Chapter 167: SUPPRESSED PRIDE
The sun was now shining high through the dome above the fighting arena, casting soft golden rays across the stone floor.
The candidates entered slowly, guided by Elizabeth and a few guild attendants. Noah, Emily, and Lilith found seats in the gallery along with the rest of the spectators. The large seating ring wrapped around the circular arena in tiers, giving everyone a clear view of the matches.
Most of the participants sat silently, clutching their tokens. Some whispered nervously. Others fidgeted, pretending to be calm.
Elizabeth stepped into the center of the arena holding the full list of participants and a speaking crystal that projected her voice clearly across the entire space. She explained the rules like every other time.
After explaining, finally she said, "let the test begin."
She looked at the first name and spoke clearly, "Token 001."
A boy with shaky steps stood up and made his way down. He was Tier 2 and was sent toward Neil.
The duel began with basic fire and wind spells. Nothing too remarkable.
The boy passed.
The next few were a mix of Tier 1 and Tier 2. Some failed quickly. Others displayed decent control and earned passing marks. Elizabeth announced the outcome for each without emotion.
Then came a Tier 3 candidate. A water-affinity girl. She fought Medona and barely scraped through with a pass.
A few gasps went around when a Tier 4 participant stepped in and fought the A-class hunter. That fight ended in a clean knock-out. The girl couldn’t last more than a minute.