Chapter 104: The Survival Gauntlet
Hildgard had never been this quiet.
The arena remained closed.
The relic chamber was sealed behind several layers of magical barriers, while the three moons continued to linger in the daytime sky.
Nobody knew what they were looking at.
The Crimson Moon.
The Blue Moon.
The Scarlet-Violet Moon.
Three impossible lights hanging above a city that should have been beneath ordinary daylight.
Noah stood outside the Valhalla residence, staring upward.
He hadn’t slept.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the same reflection.
Maroon eyes.
That smile.
That voice.
You saw me.
Noah rubbed his face.
"Great."
Footsteps approached.
Laura.
She stopped beside him.
"You didn’t sleep."
"No."
"Nightmares?"
"No."
Laura looked at him.
"Noah."
He sighed.
"Maybe."
She didn’t push him.
Instead, she looked toward the sky.
"The moons are still there."
"Yeah."
"Do you think they’re connected to what happened?"
Noah was silent.
Then he nodded.
"Definitely."
Laura looked at him.
"And the relics?"
Noah’s expression became serious.
"Balgard. Sylthin. Flaros."
Laura repeated the names quietly.
"They’re not ordinary relics."
"No."
Noah looked at his hand.
"They reacted to Ragnarok."
Laura’s eyes narrowed.
"And that thing beneath Hildgard reacted to you."
Noah nodded.
Neither spoke for a while.
Then Laura asked:
"Did Dead Zone appear again?"
Noah hesitated.
"Not exactly."
"What happened?"
"I saw myself."
Laura turned toward him.
"In the reflection?"
"Yeah."
"What did it do?"
Noah’s voice became quieter.
"It smiled."
Laura’s expression hardened.
"That’s not normal."
"I know."
Inside the Valhalla residence, Damien was studying the tournament records.
Luna sat across from him.
Eric was eating breakfast.
A lot of breakfast.
Damien looked up.
"Do you ever stop eating?"
Eric shrugged.
"Stress."
"You weren’t even in the relic chamber."
"Exactly. I’m stressed because I wasn’t there."
Damien sighed.
Luna quietly looked through one of the records.
"There."
She pointed toward a page.
Damien leaned closer.
"What?"
"The three moons."
A faded illustration showed three celestial bodies above an ancient structure.
Underneath them were three symbols.
Dragon.
Serpent.
Bear.
Damien’s eyes widened.
"This record is older than Hildgard."
Eric stopped eating.
"How old?"
"At least several centuries."
Luna continued reading.
"The guardians were believed to appear when..."
She paused.
Damien looked at her.
"When what?"
Luna’s eyes narrowed.
"When the Flame Bearer returned."
Silence.
Eric slowly lowered his spoon.
"Noah?"
Damien looked toward the door.
"We can’t assume that."
Luna nodded.
"But the timing..."
Nobody finished the sentence.
Across Hildgard, the academy headmasters had gathered again.
The tournament’s future was uncertain.
The Hildgard representative stood before them.
"The relic event will remain suspended until we determine whether the structure is safe."
The Asgard headmaster frowned.
"And the tournament?"
"We intend to continue."
Several headmasters objected.
"After what happened?"
"The contestants are still capable of fighting."
The Hildgard representative raised his hand.
"The structure has been sealed."
He paused.
"The next event will take place outside the city."
The room quieted.
"And the relics?"
"We will not touch them."
At the Volstra residence, Alcris stood beside a window.
He watched the three moons.
His notebook lay open behind him.
NOAH BLACKWOOD
He had added another line.
Ragnarok responds to ancient relics.
Another.
External entity possibly connected.
Then he stopped.
His eyes shifted toward the final line.
Dead Zone.
Alcris slowly smiled.
"So that’s what you’re hiding."
A knock came from behind him.
He closed the notebook immediately.
Daniela entered.
"You’ve been awake all night."
"I’m fine."
She looked at the desk.
"What were you writing?"
"Nothing important."
Daniela stared at him.
Alcris smiled.
"You’ve become suspicious."
"You’ve become secretive."
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Daniela’s expression softened.
"Alcris."
He looked at her.
"Don’t involve yourself with Noah."
His smile disappeared.
"Why?"
"Because something happened beneath Hildgard."
"I know."
Daniela’s eyes narrowed.
"You knew?"
"I felt it."
She studied him.
Then quietly said:
"Whatever you’re planning..."
Alcris interrupted.
"I’m not planning anything."
Daniela didn’t believe him.
Neither did he.
That evening, the tournament organizers made their announcement.
The arena projection lit up across Hildgard.
"The Inter-Academy Tournament will continue."
The city erupted.
Then the next event appeared.
EVENT EIGHT
SURVIVAL GAUNTLET
Noah looked up.
Laura stood beside him.
Damien joined them.
Luna quietly watched the projection.
The announcement continued.
"Contestants will enter a controlled combat zone."
"The objective is survival."
"Individual and team strategies are permitted."
Noah smiled faintly.
"So we’re back to fighting."
Laura sighed.
"Apparently."
But before the announcement ended, a final message appeared.
"Due to recent events, all contestants will be monitored by Hildgard officials."
Noah’s smile faded.
Someone was worried.
Very worried.
And somewhere beneath the city...
One of the sealed relics moved.
Just slightly.
Then stopped.
Above Hildgard, the three moons continued watching.
The following morning, Hildgard’s arena had been transformed.
The original battlefield was gone.
