Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 161 161: Opening Ceremony.Timeless AssassinC161 161: Opening Ceremony.
(Sky-God Arena – Opening Ceremony)
The stadium buzzed with anticipation as over a thousand banners from across the Righteous Alliance fluttered above the colossal Sky-God Arena.
The stands, though not yet at full capacity, still swelled with tens of thousands of spectators, their cheers echoing faintly under the domed structure.
At the heart of the Sky-God Arena, the grand opening ceremony of the Interstellar Circuits was about to commence.
Over 1,200 academies stood assembled, lined up with rigid discipline along the arena's outer perimeter, each dressed in their distinct team uniforms and with their captains carrying their academy banners high.
The order of appearance followed strict alphabetical protocol, with teams entering and forming ranks in order, starting from Aaviron Academy, 01 at the front to Zinjang, the 1201st, stationed deep at the back.
A massive holographic screen floated high above the field, flashing the names and faces of every participating team member for the audience to see, as live commentators provided detailed introductions and trivia about various academies.
"Ohhh, That's Kevin Jack Sherwin! That's the Fenerbahce Academy's colossal 10 feet tall human captain! Look at the muscles on that mountain of a man. He looks more like an orc than a human!"
"Indeed! He's very impressive, but not as impressive as Gino from Layway Academy. He might be from the dwarven race, but that dwarf is not a crafter, he's a mauler unlike no other—"
The commentators bantered with practiced enthusiasm, entertaining the crowd, while the cameras panned across the teams as they marched.
Rodova's team stood silently, awaiting their turn as Su Yang adjusted his gloves, and Enzo hummed nervously beside him.
Leo, ever the stoic, waited patiently without shuffling on his feet, as he calmly observed the surroundings without uttering a word.
A single grand pathway circled the entire arena, designed specifically for the ceremonial march.
It was wide enough to accommodate even 50 people at once, however, with all teams being only 10 individuals, most of the space remained unused.
At the center of the arena, towering high on a raised platform, sat the Guest of Honor for this year's circuits — Demi-God Akumi, draped in a flowing black-and-gold robe, perched atop a stone-carved throne with intricate patterns etched along its surface.
Akumi sat motionless, eyes closed, arms crossed, as though disinterested, yet every academy that passed trembled slightly when saluting him.
His power was palpable, leaking from his very presence.
One by one, teams began their march, stepping in perfect synchronization as they circled the Sky-God Arena. Upon reaching the front, they raised their fists to their chests and gave the military salute, pausing just briefly beneath Akumi's watchful gaze.
The screen magnified their faces for all to see, and every slight smile, tremor, or confident grin was broadcasted to the spectators.
Some teams drew cheers, especially the more famous academies, whose past glories or celebrity warriors had earned them dedicated fanbases. Meanwhile, the smaller or lesser-known academies passed with only polite claps.
Leo noted quietly that while many teams smiled proudly at the cheers, others visibly buckled under the pressure, some even stumbling during the march, as their mistakes caused their faces to flush red.
Finally, after what felt like hours, the commentator's voice rang out —
"And now entering, number 1026—Rodova Military Academy! The academy with the most championship victories in tournament history, though they haven't seized the ultimate title in the last twenty-two years. Could this be the year of their return?"
Cheers echoed from sections of the stands, particularly from the older spectators who still clung to the nostalgia of Rodova's golden era.
Leo, Su Yang, Minerva, and the rest of the team marched forward in perfect formation, every step sharp and disciplined, a reflection of Rodova's renowned military training.
At the front of the formation, Yu Shen carried the academy banner with pride, his chin raised, his gaze unwavering as he led them onward.
Yet, as they neared the central dais, where the towering throne of this year's guest of honor loomed, Leo felt a chill crawl beneath his skin.
The demi-god, Akumi, sat high above, eyes initially closed, but as Rodova approached, those ancient eyes flicked open, sweeping over their formation like an overlord looking down on his subjects.
Leo's instincts flared wildly as the demi-god's gaze landed on him, as panic gripped him and his bloodlust surged, threatening to spill out uncontrollably.
Yet, through sheer willpower, he forced it down, biting back the murderous intent that clawed to escape.
His body trembled slightly beneath the strain, as every fiber of his being urged him to lash out—but he refused.
Instead, he mirrored the team, raising his fist to his chest in a sharp, formal salute, steadying his breathing as best he could.
And then, for a split second, Leo swore Akumi's gaze lingered on him — just a heartbeat longer than it had for any other academy.
The demi-god's expression remained unreadable, but that brief pause left a knot in Leo's stomach, as if he had been marked, inspected, or perhaps, noted.
Akumi then gave them the same slow, indifferent nod he had granted every other academy, as if nothing had happened at all.
And just like that, Rodova's march concluded without incident, as the team exited the ceremonial path and regrouped at their assigned section of the arena.
Only then did Leo realize that everyone — even the more experienced Yu Shen and Minerva — were quietly gasping for breath, their bodies slick with cold sweat.
They hadn't even fought, yet the mere gaze of a demi-god had left them winded.
'Just one glance... and it was enough to weigh us down like this?
No… if he had truly tried to intimidate us, we wouldn't have even been able to move—' Leo thought, his mind struggling to grasp the scale of power he had just witnessed.
The difference between them and Akumi wasn't just a gap. It was a chasm. A divide as wide as heaven and earth itself.
Yet, amid the awe, Leo felt something else stir inside him. A small but steady ember.
'One day… I'll stand there too.'
The ceremony pressed on, as dozens more academies finished their march. It took nearly another half hour for the last of them to salute, at which point the formalities finally came to an end.
"And with that, ladies and gentlemen, the opening ceremony concludes!" the commentator declared, voice booming across the arena. "Tomorrow, the real bloodshed begins, as the first official matches of this year's Circuits kick off!"
The applause roared, the energy of the crowd reaching its peak, as the stage was officially set.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 162 162: Words ExchangedTimeless AssassinC162 162: Words Exchanged
(The Sky-God Dome, Grand Banquet Hall)
Following the opening ceremony, all the participants were asked to proceed to the Grand Banquet Hall, where a Gala-Lunch was arranged for them to chat and dine before the tournament began tomorrow.
It was a super social event, where long lost cousins of the six great clans and some other renowned clans got together and fraternised.
And yet another event, where the commoners felt slightly inferior and marginalized compared to their highborn peers.
"Skyshard, stick close to me during the Gala Dinner… alright?" Su Yang asked as the two of them stepped into the grand banquet hall alongside the rest of Rodova's team.
"Is there something I should be aware of?" Leo replied calmly, his sharp ears picking up on the faint tremor in Su Yang's voice, as the usually confident warrior seemed unusually tense and unsettled.
"No, I've got it under control," Su Yang exhaled, forcing a grin. "Just… stay close, and stop me from doing something stupid — like killing someone if we happen to cross paths."
Su Yang requested, as Leo let out a soft chuckle, amused by the strange blend of seriousness and humor lacing Su Yang's words.
It wasn't often that Su Yang appeared genuinely unsettled, and if Leo's instincts were anything to go by, the reason behind it likely revolved around one person — Su Ran.
Su Ran, the illegitimate child of Su Yang's father and a black mark in the eyes of their clan, was an unfavored successor to the patriarch's position, yet his undeniable talent kept him firmly in contention.
A year older than Su Yang, Su Ran had joined Geneva Military Academy the previous year and wasted no time, making it onto their main circuit team as a first-year Grandmaster — a feat that had stunned many.
