Yeonha opens her eyes as the golden light vanishes, her surroundings shifting from the familiar to the utterly unexpected. She finds herself standing in the middle of a grand colosseum, its towering walls adorned with intricate carvings and symbols she doesn't recognize. Jonghak is nowhere to be seen, leaving her feeling a pang of annoyance at his sudden disappearance.
“Ugh… I hate this…”
Looking around, she notices a diverse crowd filling the seats surrounding the arena. People of different species, some with wings, others with scales, cheer, and jeer enthusiastically, adding to Yeonha's confusion. Where exactly is she?
A voice echoes throughout the colosseum, amplified by magic, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Rookie Tournament of the Transcendent Plane! I am Hermes, your favorite host!"
Yeonha's eyebrows furrow in bewilderment as she tries to make sense of her surroundings. She hadn't expected their arrival to be greeted with such fanfare.
From how she understands her situation, Yeonha appears to be a contender considering she is at the center of the arena.
A nearby contender, a humanoid creature with shimmering purple scales, leans over and addresses Yeonha with a grin. "First time here, huh? You're in for a treat, my friend. The Rookie Tournament is the most anticipated event in the Transcendent Plane."
“Dumbass,” comments another humanoid creature, an elf of all things. “Don’t listen to him. We are all new here… I don’t know where you got your information from, scaly, but don’t go harassing other newbie transcendent because you thought they were an easy mark.”
“Huh!? Wanna have a go, long ears?” Scaly challenges the elf, and everywhere, other contenders are seemingly heated and rearing to fight.
Feeling a sense of unease gnawing at her, Yeonha scans the crowd of contenders once more, hoping to catch a glimpse of Jonghak amidst the sea of faces. But he remains elusive, leaving her to this ‘Rookie Tournament’ or whatever that means.
Yeonha listens to the banter between the elf and scaly, feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension. She's about to interject when Hermes's voice booms through the arena once more, cutting through the rising tension.
"Alright, alright, settle down, folks!" Hermes calls out, his tone is playful yet authoritative. "Save the fighting for the arena, will ya? We haven't even started yet!"
The contenders reluctantly ease off, grumbling among themselves as they await further instructions.
"Now, listen up, everyone!" Hermes continues, his voice carrying across the colosseum. "Here are the rules for the Rookie Tournament of the Transcendent Plane. It's a free-for-all brawl, folks! Last transcendent standing wins the coveted Rookie of the Year Trophy, plenty of DP, and maybe even an invitation to join high-rank guilds like Olympus!"
Yeonha can't help but roll her eyes at the familiar pitch. It sounds like something straight out of a cheesy Earth-based guild recruitment, and listening to Hermes only makes her cringe even more.
As Hermes explains the rules, a few contenders try to take advantage of the chaos to start bashing each other, but to their dismay, their bodies simply pass through one another as if they're both intangible.
"Hey, hey, none of that!" Hermes chides, wagging a finger at the would-be fighters. "Save it for when I say go, alright? Now, let's get this show on the road!"
Yeonha takes a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves as the reality of her situation sinks in. She may not have signed up for this, but it seems she's been thrust into the midst of a high-stakes competition whether she likes it or not. With Jonghak nowhere to be found, she'll have to rely on her own skills and instincts to navigate this strange new world and emerge victorious.
The most annoying thing for Yeonha is that did just the Hermes guy want them to kill each other… like say, for entertainment? Jonghak has forgotten to tell her that the Transcendent Plane was actually such a barbaric place.
Hermes adds, “Just for clarification. You folks can go all out without fear of dying cuz this tournament is sponsored by whole constellations, meaning everyone gets a resurrection ticket from the get-go.”
Okay? That’s some good news at least for Yeonha.
“GO!” Too abruptly, Hermes says the magic word, and everyone suddenly becomes tangible.
Before even Yeonha can summon Aether, the elf near her has flanked her already with a curved sword at hand. Though Yeonha has been very mindful, she is still caught off-guard by the unimaginable speed the elf has summoned in his wake literally breaking the sound barrier at a microsecond of an acceleration.
“I am sorry,” The elf unapologetically smiles as a flash of light overtakes Yeonha.
Yoo Yeonha has been beheaded just like that…
As the chaos erupts within the arena, Monsen Divine Wind, the powerful elf contender, moves with unmatched grace and precision. His curved sword cuts through the air with a swiftness that defies comprehension, leaving a trail of fallen contenders in his wake. The crowd erupts into frenzied cheers with each display of his divine swordsmanship, chanting his name with fervor.
Hermes, the ever-present announcer, can't help but marvel at Monsen's prowess, even as he comments on the devastation he's unleashing upon his fellow contenders.
