8:00 AM.
The tens of thousands of seats in the Gauntlet Halls were already packed to capacity.
Even the plaza surrounding the arena was overflowing with spectators. Giant Arcanoscopes hung high in the air, projecting every moment from the Proving Grounds in real-time.
Last night, the mysterious dark horse "Zephyr" had reached Floor 35, a terrifying feat that had completely sent shockwaves through all of Valorhold!
Today, the number of live spectators had doubled.
"Welcome back to Day 2 of the Centennial Gauntlet!"
The announcer’s raspy yet piercing voice boomed through the amplified Arcane Devices, instantly igniting the atmosphere.
"Yesterday, the mysterious powerhouse Zephyr dominated the field with a breathtaking performance, sweeping through 35 floors to take the top spot!"
"Today, the difficulty will see an exponential spike! Can he continue his miraculous run? Or will the other top geniuses stage a comeback?! Let’s find out!"
Boom!
The central screen cut to Zephyr in the preparation area.
He was clad in pitch-black heavy armor, a massive black sword strapped to his back. A suffocating, frigid aura radiated from him, making him look like a god of slaughter stepping out of the abyss.
"Zephyr! Zephyr! Zephyr!"
A wave of deafening screams and cheers erupted from the stands! Countless young women waved banners with fanatical fervor.
The camera slowly panned across the edge of the stands.
In a secluded, shadowy corner of a walkway, Elena, dressed in her tattered grey-brown mage robes, walked toward her designated trial teleportation array with her head lowered.
There was no applause, no cheers, not even a stray glance.
In the eyes of the crowd, she was just a lucky fluke who reached Floor 22 with a pathetic Combat Power of 85—a total drag.
Listening to the crowd’s frantic chanting of Zephyr’s name, Elena’s lips curled into a slight smirk beneath her hood.
The show was just beginning.
The Trial Shards glowed brilliantly as 412 students were once again teleported into their respective trial spaces.
The announcer’s passionate voice echoed over the arena:
"Spectators! Starting from Floor 30, we officially enter the true divide for geniuses!"
"Historical data shows that in past Centennial Gauntlets, less than 20% of participants could cross the Floor 30 threshold!"
"This is a double test of strength and will!"
On the left side of the screen, the footage cut to Vincent.
After stopping at Floor 26 yesterday, Vincent was in top form today. He pushed through with gritted teeth, becoming the first to step into the domain of Floor 30.
As the white light faded, a massive stone colossus, towering like a small mountain and entwined with thick vines and hard iron ore, appeared before him.
[Trial Space - Floor 30]
[Target Enemy]: Stonefist Colossus (Level 5)
[Enemy HP]: 3500 / 3500
[Enemy Combat Power]: 680
The moment Vincent saw the enemy, he sucked in a sharp breath, his gaze becoming incredibly solemn.
"680 Combat Power... what a formidable defense!"
He let out a low growl, mana surging wildly within him as his longsword erupted with a dazzling dark-red light.
[Duskrend Flurry]!
Vincent’s body blurred into an afterimage, swiftly circling behind the Stonefist Colossus. His blade whipped through the air, leaving a dense trail of sword shadows that hacked viciously at the golem’s back!
Sparks flew!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Stonefist Colossus roared in fury, its hammer-like fists smashing down and cratering the ground.
Vincent dodged and weaved through the narrow escapes, landing hits whenever he could. Cold sweat poured down his forehead as the battle dragged on for several rounds.
8 minutes later.
With a final, desperate heavy strike from Vincent, the core crystal of the Stonefist Colossus finally shattered, and its massive body crumbled into a pile of rubble.
[System Notification]
[Vincent Nocturne - Floor 30 Cleared]
[Clear Time]: 8 minutes 15 seconds
[Current Status]: Minor injuries, 50% Stamina depletion
The stands erupted into a roar of applause!
"Master Vincent passed! Floor 30!"
"As expected of a genius from House Nocturne! Such steady execution!"
"Clearing Floor 30 in 8 minutes... that’s definitely top 5 material!"
Hearing the cheers, Vincent leaned on his sword, panting heavily. He wiped the sweat from his brow, a proud, confident smile spreading across his face.
He had conquered the hellish difficulty of Floor 30!
He looked up at the sky, his eyes burning with battle intent. "Zephyr... yesterday was just luck! Today, I’ll grind you into the dust!"
However, before Vincent’s smile could fully form...
