Aurora ripped off a strip of fabric from her sleeve, tying it to a broken branch she snapped from the ground.
Then, using a nearby rock, she tossed it out from behind her cover.
As expected, the elf reacted instantly. An arrow flew, piercing the decoy. But that was all the opening Aurora needed.
She moved.
Aurora sprinted in a wide arc, flanking his position. She kept her steps light, silent, using the terrain to mask her approach. As she neared, she picked up a small handful of dirt and loose stones.
At the last second, she threw them with all her strength.
The dirt struck the elf's face, blinding him momentarily. His reflexes were sharp, but Aurora was faster.
She closed the distance in a heartbeat, driving her knee into his ribs with brutal force. The elf gasped, stumbling back, but Aurora didn't let up.
She struck him again, this time with a swift elbow to the temple, and as he staggered, she finished with a low sweep, sending him crashing from his perch.
The elf hit the ground hard, dazed but not out. But Aurora was already on him, pinning him down with a knee to his chest.
Before he could recover, she delivered a final, well-placed strike to his throat, just enough to knock the wind out of him and ensure he wouldn't be getting back up anytime soon.
Cheers. Roars. So intense and deafening that they shook the air, erupting from the students of the White Omen Division.
They screamed Aurora's name without pause. Chanting, chanting, and chanting.
It wasn't every day that they got to see one of their own win against the other races. The rules of the leaders' competition were displayed in a massive holographic projection high in the sky, and the youths were well aware that they had all been placed on the same playing field.
However, this wasn't entirely true. Some races possessed bloodlines and abilities that didn't rely inherently on mana. And those who fell into this category ascended the tree-shaped mountain like bolts of lightning, decimating every leader they encountered.
For the Nullites, they thrived in a no-mana zone.
For the Vampyros, controlling their blood remained undisturbed.
For the Transmutari, they converted even their kinetic energy into power that fueled their bodies.
For many of the other races, their innate bloodline abilities made them unstoppable.
Regardless, the cheers of the human youth only grew louder. Stronger. Earth-shaking.
The White Omen Division wasn't an exception. They roared with unwavering pride, their voices rising above the crowd like a battle cry.
Aurora's bloodline abilities, unfortunately, relied heavily on mana, limiting her speed compared to the other leaders. But none of that mattered.
Humanity was surrounded by races that wanted nothing more than to rip them to shreds. They had no one but their own.
Some of the sharper ones among them had already realized it, humans weren't entirely outmatched. Among them were those whose abilities, especially their bloodlines, didn't rely on mana.
And as their gazes shifted from Aurora, their focus sharpened on the two figures who ignited the fire in their hearts, their number one and number two.
Zoey Starhaven.
She was breathtaking, an untouchable beauty with flowing purple hair that shimmered like starlight.
An intense violet glow radiated from her body, enveloping her like a celestial aura. She streaked up the mountain like a flash of lightning, an ethereal streak of purple light cutting through the green.
Her gaze was cold as round purple orbs condensed and shot from her like speeding bullets. Each orb found its mark with unerring precision, striking down division leaders of various races as if they were nothing more than obstacles in her divine path.
The cheers and pride that filled the human recruits watching were deafening, vibrating the very ground beneath their feet.
But then…
Then there was Kael.
The moment Kael Stormrider appeared on the screen, it was as if an electric charge surged through the crowd.
A pulse of adrenaline shot through every human present, their battle intent spiking to unbearable levels, as though they wanted to leap into the competition themselves, to fight beside him.
Kael was a force. He appeared as an immovable mountain. Crushing. Absolute. Inevitable.
A crimson aura surrounded his entire body, fierce and wild, crackling with energy. Eight swords orbited him in perpetual motion, spinning like the rings of a violent, destructive planet. His elongated hair whipped behind him, dark strands flowing like formless waves in a storm.
And he crushed.
He destroyed.
He decimated everything in his path with unstoppable, relentless momentum. Trees splintered into dust. Boulders shattered like glass. Division leaders from many of the other races didn't stand a chance.
With every swing of his swords, blood sprayed, the mountain trembling beneath his furious ascent, whittling down the numbers of leaders faster than the crowd could comprehend.
The human youths watching screamed his name, their voices rising, their fists clenched so tightly their knuckles turned white.
Observation Deck.
"Hmm, I assumed there'd be just one of such anomalies. Is birthing monsters a human trend these days?" Staff Sergeant Voren mused aloud, his gaze fixed on the live feed from the competition.
The observation deck was filled with drill sergeants monitoring the ongoing battles of the division leaders.
Though the man's words had sounded like a joke, no one laughed. Not even a single smile.
One of the main reasons was that the person who had just spoken was a Nullite. There was not a hint of emotion in his voice. No sarcasm. Just a cold, silent observation.
And yet, strangely, his words had their intended target.
The other drill sergeants in the room sent glances toward Drill Sergeant Kosher, the human who had led Nate and the rest to the coliseum.
Each glance carried different signals, but for the majority, there was only one thing, killing intent.
It was very obvious he wasn't well-liked among the others. Contrary to belief, it wasn't because of his strict and over-the-top personality. This was a hatred that burned through for all of humanity.