When I arrived at the arena, I was surprised as the first one I saw on my way was one of the people I saw as my biggest competitors.

  Sos Tregmegistus.

  Both of our parents also saw each other and full of surprise they greeted each other.

  Warren: Well if it hasn't been a while Farrol!

  Farrol: Warren, what a lovely surprise. I was wondering when you had such a beautiful child without telling me about it. I was surprised when I saw your st name on the roster.

  Warren: Well, recently our territory has been over run by those darned hunters. I couldn't possibly take the time to visit while those pests were all running about. They recently have started to settle down once I began to suppress them so I was waiting to find the opportunity to come visit.

  My dad then turned to me to introduce us.

  Warren: Farrol, this is my beloved daughter, Celine. Celine, this is one of your father's colleagues Farrol. He is a bad old man who likes to py pranks and fight in his free time.

  Farrol: Hey, that's not how you should introduce a close friend!

  Celine: Good Morning Mr. Farrol.

  He nodded before going back to argue with my dad. While both old men were spitefully chatting, my mom and her mom also went to talk on the side.

  Now I was left here with Sos while not knowing what to talk about.

  After a while, I finally decided to say something.

  Celine: Should we go in wait for the match to begin.

  She gives a nod and we both decide to go into the hall. When we both enter, all of the chatting is silenced as the contestants look over at us.

  After a few moments of silence, the chatter begins again. The only difference is that the area around us is not as clustered. Although, the whole area is less clustered overall due to the decrease in contestants.

  Time slowly passes as I stand next to Sos. We both aren't really talkative so I just space off while waiting for the competition to begin.

  The familiar voice of the announcer has once again rang in my ears and now we are to head to the coffins once more.

  This time, there were a lot fewer people and I found myself next to Sos. After a quick nod, we both head in and await the trials ahead of us.

  We once again arrive at the arena. This time, the announcer came to re-expin the competition to any new audiences who were unaware. Now it was finally time. The 256 remaining names were randomized on the screen in front of us. After some time, the randomization was completed and I quickly scanned for my name as well as the names of those most likely to win the championship.

  After some time looking, I finally found my name in the sea of names. Again I was competing against an opponent who doesn't stand out much. Unlike before, the matches are arranged in a round robin like format so I was able to see what my future matches will be. Looking through it all, the most standout opponent on my section is that I will be face to face against Lenn Destros in the third match.

  Also on my half of the competition, I will be facing Krust Kalchik right after on the fourth fight. Finally, if I make it there, I will be facing Sos in the penultimate match and Miles Menafrie would be my match in the finals.

  But it will only go that way if I can prove my own strength and win all the way. The chances of me making it all the way are quite slim as I am not only younger than most of the competition, I also have not fully built my own full combat strategy as of yet.

  Most vampires inherit the techniques of their parents so they can just follow a simir road that has already been paved for them. I, in contrast, have to build my own road from scratch. Although my abilities are simir to my dads it is still different enough to warrant a different road.

  Now, I am waiting for my match to begin. Unlike the other matches, these matches will all be going on one by one so that everyone can watch and see how various people fight. The goal of the competition is, after all, to give the new generation combat experience in a safe and controlled environment.

  The first match was interesting as one side had a rather unique technique. Their technique is known as Blood Bsts and it consists of turning your own blood into explosives to bst the enemy. It is a rather dangerous technique, but if used correctly can lead to a troublesome and powerful ability.

  Like what I was seeing now, the Blood Bst user used blood magic to create clones out of his blood to charge towards his enemies. After they approach, that can be detonated at a moments notice making close quarters combat nearly impossible at this stage. After some time, the bsting contestant cimed victory and the next few battles ensued.

  Among many things, the most commonly used techniques are the creation of Blood Weapons and various magic elemental abilities. These two are the most common techniques that most vampires have access to. With each contestant, comes a unique elemental ability or weapon usage that I can see. This in addition to all kinds of rare and unique abilities that I wouldn't see elsewhere really helped me gain a ton of combat experience and knowledge that I can apply to my own fights.

  It was then finally my turn to be called to fight. After me and my opponents stepped down from the stands, we finally faced each other square in the eye. My opponent is an older boy by the name of Owen. from what I can recall, he uses a blood weapon technique that acts like a whip. After recalling this and psyching myself up, I take my stance, with both weapons out this time.