The announcer’s voice suddenly exploded through the magic amplifiers in a near-screech!
"My God!! Look at the right side of the screen! Zephyr! He has already entered Floor 35!"
"And he is facing a reinforced version of the same monster Vincent just struggled to defeat—a Floor 35 Stonefist Colossus!"
Boom!
The screen on the right magnified instantly!
Within the Floor 35 trial space, a Stonefist Colossus—even larger than the one on Floor 30 and covered in dark-gold ore—was roaring at the heavens.
[Trial Space - Floor 35]
[Target Enemy]: Stonefist Goliath (Level 6)
[Enemy HP]: 5000 / 5000
[Enemy Combat Power]: 800
Facing a behemoth with 800 Combat Power, the black-armored Zephyr didn't even blink.
He walked forward slowly, hand gripping his heavy sword.
Shua!
A black blur flashed!
[Shadowstrike]!
A black line instantly pierced through 100 meters of space.
A second later, Zephyr appeared out of thin air behind the Stonefist Goliath’s neck.
No flashy combos. No difficult maneuvering.
The black sword carried a lethal, chilling light that destroyed everything in its path, sliding into the Goliath’s core weak point like a knife through butter!
Pshhh!
The massive stone head slid off and crashed down!
From the moment Zephyr drew his sword to the moment the Goliath collapsed, the entire process... was so fast it left the audience dazed.
[System Notification]
[Zephyr - Floor 35 Cleared]
[Clear Time]: 45 seconds
[Current Status]: Unharmed, 5% Stamina depletion
Silence.
A deathly silence.
Tens of thousands of spectators stared at the data displayed on the Arcanoscopes, their eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.
The announcer clutched his hair, screaming until his voice cracked:
"45 seconds! Only 45 seconds! And completely unharmed!"
"The same type of Stonefist monster that Vincent struggled for 8 minutes and 15 seconds to defeat didn't even last 45 seconds against Zephyr! One hit! A single strike to the weak point!"
"This terrifying insight! This ultimate damage output! Is this the true dominance of Zephyr?!"
ROAR—!
The stands instantly turned into a boiling cauldron of noise!
"My god! A one-shot kill? That was an 800 Combat Power boss!"
"Too strong! He’s not even human! The gap is just too massive!"
"Vincent was just smiling, but this guy finished it in 45 seconds. How can you even compare them?!"
Listening to the frantic discussions around him, Vincent, who had just stepped out of the trial rest area, turned pale!
The confident smile on his face froze completely. He clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his palms.
45 seconds!
That damn Zephyr... only took 45 seconds?!
Shame! An endless wave of humiliation washed over him.
But the humiliation was far from over.
Floors 31 to 40 turned into a one-man show for Zephyr.
On average, Zephyr spent no more than 2 minutes per floor. The monsters that were nightmares to other students fell before him like grass before a scythe.
On the other hand, Vincent...
After barely managing to clear Floor 35, he encountered the nightmare-tier monster [Hellhound Triumvirate] on Floor 37.
After 3 consecutive attempts, he was driven to the brink by the Hellhound’s flames and venom. His robes were mostly burnt, his mana completely exhausted, and he was finally forced to hit the forfeit button in disgrace.
[System Notification]
[Vincent Nocturne - Eliminated]
[Final Result]: Floor 36
[Overall Rating]: Excellent
Vincent was teleported out of the Proving Grounds, pale and drenched in sweat.
"Master Vincent did his best!"
"Floor 36 is still very strong! He’s ahead of 90% of the students!"
Followers of House Nocturne rushed to offer words of comfort.
But Vincent couldn't hear a word of it! He stared up at the real-time ranking screen:
[The Centennial Gauntlet - Live Rankings]
1. Zephyr — Floor 42 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Leo Ironheart — Floor 32
3. Glacielle Frost — Floor 30
...
4. Vincent Nocturne — Floor 36 (Eliminated)
He was eliminated, stuck at Floor 36.
Meanwhile, that black-armored Zephyr had already charged to Floor 42, and the stars next to his name were still multiplying!
"Damn it... damn it all!" Vincent’s eyes were bloodshot, his teeth grinding together.
While the entire crowd was cheering frantically for Zephyr and sighing over Vincent’s elimination...
No one noticed that in the bottom-most, most insignificant corner of the giant screen...
The name representing Elena was also slowly ticking upward.
Trial Space, Floor 28.
