The Embodiment of Evil

Tyrannus and Princess Donna stood next to 3 other teenagers from the Academy. Their names were Martel, Gregory and Summer. However, they were ranked above 50 in the Academy, but Gandorf didn't have high hopes in them making the top 100 in the tournament.

Another 5 teens coming from the strongest sects in Avalon were standing with them, making it 10 participants from Avalon. 

The entourage from Avalon consisted of Gandorf, Kitsune, Ragnar and Mara who were dressed as instructors of the Academy, as well as an elder of each sect to accompany the sect's participant. The elders were at grandmaster level, making this entourage the strongest Avalon has ever sent. Because Princess Donna was one of the participants, her Royal Guard of Captain Canaan and 10 other guards were sent as well. 

The participants and entourage stood still in a line quietly while the Bishop of Avalon of the Church of Light conducted the ceremony in the Cathedral in the middle of Avalonia, attracting a large crowd. He said a long prayer, burned incense, spread holy water around the portal site and was chanting an incoherent chant when the portal suddenly opened. 

It was not a very large portal, and only enabled the group to enter 2 at a time 

"The portal is now stable. Please enter" the Bishop said as he gestured towards the portal. 

The participants entered the portal 2 at a time, led by Princess Donna and Tyrannus, then the Royal Guards followed, then the entourage. 

As the last person entered the Bishop hummed and the portal closed. 

The whole group exited the portal and found themselves in a extremely huge square. Around them were many other portals with other groups exiting them. 

A pretty female host welcomed them and invited them to move on towards a large arena. She explained that they needed to keep everyone moving so as to open new portals for more groups to arrive. 

"This is incredible. The manpower alone to organize something like this... I doubt many other nations could do this" Donna said. 

"This is the power of a organization that rules a continent and has branches in every other continent" Kitsune answered. Indeed the Church of Light was incredibly powerful and could easily swallow up a small nation like Avalon. 

They were led to the stadium and were seated next to the contingents of other nations from the Northern Isles. 

Gandorf and Kitsune recognized people from the nations of Shangri-La, Cockaigne, New Haven, Utopia, Arcadia and even King Domi himself from the Kingdom of Domi was there. Their contestants all came from the various schools and sects of those nations while the contestants from Domi seemed to be 10 of King Domi's hundreds of children. 

Kitsune estimated that there were thousands of contestants. This meant that the contestants were not limited to 10 per nation, rather 10 per cathedral. So if your nation has more cathedrals, you get to have more contestants. 

That is why Cockaigne had 80 contestants, since that nation had more cathedrals and whose population is more religious in the Religion of Light.

Tyrannus was completely unconcerned and was enjoying the sights and sounds and chatting with Donna and his parents. 

Several bells suddenly rang sounding a melodious tune which was loud enough to silence the crowd and draw their attention. On the center platform, an old man with white hair, dressed in a white robe and wearing a tall papal hat stood calmly. 

"That's the Pope of the Church of Light!" Kitsune said for the benefit of Tyrannus, Ragnar and Mara, who had lived in isolation for many years. 

"He's a Level 7 Immortal!" Ragnar muttered, reading the pope's cultivation level. 

"One of two or three" Gandolf said. "I believe their Imperial Paladin and their Grand Inquisitor of the Church of Light are Level 7 Immortals too" he added. 

"Wow. No wonder Kitsune said that this Church of Light may very well be the strongest force in the world" Tyrannus said. 

They continued looking on as the Pope rambled on an on about his religion. Then he introduced the Imperial Paladin, a tall powerfully built knight who took over on the stage and started explaining the rules in a booming voice. 

"The rules of the contest are simple. The first one knocked out of the fighting arena, get knocked out or surrenders is the loser.

Killing is permissible if the opponent does not surrender, get knocked out or is unable to fight. 

The stadium was divided into 4 separate arenas so 4 battles can happen at the same time.

Each person gets 3 chances to lose before they are permanently knocked out. The ones with the best record are selected to be the final 100 that will be rewarded into our Dimension of Light.

That is all. I wish you all a good fight!" 

He then called one of his paladins to read out the names of the first batch.

They waited for half a day before one of the other students of the Academy Martel was called. He was a fire user that battled using a staff, but he lost badly in the first fight to a water user from another nation who was higher level than him. 

Hours later, Donna was called up to fight a man using a whip, and while she won easily, Kitsune was aware that she struggled more than she should in winning that fight.

Tyrannus waited impatiently. By now the other two students, Summer and Gregory of the academy had lost their opening bouts too. 

The representatives of the sects of Avalon didn't fare any better. So besides Tyrannus who hasn't fought yet, and Princess Donna who won her fight, all the representatives from Avalon had lost their first fight. 

Not only that, the other nations from the Northern Isles besides the 10 children of King Domi had lost their first fights. Surprisingly, all 10 children of King Domi had won their fights handily. 

Tyrannus looked at King Domi's children and thought that they looked a bit strange. They were all Level 3 Peak Expert level, but while they did look like siblings, they also looked very different from each other. It was as if they were from different races. Some looked like orcs, some like elves, others like demons. It was strange.

"It is rumored that King Domi has hundreds of children with women of many races to try to find the superior being. That is why his children all have different strengths and abilities" Donna explained to Tyrannus. 

It was close to midnight when Tyrannus' name was finally called. He looked up in surprise as he was holding a large sandwich with a myriad of magical creature meats in them, his favourite sandwich that his mother packed for him.

He walked up nonchalantly and took a big bite of his sandwich and looked at his opponent. 

His opponent was a huge man, around 3 meters tall wearing bulky armor. He held a large battle axe in each hand and looked furious at Tyrannus. 

"I am Balthar, warrior of the Broken Plains!" he said proudly, as small black balls spun around the head o his axes like electrons around a molecule. 

"Hi...my name is.... hmmmm...nom... nom...Tyra...nom...nus..... from....nom...nom....Ava....nom...lon" Tyrannus answered while chewing his sandwich. 

"Are you serious? You still want to eat while facing him?"  the referee asked. 

"Don't worry. I won't spill and dirty the arena floor" Tyrannus responded.

The referee frowned, yet nodded and waved his flag signifying the start of the battle. 

The huge man roared loudly and stomped on the floor, creating earthquakes that even shook and caused the fighters in the other arenas to lose their balance. 

However, Tyrannus simply ate another bite and chewed calmly as he easily stood balanced on the shaking ground. 

The huge man charged, arriving in front of Tyrannus instantly and swinging his axes directly to cut Tyrannus into small pieces. The black balls surrounding his axe seemed to be able to cut through even the air as the air crackled with energy wherever the axe passed through.

Tyrannus barely moved, avoiding both axes and suddenly appearing behind the man as he swung his axes, kicking him in the backside. 

The man flew uncontrollably off the stage, landing on his face outside of the arena. His axes hit the the barrier around the arena, cracking the seemingly indestructible arena barriers. 

The referee was so shocked that by the time he turned to declare the winner, Tyrannus was already seated next to Donna. 

"Tyrannus of ... of Avalon.... Victor!" he declared. 

Tyrannus waved at the crowd who cheered him as he licked his fingers after taking his last bite.