The final section of the Tactical Relay rose above the arena like a fortress.
A massive tower stood at the end of the course.
Seven floors.
Four entrances.
Hundreds of moving platforms.
And between the contestants and the finish line were enough traps to make the entire structure look less like a tournament obstacle and more like a death sentence.
Noah stood at the mountain’s edge.
Jordan stood beside him.
Both looked toward the tower.
Jordan rolled his shoulders.
"Ready?"
Noah smiled.
"Try to keep up."
Jordan laughed.
"You really think you’re faster than me?"
"I don’t think."
Noah crouched.
"I know."
The starting signal sounded.
BOOM!
Both launched forward.
Lightning exploded beneath Jordan’s feet.
Noah’s flames burst from his legs.
They raced down the first section of the path.
The crowd erupted.
"JORDAN!"
"NOAH!"
"ASGARD!"
"VALHALLA!"
The two contestants moved almost perfectly together.
Jordan glanced sideways.
"You’re quick."
Noah grinned.
"You’re not bad."
Jordan’s expression immediately changed.
"Not bad?"
Lightning surged around him.
"I’ll show you not bad."
He accelerated.
Noah laughed.
"Now you’re getting serious."
They reached the tower entrance at almost exactly the same time.
Four entrances.
Dozens of contestants.
Only the fastest could make it through before the others.
Jordan pointed toward the eastern entrance.
"I’m taking that."
Noah looked at him.
"Fine."
They separated.
The moment Noah entered...
CLANG!
A metal blade swung across the corridor.
He ducked.
Another came from above.
He rolled.
A third came from the wall.
Noah stopped it with his hand.
The blade trembled against his palm.
"Seriously?"
He pushed it away.
The mechanism exploded.
Noah continued.
On the second floor, the course became more complicated.
Moving platforms floated above a massive drop.
Contestants jumped between them.
One missed.
Another contestant caught him.
"Thanks!"
"Don’t thank me yet!"
The platform beneath them disappeared.
Both screamed.
Noah jumped past them.
He landed on the next platform.
A warning flashed.
FLOOR TWO: TEAM INTERFERENCE ENABLED
Noah frowned.
"Team interference?"
A contestant appeared behind him.
"Sorry, Blackwood."
The man swung.
Noah blocked.
The impact shook the platform.
"You can’t pass."
Noah looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because you’re ahead of me."
"Fair."
Noah’s fist ignited.
"Then move."
BOOM!
The contestant flew backward onto a safe platform.
Noah continued.
Elsewhere, Laura’s battle in the ruined city had become intense.
Her opponent from Elementro had forced her backward several meters.
The girl moved with incredible precision.
Every strike was calculated.
Laura blocked another attack.
CLANG!
The impact numbed her arm.
"You’re strong."
The Elementro contestant smiled.
"So are you."
Laura stepped forward.
Her violet energy gathered around her weapon.
"Then let’s stop holding back."
Their next clash produced a shockwave.
BOOOOOOM!
The surrounding ruins cracked.
The audience roared.
From the observation platform, Daniela watched.
Her eyes followed Laura carefully.
There was something about Laura’s energy that bothered her.
It wasn’t simply powerful.
It felt...
familiar.
Daniela narrowed her eyes.
Why does her power feel like that?
Then Laura’s energy suddenly surged.
For a brief moment, Daniela saw something buried beneath it.
A memory.
A locked room.
A violet flower.
Daniela’s eyes widened.
"That can’t be..."
Alcris, standing several meters away, noticed her reaction.
He looked at Daniela.
"What did you see?"
Daniela turned toward him.
"Nothing."
Alcris smiled.
"Interesting."
Back inside the tower, Noah reached the fourth floor.
Jordan was already there.
He was standing beside a massive sealed door.
Noah stopped.
"You beat me?"
Jordan smirked.
"Looks like it."
Noah looked at the door.
"What’s the catch?"
Jordan pointed.
A symbol appeared above the entrance.
TWO CONTESTANTS REQUIRED
Noah laughed.
"You’ve got to be kidding."
Jordan’s smile disappeared.
"So we’re stuck together."
"Apparently."
The door began glowing.
A voice echoed through the floor.
"Two contestants must cooperate to proceed."
Jordan looked at Noah.
"I hate this event."
Noah smiled.
"You loved it five minutes ago."
"That was before they made me work with you."
