Chapter 78: On the Eve of the Tournament
Only three days remained before the grand opening of the Academy’s Fresher Meet Tournament—an event that turned the entire Artemis City, the City of the Awakened, into a hive of anticipation and preparation.
The tournament wasn’t just a showcase of youthful talent. It was a battleground of prestige, a measuring stick for all Awakening families. It was where strength, bloodline quality, and influence collided under the public eye.
For the noble and elite families, this was more than a game—it was a statement.
Among those preparing, the most notable were the Five Super Families, the Three High Nobility Clans, and the Five Medium Nobility Houses.
They were all sharpening their blades, both literally and politically, vying to prove their dominance through their prodigious freshers.
But none cast a longer, darker shadow than the Dreadthorn Lineage—a Super Family known for their mastery of forbidden magics and shadow manipulation.
Inside the Dreadthorn Southern Stronghold
At one of their fortified training compounds in the southwestern district of Artemis City, hundreds of young heirs and hopefuls trained vigorously. Magical spells echoed across the courtyards. Swords clanged against enchanted barriers. The air crackled with power and the shouts of discipline.
Suddenly, the entire compound paused.
A middle-aged man strode into the open-air dojo—tall, sharp-featured, and emanating a commanding aura that made even the strongest bow instinctively.
"Commander Tiren Dreadthorn," the crowd murmured.