The young man with the silver sword struck first with a series of quick slashes, but the long spear of his opponent kept him at a distance, making it difficult for the sword to reach its target. However, the young man in the black robe had his own strategy; he baited his opponent into making a counterattack and then skillfully dodged, closing in to deliver a precise counterstrike.
This battle was intense, with both sides displaying exceptional skill in wielding their weapons. Ultimately, the young man with the silver sword found an opening in his opponent's defense, ending the duel with a precise strike and securing victory by a narrow margin.
After the battle ended, the Moderator announced a few closing words to conclude the duel between the 10 students.
"Everyone... let's welcome the 10 students who have fought bravely!" The moderator shouted in the middle of the arena.
All ten top students, except for Grace and Joy, who were seated in special reserved seats, entered the arena center.
"Amazing... I can't wait to see what they'll get..."
"Yeah, I'm curious too. At the very least, they'll get a lot of energy crystals."
"No way, it's gotta be more than that. Do you think the island owner is poor?"
Some small discussions broke out among the students in the audience. Everyone was eagerly anticipating what rewards Lein would give.
After a while, the eight students finally lined up neatly in the middle of the arena. Then the moderator shouted loudly.
"Everyone, let's welcome the Island Owner."
As soon as the moderator mentioned Lein's name, a roar of cheers erupted.
"Yeah... Island Leader!"
Lein observed the enthusiastic reaction of the audience calmly. He slowly rose from his seat and walked leisurely toward the center of the arena. Although his face appeared calm, Lein felt a sense of responsibility as a leader of millions of lives. At this moment, he was only at one of the academies on his island.
How would it feel if all the rulers on his island cheered his name, placing their hopes on him?
Lein had been gradually preparing his mentality. He was trying to strengthen himself as much as possible to become a fortress for humanity in the face of other realms out there.
Lein had heard several reports while he traveled to other realms during the point-hunting event in the inter-racial war. Every day, a new realm was being destroyed by higher-level races.
Imagine, each race had at least tens of billions of beings. How terrifying that was. Lein, who had lived on Earth, had never heard of an event that wiped out billions of people, let alone an entire race.
"Everything takes time, at least there's still some time left before the beginning era ends," Lein said to himself, putting aside those horrifying thoughts for now.
It didn't take long for Lein to reach the arena platform, then he stood there calmly. He then looked at all the students seated below the platform. Yes, he looked at them all directly, even turning his body 360 degrees.
Lein gazed at them all seriously, making sure they all saw him and gave him their full attention.
Some students felt a little intimidated and surprised, as if they were being openly inspected by Lein. Some weaker-minded students couldn't meet his gaze and turned their eyes toward their friends beside them.
After standing in the center of the platform above the arena for a moment with a steady posture, his eyes sharp, Lein began speaking to the students seated below him. As the island owner and the strongest among them, Lein felt responsible for guiding and protecting them, but more than that, he wanted to instill a deep love for humanity in their hearts.
"I stand here not just as the strongest ruler or the island owner, but as a part of the same race as you. We are human, and that is not something to be taken lightly," Lein's voice was firm, echoing throughout the arena. "Out there, there are races far stronger, more advanced, and unhesitating in destroying what they see as weak.
The dragon race with its overwhelming power, the elf race with ancient magic, the alien race with unimaginable technology, and many more. They all see us, humans, as a weak race that can be crushed at any time."
The students listened silently to every word Lein said. At that moment, the arena was utterly silent, with only Lein's voice clearly audible. Even the teachers, the eight top students, and Grace and Joy were listening attentively.
Lein paused, giving time for his words to sink into each student's heart. "But I won't let that happen. And neither should you. You all must become stronger, more determined, and more in love with your race. Never feel comfortable with the temporary peace we have. Peace is an illusion, something that can vanish in an instant if we become complacent."
He turned his body, ensuring all the students were paying attention and understanding his message. "Our race, humanity, has incredible potential. We can endure, we can grow, and we can become stronger than anyone—if we truly strive for it. You are the next generation that will protect humanity, not just on this planet but across the entire universe.
Love your race, love humanity, and use that strength to keep us standing tall, no matter who tries to bring us down."
Lein ended his speech with a determined gaze. At that moment, it was enough to instill a sense of urgency in each student's heart.
Finishing his patriotic oration, Lein then pulled out several pouches from his bag. Eight pouches floated around him.
"You are all winners. As long as you have a steadfast heart and continue to strive to grow, you will never be losers," Lein said to the eight top students.
"Ready, island owner..."
Lein nodded in response to the students, then he distributed the eight black pouches to each of the top students.