As the sun rises on contest day, I can feel beads of sweat forming on my forehead, my nerves getting the best of me. My heart is pounding so hard that I'm sure the whole world can hear it. The thought of encountering Arcana assassins before the contest even begins has haunted me for days, making me paranoid and restless. Every sound seems amplified, and every shadow feels like it's hiding something sinister.

With reluctance and determination, I prepare myself for the journey towards the kingdom. My backpack, heavy with the weight of all the weapons I have gathered over the past few days, rests against the wall as I take a moment to gather my thoughts. As I step towards the door, I glance back at the desolate building that has been my hiding spot for my entire life and feel a pang of sadness in my chest. Even though it was meant to be a temporary refuge, it provided me with a sense of security that I'd have to leave behind.

Desperate to escape the pain, I avert my eyes and turn toward the direction of the inner walls of the kingdom. Every step I take feels heavy, and I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched. Paranoia grips me as I approach the entrance, my heart racing with every passing moment.

The entrance to the kingdom is bustling with activity, and it seems unusually crowded. Warriors from various kingdoms have assembled here and are moving towards the third plateau of the kingdom. The air is filled with a sense of anticipation and excitement.

If I remember correctly, the meeting place for participants is the enormous courtyard in front of the king's castle. This will be the first time I will enter this kingdom's 2nd and 3rd plateaus.

As I step into the first entrance, I am immediately immersed in a world of towering trees dotted alongside the road, with lush canopies stretching far and wide. The shadows cast by the boughs provide a welcome respite from the intense sun. As I make my way down the white-marbled road, I notice dark figures lurking in the shadows of the nearby buildings.

Arcana assassins.

No doubt, being a participant was the best plan of action I could have taken. I keep my head down and try to stay hidden within the crowd as we make our way towards the castle.

At the castle entrance, our eyes are drawn to the awe-inspiring sight of towering pillars of fire flanking the path on either side. The walls of the castle are gleaming white, adorned with intricate golden accents that catch the sunlight and reflect it in a dazzling display. At the center of it all is the colossal entrance, with a magnificent arched top that seems to stretch up towards the sky. Above the door, we can glimpse the second floor, where the king is expected to make his grand appearance and welcome his guests with regal grace once everyone has arrived.

I take a moment to look around me. Everyone seems so distracted with excitement for the King's arrival that they won't pay any attention to me. This is a perfect opportunity for me to sneak around and steal some equipment from the warriors.

Steathfully, I grab small equipment of the warriors with my whip-like tail.

Smoke daggers, paralysis traps, and barrier incantations. All one uses times.

Just as I was about to snag another item, a sturdy man wrapped his arm around my neck. I jolted in shock, turning my face towards the man.

As the man looks at me, a broad smile spreads across his face, revealing his gleaming pearly white teeth. His eyes, the color of amethysts, meet mine, and I can't help but feel their intensity. The man's skin is tanned, and his hair is a rich shade of brunette with delicate white highlights at the tips, adding a touch of sophistication to his appearance.

The armor adorning his body boasts a chest plate with a rich, dark gray hue, complemented by vibrant green accents and sparkling gems. His chiseled abs are fully exposed between the armor's upper and lower halves. One shoulder is protected by a sturdy, dark shoulder plate, while the other is left unguarded and exposed.

"You seem completely alone, my friend. Why don't you try to mingle a little more with the others? After all, it's not every day that you get to meet the Duke Prince of Arcana. Show a little more excitement," the man said, still wearing a smile on his face.

Trying to compose myself, I reply, "Sorry, I am afraid I do not share any interest in Arcana."

"Oh? You are not even a little curious about the infamous kingdom?" he presses.

"Afraid not." I coldly reply, as if wishing this conversation would just halt.

As the King finally appeared before the guests, I felt a sense of relief wash over me—my prayers had been answered. The crowd fell silent, eagerly anticipating the king's speech. However, the man next to me continued to hold his arm around my neck, leaving me feeling uneasy and on edge.