Not only did he manage to impress the whole universe with his fighting skills last year, but now he was already under the sponsorship of the Blue Ocean Consortium and was widely regarded as one of the star contenders of this year's tournament.
Yet what most did not know was that Su Ran was also the reason Su Yang had never set foot in Geneva.
Su Yang, with his own talent, could have easily secured a spot on Geneva's team the moment he enrolled, but his hatred for Su Ran had driven him to reject the obvious path — leading him instead to Rodova, just to avoid ever standing under the same banner.
"I'm training to take my brother down at the circuits—"
Su Yang had told Leo many months ago, and now that they were here, it seemed like Su Yang was irritated just by standing in the same room as his brother.
—-------
Thankfully, for the first few minutes, nobody bothered the Rodova team that mostly stuck together.
There were only a few other team captains that came to have a chat with Yu Shen, and take a peek at the roster standing behind him, but nothing serious.
However, all that changed when the Geneva Team finally approached the Rodova Team, in what was a clash of the Interstellar Circuit Titans.
At the front of the Geneva delegation stood Gu Ramos, their captain, tall and broad-shouldered, while behind him was his roster of mostly Grandmaster warriors who walked with their chins held high and the prestige of reigning champions.
"Yu Shen—" Ramos said, extending his hand with a practiced smirk.
"Gu Ramos," Yu Shen replied coolly, grasping the hand without the faintest hint of a smile, as the two squeezed each other's palms.
The brief handshake was stiff, more of a formality than a greeting, as neither man flinched under the other's gaze.
"Here to lead Rodova into their twenty third loss in a row?" Ramos jabbed, flashing a cocky grin, as Yu Shen's lips twitched into an irritated smirk.
"At least we'll take the silver again… unlike you, who I heard struggled against Clarence." Yu Shen said, clicking his tongue, as he mocked Ramos for their recent media scandal.
"Tch tch, try not to get knocked out before the semi-finals. That would be… quite shameful." Yu Shen doubled down, as the surrounding crowd erupted into whispers, some letting out quiet 'ooohs' and chuckles at the sharp retort.
Meanwhile, a few steps behind them, Su Ran, the vice captain of Geneva, turned his attention to Su Yang, his younger half-brother.
"So you made it too, little brother," Su Ran said smoothly, his voice dripping with condescension.
Su Yang visibly winced at the sound, his fists tightening instinctively as he glared.
"I have no words to waste on a lowborn like you," Su Yang shot back coldly, his voice sharp and restrained as Su Ran chuckled, unaffected.
"Cold as always, I see." He said trying to bait Su Yang into abusing him more as usual, however, before Su Yang could say another word, it was Leo who placed a hand on his shoulders, urging him to hold back.
"You must be Leo Skyshard, Horizon's new signing and Rodova's number one junior. A pleasure to meet you.
However, I'm disappointed in you, Yang.
You're from the Su Family and yet, you still came second to some random Skyshard kid?" Su Ran said, as he turned his gaze from Leo to Su Yang once again, clearly trying to instigate a reaction out of his brother.
"Thank the heavens you didn't come to Geneva and chose Rodova instead, as with a talent like that you wouldn't even have made it to the Geneva team." Su Ran mocked, as his teammates laughed as Su Yang, who clenched his fists tightly at the insult.
"What did you sa–" Su Yang began, but before he could erupt, Leo calmly stepped forward, placing himself between the two.
"Thank you for acknowledging me," Leo said with a polite but hollow smile. "I had no idea I was famous before the tournament even began."
He tilted his head slightly. "But I'm terribly sorry… I can't say the same for you. I have no clue who the fuck you are."
Gasps spread through the crowd, as Leo failed to recognise Su Ran, last year's champion and star performer, as judging by the audience reaction, Leo's smile only widened slightly.
"But it doesn't matter. No one will remember your name after I smash you in battle anyway. So from now on, just hope and pray you don't cross paths with me again." Leo delivered convincingly, as with that, Leo turned sharply, signaling the rest of the Rodova team members to follow as they left Su Ran and the Geneva team standing there in stunned silence.
"Did he just say he doesn't know you?Su Ran?"
"Did they just turn their backs on us and leave?"
"Wait—, I just thought of an epic comeback for what he said! Damn it… I want to say it so badly now!"
"Fucking Rodova Dogs, Seems like we will have to put them in their place this year as well—"
The Geneva Team huffed and puffed in anger, as they felt pissed at the hit and run tactic that Rodova had used.
Being the champions, they had a very egoistic pride that couldn't handle being insulted like this, however, chasing after Rodova after they already turned and left would now make them look extremely petty.
Leaving them with no other option but to swallow their prides and hold their words for now.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 163 163: Preliminary Round PlanningTimeless AssassinC163 163: Preliminary Round Planning
The rest of the banquet passed by without a hitch for Leo and Su Yang, who kept chuckling from time to time at nothing in particular.
The duo garnered a lot of side-eyed gazes from the crowd, who would often talk in hushed tones behind their backs, however, neither Leo nor Su Yang let that affect themselves.
Already accustomed to the back-talk in school, the duo felt right at home in the banquet, which they completed without any incidents, before returning back to the villa.
—----------
(The Rodova Team Villa, 5:00 pm)
It was 5 PM when the team gathered in the villa's spacious living room for their final strategy meeting.
Tomorrow marked the beginning of the Circuits' most notorious phase— the Preliminary Elimination Round.
With over 2,000 teams participating, it was simply impossible to allow every academy to compete in the formal tournament bracket, which is why the participant pool was mercilessly cut down to just 64 teams through a brutal and unforgiving preliminary round — a trial dreaded by all mid seeded teams.
The rules were straightforward, but the execution was anything but.
All 2,001 teams were seeded into four groups — A, B, C, and D — based on their academy's standing from the previous year, with only the top 16 teams from each group advancing to the main tournament.
Each group was assigned one of the Sky-God Arena's classic battle layouts: the Forest, Desert, Tundra, or Flat Plain — each terrain designed to test not just strength, but adaptability and strategy.
The objective was equally simple on paper — eliminate as many opponents as possible within a one-hour timeframe, with every opponent defeated awarding one point.
Above the battlefield, live rankings would be projected onto massive screens for all to see, constantly updating as teams fought tooth and nail to climb into the top sixteen.
This was also the only round where all ten members of every team fought simultaneously, creating a chaotic, all-out battlefield where alliances were formed and broken in seconds, and where underdogs often pulled off shocking upsets.
For many mid seeded academies, this was not just a test of skill — but the most dangerous gamble of the entire tournament, as just the difference in prize pool for academies that made it to the top64 and the academies that did not, was a MASSIVE 25 million MP.
For most mid-sized academies, the entire goal of the circuits was to get to the round of 64 and get the 25 million MP reward to improve their facilities.
However, for Rodova it was nothing to write home about
"We have an alliance with the Nature Military Academy and the Sapphire Academy for the first round, so nobody kill their students.
Is that clear?" Yu Shen said, as he presented a strategy map on the living room monitor.
"We are in group B and the battle-map assigned to us is the Forest Map, which means there will be plenty of places for our enemies to hide and set up ambushes.
Forest is one of those maps where hunting alone can cost you dearly, however, we are Rodova Military Academy, and we can't go around like bitches either, so we will move in packs of two.
I'll go with Boxer.
Minerva with DP
Su Yang with Drake
Du Plessis with Kohli
And Leo you go with Enzo—" Yu Shen instructed, as everyone nodded in acknowledgement.
"The goal is to not let your partner get killed and score as many points as you can in the 60 minutes allotted for this stage.
