After a final three days of straight traveling, they finally get to the doors of the Ascended Crucible. It takes place every 5 years and has only been growing more popular as it has gone on. The fights are supposed to start tomorrow. However, a lot of people have already arrived. After they exit the carriage, they see a giant black square with two huge doors on the outside. The team looks for an entrance that they can actually open up and see a line forming around a human-sized opening under the doors. Aric guides the team into the line. After waiting a considerable amount of time, they finally get to the receptionist.

  [Receptionist: Hello! Welcome to the 23rd Ascended Crucible! The fee for entry as a fighter is 50 gold, and entry as a spectator is 100!] The receptionist wears an uncanny smile on her face as Aric walks up.

  [Aric: I would like to enter these six folks behind me as a team.]

  [Receptionist: That’s good that you have brought six people! We won’t have to put anyone random on your team then!] Aric puts down a huge bag of gold that is definitely more than the fee. Aric doesn’t mind as he tells her to keep the change. Aric looks over at the vassals.

  [Aric: Victor and I are going to head back now. See you guys in a week or two! Good luck!] Aric walks back to the carriage. Leaving the six with the receptionist.

  The receptionist leads them inside the building, which features winding corridors and a dim atmosphere. She highlights their respective rooms before ushering them into the main area, known as the "Colosseum." This room is entirely dark, save for a central arena resembling the middle of a Colosseum.

  [Receptionist: The audience will sit in the darkness, and only the fight will be visible. This is so that Truth won’t get distracted by anything in the audience. Now then. Let’s get to business!]

  The six want to ask what she means by business, but all of their questions are answered as they enter a giant room with multiple other teams in it. They are presented with a vase with a bunch of papers in it.

  [Receptionist: In this vase will be pieces of paper with one thing written on it. “Attacker” or “Defender” I assume you are familiar with both?] Blake nods his head as he looks to the rest of them.

  [Blake: Who wants to grab the piece of paper? We need to get defender as that gives us the best chance at success. Pax?] Pax nods no.

  [Pax: My luck has always been horrible; count me out.] Selene is entirely uninterested in this entire endeavor. Blake looks at Azarath for a second; Azarath has a mirror out and is styling his hair. Azarath got bored and tapped out of the conversation a while ago. Realizing he can’t rely on him in general, Blake moves on.

  *Blake: Harpstein may be a good option. If we get attacker, he can reverse time and try again.*

  Blake opens his mouth to tell Harpstein the plan.

  [Blake: Hey Harp-] Peak barrels past them. He was extremely bored on this whole occasion, and he couldn’t wait to get all of his energy out. He runs up to the vase.

  [Peak: Oh! I want to pick!] and throws his hand into the vase. In an instant, Peak pulls out a piece of paper. It reads the word…

  Attacker.

  Blake immediately face palms as the receptionist takes the paper.

  [Receptionist: Perfect! Now, you guys can either explore or go back to all your rooms. I will come and get you when we have found the team you will be fighting against!] With those words, the receptionist leaves. Harpstein calls everyone back to his room. It is a dark room with a bed in the corner. Harpstein pulls out a foldable table from his closet and sets it up in the middle of the room. He also pours everyone tea. After everyone is sat down, he starts to speak.

  [Harpstein: Ok, so it seems that we have gotten the worst-case scenario. I would say we strategize. However…] Harpstein looks at Blake, who is glaring at an uncaring Peak. Blake picks up where Harpstein left off.

  [Blake: Simply put, we will all have to win. We can’t make any decent strategies right now because we don’t know who we will be fighting. Let’s wait until we know who we are up against before strategizing.] Blake takes a sip of his tea. Peak bounces into the conversation.

  [Peak: It isn’t that bad, though. We just have to win.] Blake is about to tell Peak to shut up when Selene gets in.

  [Selene: The problem is that all five of us have to win. Peak, you might be able to win your round. However, what about someone weaker than yourself? Like me?] Peak just stares at her.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  [Peak: Come on! Don’t be so down on yourself! You are plenty strong!] Azarath laughs a little and enters the conversation.

  [Azarath: Yeah, you are going to be fine. The only person we need to worry about is the sewer rat.] Azarath says that like it’s common knowledge, which prompts Pax to get angry.

  [Pax: Huh? What did you say, you bastard!?!] Pax runs up to Azarath, ready to throw hands. However, just before they can fight. The receptionist comes into the room with six tablets.

  [Receptionist: Hello! It is nice that you all are in one place. Here are the details about them before the fight. These six tablets contain the name, grade, and ability details of the people you will be fighting. Normally, you would meet the enemy team in person. However, due to an incident at the last games, opposing teams meeting before the fights are prohibited.] The receptionist puts all six of the tablets in front of them. This prompts Blake to ask.

  [Blake: Do we know who we are fighting individually yet?] The receptionist replies.

  [Receptionist: Ah, about that. You will be finding out who you will be fighting individually on the day of the fights. Truth hand picks each battle based on what it deems to be an appropriate “theme” and will only let us know the fighters as they are announced. There are some other rules; however, Truth will explain those itself on the day of the games.] Blake looks at Harpstein, and they share the same thought.

  [That means it will be impossible to strategize for individual fights.]

  After the receptionist leaves, Harpstein calls everyone around the table to discuss who they will be fighting. They look over at the first tablet. There are no images of the people, just names, grades, and abilities.

  [Hiroto Kazehara.

  Semi-Grade 1

  Ability: Mythical Amber Thunder- This ability allows the user to control all electrical phenomena in general. Allowing for a varied and strong moveset.

