Leona POV

  Leona had been thinking about how everything had changed with Theodore and honestly it was weird as hell. She used to know exactly where she stood with him. She hated him, despised him, and wished he'd just disappear from the family entirely.

  But now… Now she didn't even know what she thought anymore because the Theodore competing in this tournament wasn't the Theodore she'd grown up despising.

  When the tournament began, she'd thought exactly what everyone else thought: Theodore would embarrass himself, probably get eliminated in the first event, and give the family another reason to pretend he didn't exist.

  She'd even practiced her dismissive shrug for when people brought it up at social events.

  But then he'd gone and won against his first opponent. And his second. And kept winning until he was somehow ranked first in Instance Seven, and Leona had watched those recordings of his fights maybe twenty times trying to figure out what the hell was happening.

  Theodore, ranked first in Instance Seven?

  She'd never admit it to anyone—she would literally die before saying it out loud—but watching her brother demolish opponents who should've destroyed him made something flutter in her chest that felt suspiciously like excitement.

  Or maybe pride? No, definitely not pride. She wasn't proud of Theodore. That would be ridiculous.

  Renna had shown up at the estate. They'd been friends since starting at the academy three years ago, and Renna knew everything about how Theodore's behavior had affected Leona over the years.

  So Renna had made it her personal mission to trash Theodore whenever possible, thinking she was being supportive. And normally Leona appreciated it, even encouraged it sometimes, because hearing someone else voice all her bitter thoughts about her brother felt like validation.

  But back when Renna had said, "Can you believe they're actually reporting on his fights? Like anyone cares what happens in Instance Seven," Leona had felt this weird irritation crawling up her spine.

  Instance Seven wasn't that weak. Sure, it wasn't Instance One where all the monsters gathered, but it wasn't nothing either. And Theodore had won against everyone and gotten the first position, which had to count for something even if Leona didn't want to admit it.

  When the first event was underway and Renna was doing her usual routine of underestimating Theodore in front of her and saying he'd lose and wouldn't be able to go that far, Leona was annoyed. But it didn't take long for Renna's mouth to close shut, her eyes bulging in shock when Theodore won not only the first event, but he won so good that he was the top first in his Instance.

  So, Renna did what she did best. She laughed nervously and said, "Aha, well, it was only in Instance Seven! No way he performs well going forward. No way he goes even a little bit far in the second event."

  Leona rolled her eyes. Just what do I feel anymore? For little Leona, these feelings were very, very weird. She didn't know if she liked her brother, or if she hated him.

  The second event had started afterward, and news was already trickling back to the capital through various information networks. Teams hunting beasts for points, the usual tournament stuff. Renna had immediately started speculating about how Theodore would fail this round.

  …Except then came the afternoon report that Theodore's team had jumped into the top ten from all Instances, and Renna's confident predictions had gotten a little shrill. When the report came that they'd somehow gained over a thousand points in under an hour, Renna had actually stopped talking for a full minute, which might've been a record.

  They both wondered how they'd managed to get that many points this fast, until the news about their team hunting a Beast King.

  When she'd told Renna about it earlier, her friend's face had done this amazing progression from disbelief to confusion to disbelief.

  And that's when Leona had realized she didn't like hearing Renna talk about Theodore anymore. Not because she suddenly loved her brother or anything ridiculous like that, but because Renna didn't know the new Theodore.

  Neither did Leona really, but at least she was trying to figure it out instead of clinging to old assumptions.

  The Theodore in those recording crystals wasn't the same person who'd embarrassed their family for years. He moved differently, fought differently, carried himself like someone who actually gave a damn about something other than his next drink.

  And that didn't erase all the hurt he'd caused, maybe she'd never fully forgive him for making her childhood miserable, but it meant something.

  She just didn't know what yet.

  She just wondered… Who the hell was this person wearing her brother's face?

  She definitely was hurt because of his actions and she definitely despised the old Theodore, but the new one, he was like a different person, having the same face. Leona didn't know how to react, so she did what kids her age did best. She ignored it all, put it deep in her mind, wrapped it up in dozens of excuses and dismissals until it was of no concern to her anymore.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Renna was still talking when news came to the capital, to the people, and shook the whole capital ablaze.

  Something unprecedented had happened in the second event.

  ***

  General POV

  The Chronicle's latest news hit the capital like a sledgehammer to the face, and the headline was deceptively simple, just three lines that would send the entire city into chaos.

  "Two Beast Kings Defeated By Garrett Brennan's Team, and Theodore Lockhart's Team Respectively. Two Beast Kings Have Fused. Unprecedented in Tournament History!"

  The public reaction was immediate.

  "Garrett Brennan killed a Beast King? Of course he did, the man's a monster in human skin. Remember when he won against those three peak Rank 4s last year?!"

  ""Beast Kings are supposed to be unkillable for anyone below peak Rank 4, but if anyone could do it, it's Brennan."