There will be 5000 contestants in our pool, 4990 of them enemies, and as per previous year averages, you need to score at least 200 points to qualify.
But we are Rodova and we aim for the number one spot, so we are aiming for 500 eliminations.
That comes to 100 eliminations per team, which everyone must complete—" Yu Shen instructed, as he left no room for arguments or self-doubt.
To be fair 500 eliminations was a very tall target to achieve in under 60 mins, however, Yu Shen believed in the philosophy of 'Aim Small, Miss Small', which was why he believed that if he gave the team a 500 kill target to achieve, they may end up reaching 450.
However, if he gave them a target of 450, they may only reach 400.
"Su Yang and Leo. The two of you need to be careful of what skills you put out tomorrow—
You're both a blank slate for many, and if you can hide your skills in this preliminary round, it will be useful for you when the real difficult rounds begin, however, it's always more important to live in the present, so if you find yourself in a pinch, use it but don't get eliminated.
Got it?" Yu Shen said, as both Leo and Su Yang nodded.
"Finally and most importantly. USE YOUR HEADS.
There's no point walking into ego-traps here.
If some area feels shady.
If something smells of foul play or ambush.
Avoid it.
Don't waste time falling into a stupid trap that will waste time for you and the team, costing us all points.
Because I swear if I replay the tapes tomorrow night and watch any of you commit some sort of braindead fuckery, I will bench you for the next three fights.
And won't call on you even if we are losing— Got it?" Yu Shen said, as the entire team replied in unison with a "Yes, Captain!"
"Good. Now let's huddle up and conclude the meeting. You're all free to spend the rest of your day as you like.
But I expect you to be ready in your uniforms at 6:00 am tomorrow morning, as although our match starts at 8:00, we will arrive at 6:00 and watch group A's match in full—" Yu shen said, as he gestured the team for a huddle, as on his count they all chanted at once—
"Strength above all! Heart beyond strength! Rodova Forever!"
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 164 164: Group ATimeless AssassinC164 164: Group A
(Sky-God Arena — Group A Preliminary Round)
The next morning, the Rodova team took their place high in the stands, surrounded by a sea of roaring spectators.
Compared to the opening ceremony yesterday, the difference in crowd size today for the preliminaries was staggering.
Every seat, from the front rows to the highest balconies, was packed, with only a few scattered vacancies where latecomers had yet to arrive.
The air was electric. Flags bearing academy crests waved from every direction, while merchants on the walkways sold limited-edition merchandise and commemorative food packs.
For the average citizen, this wasn't just a tournament — it was a once-in-a-year spectacle and the universal government seemed to try hard to keep the atmosphere as energetic as possible, providing the guests with the best view and ambience.
On the field below, 15 minutes before the fight began, the massive arena floor rumbled as it began to shift.
And at that moment—
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!" boomed Derek Ray's voice through the enchanted speakers.
"Welcome to the first day of the Interstellar Circuits! I'm Derek Ray, joined by the ever-insightful Lee Dixon!"
"And what a day it will be, Derek," Lee replied smoothly, his voice igniting another wave of cheers.
The duo had been the official commentators for the circuits for the past decade, and the crowd loved their insightful banter.
"Group A's preliminary elimination is set to begin in just fifteen minutes, and I dare say the crowd is more than ready!"
As Derek and Lee hyped up the crowd, the battlefield almost completed its transformation.
The plain steel beneath the arena cracked and reformed, as glowing mana circuits rearranged the surface like puzzle pieces.
Moments later, a blinding flash of light engulfed the entire stage.
When the light faded, the iconic Tundra Map had materialized — a harsh and unforgiving expanse of snow-covered plains, jagged ice mountains, treacherous pitfalls, and winding cave systems.
Snowstorms swept across parts of the terrain, limiting visibility, while icy winds howled ominously.
The field wasn't just for show either. Hidden cracks dotted the landscape, some of which could collapse without warning, plunging unlucky contestants into pits that triggered immediate eliminations.
As the teams began entering the arena, every participant was enveloped by a soft glow.
"Ah, for those new to the Circuits, you'll notice every contestant has been tagged by the mandatory Teleportation Seal," Derek explained. "This seal will automatically eject a contestant the moment they suffer sufficient damage or a life-threatening injury."
"That's right," Lee added. "Unlike street duels, death is not permitted here. Even if you get stabbed through the heart, the medics on standby can still save you, thanks to their advanced medical techniques and the pre-installed spell matrix. However, contestants aiming for eliminations are expected to avoid unnecessary brutality. While non-lethal eliminations like stabbing through the gut or shoulder are fair game, going for the kill — especially things like decapitation — is outright forbidden."
"And remember," Derek chimed in, "points are only reliably awarded when contestants defeat opponents without excessive violence. Trying to look edgy by stabbing someone through the neck might not even give you a point if the judges frown on it!"
As the explanations wrapped up, the battle finally began.
A loud horn blared.
And chaos erupted.
Hundreds of mages immediately took to the skies, hoping to gain an early advantage, but their enthusiasm was swiftly met with volleys of arrows, thrown lances, and spell fire, forcing many back to the ground in burning heaps.
Swordmasters and martial artists swarmed through the snowy plains, while assassins used the blizzards and caves for guerrilla tactics. Ambushes, traps, and coordinated strikes unfolded at breakneck speed.
Leo watched intently as two factions clashed by an icy ravine, where a group from Clarence Academy made quick work of a smaller academy, coordinating flawlessly with well-timed spells and spears that forced their enemies into a tight circle before their mage eliminated them all with a single wide range spell.
"Clarence are more aggressive than usual this year, their confidence seems high" Su Yang muttered beside him, as Leo nodded without breaking his gaze.
Soon, another skirmish flared to life near the western mountain range.
There, Geneva Academy's team made their presence known. Su Ran himself led a squad of four, systematically dismantling enemy teams with frightening precision.
His spear danced between gaps in the enemy formation, picking them apart one by one, while his teammates provided perfect cover.
"They're cutting through them like paper," Minerva commented.
"The rumors weren't exaggerated," Yu Shen said bluntly. "Su Ran and Geneva this year are very strong opposition "
Yet for all the action below, Leo's eyes were calm — observing, calculating, absorbing every detail.
He did not worry about meaningless things like what would happen if he faced one of the stronger warriors than him in battle, as thinking about hypotheticals was simply a waste of his time.
Instead what he focused on was how the other Assassin type fighters fought in the Tundra and what were the types of techniques they used, as he kept an eye out for interesting battle strategies.
Overall, all the Assassin type fighters seemed to have the same types of basic skills.
A movement skill to weave through enemy attacks, or move silently.
A short-distance blink or dash.
A concealing skill to blend into the environment, and a singular lethal strike meant to end fights in a single blow — the classic assassin toolkit.
It was almost formulaic.
But sometimes, he saw flashes of originality in those who refused to follow the textbook.
An assassin from Volgrath Academy, for instance, used a self-made skill combo where he kicked up snow into the air before every engagement, by using a fist strike on the floor, masking his presence and movements amidst the storm, disorienting enemies who relied on vision alone.
Another contestant, a beastfolk from the Red Fang Tribe, used his tail in tandem with his dual daggers, executing unpredictable triple-strike combos that left opponents scrambling.
And most impressive of all was a lone fighter from Ironheart Academy, who dared to forgo stealth altogether. Instead, he mixed brute force into his assassination style, parrying direct attacks with a short sword while dispatching enemies with mana spell techniques, opting for control and precision over the traditional quick kills.
These glimpses of creativity, while rare, were exactly what Leo was looking for.
'Good,' Leo thought to himself.