"Would you look at that, folks!" Hermes exclaims, his voice amplified by magic to reach every corner of the colosseum. "Monsen Divine Wind is truly living up to his name! His swordplay is a sight to behold, cutting through the competition like a tornado through wheat fields!"
The cheers of the crowd blend with the clash of swords and the occasional cry of pain, creating a cacophony of sound that reverberates throughout the Grand Colosseum.
Shortly after, only two contenders are left: Monsen and the purple-scaled dragonewt.
Garpenan of the Purple-scale tribe hefts his giant axe, his eyes narrowed with determination as he faces Monsen Divine Wind, the formidable elf contender who has decimated their competition with unparalleled skill.
"I am Garpenan of the Purple-scale tribe," he declares, his voice booming across the arena. "And I shall destroy you, Monsen!"
Monsen, unfazed by Garpenan's bold proclamation, readies his curved sword, his gaze steady and focused. "You'll find it's not so easy, Garpenan," he replies calmly, a hint of confidence in his tone.
The crowd falls silent, anticipation hanging thick in the air as the two contenders circle each other, sizing up their opponent's every move. “The bloody corpses of their fallen competitors serve as a grim backdrop to their impending battle, a testament to the fierce competition that has brought them to this final confrontation. This is the Rookie Tournament! Among the newly ascended, we shall know who the strongest right is at this moment!” Hermes passionately narrates as he
With a roar, Garpenan charges forward, swinging his axe with brutal force. Monsen gracefully dodges the attack with fluid and precise movements as he counters with a series of swift strikes. The clash of metal rings out through the arena as the two contenders engage in a fierce exchange, each determined to emerge victorious.
Garpenan's scales gleam in the dim light as he unleashes a barrage of attacks. His strength and ferocity is unmatched. But Monsen is equally skilled if not better, his agility and finesse allowing him to evade Garpenan's blows while delivering precise strikes of his own.
As the battle rages on, the crowd watches with bated breath, their cheers and gasps echoing off the walls of the colosseum. It's a showdown of epic proportions, a clash of titans that will determine the victor of the Rookie Tournament of the Transcendent Plane.
And as the final stages of the fight commence, both contenders know that only one will emerge triumphant.
“You are too slow, but you are tough, that much I will admit!” Monsen steps aside as a blinding ray of purple almost cleaves him. “And you are an aura user too! And here I thought only Swordsaints can do such things.”
“Dragonfear!” Garpenan roars forcing Monsen in a stun.
But Monsen simply smiles. “Not enough, Tempest!” The aura around Monsen goes berserk as sharp winds escalate from where he stands.
Cuts accumulate in Garpenan’s scales forcing him into a defensive position… the sharp winds almost get Garpenan’s eyes but he uses his giant axe as if it is a shield as he pushes through. Purple flames begin to flicker from Garpenan’s snout… until finally, he is close enough he is confident to destroy Monsen.
“Dragon’s Breathe!” Garpenan unleashes a stream of flames, which devours the winds together with the elf. Three seconds. Four seconds. Seven seconds. When Garpenan is finished, all that is left of the elf is his charred remains. “I HAVE RISEN VICTORIOUS!”
The colosseum erupts into a deafening roar as Garpenan stands triumphant, his victory seemingly assured. Cheers and applause fill the air, celebrating the mighty dragonewt's conquest of the Rookie Tournament of the Transcendent Plane. But just as the crowd reaches its peak of excitement, a sudden hush falls over the arena.
Garpenan's triumphant roar turns into a choked gasp as his head is cleanly severed from his body, sending shockwaves through the spectators. The crowd goes silent, their cheers replaced by gasps of disbelief and horror.
Garpenan falls to his knees, his body slumping to the ground lifeless, the giant axe slipping from his grasp. Behind him stands a headless figure, cloaked in shadow, holding a giant scythe stained with blood.
Slowly, the figure raises her hand, and from her neck, a new head regenerates, the sight leaving the spectators stunned into silence. She steps forward, revealing herself to be none other than Yoo Yeonha, her expression calm and resolute.
The colosseum is enveloped in an eerie stillness as Yeonha's presence commands the attention of every soul present. With a steady gaze, she surveys the crowd, her eyes locking onto the projection of Hermes, who watches her with a mixture of astonishment and apprehension.
"Looks like the show's not over yet," Yeonha declares, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade as she watches the charred elf bathe in white light and resurrect right in front of her eyes. "That’s fine, I'm just getting started."
Monsen looks in confusion as he sees the beheaded form of Garpenan.
The spectators exchange nervous glances, unsure of what to make of this unexpected turn of events. But one thing is certain: the Rookie Tournament has taken a dramatic and unexpected turn, and Yoo Yeonha has emerged as a force to be reckoned with.
