“Attention everyone “

  “Stand according to your power status.” Everyone obeyed and formed rows based on their rank.

  There were three rows: First Stage, Second Stage, and Third Stage. Apart from them stood the Elites, who ranked above all.

  “Kelix, you’re new here, so let me explain the match,” he said. “You’ll fight in duos against hunters from each stage. If you defeat all three stages, you’ll face the Elite.”

  “But since the Elites are responsible for protecting the directions they are not here so you will have to fight me. I am also an Elite, and I am here.”

  If you have any doubt then you can ask me as. You are a newbie Kelix .

  No I don't have any

  “ Be ready kid for the show “Eden whisper in Kelix ear

  “So the first duet is between you and the first stage hunter. “

  “Are you ready”

  “ yes I am “

  “Rick come here now you two have to fight and whoever wins he gets the chance to fight with a higher stage hunter.

  So take your positions”, Eden leave the place and sit there,there is a sitting area for everyone to watch the fights .

  We received the signal to begin.

  Rick and I stared into each other’s eyes without blinking.

  Rick made the first move. He rushed at me with full speed, but for me his speed wasn’t that impressive. I easily dodged his attack. By the time he realised it, I was already standing behind him.

  He quickly turned around and tried to punch me—but I struck first. My punch sent him flying across the arena, and he crashed into the boundary with a loud whoosh.

  Everyone stood there in shock. I had defeated him in seconds—and far too easily.

  Eden wasn’t shocked, but he didn’t look happy either. Arian, on the other hand, was smiling.

  Maybe Eden already expected that I could beat Rick. After all, he had seen my speed at the gate. But even he probably didn’t expect the fight to end this quickly.

  “Damn… I knew he could beat him, but that quickly? He’s already at the top among the First Stage hunters. And that punch… it’s something else. It’s not what I thought it was.”

  “What happened, Eden ? Looks like your show has been taken over by someone else,” Arian said with a faint smile. “You played it smart though. First you made him fight everyone without even telling him how to control his powers.”

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  “Well, didn’t he say he wanted to learn everything in two days?” Eden replied calmly. “Why should we waste our time teaching him from the beginning? If we started with the basics, it would take two years just for control. This way is better.”

  “Hm… you’re right. Much better this way,” Arian said, smiling.

  So someone has taken over the show… Eden thought silently. But in the end, I’ll be the one to finish it.

  Kelix… just wait.

  Ed was lost in his thoughts until Arian called him.

  “Eden ,please announce the winner.”

  “Oh—right,” Eden said, snapping back.

  “Kelix is the winner.”

  “Now we move to the next match. Max versus Kelix.”

  Just as I expected… Kelix thought while looking at Eden. That vintage Eden just wants to see what I’ll do.

  “That kid is impressed by you,” Arian said to Eden with a teasing smile.

  “Come on, Arian,” Eden replied, standing up and walking toward the arena to make the announcement.

  “Let’s begin. Are you two ready?” Eden said, ignoring Arian’s earlier comment.

  “Start.”

  Once again, Max made the first move. Flames burst from his hands and quickly formed a blazing circle around me, trapping me inside.

  “Hey, Kelix,” Max smirked. “How do you like my fire? Maybe tonight we’ll have your cooked flesh for dinner.”

  I tried to get out, but every time I moved toward the edge, the flames grew more intense. Max was clearly controlling the fire. Suddenly the circle of flames twisted upward, forming a massive fire tornado that swallowed me completely.

  From the outside, I wasn’t even visible anymore—only a raging tornado of fire.

  Everyone thought it was over.

  But it wasn’t.

  When the flames finally disappeared, Max’s eyes widened in shock. I stood there completely unharmed.

  In a flash, I rushed forward and aimed a punch straight at Max’s face—but he managed to dodge at the last moment.

  Reacting instantly, Max switched powers. Ice surged from the ground and formed a frozen circle around me. There was space inside, but sharp ice spikes covered the entire interior, and they kept growing toward me from every direction.

  Everyone believed this was the end. No one could see inside the ice prison, and since Kelix was still a newbie, they assumed he couldn’t survive Max’s special move—his strongest attack.

  But what happened next shocked everyone.

  The ice circle suddenly shattered.

  Max tried to see what had happened, but when the ice collapsed, there was no one inside.

  Then—thud!

  A sudden strike hit the back of Max’s neck, and he dropped to the ground.

  I moved in to punch his face, but Max rolled across the ground just in time and barely managed to dodge the attack.

  Max barely dodged the second attack and quickly stood up. He tried to create some distance from Kelix. If he stayed too close, he wouldn’t get a chance to use his powers.

  But Kelix was faster.

  Using his full speed, Kelix caught up in an instant and grabbed Max’s hand. Max looked at Kelix in disbelief. He tried to pull away, but Kelix’s grip was too strong—his hand wouldn’t even move.

  Kelix drove a punch straight into Max’s stomach.

  Before Max could even react, Kelix had already moved behind him. In the next second, Kelix struck his back with another powerful punch.

  Max was sent sliding across the ground from the force, stopping just before the boundary.

  Then Kelix did something even more shocking.

  He used Max’s own ice spikes.

  The large spikes rose into the air under Kelix’s control, and he hurled them toward Max, who was lying on the ground, unable to move. The spikes landed around him, forming a cage. Each spike pinned parts of his clothes to the ground—at every corner—without piercing his body or causing serious injury.

  Max was completely trapped.

  The entire arena fell silent in shock.

  Arian was still smiling.

  Eden, however, looked completely confused.

  “How… can he do that?”

  “So, how does it feel to be trapped under your own spikes?” Kelix said with a teasing smile. “Maybe I should build a cage like that and keep you in my room as a pet.”

  He paused and chuckled lightly.

  “I’m joking. You’re really good.”

  Kelix stretched out his hand for a handshake, but Max quickly jerked his hand away.

  “It felt good fighting you,” Kelix said calmly.

  Max groaned in annoyance as he pushed himself to his feet. “Next time, you won’t be spared, Kelix.”

  “Sure. Why not?” Kelix replied with a faint smile.

  Kelix looked toward Eden—and Eden was already looking at him.

  Good, Kelix… I didn’t expect that, Eden thought quietly. But this doesn’t end here.

  Kelix is thinking the same .

  I don’t let you win Eden, I prove you wrong .

  Kelix… child, you’ve lasted longer than I expected, Eden thought. I knew you could easily win the first round, and maybe even the second. But finishing them without a single scratch… that’s not what I anticipated.

  Still… it’s fine. I’ll decide how this ends.

  “Good fight, both of you. Kelix is the winner of this round,” Eden announced.

  I know what you’re thinking, Eden, Kelix thought while looking at him. But you underestimate me. Just watch.

  Max is the top hunter of the Second Stage. I know he’s powerful. I understand what you’re trying to do.

  Eden then called the top hunter of the Third Stage, since the first two opponents had also been the strongest in their stages.

  I’m glad you didn’t take me lightly, Eden, Kelix thought. But you’re still the same predictable, vintage Eden.

  And you’re going to lose.

  “Let’s move on to our third match,” Eden said. “But if you want to take a rest, Kelix, we have no problem waiting.”

  “No, I’m good,” Kelix replied calmly. “Just continue. I want to finish this and go back home.”