As it felt good to see such originality thrive in a universe where class roles were expected to be fixed and rigid.
However, as much as he appreciated the lone creative fighter, in the end it were the traditional giants that scored the most points, as without any surprises, Geneva came first with 412 eliminations, Clarence a close second with 402, and Tulip third with 340.
In the end, all the big academies made it through to the next round without a hitch, as although there were a few upsets down the table, with one of the academies seeded in the low 200's somehow making it through to top16 through a shock last ten seconds double elimination.
Most of the qualification table ended up to be predictable for Group A, with no major upsets or unexpected top academy eliminations this early into the tournament.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 165 165: Group BTimeless AssassinC165 165: Group B
Once Group A's match concluded at 7:15 sharp, Yu Shen immediately gathered the Rodova team and led them to the assigned changing rooms, with Major Hen and Professor David following closely behind.
The changing rooms, much like everything else hastily built for the circuits, were cramped — just ten small wall-mounted lockers per team. Still, given that they had to construct facilities for over 2,000 teams, the space constraint was understandable.
"Alright! My gear from the Phoenix Group finally arrived!" Su Yang said with barely contained excitement, drawing every eye in the room.
Instead of the standard team-issued armor, Su Yang's locker held his custom order — and judging by his smug expression, it was exactly what he had been waiting for.
"Oh my god, that hurts my eyes!" Enzo groaned, shielding his face as he stared at the gaudy set.
Su Yang had chosen an outrageous golden-and-red color scheme that, while matching his golden eyes perfectly, was otherwise bright enough to be seen from orbit.
"What the fuck is that armor, Yang? Are you trying to paint yourself as a goddamn target visible from a mile away?!" Professor David barked, his voice sharp with disbelief, while Su Yang simply smirked in response, looking unfazed by his words.
"Circuit rules only require the academy badge to be visible on all armor sets, while there are no other restrictions," Su Yang replied smugly, pointing to the Red Rodova Military Academy emblem on his armor set, as he took the piss out of David.
"So long as that's there, the rest is none of your business." He said, clearly undermining David's authority, as the professor's left eye visibly twitched at the insult.
"Listen, you little shit. You will not wear that eyesore in the forest map today. Save it for the individual rounds. As your instructor, I demand you take it off." David yelled, however, Su Yang simply shrugged in non compliance, as he brushed David's words aside as if he were nothing more than background noise.
"Oh, fuck off. Like hell I'd listen to you." Su Yang replied, as he continued to gear up in his gaudy armor, as David clenched his fists in a ball, before turning to Hen and Yu Shen for support.
David hoped that since he was talking sensibly, one of them would at least back him, however, much to his dismay both Hen and Yu Shen remained calmly indifferent to the subject, offering him no support, as he was forced to swallow his pride and back down.
Everyone in the room knew David had a point, yet none dared to intervene — after all, Su Yang wasn't technically breaking any rules, and nobody had the heart to rob him of his armor choice.
"Aww, hell no," Leo muttered as he checked his own locker, already sensing something was off.
Inside, instead of the pitch-black assassin armor he had requested, was a sleek dark gray and blue set. The base was a muted, near-black gray, but what stood out — much to his annoyance — was a soft blue scarf draped around the neck plate.
The armor was lightweight, flexible, and fit perfectly, exactly as specified in terms of function. But aesthetically, it wasn't what he wanted. It wasn't even what assassins usually wore. The design leaned closer to a fashionable military uniform than the standard assassin gear.
"Holy shit, your armor looks very cool, Skyshard! That Horizon Dominion branding in light blue really pops," Minerva commented, clearly amused, as Leo's frown deepened.
The Horizon Dominion group had been crafty with the armor badging.
While the Rodova emblem was present, it was etched in dull black, nearly invisible against the dark gray armor, but still technically satisfying regulations.
And in contrast, Horizon's own logo — was printed in bold and crisp light blue — which stood out glaringly on his chest, wrist plates, neck scarf, and even on the hilt of every dagger he carried.
*Sigh*
Leo sighed, realizing he looked less like an assassin and more like a walking advertising billboard, as he was covered in Horizon badging from head to toe.
However, despite being a little pissed about wearing such an armor, Leo had to admit — it did look pretty damn good on him.
If one ignored the blatant branding, the dark gray and blue dual-tone matched perfectly with his fair skin and gray eyes, giving him a sharp, intimidating presence.
More importantly, the armor provided excellent mobility, feeling like a second skin as he moved.
Leo wasn't an expert in metallurgy, nor did he care to be, but even he could tell that this custom set was several kilograms lighter than Rodova's standard issue.
He had no clue how the Horizon Dominion managed to make it this light without sacrificing protection, but he wasn't about to complain about free agility.
"Team Rodova, reporting time in 30 minutes. Please queue up for mandatory teleportation spell casting," a tournament organizer announced, prompting Yu Shen to gather the team.
Without delay, they made their way to the nearest Transcendent Mage Station, where each of them was marked with the standard emergency teleportation seal — a critical failsafe to eject them instantly from the arena if they took excessive damage or suffered a life-threatening injury, or were just eliminated in general.
Once the process was complete, they lined up near their assigned entry gate, eyes drifting toward the massive countdown clock above the tunnel, steadily ticking away the minutes.
[00:05:49]
Yu Shen stood at the front, projecting calm and authority as he addressed the team one last time.
"This will be a walk in the park. The average opponent you'll face here won't even come close to the average classmates you have left behind in Rodova, so don't panic even if a few surround you."
His eyes swept over the team, voice firm but steady.
"Just remember to keep your heads open, and more importantly, watch out for your teammates. We don't need any heroes. We need points."
He raised a finger for emphasis.
"I want 100 points from each duo. No excuses. Got it?"
Yu Shen demanded, as the team nodded and cheered in response.
His speech helped kill some time and eased the team members' nerves, as when the clock dipped below [00:01:59], Yu Shen called for the team to huddle around him once again.
"Okay, come on, one last chant before we go out.
We are Rodova, and today we must fight with the pride of the 55 wins our academy has previously scored—" Yu Shen said, as he huddled the team around himself, as they let out one last chant in unison.
"Strength above all—Heart beyond strength— Rodova Forever!"
As with that, the clock timer finally hit [00:00:00], and the gates opened, allowing the Rodova team to enter the forest map from their designated entry gate.
—----------
Nobody wasted a second after the gate opened, as within 5 seconds, the 5 Rodova team sub-groups spread out in all directions looking for prey to kill.
Leo, focused and locked in, was hungry to score some crucial points, when not even 15 seconds into the preliminary round starting, he felt a hand being placed on his shoulder, by his senior teammate Enzo.
"I'm the senior here, Skyshard, let me take the lead on where to go and fight, so that we can avoid unnecessary traps.
I've trained in the jungle during our summer camp…. So trust me, I know what I'm doing—" Enzo said, as he tried to play the role of a reliable senior.
However, Leo just shook his head in dismissal and threw a couple daggers near the nearby tree branch, as a hidden enemy suddenly fell down from the branch, being eliminated from the preliminary round.
"Huh? Where did he come from?" Enzo mused in shock, as Leo simply tapped on his head like he were a little lost puppy.
"Do you have [Absolute Vision] that can see everything happening in your surroundings without leaving any blind spots? Can you spot enemies hidden behind trees, leaves? Or those that dig holes in the ground to hide?" Leo asked, as Enzo shook his head in denial.
