My arm was still tingling slightly from blocking that greatsword earlier, but honestly, I was more curious than tired.
So, while we waited, I did what any curious, mildly nosy person would do — I started watching the other platforms.
From up close, the scale of the whole thing was pretty incredible. Dust swirled with every heavy blow, bursts of flame and light flared up from spells, and the sound of metal clashing filled the air like a song of chaos.
The matches were… surprisingly decent. Most of the participants had actual skill. I saw a twin-dagger fighter flipping and weaving around a hulking hammer user like he'd been born for acrobatics. A mage duo pulled off a perfect combo attack with ice and wind that nearly froze their opponent's shield mid-swing.
Some matches were close, some one-sided, but none boring.
"Not bad," Maya murmured beside me, her sharp blue eyes tracking a fire mage who was currently trying to not get his head taken off by a spearwoman.
Ray grunted. "Average."
"Right," I said, smirking a little. "Because we're clearly the gold standard now."
He didn't even dignify that with a response.
As the fights ended one by one, the arena reset for the second wave — teams twenty-five through forty-two.
That's when I saw him.
The level thirty-eight guy I'd noticed earlier.
Big dude. Built like a fortress, holding a massive shield and a longsword that looked like it weighed more than I did. His armour gleamed even under the bright sun, and every movement he made screamed tank.
He stepped onto his platform with two teammates — one slim, spear-wielding girl who looked far too confident for someone about to be in the danger zone, and another smaller guy with a bow.
I leaned forward a bit. "Alright, let's see what level thirty-eight looks like in action."
The proctor overseeing them gave the start signal.
The spear girl charged first — quick and aggressive, spear cutting through the air with a sharp whoosh. She met the opposing swordsman head-on, their weapons clashing in a flurry of strikes.
Her movements were good — sharp, fluid — but not enough. The enemy countered fast, slipping past her guard with a downward slash.
For a moment, I thought she was done for.
Then the sound came — a heavy BANG! that echoed across the arena.
The big guy was there, shield raised, catching the blow like it was nothing.
The impact sent a gust of dust outward, but he didn't even flinch. His stance didn't shift an inch.
"Whoa…" Maya breathed, eyes wide.
The other team's mage tried to capitalize, flinging a glowing projectile his way, but the tank just raised his shield again. A shimmer of mana flickered, and the spell dispersed harmlessly.
Then he moved.
The big guy surged forward with terrifying speed for his size, and before anyone could react, he slammed his shield into the swordsman's chest.
The sound was brutal — WHAM!
The poor guy's feet left the ground. He flew back like a rag doll, landing several meters away and rolling to a stop. I thought I heard a crunch of I was not mistaken.
The audience gasped.
Even I winced. The guy wasn't unconscious, but he was definitely out cold — lying there, gasping for air like a fish.
The other two on his team froze, their faces pale.
The fear was plain as day.
"...That's one hit," I muttered.
Ray nodded slowly. "That guy's strong."
No argument there.
The two remaining opponents hesitated for a moment longer before trying again. The mage and the archer launched their attacks simultaneously — bolts of fire and arrows whistling through the air — but the tank just plowed through both, his shield up, shrugging off the hits like they were mosquito bites.
The spear girl took advantage, darting in behind him. Her spear swept low, knocking one opponent's legs out, and before the other could even react, the big guy's shield came crashing down again.
BOOM!
Just like that, it was over.
The crowd erupted in cheers and murmurs.
I sat back slowly, exhaling. "Okay… remind me to never get on his bad side."
Maya crossed her arms. "You and me both."
I turned to Ray. "Think you can beat him?"
He didn't answer. Just stared at the guy with a faint frown.
I glanced at Maya. She didn't answer either.
Their silence said enough.
Yeah… thought so.
After that display, the matches wrapped up one after another, the weaker teams filtering out, the victors getting ready for round two.
When our turn came again, we stepped onto the platform with quiet confidence. Our next opponents were decent but not remarkable — three guys, all around level twenty.
It wasn't much of a fight. Ray cut through their frontliner like he was slicing bread, Maya rained down spells that kept the rest pinned, and I mostly stayed in the back, giving them light support.
We won cleanly.
Third round came faster than expected. This time, the proctors seemed to be mixing things up deliberately — stronger teams against stronger teams.
When our match was called, the air felt different. Heavier.
Our opponents were sharp. A dagger user, a female brawler, and a wind mage. They moved fast, coordinated, clearly used to fighting together.
The proctor's hand went down. "Begin!"
Maya immediately opened with a Water Jet, the stream catching the mage right across the chest. It wasn't enough to down him, but it staggered him badly.
Ray charged the dagger user, but the guy was slippery — twisting around, leaving shallow cuts in his wake.
I followed behind, drawing my sword and activating Quick Step. My body surged forward in a blur, my blade flashing as I cut lightly across the brawler's side. She hissed in pain and backed off, glaring.
The fight turned chaotic fast — dodging, blocking, clashing.
Then I heard Ray grunt.
He stumbled, clutching his side. Blood seeped between his fingers — the dagger user had slipped past his guard, cutting deep.
"Ray!" I shouted.
Without thinking, I raised my hand and focused. Mana gathered in my palm — bright, gold-tinted light forming instantly before I directed it toward him.
The healing spell healed him from several meters away. A soft glow enveloped his wound, knitting the flesh back together almost immediately.
The crowd went silent.
Then came the murmurs.
"He just healed from that far?"
"Is that… long-range healing?"
"No way, I thought that was impossible at this level!"