Chapter 169: Rising Sparks, Growing Flames

Chapter 169: Rising Sparks, Growing FlamesThe morning sun streamed through the windows of the house, signaling the start of a big day. The house was calm and quiet, except for Milo's room, where chaos had already begun.

Milo's alarm clock buzzed loudly, and he shot out of bed like a soldier responding to a siren. His hair stuck up in all directions, his eyes blazing with determination.

"It's today," he muttered, pacing back and forth like a commander preparing for battle. "The day I stop being a boy and become... a man!"

He turned sharply to the mirror, jabbing a finger at his reflection.

"You hear me? You're a menace! A storm! You shed no tear!" He flexed dramatically, struck a ridiculous pose, and then dropped to the floor to do a single push-up.

"That's it! I'm ready!" he declared, springing to his feet and storming out of his room.

In the next room, Colin woke much more slowly. The sunlight poured across her bed as she stretched lazily, blinking at the clock with calm disinterest.

"Still early," she murmured to herself, rubbing her eyes as she slipped out of bed.

She moved to the bathroom with no rush, brushing her teeth and washing her face with practiced ease. Every movement was calm, deliberate, as though today was no different than any other.

After bathing, the two made their way to the breakfast table, each in their own style.

Milo grabbed his plate and digged in with an intensity that left everyone watching in stunned

amusement.

Meanwhile, Colin neatly placed her plate in front of her, eating with elegantly.

After breakfast, the two prepared to leave, their contrasting energies still apparent.

Milo stomped to the door with exaggerated purpose, muttering motivational phrases to himself, and Colin followed behind, calm and composed.

The rest of the family gathered by the door, watching them with pride.

The arena where the selections would be held buzzed with life, a sprawling hub of excitement and tension.

The crowd filled every corner, a mix of hopeful contestants, trainers, and a few spectators.

The air was rich in anticipation as battles were announced one after another, cheers and gasps erupting at each outcome.

In a quiet corner of the stands, Zara stood with her phone pressed to her ear as she spoke to Victoria.

Beside her, Eratz, Mercury, Cassie, and Roger stood quietly.

Both Eratz and Mercury wore hoodies pulled low over their heads and mouth masks to keep from being recognized. Despite her disguises, it was easy to notice the tension in Mercury's postures.

"It's packed here," Zara said into the phone, her voice barely audible over the noise. "So far, most battles have been straightforward. But Milo's turn is up next. We'll see how he handles the pressure."

Victoria's voice crackled faintly on the other end, firm and reassuring.

"He'll be fine. Keep me updated."

Zara ended the call and tucked her phone away just as the announcer's voice boomed through the speakers.

"And next, we have Milo Ambrosius stepping onto the battlefield!"

The crowd shifted as people turned their attention to the field. Milo walked into the arena. He slapped his cheeks lightly, muttering to himself as he took his position.

"Beastigo ergo sum, I'm beast, therefore I beat!" he whispered.

From the sidelines, Mercury's hands clenched tightly, her sharp eyes glued to her brother on the battlefield.

"He's so nervous," she muttered under her breath, more to herself than anyone else.

Beside her, Eratz gave her a casual nudge.

"Relax, it's not like he's going to accidentally face Jaden's brother or some wannabe Sia. Just to play it safe, though, I told him a lot he'd probably lose today, to trigger some positive karma. It's foolproof."

Everyone slowly turned to look at him, but then, as if a light bulb went off, Mercury's eyes lit up.

"Oh! Great idea!" she exclaimed, clenching her fists in excitement. "You're a genius!"

They both clapped their hands in front of Zara, who rolled her eyes. From behind, Cassie and Roger exchanged amused glances.

Across the battlefield, Milo's opponent stepped forward. A teenage boy with a cocky grin and a confident stride, he looked Milo up and down, his smirk growing wider.

"This kid?" the teenager said loudly, his voice carrying over the crowd. "This is going to be easy. Just a warm-up."

The audience chuckled, and Milo's nervousness flickered across his face for a moment. He quickly shook it off, pounding his chest lightly.

Zara, standing at the edge of the field, pulled out her phone and started filming. The referee stepped forward, raising a hand to signal the start of the match.

"Fighters, ready?"

Milo adjusted his stance, his fingers twitching slightly as his breathing quickened. In front of him, the teenager grinned confidently, rolling his shoulders as if the battle were already

decided.

The referee's hand dropped.

"Begin!"

The teenager wasted no time, summoning his beast. A sleek, dog-like creature materialized beside him, its fur bristling and eyes gleaming.

Milo trembled slightly, his eyes darting between the beast and its master.

The creature growled low before charging toward him, its movements swift and direct. The

crowd murmured in anticipation, waiting to see how Milo would react.

For a split second, Milo froze, his mind racing. Then, something clicked.

Eratz's voice echoed in his head, reminding him of a lesson he'd heard countless times.

"There's often a space, a moment, where the beast and the master are disconnected. Move into that void."

As the beast closed in, Milo's trembling stopped. A faint pink swirl of energy began to trace around him, soft at first but quickly growing brighter. His body moved instinctively.

He jumped forward, his movements swift and fluid, slipping through the narrow space between the beast and its master. From the crowd's perspective, he was very fast, his speed -catching everyone off guard.

In an instant, Milo was in front of the teenager, who stood frozen in shock, his beast skidding

to

a halt behind him.

