Chapter 13: A Slight Change

From the force of impact, Hamer's defensive armor of mist energy crumbled and cracking sounds echoed. The east wall of the hall, on the other hand, was unblemished.

A thin, glowing green layer of a mantle has been raised between Hamer and the wall to protect it, but the instant the force of the impact dissipated, the mantle vanished into air, while Hamer fell unconscious to the floor.

To say that Hamer was "unlucky" is a statement that its true essence could only be understood by, maybe, one percent of the spectators. A handful of people were capable of spotting the green mantle, since the one who bothered to make sure the hall remains intact was none other than Supreme Ruler Ariel Dauch. And this is related to Hamer unluckiness because if it was not for Supreme Ruler Ariel's mantle, than the east wall would have absorbed the force of the impact instead of Hamer.

"This intensity... !"

"Yet another quick and decisive battle..."

"That Zax Zel, where the hell Eden Formation found him? Has he not reached yet his limits? This is practically fighting and prowess on the same level as the most publicly acclaimed participants!"

The spectators who were familiar with Hamer and assumed that Zax met the rival that will eliminate him from the competition were aghast.

Two men from the medical team rushed to Hamer with a stretcher as Zax walked back to his seat.

"Hahaha, your display of ruthlessness was astounding!" Fi Han greeted Zax with a laugh.

"Ruthlessness?" Zax raised an eyebrow, but before he waited for a response he thought about it really fast and gathered that for those who never extended a step out of their Martial school, his actions might have seemed wild.

"Yes, this Hamer nearly crippled his previous opponents. Most of the blood on the stages he fought on belongs to his opponents. Now he got what he deserved, hahaha!" As the leader of the Disciplinary Class, Fi Han treated the severity of Hamer injuries as a justice for the two opponents who fought him before Zax.

"I concur". Arms crossed, Jalal nodded in agreement.

"Enough, you two. Everyone is paying unnecessary attention to us. It is good that Zax won with no effort, but this fight determined his place among the top ten and it is best not to antagonize the participants and backers too much who failed at this round and the earlier ones". Don said in a judicious consideration.

The Martial competition is a significant event that only occurs once every fifty years. Some of the families, schools and other groups with the right to participate in it invest tremendously in their representative, if not to attain a place in the top three, then, at least, to reach the top ten.

Although everything was managed by the Strong Arm League, no one could tell for certainty if some groups have prepared in advance, or not, measures to secretly sabotage the well being of others' representatives.

One must not forget that behind some of the powers here stand members of the fourteen elders and even the Supreme Rulers!

...

Razil was biting his tongue in frustration. For Hamer to lose was beyond his expectations. His loss signified more than just the continuing existence of the menacing Zax, but that Zax is far stronger than he anticipated.

'Senior Neyrar! Senior Neyrar! Senior Neyrar! Senior Neyrar!' At this point he chanted as if praying for gods and devils alike, whoever can save him.

If Neyrar will fight Zax and lose, then he would have to suffer great physical pain from Zax or turn tail and shamefully run to seek aid from the school principle.

Both scenarios were unbearable for Razil to imagine, and the latter did not assure him that Zax, the madman exterminator of a great family – a story he started to take seriously more and more – will not still come after him. Thus, entrusting Neyrar his fate this time around has become the last remaining sensible lifeline.

Of course, Razil was not the sole member of the Molten Core's group currently fuming because of Zax.

Except from Neyrar, the other female representative, who passed the third round before Zax's battle with Hamer, and the school principle, everyone else in the Molten Core's group were angrily glaring at Zax. Still, none dared to say a word. Hamer who is actually stronger than even the school principle and vice school principle, boasted that he will beat Zax and yet lost miserably.

If weaklings like them, who mostly were able to attend the Martial competition due to their school's permission more than their high class status, will offend someone unbridled as Zax, than any reprisal that will follow will a be bane they would not be able to escape.

...

"Everyone, it is my pleasure to announce that the top ten stalwart participants of the Martial competition have earned their places and right for the communal prize!" Talhera spread her arms in the air, gesturing at the crowd and lingering whenever she passed one of the top ten participants. Her voice resounded with jubilation. "With this, the first half of the Martial competition has been concluded and we arrived to the quarter finals. Please, as the pairing of the fourth round participants take please, indulge yourselves in a hour long break. When the time will arrive, I will notify everyone to return back to your seats". Talhera smiled and her voice rolled in a pleasant tune.

...

With the top ten participants selected, the backers behind them stopped secluding their representatives from the other noteworthy groups, who lost their chances in the competition and now could only fawn and attempt to form ties with them.

Unlike the break between the first and second rounds, after venting a little bit against Hamer, Zax had an easygoing temperament and agreed to meet the men and women that were introduced through Don and who wanted to congratulate and get to know him.

"Little brother Zax, you are still young and have to concentrate on school and cultivation. My Anandores family will be honored if after graduation you will join us. Of course, any position that you desire may be available for you and there won't be any restrictions".

"Brother Zax, your technique was exquisite to behold! The Hall Of Mist Users will bestow upon you the status of an Elder if you ever chose to honor us with your presence. Hahaha, it would be nothing time consuming on your part, and the status is just for helping our attendants at the Great Tabernacle to recognize and accommodate your needs accordingly".

"Young master Zax..."

"Junior Zax..."

At this phase of the competition, people were coming with all kind of grandiose invitations and gifts of titles and positions.

Some people were of status that prolonged their greetings and conversations; others were also of the high echelon of Kingdom Earth, but still, not exactly on the same level and spent only a few words before cupping their hands and leaving.

"Junior Don", a man voice parted the crowd in front of the Eden Formation's group.

The lone man was tall with a shaved head and light skin. The air he exuded was soothing at one time, raging the next. The perceptive people who saw him were able to tell that his fluctuating disposition for others depended on where they stood in his vicinity.

"Senior Raul", Don smiled back at the man. The moment she turned and greeted him with high reverence, the surrounding people scattered, knowing that they will not have the chance to exchange pleasantries with Zax.

The change in Don's tone of voice was noticeable. Zax glanced away from the departing middle age woman that talked with him and recognized the man with the shaved head, Raul, who was taller than him.

The man was the leader of the group that has been situated on the other line of arranged seats.

"Good seed you managed to find, junior Don". Raul nodded. His voice like his Advanced phase third level Core Master aura was loud and far from subtle.

"Senior Raul, your Takeda family's Zechariah also seems to me like one of the exceptional participants". The "Zechariah" Don mentioned was a participant in his late thirties who dominated each of his three opponents in no more than two moves.

Of the three junior participants that lady Takeda said to have matching abilities compared to Zax, Zechariah was one of them, and not because he was her great grandson.