  Because of what my parents had said, I feel like what they said should have value, so except for my trump card giant skeleton and blood barrier, I will be going all out in other aspects.

  My opponent looks surprised, but then quickly calms down as the countdown is voiced. This time, when the count reached zero I immediately started my technique.

  Celine: Sanctuary of Blood!

  The regur field I summoned quickly spread as my favorite skeleton swordsman rose from the ground. When they fully rose, I quickly casted a spell to boost both my and my summon speed as we both rushed to my opponent.

  My opponent had already called his weapon, a whip with several sharp bde like sections. After his weapon, he casted a spell that was finished before I could get close enough to interrupt him.

  Owen: Wind Magic - Wind Spirit Summoning!

  Small orbs of wind appeared around him and they quickly casted small orbs of wind towards me and my skeleton. We both quickly dodge the bullets as we approach closer to him. When we get in range, he finally extends his whip over to me as he instructs his summons to distract my summon.

  The sharp bded sections of his whip quickly sh out and csh with one of my bdes. I quickly deflect the whip as my other bde stays at the ready to block any other attacks. The whip whips around from behind me to sh out at my other side as I quickly block with my already outstretched bde.

  The force of the whip slightly pushes me back which slows down my charge towards him. Both me and my skeleton are stuck in this situation as I remain wary of his whip shing at unorthodox angles while my skeleton struggles to block the wind orbs. Since I have already promised to show everything except my final trump cards, I yell out to my skeleton summon.

  Celine: I allow you to go all out now!

  My summon's eyes suddenly fsh a dim glow as they receive my command. In the eyes of my shocked opponent, my skeleton suddenly outputs his fighting spirit and quickly vanquishes a few of the spirits.

  After seeing this, he quickly summons another wave as he informs them to entangle the skeleton rather than crush them in a fight. While he was distracted, I was able to get a distance closer and slowly but surely press him in an upfront confrontation.

  The fight was constantly ongoing as I kept pressing Owen while he kept on having to be distracted summoning wind spirits every once in a while. Finally, I was able to reach him and swung my bde towards him. Suddenly, he stabs out using the bottom handle of his whip. At the end of the whip was a sharp dagger like point. When I felt the danger, I quickly jumped back as the dagger narrowly missed me. As I was jumping back, he quickly chanted a spell and I found myself in quite the bad situation.

  Owen: Wind Magic - Wind Clone!

  Coming out of his body was a clone body made of wind energy. The clone also had a whip and it immediately sung at me. The two whips worked harmoniously together as I was quickly pushed back. He then started casting a longer spell as the clone held me back. When I finally was out of the entanglement of the clone and my skeleton swordsman finally vanquished the wind spirits, we both rushed to interrupt my opponent.

  Unfortunately, it was too te as they already finished the chant of the spell and casted it towards us.

  Owen: Wind Magic - Wind Elemental Summoning!

  This time, the summons were not going to be so easy to defeat. The wind elementals looked like mini tornados and quickly pushed us back.

  I didn't expect this match to be such a difficult one. I guess I shouldn't have underestimated those who were able to win all the way to this point.

  Although I can use my blood barrier to get close in, I felt a feeling in my heart.

  I felt my core beating with a heightened rhythm. As I felt this, I had a feeling that this match would be the one. Since the beginning, my goal in this competition was to just awaken my fighting spirit and I felt that this would be the one.

  I took a deep breath and took a stance. I could feel the tension when I held my bdes. Then I suddenly felt it was the right time and I rushed to Owen. He looked surprised as I rushed over, his elementals sent out wind bdes that made cuts on my body. The pain of those cuts only made me more aware than ever before. The blowing of wind, the flow of blood and the thrill of combat.

  I felt a blood red glow emerge from my chest as my own fighting spirit extended from my heart to all over my body and finally coating my two bdes. I suddenly swung my bde and a bde made of my energy swung out and unched towards Owen.

  He almost didn't react, but his summons and clone quickly got in the way and finally slowed the blow enough for him to react and get out of the way.

  Seeing this, I suddenly dashed towards him as my bdes were once again coated with fighting spirit. I swung my bdes in rapid succession as I cut lightly into his flesh. I was suddenly pulled back as I heard the announcer announce my victory in the match.

  My opponent was also quickly taken away for treatment and after a quick glow, was sent back to the stands.

