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..."

her chewing on her gum rang out. From the way she was acting, she didn't seem to

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

get matched

Pop—!

Emma's bubble burst apart.

way he will finally fight

her pupils. It was clear that she was excited at the prospect of

"Suit yourself."

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

didn't need to know anyway. The chances of her going against Kevin

on going on easy on her if she

look, Kevin's

waved in Kevin's

"Really?"

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

still looks

loud as I stared at Kevin's forced smile.

"Ugh, don't remind me."

advancing to the

the referee announced another

my head, a deep

'He's strong.'

attention of the spectators as his frightening display of power over the tournament had made people realize that he was a fearsome contender

to the top

will be advancing to the top 64 of the

Borerlig Barrelbeard. He will be advancing to the top 64

a series of new names started getting

my face as I stared at the individuals

all higher ranked

all rank from the undulations of mana surrounding their

be advancing to the top 64

again attracting my attention was another announcement, and the frown on my face deepened. This time, it was

'...How troublesome.'

basked in the cheers of the crowd. With a calm and composed look, he walked back

someone

can't believe that scum is

Gilbert's appearance as Emma

just barely made it to

one could participate was 25 years, and Gilbert

sometimes I forget that he's only a couple of years younger

her tongue before once again lowering her cap

people's names were called up. Those were the names of the winners of the first

after the winners were announced, it was time for the

it's my

up, I

that whoever my next opponent was, it was going to be someone powerful. I could no

13, Caeruleum vs

make their way

being called out, my hands froze

head and staring towards the designated platform, I saw a youth slowly walk to it with a

spread throughout his whole body as

"Shit..."

cursed underneath my

I didn't think they would be at

and a

combat talents were on the same level as the protagonists, and someone who I had been keeping in mind

going to be

from behind as she lifted her hat. Turning my

"...Right."

she isn't

someone who

repetitive magic card attack system from

the arena, I removed all unnecessary thoughts from my mind as I

my direction with a small frown on his face.

smiled at his

face, Han

going to use those cards to

"Mhm, who knows."