Chapter 583 So, it was him?
As everyone pondered how Kyle had enhanced his strength and agility so significantly while still at the divine rank like all of them, Yue joined them after securing victory on her stage. Following her, Regius, Mia, Lara, Susan, and Yon also returned after excelling in the first round. Sinon was the last to arrive because, upon witnessing his water-based skills for the first time, the two women who were his final opponents skillfully evaded all his moves. So, it took him quite some time to defeat them.
Old Hal observed the group with an intrigued gaze as they conversed with each other, wearing carefree expressions. They paid no heed to the fact that both the shadow generals were observing them or that everyone in the audience had marked them as ones to steer clear of, especially since the whole group returned within ten minutes after defeating their opponents.
The others in robes behind the old man were now also keeping a close eye on the silver-haired man and his group. Even though they missed Kyle's battle, once his name surged to claim the top spot in his projection, they quickly found the others in his group and watched their battles, and they must say, they were quite surprised. It seemed like the group of friends who had given themselves exaggerated titles somewhat lived up to those claims.
If these young ones, who had displayed such formidable abilities in the first round of the Gladiator Arena, were given the chance to enhance their skills, everyone behind Old Hal was confident they could accomplish something remarkable. But it was regrettable that they all exuded such arrogance, as history shows that conceited people rarely meet a good fate. Moreover, the group had already made enemies with the two shadow generals, lowering their odds of surviving the Gladiator Arena. Even if they managed to pull through, the dark side would be on their trail.
Kyle closed his eyes and began absorbing the divine energy from the air. Despite him and his group finishing their battles, others in the Arena were still engaged. They had to wait an entire day before the first round of the Gladiator Arena concluded.
Sinon sighed in boredom and looked at everyone else seated around him, only to find half of them sleeping without a care. After another hour when all the participants were finally done with their battles, some of the people sitting in front of the mermaid statue began to float.
Vexana looked over the sea of faces in the audience. Those who emerged victorious beamed with joy, while the defeated ones wore dejected expressions. She refrained from providing any words of comfort or hope and officially declared the conclusion of the first round. After all, she understood that the next Gladiator Arena wouldn't open for another century, so who knows if the individuals who lost this time would have the opportunity to participate again.
Ned tapped Vexana's shoulder, and she stepped back in mid-air with a nod before he captured the attention of the audience.
"Just as we mentioned earlier, the time taken by the winners to defeat their opponents in the first round will be recorded by the Arena, and now we will unveil the final list of top participants."
He joined Vexana, and one of the many projections lighting up the sky descended before the duo. It immediately enlarged in size, showcasing the top winners of the first round to the audience. Ned smiled and declared with a booming voice.
"I congratulate the top hundred on this list who have received additional points and are one step closer to their ultimate goal!"
But instead of loud, boisterous cheers in return, all he received were shocked gasps and countless disbelieving whispers. Ned blinked in confusion and quickly glanced at the projection to understand why the crowd was becoming agitated rather than happy after seeing the results. His eyes widened a bit when he noticed the points the Arena had awarded to the first name on the list.
In the audience, Nine and everyone else stared at Kyle with dry smiles upon seeing his name at the top of the list before Jian asked with a shake of his head.
"Just what the heck did you do? How did you manage to get so many points?"
Kyle shrugged.
"Maybe it's because I defeated my opponents in less than a minute."
He pointed at the projection.
"Look, I can see Alec, Carcel, and Nine's names in the top hundred as well."
No one looked over there because, even though Alec, Carcel, and Nine's names were listed in the top hundred, the point difference between the first name and the rest was simply enormous. The nature's favorite got a whopping 100 extra points added to his total score of 10, whereas everyone else in the top hundred only got 10 extra points each on top of their initial 10 points from winning the first round.
Ned swiftly sent the projection in front of him upward towards the other projections with a perplexed look before the audience began to question the authenticity of the results. He had never heard of someone getting a hundred extra points in the first round before, so how was it possible for someone to achieve such a feat?
His gaze shifted towards the silver-haired man seated in the audience, and it seemed as though the silver-haired man had been watching him all along, as Kyle locked eyes with him, sporting a faint smirk.
Ned furrowed his brows and looked away, signaling Vexana to announce the rules of the second round promptly. However, he and all the others in robes mentally agreed to observe the silver-haired man and watch his battles closely to understand why the Gladiator Arena awarded him so many extra points. What on earth did he even do to achieve such a remarkable score?
Kyle, who was still fixated on Ned, ran his hand over Nox's body as the lynx lay on his lap, looking content.
'So, it was him?'
Nox nodded and began to drift off at the cold sensation moving across his body.
'Yes, it was that bastard... who said I wasn't deserving of reaching a rank higher than the divine rank before Yue, Jian, and I entered the Gladiator Arena.'
Vexana, who was floating in the midst of the towering walls, clapped her hands.
"The rules for the second round are pretty straightforward as well. Each participant will battle in 100 matches back to back without a break. Your opponents could be any of the other participants. For every win, the victor will earn a point towards their total score. At the end of this round, the winners will be those who have achieved the most victories out of the hundred and have accumulated the highest points."
She paused for a moment.
"Just like in the initial round, at the conclusion of this stage, the top hundred participants with the most victories will also receive additional points. However, remember, the goal is not to kill but to emerge victorious. Therefore, if your opponent concedes defeat or if the illusory figures intervenes to cease the fight, you must halt your actions at all costs. Failure to do so will result in your elimination from the Gladiator Arena. Now, without further delay, examine the back of your hands; the mark will lead you to your stage and adversaries. Best of luck!"
Vexana, Ned, and the others in robes floating behind them quickly returned to their seats to watch the upcoming battles. Numerous participants died in the first round due to the dark side and because they were simply too weak, yet their remains were promptly taken care of by the illusory figures to clear the arena grounds.
The friends and guardians of the deceased were saddened, yet none of them dared to voice their grief, fully aware of the dangers they had embraced by participating in the Gladiator Arena.
Kyle seized Bia and Nox, positioning the pair on Zron's shoulders.
"A hundred battles, eh? What if I have finished already, and my next opponent is still engaged in combat? The waiting would indeed be quite a bother, I must admit."
A speechless expression dawned on those who heard his words.
Nine rose to his feet and glanced at everyone as he began to levitate.
"Hopefully, none of you are my opponents, at least not in this round."
Sinon and Jian echoed in unison.
"Hopefully!"
The pair locked eyes and burst into laughter. They reminded each other that if one spotted the other as an opponent, they should admit defeat. However, when neither agreed to concede, they just shrugged and swiftly checked the stage number on the back of their hands before floating away to find their designated stages.
Kyle watched their fading figures and then examined the back of his hand to identify the stage number for his first battle. Rising to his feet, he suddenly tilted his head with a smirk to gaze at the two shadow generals and the individuals seated in front of the mermaid statue, all closely monitoring him.
"Its seems I should do my best now that so many people are watching me, huh?"