"I thought so…. So please shut up and don't slow me down… because I already know where the next 15 enemies are around us— and I can probably kill them all in under 5 minutes" Leo said, as he turned and locked in on the hunt once again, forcing Enzo to follow him around like a toothless puppy.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 166 166: First GlimpseTimeless AssassinC166 166: First Glimpse
(Sky-God Arena — Group B Preliminary Round)
Fifteen minutes into the preliminary round, Team Rodova had a commanding lead on the top of the points table, as even the commentators began praising them.
"Fifteen minutes into Group B's fight, and Rodova is showing no signs of slowing down!" Derek Ray's voice boomed across the arena.
"They've already scored 150 eliminations and are on an unstoppable roll. What do you have to say about their performance so far, Lee?"
"Absolutely magnificent, Derek," Lee replied smoothly.
"They've adopted a hyper-offensive strategy, breaking into five smaller groups, each dominating a different section of the forest map, and while it's a very risky play, it's paying off big time for them.
Just look at that 40-point gap over the number two team from the start—" Lee praised, as all the Rodova supporters in the crowd cheered loudly.
This was exactly the sort of dominating performance that they had come here hoping for, and so far their favorite team was delivering as expected.
—---------
Meanwhile, down on the battlefield, Leo moved like a shadow.
Thanks to [Absolute Vision], every opponent within his skill zone stood exposed to him as if under a spotlight, as it was only today that Leo profusely thanked Professor Powell for all his perception classes, as he felt like it was all paying off now.
Back as a student, he often wondered if he needed to practically train his perception skill to such a degree, however, standing within this forest map today, Leo could not be any more grateful for the practice.
He could notice all the enemies in his vicinity, and as he approached a new section of the map, he saw five of them spread in a small area.
Hidden behind a thick oak, twenty meters away, Leo picked up on the location of the Griffin Academy students, who had prepared a textbook ambush.
Two archers were hidden high among the trees, their bows taut and ready and below them, two heavily armored tanks stood seemingly relaxed, posing as bait in a small clearing.
To an unobserving fool, it might look like the two tanks were alone, however, Leo saw the whole set-up and even the fifth variable.
As near a thicket close by, an assassin lurked in the shadows, eyes trained entirely on the clearing where unsuspecting teams might stumble-in trying to take on the tanks.
"Idiots—" Leo mused, as he explained their positions to Enzo, before pointing him in the direction of one of the archers.
"That one archer is yours, take him down without making a commotion and I'll handle the rest." He instructed, as the duo parted ways.
Immediately, Leo activated [Vanish], disappearing from common sight like mist under moonlight, as he soundlessly creeped behind the assassin hiding in the thicket.
The Griffin Academy Assassin, confident in his hiding position, never even noticed Leo silently closing in from behind, as his attention remained stupidly locked on the two tanks ahead.
*THUMP*
By the time he realized something was off, Leo's dagger had already pierced clean through his back, snuffing out his presence instantly as the teleportation seal activated.
Meanwhile, Enzo charged toward one of the archers, however, unlike Leo, he wasn't as precise or clean with his movement and kill.
The archer sensed him coming and began firing desperate shots for protection, forcing Enzo into a hectic scuffle.
*Shua–*
*Shua–*
*SNAP–*
Arrows flew, branches broke, as the two engaged in a noisy scuffle, the commotion drawing the attention of the two tanks and the remaining archer towards their fight.
"Come on! Randall needs our help—" one of the tanks urged, drawing the jumbotron camera with him, as somehow the main camera decided that this was the fight to broadcast at this moment.
However, unaware of the wider attention this altercation was receiving at this moment, Leo moved in for the kill on the two tanks whose backs were turned towards him.
*SLASH!*
With surgical precision, Leo danced past tree trunks and underbrush, his movements a blur, as before the tanks even registered his approach, their teleportation seals flashed, ejecting them one after another as Leo eliminated them both with a single slash.
*GASP—*
The audience gasped collectively at the sudden elimination, as just like the tanks, even the audience never saw Leo's incoming attack, until it was too late.
"What was that?"
"How did they even get eliminated?"
"How many enemies?"
The audience wondered, as the camera angle finally cut to Leo, who was now hunting down the last archer.
*Shua–*
*Shua–*
Leo threw his daggers towards the running archer, who seemed desperate to bail out of this fight and survive by moving to another section of the forest.
However, unfortunately for him, Leo's daggers found their mark in his back, as he too was eliminated from the preliminary round, with Leo lodging yet another kill under his name.
"That's four more—" Leo mused, with the arena screens catching it all, as for the first time, the entire universe saw a live footage of Leo Skyshard in action.
—--------
"That's Leo Skyshard from Rodova!" Derek exclaimed. "A wildcard replacement who wasn't even part of the main roster until recently. But just look at that form on that dagger throw— absolutely flawless!"
"And if you notice," Lee added, "Horizon Dominion's badge on his armor tells you everything you need to know about this young chap. Horizon doesn't sign just anyone. So we would advise our audience to keep your eyes open for this kid, he's a superstar in the making."
Listening to the commentators talk about Leo, the crowd erupted.
"Who is that cool assassin?" gasped a young student in the stands. "He looks like a superhero!"
"Skyshard… isn't a noble name—" an older spectator mused. "Did Horizon really sign a kid with no big family background?"
"I don't care who he is—he's very fast," a seasoned watcher muttered. "Reminds me of the old Rodova team captain Kossova Blaine from twenty-five years ago….That guy had the fastest feet I've ever seen."
One after another, audience members discussed Leo and various aspects of his fighting and fit, as the name 'Leo Skyshard' entered the public consciousness for the first time.
It wasn't a huge impact, however, his performance was enough for people to keep an eye out for him from now on.
———
Across another section of the forest, Yu Shen calmly controlled a dense tree cluster.
His blade flowed like water as he dispatched two enemies from Ironhide Academy, their clunky armor proving worthless against Yu Shen's pinpoint strikes.
"Yu Shen looks as sharp as ever," Lee commented. "His control over the mid-map region is picture-perfect."
—------
Meanwhile on the other side of the map, Su Yang blazed through three opponents of his own. His red and gold armor practically glowed as he spun his sword with unmatched elegance, tripping one and finishing the others with clean thrusts.
"And with another point scored for Rodova by Su Yang, the Rodova Military Academy now sit comfortably at 390 eliminations with fifteen minutes left on the clock," Derek announced.
"They're inching close to Geneva's record of 450. Can they pull it off?"
He asked, as with 15 minutes left on the clock, the only question remaining now was whether or not Rodova could outscore Geneva in the preliminary round.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 167 167: Good WorkTimeless AssassinC167 167: Good Work
The seconds ticked away, and with every passing moment, the end of the Group B preliminary round drew closer.
Most of the weaker contestants had already been culled, leaving behind only the determined and the desperate.
Especially among those from lower-ranked academies, whose teams hadn't yet secured a qualifying spot— desperation had fully set in now, driving them to fight recklessly for every last point and somehow attempt qualification.
"Incoming group of four opponents... One of them is a Grandmaster," Leo said calmly, as his eyes tracked an approaching squad through [Absolute Vision].
"They're stronger than what you can handle. Hide behind that tree, and only step in if I call for backup." Leo instructed, as Enzo did not hesitate.
Nodding quickly, he slipped behind a nearby tree, leaving Leo to face the enemies alone.
"All halt," the enemy team leader commanded, raising a hand when they approached Leo, as he prevented the team members behind him from recklessly engaging.
It was at this moment that Leo recognized the familiar insignia on their armor— the green-etched emblem of Nature Military Academy— and the man leading them as the Elf swordsman he had seen briefly during their friendly spar against Rodova a few months ago.