  Some staff asked me if I needed healing and I shake my head. Although the match was quite serious, we vampires have a natural recovery speed that can recover most regur injuries.

  I quickly breathe in and out as I called back my summon and went back to the stand. Now, the people in the stand give way when I walk past now with awe and a little fear. When I returned to my seat, I saw that the seats around me were less poputed. I ignored this as I felt the newly arising power in my body.

  Although this isn't my actually body and only a clone made of blood in a device, I can still clearly sense my fighting spirit. According to what I have heard this device can almost perfectly simute stronger people. So, for someone like me, the simution is basically perfect.

  I quickly got used to this feeling as I circuted the fighting spirit in my body while keeping an eye out at all the fights in the arena.

  Although doing two very different things at once is usually quite difficult for many people, I have found it quite simple in this life. Maybe it has to do with reincarnation?

  I kept on cycling my fighting spirit while watching the battles going on. Due to the quality of some of the fights, I sometimes stop my cycling process to put my full attention to some of the fights before me. After a while, I finally saw the battles of the four people I was most interested in.

  As I thought, except for Sos, the other three all completely crushed their opponents. I mostly paid attention to Sos because we were of the same age and level of bloodline. The other three are not only more experienced in combat, but they also have an age advantage over us.

  I can expect Sos to be a difficult opponent in the next competition if the two of us both participate in the next one.

  The other three are all quite strong with their own maturing fighting style. All of that along with experience and a higher energy pool makes those three the main targets of attention.

  After the first set was finished, there was a short break in between the rounds so I sat and meditated. Although it may not help me get stronger quickly, but it is always better than doing nothing.

  After the few minutes were over, the second set of rounds was beginning. I watched the various matches while switching to controlling my fighting spirit. I seem to be getting the hang of controlling it, am I actually really talented in this?

  While that question slowly steeped in my mind, I continued to watch the matches before me. Now that it has gone down to the top 256, all of the contestants are around my power level without the giant skeleton. Even with it, I am most likely still losing to the three main champion candidates.

  As I was still simuting matches in my head, the match before mine was finally commencing so I calmed down my emotions before doing some stretches before the match.

  Some time passes and the match in front of me ends and I stand up ready to head to the arena. When I have been called up by the announcer, I already arrived ready and waiting. On the other side, my opponent walked up to the arena. After giving a friendly greeting, we both prepared to fight.

  The countdown finished and I summoned my skeleton swordsman to fight along side me. My opponent took out their weapon from a slit in their palm. A spear extended from it and when we were in range he quickly struck towards me and my summon.

  After a quick and short confrontation, I felt the recoil from swinging against him and felt my hands go slightly numb. I notice that they are using their fighting spirit to coat their arm in the csh.

  I step back and attempt to imitate them. After a few tries I slowly got the feel of it and reentered the fray.

  While I stepped back, my summon was calmly and steadily pushed back. After I returned, it was still quite a challenge to compete. After a longer confrontation, we both take a step back. I cast a spell that increases my summon and own speed. My opponent casts an unknown spell that likely improves his combat prowess.

  We both finished at the same time and proceed to csh again. This time, my summon and I were cleanly pushed back. Judging the difference, I could feel that he has gotten somewhere between a 10 to 20 percent boost to pure strength. I quickly take my distance and call back my summon. I quickly swing my bde to send sword energy toward him while I begin expanding my technique.

  He quickly deals with the sword energy and rushes toward me. Although quick, I still finish expanding my domain in time and I begin running while constantly creating a small army of skeleton archers. Although he defeats some of them, he still has to deal with arrows coming from various directions as I distract him with my sword swings.

  After a while of chasing, he finally gets impatient and he quickly chants a different spell. He takes a few arrows and dodges my own sword energy before finishing the chant. He then cast his new spell while tossing his spear like a javelin as I hear his technique.

  Opponent: All Piercing Spear, Pierce through all impediments!

  The spear rushes to me as my eyes widen in surprise, I quickly start a chant as I swing my bde to slow the spear with my attacks. My archer summons also get in the way to slow the spear further.

  When the spear rushes through all the impediments, I barely have enough time to cast my spell while turning my body sideways.

  Celine: Blood Magic - Blood Barrier!

  My blood like magic quickly flows from my body and barely makes the form of a curved shield in front of the spear before it connects.

