In the coliseum where it had all begun, atop the chasm that'd swallowed the participants, gigantic floating screens that projected the happenings of the trials stood.
And as trial after trial occurred, each beginning and ending in stranger and stranger ways, anticipation couldn't help but bubble within their hearts.
BANG!
The floors of the coliseum, which had parted like a gate to swallow the participants, suddenly moved—slamming shut and returning the expanse of green grass that served as its ground.
Instantly, Head Merchant Leroy appeared in midair, and with his appearance came an eruption of cheers—an eruption that only intensified as the six participants appeared below him, one after the other.
Each of their appearances brought waves of chants and cheers, and to this, Merchant Leroy could only chuckle. It had been quite some time since the crowds were this excited for a final.
'I suppose my commission this week will be quite hefty,' he thought as he shot a glance toward Samael. 'Yet another gift I'll have to cash in.'
The screens faded, and Head Merchant Leroy raised a palm. Immediately, the coliseum was plunged into deep silence.
"The third and final trial of the Exhibition is the Elemental Cauldron, where our six finalists will battle—both to entertain our dear spectators and to show their worth to those watching above."
"And, evidently, they will also be competing for quite the reward—" He chuckled. "A little bird may have told me this year's reward will be a Dragon-Shattering Golden Pill."
He shrugged. "But who knows?"
Murmurs erupted, breaking the silence as many expressed their shock and surprise. A Dragon-Shattering Pill? It was a pill of invaluable worth.
A pill that could do the impossible—not only regrow lost limbs, but also shatter all bottlenecks. It was practically a surefire way to skip a cultivation realm entirely.
"What is the Elemental Cauldron? It is a simple free-for-all—a battle where the last standing will be crowned the winner."
"But, of course, it couldn't be so simple. Each participant will be assigned an elemental position—a position that comes with both its boons and restrictions. And with it as a burden, they'll have to fight."
"The sixth to second-ranked participants will be assigned the elements of fire, water, earth, wind, and lightning. And the first—the one to have reached the mountaintop first—will be assigned the Origin Elemental Position."
He clapped his hands, and suddenly, above the heads of the six youths below, crowns of sorts appeared. In front of them, a set of runes began to form, explaining to them the boons and restrictions of their positions.
"I'll give you a few moments to familiarise yourselves with your positions before we begin—oh, and of course, alliances are welcomed—" Head Merchant Leroy smiled, a toothy and almost preparatory grin. "The final rewards can always be split."
"We are as much merchants as we are warriors. Benefits come along with dominance, though most often, they come first."
—
Samael crossed his arms, ignoring the intense glares of the other finalists and the loud hymns of his name as he focused on the explanations of his position.
—
~Epithet: Last to spark into creation, yet first to claim the throne—Origin shatters the swirling tides of all elements.
>Elemental Origin Boon: Through your crown, impose a domain of origin, where all elements transmute through your origin and are reborn into elements of your choice.
• Effect (I): With enough control over your crown, you can extend your domain over elements to include the ambient qi.
• Effect (II): Using your crown, momentarily nullify all forms of mancy at the cost of your own—engage in a battle of pure flesh.
• Effect (III): The range and flexibility of your spiritualisation extends to the entirety of your domain.
>Elemental Origin Restriction: The crown is heavy, and so are its responsibilities. Only the worthy may sit on the throne. The crown heavily restricts your physical capabilities and, in the future, chains down all forms of qi control.
• Effect (I): Each movement fuelled by nothing but the flesh will be reflected by a mental attack that'll gnaw at your mind—only intensifying with time.
• Effect (II): You are particularly vulnerable to elemental attacks and even more sensitive to the world around you—through your domain, all damage done within it will be reflected back to you.
—
Samael chuckled as he read the effects of the crown, rather impressed—not by their implications, but by the smoothness of operation of the artefact itself.
'I forgot I made that.'
The crowns they used for these trials were lesser versions of an artefact he'd made long ago, so long ago, he'd forgotten about it.
Not because he'd disregarded it, but because he had long since refined the blueprint of this artefact into something else, something much greater.
Originally, he hadn't thought to use it anytime soon, but many of his plans had changed, mainly due to the Puffer Sark Bloodmead and the events that would soon occur.
Seeing it here like this gave him an idea… an idea he couldn't use yet, but an idea nonetheless. Shaking his head, Samael refocused, stretching and rolling his joints as he prepared.
Minutes passed, and soon the tension seemed to reach a peak. The other five finalists had, unsurprisingly, banded together against Samael.
What was surprising, though, was that the redheaded girl he'd previously faced had still somehow managed to make it here.
Beside her were two younger boys—twins—both with heads of brass-like bronze hair and simple black pupils. Their builds were average, but from the muscles that peaked through their robes, one could see the lethality of their refined bodies.
Aside from them, two other women, about the same age as the redhead, stood among the group. One looked identical to the redhead, with the only difference being her eyes, which were a constricting, bright blue.
The other was rather atypical—with short buzzed hair and a face too delicate to match the fierce expression she bore and the ruthless light that burned in her pupils of gold.
She wore tight military robes, and on her back, a spear could be seen.
Samael observed them all one by one, taking his time, and Head Merchant Leroy let the seconds pass, allowing the excitement and tension to rise.
He found it strange that the redhead had managed to convince all the others so easily to turn on him—but he didn't really care.
As long as the final battle satisfied the spectators, he'd be happy.