"I wouldn’t presume to call them 'views'."

  Lorelle replied with a smile.

  "But the contestants this year are truly exceptional. I’ve noticed some have already reached Grade B—achieving such a rank at their age is a testament to extraordinary talent. Additionally, the participants are generally younger, which bodes well for the future."

  "Oh! So this is a tournament brimming with prodigies!"

  "Thank you for your insights, Lorelle! Now let’s hear from our other guest, Mr. Radley."

  "They’re all impressive."

  Radley answered in his usual steady tone.

  "I’ve witnessed the spirit of fighting to the bitter end in many of them! As a shield warrior, my perspective may be biased toward my own class, but in my eyes, that unyielding resolve is what defines a true warrior."

  "A profound observation! Indeed, every contestant battling it out on this arena is a warrior at heart! Thank you, Radley!"

  "And now—oh my~! The time has finally come! That’s right! It’s once again the thrilling moment we’ve all been waiting for——!"

  "Let the battles begin!!!"

  Nearly 100,000 spectators erupted into a deafening roar of cheers.

  Amidst the thunderous applause, George announced loudly:

  "I declare the first match of the Round of 32—officially underway!!!"

  ......

  "Have you checked the match roster yet?"

  Inside the Black Wolf Clan’s VIP box,

  Abak asked anxiously.

  His subordinate quickly replied: "Yes, my lord. I’ve verified it personally. They’ve successfully arranged for Volk to face her."

  "Oh? They actually pulled it off?! "

  Abak was stunned, unable to believe his ears.

  The organizers of the Royal Martial Arts Festival reported directly to the Federal Council! Many aspects of the tournament were overseen by the council to prevent malicious cheating.

  Even as a member of the council, the Black Wolf Clan had no way to meddle in the arrangements. Yet this group of mysterious strangers had managed to do the impossible.

  All of a sudden......

  Abak felt a twinge of panic.

  Could he have boarded a dangerous ship with no way out?

  ......

  Inside the White Cat Clan’s VIP box,

  an eerie calm prevailed.

  The lively atmosphere outside seemed to have no effect on the quiet within.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Both Bars and Hulim sat silently by the window, waiting for the time to pass.

  Ding——!

  The bell signaling the end of a match echoed across the entire arena.

  With George’s passionate shout, another match came to a close.

  "Hulim, I’m counting on you."

  Bars still stared out at the arena, his face giving away no hint of emotion.

  "Yes."

  Hulim stood up, turned toward the exit,

  and said firmly: "I won’t fail."

  ......

  "Now, let’s welcome the contestants for our next match! They are——Hulim Hayelar! And——Volk!"

  Amidst the audience’s cheering, Hulim and Volk stepped onto the massive main arena.

  "Well, well, I must be the luckiest man alive. Just yesterday, I thoroughly taught that little cat a lesson, and today I get to face another one of you! Hahaha, it seems even the gods are smiling down on me~!"

  In the face of Volk’s arrogant taunts, Hulim remained completely unresponsive, her expression cold and calm.

  "Huh? What’s your problem?"

  Hulim’s indifference annoyed Volk.

  "Cat got your tongue?"

  "Or could it be——hahaha! Are you too scared to speak!?"

  Yet Hulim still didn’t move a muscle.

  "......Tch!"

  Frustrated by his failed attempts to provoke her, Volk clicked his tongue in irritation.

  "You have some nerve...... daring to ignore me like this! Fine, I’ll send you down the same path as that girl from yesterday. Speaking of her——is she still stuck in bed~?"

  "Haha~, probably. After all, I might have gone slightly overboard~! But don’t worry—I won’t finish you off so quickly today. I’ll take my time with you, making sure you live in the shadow of this defeat for the rest of your life!"

  "......"

  Hulim still said nothing. She just stared at Volk quietly.

  That gaze sent an unexpected chill down Volk’s spine, even as he tried to think of more ways to anger her.

  Ding——!

  The match bell rang.

  "Die——!"

  Boom!

  Despite the faint sense of unease, Volk dismissed it as an illusion. The moment the match started, he unleashed a powerful spell at Hulim—a towering pillar of fire charging straight toward her.

  "Oh! Contestant Volk takes the initiative with an attack! The fire pillar is heading straight for Hulim! How will she respond!?"

  Just as the attack was about to hit, Hulim raised her wand and waved it forward.

  Boom!

  In an instant, an identical fire pillar erupted from her wand, colliding head-on with Volk’s attack.

  The two pillars of fire froze mid-air, locked in a stalemate.

  "There it is——!"

  "Hulim counters with the same attack! The two contestants are now deadlocked!!!"

  "Deadlocked? I’m not so sure. Hulim’s posture is noticeably more relaxed. She must hold the upper hand."

  Radley commented.

  "Precisely. Hulim’s spell-casting speed is extraordinary. If I’m not mistaken, this kind of speed can only be achieved through incantationless casting......"

  "Incantationless casting is a term most of you have heard before, but some viewers might not realize that this technique is typically mastered only by high-ranking powerhouses. For someone as young as Hulim to command it is truly astonishing!"

  Lorelle’s analysis aligned closely with Radley’s, both favoring Hulim. She also explained to the audience that Hulim possessed a superior technique far beyond her opponent’s reach.

  "Oh! What a surprise! Both of our commentators agree that Hulim has the advantage in this first exchange! But what’s the real situation on the arena? Oh—look! The tide of the battle is shifting——!"

  ......

  Inside the Black Wolf Clan’s VIP box,

  Abak was shaking with rage.

  "Bastards...... those two so-called commentators! Do they know how to do anything but spout nonsense!? And that referee—all he does is stir up the crowd! Useless fool!"

  "Bastards! All three of them are blind, incompetent bastards......"

  "......"

  Listening to Abak’s loud, continuous ranting, his trusted subordinate hesitated whether to intervene.

  After all, those three were genuine high-ranking powerhouses. If these insults reached their ears, Abak might end up getting jumped on the street......

  Meanwhile, back on the arena,

  Volk was also fuming with anger.

  "Damn it! What a load of crap! How could I possibly be weaker than this kid!? This is ridiculous!!?"

  "Yesterday——"

  At that moment, Hulim finally spoke.

  "Huh?"

  "——was this the move you used to corner Miko?"

  "Ha~! So what if it was!? You little brat, don’t you dare look down on me!"

  "If that’s the case......"

  "Then you’ll experience it for yourself."

  "Huh?? What are you talk——"

  Boom!

  In the blink of an eye, the fire pillar Hulim had launched suddenly doubled in size.

  The delicate balance was shattered instantly.

  Volk’s flame was quickly overwhelmed by Hulim’s. In the span of a heartbeat, a towering wave of fire surged toward him.

  "Ugh——!!!"

  With a ear-splitting scream that echoed throughout the arena, Volk’s body was sent flying backward by the overwhelming inferno.

  Ps：My Patreon has been updated to Chapter 267! Fellow readers who enjoy advance chapters can head over to support it!! Thank you all — wish you a wonderful day!!