In a dark forest, an [Umbraclaw], fast as lightning, turned into a streak of black light as it circled Elena, looking for the kill.
[Trial Space - Floor 28]
[Target Enemy]: Umbraclaw (Level 4)
[Enemy HP]: 1800 / 1800
[Enemy Combat Power]: 420
Facing a beast that could easily tear a normal assassin apart, Elena’s gaze was as calm as still water.
However, from an outsider's perspective, she was currently "struggling" to dodge.
Her Shadowfang Dagger swung wildly, executing only the most basic stabs and slashes. Several times, she "narrowly" escaped the Umbraclaw’s claws by a hair’s breadth.
Panting, falling, scrambling back up, barely parrying.
Every movement was perfectly acted.
It took her a full 5 minutes before she "luckily" stumbled upon a flaw and plunged her blade into the Umbraclaw’s throat, barely securing the kill.
[System Notification]
[Elena Nocturne - Floor 28 Cleared]
[Clear Time]: 5 minutes 12 seconds
[Current Status]: Severe fatigue, 70% Stamina depletion
In the outer stands of the Proving Grounds, a tiny handful of students who happened to glance at the bottom rankings noticed.
"Wait? That loser Elena... how did she get to Floor 28?"
"Probably luck. She must have rolled easy monsters," the person next to him spat disdainfully. "Look at her. It took her 5 minutes to kill an Umbraclaw, and she’s exhausted like a dog. Floor 30 is her absolute limit. She’s just bottom-tier trash, why bother looking at her? Watch Lord Zephyr instead!"
"True. Looking at trash like that is a waste of time."
The chatter drifted away with the wind.
Inside the trial space, Elena sheathed her dagger and brushed the dust off her clothes, her expression unbothered.
The performance was perfect.
The world’s ignorance and contempt were her best camouflage.
The competition reached the afternoon.
The atmosphere in the Proving Grounds had reached a fever pitch!
Because Floor 40 had arrived!
In the history of the Centennial Gauntlet, Floor 40 was known as the "Elite Threshold." Those who could cross it were legends who had left their names in history—less than 50 people in total!
At this moment, only the last few top powerhouses were still standing.
Inside the Floor 43 trial space.
The academy’s recognized second strongest, the A-Rank warrior Leo Ironheart, was locked in a brutal battle against a giant monster erupting with scorching flames!
[Trial Space - Floor 43]
[Target Enemy]: The Magma Warden (Level 7)
[Enemy HP]: 12000 / 12000
[Enemy Combat Power]: 1120
"Haaaaah!"
Leo exploded with his full battle aura. Shield and magma hammer collided with a thunderous boom, sending waves of fire soaring!
They fought for 15 minutes!
Leo’s armor was cracked and he was covered in blood. Finally, with his mana and stamina completely depleted, he was sent flying by the Magma Warden’s charge and eliminated in a flash of white light.
[System Notification]
[Leo Ironheart - Eliminated]
[Final Result]: Floor 42
[Overall Rating]: Exceptional
Leo was teleported back to the stands, gasping for air. Though disappointed, his gaze was clear. "I gave it my all... Floor 42. I’ve surpassed my limits."
The audience stood to applaud him. Reaching Floor 42 was a feat that placed him above the masses!
But before the applause could fade, everyone’s eyes were once again glued to the center screen!
Floor 48!
Zephyr had encountered the same [Magma Warden]!
And it was a Floor 48 Rampage-enhanced version!
[Trial Space - Floor 48]
[Target Enemy]: Rampage Magma Warden (Level 8)
[Enemy HP]: 20000 / 20000
[Enemy Combat Power]: 1500
Facing a terrifying monster with 1500 Combat Power—the very place where Leo had fallen—Zephyr moved.
He slowly drew his pitch-black heavy sword.
Boom!
An invisible black hole suddenly erupted with Zephyr at the center!
[Shadowrealm Dominion]!
A 40-meter radius of absolute Umbral Dominion instantly swallowed half the arena!
Within this domain, the Magma Warden’s flames were extinguished at a visible rate. Its vision was cut by 90%, and its movement speed plummeted by 40%!
"Roar?!" The Magma Warden let out a terrified bellow.
In the darkness, Zephyr moved like a ghost.
[Spellsteel Tempest]!
Black sword light transformed into a storm of destruction as seven consecutive strikes with absolute penetration properties tore through the air!
The sound of rending! Slicing! Exploding!
