Chapter 260 - Seeing a Familar Yet Unfamiliar Face

While Oli began to pay more attention to the many contestants, the formation behind everyone began to light up once more. The purple energy burst upward and quickly collapsed on itself. Just a single figure was left standing at the very center, demanding everyone's attention in her all-white apparel and few pitch-black accessories.

That woman brandished a straight face, exhibiting no emotions as she scanned over the competitors in rows. 

Strangely, Oli felt he had seen the woman before, even though he was absolutely certain he hadn't. Yet seeing her left Oli with a feeling of familiarity, despite being unable to figure out why.

"Lord Treeda, everything is ready to move forward." Uutrai quickly hopped off the platform and landed just outside of the formation. Bowing his head to the woman, he added, "There was a slight change in the line-up, but nothing we need to worry about."

"Right…" Instantly recognizing what Uutrai was talking about, Lord Treeda glanced at Oli without missing a beat. But her eyes didn't linger as they glance at Zelsh next before looking back to Uutrai. "Then let's not waste any time. It's best to arrive early if we're able."

"Of course…" Uutrai stepped onto the formation and stood beside the prefecture lord, a half step behind her. "We'll be going first. Follow the protocol as we welcome you on the other side. And thank you for representing the Toxic-shadow Prefecture."

The formation activated and carried the two figures away, leaving everyone excited and a little nervous for what was to come… apart from Oli.

Wide-eyed, stunned motionless, Oli's stared blankly at the now-empty formation. 

"What's wrong?" Kraz asked quietly, noticed the sudden change in Oli's demeanor.

"This… What's the name of the prefecture?"

"The Toxic-shadow Prefecture." 

"... And why is it named that?"

"Because it's ruled by the Toxic-shadow Clan, a clan very close to my Rot Wyrm Clan." Answering with nonchalance, Kraz was confused to see Oli tense up further and clench his fists. "What's wrong? I heard you were a nomad, so I understand you never hearing the prefecture's name. But why react like that?"

"I… nevermind. I'm not allowed to say, remember?" Oli barely whispered in reply, reminding Kraz of Zelsh's earlier order as an excuse to change the subject. 

It had finally dawned on him why Lord Treeda looked familiar but unfamiliar. Because her human form was eerily similar to the humanoid form that Trada had shown him in the past, which only made Oli feel all the more uncomfortable…

"I'll be fine, so don't worry about me. I'm just surprised is all…"

Oli took a moment to shake his entire body, clapping his hands against his cheeks to forcefully change his expression and demeanor. It looked strange to everyone else but Oli was already an outlier there. Doing something so easy to overlook wouldn't change anyone's opinions of him. 

While Oli focused on regaining his composure, the line on the far right began to move. The female king leaped off the platform and led her region's representatives to the formation. But before activating the formation, she shouted and stared at her fellow kings. "Don't keep us waiting. I'm looking at you, Zlesh!"

The kings all laughed as that region's representatives were carried away in the formation. 

Following the premade order, Zelsh descended next and landed in front of his line. "Fight well and fight hard! That's all that matters today, gaining experience and leaving it all in the ring! Now let's go!"

The competitors followed King Zelsh with pride. They arrogantly walked behind their region's king, approaching their opportunity at receiving greater recognition and support for the rest of their lives. At least that was the case for the tiger and human in the lead. Kraz was both casual yet formal with his demeanor, well-accustomed to representing the region on various occasions for most of his life. And while Oli showed a similar demeanor to Kraz, there was a fragment of hesitation in his step. Whether it was a lack of confidence or hesitation, no one could tell. But everyone watched as Zelsh and his people vanished in a flash of spatial energy.

Appearing elsewhere, Oli shook again to regain his senses after teleportation. At the same time, a loud shout spread over the area the moment they arrived. 

"Oh, he's on time!"

"Who said I wouldn't be!" Unlike his previous shouts, Zelsh's sudden cry was filled with a slight sense of malice, not just sarcasm.

"Brak, save the bickering for after the tournament has begun." Another voice filled the area, though it was a calm statement despite being even louder than the previous shout. 

"Zelsh, line up those of the Rot Region," stated Lord Treeda, still keeping her emotionless face.

"Fine. There's no use talking to that trash anyway…" Zelsh grumbled, leading Oli and the others toward the group that had traveled moments earlier. 

Clenching tighter and tighter, Oli did his best to control his unsteady heart. He slowed his breath to forcibly calm himself but it wasn't easy. He had imagined the match being between the prefecture of his hometown, creating the chance of seeing some familiar faces again. Yet the only familiar face that he found was that of someone Oli had deemed dead in the imminent future.

A little further past the line on his right, there were four more lines of competitors. They were all standing before a grand staircase with a platform in the middle of it, where the kings and Lord Treeda stood. There was someone unfamiliar standing opposite Treeda in equally attention-grabbing garb, with silver ornaments adorning multicolored apparel. And on the other side of that man were a row of four kings, all in human forms. 

But Oli's eyes focused on the king nearest the other prefecture lord. It was the man who had shouted out to Zelsh upon their arrival and the man who that other prefecture lord had clearly named.

"... Brak…"

Oli whispered faintly, practically inaudible to his own ears. But despite his lack of words, the tension in Oli's body increased and was no longer a result of Oli's hesitation or sudden confusion. Now, Oli was unable to take his eyes off the man who had caused the deaths of Oli's first mentors in cultivation: Dioro, his father and the man who gave Oli so many early advantages in life, and Trada, the dragon who drastically changed the future course of Oli's life before vanishing forever.