[CENTRAL CITY GRAND ARENA - 9:47 AM]
Alex had seen the Grand Arena on television broadcasts dozens of times—sports events, concerts, professional summoner competitions. On screen, it looked impressive.
In person, it was absolutely overwhelming.
The structure rose like an artificial mountain of interwoven steel and magic. Official capacity: 50,000 spectators. But today, with people crowding hallways and staircases, there were probably 60,000 souls filling every seat, every standing space, every available inch.
"First time?" someone asked beside him.
Alex turned. A guy his age—maybe twenty—with bright blue hair and a cybernetic wolf companion at his side.
"That obvious?" Alex said.
"A little." The guy smiled. "I'm Kai. Iron Classification, participant number 94. You must be..." He squinted. "127, right? The last one registered."
"Alex."
"Cool." Kai looked around the participant waiting room—a massive space beneath the stands where all 128 competitors waited. "I heard you're the F-rank skeleton guy who evolved. That's pretty cool."
"E-rank now," Alex corrected automatically, then immediately regretted it. Keep a low profile, idiot.
"Still cool. Most F-ranks just... well, you know." Kai made a throat-slitting gesture. "They don't survive long."
"Yeah, well." Alex looked at Grim, who was in his one-meter form beside him, watching the room with those constant red lights. "I got lucky."
"Luck only gets you so far." Kai pointed across the room. "See that guy? Marcus Steele. I heard his dragon is level 55 now. FIFTY-FIVE. When I was his age, my companion was level 12."
Alex followed Kai's finger.
Marcus was surrounded by a group of at least fifteen people—Celestial Academy students, all laughing at his jokes, clearly treating him like royalty. His golden dragon, shrunk to large-dog size, perched on his shoulder, scales glittering under the fluorescent lights.
Even from this distance, Alex could feel the power radiating from the dragon. Like standing near an oven that had been turned off but still radiated heat.
"He's going to win," Kai said with certainty. "No way anyone here defeats that."
"Maybe," Alex murmured.
His gaze wandered across the room, cataloging potential threats:
Emily Chen was in a corner, her lunar unicorn in full form (actual horse-sized), glowing softly. She was talking to other academy students, but her eyes kept drifting toward... toward Alex. When she noticed him looking, she quickly glanced away.
Maya Park was with Jake and Lin, the three reviewing tactical notes on a tablet. Her fox was in medium form—showing only three tails, hiding its true power. Maya caught his gaze and winked at him, making a "see you later" gesture.
And in the farthest corner, completely alone, stood The Reaper.
Full black armor. Helmet with visor down. A cape that somehow absorbed light instead of reflecting it. And her scythe—leaning against the wall behind her—practically vibrating with contained energy.
People gave her a wide berth. Not from fear exactly, but from... unease. As if they instinctively knew not to get too close.
An announcer entered the room: "Participants! Ten minutes until the opening ceremony! Please prepare to proceed to the arena entrance!"
Instantly, the energy in the room shifted. Nervousness transformed into anticipation. Competitors checked their gear, spoke with their companions, mentally prepared.
Alex checked his inventory one last time:
· Rank Concealment Ring (equipped - made Grim appear as E-Rank)
· Soul Dominion Necklace (equipped but hidden under his shirt)
· Three health potions (guild standard)
· Two mana potions (expensive but necessary)
· Basic knife (more for appearances than actual utility)
[Aura Suppression] was already active, making him appear level 18 instead of 23.
"Hey," Kai said, looking at him. "Good luck out there. Hope we don't face each other early—I'd hate to eliminate you before you get to experience at least a few rounds."
"Thanks," Alex said dryly. "You too."
---
[GRAND ARENA - PARTICIPANT ENTRANCE - 10:00 AM]
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!"
The announcer's voice resonated through the stadium, magically amplified so that every syllable vibrated in your chest.
"WELCOME... TO THE NOVICE SUMMONER TOURNAMENT!"
The crowd's roar was like a physical force. Alex, standing in the entrance tunnel with the other 127 participants, felt the vibration through the floor.
"BROADCAST LIVE ACROSS THE NATION!"
More roaring.
