Emperor's Reckoning

The host raised his hands once more before pointing at the gate. "Second place!"

"He is the prince of strength, the one that will inherit the throne of Pala Kingdom!"

A smile was seen under the shadow before a figure stepped out. He had a well-built body, and he was wearing a top-quality fabric to cover his body. He had fairly long hair, down to his broad chest in fact. His bare arms were vascular, and they looked like they could tear walls apart with his fingers alone.

His handsome face was aligned with his title as a prince and the demeanor he exuded was like that of a tyrant. The dominating aura caught some of them to be suffocated, but some of them also felt the awe-inspiring notion.

"Truly Dashing! The Prince of Pala Kingdom! Raul!"

"Ra-ul! Ra-ul!"

The audience chanted his name as the whole arena trembled.

Raul smiled before he opened his arms with a smile. He took a deep breath as he basked in the limelight before his ears twitched.

Faint footsteps were heard before he turned around with a smile on his face.

A figure stepped out of the shadow before revealing the charming face of Rupert. His eyebrows were slightly furrowed as he looked at Raul.

"The number one!! Prince Rupert of the Golden Dragon Kingdom!" said the host hurriedly. He didn't expect that he would come out on his own accord.

The crowd cheered his name upon his arrival. The loud roar was understandable as the festive atmosphere entered a new height. Especially with the number two and number one staring at each other.

The rivalry between the two went a long way and everyone knew their story. Both were born at roughly the same time but opposing banners. Both were talented and powerful in their own right. The clash between them in the last tournament was a delightful sight. Nobody knew the outcome then, and if they were going to have another bout right now, the audience won't mind at all.

"Now, now, I know both princes are edging to fight, but please let the contestant have a chance to show their prowess," said the host as he smiled wryly.

Rupert nodded before standing beside Raul.

"Here they are! The strongest ten rookies have assembled, oh no, I don't think you guys are rookie anymore hahaha, please do forgive me."

The audience laughed as well as the kings and queens.

"Now then! Let's get the participants to join in!"

From the opposite gate, several steps were heard as several figures broke out of the shadow. They were all smiling and posing a powerful aura as they entered the arena. Various cheers were heard from the spectators as some of the figures were quite famous.

"Look it's Altre and Felicia, the twins are back to take the top ten spots."

"Not just them but the noble Folcre is too! I've heard Raul was personally training him."

"Well, Folcrei is definitely going to enter the top ten, then join the Pala Kingdom for sure."

"That's true."

While the audience was making their own conclusions, Hezar was smiling with his arms crossed.

"I think it's time for you to tell us why are we here," asked Carius.

"Heh, why not, you are here as a backup plan," said Hezar.

"Backup plan?"

"No mortal is allowed to be in the top ten," said Hezar as he grinned at them.

Carius furrowed his eyebrows, "Are you going to use us to threaten them?!"

"Absolutely, with pinning you killing those people at the tower, they will have no choice but to agree to our demand. If they disagree, then you will be sentenced formally and their win will be tarnished by your sin."

"Such blatant lies! You have no proof!"

"Do I need one?" Hezar smirked, "Look around you, you're not in the Mortal World."

"Ivy..." she muttered. Her eyes were looking at the contestant but they saw none of the group. According to Hezar, they should be still alive. "Where are they?"

"Oh~ hoho, they have special call-outs for being outsiders," said Hezar.

"Are you serious," said the matriarch.

"Just watch and you will know," said Hezar with a smirk.

The host opened his arms, "Alright, the fighters are in, but wait! There are those that passed the preliminary!"

The audience suddenly booed and laugh.

"Just go home!!"

"Just go home and return back to your backward place hahaha!"

"Oh look it's them again! Come back for more huh!"

Carius was gritting his teeth with the other two had their face darkened. They never thought that they would be so 'welcoming'.

Ivy was at the frontline while Zet and Porealus followed behind them. The boos really got to their nerves but they could only bury their fist to a slight tremble.

"Three?! Didn't you guys have five slots?!"

"Hahaha! The rest of the two must be cowering!"

Meanwhile, Hilde was furrowing her eyebrows (Where is he?)

Hezar laughed, "Hahaha! Three, I guess that cocky bastard is in the afterlife."

"You!" Carius cracked his knuckles but he was still bound by his status and could only swallow his rage.

"Three?" The host tilted his head, "where are the other two?"

The sarcastic tone made them squint in anger but Ivy manage to keep her calm due to her affiliation with ice.

Altre was excited on the side as he looked at the three. He opened and closed his palms repeatedly as his teeth grinned. His eyes yearned for the fight with them and to take revenge after what that couple did to him.

"Where are the other two?"

The question immediately made the atmosphere die down as the words didn't come from the host but the prince of the Golden Dragon himself.

"P-Prince Rupert?" asked the host.

Raul laughed, "Rupert, what are you talking about? The two of them obviously won't stand a chance, so they run."

"Raul, what if I tell you that one of them is Cecile."

The word immediately ended his laugh abruptly. His neck slowly straightened up as his pupils shrunk. "What did you say?"

"Hmph!" Rupert turned his glance back toward Ivy and the rest, "Where are they?"

The host took a step back (W-What's going on?)

Hezar put his hands on his thigh as he furrowed his eyebrows (Did he just say, Cecile? Two?).

"Cecile.."

"It's Cecile..."

"Prince Raul and Prince Rupert both yearned for her."

The spectators immediately talk in soft voices.

Meanwhile, Felicia furrowed her eyebrows (Cecile? That auburn-haired woman! Don't tell me she is here?! I doubt the captain would dare to kill her so... she is here on that man's behalf? That must be it! She is taking revenge).

"He is here," said Porealus.

"Big brother is here," said Zet with a smile.

"Sorry to break it to you but Cecile won't be joining, it will only be the four of us," said Ivy.

(Four?!) thought Hezar (Impossible! He should have been dead!).

"Four? That man is joining then," said Rupert.

"Oi! Where is she?!" shouted Raul as she looked at the three people.

"She is strolling Afurnae with her friend. She said that this tournament would be boring and will come later when it's her husband's turn," said Porealus as he casually drop the bomb.

"H-Husband?!"

"What?!"

The two princes were glaring at Porealus before giving him immense pressure.

Porealus opened his eyes wide as he managed to hold on for one second with his veins bulging before crashing down to the ground.

The kings and the queens frowned while the rest of the top ten was flabbergasted except for Hilde.

"Stop it you two!" shouted Hilde before she stood in front of the laying Porealus. Her eyes were glaring at the two powerful princes.

However, it was futile. The princes couldn't care less about the princess in front of them.

"Guha!" Porealus coughed out blood with his eyes bulging out. The immense pressure from the two.

"Stop it!" said Hilde before she put on her pressure.

"You!" Zet leaped forward before Raul put his aura pressure on him too.

His face immediately crashed down like Porealus (H-Heavy! I can't even lift my finger!)

Hilde glanced around with disbelief in her eyes (Why are they silent?! Why are the kings silent?!).

The two prominent figures were pushed to the ground like a dead animal. The incredible pressure was like two invisible mountains being dropped against their entire body.

"I see, so this is how princes in heaven act, pathetic."

The words instantly silence Afurnae as even the two princes had their eyebrows rose.

Zet and Porealus smiled on the ground before they stood up as the mountain pressure disappeared.

Hilde opened her eyes wide (Impossible! That mad man!).

Hezar already had his eyes opened to the brim. His pupils slightly shifted to the right before catching a young man standing with his arms crossed. His mouth opened in horror as he realized who it was.

He was beside him all along, Lyon was sitting beside him all along.

*Rattle

Tael grinned, "I've been holding it for a while now."