"The topic I wish to propose concerns the Four-Race Allied Army initiative led by the Parasara Empire—what are your thoughts on this?"

  As the question hung in the air, the council members began to voice their opinions freely.

  "This proposal was inevitable, with or without the Parasara Empire’s push. The real issue lies in the command structure......"

  "Exactly. Confirming the command structure is crucial. Our Federation will never submit to the Parasara Empire."

  "Then why not let each of the Four Great Powers command their own race’s troops?"

  "That would never work! We’d end up as a disorganized mess—what’s the point of an allied army then?"

  "You’re right. Separate commands won’t do. In my opinion, we should establish an Allied Army Council similar to our own, with representatives from each country and organization. Only then can we truly unify our strength."

  "Reasonable. This plan is feasible! The question is, what do the other three countries think? Besides, organizations like the Seven Days Church and the Adventurers' Guild have different structures from our nations—their views will likely differ greatly."

  "Let’s set aside their opinions for now. We’ll put forward our stance first, and negotiate with them if there are disagreements later."

  "Agreed. Let’s do that!"

  "But how will the allied army operate internally? Troop divisions, resource sharing......"

  As the discussion progressed, time passed quickly.

  "Gentlemen,"

  Leonagnus spoke up to remind them.

  "Let’s table this topic for now. It’s time to head to the Grand Arena."

  "Is it already that time?"

  "Alright, let’s hurry!"

  The council members rose one after another and left the council chamber.

  Outside, they boarded special carriages, and under the escort of troops on both sides, embarked on the grand procession to the Grand Arena.

  True to the namesake of the Royal Martial Tournament, it had become a tradition for the Federation’s kings to attend the finals in unison. They would watch the match publicly in front of 100,000 spectators and the Quarterfinalists.

  To make this tradition more formal, the kings would first gather at the council, then travel to the arena in unified carriages. The Grand Arena’s main stadium even featured an open-air Kings' Gallery, allowing every spectator and contestant to see the Federation’s rulers clearly.

  ......

  At the Grand Arena, the atmosphere was electric.

  Nearly all 100,000 spectators had taken their seats. Now, they just waited for the Federation’s kings to arrive, and the match would begin.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  But at the various entrances and exits of the arena,

  things seemed to be taking a different turn......

  "Time’s up......"

  "Move out!"

  At an unseen signal,

  dozens of "staff members" sprang into action.

  Squeak——!Bang!

  The gates of each entrance were suddenly closed and bolted shut.

  "What’s going on?""Why are they closing the gates!""Hey, open up! We haven’t gotten in yet!"

  Latecomers stared in confusion, then shouted in dissatisfaction.

  Their only response was the glint of weapons wielded by fully armed men who emerged from nowhere.

  "Oh no, run!"

  The crowd outside panicked and scattered in all directions.

  But the armed men only chased them briefly before letting them go. These people were irrelevant, and there was no need to hide their actions any longer.

  ......

  "Strange, why do I feel such an uneasy atmosphere......"

  In the contestants' waiting room, Hulim felt an inexplicable sense of dread creeping over her.

  She stood up, gazing intently at the arena outside, trying to pinpoint the source of her anxiety.

  At that moment, another person stood up, staring solemnly at the outside as well.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Hulim recognized him.

  Luigi Sloan......

  Did he sense something too?

  But...... what exactly was wrong?

  The noise of 100,000 spectators merged into a deafening roar. Even if there were clues, she couldn’t detect them amid the chaos......

  ......

  Bang!"Ah——!"

  Screams echoed from every corner of the Grand Arena.

  "W-Who are you people! Do you know what you’re doing!"

  Remaining staff members—those who couldn’t be replaced—were being systematically eliminated.

  "Hmph!"

  Their only answer was the cold blades of the armed attackers.

  "Ah——!"

  After another scream, silence fell over the area.

  "Obstacles cleared!""Good. Begin!"

  Hiss! Hiss! Hiss......

  "What’s this?""Why is there so much smoke all of a sudden?""Hey, is that a fire?""......"

  Without warning, thick white mist began to pour into the Grand Arena. It quickly filled the spectator stands, VIP boxes, and contestants' waiting room—every corner of the venue.

  "Stay back! Hold your breath!"

  Some powerful individuals reacted instantly.

  But it was too late.

  Upon contact with the mist, spectators began to fall in droves.

  The sight triggered panic among those still standing.

  The crowd scrambled to flee,

  throwing the venue into complete chaos.

  But the mist had already engulfed the entire arena—there was nowhere to run.

  Soon, the remaining spectators collapsed as well.

  The massive Grand Arena, once filled with 100,000 people, fell eerily silent.

  ......

  A short while earlier,

  in the contestants' waiting room,

  "Hold your breath!"

  Seeing the sudden mist, Hulim shouted a warning.

  The other contestants reacted quickly, holding their breath.

  But......

  "Ugh......"

  One of them stumbled and collapsed into unconsciousness shortly after touching the mist.

  The remaining contestants' faces paled.

  It doesn’t work through breathing! Just contact is enough to be affected!?

  They immediately jumped onto elevated surfaces, but the mist spread rapidly—it would fill the entire waiting room in moments.

  One contestant moved to break through the wall and escape.

  "No——!"

  Luigi shouted to stop him.

  "The mist is spreading even faster outside!"

  The mist outside had already turned the view into a sea of white. If they forced open the wall and let the air circulate, the waiting room would be completely submerged in seconds.

  The contestant froze, abandoning his plan.

  But if the situation outside was worse, were they just waiting to die?

  As everyone fell into despair,

  a figure suddenly stepped into the mist voluntarily.

  The others stared in disbelief. Was she crazy?!

  What happened next shocked them even more.

  The figure stood firmly in the mist, showing no signs of collapsing like the previous contestant......

  Gazing at the mist swirling around her, Hulim couldn’t help but think.

  I can’t believe it actually works......

  It had happened a few days earlier.

  After Mirei’s poisoning incident at the White Cat Royal Clan’s mansion, Bars had ordered the preparation of countermeasures for such emergencies.

  The White Cat Clan’s physicians had pored over countless ancient texts, spent a fortune, and worked tirelessly for days and nights to develop a powerful antidote—one recorded in ancient records that could neutralize many hallucinogenic potions!

  Later, fearing further sabotage during the tournament, Bars had given Hulim and the others doses of the antidote to carry at all times.

  She never thought it would actually come in handy......

  And she never imagined such an unimaginable disaster would strike the Grand Arena!