In its place stood a massive artificial wilderness enclosed by towering barriers. Forests covered one side. Jagged cliffs occupied another. A ruined village sat near the center, while a wide river cut through the entire zone.
Above it all floated dozens of observation platforms.
Every headmaster was present.
Every academy had sent representatives.
And every contestant understood the message.
This event wasn’t going to be easy.
A Hildgard official stepped onto the central platform.
"After yesterday’s incident, the tournament will continue under increased supervision."
The crowd cheered.
"Welcome to Event Eight: The Survival Gauntlet!"
The projection above the arena displayed the rules.
SURVIVAL GAUNTLET
Contestants enter individually.Temporary alliances are permitted.Combat is unrestricted within the designated zone.Eliminations occur through surrender, knockout, or removal from the battlefield.The last twenty contestants remaining receive advancement points.
A second line appeared.
BONUS POINTS
Defeat a ranked prospect.
The arena erupted.
Eric stared at the projection.
"That’s brutal."
Damien nodded.
"They’ve basically painted targets on the strongest students."
Noah looked toward the battlefield.
"Which means everyone is going after Reinham, Jordan, Daniela..."
Laura finished the sentence.
"...and you."
Noah smiled.
"Probably."
Laura didn’t smile.
"Don’t sound so happy."
"I’m not."
"You look happy."
"I’ve got a weird face."
Laura sighed.
The contestants entered the starting chambers.
Noah stood alone.
No teammates.
No Luna.
No Laura.
This time, everyone was separated.
A voice echoed throughout the arena.
"Contestants will have sixty seconds before combat begins."
Noah looked around.
Several students were already watching him.
One from Jotun.
Two from Kingsguard.
A Veynholm contestant.
And farther away...
Jordan.
Their eyes met.
Jordan grinned.
Noah shook his head.
"Not yet."
Then another figure caught his attention.
Joseph.
Joseph wasn’t looking at him.
He was staring toward the forest.
Almost as if he were waiting for something.
The countdown appeared.
10
Noah stretched his shoulders.
9
His flames flickered around his fingertips.
8
He remembered the reflection.
Maroon eyes.
That smile.
7
He clenched his fist.
6
Laura’s warning echoed in his mind.
Don’t let it take control.
5
The system appeared.
[Survival environment detected.]
4
[Combat restrictions removed.]
3
Noah smiled faintly.
"Here we go."
2
The barriers opened.
1
"BEGIN!"
The battlefield exploded.
Hundreds of contestants scattered simultaneously.
Some immediately formed groups.
Others attacked the nearest opponent.
Noah sprinted into the forest.
Three contestants followed.
He heard them behind him.
"Don’t let Blackwood escape!"
Noah glanced over his shoulder.
"Seriously?"
One launched a projectile.
Noah ducked.
BOOM!
The tree behind him exploded.
Noah spun.
Fire gathered around his fist.
He stopped running.
"Fine."
The three contestants charged.
The first swung a sword.
Noah blocked.
CLANG!
The second attacked from behind.
Noah ducked and swept his leg.
WHAM!
The fighter crashed into the ground.
The third unleashed a burst of energy.
Noah punched through it.
BOOM!
The shockwave sent the contestant flying.
Noah stood among the smoke.
Three defeated.
His marker immediately updated.
3 ELIMINATIONS
A notification appeared.
[Survival points acquired.]
Noah looked at the display.
"Easy."
A voice came from behind him.
"Don’t get comfortable."
Noah turned.
Jordan stood on a tree branch.
Lightning danced around his body.
Noah sighed.
"You’re here."
Jordan jumped down.
"Of course."
He smiled.
"I’ve been waiting."
Noah raised his fists.
"Then let’s get it over with."
Jordan’s lightning intensified.
"Not yet."
Noah frowned.
Jordan looked toward the surrounding forest.
"Someone’s coming."
Branches snapped.
Both turned.
A group of contestants emerged.
Six.
Then eight.
Then twelve.
Jordan laughed.
"Looks like everyone had the same idea."
Noah stared at the growing crowd.
Jordan glanced at him.
"Temporary alliance?"
Noah considered it.
"Fine."
Jordan grinned.
"Good."
They stood back-to-back.
Lightning and fire ignited simultaneously.
The contestants charged.
BOOOOOOM!
The forest erupted.
Elsewhere, Laura had already defeated two opponents.
She moved through the ruins alone.
Her breathing remained steady.
But she could feel someone watching her.
She stopped.
"Come out."
Nothing.
Laura raised her weapon.
"I know you’re there."
A figure stepped from behind a broken wall.
Daniela.
Laura’s expression changed.
"Of course."
Daniela smiled.
"I wasn’t following you."
"Then why are you here?"
"I was looking for something."
Laura lowered her weapon slightly.
"The same thing as me?"
Daniela shook her head.
"No."
She looked toward Laura.
"I’m looking for answers."
Laura’s expression hardened.
"About Noah?"
Daniela didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
Before either could continue...
A violent explosion shook the ruins.
Both looked toward the forest.
Daniela’s perception activated.
Her eyes widened.
"That’s Noah."
Laura immediately turned.
"Let’s go."
Daniela followed.
Neither girl questioned why.
Far above the battlefield, Alcris watched the chaos.
His eyes followed Noah.
Then Laura.
Then Daniela.
His perception activated.
Energy flowed through every contestant.
But Noah remained different.
Alcris smiled.
"Keep showing me."
He watched the fire erupt between the trees.
"Show me what you’re hiding."
And somewhere beneath the arena...
A faint maroon pulse answered.