Ascension of the Forsaken Genius

The second day of battles had arrived, and the coliseum was even livelier than before. The number of participants had dwindled, yet the tension in the air had only grown stronger. Today would determine the final contenders moving on to the next round.

Floating screens flickered to life, displaying the names of those set to battle. Among them, Lucian Valecourt—the prodigious lightning cultivator of House Valecourt. The moment his name appeared, the audience erupted into a frenzy of cheers. He was one of the favorites to win, a name already whispered among the strongest contenders.

As Lucian stepped onto the battlefield, his blue eyes shimmered with raw energy. His spear crackled with lightning, each pulse sending arcs of electricity through the air. Opposing him stood nineteen other competitors, all determined to prove their worth. Some eyed him warily, knowing he was a dangerous opponent. Others, either ignorant or arrogant, saw him as just another obstacle to overcome.

The referee's voice rang out. "Begin!"

Instantly, the battlefield erupted into chaos.

--

Lucian did not hesitate. The moment the battle began, his figure blurred, vanishing from sight with a crackle of electricity. In a flash, he reappeared in the midst of his opponents, his spear sweeping out in a deadly arc.

Lightning surged from his weapon, lancing through three cultivators before they could even react. Their bodies convulsed as they were sent flying off the stage, eliminated in an instant.

Gasps erupted from the audience.

"He’s too fast!" someone shouted.

A group of three fighters—an earth cultivator, a fire user, and a wind specialist—quickly realized they had no choice but to work together.

The earth cultivator stomped the ground, raising jagged stone pillars to limit Lucian’s movements. The fire cultivator sent out a wave of scorching flames, forcing him into a tight space. And the wind cultivator enhanced their speed, closing the distance for a decisive strike.

Lucian smirked. "Pathetic."

Instead of backing away, he charged forward.

With a single powerful step, he shattered the stone barriers with raw lightning force. The moment the fire attack reached him, he twisted his spear, slicing through the flames like they were mere illusions. Sparks danced in the air as he surged forward with blinding speed.

Before the earth cultivator could react, Lucian drove his spear through his chestplate, sending a shockwave of electricity through his body. The earth cultivator collapsed instantly.

The wind cultivator barely managed to react, his body flickering with afterimages as he dodged the follow-up strike. But Lucian was faster. A single feint, a step forward, and a precise thrust— the wind user fell, unconscious before he hit the ground.

The fire cultivator, now alone, trembled.

Lucian raised his hand, his fingers crackling with power. A surge of chain lightning erupted from his palm, jumping from the fire cultivator to two other nearby competitors. Their bodies spasmed violently before they collapsed, defeated.

Seven down.

The remaining fighters hesitated, sweat beading on their foreheads. Lucian was an overwhelming force of nature.

One of them—a spear-wielding martial artist—let out a roar and charged. His spear moved in blinding arcs, his footwork swift and precise. For a moment, he almost seemed to match Lucian’s speed.

The crowd leaned forward in anticipation.

But Lucian remained unfazed. He parried effortlessly, his lightning-infused spear knocking aside every attack with pinpoint precision.

Then, in a blur, Lucian struck— a single lightning-fast thrust straight to the martial artist’s abdomen. The impact sent him skidding backward, slamming into the edge of the battlefield before collapsing.

Lucian exhaled slowly, his spear still crackling.

Only three remained.

A young swordswoman with icy blue eyes tightened her grip on her blade. She had been waiting for the right moment. Now was her chance.

She dashed forward, her sword coated in a thin layer of frost, aiming for Lucian’s blind spot.

For the first time, he sidestepped instead of countering directly.

But before she could feel confident, she realized her sword had never reached him.

Lucian had moved faster than she had anticipated. He was behind her.

A sharp pain exploded in her lower back as a bolt of compressed lightning struck her. Before she could react, her vision blurred, and she collapsed unconscious.

Only two remained.

Lucian turned to the last two opponents—a muscular brawler and a silent, robed cultivator.

The brawler let out a loud battle cry, charging forward with unrelenting ferocity. His fists shimmered with energy, each strike carrying the power to shatter bones.

Lucian weaved effortlessly between the blows, dodging with the barest movement necessary. Each time the brawler punched, Lucian was already gone.

With a sigh, Lucian lifted his spear and slammed the butt of the weapon into the brawler’s stomach.

The impact sent the fighter crashing into the ground, unconscious.

Now, only one opponent remained.

The robed cultivator had not moved throughout the entire fight. He had simply watched.

Lucian narrowed his eyes. "Done watching?"

The robed figure finally moved. He lifted his hand, and a surge of darkness pooled at his fingertips.

The audience held their breath.

Lucian smirked. "A dark cultivator, huh? This might be interesting."

The robed cultivator made his move, unleashing a torrent of dark energy that spiraled toward Lucian like tendrils of living shadow.

Lucian's response was immediate—he spun his spear, creating a vortex of lightning around him. The two forces collided, the battlefield momentarily shrouded in a mix of crackling light and abyssal darkness.

A second later, Lucian appeared behind his opponent, his spear grazing the cultivator’s ribs.

The robed figure’s movements halted.

With a sigh, he collapsed to his knees. His strength was gone.

Lucian had won.

The audience erupted into cheers.

--

Lucian turned to the crowd, his lightning crackling as he stood victorious. He had dominated his battle with overwhelming force, proving once again why House Valecourt was a force to be reckoned with.

From the stands, the nobles and warriors watching the competition whispered among themselves.

"Unstoppable…"

"He’s in a completely different league."

As Lucian stepped off the battlefield, the next competitors prepared for their battles. Among them was Caelum Nightshade, whose fight would follow soon after.

The second day of battles was far from over.

The competition would only grow fiercer from here.