Chapter 114: Preliminary Selections

Chapter 114: Preliminary Selections"Ladies and gentlemen, warriors of all backgrounds," Prince Michael began, his voice carrying across the arena. "Today, we gather not just to celebrate strength and skill but to recognize the spirit of competition that drives us all to greatness. This competition is open to all. Show us your strength and your determination, and let the world witness the rise of new legends."

With that, the competition began. Instantly, the arena glowed with mysterious runes, and a transparent golden barrier appeared, enclosing the entire space.

An old man from the Sacred Light Empire appeared and began to explain the rules.

"This barrier can only be crossed by limit-breakers below the age of twenty. This is the preliminary round to select the participants. The rules are simple: only those who can cross this barrier will be able to fight in the arena."

With the old man’s announcement, the atmosphere in the arena became even more charged with anticipation. The golden barrier shimmered with an ethereal light, its presence a formidable challenge for the young warriors gathered.

One by one, young limit-breakers stepped forward to face the barrier. Some approached confidently, their auras flaring with energy as they attempted to breach the shimmering field. Others seemed more cautious, testing the barrier with tentative probes before committing to a full effort.

The first few participants struggled, their attempts meeting with varying degrees of success. Some managed to push through after intense effort, while others were repelled, their energies insufficient to overcome the barrier’s resistance. Each attempt was met with cheers or sympathetic groans from the audience, their reactions adding to the charged atmosphere.

As it wasn’t too difficult for limit-breakers, they managed to cross the barrier, though it took them a minute or two. However, the famous and well-known geniuses clearly demonstrated why they were hailed as such, showing the difference between the somewhat talented and the truly exceptional.

A young boy with sword-like eyes and a handsome face, carrying an extraordinary sword on his back, appeared near the barrier. The crowd noticed him immediately and erupted in loud cheers, recognizing him as the famous sword genius from the ancient Thorne family, renowned for their exceptional swordsmanship.

It attracted countless people, including all the geniuses present, who were eager to gauge his strength. At that moment, he was the centre of attention for thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of onlookers.

Apollo was naturally drawn to this, and the Ninth Prince beside him introduced the person, saying, "His name is Eryndor Thorne, a genius from the Thorne family, which dates back to the Old Divine Era when the gods were at their peak and the Sword God had yet to be born."

Hearing this, Apollo’s eyes glowed with expectation as he looked at the young man. Being a genius from such a renowned family, he was bound to be extraordinary, especially in swordsmanship. Apollo couldn’t help but want to see this guy in action and witness his skill firsthand.

Eryndor slowly and calmly moved forward, unfazed by the countless eyes and loud cheers, and appeared in front of the transparent golden barrier.

But instead of stopping or attacking with his strength, he walked through it as if the barrier didn’t exist. He simply moved ahead and crossed the golden barrier effortlessly.

The crowd fell into stunned silence, their eyes widening in disbelief as Eryndor Thorne passed through the barrier without any visible effort. The barrier, which had repelled so many others, seemed to part for him as if recognizing his exceptional presence.

For a moment, the entire arena was silent, and then an even louder roar of applause and cheers erupted. The display of effortless power was a testament to Eryndor’s extraordinary abilities.

Apollo watched with keen interest, his anticipation growing. Eryndor’s calm demeanour and effortless crossing of the barrier were impressive, hinting at a level of skill and mastery that went beyond brute force. This was the kind of opponent that truly excited him—a genius whose abilities could push him to new heights.

It looks like he really needed to join the fray.

Ninth Prince Leon nodded appreciatively, a faint smile on his lips. "Eryndor Thorne is not just a genius; he’s a prodigy among prodigies. His swordsmanship is said to be unparalleled, and his talent has been recognized since he was a child. Watching him in action will be a rare treat."

As Eryndor joined the other successful participants in the arena, his presence seemed to elevate the competition to a new level. The other geniuses, even those who had crossed the barrier with difficulty, looked at him with a mix of respect and wariness.

In the distance, Prince Michael finally smiled and said, "Finally, someone good."

The old man with a beard, looking weak as he stood behind him, remarked, "Indeed, such control at a young age. It looks like the Thorne family will have another great swordsman. But it will be very difficult for the prince to bring him under his command."

"I know that," Prince Michael replied. "Such a proud genius won’t follow others easily, but it would be great to build a good relationship with him or find a few worthy individuals among the weaker kingdoms."

"Sigh. Father has been king for quite some time, and now he’s going to step back. Every brother and sister is competing against one another. Although I’m hailed as the most talented, I have the weakest background because of my youth. So, making friends with such old and powerful forces is a great opportunity," Prince Michael sighed as he and the old man continued to watch the geniuses.

After this, it seemed to open the floodgates, as one genius after another appeared. Some displayed great control, crossing the barrier in just a few seconds. However, none could quite match the effortless grace and profound control displayed by Eryndor Thorne.

Apollo watched closely as the competition unfolded. Each person showed their diverse talents and backgrounds. Some wielded elemental magic with precision, some showcased incredible physical prowess, and some brutes forced their way through the barrier.

Prince Michael’s keen observation did not go unnoticed. He noted promising individuals from various kingdoms, recognizing potential talent that could strengthen his standing.

Geniuses like Clarion Silverstine and Lycan Fullblood, who were among the top, also made their move. Like Eryndor Thorne, they didn’t disappoint and easily crossed the golden barrier as if taking a walk.

Even many dark horses appeared, whose performances matched the top geniuses, shocking many warriors present.

"Apollo, let’s go. We should also start, as not many people are left," Ninth Prince Leon said, standing beside him. Apollo nodded, and together with Ninth Prince Leon and Seraphina, they walked towards the golden barrier.

As Apollo, Ninth Prince Leon, and Seraphina approached the golden barrier, they were all excited with anticipation.

They didn’t attract much attention among the group of geniuses who, like them, were also going through the test, as they weren’t famous. Even Ninth Prince Leon was relatively unknown outside the kingdom.

First, Seraphina and Ninth Prince Leon tried, while Apollo calmly watched both of them attempt to cross the golden barrier that blocked their path.

They couldn’t simply walk through like the top geniuses but instead used their life force and skills to attack the barrier. Eventually, they managed to break through and reach the other side.

Their crossing was neither particularly fast nor slow compared to the other geniuses who had passed through, placing them in the middle ranks.

Finally, it was Apollo’s turn. Master Aaron, Old Man Aragon, and the Fist King had appeared some time ago and were waiting for this moment. They wanted to see how well he would fare against the top-ranking geniuses from all over the world.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment, centring himself. He could feel the subtle hum of the golden barrier in front of him, a shimmering wall of energy that tested not only physical strength but also the depth of one’s life force.

With a deep breath, he opened his eyes and began to move. Unlike Ninth Prince Leon and Seraphina, Apollo chose not to immediately attack the barrier. Instead, he focused on understanding it and feeling the currents of energy that flowed through it.

He immediately understood what he needed to do: cross the barrier without attacking it.

It was similar to frequency synchronization; he needed to adjust his flow of life force to match that of the golden barrier. By doing this, he could walk directly through it, just like the top geniuses.

After understanding this, he didn’t wait. He walked calmly and, with a simple stroll, passed through the golden barrier, shocking those who noticed this scene.

As he emerged on the other side, the crowd erupted in murmurs of surprise and admiration. Master Aaron and Old Man Aragon smiled proudly, as they were among the few who truly knew about Apollo’s monstrous talent. Meanwhile, the Fist King was shocked, realizing he had underestimated Apollo’s talent.

Even the top talents from different parts of the world and Prince Michael glanced at him with surprise, recognizing that another dark horse had appeared.