After Anon comforted Choenil like a little sister following her first defeat, both of them heard a loud announcement that the tournament to decide who would be the next king would be held tomorrow. The sound of trumpets echoed through the air, and the crowd's murmurs grew louder in response. Anon and Choenil exchanged determined expressions, looked at each other, and simultaneously said, "I will give it my all." Their voices were firm, and their eyes locked in a moment of shared resolve.
With different goals but shared experiences of defeat, they bid each other farewell, the sound of their footsteps fading as they parted ways. As Anon returned home, the scent of blooming flowers wafted through the air, a stark contrast to the tension building within him. Dense passed by his side, and Anon caught a glimpse of Dense's face under his white hood, but he didn't think much of it, his mind preoccupied with how he would fight fairly tomorrow without using his powers.
He sat inside the house, wondering why his mother wasn't home yet. The silence was punctuated only by the ticking of the clock on the wall. He mentally noted the names of each opponent he would face: Qshon, with his strong body and fast reflexes and unknown full potential; Luna, a master of all weapons; Choenil, who could control the air; and Nexus Nebula, whose abilities were unknown and possibly formidable, potentially on par with Anon's full human strength. Anon's anxiety grew as he worried about accidentally unleashing his power and harming someone.
The door creaked open, and his mother entered with a cat, its soft fur a gentle contrast to the tension in the air. Anon was irritated by her carefree expression, as if she had forgotten what she had done to Qshon. "Hey, Mom, did you forget what you did to Qshon?" However, she ignored him and instead showed Anon the cat. "Look, Anon, isn't it cute?" The cat's big green eyes sparkled as it meowed softly, and Anon couldn't help but smile slightly. "Yeah, it's cute because it's white, right?" His mother hugged the cat tightly and walked into her room with a bright smile, the sound of her laughter echoing behind her.
Anon sighed, leaned his shoulder against the chair, and gazed at the ceiling, thinking about how to communicate with his mother effectively. He rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. Later, Anon went to the training ground, the sun beating down on him as he practiced his moves and experimented with new techniques. The sound of clashing steel and his own ragged breathing filled the air as he stopped suppressing his power and came up with an idea to surpass and create his own ability, "Ability Transcend To Above" or TTA which would allow him to surpass any concept, idea, power, or ability. He realized he had never surpassed the idea of human mortality and its limitations. With TTA, he could potentially use his ability to become a normal human, embedding the surpassed concepts into himself. However, it was challenging to use because he needed to choose one concept to focus on, and it had to be something he had already surpassed.
Meanwhile, Luna was searching for an excellent weapon to use during the tournament. She walked through the market, the smell of metal and leather filling her nostrils as she browsed through various stalls. She was aware of her opponents' capabilities and knew she couldn't defeat them with raw strength alone. Her goal was to win and become the next ruler of the Kingdom of Goret, proving that anyone could be a king without relying on bloodline connections, but rather through strong will and intelligence.
Luna received a letter from Anon asking for her help in gathering information about Nexus Nebula's background. She smiled, knowing Anon relied on her for certain things, despite his formidable powers. She wrote a response: "This is Luna. Anon, thank you for relying on me. Nexus Nebula's background is actually quite straightforward. Firstly, his name wasn't known before he became a throne candidate. Secondly, he kept a low profile. Thirdly, he might be someone who uses multiple identities. I've concluded that he's likely hiding in plain sight, using someone else's name in the kingdom. I've observed many people wearing white hoods near the underground arena, cheering for Dense, the new champion. I've watched his fights, and he's incredibly strong."
As she wrote, the scratch of her quill on parchment filled the silence of her room. She continued, "I have some questions: King Gymenium Goret chose candidates based on their roles and fighting capabilities. He chose you, Anon, because of your wealth and fighting style. He chose Qshon because of his military background, and Choenil because she's the commander of the kingdom's soldiers. He possibly chose me because of my knowledge and mastery of various weapons. But Nexus Nebula doesn't fit into any of these categories. Why didn't the king choose someone from the underground arena, given his background as a champion? The new champion, Dense, wasn't named among the candidates, which seems unusual. I'll leave the rest for you to figure out."
Luna continued her search for the perfect weapon until she found an intriguing one – a sharp spear with an iron stick. The sunlight glinted off the metal as she picked it up, feeling its weight and balance. She asked the seller, "Is it new? Is it high-quality? Can it slice through bone? How much does it cost?" The old man replied with three words: "Buy or not?" Luna's eyes narrowed, and she asked, "Who's your manager?" The old man answered that he had worked there for ten years and knew his manager well.
Luna's voice rose in annoyance, "Are you dumb or just refusing to answer? Who is your manager?" The old man revealed that Anon Xembo was his manager and that this shop was one of the 300 weapon shops he owned. Luna's eyes widened in realization, remembering that all weapon shops in the kingdom were Anon's properties. "Okay, then I'll buy this one," she said, and to her surprise, the spear felt heavy at first glance but balanced perfectly in her hands as she swung it. The old man was impressed by her control and perfect handling of the iron spear.
The morning sun cast its golden glow over the kingdom as people gathered in the biggest arena, their excitement palpable. A million voices cheered as the entrance of the five candidates raised the crowd's anticipation. Anon wore a fit suit and stood confidently without a weapon, his eyes scanning the crowd. Qshon donned full armor, his gaze fixed on Anon with a smile. Choenil wore her commander armor, carrying a big shield emblazoned with her symbol. Luna grasped her new iron spear, her eyes gleaming with determination.
The arena was a fortress of anticipation, with soldiers stationed in every corner, vigilant and alert. Surrounding the arena, ten towers stood tall, each one manned by archers with bows drawn, scanning the crowd for any sign of suspicious activity. Their presence was a reassuring reminder that the kingdom would stop at nothing to ensure the tournament's safety and integrity. The first test was about to begin, and the atmosphere was electric. The crowd's cheers and chants filled the air as the candidates prepared to face off.