Weeks came and went. The two knights returned to spar and train with each other after their classes, preparing for the big event. Both of them continued to improve their respective skills. Riki remained suspiciously quiet and obedient. Finally, the day of the tournament arrived.

As Ryuji and Yuki were wandering the halls of the school, heading toward the dining room, they stumbled upon the notice board. On it was a fixture announcing the upcoming tournament. It included the time of the tournament, the names of participants, and who they would face in battle.

Due to Riki's interference in this year's event, not many students registered to fight. There were only eight students who wished to claim the title of 'King.'

The first of these students, who registered the moment the opportunity became available, was Sawano Torafuku, the daughter of the Duchess of the Kingdom of Chiseido and hero of the Demon War, Kimiko Torafuku.

It was determined that she would face Sophia Dion, the daughter of Alexander Dion. The Marquess of the kingdom of Helio, a family that rose to power through its unmatched mercantile strength.

The second of those students was Riki Shibatani, the son of Hinoki Shibatani, Earl of the kingdom of Chiseido and patron of the school, one of the oldest families in the kingdom. 

He would be facing Nori Morita, a member of the Morita barony, a lesser nobility that prides itself on its ability to protect others and its unwavering loyalty.

Next up was Yuki Hayami, the son of Reiko Hayami, the king's royal guard and hero of the demon war. Once a minor nobility, now a powerful influence within the kingdom.

He will face Ali Hamza, the son of Hamza Hakim. Viscount of the kingdom of Agabah, a fierce and cunning general who led the charge against the late kingdom of Lindsey.

And finally, Ryuji Sato, a commoner of unknown origin who has recently joined the school. He would be facing Taichi Suzuki, another commoner, and the son of a guard in this city's watch.

The two knights' eyes wandered and examined the fixture on the board. Ryuji can't help but notice Yuki's obvious irritation.

"Only 8 participants… That damned Riki!" Yuki said angrily.

"Getting irritated now won't change anything," said Ryuji. "Let's just focus on the contenders… How familiar are you with them?" he asked curiously.

"Well, you've already met Riki and Sophia. However, Nori is an enigma. He's typically found lingering around Riki and his goons. I've never seen him fight; he tends to just fade into the background. Rumor has it he specializes in water magic, but I've never seen him use it once," Yuki replied.

"Ali is the son of a viscount. I've seen him training before; he specializes in earth magic. Taichi is a commoner, like yourself. He's most skilled with a spear as far as I'm aware. Their levels are far below yours, but make sure to always remain vigilant," he continued.

"My biggest concern is the final participant. Sawano Torafuku, daughter of the hero, and heir to the Tigress Martial Art," he finished.

"Daughter of the second human hero. My father told me quite a bit about her," Ryuji thought to himself.

"Elaborate. Why does she concern you?" Ryuji asked curiously.

"Sawano is an old friend of mine. She's in our class, the orange-haired girl who sits in the front. We've sparred countless times, you see…"

Yuki paused momentarily, a hint of disappointment appearing on his face.

"To this day, I've never won once. I'm hoping to change that in this tournament," Yuki replied with a worried look, which shifted as he glared at the board. Ryuji could sense a hint of excitement in his voice.

"Is she that strong? How would you say I'd fare against her?" Ryuji asked.

"I've yet to see your full potential, but should you wish to win, you'll need to use everything within your arsenal," Yuki said cautiously.

"The speed and resilience gained by their style of martial arts is unmatched within this kingdom. I'd argue it's the strongest on the entire continent. To my knowledge, Sawano hasn't even completed her training yet, but she's still a force to be reckoned with," Yuki continued.

"You think very highly of her. I'll take your advice and proceed with caution," Ryuji replied.

"That you should. Now come, let's eat. We need all the nutrition and rest we can get today before the tournament starts," Yuki said, giving one last look at the board before heading to the dining hall.

The two knights ate their meals and went back to their respective rooms; they did not spar or train that day.

The day of the tournament had finally arrived. Excitement and cheers filled the school as classes were dismissed to allow all students to witness the selection of their new king. Food stands were set up by the school for the event, serving all sorts of regional delicacies.

The tournament arena was similar in size to the training grounds, surrounded by a barrier to protect the spectators. Stone walls enclosed the space, with entrances on both the north and south sides.

Above the high walls were stands for students and staff members to watch the event, and in the middle of them, on both sides, was a particular area designated for the headmaster and professors of the school. Far off on the north side of the arena was a large bronze gong, used to indicate the beginning and the end of a battle.

Students and professors gathered, filling the seats in the stadium and anxiously awaiting the start of the event. The stands buzzed with chatter and murmur. Finally, the headmaster arrived, navigating through the crowds until he found his place next to Professor Tomo. He stood in front of his seat and snapped his fingers. Using magic, the sound of fingers echoed across the arena, grabbing the attention of all those attending. Everyone in the stands sat down and held their breath, waiting for their headmaster's speech.

"Beloved students and professors of my school. I, Elian Stewart, Headmaster of The School for Gifted Children, welcome you to the beginning of this year's event!" he said, his soft voice echoing across the arena.