"SPONSORED BY THE CELESTIAL ACADEMY, THE ADVENTURER'S GUILD, AND THE CELESTIAL TEMPLE!"
The tunnel lights dimmed. Dramatic music began—orchestral, epic, the kind that made even walking feel heroic.
"LET ME PRESENT... OUR COMPETITORS!"
One by one, the participants stepped out into the bright sunlight of the arena.
The format was simple but effective: name, classification, affiliation. Favorites got longer presentation time, while lower-ranked competitors received brief mentions.
"Participant number one... MARCUS STEELE! Celestial Academy! Silver Classification! Companion: Golden Dragon, S-Rank!"
The ovation was absolutely massive. Marcus strode out like he owned the place, smiling, waving, his dragon roaring (a friendly, theatrical version) for the crowd. Gold confetti fell from the ceiling.
Giant screens around the arena showed his face, played highlights from his academy practice matches.
A reporter ran toward him with a microphone: "Marcus! A few quick words for the viewers at home!"
Marcus grabbed the microphone with the confidence of someone born for this moment.
"Thanks to everyone for coming out. This tournament is an incredible opportunity, and I plan to honor my sponsors, my academy, and everyone who believed in me by giving my all in every fight."
Perfect smile. Perfect teeth. Perfectly styled hair.
"And at the end, when I'm standing here with the trophy, I hope I've inspired the next generation of summoners to chase their dreams no matter what."
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
The crowd loved him. Of course they did.
The presentations continued:
"Participant number twelve... EMILY CHEN! Celestial Academy! Iron Classification! Companion: Lunar Unicorn, B-Rank!"
Respectable ovation. Emily waved shyly, her unicorn glowing beautifully under the sun.
"Participant number twenty-three... MAYA PARK! Adventurer's Guild! Silver Classification! Companion: Nine-Tailed Fox, A-Rank!"
Strong ovation—Maya was known in the guild community. Her fox did a little trick, leaping and creating fox-fire in the air, delighting the crowd.
Dozens more. Some received polite applause, others enthusiastic roars.
Then:
"Participant number eighty-nine... THE REAPER! Independent! Gold Classification! Companion: Unknown!"
The reaction was different. Not exactly an ovation, more like... intrigued murmuring.
The Reaper walked into the arena in complete silence. No waving. No acknowledging the crowd. Just measured, steady steps.
The reporter ran toward her: "Reaper! The public is dying to know more about you! Can you—?"
The Reaper simply kept walking, not even turning. The reporter stopped, clearly unsure whether to press further.
"Well... uh... The Reaper, everyone! Mysterious and silent!"
The crowd didn't know how to react. Some applauded anyway. Others just watched, fascinated.
The presentations continued. Alex counted backward from his number—127. Almost last.
Finally:
"Participant number one hundred twenty-six... DANIEL CROSS! Celestial Academy! Iron Classification! Companion: Battle Wolf, D-Rank!"
Polite applause.
"And finally... participant number one hundred twenty-seven... ALEX CARTER! Former Celestial Academy student, now independent adventurer! Iron Classification! Companion: Skeleton, E-Rank!"
The reaction was... mixed.
Some applause from sympathizers—people who loved underdog stories.
But more notable were the boos from the Celestial Academy section. Not massive, but audible.
"FAILURE!"
"EXPELLED!"
"F-RANK!"
Alex kept his face neutral, walking to his designated spot. Grim followed, currently at 80 centimeters—deliberately small, deliberately harmless.
The reporter completely ignored him—didn't even attempt an interview.
As Alex took his place in the competitor lineup, he noticed something in the judges' box.
Master Vance—the instructor who had signed his expulsion—was sitting there. Guest judge, apparently.
Their eyes met. Vance frowned, his expression a mix of disgust and... satisfaction? As if he was looking forward to watching Alex fail publicly.
Alex held his gaze for a moment, then deliberately looked away.
Let him think what he wants.
---
[OPENING CEREMONY - RULE EXPLANATION]
Once all 128 competitors were lined up, the head Master of Ceremonies—a man in his sixties with an elaborate white beard and robes that screamed "important official"—took center stage.
"Competitors!" His voice filled the stadium. "Welcome to the Novice Summoner Tournament!"