3 minutes!
In just 3 minutes!
The mountain-like Magma Warden didn't even touch a corner of Zephyr’s cloak before its massive body was sliced into segments, crashing to the ground!
[System Notification]
[Zephyr - Floor 48 Cleared]
[Clear Time]: 3 minutes 00 seconds
[Overall Rating]: Perfect
The announcer was practically standing on his chair, screaming:
"A miracle! This is an absolute miracle!!"
"The Magma Warden that defeated Leo after 15 minutes of brutal combat only lasted 3 minutes against Zephyr! A perfect kill!"
"But this isn't the end! Everyone! Zephyr... he is moving toward Floor 50!"
Floor 50!
The ultimate watershed for past champions! The iron wall that even Vincent’s ancestors could not scale!
White light swirled, and within the Floor 50 trial hall, two giant wyrms with wingspans over 20 meters descended with a roar. One ice, one fire—their combined aura tore at the earth!
[Trial Space - Floor 50]
[Target Enemy]: The Twin Wyrms (Level 9)
[Enemy HP]: 18000 / 18000 (×2)
[Enemy Combined Combat Power]: 2800
The entire audience held their breath.
"Twin Wyrms! A combined Combat Power of 2800!"
"How is it possible to win?! They coordinate perfectly!"
In the stands, Vincent stared at the screen, his teeth gritted. "Impossible... it’s absolutely impossible for anyone to clear Floor 50!"
In the arena.
Facing the lethal diving charge of the two dragons, Zephyr’s gaze remained indifferent.
[Shadowstrike]!
His form turned into a streak of black light. An instant before the Frostmaw’s breath hit, he pulled back the line of engagement, forcibly separating the two dragons!
Then, his black sword poured out like a torrential rain.
Avoiding their strengths, striking them separately, and executing them with precision!
8 minutes later!
The Frostmaw fell with a mournful cry, and the Emberclaw’s core shattered!
The massive corpses of the two wyrms slammed into the center of the field!
Hum—!
A vast pillar of gold light pierced the sky above the entire arena, and a rain of golden light began to fall!
[System Notification]
[Zephyr - Floor 50 Cleared Successfully!]
[Achievement Unlocked]: The Halfway Crown
[Overall Rating]: Legendary
[Server-Wide Announcement]
[Student "Zephyr" has broken the historical record, becoming the first supreme powerhouse of this Centennial Gauntlet to pass Floor 50!]
ROAR—!!!!
The entire Gauntlet Halls went insane!
Tens of thousands of spectators stood up at once, their frantic screams and applause nearly tearing the roof off the stadium!
The announcer’s eyes were wet as he roared into the mic, "History has been rewritten! Today! In this great moment! Zephyr has created his own legend! He is invincible!"
"Zephyr! Zephyr! Zephyr!"
The cheers echoed between heaven and earth like thunder.
On the giant split-screens, a comical and cruel contrast formed.
On the right side of the screen.
Zephyr occupied 90% of the display, bathed in brilliant golden light, having crossed the historical threshold of Floor 50. He was the center of attention, worshipped like a god by the masses.
On the left side of the screen.
A tiny box tucked away in the corner.
Elena was "struggling" against a common magic beast on Floor 32. She was covered in dirt, panting heavily, and dodging attacks in a disorganized mess.
In the stands, Vivienne clutched her friends' hands, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Zephyr on the right.
"Oh my god! Lord Zephyr is so cool! He actually broke Floor 50!"
"That’s a real man! He’s ten thousand times better than those people who just act tough using their family name!"
As she spoke, Vivienne’s eyes accidentally drifted to Elena in the bottom left, and her face immediately twisted into an expression of disgust.
"Ugh, look at that loser Elena. She’s still struggling on Floor 32! It takes her that much effort just to fight a normal monster? She’s a disgrace to House Nocturne!"
"Exactly! Compared to Lord Zephyr, she’s not even worth as much as a dog!" a noble girl next to her agreed.
The announcer’s voice continued its biased reporting:
"Zephyr has crushed Floor 50 with unmatched power! He is the undisputed king!"
As for the notification in the bottom left stating [Elena Nocturne cleared Floor 32], the announcer didn't even spare it a glance, ignoring it entirely.
The world’s fanaticism and coldness were displayed in their fullest at this moment.
Hearing the insults from Vivienne and the others behind him, Vincent’s face was so dark it looked like it could drip ink.
