Chapter 214 Next Stage Successfully Claimed

—

Roughly seven minutes later...

General Zieg waved his hand after taking to the podium once more. His thunderous voice boomed throughout the grand stadium, filled with cheers, gasps, and anticipation for the growing suspense of each.

“The second round has come to an end! Those fortunate enough to remain standing have secured their position in the second round. Those who have fallen unconscious, been knocked out, or admitted defeat will be treated and sent on their way.”

General Zieg glanced down at some of the crestfallen contestants who couldn’t prevail against the challenge of their peers. “Remember, this isn’t the end of your future. If you were unfortunate, reflect on your mistakes, identify your weaknesses and do your best to remold them. Another chance awaits you in the future if your heart is resilient enough.”

Many of the contestants understood the intentions in General Zieg’s words but losing never left a pleasant taste in one’s mouth.

Nevertheless, some vowed to return with newfound powers while others grumbled ruefully, cursing the fact their round was filled with monsters they couldn’t contend against.

Amidst those still standing on the stage, Kieran looked up at Scar with a confident gleam in his eyes. Despite the disparity in level, Kieran managed to secure his spot by revealing his immense combat knowledge.

There were many times when he was targeted, but his positioning turned another contestant into a target, which enraged both sides—the attacker for missing their strikes and the unsuspecting party for being roped into their conflict.

By the end of the round, Kieran managed to secure more than 15,000 points, placing within the top 1,000.

Even without participating in the second stage, Kieran’s current points qualified for entry into the War Deity Council’s official ranks.

Scar shook his head with a light chuckle. ‘It seems my twerp truly wants to learn that Esoteric Skill. But, he’ll have to do far more to earn such a powerful ability. Besides, even if I teach it to him, there’s no telling if he’ll be able to unleash it.’

Because Esoteric Skills were meant for Advanced Beings, the requirements to activate them were stringent. As an Intermediate Being, Kieran’s current parameters were sorely underwhelming for any of the mighty skills in Scar’s possession.

Several people entered the stadium and carried the unconscious contestants out of the grand coliseum setting. Those capable of walking followed the staff to have their injuries tended to.

After all the injured people were removed, slightly over 100 individuals remained on the stage.

“Congratulations on earning the right to enter the next stage. Take a seat and recuperate. You have approximately 2 hours before the beginning of the second stage. I know some of you exhausted yourself to claw for your spot, so you deserve the rest,” General Zieg said in an understanding tone.

He knew very well the limits of Advanced and Intermediate Beings; they weren’t capable of ceaseless fighting due to their finite Stamina.

Perhaps only an Advanced Being who approached the limits of their current state could achieve such a feat. Otherwise, that kind of Stamina was something found only in Awakened Beings.

Kieran soon exited the True Gladiator Coliseum platform with an exhausted sigh. He used every skill in his repertoire except for Dread Culling and a few other unjustifiable abilities.

Kieran could sense the severity in Azahara’s tone, which compounded upon the fact she rarely spoke. If she took the time to warn Kieran, she clearly understood how dangerous those skills could become.

Azahara wasn’t wrong.

Esoteric Skills possessed another name, which was Taboo Skills. They gained this moniker after people realized they were essentially Awakening Skills for individuals that had yet to awaken.

However, drawing upon a power so close to an Awakening was not without risks.

Azahara had heard of many people destroying their bodies after unleashing an Esoteric Skill in a fit of rage or during a hopeless situation.

Kieran absorbed Azahara’s warning and thanked her for it. “I appreciate the advice, Azahara. I will keep that in mind.”

Azahara gave a subtle nod before returning to her silence.

In the next moment, Yashua’s Lesser War Chest thrummed with the familiar signal from earlier.

“Good luck during your round,” Kieran said.

“Luck? I don’t need luck on my side when I’ve trained for this very moment. The beginning of my aspirations starts inside the War Deity Council. And, I have no intention of failing my first step,” Yashua stated confidently.

This confidence, but more importantly, the words Yashua chose, resonated with Kieran. They were words he told himself not too long ago. In fact, it happened during Scar’s initial test.

It wouldn’t be unusual if the Gladiator Coliseum were an initial test for Yashua—one where he announced his presence. However, if that were true, then an undeniably tough challenge rested before Yashua.

Many contestants, such as Ronan, Bracca, and Knox, were of monstrous strength. To obtain the highest chance of passing, Kieran suggested Yashua acquire as many points as possible during this stage.

‘A kindred spirit who seeks out their own path of great strength. I believe it’s possible if he doesn’t fall here.’

With his halberd flung over his shoulder, Yashua approached the coliseum platform alongside several other youths.

Not too far away, Kieran’s gaze fell upon a particular individual approaching the platform with an inconcealable air of savagery permeating his surroundings.

His wild eyebrows curled across most of his forehead while the rest was covered with bristly black hair, matching that of a lion’s mane.

His deep blue eyes gave off the impression of wanting to devour one whole.

“How unfortunate of Yashua,” Azahara spoke.

“What do you mean?” Kieran turned toward Azahara with a questioning gaze. It was clear she knew important she didn’t.

“That burly young man with the twin axes attached to his back is called Bracca. In other words, he is the contestant with the second highest qualifications.”

Kieran silently analyzed Bracca and noticed something. “Is Bracca a Barbarian?”

“No, but he has visited the Wildes and fought there. It’s where he gained that air of savagery.”