The group's path was the same as before. They used the teleport inscription and were guided by a Demonic Elder. The only difference was that now it was just Darian and his other six allies.
When they entered the center of the arena and looked around, the crowd's cheers were even louder than before.
All the battles of the Celestial Tournament were recorded and broadcast live to the entire universe. At this point, the whole Golden Crow Sect and the Bakunawa Abyssal Triarchy were in complete ecstasy. The glory they had reached at this moment was immeasurable.
Darian's group looked around, seeing the other 93 opponents already there, all with serious and focused expressions.
Before, those from the top 10 organizations were basically on a relaxed stroll. Even in the dispute for the top 1000, where they had to fight among themselves, there wasn't much tension. Everyone knew each other and understood the difference in power between them well; because of that, in about 80% of the battles, one side gave up without fighting.
But now, the real competition would begin. Out of the 100, 50 came from the top 10, and 41 came from the top 20. There were only 9 figures below that, the big surprises of the Tournament.
The minutes passed slowly, and the tension only kept rising.
Until finally, the Elder responsible for the Tournament appeared at the center of the single martial stage.
He smiled and finally announced the rules. All fights would happen on a single stage, for everyone to watch. The system was simple: two would fight each other, the loser would be eliminated, while the winner would move on.
After explaining the basics, the Elder pointed to the sky, and the list of the hundred approved names appeared again.
"As you can see, each disciple has a ranking, according to the score from their victories and defeats. The first ten on the list are those with 100% victories. But right below them, there are another 18 who only lost once. These first 28 won't need to fight in the first round."
"With that, 72 remain. These disciples will be randomly matched and fight once, eliminating half of them. Then those 36 winners will join the other 28, forming 64 disciples. After that, they will fight and eliminate each other until the winner of the Celestial Tournament is decided."
That Elder spoke calmly, and everyone nodded. It was fair that the best among the thousand had some initial advantage.
"For the spectacle to be fair and for the truly best disciple to win, after each battle, the winning disciple will be taken to the Rainbow Heaven inscription. Each one will have exactly fifteen minutes inside it, allowing them to physically recover from any light damage. If the injuries are too severe, it won't be possible to recover completely, but if someone suffered something like that, it means their strength wasn't enough. The main point is that their internal energies can be quickly restored in the Rainbow Heaven inscription."
Everyone in the stands nodded. All the fights would happen without pauses until the winner of the Tournament appeared; if the disciples had no way to recover, the winner would just be a matter of luck, being whoever happened to get easier fights and spent less power in their victories.
After everything was explained, the Elder waved his hand. In the sky, the 72 names moved into a sphere of light, and the draw for all the battles began there, so everyone could watch and verify its legitimacy.
Soon, the first fight began in the arena.
All the other participants watched around the martial stage. An immense barrier was created in the center so no energy would leak outside.
Darian watched the fights calmly, mainly observing those from the universe's top 5.
The first were the Dire Feys from the Yinblood Sect. They were considered above everyone else by a good margin. But second and third place were quite peculiar, because there wasn't a clear decision on who was second or third.
Those spots belonged to the Three Extremes Sect and the Heaven Dyad Realm. Both sects were composed of a mix of Beasts and humanoids of all kinds. But... they lived on the same planet.
These two powers, just like the Yinblood Sect, were places the current Heaven's Will had passed through during the journey. The planet where Darian once lived as Denil was where those second and third-ranked powers resided.
Fourth place was the Dragon Ascent Sect, the place where the most powerful Dragon races lived, and where Minril came from. Fifth place was the infamous Chaos Elemental Sect.
These five powers had disciples whose strength was like heaven and earth compared to everyone below them. Some of them had to fight now, and their opponents could only curse their bad luck in the draw. They didn't dare surrender, so they at least tried to exchange a blow... and were defeated in mere seconds.
In general, the fights were quick, lasting about 15 minutes on average. In around 10 hours, the first round was finally completed.
After the fifteen minutes of the last winner ended, the Demonic Elder appeared again, congratulating all the victors. Now, the 64 most powerful members of the generation were finally known by everyone in the universe.
"Let's begin the first fight!" he roared, waving his hand.
The names quickly shuffled in the sky, then two separated and pulsed with an intense golden light.
*Pyreus, from the Golden Crow Sect, versus Vraithos, from the Spiritual Demon Alliance*
Gildor and everyone from the Golden Crow Sect held their breath. Inside the sect, Chrysos clenched his fists tightly, full of anxiety.
Pyreus, just a little over two years ago, was only a simple young man that he took in as his only disciple. He did have above-average talent, that was true. But he wasn't even close to being on the same level as Herion and Lázaro.
Now… he was standing side by side with those two, bringing unprecedented glory to the sect.