"Leave him," the elf captain ordered, "That's a Rodova warrior."
Without further question, the squad paused briefly to assess Leo, but upon confirming his affiliation, they simply moved around him, unwilling to waste time on an ally when there were less than five minutes on the clock.
They left without drawing their weapons.
However, as their backs turned, Leo instinctively felt the urge to strike.
With their guards down and their formation open, they were perfect targets, as somehow Leo found his fingers subconsciously coiling around the hilt of his dagger, as he carefully adjusted his aim.
'Should I do it?' Leo thought, as the temptation gnawed at him.
But before he could throw, the Nature Academy captain subtly turned his head and locked eyes with him, as he dared Leo to follow through with that throw.
'Bring it—' His gaze dared, as Leo froze.
Under the elves' unspoken challenge, Leo's dagger stayed at his side, muscles tensing as he instinctively backed down.
Yet his mind buzzed with excitement.
"That's... interesting, so very very interesting" Leo muttered under his breath, sheathing his dagger as he signaled Enzo to step out of hiding.
The prey had walked away — but it wasn't fear that stopped Leo from making that strike.
It was instinct.
It was his primal instincts whispering I'm his head that this wasn't the time to hunt if the enemy had already spotted his intent—
As Leo felt pretty sure that if the Elf Captain did not catch him at the right moment, he would have most likely gone for a squad-wipe, despite their alliance, as there was no way in hell that he passed up on four easy kills otherwise.
—--------
Seconds ticked by, and Leo barely found three more targets to eliminate in the last 5 minutes, as a loud horn signalled the end of round two.
*BLARE—*
Following the horn, all contestants still alive within the forest, were immediately teleported outside, as the final top16 spots were locked in.
"And that's it, ladies and gentlemen—Rodova has done it!" Derek Ray's voice boomed across the stadium, cutting through the cheers.
"Rodova surpasses Geneva's record with a staggering 475 eliminations! Is this the year they finally take back the crown after more than two decades of heartbreak?"
"Truly incredible, Derek," Lee chimed in, voice brimming with excitement.
"They came out swinging from the very first second and never took their foot off the gas.
We've seen aggressive plays in preliminaries before, but Rodova's five-squad split this time was absolutely fearless.
They executed their game plan with the discipline and sharpness you only expect from championship-caliber teams, as the Rodova team this year seems ready to challenge for the crown." Lee said, as the crowd responded with thunderous applause.
"Not to mention," Lee continued, "with performances like 88 eliminations by Captain Yu Shen alone today, you can't help but feel like this Rodova team has more to show us in the later rounds. Their adaptability on the forest map was textbook perfect."
"Absolutely," Derek agreed. "And while Rodova steals the headlines, let's not forget about our runners-up—Nature Military Academy, who came in second place with 301 eliminations, securing their spot in the main rounds comfortably."
"And in third place," Lee added, "we have the Ironblood Academy with 288 eliminations, which is still a very respectable showing given how chaotic this preliminary turned out to be."
"But perhaps the most pleasant surprise," Derek pointed out, "was the qualification of Ironfrost Academy, seeded all the way down at 380th coming into this year's Circuits, yet managing to clutch their spot with 61 eliminations, scraping into the top sixteen."
"And it wasn't just luck either, Derek," Lee said. "Their swordsman—Hikari, I believe—was absolutely electric in the closing stages, pulling off a last-minute triple elimination to get them over the line."
"A young prodigy, it seems. We'll definitely be watching him closely when Group B advances to the main bracket," Derek commented.
As the crowd buzzed with mixed reactions, some cheered for the underdogs while others discussed Rodova's dominating performance.
—---------
Back in the teleportation area, cheers and celebrations for Rodova's strong preliminary round showing already began, as the team members quickly found each other before jumping onto Captain Yu Shen, who looked very proud of his gang.
"I know I asked for 500…. But I guess I'll make do with 475—" Yu Shen said with an approving grin, as everyone burst into cheers.
Before the preliminary round started, none of them thought that 500 was an achievable score, however, somehow they came very close to hitting it.
Yu Shen alone eliminated 88 opponents, while Leo was close behind in second with 84.
Su Yang got 72 and Minerva 66, as all four of their teams completed the 100 eliminations target and then some, however, it was the fifth duo with no Grandmaster warrior amidst them that could only manage 47 eliminations total, dragging the teams overall score down to 475.
Nonetheless, with them surpassing Geneva, Yu Shen was still content, as he gave everyone praises and pats on the shoulder along with a few encouraging words to keep up the good work.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 168 168: SpotlightTimeless AssassinC168 168: Spotlight
The undercurrents of Rodova's dominant win in Group B rippled far beyond the cheering crowds and the celebratory atmosphere inside the Sky-God Arena.
Just as Rodova had quietly watched Group A's preliminary round early this morning, now it was Geneva, Clarence, and other top academies who sat with sharp focus, analyzing every move made by their competitors.
Gu Ramos, Geneva's captain, leaned forward slightly, arms crossed as his eyes locked onto the jumbotron replay of Rodova's performance. His expression was stoic, but the subtle tension in his jaw betrayed his unease.
"We knew Yu Shen was very strong, but those two first years are beyond our expectations.
I know Su Ran warned me about his younger brother potentially making it to the team, and that he was a real talent.
However, it's just absurd that he's so strong so fast.
And it's not just him alone…. That Leo Skyshard kid is a real menace too—" Ramos remarked, his voice quiet but firm.
Beside him, Geneva's academy strategist and instructor was already typing furiously into his terminal, pulling up whatever fragments of footage they had managed to gather.
"Don't worry, Ramos. I had someone tail all ten members of Rodova during the prelims. The forest map made clean footage hard to come by, but we still got enough to extract valuable data points. We'll have clippings ready for analysis by tonight," the instructor assured, as Ramos gave her a silent nod, his black eyes narrowing.
Yu Shen's Dominance was expected— everyone knew he was the backbone of Rodova, but Leo Skyshard? That wildcard replacement who wasn't even on their radar a month ago? That was alarming.
And more importantly, Leo wasn't just present, he was almost on par with Yu Shen in terms of performance, who was already one of their biggest nightmares this year.
"Bad…. I'm getting bad vibes from this—" Ramos commented, as he felt his stomach turn with unease.
—------
Meanwhile, within the upper offices of the Universal Government's Military Command Division, an old commander sat lazily behind his desk, smoke curling up from a thick cigar wedged between his fingers.
The commander's eyes were locked onto the TV screen in front of him as he watched this year's Preliminary Circuit unfold with a keen interest.
However, instead of listening to the commentators analyze and breakdown the previous match before the next one started, he chose to call an old junior instead, as he made a secure video call from his office phone.
"Alric, goddamn it," the commander chuckled the moment Principal Alric's hologram appeared.
"You've sent a team of roaring lions this year. Hahaha! What an early showing." he complimented, as Alric, the ever composed gentleman that he was, immediately responded with a military salute befitting of greeting a senior, before responding politely and in a professional tone.
"We were fortunate, sir. The students performed admirably."
"Fortunate? Cut the modesty," the commander waved dismissively, puffing out a cloud of smoke. "Yu Shen, that high born brat of the Yu Clan was born for this. We already knew his potential after last year. But that newcomer — Leo Skyshard — now that was a surprise."
The commander leaned closer to his console. "Tell me, what's his story?"
Alric exhaled slowly, as he knew what the commander's interest in one of his students meant.
The commander wanted his full history, right from his admission to his current power level and Alric gave it all without a hitch.