The King begins his speech, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I extend to you a gracious welcome to the illustrious realm of Aelius and offer my heartfelt commendation for your gallantry in embarking upon this noble endeavor. Let it be known that this contest is a crucible not meant for the faint of heart; only the valiant and resolute shall emerge triumphant. Before delving into the intricacies of the challenge that lies ahead, it is my honor to formally greet our distinguished guest, His Excellency, Lucius Duke Prince of Aracana. His presence among us signifies not only the solemn duty to safeguard the participants and our cherished populace but also poses a formidable hurdle to be overcome in the pursuit of victory in this grand contest. "

WHAT?

The crowd is filled with excitement and curiosity as the Arcana Prince unexpectedly joins the contest as an obstacle for the participants to overcome. I look around at the people surrounding me; some are wearing expressions of dread while others are sporting smirks of excitement, eager to witness the Duke's mettle.

The Duke Prince himself, however, still maintains his cold and distant expression, completely unbothered by the challenge before him.

The king proceeds with outlining the three rounds of the contest, commencing with the inaugural round, dubbed tag hunting. Tags will be discreetly concealed near the forest outskirts, while the Arcana will vigilantly stand guard at the contest boundaries to deter participants from wandering too far. Each participant is tasked with collecting 20 tags from a pool of 200. It's worth noting that there are no regulations prohibiting the acquisition of tags from other participants through unconventional means such as stealing.

The second round, dubbed Hide and Seek, places participants in a tense battle to safeguard their tags from the cunning pursuit of the Duke Prince. In his role as the seeker, he aims to pilfer tags from a select five competitors. Personally, this is the round that instills the most fear in me. Fortunately, participants are granted a generous window of five hours to scout out optimal hiding places before the Duke commences his search.

The final round is titled Individual Dueling. Here, every participant will engage in a duel with the Duke Prince individually. The victor will be determined by either compelling the Duke to submit or earning his respect as an adversary. It's an unconventional method for determining the contest's winner, but it speaks volumes about the esteem in which the King holds the Duke.

Something I also dread.

The King has just finished his speech, and the participants have approximately two hours to prepare for the first round, which will take place in the forest. While everyone is getting ready, I take a seat near one of the walls in the courtyard. I am completely lost in thought and fail to notice the figure approaching me.

"Still being alone, are we?" a familiar voice says.

It was the man from earlier who had his arm around me.

He continues, "Sorry, I did not introduce myself. My name is Terran Ranger, and it is a pleasure to meet you. May I ask your name?"

I ponder for a bit and a bitter memory flashes before my eyes. I reply, "The name is Alison. I am pleased to meet you too."

"For a moment, I thought you forgot your name," he muses. "Say, what about we keep a truce between me and you for now?"

a Truce?

I curiously ask, "Are you sure that is a good idea? How do I know you won't break that truce?"

"It is only temporary until the second round is finished. The Duke is pretty strong, and making allies is not such a bad idea when going up against him. I know I won't be able to take him on alone," he states.

He unfortunately chose me as his backup, although he does make a valid point.

"Very well, you make a fair argument. We can call it a truce, but I still do not trust you yet." I say.

He smiles and responds, "It is good to be cautious. Do not fret; I will keep my word."

I hope so.

A few moments pass, and Duke Lucious calls out for the crowd to gather their belongings. His deep, cold voice sends shivers down my spine. That man is terrifying.

"When I shoot a flame towards the sky, the first round will begin. You are not allowed to move until I give the signal. You have five hours to obtain 20 tags and bring them back to me. Anyone who fails to do so will be disqualified," he coldly states.

The courtyard falls silent as every participant takes their stance, waiting for the signal. I take deep breaths and focus intently on every muscle in my body and my surroundings. My survival hinges on how well I can optimize my situation, and right now I require absolute focus.

A sudden flash of red-hot flames, the color of blood, shoots into the sky. I am certain that it can be seen even from outside the kingdom walls. All the participants rush towards the exit of the kingdom, with some even optimizing their powers to gain better speeds. Many start to stumble over each other and brutally push one another aside.

