High above, aboard the airship, Hatake watched in stunned silence as Goro dismantled Bagi, Lycian, and Raga’s team with effortless precision.

Hatake muttered, his voice tinged with disbelief.
“This is madness… I know Bagi, I know what his team is capable of. And yet, this kid toys with them—without even breaking a sweat. Not only them, but he’s fending off the Lycian clan and that newly arrived team as well. The Lycians alone are no joke—they’re on par with Bagi’s group. Just who in the world is this kid? Now I understand why you claimed he’s the strongest Regular you’ve ever seen.”

From his seat, Mawang Kyofu allowed a faint smirk to curve his lips as he watched the chaos below, silent satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Karna’s team moved swiftly through the forest, closing in on the location of the top three teams. Kenta had regrouped with them after his fight with Bagi, his eyes fixed on the radar as its screen flickered with shifting blips.

“It’s almost been 6 hours since the bounty hunt started. Looks like the top three teams have been fighting each other for the last 5 hours,” Kenta muttered. “Other teams might have swarmed the area as well. Let’s get there fast and try to grab some points.”

When they arrived at the commotion, the scene was already chaotic. Raga’s team lay unconscious on the ground while several other teams clashed fiercely around them.

Karna frowned, confusion clear on his face. “What’s going on here?”

Before he could get an answer, Uma appeared in front of them like a phantom, launching an attack without hesitation.

The team scattered at once—Karna and Reiko sticking together, Kenta pairing off with Fumiko, while Gyoda was left on his own.

Uma charged after Karna and Reiko.
Khara went straight for Kenta and Fumiko.

At the center of the battlefield, Goro stood unshaken. He tore through Bagi, Adheera, Han, and the five Lycian warriors all at once, never taking a hit, his fists breaking their defenses with terrifying ease.

“Oi oi,” Goro said with a mocking grin, his voice carrying over the din. “Why are there fewer people now? What happened to those two brats?”

All around them, the other teams continued to battle in the chaos.

Isolated, Gyoda glanced down at his radar. His eyes darted to the unconscious forms of Raga’s team lying nearby.

Only five minutes remained before the first test ended.

Moving quickly, Gyoda leapt from tree to tree, weaving through the battlefield. But just as he found cover, a deflected attack smashed into the trunk behind him, the explosion forcing him into the open.

He dove to the ground, rolling across the dirt until he was close to Raga. Freezing in place, he feigned unconsciousness. Slowly, carefully, he placed his hand on Raga’s radar and whispered under his breath, “Steal.”

In an instant, he claimed their points.

Moments later, a sudden presence dropped into the middle of the battlefield. Hatake appeared, and towering barriers surged up around every fighter still locked in combat. The clashes stopped at once, everyone caught off guard.

“Time’s up,” Hatake announced, his voice booming. “Four teams have passed the first round. The remaining teams can either move to the Box and watch the next stage, or leave.”

“Tsk,” Goro clicked his tongue, shaking his head with disappointment. “Man! Just as I was about to have some fun!”

The results were clear: Bagi’s team, Karna’s team, Goro’s team, and the Lycians had passed.

Bodies lay scattered across the ground, either unconscious or dead. The medical team quickly moved in, retrieving the injured and the deceased and transporting them to the arena's health center.

The defeated teams, including Raga’s, trudged toward the Box to spectate. Inside, Tenko and Eto were already seated, waiting.

The victorious teams, meanwhile, moved on to their designated waiting rooms, the next stage looming ever closer.

Meanwhile, Karna and Gyoda dashed down the corridor toward the waiting room, their footsteps echoing loudly against the stone walls.

Fumiko trailed behind, her thoughts weighed down. I’m running out of time… I need to get the information soon.

At last, they reached the waiting room.

Almost immediately, Gyoda and Karna clashed—arguing over the staff Gyoda had obtained. Gyoda gripped the weapon tightly with both hands, shouting at Karna.

From across the room, Reiko’s voice cut through their noise. “Cut it out, you two.”

Fumiko, her tone hesitant, glanced toward her. “Umm… Reiko, can I ask you something?”

Reiko turned her head. “What is it?”

Fumiko lowered her voice. “Can you tell me about the night Karna’s clan was slaughtered? How did Karna survive?”

Reiko’s expression darkened, her usual calm slipping. “Unfortunately, I don’t know. And Karna… he’s sensitive about it. It’s better not to ask him.”

Outside the waiting room, a lone figure stood by the entrance — Pikari, the ever-composed butler of Mawang. Dressed immaculately in the classic attire of his station, he carried himself with a poise that made his presence unmistakable. White hair, combed neatly back, and a carefully kept Indian-style mustache paired with a small beard gave him the appearance of a man in his sixties. Yet in his bearing there was no trace of frailty — only the quiet authority and dignity of someone whose very posture commanded respect..

As Bagi’s team drew near their designated quarters, their eyes immediately caught him.

Adheera lowered his voice to his teammates. “That’s Pikari. He works for Mawang.”

Then, turning to address the butler directly, Adheera asked, “Is he here?”

Pikari’s tone was calm, his gaze steady. “Yes. Any information about the Twilight?”

Adheera gave a brief nod. “Yeah. He’s strong—far stronger than most Twilights. And… he can wield the lightning element.”

Pikari’s eyes narrowed slightly. “We already know that. Anything about his past? How did he survive that night?”

Adheera shook his head. “Unfortunately, no.”

The butler adjusted his gloves with practiced precision, his expression unreadable. “Well then… let’s hope our mole manages to gather what we need.”