Pause for ovation.
"The rules are simple but absolute. Listen carefully, because violations will result in immediate disqualification—or worse."
Giant screens displayed the rules as he read them:
RULE 1: FORMAT
· Rounds 1-4: Single Elimination 1v1 (128→64→32→16)
· Quarterfinals: 8 competitors
· Semifinals: 4 competitors
· Finals: 2 competitors
RULE 2: VICTORY CONDITIONS
· Knockout (opponent or companion unconscious for 10 seconds)
· Surrender (verbal or hand signal)
· Judge's Decision (if time expires—20 minutes per fight)
RULE 3: ABSOLUTE PROHIBITIONS
· KILLING IS FORBIDDEN - Immediate disqualification + criminal charges
· Attacking opponent after surrender/knockout - Disqualification
· Attacking judges, staff, or audience - Disqualification + arrest
RULE 4: ITEM USAGE
· Potions: Allowed (maximum 3 per fight)
· Basic weapons: Allowed (no S-grade magic weapons)
· Armor: Allowed (no complete S-grade sets)
RULE 5: FORBIDDEN MAGIC
· Technically not forbidden (guild legalities)
· BUT: Excessive use will be "closely observed"
· Warning: Audience may react negatively
"Any questions?" the Master of Ceremonies asked.
Silence. Everyone knew these rules—they were tournament standard.
"Excellent! Now... THE BRACKET DRAW!"
Giant screens changed, showing an empty elimination tree structure.
Names began filling in, randomly assigned:
ROUND 1 - MATCHUPS:
Upper Left Quadrant:
· #1 Marcus Steele vs #128 [BYE - only 127 competitors]
· #64 Sarah Kim vs #65 Thomas Wright
· #32 Jennifer Park vs #97 Alex Thompson
...
Upper Right Quadrant:
· #89 The Reaper vs #40 Dmitri Volkov
· #23 Maya Park vs #106 Rachel Stone
· #12 Emily Chen vs #117 Kevin Tran
...
Lower Left Quadrant:
· #45 Marcus Chen vs #84 Lisa Wong
...
Lower Right Quadrant:
· #127 Alex Carter vs #2 Daniel Cross
Alex frowned for a moment. The number two wasn’t Daniel’s registration number. It was simply his position in the randomly assigned bracket.
Some numbers matched their participant registration. Others didn’t. Pure coincidence… or so they claimed.
His gaze lingered on his own placement. Near the bottom. Against an Academy student.
Of course. No one expected anything from him.
Good.
He would prove them wrong.
· #63 Michael Park vs #66 Amanda Silva
...
Alex studied the bracket quickly, tracing potential paths:
· First Round: Alex vs Daniel Cross (Academy, Battle Wolf, D-Rank)
· Second Round (if he wins): Probably vs #63 or #66 (both C-Rank)
· Third Round: Too many variables
· Quarterfinals: Possibly vs The Reaper (if both advance)
· Semifinals: Possibly vs Maya Park (!)
· Finals: Possibly vs Marcus Steele
Maya noticed the same pattern. From across the arena, she made eye contact with Alex, smiled, and pointed directly at him.
Then at herself.
Then made a "see you later" gesture.
Clear message: If we both make semis, we face each other.
Alex nodded back. Game recognized.
The Master of Ceremonies continued: "Battles begin TOMORROW at 9 AM! Round 1 will take two full days to complete—64 fights in total!"
Dramatic pause.
"Competitors, prepare! Audience, choose your favorites! And let the games... BEGIN!"
Confetti exploded from the ceiling. Dramatic music played. The crowd roared.
But Alex barely noticed.
His eyes were fixed on the bracket, memorizing every name, every potential matchup.
And in his periphery, he saw The Reaper looking at him.
Even through the helmet's visor, he could feel her eyes on him.
Later, her posture seemed to say. We'll talk later.
---
[COMPETITOR WAITING ROOM - 11:47 AM]
After the ceremonies, competitors were released for the rest of the day. Fights would begin tomorrow, giving them time to rest, strategize, or—in some cases—panic.
Alex was packing his things when someone cleared their throat behind him.
He turned. Master Vance stood there, arms crossed, expression of familiar disgust on his face.
