the next round fight.

The 6th Elder floated down with solemn dignity, his robes trailing clouds of mist, and raised his wand high. “By decree of the Council, the fights shall proceed in group format. Twenty-five groups have been formed, each with ten disciples. From each group, only two shall advance. Strength, cunning, and willpower will decide your fate. Now… witness the group-selections!”

Crystalline talismans shot upward, blossoming into giant scrolls of light that hovered over the arena. Names began to glow one after another, placed into groups like celestial constellations.

Cheers erupted whenever a favored disciple’s name appeared, the crowd shouting sect names, wagers already changing hands.

Then, the light scrawled out the words—

Group One

Kent King, Body Mage

Ding Han, Zither Saint

Bai Yun, the Sword Phoenix

Rina Lova, the Whip Lady

Jiro Fang, the Lava Titan

Xue Mei, the Frost Mirror Maiden

Zhan Din, Thunder Roar Spear

Iron Fang Wu

Crimson Star Li

Twin Blade Han

The crowd exploded.

“Group One is insane!”

“Four hot favorites in a single bracket? Bai Yun, Ding Han, Jiro Fang, and Xue Mei—all in one!”

“And Kent the trickster is thrown into the lion’s den… haha, his luck has finally run dry.”

“God! Ding Han, the Zither master, is in 1st group. Kent is done for! Let’s Go… Time to get back my wealth!”

Floating aurora mirrors across the audience displayed portraits and rankings of the disciples. Bai Yun’s sword aura alone split the air on the projection, Rina Lova stood like a goddess clothed in flowing rivers, Jiro Fang’s molten aura boiled the clouds, while Xue Mei was a vision of ice and deathly calm. Each of them had top-five odds to win the entire tournament.

And in the same group, a masked outsider—Kent King.

Instantly, the gambling houses erupted into chaos. Red crystal counters clinked as millions of mana crystals shifted from one table to another. People screamed bets across cloud balconies.

“I’ll stake everything against Kent! He won’t last one round against Bai Yun!”

“Put me down for five hundred thousand on Ding Han advancing!”

“Haha, this is perfect! Kent will be crushed before he even breathes.”

Up in the highest balcony, Fatty Ben almost choked on his spirit grape, then burst out laughing, his fat belly shaking. “Heavens bless us, this is too good. Everyone is mad betting against Kent! Just watch—my brother will eat them alive again.”

But in another balcony, Red Face sat in silence, his expression darker than a thunderstorm. His loss of nine million mana crystals still burned like acid in his chest. To him, Kent’s placement in Group One was no mere coincidence—it was providence, a chance to crush the upstart once and for all.

He leaned back, stroking his crimson beard, and snapped his fingers. A dozen black-clad servants bowed instantly.

“Prepare another ten million mana crystals,” he said coldly. “Every last coin goes on Kent’s defeat. But more than that…”

He narrowed his eyes toward the arena, where the ten disciples of Group One were gathering on a waiting platform, each standing proud like gods descended. Kent stood among them, relaxed, arms folded, as if none of this had anything to do with him.

“…I want insurance,” Red Face whispered.

–

On the waiting platform the atmosphere was suffocating. 8 disciples eyed Kent with open hostility, their auras flaring slightly, pressure rolling across the chamber. Only Rina Lova gave him a glance of curiosity, her river-blue eyes calm and unreadable.

Bai Yun stepped forward, sword strapped to his back, his presence sharp enough to draw blood from the air. “Kent king, was it? You should know your place. This group belongs to us. Don’t expect to advance.”

Jiro Fang cracked his knuckles, molten flames licking his shoulders. “Better yet, we eliminate him first. I don’t want to waste time with weaklings cluttering the stage.”

Xue Mei’s voice was like winter frost. “Agreed. He sullied the dueling field with tricks and cowardice. Let’s crush him immediately.”

The others—Thunder Roar Zhan, Iron Fang Wu, Crimson Star Li, and the rest—nodded one after another. They were rivals, but in this they found unity: removing the dark horse.

Kent tilted his head, a small amused smile hidden beneath his beast veil mask. “Oh? So 8 prodigies of noble sects need to gang up on one outsider? I’m honored.”

His calm tone only enraged them further.

At that moment, a knock echoed on the chamber’s golden doors. A servant entered, head bowed, carrying a crimson jade slip. Bai Yun took it and scanned the message. His eyes narrowed, then he passed it to Ding Lan.

The jade slip bore the seal of the Gambling Syndicate. The words were direct:

“Crush Kent King first. Eliminate him at all costs. Rewards guaranteed—backed by twenty million mana crystals.”

The room grew quiet. Rina Lova’s fingers tightened slightly around the slip, though she said nothing. Bai Yun’s lips curled into a smirk. “So even fate agrees. He dies first.”

Outside, the audience was already drunk on speculation. News spread like wildfire that Group One had formed a silent pact to eliminate Kent first.

“Did you hear? All nine are united against him!”

“Of course they are—who’d want to risk some trickster slipping through again?”

“Haha, this will be a slaughter. I’ll bet my entire sect’s treasury against Kent advancing!”

Mana crystals flowed like rivers into the betting pools. Red Face’s smile finally returned as he watched his syndicate servants record the staggering amounts being placed. “Yes… drown him in odds. When he falls, I’ll reclaim my throne and bleed these fools dry.”

But in the midst of chaos, Fatty Ben only smiled wider, whispering to his companions. “Perfect. The more they bet against us, the greater our harvest when Kent wins again. Just wait…”

Everyone dispersed as next group names were announced. Kent walked to pleasure house without any concern.

Meanwhile Red Face began actively meeting all members of group one to turn everything against Kent King.