Chapter 501: Leaderboard, Meeting Him.
"Number two," Klein declared. "Ace Morgan."
Moon’s gaze sharpened, locking onto the name.
He’d wanted to know about this person for a while now. The one who had moved through the first stage like a ghost, gathering points at an incredible speed. And now, finally, he had a name to put to the mystery.
A picture flashed across the screens.
A young man with white hair and eyes as dark as midnight stared back at the crowd.
Calm and unreadable. A face that gave nothing away.
Moon committed it to memory in an instant.
’Ace Morgan...’
Moon immediately caught on to the fact that Ace Morgan did not represent the ’Morgan Group’. Just like Selene didn’t represent the Sky Group.
Everyone else in the rankings on the other hand, had a group to represent. Moon did not jump to conclusions, deciding to investigate at a later time.
Klein let the applause for second place run its course before raising a hand for silence. The crowd quieted at once, every eye fixed on him.
Even the air seemed to still.
This was it. First place.
Klein’s smile stretched wide as he said slowly, "And in first place, we have..."
"Moon Outlaw!"
For a heartbeat, the world went silent. Then, the crowd erupted as everything came crashing at once.
Beside Moon, Selene turned toward him. A soft, serene smile broke across her face, her eyes shining in pride.
She didn’t say anything. She didn’t need to. The look alone said everything.
"Well done."
Despite knowing he was first place, long before the Klein announced the results. This very moment, had its own weight and significance.
Up in the stands, Yara shot to her feet, throwing her hand in the air.
She was practically bouncing, her excitement spilling over as she gripped the railing, beaming down at him. "I knew it! I knew he’d take first!"
The crowd roared around her, but she didn’t care who heard. Her joy was loud and unashamed.
And then there was Marcus.
He stared at the screen, frozen, the name burning itself into his vision.
Moon Outlaw.
First place.
His mouth became dry, and blood drained from his face. Despite his efforts of resisting, he could feel a lump forming in his throat.
’No. That’s... that’s impossible.’
The boy he’d looked down on. The one he’d dismissed, mocked, tried to bury. The one who had just stripped him of everything in front of the entire world.
That same person was now standing at the very top.
Above Selene. Above the mysterious Ace Morgan. Above every genius, every prodigy, every heir of every great group gathered in this place.
Marcus’s hands trembled at his sides. His nails bit into his palms.
"How? How could he possibly be the first? Damn it"
Drowning in hate, and without noticing, Marcus began to spill out his own venomous thoughts.
Gathering the attention of Sarah beside him who’s eyes flashed with something that she hid quickly. ’He is no longer useful...’
But no matter how many times he asked, the answer on the screen refused to change.
Moon Outlaw stood at the summit.
And Marcus could only watch from far, far below.
"That concludes the opening stage!" Klein’s voice rang out across the arena. "Congratulations to all who made it through to the next stage. You’ve earned your place here with talent, power and hardwork.
As for those that didn’t manage to, do not fret. You have a whole year to practise and prepare. Come back stronger than before! The Spirit Tournament is waiting for you."
He swept his gaze over the gathered competitors.
"The second stage begins tomorrow. I won’t sugarcoat it, it will be far more demanding than what you’ve faced so far. So go. Rest. Recover. Whatever strength you have left, you’ll need every ounce of it come morning."
He gave a small nod.
"You are all dismissed. And good luck to you all." With that said, Klein rose into the air and left.
After his departure from the arena, the procedure for clearing the massive stands began.
Hundreds of working staff of the Evolver rank began to guide the spectators to the exit points.
The arena operated under heavy restrictions and regulations, a fact every spectator was keenly aware of.
Nobody caused a scene nor dared to.
Nobody lingered where they shouldn’t.
They filed out in orderly streams, following the instructions of the staff without any complaint.
They understood what was at stake. Causing trouble in a place like this meant having their badges revoked, their monthly bonuses stripped, and worse besides. Privileges that took years to earn could vanish in a single reckless moment.
So they behaved. Behaved very well.
As the spectators emptied out, the qualifying participants began to disperse as well.
Sarah gently nudged Marcus, pulling him out of his stupor. He turned to her, his eyes hollow and defeated, as if his whole world view had been flipped upside down.
"Let’s go," she said quietly. "The stage is over. We need to rest."
Marcus said nothing. He simply nodded and followed her, his shoulders slumped, the fight drained out of him.
In the centre of the stage, two figures began to approach.
Alaric and Emma, making their way directly toward Moon and Selene.
Moon noticed at once. He stayed where he was, calm, and leaned slightly toward Selene.
"Your brother is coming towards us," he whispered.
"I know..." Selene swallowed hard.
She’d been dreading this moment for longer than she cared to admit. She knew exactly how jealous and protective Alaric was when it came to her. And she knew, all too well, that Moon didn’t always have a filter on his mouth at times.
The combination terrified her.
She could only pray for the best.
Alaric came to a stop directly in front of Moon, his blonde hair swaying gently as a gust of wind cut between them. He studied Moon for a moment, his expression unreadable, his dark eyes searching for something.
"So. You are Moon Outlaw."
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Author’s Note: 3 Chapters today, a free bonus from my end as a token of appreciation for your constant support. Thank you <3