  I can feel my barrier making spshing noises as it holds it back for a moment. My barrier finally shatters as I have completely gone out of the way of the spear. The spear brushes past me as I get physically pushed back from the force of the blow. The spear unches to the wall of the arena and merely scratches it before falling. At the same time it fell, my opponent also fell due to ck of energy from their final blow. They show a sad expression before fainting.

  After the referee checks on him, he announces my victory as staff come to heal him. After they ask me, I nod and accept healing. There are fewer matches which may also lead to less time to naturally recover. After a quick check up I am sent back to the stands as the next match was ongoing.

  I watch the next matches and see that even Sos was struggling. I finally got to see her trump card in this fight. She usually just activates her domain and speed blitzes her opponents with her outstanding physical prowess. Now I see that her weapons are a pair of bloody cws that can be swung to release a fighting spirit like energy in the shape of cw marks at her enemies. In this match, she was forced to reveal this card which quickly overwhelmed her opponent. After the match I saw that she looked a little exhausted and concluded that this attack of hers is a short burst type attack.

  With my giant skeleton, I would be able to block most of those hits and be able to easily outst her.

  Although it may not be her only trump card, at least I can tell that she won't be able to use this card frequently.

  The match was concluded and after watching the rest of the matches, we were called back home to rest and prepare for our next match tomorrow. As these matches are quite difficult and for the younger contestants, we are getting to rest till tomorrow to finish the round robin and to begin eliminating pyers.

  I went out of the coffin and went looking around. After spotting my mom and dad standing aside, I quickly walked over and greeted Farrol and Sos who were both next to my parents.

  After a simple greeting, my parents promised that they would visit their home sometime and took me back home. On the carriage back home, they congratuted me and started talking about my matches. After some words of wisdom, my dad then found it right to start expining about fighting spirit and their different categories and effects.

  Warren: Fighting spirit is divided by the fighting intent. Different intents lead to different effects. For example, the princes who fight with fighting spirit use regal intent. This intent deters enemies which weakens their attack while boosting their own. The effect of regal intent depends on blood concentration so is most effective on the royal bloodlines. Other bloodlines use various other intents as they can reach the same level, but require more effort to train.

  He then pulls out a bckboard and chalk from a ring on his index finger.

  Warren: Your intent is more towards combat and is more likely to boost your own strength to a high level. After a quick search, I found that the intent is likely the intent known as Bloody Instinct Intent. This intent is one of the blood type intents that can pair with blood magic perfectly so you can use it without having to learn anything different. The intent increases your senses and energy total limit the longer you fight. It is a retively strong ability that negates any trickery as your senses will eventually grow to perceive them. That and the energy boost will make your own techniques st longer and have greater effect. It can be regarded as a perfect intent for you.

  After saying all of this he takes back the chalk before asking me whether I understood and I give a nod.

  He shows a smile and takes back the bckboard before encouraging me for the match tomorrow.

  Since my next match was known I watched the recorded matches of my opponent as well as researching the specific technique he uses. Lenn, who is my final match, is a powerful contender for final victor. He has a technique that involves stealth and from what I could see from the repys, is also a very fast attacker with his dual wielded daggers and throwing weapons. He can also change the terrain around his opponent to be either slippery or like mud to sink people in. With this, he was able to easily py his opponent using his experience and ability to change the terrain on a whim.

  Such a tricky opponent is quite headache inducing to deal with, even if you knew his abilities. All I could hope is that I would be able to adapt before he could finish me off silently.

  I go to the training room to get some st minute practicing before the match tomorrow. Although I am unlikely to win, I will at the very least give it my all in this match. I summoned my giant skeleton and try out how I would fight with it when the time comes.

  I have already completed my goal for this competition, so anything else I do will only be extra icing on the cake and not any fundamental difference.

  One important thing that I have realized in this practice is that I can give my summon skeleton the characteristics of my own fighting spirit. Unlike me, the fighting spirit in my summons is a bnk type that gives no boost to the user, it just provides a small regur damage and defense boost. Now, with my fighting spirit, the power of my skeletons can increase a significant amount.

  All of this training got me tired and hungry so I went to have dinner and after a little magic studying, I went to bed so I can feel rested for tomorrow.

  The next day and again we headed off to the arena. After my parents stayed to talk to some of the nobles, I went the waiting room awaiting the competition's commencement.

  When this was ongoing, I suddenly felt the room shake a little. After a while, the announcer comes on and tells us there was an attempt to invade the arena, but now the threat has been neutralized and after another check, the matches would begin.

