As the battle raged on in the arena, a mysterious group moved silently through the shadows — the same figures who had forced Edward to abandon his match. Hidden beneath cloaks and masks, they observed everything… scanning fighters, nobles, and the royal podium itself.

The RSF had been tracking these unknown figures since the beginning of the tournament, yet every attempt to capture them ended the same way — failure. They vanished like smoke.

On the royal podium, a member of the RSF approached Reinhard and whispered urgently into his ear.

Reinhard’s expression hardened.
He excused himself immediately and went to intercept the intruders.

But once again… the mission failed.

The moment Reinhard and the RSF attempted to close in, the mysterious group disappeared into thin air.

Frustrated, Reinhard returned to the podium.

Prince Rudolf leaned forward.
“So? Did you find anything? Any clue who’s behind this?”

Reinhard shook his head.
“No. Whoever they are… they’re always two steps ahead. Until we understand their goal, planning a countermeasure will be difficult.”

Rudolf clicked his tongue.
“Lancelot — any ideas on how to lure them out?”

Lancelot sighed slightly.
“I wish I could help, Your Highness… but I’m at a loss as well.”

Rudolf leaned back.
“Then we wait. Sooner or later they’ll make their move.”

Reinhard and Lancelot nodded in agreement.

 Back in the Arena

The match was nearing its climax.

Klaus had nearly exhausted his mana protecting both himself and Rio. Realizing they couldn’t last much longer, he devised a final strategy.

He raised his hand.

Wood Magic: Garden of Eden.

Massive trees, flowers, and roots burst from the ground, swallowing the arena in thick vegetation. The battlefield vanished beneath a forest canopy.

Using the network of roots and petals, Klaus began detecting the movements of Griffin and Orion.

“I found them!” he shouted. “Rio — now!”

Rio leapt into the air and unleashed a devastating Anima Slash, cutting through trees and vines as it surged forward.

But just before impact—

Orion revealed a double-layered Lava Wall, thicker and hotter than before. The slash struck… yet failed to break through.

Klaus’s eyes widened.

And then they realized—

Griffin was gone.

A sudden gust roared overhead.

Griffin appeared above them, floating in the sky.

“Wind Magic: Breath of the Fairy King.”

A massive cyclone shaped like a spinning spear descended, roaring with crushing force.

As Rio and Klaus attempted to escape, Orion burned away the remaining forest with waves of lava, leaving them exposed.

With no cover and no mana left to defend—

They were defeated.

The host’s voice echoed across the arena:

“Victory goes to Orion and Griffin!”

The crowd erupted in cheers.

 Spectator Stand — Lukas & The Others

Lukas watched thoughtfully.
“If that had been a one-on-one match… I think Klaus could’ve beaten anyone there.”

Marco shook his head.
“Not Rio. In a 1v1, Rio might have defeated both Orion and Griffin. They only won because they worked together and kept their distance. His speed is terrifying… honestly, I’m more afraid of Rio than anyone else here — except you and Thor.”

Sofie nodded.
“I agree… but Orion and Griffin aren’t pushovers either. Honestly? It was just a lucky matchup.”

Lukas and Marco exchanged glances and laughed.

“Listen to us,” Lukas said. “Arguing over something so pointless.”

They all laughed together.

 Next Round Announced

The host stepped forward once more.

“The next round will be held in two days… and here are the matchups!”

• Lukas vs Orion

• Griffin vs Arthur

• Elisabeth vs Bjorn

Excitement exploded through the arena.

Lukas clenched his fists, energized.

Arthur silently prepared himself.

Princess Elisabeth burned with determination — eager to prove her strength to her father and earn her freedom.

Griffin looked forward to facing Arthur.

And Bjorn… grinned hungrily at the battles to come.

The tournament was far from over.

But in the shadows… something far more dangerous was already moving.