Chapter 16: Chapter 16
The grand assembly hall of the Colosseum was a massive circular chamber lined with glowing blue banners. The sixty four rookies who had survived the preliminary qualifiers stood in the center of the room waiting for the official tournament bracket to be drawn.
The atmosphere was tense. The weak had been weeded out. Everyone standing in this room was a legitimate threat.
Glen stood next to Isla and Caleb observing the competition. There were heavily armored knights elemental mages and agile assassins. But the center of attention was not the survivors of the qualifiers.
The center of attention was the raised marble platform at the front of the hall where the four S Class rookies stood.
They were the seeded champions. They had bypassed the qualifiers entirely. Evander Buchanan stood at the front of the group his pristine white uniform contrasting sharply with the battle worn armor of the other rookies.
The head official of the Hunter Association a stern looking man with silver hair stepped up to the podium.
"Congratulations to the sixty four survivors" the officialβs voice boomed through the hall. "You have proven your worth. But the real test begins now. The main bracket will consist of one on one duels. The top ten fighters will be awarded an Independent License. The overall winner will receive a master tier artifact from the Association vaults."
The official raised his hand and a massive holographic bracket materialized in the air above the platform. The names of the sixty four rookies began to shuffle rapidly spinning like a slot machine.
While the names shuffled Evander Buchanan stepped down from the marble platform. The crowd of rookies parted instantly allowing the S Class Dragon Knight to walk directly toward Glen.
Isla tensed her hand hovering near her pistols. Caleb took a slow step back whistling softly under his breath.
Evander stopped three feet away from Glen. Up close the draconic aura radiating from him was suffocating. It felt like standing next to an open furnace.
"You put on a good show in the qualifiers Mcdonald" Evander said his amber eyes locking onto Glen. "You have excellent physical strength. B Class at least. And your defensive skill is highly refined."
"Thank you" Glen said his voice perfectly calm. "I practice by punching brick walls."
Evander did not smile. "I know you are not just a Mimic. I do not know what your true class is and frankly I do not care. But I saw the way you looked at me through the glass. You think because you beat a crowd of unprepared children that you can challenge me."
Glen stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets. "I think you are standing in my way Buchanan."
Evander shook his head a look of genuine pity crossing his face. "You do not understand the gap between us. You have a few good skills. But your mana pool is shallow. Your foundation is weak. I am an S Class. I was born with a core capacity that you could not achieve in ten lifetimes. If we meet in this tournament I will not hold back. I will break you to show you the reality of this world."
Glen looked at the golden boy of the Hunter world. Evander was not being a bully. He was stating what he believed to be an absolute scientific fact. In this world S Class was god.
Glen knew Evander was right. If they fought today right now Glen would lose. His Level 15 stats were nothing compared to an S Class monster. He could not beat Evander in a straight fight.
But Glen also knew that his class had no ceiling.
"You are right" Glen said his voice dropping the sarcasm. "Right now you are stronger than me. If we fight you will probably win."
Evander looked slightly surprised by the honest admission.
"But here is the thing Evander" Glen continued a dark smile slowly spreading across his face. "I do not need to beat you today. I just need to make the top ten to get my license. But if the bracket puts us together I promise you one thing. You might win the match but I will make you bleed in front of the entire world. I will show everyone that gods can bleed."
Evanderβs amber eyes flared with a sudden intense heat. For a split second the illusion of the polite noble knight slipped revealing the savage dragon beneath.
Before Evander could reply a loud chime echoed through the hall.
The holographic bracket had stopped shuffling. The matchups were locked in.
Glen looked up at the glowing blue board. He scanned the names until he found his own in the first round block.
Match 12: Glen Mcdonald vs. Kaelen Vance.
Glen raised an eyebrow. "Vance? As in Guild Master Elias Vance?"
"His youngest son" Isla said stepping up beside Glen and looking at the board. "A Class Berserker. He is a brute force fighter. Highly aggressive. The Valor Guild probably pulled strings to get you matched against him in the first round."
Evander looked at the board and then back at Glen. "Survive the Berserker Mcdonald. Prove to me that you are worth my time."
Evander turned and walked back toward the marble platform leaving Glen staring at the bracket.
"An A Class Berserker" Caleb said leaning on his wooden staff. "That is a tough draw for the first round Glen. You are going to need more than just a good punch to put him down."
Glen smiled his eyes locked on the name Kaelen Vance. The Valor Guild was trying to eliminate him early. They were sending an A Class monster to crush the F Rank anomaly.
"It is fine" Glen whispered his dark core pulsing with anticipation. "I was getting angngry anyway."