I took advantage of the chaos and started rushing towards the building roofs. I jumped from one building to another, steadily making my way towards the forest. In no time, I managed to reach the contest area. Although many participants had already reached the forest, I was able to stay ahead of the amateurs.

This is the first time I have been entirely outside the kingdom walls. However, I know escaping from here is still impossible because the Arcana keeps the participants within this area.

As I ventured into the forest, I was immediately struck by the incredible beauty of the towering trees that surrounded me. They stretched up towards the sky, their branches bursting with leaves of deep green and vibrant gold. Under the canopy, a bed of lush, verdant moss seemed to pulse with life, teeming with tiny creatures scurrying about their business. 

It was as if I had stepped into an entirely different world, one where nature reigned supreme and every inch of the landscape was bursting with vitality and energy. The forest was a truly breathtaking sight, and I felt myself drawn deeper and deeper into its enchanting embrace.

I start running inside the forest. Although I have no idea what the tags would look like, I am sure they would stand out completely from the rest of the forest. After running for some time, I stop and rest by a nearby river. I take the opportunity to fill up my waterskin. It has been about 15 minutes already, and I have yet to find any tags. This round is harder than I thought.

As I was walking, a bright light suddenly flashed into my eyes. It appeared to be emanating from a tree above me. Curious, I climbed up to one of the branches and discovered a small, shiny green gem nestled in a notch of the tree. It must have been the sunlight hitting the gem at a certain angle that caused the beam of light to shine directly into my eyes.

This must be a tag.

I carefully place a tag into my pouch, realizing that I have one down and nineteen more to collect. Suddenly, a sound startles me from beneath the tree branches on the forest floor. A woman is frantically running away from a group of people. I become curious and follow the group in the tree branches. The group consists of three people: two males and one female. One of the males is largely built with a ginger beard, and his hair is combed into a messy ponytail. The other male is scrawny and wears glasses, and he doesn't seem to be truly terrifying. Lastly, the woman is a beautiful blonde who carries herself with a confident and cocky aura.

The blonde woman, in relentless pursuit of her prey, conjures a barrier woven from plantations and branches, effectively ensnaring her quarry within its confines. Meanwhile, the ginger man swiftly employs his spear-like staff, unleashing icy projectiles that cascade towards the woman, ensnaring her hands and feet in frost, rendering her immobile against the backdrop of the forest.

"Guys, I am not sure if this is a good idea," the scrawny guy says.

"Oh, shut up; it is totally within the rules to steal tags from others. Do you want to pass to the next round or not?" the blond woman says snarkily.

"Yes, but can we just not find the tags like normal?" The scrawny man is suddenly cut off by the ginger-haired man. "Listen here; you will do as we say, or try finding those tags on your own! I doubt you could do the latter."

Just then, the victim pleads, "Please, I only managed to find two tags! I will give them to you; just please do not hurt me! I only joined because I wanted to see the Duke."

What a loyal fan!

The ginger-haired man smiles and signals to the blond woman to take the girl's tags. Gleefully, she rummages in the girl's pockets, finding the two tags.

"That makes a total of six tags," the blond woman says as she places them in her pockets.

With a grin spreading across my face, I set my mind to crafting a cunning strategy. Retrieving one of the smoke balls procured from the blacksmith, I swiftly hurled it towards the forest floor, where the unsuspecting group had gathered. As the dense mist envelops them, confusion erupts amid muffled cries.

Leaping towards the obscured terrain, I deftly deploy three intricately designed plantation traps, strategically positioning them amidst the billowing smoke. Amidst the chaos, the fiery-haired man brandishes his spear in wild arcs, while the blonde woman wields her sword with frenzied desperation.

Patiently, I bide my time outside the shrouded haze, letting it dissipate gradually. Soon enough, clarity emerges, revealing the scene: three hapless captives, ensnared by the intricate network of vines and branches, immobilized by my traps.

"Who did this? Was this you?" the blond woman yells as she spots me standing in the forest shadow.

"Indeed," I say coldly.