Wait—blessed by the Sun God? That made him a Chosen of the Sun God.

  They were seeing a real Chosen of the Sun God! Everyone stared at those wings with burning eyes.

  This was huge. If it were them, they'd want the whole world to know. Yet Prince Alfried and Prince Feiru kept it so quiet—not a single word leaked!

  Everyone knew there were differences between Chosen. Some got more divine favor. Some held higher status.

  First, the amount of favor. Chosen with less favor only gained minor abilities and had to pray before using divine power. Those with more favor gained some of their deity's traits and could use divine power freely.

  Second, status. The Sun and Moon Gods were supreme deities. Their status and power far exceeded the Love Goddess, so their Chosen ranked higher too.

  Take Axina and Feiru. Axina received less favor than Feiru, and the Love Goddess ranked below the Sun God. So when people learned Axina was Chosen, they felt envious and respectful but didn't rush to suck up.

  Feiru was different. He was a light mage blessed by the supreme Sun God. He'd also received the immortal phoenix's wings. Unless something went wrong, he'd be Pope two generations from now.

  Everyone's hearts raced.

  Feiru was Prince Alfried's godson. The Pope was old, and Alfried already had strong support. Now he'd raised an excellent successor. Unless you were brain-dead, everyone knew who to pick.

  Those still hesitating, or wavering after choosing sides, all decided right then—they had to help Prince Alfried take the throne!

  Two Popes in succession from one line was too tempting. Bet right, and their families could stay prosperous for two hundred years.

  Two hundred years. No need to pick sides when the next Pope took office. One risk, two terms of favor. Great deal.

  Chester, the Church's top lapdog, immediately kissed up. "Truly worthy of Your Eminence! Only someone as noble as you could raise such an outstanding child!"

  Others weren't getting left behind. They all talked over each other.

  "Your Eminence has a sharp eye to spot such a gem as Prince Feiru!"

  "Prince Feiru is graceful and brave—clearly raised by Your Eminence!"

  "Your Eminence is wise and loving. Prince Feiru is like a precious sapphire—only a master craftsman like you could make him shine so bright!"

  Alfried chuckled. "The gem and craftsman help each other. Feiru has great talent. I'm his godfather, but I haven't taught him much."

  "When it comes to teaching kids, Headmaster Morrison has more experience than me."

  He turned, smiling at Headmaster Morrison. "Siria's kids are clever and resourceful. Compared to them, Feiru seems impulsive."

  Headmaster Morrison nodded slightly. "Your Eminence is too kind. How could they compare to Prince Feiru?"

  "Exactly. How could Siria compare to the seminary?" Professor Chester added quickly. "Want to know who's better? Simple—whoever wins proves it, right?"

  A Lane Academy professor agreed. "Professor Chester's right. Who wins is obvious. The match is almost over."

  Everyone looked toward the arena. What would emerge from the dust? Siria couldn't last much longer, right?

  One minute earlier.

  Gladys channeled magic into the lightning rune on her sword. Using all her strength, she slashed at Feiru.

  If this hit, Feiru would be badly hurt with no way to fight back!

  But the instant the blade touched Feiru's shoulder, Gladys's vision blurred. A massive force swatted her into the stone wall.

  "Pft—" Axina spat blood from the backlash. Clutching her chest, she swayed and dropped to her knees.

  The compressed fireball Luo Wei released also missed. A red flash appeared midair like an invisible shield.

  BOOM! The fireball exploded. Heat waves rolled out. The shockwave spread everywhere. Luo Wei grabbed Jack and retreated fast, barely avoiding the blast.

  Hol had just knocked out Sylvester. Seeing this, his face changed. He gripped his iron pot, turned, and ran to Luo Wei's side, skidding to a stop.

  "Captain, what do we do?"

  Luo Wei spoke fast. "You carry Gladys. I'll help Axina. Press the pendants. We're forfeiting."

  "Got it!" Hol didn't hesitate. He ran toward Gladys.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  In midair, Feiru's eyes burned with fury, locked on Luo Wei.

  "Forfeit? This match isn't something you start or quit whenever you want. When it stops is MY call!"

  Sand in their eyes. Mud on them. Fooling them with turtle shells. Deceiving them. Destroying their weapons. Now that they couldn't win, they wanted to run?

  No way!

  These scheming bastards—he wouldn't let them off easy!

  His red wings erupted with golden flames. Feiru flapped, hawk eyes looking down. The instant they reached for their pendants, he struck.

  "Light of the Sun God—Pull!"

  Hol was about to press Gladys's pendant when it vanished. The pendant turned into light and flew away.

  He looked up. Five streaks of light flew into the air, landing in Feiru's hands.

  "Light of the Sun God—Barrier!"

  Feiru spread his wings. Golden light flooded the arena, cutting all ten of them off from the outside.

  Luo Wei set Axina down and stood. Her dark eyes found the golden figure in the sky. "What are you doing?"

  Feiru looked down. "Fighting. Until we have a winner."

  "You already won," Luo Wei said. "We surrender."

  "Surrender?" Feiru crushed the pendant chains and tossed them away. He raised his wand at Luo Wei. "I want a fair fight. Accept, or die!"

  "You're breaking the rules," Luo Wei said coldly. "This is a tournament, not a death match!"

  "The rules don't forbid killing," Feiru said. "They only say you can't attack after your opponent can't resist. But I can kill you all in one strike!"

  Luo Wei kept her voice level. "If you can do that, why waste energy on us? You know we can't beat you."

  "We'll know after fighting," Feiru said stubbornly. "Fight, or die!"

