"Whatever floats your boat," Dracos sighed lazily as he returned his gaze to the battlefield, his gestures a clear indication that he was done with the conversation.
The Lightning Dragon Monarch narrowed his eyes. "That kind of ruthless fighting style… You've trained him, haven't you?"
Dracos's smirk never faded. "Oh, I had little to do with it. He honed that viciousness all on his own."
On the battlefield, the silence was eventually broken by a large and muscular Toren.
"Bwahaha! That's Frostpire for you! That's the might of our warriors!"
"I knew he was strong," Mira smiled.
"Hehehe, we might just win this tournament," Kaisy chuckled, flipping her hair backward.
"I hope," Zara said, clenching her fist.
Toren's loud words had a chain effect, as the Frostpire citizens, now aware of Nox's identity, erupted into cheers.
Despite the celebration, a lingering tension remained. Many in the audience, including the Windfall Monarch, had not expected such cruelty from an unknown warrior.
Galen, his wind-blessed body still crackling with energy, scowled as he glared at Nox, narrowing his eyes. "Looks like you just painted a target on your back."
Nox wiped his dagger on his sleeve, let out a soft chuckle, and said in a deep voice, "Is that so? Then I suggest you aim carefully."
The hostility between Frostpire and Windfall reached a boiling point. Enraged by their fallen comrade, two Windfall fighters broke away from their duels and charged straight at Nox. Their bodies transformed mid-sprint—one sprouting large feathered wings, the other's arms turning into razor-sharp blades of wind.
The two unleashed their combined attack, forming a swirling vortex of slicing wind aimed straight at Nox.
Yet, instead of dodging, Nox tilted his head slightly and extended his hand.
A sudden spike of ice burst from the ground at terrifying speed, impaling one of the attackers straight through the stomach. His eyes bulged in horror as frost spread rapidly, freezing his internal organs from within.
The other fighter hesitated for a split second—too long.
Nox moved like a phantom. In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of his opponent, his ice daggers flashing.
A deep gash tore through the Windfall warrior's chest, frost creeping into the wound as he staggered backward, gasping.
The crowd erupted in chaos.
"This… this is no ordinary Frostpire fighter!"
"What kind of monster is he?!"
Even the Frostpire citizens, who had been cheering earlier, now looked at Nox with a mix of admiration and unease.
On the royal balcony, King Dracos leaned forward slightly, his previously disinterested expression shifting into one of curiosity.
The Windfall Monarch clenched his fists. "Enough of this disgrace. Galen, crush him."
Galen scoffed but didn't look away from Nox. He stepped forward, his aura surging.
"You've had your fun," Galen said, his voice laced with confidence. "Now let me show you the true power of Windfall royalty."
Without warning, his body erupted with wind energy, sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. The ground cracked beneath his feet as the air around him twisted into a powerful storm.
Nox remained still, his cold blue eyes watching.
Drake smirked. "Oh? This might actually be interesting."
Galen raised his hand, and above him, the sky darkened. The wind howled, forming a massive, spiraling vortex. This wasn't an ordinary attack—it was a high-tier ability that could wipe out multiple enemies at once.
"Hurricane Dominion!"
A monstrous tornado descended, roaring like a dragon, its winds sharp enough to slice through steel.
The crowd held their breath. Even the monarchs leaned in, waiting to see how the unknown Frostpire warrior would respond.
He lifted his hand, mana surging through his veins. The air around him grew deathly cold. Frost crawled across the battlefield, creeping up the legs of fallen warriors and swallowing the shattered ice shards he had left behind.
Then—he clenched his fist.
A bone-chilling mist erupted from his body.
The moment the tornado touched the frost-laced battlefield, something terrifying happened.
The howling storm froze.
The entire swirling vortex—an unstoppable force of destruction—was halted mid-motion, encased in a massive block of solid ice.
Galen's eyes widened in disbelief.
Even King Dracos finally smiled.
One of the Windfall fighters swallowed hard, his stance faltering. "H-He froze a tornado… How do we fight that?"
Another fighter took an involuntary step back before clenching his fists, forcing himself to stand firm.
Nox remained standing for several seconds, then he exhaled, mist escaping his lips.
"Too weak," he muttered and raised a single finger.
And tapped the frozen tornado.
The entire construct shattered into a million shards, exploding outward in a dazzling display of ice and light.
The Frostpire citizens roared in triumph. The Windfall supporters were in utter disbelief. And the monarchs—every single one of them—now had their eyes locked on the blue-haired, blue-eyed warrior standing calmly in the arena.
Galen clenched his fists, rage and frustration twisting his features. Two of his teammates had been killed right before his eyes, and another was left severely injured.
In this competition, the reason there had been no deaths in the last few years was that fighters had the time to surrender. However, Nox's battle style… didn't allow that luxury.
'Did I go too far with the training?' King Dracos sighed with a helpless look on his face.
By now, even the Windfall Monarch had a pissed expression on his face, as if he had swallowed a bitter pill. Though this was still within the rules, the king felt extremely enraged. If it weren't for the many eyes watching, he would have descended and slaughtered Nox himself.
"I'll kill you!" Galen shouted, his voice filled with rage. A fierce hurricane formed around him, causing cracks to spiderweb across the fighting platform.
"Everyone, stand on guard!" Drake warned. As royalty, he would never underestimate another royal—especially one who had lost his mind and was now out for blood.
His teammates shared the same belief. Without exchanging a word, they all stepped in front of Nox, their expressions filled with determination.
"Very well then," Galen declared, his voice booming across the arena. "At first, I just wanted to kill the stupid half-blood, but now, I shall slaughter all of y—"
"Everyone, stand back. Let me handle this."
Nox's voice rang out from behind, surprising everyone in the arena—even the monarchs and the other fighters from the rival kingdoms.
"What are you planning to do?" Drake narrowed his eyes.
"Don't tell me he's planning to take on the entire team," Fenix muttered.
Nox didn't respond. He merely walked past them, stopping a few meters away from the Windfall team.
'I'm sorry, everyone,' Nox thought as his steps carried him forward, his gaze locked onto the Windfall team.
"I have a mission," he mumbled under his breath. "For me to complete that mission, I have to be a little selfish… I have to steal the show."