Before the Tournament, when Darian said he would choose three disciples from his sect to train, everyone was certain that Herion and Lázaro would take those spots. So all the Palace Masters got excited and started discussing the last one, even suggesting a grand internal selection.
But unfortunately for them, Darian already knew exactly who he would choose.
Why did he decide on a disciple who was only above average?
At that exact moment, Pyreus gave a faint smile. "Sir, I'm going."
He said it while looking straight into Darian's eyes, then took light steps toward the martial stage. There wasn't any nervousness or fear in him; his aura was calm and resolute, surprising everyone in the arena.
Among the six Darian had trained, for those in the group, Pyreus was definitely the weakest in terms of power. He didn't really stand out in anything like the others did. But… at the same time, he was the one Darian had given the most attention to and spent the most time with.
Every time Darian paused his own cultivation, he would go to Pyreus and give him an extra mission, very different from the others.
Herion couldn't help but take a deep breath. "Pyreus… he definitely won't embarrass himself. He has the ability to fight for a bit, and enough intelligence to admit defeat before something serious happens."
The other four nodded; they had the same conviction. That young man might not be very strong, but he wasn't stupid enough to get himself killed.
However, when they looked at Darian beside them, they saw a faint smile on his face. Darian didn't even turn toward them; he just spoke with certainty.
"Don't judge someone's power based on what you see. In a fight, talent and raw strength aren't everything. Just watch, and you'll see what a real battle is. A true warrior definitely isn't what you imagine."
Everyone fell silent, but they couldn't contain their curiosity. It seemed Darian had an incomprehensible confidence in Pyreus.
At that moment, the two of them were standing face to face on the martial stage.
Vraithos was the young Demon who had challenged Darian right at the entrance of the city, after he slapped the Elder leading them. Later, Darian met him again while climbing the mountain. And now, he had truly proven he wasn't simple, making it into the top 64.
He should be on the same level, or a little below, that demon Darian had killed. But he definitely had less status among his own race. He had been lucky not to face Darian or his group earlier.
He was a Spiritual Demon; his body wasn't completely physical, and he possessed many peculiar abilities. But… his appearance was just as peculiar as his power.
He was tall and thin. His forehead was both flat and pointed, and even his chin was pointed. It gave people a huge urge to grab a hammer and smash his head a few times just to flatten it a bit.
On top of that, he had a long birthmark on his face that looked more like a scar. It was perfectly positioned so that, with another blade strike, it would form a perfect X-shaped scar.
At that moment, Vraithos gave Pyreus a faint smile. "Little boy, you can only blame yourself for having such a tragic fate. Since you're close to that Darian, today will be the day you die."
Pyreus looked at him indifferently. "Please don't smile. It's very ugly. When your parents gave birth to you, did they make a mistake? Did they lose the baby and end up raising the placenta?"
In the center of the arena, Vymara burst out laughing without the slightest trace of elegance. The other four also laughed until they cried. Their laughter echoed loudly, heard by everyone.
Darian had a faint smile on his face. That kid had matured very quickly. When he met him a few years ago, he was just a simple young man, a little arrogant and a little cowardly. But now, after Darian pushed him past his limits and taught him a bit, Pyreus already looked like a reliable and confident man.
Vraithos's long face twisted instantly with killing intent.
"Brat, I'll make sure you suffer first."
At that exact moment, a green light appeared above their heads.
A black light emanated from Vraithos's sinister smile. He was like a tiger, thinking about how to torture his prey.
Pyreus took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Then he drew his sword. At that moment, golden marks began to appear across his body. They looked like scales.
Everything happened in less than a second, and then Vraithos vanished instantly, reappearing right in front of Pyreus.
"So fast!" The people in the stands were shocked by such speed.
In an instant, a black saber appeared in Vraithos's hand. Even though they were protected by the barrier, the weaker people in the stands could feel the sharpness of his blade, as if it were right next to their throats.
That saber released a terrifying Yin as it tore through the air.
The instant Vraithos's precise attack was about to hit its target, Pyreus's sword also cut through the air. It wasn't aimed at the black saber, but at Vraithos's waist.
As the sword sliced through the air, a faint, sharp cry could be heard, making time and space themselves tremble.
Vraithos's expression changed. Originally, he planned to capture Pyreus in an instant and make him beg for his life, and eventually for death.
He hadn't felt any threat coming from him. But the moment the attack began, the hairs on his body stood on end. A sense of mortal danger sent a chill down his spine.
At first, he thought his protective layer would be enough. It would show Pyreus how insignificant he was in comparison. But he was shocked to discover that his protective power had no way of stopping the sword attack. If the strike landed, he would be cut in half.
*BOOM!*
Vraithos managed to block Pyreus's sword with his black saber. Sparks flew, and the martial stage trembled.
At that moment, Pyreus's golden flames manifested, turning the martial stage into a purgatory. The marks on his body also became brighter.
"Golden Crow Manifestation!"