Noah placed his hand against the door.
"Ready?"
Jordan sighed.
"Let’s just finish it."
They activated their powers simultaneously.
Fire and lightning flowed into the mechanism.
The door opened.
The fifth floor was enormous.
Unlike the previous sections, there were no traps.
No obstacles.
No moving platforms.
Just a wide circular arena.
Noah stopped.
Jordan stopped.
Both immediately understood.
Jordan looked around.
"So..."
Noah sighed.
"Looks like we’re fighting."
The doors behind them locked.
A projection appeared.
BONUS CHALLENGE
Defeat the opposing contestant to claim additional tournament points.
Jordan smiled.
"Now this..."
Lightning crawled across his arms.
"...I like."
Noah’s flames ignited.
Orange fire surrounded his fists.
The audience went insane.
A Hildgard official shouted:
"JORDAN NETHEM OF ASGARD!"
"NOAH BLACKWOOD OF VALHALLA!"
"BEGIN!"
Jordan vanished.
CRACK!
Lightning struck Noah.
Noah blocked.
The force pushed him across the arena.
Jordan appeared behind him.
"Too slow!"
Noah turned.
BOOM!
Their fists collided.
Fire and lightning exploded outward.
The entire tower shook.
Outside, Laura suddenly looked toward the tower.
She could feel it.
Noah.
Daniela noticed too.
"He’s fighting."
Laura nodded.
"Jordan."
Daniela looked toward the tower.
"Those two?"
"They’re both stubborn."
Daniela smiled faintly.
"Then the tower might not survive."
Inside the fifth floor, Noah and Jordan continued exchanging blows.
Neither was willing to back down.
Jordan’s lightning grew faster.
Noah’s fire became hotter.
The battle pushed both of them toward their limits.
Then Noah’s flame flickered.
Orange.
Then...
Maroon.
Jordan saw it.
His expression changed.
"What the hell was that?"
Noah immediately extinguished the flame.
"Nothing."
Jordan stared.
"That wasn’t nothing."
Noah’s eyes hardened.
"Focus."
Jordan didn’t answer.
For the first time, his confidence disappeared.
He had seen something.
Something Noah clearly didn’t want anyone else to see.
But before Jordan could ask...
The tower shook violently.
A strange pulse passed through the entire structure.
Noah froze.
That sensation.
Again.
Thump.
His heart answered.
The system appeared.
[Ancient resonance detected.]
Noah stared at the message.
Jordan looked at him.
"What happened?"
Noah slowly looked toward the floor.
"The relics."
The message changed.
[Ragnarok resonance detected.]
Then...
[Dead Zone resonance detected.]
Noah’s expression tightened.
The tower lights suddenly turned maroon.
And from somewhere beneath the arena...
A voice whispered:
"Not yet."
The tower lights turned maroon.
Noah and Jordan stopped fighting.
The strange color spread across the walls, crawling through the tower’s mechanisms like blood through veins.
For the first time since the match began, Jordan’s confidence disappeared.
"What is this?"
Noah stared at the floor.
"I don’t know."
A deep pulse shook the tower.
THUMP.
Noah’s chest answered.
THUMP.
His flames flickered.
Jordan noticed.
"That thing again."
Noah looked at him.
"You saw it before."
"That little maroon flame?"
Jordan’s lightning gathered around his hand.
"Yeah."
Noah didn’t answer.
Jordan lowered his voice.
"Whatever you’re hiding, Blackwood, I’m not asking."
Noah raised an eyebrow.
"You’re not?"
"No."
Jordan smiled.
"But I’m definitely remembering it."
A faint grin appeared on Noah’s face.
"Fair."
The maroon lights suddenly vanished.
The tower returned to normal.
The projection above them changed.
BONUS MATCH CONTINUES
Jordan stared at it.
"So we’re still fighting?"
Noah raised his fists.
"Apparently."
Jordan laughed.
"Good."
They attacked simultaneously.
BOOM!
Fire collided with lightning.
The impact shook the fifth floor.
Jordan moved first.
He accelerated across the arena, lightning trailing behind him.
Noah blocked the first strike.
Jordan twisted.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Noah kept blocking.
Then Jordan changed direction.
A lightning-infused kick struck Noah’s side.
WHAM!
Noah flew across the floor.
He caught himself before hitting the wall.
Jordan landed.
"You’re tough."