  The conversations in the morning markets all centered around Garrett, his reputation preceding him like a herald announcing royalty.

  He was the prodigy among prodigies, the kind of fighter who made other talented individuals look ordinary by comparison. Him killing a Beast King wasn't surprising—it was expected.

  But then they reached the second line of the article.

  "Wait, Theodore Lockhart's team? The same Theodore from Instance Seven? Has to be a misprint. No way Instance Seven took down a Beast King."

  "Says right here, Theodore Lockhart's team. But get this—he's their point-carrier!"

  People were amused. "Their point-carrier? Those poor bastards had to protect dead weight while fighting a Beast King?"

  The nobility received the news over breakfast, and their reactions were more measured but equally dismissive.

  "The team composition makes sense now," a noble mused to his wife. "Tessia from Instance One is on that team, isn't she? She's exceptional, trained under the Sword Saint himself."

  "She doesn't seem to be using her sword, for some reason."

  "Because she likely has no reason to for now."

  The betting houses were in uproar, not because of Theodore but because of what his team's success meant for the odds.

  "If Theodore's team has fighters capable of killing Beast Kings, we need to recalculate everything!"

  After all, Theodore was a hot commodity. His name sold everywhere. It was a buzzword.

  "Should we adjust his odds for winning the tournament?"

  "Are you insane? He's a point-carrier who got lucky with strong teammates. The Chronicles was wrong about him before, they're wrong now."

  But in a private room above one of the capital's most exclusive restaurants, Seth was having a very different reaction. He was absolutely livid. Across the city, Jane Brennan was having her own moment of fury, though hers was more controlled. Her brother defeating a Beast King was only natural. Expected, even. Garrett was everything a Brennan should be—powerful, skilled, destined for greatness.

  But Theodore's team achieving the same feat made her skin crawl with indignation.

  She knew the team was capable—Tessia alone was worth a lot—but the very idea that Theodore's name would be mentioned alongside her brother's in the historical records made her want to burn every copy of the Chronicles in existence.

  "Point-carrier," she spat the word like a curse. "At least everyone knows he contributed nothing."

  But the real chaos hadn't even started yet, because the third line of the article was what truly set the capital ablaze.

  "Two Beast Kings fused together? That's impossible! The organizers would never allow something that dangerous!"

  "It says unprecedented in tournament history. This has literally never happened before!"

  The implications hit different social circles in waves.

  "Whoever fights that thing is either the bravest or stupidest person in the Instance."

  "Fight it? They'll die! A fused Beast King would be equivalent to what, peak Rank 5?"

  "Gods have mercy on whoever encounters that monster."

  The morning markets erupted into speculation and frenzy.

  "How did the news even get out so fast? The tournament's still ongoing!"

  "Someone must've eliminated themselves to sell the information. Imagine being so sure you can't win that you just give up for quick profit."

  "Quick? If they had exclusive footage of two Beast Kings fusing, they're set for life! The Chronicles probably paid a fortune for first reporting rights."

  "I heard recording crystals from people who witnessed it are already being pre-sold for thousands of aurums."

  "Thousands? Try hundreds of thousands. This is literally historical. Our grandchildren will study this tournament!"

  The underground fighting rings were taking bets on everything.

  "Who encounters the Hydra first?"

  "Who dies first?"

  "Will anyone actually try to fight it or will they all run?"

  "Odds on Theodore's team stumbling into it and getting obliterated?"

  "Stop, that's too easy a bet. Of course they'll die if they meet it."

  Simon at the Chronicles was frantically coordinating with field reporters, trying to get more information.

  "I need names! Who's eliminated themselves? Who's still in the running? Where's the Hydra now?"

  "Sir, reports are confused. Some say four teams are already heading toward it."

  "Four teams of suicidal idiots, you mean? Or are they actually competent? Anything worthy?"

  "Actually, sir, they're saying it's the top teams. Victoria's group, Peter's team, Eddie and Sven."

  "Of course it is. The monsters are drawn to the bigger monster."

  The Chronicles next edition was already being prepared, and pre-orders were astronomical.

  "We're going to need triple our usual."

  "Triple? We'll need five times normal. Everyone in the capital wants to know what happens next."

  "Has anyone calculated the actual power level of a fused Beast King?"

  "The Academy's theorists are saying minimum mid Rank 5, possibly touching peak Rank 5."

  The taverns were packed despite it being morning, everyone wanting to discuss the news with alcohol to steady their nerves.

  The conversation kept circling back to the same points—awe at Garrett Brennan's achievement, amusement at Theodore being carried by his team, and sheer disbelief at the fused Beast King.

  "The tournament's barely started and it's already the greatest show in decades!"

  "Greatest? Try most insane!"

  "Same thing in entertainment terms!"

  The Hydra had transformed what should've been a standard tournament into something legendary before it had even fought anyone.