  Weapon: Nyoi Staff- A Staff that can be used to charge and shoot electricity at enemies. Getting hit by this staff will shock the person being hit.]

  The second tablet reads…

  [Ragnar Vale.

  Semi-Grade 1

  Ability: Beast- The user can summon and manipulate various animals and beasts.

  Weapon: Claws.]

  The third tablet reads…

  [Zaelith Duskbane.

  Semi-Grade 1

  Ability: Destruction Fist- The user can enhance their destructive capability and anything around them.

  Weapon: None]

  The fourth tablet reads…

  [Sorato Aetheris.

  Semi-Grade 1

  Ability: Light Shot- The user can shoot bullets of light that travel at the speed of light. They can also create light constructions.

  Weapon: None.]

  The fifth tablet reads…

  [Shifter Morioka.

  Semi-Grade 1

  Ability: Transformation- The user can transform themselves and anything around him.

  Ability 2: Ten shadow generals- The user can summon in Ten Shikigami to help them fight.

  Weapon: Short blade.]

  The final tablet reads…

  [Kai Kurogami.

  Grade 1

  Ability: Steal- The user can steal other people's abilities by touching them and keep the abilities for himself. Current abilities stolen include “Sky Manipulation,” “Cursed Speech,” and “Vengeful Spirit.”

  Terrain Encroachment: Unyielding Soul Union.

  Weapon: Steel arms.]

  Blake thinks it over for a second. Azarath also looks at them. However, he is still confident he can win. Selene immediately thinks of using tree resin if she is going to fight the electric guy. Peak is not listening to anything being said about the enemies because he thinks it would be funnier to go in blind. Pax just thinks *If I get it over with fast, the abilities shouldn’t be an issue.* Harpstein knows how dangerous this can be, but he is confident in his training.

  [Blake: It seems mostly doable. We can’t plan as we don’t know the matchups. The only one we need to really watch out for is Kai.]

  [Selene: He is the Grade 1 right?] Blake nods.

  [Harpstein: The only person near that level here is Peak, who is low grade 1. However, Peak is also quite agile and can dodge Kai’s stealing ability. We would have to hope they get matched up.] Azarath laughs.

  [Azarath: I’d still win!] Blake brushes off Azaraths comment.

  [Blake: I'm surprised Shifter is here. As a Semi-Grade 1? That’s insane.] Pax interjects.

  [Pax: You know that guy?] Blake replies.

  [Blake: Yeah. He was the guy I saved Azaraths parents from—sneaky bastard. He was barely able to escape when I was a weakened High Grade 2. So, seeing him as a Semi-Grade 1 is baffling.] Selene looks over.

  [Selene: Well, you went up a grade pretty fast. He could have been training. Also, he was a new ability, “Ten Shadow Generals?” That he didn’t use against us last time, we fought him. He might have been holding back.]

  [Azarath: I hope I get to fight him. I need to pay him back in kind for that stunt he tried to pull.] Azarath smashes his fist into his palm.

  Blake thinks about what Selene says and considers that possibility before moving on to the other thing he is concerned about.

  [Blake: Does anyone here know what a “Terrain Encroachment” is? I have never heard that term before.] Blake looks around, and everyone seems confused. Harpstein looks over.

  [Harpstein: Aric told me once, “If you ever meet someone with a Terrain Encroachment, run.” However he refused to elaborate, so I can’t tell you any more than that. It sounds extremely dangerous, so we have to be careful.]

  Everyone agrees before retiring for the night. The fights start tomorrow, so they need to get an early sleep.

  The next day, they are instructed to all go into the Colosseum. It is pitch black like usual; however, unlike usual, the middle of the arena is also dark. The only place being lit up is a patio with a large door. Without any warning, a giant hand breaks through the door. The hand is long and frail with purple skin and sharp, black nails. A voice rings out to everyone in the room.

  [H????e????l????l????o????,???? ????I???? ????a?????m???? ???T???r???u????t???h????—????t???h???e???? ????o????l????d???? ????g?????o????d???? ????o???f???? ???K???n????o?????w?????l????e?????d????g????e????.???? ????]

  The voice is almost alien, and it sinks into everyone's head and nearly seeps into their soul. It is so hard to make anything out that no one can respond. Realizing that almost no one can understand it, Truth augments his voice to be more human-like.

  [Truth: Sorry about that. I am Truth—the old god of Knowledge. I will present all the rules of the tournament and the fights now.] The voice is more friendly now. The hand flails around as it speaks, like a storyteller.

  [Truth: There are only three rules to these fights.

  Rule 1- Killing is allowed, and you are guaranteed what you need if you kill your opponent.

  Rule 2- No outside interference is allowed. Any summon connected to one's ability is considered the same as the user and is, therefore, allowed. I will kill the participants and the outsider to end the round if any unauthorized interference is found.

  Rule 3- If I find your fight unimpressive or not entertaining enough. I reserve the right to deny you what you need. Even if you win your fight. The only way to guarantee what you need is to kill your enemy.

  That is it. I will now reveal the themes I found and who will be fighting who. There will be 15 minutes in between every fight. The 15 minutes before the first fight will start now.]

  A giant glowing hologram of all the rounds is projected.

  [Round 1: Azarath vs Zealith

  Theme: Strength

  Round 2: Selene vs Ragnar

  Theme: Plants vs Animals

  Round 3: Pax vs Kai

  Theme: Copy vs Steal

  Round 4: Harpstein vs Sorato

  Theme: Speed

  Round 5: Blake vs Shifter

  Theme: Shadow

  Round 6: Peak vs Hiroto

  Theme: Energy]

  The 15 minutes before the first round starts.