"Today, our contestants shall face one another in battle, testing their mettle against their fellow students. Only those who are wise enough and who put themselves under the hardship of training shall come out victorious, heads held high! Eight students participated in this year's event. While it is unexpected and quite low compared to the norm, I promise you it shall be an event to remember!" he continued excitedly.

"Now let the Battle of the Kings begin!" he finishes with excitement in his voice as the arena is filled with cheers from the students. The headmaster took his seat next to the professor, and Professor Tomo stood up in his place.

"The rules of the tournament are simple!" the professor said as his voice echoed across the arena. "Two participants shall face each other in battle; they may use any style of fighting they wish, whether it's magic, martial arts, or swordsmanship! The fight shall continue until one of the fighters yields or is no longer able to fight!" he finished.

"Now, our first contestants are Ryuji Sato versus Taichi Suzuki!" he exclaimed, "Proceed to your positions!"

From the northern entrance of the arena, the handsome young man walked with confidence towards the arena, his black hair glistening in the sun, wearing his infamous suit, with a serious expression on his face.

From the southern entrance arrives an average man with short black hair, bland and with no particularly interesting features, wearing leather armor and holding a spear in both hands.

Both contestants walked forward towards their respective areas. Ryuji looked ready, while Taichi was nervous, and his hands were shaking. The two fighters met in the middle with a few feet between them.

"Let us have an honorable fight!" Taichi nervously exclaimed, his hands still unstable.

"Agreed," Ryuji replied, his confidence unshaken.

"Are both participants ready?! Then let us begin!" Professor Tomo's voice echoed, followed shortly by the sound of the gong.

Ryuji stood and waited for Taichi to act. Taichi immediately rushed towards Ryuji with his spear, attacking him with a hail of thrusts, all of which missed their targets. As Ryuji kept blocking and dodging his attacks, Taichi switched his tactics. He aimed for his chest and went for a sweeping attack on Ryuji.

Ryuji ducked at the last second, crouching below the spear, and countered his attack with a leg swipe. Knocking Taichi on his back on the floor. Ryuji quickly stood up and followed with a stomp, which Taichi tried to defend using the shaft of his spear. However, the shoddy craftsmanship of the commoner's spear failed him, as the shaft was split in half like a twig by Ryuji's foot, and it continued its descent towards Taichi's chest.

The stomp's impact knocked the wind out of his chest. Thus, knocking him unconscious. And with that, the sound of the gong echoes again, and the sound of Professor Tomo can be heard across the arena, signifying the end of the first battle.

"The winner of the first battle! Ryuji Satio!" Professor Tomo exclaimed.

Taichi Suzuki lost. Ryuji looked up to the stands where the headmaster was sitting. He gave the headmaster a cocky grin, to which the headmaster responded with a chuckle before Ryuji returned to the northern entrance.

Ryuji made his way to the stands to watch the next fight, sitting on the lower parts of the stands to get a better view of the arena as the next contestants started walking into it.

"Next up! Riki Shibatani against Nori Morita! Make your way to the field! May the best fighter win!" Professor Tomo exclaimed.

From the northern side, a red-haired noble made his entrance, clad in red and gold cloth battlemage armor, enhanced magically for protection and better mana conversion. He walked towards the center as his cape fluttered in the wind.

From the southern entrance, a young man with dark blue hair enters the field, his short hair covering his left eye. He appears to be wearing dark brown light leather armor, something meant for scouts rather than warriors.

The gong echoes once again across the arena and then turns back to quietness. Not a single sound or motion was made by either contestant. Suddenly, Nori lifted both his arms up towards the sky. To everyone's shock, he cried out, "I-I give up! I yield!" his cries echoed across the field. "I have no hope of beating the all-mighty Riki Shibatani," he yelled.

Professor Tomo sighed, knowing Riki must've tampered with the battle schedule. Having one of his underlings register, only for him to surrender immediately. A cowardly way to win, but it's not necessarily illegal.

"Very well then…" the Professor's voice echoed. "This round's winner is Riki Shibatani!" he continued as the crowds burst with boos and anger, shouting foul play.

Riki paid them no mind. To him, there was only one target, Ryuji. Riki looked up to the stands to see Ryuji watching.

"You're next," he whispered, looking at Ryuji with murderous intent.

"After that… Shameful display," Professor Tomo said with disappointment and hints of anger in his voice. "May our next contestants please take their places,".

"Yuki Hayami, Ali Hamza, take your positions! And prepare yourself!" the professor said.

Yuki steps up to the arena, dressed in white and dark blue cloaks, similar in style to Riki's armor, rapier stored away at his hip, itching for battle.

Ali arrives as well, a big, handsome, and muscular young man with dark brown hair, quite a bit taller than Yuki, with a light brown skin tone and a saber to his side, clad in heavy armor reminiscent of his home. Both young knights arrive in the center, confidence and anticipation covering their faces.

"Let us have an honorable fight!" said Yuki as he quickly drew his rapier, his golden blonde hair fluttering in the breeze.

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" replied Ali, hand firmly on the pommel of his saber, facing his enemy with courage.