Milo raised a hand, pointing it directly at the boy. His eyes squeezed as the pink energy

surged, concentrating into his palm.

The teenager barely had time to react before a beam of swirling pink energy shot forward, engulfing him and creating a small explosion of dust and light.

The ground shook slightly, and when the dust cleared, the teenager was unconscious on the ground, his beast retreating into its shadow.

Milo stood in the center of the battlefield, stunned. His breathing was heavy, and the pink energy around him faded into nothingness.

The crowd was silent for a moment, processing what had just happened. Then, cheers erupted.

"Milo! Milo!" they shouted, clapping and hollering for the unexpected victory.

Milo blinked, confused. He looked around, his wide eyes reflecting disbelief.

"I... I won?" he muttered to himself.

The cheers grew louder, and Milo's confusion gave way to pure joy. A wide grin spread across

his face as he jumped into the air, pumping his fists.

"I WON! I ACTUALLY WON!" he shouted, hopping around the battlefield like a kid who'd just scored his first goal.

From the sidelines, Mercury exhaled sharply, her hands flying to her face as tears welled up in her eyes. A mix of relief and pride washed over her, and she clapped for her brother, her voice

trembling as she whispered.

"He did it... he really did it."

Beside her, Eratz stood with his arms crossed, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

Further back, Cassie and Roger exchanged warm smiles, their quiet pride shining through. Meanwhile, Zara held up her phone, capturing the moment.

Milo continued celebrating, his energy infectious as the crowd's cheers echoed through the arena. It was a moment of triumph, one that he would remember forever.

Next, it was Colin stepping onto the battlefield.

Her movements were calm and measured, exuding a simple grace that contrasted sharply

with the high-energy displays from previous contestants.

The crowd murmured in surprise, taken aback by the sight of another child in the selection

process.

Across from her stood a tall woman, her posture confident but relaxed. She raised an eyebrow

as she looked Colin up and down.

Cassie and Roger watched from the sidelines, their eyes glued to their daughter in the

spotlight. Cassie clutched Roger's arm.

"Look at her, Roger. She's look so formidable... I can't believe this is really happening."

Roger nodded, his voice soft with pride.

"That's our girl."

Unlike earlier, Eratz now seemed slightly on edge. His arms were crossed, and his eyes were fixed on Colin. Mercury, standing beside him, noticed his unease and patted his shoulder. "Relax," she said lightly. "I spent the entire day beating her in every game yesterday, just to

toughen her up. Her spirit's unbreakable right now."

Eratz exhaled, smiling faintly.

"I knew I could count on you," he muttered.

The referee raised a hand.

"Fighters, ready?" Colin stood poised, her expression calm as always. The tall woman smiled slightly, shaking

her head.

"I'm not really fond of beating up kids, so, I'll give you a chance. Show me everything you've

got and I'll convince you that you will lose."

Colin's lips curved into a small, polite smile.

"Thank you, madam," she replied softly.

The referee dropped their hand.

"Begin!"

Colin stepped forward, walking with quiet confidence toward her opponent. Her pace was

unhurried, almost casual, as though the battle were of no concern to her.

The woman watched with a mix of confusion and amusement as Colin stopped just in front of

her.

Slowly, she reached out and gently touched the woman's abs.

The woman blinked, startled. "Why are you even here, kid?" she asked, her tone more curious than condescending.

Colin looked up at her, her voice soft but steady.

"To be like my brother."

Before the woman could respond, a sudden blast of fire erupted from Colin's hand.

Flames roared across the woman's body, and she stumbled back, screaming in shock as she tried to douse the fire with frantic movements.

The crowd gasped, their murmurs turning to stunned silence.

The woman managed to summon a water beast, its body shimmering as it began to

materialize.

But before it could act, Colin stepped back, raising her hands in a smooth motion.

Flames gathered and swirled around her, shaping into a fiery bow. She drew the bowstring,

fire forming an arrow that crackled with heat.

"I'm sorry, madam," Colin said softly, "This won't take long."

She released the arrow.

"Eratz's Arrow!" The fiery projectile shot forward, growing in size as it soared through the air. It struck the

woman with a powerful blast, engulfing her in flames.

The force sent her rolling across the ground, unconscious before she could react.

The arena fell silent, everyone frozen in disbelief. Then, one by one, the spectators erupted

into cheers.

Colin lowered her hands, quickly withdrawing the flames around her. She brushed back a stray lock of hair and straightened her robe, her expression calm and unaffected.

But inside, her heart pounded at an incredible speed. She had shouted the name of her attack

loudly, hoping someone in particular would hear.

Eratz, watching from the sidelines, stood still. His arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the

battlefield.

Mercury, standing beside him, grinned and bumped his back playfully.

"Nice name for the attack. Guess you're officially her trademark now."

Eratz didn't turn to her, his gaze on the horizon as he muttered.

"Alright. She's my daughter too from now on."

Cassie and Roger, unable to contain their excitement, hugged each other tightly, jumping up Sёarch* The novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

and down with tears of joy.

Nearby, Zara stood frozen, her phone still raised. Her expression didn't change, her eyes

locked on Colin as the crowd roared around her.

Without lowering her phone or breaking her gaze, she pressed a speed dial and brought it to

her ear.

"Vic, prepare the contracts."