Noah wiped a small streak of blood from the corner of his mouth.
"You’re annoying."
Jordan grinned.
"That’s the royal charm."
Noah laughed.
Then his flames erupted.
He disappeared.
Jordan’s eyes widened.
BOOM!
Noah’s fist struck his guard.
Jordan slid backward.
Noah followed.
Another punch.
Jordan blocked.
Another.
Jordan blocked again.
Then Noah feinted.
Jordan reacted.
Noah changed direction and struck his shoulder.
WHAM!
Jordan crashed onto one knee.
The crowd erupted.
"Noah!"
"Blackwood!"
Jordan slowly stood.
His uniform was torn.
He looked at Noah.
Then smiled.
"Okay."
Lightning exploded around him.
"Now I’m pissed."
Outside the tower, Laura had finally finished her match.
Her opponent had surrendered after being pushed to the boundary.
The announcement confirmed it.
"Laura Esteria advances!"
Laura immediately looked toward the tower.
She could feel Noah’s energy.
Something was wrong.
Daniela stood beside her.
"You feel it too."
Laura nodded.
"Noah."
Daniela activated her perception.
Her eyes widened.
"He isn’t alone."
"Jordan."
"No."
Daniela looked toward the tower.
"Something else."
Laura’s expression hardened.
"Can you see it?"
Daniela shook her head.
"Not clearly."
She paused.
"But there’s a second energy surrounding him."
Laura stared.
"Dead Zone?"
Daniela looked at her.
"What’s that?"
Laura realized her mistake.
She immediately looked away.
"Nothing."
Daniela’s eyes narrowed.
"You know something."
Laura didn’t answer.
Daniela stepped closer.
"Laura."
"I said nothing."
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Daniela quietly asked:
"Why are you so concerned about Noah?"
Laura looked directly at her.
"Because he’s important to me."
Daniela’s expression softened slightly.
"That’s not what I meant."
Laura understood.
"You’ve been watching us."
Daniela nodded.
"I can perceive people’s power."
"I know."
"But Noah is strange."
Laura remained silent.
Daniela continued.
"And so are you."
Laura’s eyes narrowed.
"Me?"
"Your power."
Daniela hesitated.
"I’ve seen something similar before."
Laura’s expression changed.
"Where?"
Daniela shook her head.
"I don’t know."
That answer bothered Laura more than anything else.
Inside the tower, Jordan and Noah were approaching their limits.
Jordan’s lightning covered his entire body.
Noah’s fire burned brighter.
Both were breathing heavily.
Jordan raised his hand.
"Last attack."
Noah nodded.
"Fine."
They charged.
Lightning screamed.
Fire roared.
The two powers collided in the center of the arena.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The shockwave ripped across the floor.
The tower trembled.
The audience screamed.
Dust filled the battlefield.
When it cleared...
Both were standing.
Barely.
Jordan’s knee shook.
Noah’s arms trembled.
Neither had fallen.
The tower’s system couldn’t determine a winner.
Then the projection flickered.
MATCH RESULT
DRAW
The audience exploded.
Jordan stared at the result.
"A draw?"
Noah laughed breathlessly.
"Looks like it."
Jordan extended his hand.
Noah looked at it.
Then shook it.
"Good fight."
Jordan smirked.
"Next time, I’m winning."
"Sure."
"Don’t laugh."
"I wasn’t."
"You were."
The fifth-floor doors opened.
Both contestants stepped out.
Laura was waiting.
Her eyes immediately went to Noah.
"Are you hurt?"
"I’m fine."
Jordan walked past them.
"He’s fine."
Laura looked at him.
"Nobody asked you."
Jordan laughed.
"Still got that attitude."
Daniela approached.
Her eyes went directly toward Noah.
She saw the faint residue of maroon energy around his body.
Her perception activated.
For half a second...
She saw something.
A silhouette behind Noah.
A second Noah.
Maroon eyes.
A smile.
Daniela’s breath caught.
Then it vanished.
She blinked.
"What..."
Noah looked at her.
"What happened?"
Daniela stared at him.
For once, she had no answer.
"Nothing."
But deep inside...
she knew she had just seen something that wasn’t supposed to exist.
And far away, on an upper observation platform, Alcris watched Daniela’s reaction.
His expression remained calm.
But his eyes sharpened.
He had seen her see it.
And now he had another question.
How much did Daniela know?
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