"Carter."
"Master Vance." Alex kept his voice neutral.
"I can't believe you have the audacity to show up here. With that." He gestured at Grim with barely concealed contempt.
"My companion is within tournament rules—"
"Your 'rules' don't change the fact that you're an embarrassment to the Celestial Academy." Vance stepped closer. "And if you think your little lucky streak in low-level dungeons has prepared you for real competition, you're sadly mistaken."
Alex forced himself not to react. Not worth it. He's not—
"In fact," Vance continued, "I've made a bet. Ten thousand crowns that you don't make it past the first round. Because Daniel Cross might be an average student, but even average Academy students are superior to... whatever you are."
"Are you finished?" Alex asked coldly.
"For now." Vance turned to leave, then stopped. "Oh, and Carter? I'll be watching your match very, very closely. If there's any irregularity—any hint that that skeleton is more than you pretend—I'll make sure Investigation hears about it."
He walked away, leaving Alex standing there, fists clenched.
Grim grew to a meter and a half, red lights pulsing brighter.
Permission... to... make... trip?
Despite everything, Alex almost smiled. "No. But I appreciate the offer."
---
[THAT NIGHT - APARTMENT 4B - 10:23 PM]
Alex tried to sleep. He really did.
But every time he closed his eyes, his brain replayed scenarios:
· What if Daniel Cross is stronger than expected?
· What if Grim accidentally reveals too much power?
· What if Vance disqualifies him on technicalities?
· What if—?
His phone vibrated.
Message from an unknown number.
Alex opened it, expecting another threat or warning.
Instead:
"Hello again, Fragment 1 Bearer. I've been waiting to meet you properly—not just provoke you in dark alleys. Tomorrow, after your first match (assuming you win, which you should), let's meet. I have information you need. Information that will change everything you think you know about the Fragments. North Stadium Rooftop, 7 PM. Come alone. Well, you and your adorable skeleton. - The Reaper"
Attached was an image.
Alex opened it.
It was a photograph of an ancient map—yellowed parchment, ink fading, but still legible.
It showed a continent with seven locations marked:
1. LOWER CITY - (Fragment 1 - your current location)
2. NORTHERN FORTRESS - (Fragment 2 - my location)
3. FALLEN CITADEL - (Fragment 3 - LEGENDARY DUNGEON)
4. VOID CATACOMBS - (Fragment 4 - Herald Cult)
5. ??? - EASTERN ISLAND - (Fragment 5 - unconfirmed)
6. ??? - SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS - (Fragment 6 - unconfirmed)
7. ??? - WESTERN OCEAN - (Fragment 7 - unconfirmed)
Alex studied the map for a full five minutes.
Fallen Citadel. The tournament prize. Fragment 3.
Everything fit.
He wrote back: "How did you get this?"
Immediate response: "Fifteen years ago, when I received Fragment 2, it came with... memories. Fragments of knowledge from the Original Reaper. Including where the others were hidden. Some memories are clearer than others. That's why 3 locations are confirmed, 3 are blurry. We'll talk tomorrow. Sleep well. Try not to die in your first match—that would be disappointing."
Alex looked at the phone, then at Grim.
"Tomorrow," he said aloud. "First match against Daniel. Then meeting with The Reaper. Then..."
He stopped.
Then what? If he won the tournament? If he gained access to Fallen Citadel? If he actually found Fragment 3?
The Gods had sealed these Fragments for a reason. And Alex was about to start gathering them.
"Are we doing the right thing?" he asked Grim.
Grim tilted his head. Then grew to his full meter-and-a-half form, stepped closer, put a bony hand on Alex's shoulder.
The red lights glowed steady and firm.
Your. Choice. I. Follow. Always.
"Yeah," Alex sighed. "That's what worries me. That you'd follow me even if I'm doing something completely stupid."
Then. Don't. Be. Stupid.
Alex laughed despite himself. "Helpful as always."
He forced himself to lie down. Closed his eyes. Breathed deeply.
Tomorrow, everything changed.
Tomorrow, the world would see the real Alex Carter.
Or at least... as much truth as he could safely show.
His last thought before sleep was:
Please let this not be a mistake.