"Wiped memory, sir. We presume he's a Mu Clan descendant. As you're aware, the clan has a history of sending their young ones into the universe stripped of memory to temper their instincts.
Other than that he's a hard worker and a Monarch level talent. Breezed through to Grandmaster realm without a hitch–" Alric reported as the commander chuckled.
"Mu Clan, huh? Those sly bastards always produce the best warriors.
Central's got their eyes on him already, they want to take him in if he continues to perform well, which is why I pulled his academy records myself.
His physical stats are off the damn charts, Alric, I mean, what's up with his absurd reflexes?" The commander asked, as Alric's grin widened from the other end.
"His reflexes are the best in academy history. And his growth rate is absurd. If he's this strong as a first year, I'm feeling very confident that no-one will be able to scratch him at the circuit's next year if he continues on his current trajectory—" Alric responded, as the commander let out another giant ball of smoke.
"He's the type of talent that the Universal Army needs.
Recruitment staff have already started to take notice of him and while his offer letter is not guaranteed yet…. I presume that when the time comes for him to choose his future career options, you will do your best to drive him towards the universal army—" The commander said, raising an eyebrow, as Alric immediately responded with a salute.
"Of course sir, there's no better place than the universal army for a young recruit like him. I'll of course guide him to the best of my abilities—" Alric replied, as the commander began chuckling once again.
"Bahahaha—, good, very good… that's why I like you so much—" the commander said, as his eyes turned mirthful for one second before turning stone cold the next.
"Send me his psychological evaluation records…. And help me determine which branch of the Mu Clan he's from.
If he's from the main clan, we might face resistance recruiting him into our fold, given the standoff between the six great clans and the universal government.
However, as long as he's out of the race for the position of patriarch, he's fair game for the universal government to recruit—" The commander demanded, as Alric saluted and nodded once again.
"It will be done, sir!" Alric assured, as the call disconnected.
With just a brief display of his strength, Leo had already stirred the waters, drawing the attention of hungry wolves who now circled him like prey.
Yet, with the spotlight came inevitable scrutiny. And while everything seemed bright and promising for now, it was only a matter of time before someone started digging too deeply— and when they did, the buried skeletons of his past risked clawing their way back into the light.
Skeletons that Leo couldn't afford being exposed at this stage of his life.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 169 169: Cult Of Ascension Moves In The ShadowsTimeless AssassinC169 169: Cult Of Ascension Moves In The Shadows
(Rodova Team Villa, The Terrace)
Leo sat alone atop the terrace of the Rodova team villa in the middle of the night, as sleep no longer held the same grip on him since his breakthrough to Grandmaster.
He gazed up at the stars, their cold brilliance scattered across the night sky, as the silhouette of the massive Sky-God arena loomed quietly in the distance.
The air was sharp and biting, yet strangely calming, as Leo soaked in the stillness of the night, searching for a fragment of peace within the storm brewing inside him.
He had beads of sweat forming on his forehead despite the coldness of his environment, as despite the serene atmosphere he found himself in, Leo just couldn't remove the thought of his family being in danger out of his head.
'Please hold on mother….. I'll come to save you soon–' Leo thought to himself, as he tried to reassure his anxious heart that everything would soon be okay.
*Swoop*
At that moment, something flashed from the corner of his eyes, as Leo instinctively activated [Absolute Vision].
For a second he felt his senses blare on high alert, as he wondered if an enemy was stalking him?
However, minutes passed by and he neither saw any enemy, nor did he notice any movement in his vicinity, which made him wonder if his previous alarm had just been a hallucination?
'Could I just be getting paranoid?' Leo wondered, as he did not think that someone could enter his field of vision and then move out of it completely undetected within half a second, however, at this point in his life he was unaware of the speed at which transcendent warriors travelled.
0.5 seconds.
That's how long it took him to notice the irregularity and activate [Absolute Vision], however, there was nobody suspicious in his vicinity by that time.
Leo thought that maybe it were just his nerves that were on edge tonight, however, what he did not perceive was that, it was the Evil Cult moving into action.
—----------
(Sky-God Arena — Maintenance Level 7, Restricted Zone)
Du Wan and Lu Juan, two veteran security officers of the Sky-God Arena, moved with silent efficiency through the dimly lit maintenance tunnels beneath the arena.
They had just picked up the restricted package from the surface just under a minute ago, and were now veering off their usual patrol route to complete their mission.
To the world, they were ordinary security personnel— loyal Transcendent-level warriors serving under the order of the Righteous Alliance. Where their clan names alone, Du and Lu, commanded respect within the Alliance's inner circles.
But beneath the polished surface, they were something far more different.
Disgruntled by their clan's cruel practices and civilian oppression, they hated their family as much as any other commoner, which had pushed them to embrace the Cult of Ascension's ideology years ago.
They were sleeper agents of the Cult Of Ascension, who had embedded themselves within the system for over a decade, waiting for the right chance to strike.
For years, they had operated as model officers, never giving anyone reason to doubt their allegiance, their infiltration being completely flawless.
They had witnessed countless tournaments, laughed at jokes during patrols with other normal guards, and had even received medals for their "exemplary service."
And yet tonight, as the instructions they had been eagerly waiting for years finally arrived, they ditched their usual act in an instant, and became agents of the cult instead.
Their mission was as simple as it was devastating: which was to plant the enchanted bombs onto the platform-changing array buried beneath the arena floor.
Given to them were inconspicuous metal plates, no different from ordinary steel parts at first glance.
However, each one was inscribed with forbidden runes and hidden under layers of anti-detection enchantments, making them invisible to even the most advanced surveillance spells and formations.
"These plates are the real deal," Du Wan muttered, inspecting one under the flickering tunnel lights. "Even the central command's detection formation wouldn't pick up on these."
Lu Juan nodded silently, adjusting the plates under his arm. Neither of them spoke further, as they knew better than to tempt fate by getting careless this close to the finish line.
According to their intelligence report, other agents of the Cult had taken care of the patrol officers responsible for monitoring the underground floors for a short window of 3 minutes.
Which was the time-window they now had to successfully execute their mission without being detected.
With throbbing hearts, they followed the maze-like tunnels beneath the Sky-God arena, until they reached the massive core array.
Before them stood the colossal platform-changing mechanism— a marvel of modern engineering and mana circuitry, and the core of the Sky-God Arena's versatility that gave it the ability to change arena floors at will.
As without hesitation, they got to work.
Du Wan methodically affixed one of the bombs onto one of the retracting support bases, right around a hinge, where the plate blended with its surroundings naturally and looked like it was a part of the design.
"Perfect—" He muttered to himself, as when he inspected the mechanism while testing for mana flow, where he could not sense any mana leaking from the bomb at all, with the bomb feeling like it was just a regular steel part.
Lu Juan mirrored his partner's actions on another retractable base, embedding the second plate deep within the mechanical structure, as the duo repeated the process over and over again on a majority of the bases, until they ran out of bombs to affix.
The bombs didn't glow, didn't hum, didn't even shift the mana flow around them.
As they were simply perfectly disguised.
Once all of them were secured, Du Wan and Lu Juan exchanged a subtle nod and quietly exited the restricted zone, retracing their steps with the same calm and professionalism that they had shown for years, as they completed their task within 2 minutes at best.
—--------
As they emerged back into the general maintenance corridors, blending once again with the dozens of other known staff members wandering about, they tipped their hats and exchanged knowing smiles without acting suspicious.
As the staff replied with the same politeness, with nobody suspecting anything out of the ordinary.
"We've done it…. No alarms blaring yet….I think we've got away with it—" Lu Juan said with joy, as Du Wan smirked beside him.