  While we waited, many of the remaining contestants chatted amongst each other about what they thought was going on. After looking around, I found Sos and walked up to her and asked her what she thought the disturbance was.

  Sos: Maybe werewolves, maybe vampire hunters or perhaps a strong wild beast. Werewolves have hated us for a long time due to our wars. Vampire Hunters are naturally self expnatory. Sometimes, wild beasts suddenly gain strength and sense the vitality in our cities and decide to attack them. Usually only younger beasts would do this.

  After the quick summarization, I gave a quick nod and thanks before it got quiet again. What am I supposed to say in this situation? Whatever, I'll just wait here for the competition.

  After the time passes, we are finally called to the devices and after entering we immediately head to our seats.

  A quick expnation and we start the next matches. Watching these matches with my full attention got my blood pumping and excited for my match. When it was finally time I headed on stage and waited for my opponent to head on.

  Suddenly, he appears on his side as if he teleported. After seeing him, my body went on full alert as he simply gnced over.

  As the countdown started I felt my sweat flowing down my back. This one is indeed one of the champion candidates for sure. This sense of oppression is significantly more than any other opponent I have faced so far.

  When the time was up he just simply stared as I was immediately preparing my trump card. As I chanted my technique, he also summoned his bdes and went into stealth mode.

  Celine: Sanctuary of Blood - Miniature!

  Lenn: Vanishing Technique.

  My field circled around me as I immediately called my summon to my side. A massive bony hand emerged through the dirt which pulled up a massive figure.

  My skeleton giant quickly emerged and I immediately shared my fighting spirit with it.

  Surrounding the skeleton was now a bloody crimson and sinister glow that extended from the bones of the skeleton to even wrapping its weapon. I then casted my full blood barrier that could block at least one hit for me.

  I then went ahead and covered myself with my fighting spirit with both weapons ready to defend as I command my summon to start attacking everywhere to lead him out. After a while, I suddenly heard a slight ding and after gncing over, I noticed a crack in one of my skeleton's ribs.

  I swung a flying ssh in that direction, but obviously resulted in a miss.

  I then heard a ding behind me. After a few more times like this, I knew that I couldn't keep going on like this. I then closed my eyes and sensed using my other senses as well as my domain. After a few times when I wasn't used to fighting like this, I suddenly got the grasp of it and swung my bde and caught a slight trace of his clothing with my bde.

  He seemed finally surprised as he didn't attack for a few seconds. For those few seconds, I finally had a second to breathe and calmed my heart beat. After a second, I then fully focused on perceiving him. It was when I was focused on perceiving him with my other senses that I didn't notice that he appeared a distance away with a dagger aimed at me.

  It wasn't until I heard his faint chanting that I immediately opened my eyes and blocked in that direction.

  Lenn: Thunder Magic - Echoes of the Thunder Bird.

  A swarm of blue birds made purely out of lightning emerged from his bde and circled around me and my skeleton. In an instant I was swarmed with lightning bolts that quickly ate away at my fighting spirit. As I was dealing with the thunder bird swarm, I didn't notice that he had disappeared. By the time I had dealt with the thunder birds, he had already gotten close to me and I sensed an object flying towards me. After deflecting it, I knew that I had fallen into a trap because behind me I felt his presence appear with his own fighting spirit attached to his dagger.

  With a single swift movement, his dagger easily pierces through my barrier and makes a deep stabbing motion towards my neck.

  Right before it touched my neck, the referee separated us and decred Lenn's victory.

  I could finally breathe after the match. Although I knew the match was quite against me, I didn't expect to be overwhelmed so easily by him. Although I drew out a trump card from him, I still only barely scratched him in the whole fight.

  After this, I really need to learn how to fight against faster enemies. I went back to the stands and sat watching as the next matches pyed.

  My match was the most exciting of the bunch, even though it was a little one-sided. The other matches were either complete crushes or long extended matches that feel drawn out. After a while, the matches were done and the winners of the round robins were decided. Some of the rounds ended with a tie so a few tie breaker matches were held.

  Finally the top 64 were decided and matched up. What I saw as the most exciting match was the round I would have gone to had I won. It was an exciting match between Lenn who defeated me as well as another champion candidate in Krust. The two's fight would absolutely be at the level of a finals match and it was already going on so early.