Challenges have officially started.
Lloyd saw nobody was challenging Derek, Leland, and Malcer. At first, he thought it was weird but later he came to know that all 3 of them are genius and top members of the clan. These people know that they can't beat them.
Lloyd waited patiently at the back of all participants. He wanted to challenge at the last. He was enjoying the show as the battle continued.
He saw a group of fire phoenix clan member challenge an ice phoenix clan member and finally defeated him. Seeing that other group of ice phoenix got mad and started to challenge fire phoenix member. No one was backing down.
Just then a shadow appeared before Lloyd. It was Bernie Fenix, he looked towards Lloyd in a sneer and said, "hey Lloyd, are you scared? Not participating at all"
"what about you?" Lloyd said as he looked at Bernie. He already noticed Bernie before but he didn't want to interact with this idiot.
"me!" Bernie showed his finger towards himself for confirmation and he said, "today, I am not participating."
While saying that Bernie hit his right fist on his chest as a soldier and he looked as he done something great.
Hearing Bernie, Lloyd's lips turned upwards as he laughed inside while looking sad and said, "I am sorry Bernie. Looks like my previous treatment for your memory loss caused too much damage to your body and made you an idiot"
As Bernie heard Lloyd first word he was surprised as Lloyd apologized to him but he heard the last sentence his face changed and he almost rushed to beat up Lloyd but then he remembered his last fight and he calmed down and back down.
'if I continue to talk with him. He will anger me to start a fight' Bernie thought as he moved away.
Bernie left towards the seats. As he was leaving he looked at a young man by the stage and nodded. That young man also nodded and then looked at Lloyd.
Lloyd didn't care about Bernie so he didn't see Bernie's action.
After a while, Lloyd saw the earlier enthusiasm has decreased and members on the stage got stabilized.
He looked at them and randomly picked a person and directly entered the stage.
Dian Felix was a member of the ice phoenix clan and today he participated in the tournament and after many battles, he finally got to be one of the members who stood on the stage. he was feeling excited inside as nobody challenged him anymore.
As Dian was stood there counting the time for sunset, a figure jumped on the stage. he looked who was the person who wanted to challenged him.
He looked but he didn't recognize him. From the way he was dressed, he came to know that the person before him was a member of the fire phoenix clan. That person was Lloyd.
As Dian looked at Lloyd, he felt something telling him to run but he worked so hard to occupy the stage. if he just left, he will be treated as a coward from now on.
Dian builds up courage as he equipped his sword and charged to Lloyd to finish the battle fast.
Seeing Dian running towards him with a sword, Lloyd didn't take him seriously. He placed his left hand behind his back and used his right hand to defend.
Dian was moving fast but he was still at origin 5th stage while Lloyd was an earth stage.
Lloyd saw all the Dian moves as he was watching a slow-motion movie.
'so, this is how higher cultivator feels while fighting lower level cultivator' Lloyd thought while looking at Dian.
As the sword was reaching near him, Lloyd caught it with two fingers and hold it steadily.
Seeing his sword was stopped, Dian was surprised. He tried to revive his sword but as it was placed in a clamp, the sword didn't move an inch.
Lloyd felt Dian trying to pull his sword back so he realized it. then Dian lost balance and fell with his sword.
Dian got up and looked at his sword and it scared the shit out of him. His sword had two finger marks imprinted on it.
He looked at Lloyd and said, "I admit defeat"
Dian then rushed out of the stage. he wanted to far get away from Lloyd.
Seeing Dian admitted defeat, the audience got confused.
"why did he admit defeat after one move?"
"he was winning all the battles till now"
"Maybe he was tired from the previous matches that he couldn't go on"
"that guy was lucky that Dian was tired, otherwise he could have been sent flying like Dian's previous opponents"
Dian heard all these discussions among the audience and he got scared.
'what the hell? That guy has gone easy on me. Look at the condition of my sword. That could be me. Good thing I admitted defeat otherwise' Dian shivered as he thought about it. He was still shaken by his battle with Lloyd.