The Author's POV

Crash—!

With a loud crash, an orc came crashing down on the hard ground.

"Haa...haa..."

'I will definitely make you pay for what you've done.' Kevin swore to himself as he stared at the orc opposite him. With his head on the ground and his eyes closed, the orc was knocked down cold.

"The opponent is knocked out cold, the match is over."

The referee's voice resounded across the grounds, marking him the victor of the duel.

"Winner, Kevin Voss. He will be advancing to the top 64 of the tournament."

Announcing his victory, the referee raised Kevin's hand in the air.

The loud cheers coming from the audience rang out.

Kevin in return smiled at the audience.

'...That piece of shit.'

Or at least pretended to smile.

In reality, he was still fuming about what had happened yesterday.

The humiliation and embarrassment he felt were something he had never felt before in his life. Just recalling what happened sent shivers down his spine. The embarrassment was just too much.

Turning his head and staring towards the distance where Ren stood, Kevin deeply sighed.

Then, turning his head, he looked towards Emma who was seated next to Ren. Noticing his stare, the two of them waved in his direction.

Staring at the two of them from the arena grounds, doubt crept inside of Kevin's heart.

'...Could the figure in the dream really be Ren?'

Part of him truly wanted to dismiss such thoughts from his mind, but after looking back at the past, Kevin realized that there was a chance that the figure in the vision was Ren.

The Hollberg incident, the time when they were attacked by demons when they were returning from the dungeon, and just a week ago when he lost himself.

In those times, Ren truly reminded Kevin of the figure in the vision.

No matter how many times he wanted to deny reality, he knew that he couldn't...but Kevin wasn't planning on letting those visions dictate his mind.

In the first place, he never truly understood what the visions signified. Were they a vision of the possible future?...or were they simply just visions?

He spent a lot of time trying to rack his brain over the matter, but regardless of how much he thought about it, he couldn't quite understand it.

In the end, he just stopped thinking about it.

He realized that thinking on the matter was simply going to be a waste of time.

Be it the present past or whatever the visions signified, Kevin was not planning on letting the visions corrupt his mind and turn his back on his friend.

Never...

***

"The real matches should begin now."

With my arms crossed, I solemnly gazed at the platforms below.

"...the real matches?"

"Yeah."

I nodded my head. Seated next to me was Emma who was leaning back with her cap held down, covering her face. A small shadow cast over her beautiful face.

Apart from the two of us, pretty much everyone else was fighting in the arenas below. Jin, Amanda, Hein, Ava, you name it, they were all fighting.

Somehow, I ended up stuck with Emma whilst waiting for our turns.

"What I mean is that the next opponents are going to be extremely hard to deal with."

"Munch...much..."

of her chewing on her gum rang out. From the way she

"Munch...much...I'll still win."

you get matched up

Pop—!

Emma's bubble burst apart.

This way he will finally fight me seriously for

her pupils. It was clear that she was

"Suit yourself."

Kevin really goes all out against you, you'd probably lose in a

I shrugged my shoulder. She didn't need to know anyway. The chances of her going against Kevin were the same as going against

difference was that I wasn't planning on going on easy

look, Kevin's looking

waved in Kevin's

"Really?"

her hat and staring at Kevin, Emma waved her hand too. With a

still looks embarrassed

out loud as I stared at Kevin's forced smile. Overhearing my words, Emma's face cringed as she lowered her

"Ugh, don't remind me."

will be advancing to the top 64 of the

words, the referee announced another

a deep

'He's strong.'

an enormous orc. His very presence attracted the attention of the spectators as his frightening display of power over the tournament had made people realize

Sarfu. He will be advancing to the top 64 of the

Vaalyun Venmoira. He will be advancing to

will be advancing to the top

him, a series of new

face as I stared at the individuals whose names were

are all higher

simple glance that they were all

Von Dexteroi. He will be advancing to the top

the frown on my face deepened. This

'...How troublesome.'

was Gilbert who basked in the cheers of the crowd. With a calm

he was someone that I needed

can't believe that scum is

only one that felt annoyed by Gilbert's appearance as

just

maximum age one could participate was 25 years, and Gilbert

I forget that he's only a couple

once again lowering her cap

Those were the names of the

were announced, it was time for

it's my turn

I stretched my

smooth sailing, but I knew that whoever my next opponent was,

13, Caeruleum vs Han

contestants make their way

alias being called out,

lifting my head and staring towards the designated platform, I saw a youth slowly

throughout his

"Shit..."

silently cursed

didn't think they would be

rank, and a

the same level as the protagonists, and

to be an exciting match

from behind as she lifted her hat.

"...Right."

isn't

someone who I

card attack system from me, there really wasn't any excitement for my match as I

thoughts from my mind as I focused my attention on my opponent. Han

his hands behind his back, Han Yufei gazed in my direction with a small frown on

merely smiled at

frown on his face, Han Yufei opened his

going to use those cards to fight

"Mhm, who knows."