Gildor exclaimed in the stands. That was one of the most complex and powerful techniques of the Golden Crow Canon. Before Darian created a better learning method, only he could use it in the entire sect.
But even though he could use it, Gildor would never do so. Because aside from consuming a huge, huge amount of energy, the technique affected the user's mind, making them lose some of their rationality. In most situations, it wasn't worth losing your intelligence just to gain strength.
The reason was that the Golden Crow Bloodline fused with the user's body and vital energies. A mortal using it had many benefits, but that immortal Bloodline was so powerful that it would try to completely dominate them.
Darian knew that side effect well. When he was Denil, he suffered something very similar to the Behemoth Bloodline he had in his body.
Pyreus's aura transformed, becoming domineering and bloodthirsty. His eyes turned scarlet red. At that moment, he seemed to become another person, making everyone jump in shock.
Pyreus released a savage aura that carried an immense pressure; everyone in the stands took a deep breath when they felt that power. It was as if he had been possessed by the Golden Crow itself.
At that moment, Vraithos had just blocked Pyreus's sword when he felt an explosion of power erupt from the weapon. Waves of energy then spread out.
As a result, the martial stage beneath his feet cracked. He was pushed backward, leaving two long trenches across the stage.
Vraithos was shocked. His power had been suppressed by Pyreus. In his negligence, he had lost the initiative.
*BOOM!*
Vraithos's full power suddenly exploded. The ground beneath his feet gave way. A ripple spread across the floor, and he instantly stopped being pushed backward.
Raising his leg, he moved forward like a black lightning bolt and delivered a kick toward Pyreus's abdomen.
Pyreus snorted and pushed himself away, stepping back half a step and avoiding the kick.
Gildor and the others' expressions changed.
"It's a feint!" Minril exclaimed.
The moment Pyreus dodged the kick, countless Yin runes appeared on Vraithos's arms. This was the true power of the Spiritual Demons, and his most lethal move.
"Die!" Vraithos smiled sinisterly. When both of his arms shone, immense power erupted from his palms.
Even though Vraithos looked furious, he was an experienced fighter and remained calm. He didn't even summon his full strength. That way, his opponents wouldn't sense his real power until the last moment.
However, at that moment, Pyreus's sword lit up, shining like a golden sun.
"!"
Vraithos was shocked to discover that his explosive power had been absorbed by the sword strike without leaving even a single drop behind.
"Not good!" Vraithos's expression completely changed. At that moment, the blade of the sword twisted toward his neck at a strange angle, as fast as lightning.
*BANG!*
In the next second, blood sprayed, and Pyreus's sword exploded into countless fragments that flew through the air.
Pyreus's own body spun in the air before falling. As for what he held, all that remained was the hilt without a blade.
Everyone looked at Vraithos in shock. They saw that layers of Yin runes had formed a protective barrier around his neck at the last moment.
However, a huge cut had been made in that barrier, and black blood poured from his neck. The wound was so deep that the bone could be seen. His neck was one step away from being completely severed.
Gildor and the others were stunned. Only after recovering from the shock did they realize that Pyreus had known about Vraithos's feint from the beginning and had planned to use a clever technique to absorb his power and return it.
'He… he didn't lose his rationality?' Gildor was definitely the most shocked, because he understood that technique deeply. To do something like that so quickly, he shouldn't have that manifestation active.
Darian nodded with satisfaction. Yes, this was Pyreus's true power.
When he went all out, his willpower kept his mind completely stable. Unlike the other two from the same sect, he could use 100% of the Bloodline and its power.
Of course, that maximum state didn't last long; afterward, he would be completely exhausted. But during that short time, even if Herion and Lazaro joined forces and attacked him with everything they had, they would at the very least be beaten badly.
Darian's training for Pyreus, from the very beginning, had been very simple. He made him train while using that technique; that way, he had to fight against the will coming from the Bloodline in his body, which tried to dominate him all the time. If he failed, he would die quickly, and not even the Palace Masters watching closely would be able to save him.
But Pyreus persevered and endured. That made him mature a lot mentally and solidify his will to an extreme level.
Returning to the present. Unfortunately, Pyreus's sword was of far inferior quality to contain such power, so it couldn't break through all of Vraithos's defenses before exploding. Otherwise, Vraithos's head would have been severed.
"You win."
At that moment, Vraithos declared his defeat, surprising everyone.
That was because when he stood up and looked at Pyreus…
…that gaze radiating power clearly told him that if he attacked again, there wouldn't be another day for that demon.
Even without a weapon, Pyreus still had Golden Crow offensive techniques that didn't depend on one.
Darian almost burst out laughing. In truth, Pyreus had less than 10% of his power left, and if the fight continued, he would definitely lose. But just with his gaze and aura, that Demon was intimidated, fearing for his life, so he completely surrendered.