The gap was too big.
He had stopped at Floor 36, while Zephyr had crossed the legendary Floor 50 mark!
A chasm of 16 floors!
Marcus stepped forward, carefully offering comfort. "Master... don't be discouraged. You’ve already surpassed most people..."
"Shut up!"
Vincent growled, the veins on his forehead bulging. He stared intently at Zephyr’s cold, black-armored back on the screen.
Unwillingness! Jealousy! Rage!
These emotions were devouring his sanity.
Vivienne chose that exact moment to turn her head back. "Cousin, look at how amazing Lord Zephyr is! You should really learn a thing or two from him..."
Vincent slammed his fist onto the armrest, his eyes as venomous as a snake.
"Go and investigate! Use all the family resources!"
"I don't believe a genius like this just appears out of thin air! Find out exactly what Zephyr’s background is!"
"In Valorhold... no one gets to step on my head like this!"
The day of frantic trials finally drew to a close as night fell.
The final rankings for Day 2 froze on the Arcanoscopes, glowing with a piercing light.
[The Centennial Gauntlet - Day 2 Final Standings]
1. Zephyr — Floor 55 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Continuing)
2. Glacielle Frost — Floor 44 (Eliminated)
3. Leo Ironheart — Floor 42 (Eliminated)
4. Vincent Nocturne — Floor 36 (Eliminated)
...
180. Elena Nocturne — Floor 38 (Continuing)
"Spectators! Today’s trials have come to an end!"
The announcer shouted with the last of his energy. "Zephyr continues to hold the top spot with an invincible record of 55 floors! Tomorrow! Will he charge toward the mysterious Floor 60?! Let’s find out tomorrow!"
"Zephyr! Zephyr!"
Amidst the lingering shouts, the crowd reluctantly dispersed.
Still, no one cared about Elena, who sat at 180th place, having "luckily" crawled her way to Floor 38.
...
Late at night.
Inside the study of the Nocturne estate.
Alaric leaned back in his luxurious chair. By the dim candlelight, he carefully reviewed the Centennial Gauntlet report presented by his subordinates.
When his eyes passed "Vincent: Floor 36 (Eliminated)," his brow furrowed slightly.
But when his gaze landed on the piercing name at the very top—"Zephyr: Floor 55"—Alaric’s eyes suddenly erupted with a sharp, piercing light.
"Vincent lost... stopped at 36."
Alaric tapped his knuckles lightly on the desk, his voice deep as thunder. "And this Zephyr... actually reached Floor 55? Breaking a 300-year record?"
Standing to the side, Marcus bowed as he reported. "Yes, Master. This person’s strength is unfathomable. His Umbral swordsmanship is incredibly strange and powerful, and he keeps his identity completely hidden."
"Did you find anything?" Alaric asked coldly.
"Reporting to the Master... we found no background whatsoever," Marcus said, keeping his head down. "It’s as if he appeared out of thin air. I suspect... he might be a secret trump card being raised by another Great House, or perhaps the direct disciple of some reclusive powerhouse."
Alaric remained silent for a moment, a deep, calculating look flashing in his eyes.
"Ignore Vincent for now. A little setback will do him good."
Alaric slowly stood up and walked to the window, overlooking Valorhold under the cover of night. He issued a cold command:
"Once the trials end tomorrow, contact this Zephyr at all costs."
"Whether he wants money, status, or forbidden resources... as long as he is willing to join House Nocturne, any condition can be met!"
"And if he cannot be recruited..."
Killing intent leaked from Alaric’s eyes. "We cannot let the other three Great Houses have him either!"
"Understood, Master!" Marcus bowed and withdrew.
In the dark study, the wind ruffled the report on the desk, revealing the insignificant name at the very bottom.
[180th Place: Elena Nocturne (Floor 38)]
Unasked for, unnoticed.
After the Centennial Gauntlet began, the academy provided all registered students with free temporary lodging near the arena to save them from the daily commute to the Slums—Elena was penniless, but for the first time, she didn't have to return to that broken shack. In a room converted from a secluded inn, Elena pulled back her hood and sat before the mirror. She felt the vast mana and pure experience from her clone, Zephyr, continuously flowing back into her main body.
Her lips curled into a cold, controlling smile.
Let them plot all they wanted. Let them try to recruit him frantically.
The god they so desperately dreamed of kneeling before...
Was nothing more than the sharpest pawn in her hand.