  "Won't fight? Then die!"

  "Wait! Give me one minute to discuss tactics with my team!" Luo Wei called out calmly. "Since you want us to fight fairly, you shouldn't mind if we start fresh, right?"

  Feiru narrowed his eyes. "Don't try anything."

  "I won't. Otherwise you'll kill us, right?"

  Luo Wei crouched and helped pale Axina up. Turning, she saw Hol with Gladys on his back. Jack stood to her left.

  "Captain," Jack said firmly, "whatever you say, I'll do it!"

  "Me too," Hol said, walking over. "The seminary can't handle losing. I don't mind teaching them manners."

  "Hol, you have a plan?" Jack asked, surprised.

  "Not a great one," Hol's voice was low, his eyes heavy but relieved. "I'll stay and deal with him. You guys get out."

  Jack gasped. "How can you deal with him alone?"

  "It hasn't come to that," Luo Wei said seriously, looking at Hol. "Even if it does, the one who stays should be me. I'm the captain!"

  She was partly responsible for this. Headmaster Morrison warned her this morning. Told her to forfeit.

  She'd thought forfeiting would be hard to explain. Would invite suspicion. Plus she thought her plans were solid. Might as well try. That's how they ended up here.

  But even now, Luo Wei wouldn't give up. Not the match. Give up on exposing herself and running.

  She knew what Hol meant. He wanted to use dark magic on Feiru. While the arena was isolated, he could beat him fast with dark magic, then erase his memories.

  Too risky. One mistake and his identity would be exposed.

  And he didn't need to be exposed. Hol wasn't like her and Axina. He wasn't afraid of light magic.

  Hol hadn't said why he came to Siria. But his secrets were no fewer than anyone's.

  Luo Wei judged others by herself. She didn't want to leave. Hol and Gladys wanted to leave even less.

  The teleportation array Headmaster Morrison left under the arena was a last resort. They had family and friends here. They'd built so much. How could they expose themselves and abandon everything for the Wastes?

  The array—she wouldn't use it. This match—she'd win.

  One of her trump cards. Time to play it.

  Her ability to put out flames.

  But she hesitated slightly. Could she only extinguish flames from Fire God Chosen, or all flames?

  Luo Wei looked past the golden light: Great God of the Undead, your follower is being humiliated by a Sun God Chosen. You won't just watch, right?

  Outside the arena.

  White light fell into the sky above, forming a transparent cage that sank deep into the ground, sealing the arena.

  Alfried lowered his wand, looking at Headmaster Morrison apologetically. "You don't mind if I add a cage spell, do you?"

  Headmaster Morrison replied, "Whatever makes Your Eminence happy."

  Alfried sighed. "Feiru has a fierce temper. His divine power goes out of control in battle. To keep him from hurting students outside, I'm using a cage to protect the arena."

  "Don't worry. When the match ends, I'll heal those five kids myself. I'll return them without a scratch."

  Headmaster Morrison smiled. "I understand. Thank you."

  Alfried smiled, then seemed to remember something. "Oh, there isn't a teleportation array under this arena, is there?"

  "Why do you ask?" Headmaster Morrison looked puzzled.

  Alfried said meaningfully, "A few days ago, I sent people into the Bard Mountains to clear beasts. They found teleportation arrays everywhere. Do you know where they lead?"

  Headmaster Morrison: "Those transport beasts. They lead to the Beast Mountains."

  "Really? But the judges don't know about them, and can't activate them. Why?"

  "I modified them so students wouldn't trigger them accidentally," Headmaster Morrison said calmly. "Only I can activate them."

  "I see," Alfried's tone was amused. "You weren't hiding in the mountains ready to rescue people, were you?"

  "Your Eminence jests."

  Alfried's eyes deepened. Old bastard. Impressive patience.

  He looked at the arena, eyes narrowing.

  If there was an array under the arena, to prevent pursuers, it wouldn't be high level.

  One cage spell locked down the space inside. If anyone tried injecting magic into an array, they'd be trapped immediately. The array would be exposed.

  Alfried watched with interest. When those brats discovered they had nowhere to run, what surprise would they give him?

  Then that cunning fox Morrison would have no choice but to submit.

  Inside the arena, Luo Wei had just finished praying when violent pain tore through her body.

  Luckily she was used to this sweet, painful blessing. She forced herself not to show it.

  When the blessing ended, Luo Wei's fingers twitched. Strange power surged in her palm. She quickly clenched her fist.

  So it's a god battle? Who isn't loved by the gods?

  The God of the Undead was way more generous than the Sun God. After hearing her prayer, an immediate response.

  Flames from a Sun God Chosen versus flames from a Fire God Chosen—what's the difference?

  She could snuff them out either way!

  As for explaining her power: she was an angel descendant with atavistic abilities. So what?

  Two thousand years ago, the Life Goddess had authority over flames. Anyone who didn't believe could ask Her!

  Luo Wei opened her fist and looked at Hol and Jack.

  "Captain, you have a plan?!" Jack asked excitedly.

  "I thought of something." Luo Wei glanced at Feiru. She should thank him. He'd given her a wake-up call. Helped her figure out things she hadn't understood.

  Gods had two sides. So did Chosen. She'd known this but never looked deeper.

  Axina had dual identity—succubus and Love Goddess Chosen. Wasn't she the same?

  From the start, the God of the Undead wrote the answer on her body—black wings for darkness, white wings for light.

  She'd just looked at it with modern thinking. Hadn't realized. Thought the color-changing wings were a childhood wish come true. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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