They weren't sure if such a mission could even be pulled off, as there were security cameras and patrol officers always monitoring the various levels under the arena at all times, however, the instructions they received from the cult were clear.
They were supposed to do their part in the plan, and have faith that the other members of the cult would do theirs, making the mission a success.
And success it seemed! At Least as of yet—
"So, when does it go off?" Lu Juan asked in a low voice.
As Du Wan didn't even glance at him, keeping his gaze forward. "We don't know. The activation remote is in the hands of the Elders."
He replied, as a chill settled between them, not from fear, but from anticipation.
The bomb could go off at any point in the future now.
Maybe it went off tomorrow, maybe it went off the day after.
However, one thing was for sure— that soon the entire universe would once again witness the chaos that the Evil Cult had been patiently preparing for all these years.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 170 170: Round of 64Timeless AssassinC170 170: Round of 64
After the preliminary rounds, came the real deal.
The actual 5 vs 5 Interstellar Circuits Tournament, featuring the 64 qualified teams in a brutal single-elimination bracket.
There were no second chances here, no safety nets. Lose once— and you were out, making upsets a big possibility in this tournament.
However, although in principle all participating teams had an equal chance to reach the finals, in practice it was anything but.
With the matchups being decided through a top-seeding system, a tradition in the Interstellar Circuits designed to reward those who excelled in the preliminary round, the tournament heavily favored the best performing teams to advance furthest in the tournament, protecting them from early upset knockouts.
Simply put, the higher you scored in the preliminaries, the better your seed — and the weaker your first-round opponent.
The first seed would face the sixty-fourth, the second would face the sixty-third, and so on.
And this year, after years of struggling to keep up with Geneva, Rodova Military Academy stood proudly as the number one seed, thanks to their staggering 475 eliminations in Group B — surpassing even Geneva Military Academy, who settled for second place with 460.
With the seeds now locked, the two most feared teams in the tournament — Rodova and Geneva — were placed on opposite ends of the bracket, not likely to face each other unless both teams made their way all the way through to the finals.
This arrangement was no accident. The brackets were designed to ensure that the strongest teams would not cross paths until the late stages of the tournament — most likely the semi-finals or the grand finale.
However, although the best match-ups were reserved for the last days of the circuits, the crowd still buzzed with energy this morning, as they felt eager to watch the actual circuit's kick-off.
—----------
(Sky-God Arena — First Round of the Circuits)
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the opening match of this year's Interstellar Circuits Main Tournament!" Derek announced enthusiastically. "I'm Derek Ray, joined as always by my brilliant co-host, Lee Dixon."
"And what a way to kick things off, Derek," Lee replied smoothly, grinning. "It's the number one seed, Rodova Military Academy, stepping into the arena against the sixty-fourth seed, Sunflower Military Academy."
The camera panned across the audience, showing cheering fans, academy flags, and vibrant energy as the massive arena beneath them began its transformation.
RUMBLE—
The arena floor shifted, plates rearranging themselves as glowing circuits carved patterns along the ground, as within seconds, the stage morphed into the infamous Edge Park Arena, known for its hazardous terrain.
The entire battlefield resembled a jagged wasteland, sharp stone spires jutting from the earth like fangs.
It was a very difficult terrain to fight for mobility fighters, given how it was an uneven surface, riddled with spikes and crags that left little room for flat footing.
"And the battlefield for the first fight is the infamous— Edge Park Arena!" Derek exclaimed.
"This arena is absolutely littered with sharp, pointed rocks that act like nature's own minefield. It's a map that punishes anyone that doesn't have the absolute best footwork, agility, and map control."
"It's a very punishing map, Derek," Lee added. "One misstep and you could impale yourself on a rock. Fighters will have to be careful not only of their opponent but of the very ground beneath their feet."
As the arena stabilized, the big screen lit up with the fighter introductions, showing short clips from the preliminary rounds alongside each name.
"Fighting for Rodova today is one of their four Grandmaster warriors and their star archer, Minerva," Derek announced as Minerva's highlight reel displayed her gracefully taking down multiple opponents during the preliminaries.
"She'll be supported by DP, Kohli, Enzo, and Boxer.
An interesting choice, which leaves out Captain Yu Shen and the two first-year enigmas — Su Yang and Leo Skyshard — out of their lineups for this match," he commented, much to the dismay of the crowd, who Booed this choice heavily.
"Well, Derek," Lee replied, "Rodova must be bloody confident in this line-up if the Captain himself isn't even stepping onto the field today. Let's see if that confidence pays off… or backfires spectacularly."
—-----
The match began with Minerva stepping forward first against Sunflower's opening fighter and Captain, a dual-bladed swordsman.
*Swoosh–*
Minerva wasted no time as the opening bell rang, as she used her superior agility and precision to pin her opponent down before he ever had the chance to approach her.
*Swoosh—*
*Swoosh—*
She peppered the opponent with arrows, forcing him to step around the sharp rocks, as eventually, her opponent made a mistake when he lost her footing, which instantly caused him to be impaled by two arrows to the chest.
*Thud*
*Thud*
"First blood for Rodova!" Derek shouted. "And look at how Minerva used the environment— classic Edge Park exploitation."
The fight wasn't over yet, because the opponent's armor took the brunt of the attack and he looked like he was able to continue.
However, a couple seconds later, as he crumpled to his knees and coughed a mouthful of blood, the referee called an end to the match, declaring the kneeling warrior to be unfit to continue.
"Oooo—, Nixon is unable to continue, Minerva scores the first win for Rodova…. Will she continue to fight the second opponent? Or will she switch?" Lee commented, as Minerva tagged out of the second fight, sending Boxer to face the second opponent instead.
—-------
The second opponent from sunflower academy was a tank, making Boxer the perfect opponent to face him.
Boxer being a close range brawler, negated the opponents advantage as a tank, as he dragged the fight into a deep exchange of blows and test of stamina, as although his fight lasted a full seven minutes, eventually he won it with a knockout punch to the opponent's face!
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Following Boxer, Enzo took the stage, showing remarkable footwork by weaving through the hazardous terrain while disarming his opponent with a sword strike that sent him stumbling straight into a bed of pointed rocks.
*Crash*
Just the fall proved to be enough to incapacitate the opponent, as Enzo scored a win in under 25 seconds.
"Rodova's third straight win!" Derek cheered. "And Enzo doing what he does best — creating openings where none seem to exist."
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Kohli came next, employing a mix of defensive tactics and environment manipulation, forcing his opponent into exhaustion before tripping them backward into a sharp ridge, securing another clean victory.
Match time - 12 minutes 34 seconds.
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Finally, DP closed it out, outclassing the last of Team Sunflower's members with a brutal combination of sword arts and positional control, incapacitating the opponent through a series of deep sword gashes and muscle cutting wounds, until he was unable to move a muscle anymore.
"And that's it!" Derek exclaimed. "A 5-0 rout! Rodova advances cleanly into Round the round of 32 without losing a single fighter."
The crowd erupted, chanting "Rodova! Rodova!" as the Rodova team stood tall atop the Edge Park Arena.
"Well, Lee," Derek added, "if today's performance is anything to go by, this Rodova team means business, and to think, they haven't even called their trump cards yet. If you're Geneva or Clarence, you better start preparing already."
"Agreed, Derek. With the heavy hitters still sitting on the bench, you have to wonder just how deep this team really is and just who they will send to crush the unfortunate opponent they face tomorrow?
Hahaha, Rodova is going to soon become the bookies safe choice to make money!"
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