Chapter 2080: The Tournament Is About To Begin

Queen Spectria sat upon her towering golden throne, one long leg crossed elegantly over the other in a deliberate, sensual pose. She gazed down at the vast arena below with a slightly bored expression that had become almost permanent after so many years of repeating the same spectacle. She had done this countless times already. What could possibly make this tournament any different from the ones that came before? Nothing, really. Or at least that was what she told herself.

Then she narrowed her glowing eyes and looked more carefully at the contestants gathered on the bloodstained sand. There were far more of them than usual this time. Over fifty fighters had managed to pass the brutal first entrance battle and now stood waiting for the main event to begin.

The announcer’s booming voice echoed across the coliseum, filled with theatrical excitement.

"And now, the contestants! There are many, so many that I cannot introduce them all to you, but there are a couple of especially interesting figures among them! First, a representative of the Abyssal Myconid Tribe of Shadow Cap! Their brave hero seeks a single wish from the Queen to save his entire tribe from extinction! Give your applause to Myconidas!"

A tall, humanoid Myconid remained completely silent as the spotlight fell upon him. At first glance he almost looked human, if not for the large fungal cap crowning his head and the complete absence of a neck. A deep cut ran across the middle of his cap, giving him a sharp, almost edgy appearance. His golden eyes held a cold, determined light, and a long black cloak covered his slender yet clearly muscular frame. Multiple black belts and various weapons were wrapped tightly around his body, marking him as a seasoned warrior who had already survived many battles.

"On the other side, a young Blue Ghostly Goblin boy with his little ragtag team of ruffians! They claim to come from a faraway village in search of the boy’s lost father, who was imprisoned in this very city after committing an unforgivable crime! Presenting Kaidel and his friends!"

The crowd turned their attention to the small group of four goblins. The leader was a young, handsome goblin boy with striking blue hair and sharp golden eyes. A thin scar ran across his forehead, and he stared upward toward the queen’s throne with clear, unshakable determination.

"I will find my father no matter what... Queen Spectria! I will expose your tyranny!" he whispered to himself, the words barely audible yet filled with quiet fire.

The announcer continued without pause, gesturing toward the third group of interest. This time it was a man of the Withering Tree Race, tall and strikingly handsome. His long hair was formed of living branches adorned with dark blue leaves. His pale white face was refined and elegant, and his blue-green eyes held a calm, calculating light. He carried a long, slender rapier and wore armor crafted from polished black wood. At his side stood his two retainers: an eccentric Zombie Cleric dressed entirely in black, and a young Blood Dryad girl whose hair was made of vibrant red leaves. Her bright red-gold eyes shone with quiet intensity, and her dress was woven from living carnivorous flowers that occasionally twitched as if hungry.

"And coming from even more distant lands, from the Great Forest Nation of Withertree, the Prince of the Withertree Kingdom, Everlast Withertree, has arrived seeking renown and prestige in order to claim the throne of his own country! He is accompanied by his two loyal retainers!"

Prince Everlast surveyed the arena with a sharp, assessing gaze. Almost immediately he sensed a powerful presence connected deeply to nature itself.

"Who...?" he murmured, his eyes scanning the many contestants who had not been highlighted by the announcer. Among them stood a mysterious zombie woman whose aura felt strangely familiar yet completely out of place.

High above on the royal balcony, a tall and beautiful White Ghost woman with cascading white hair approached the throne with graceful steps.

"What do you think of the contestants in this tournament, Your Majesty?" she asked softly.

"Marble..." the Queen recognized her instantly. "Well, it is... boring."

"You’re not interested in the goblins? Or the Withering Tree Race Prince? Or perhaps... that Myconid Hero Boy?" Marble pressed with a knowing smile.

"No," the Queen shook her head slowly. "Always the same. There is nothing new or truly interesting. I am growing progressively more bored with each passing decade. Maybe if I burned them all to cinders it would provide at least a little entertainment."

"Please do not say such things... someone among the crowd might still end up surprising you," Marble chuckled lightly as she leaned against the side of the throne. "Someone... who might have just slain a Death Apostle."

"...?!" The Queen turned her head sharply toward Marble, her expression shifting from boredom to disbelief. "What sort of nonsense are you talking about, Marble?"

"Ah~ Just saying," Marble shrugged with deliberate casualness. "Please do not mind my words too much."

"..."

The Queen’s sharp gaze swept across the crowded arena once more. This time she noticed something she could not quite pinpoint—an individual whose presence felt strangely distorted. The spiritual pressure radiating from that person was so immense and so deeply connected to the spirits that even she felt a faint disturbance brush against her senses. With a single focused thought she shook the sensation off and regained her composure.

"Who dares...? Is there a Druid powerful enough to even... exude such overwhelming power?" she wondered, narrowing her eyes. "Well then... let us see what this tournament truly has to offer."

Meanwhile, completely hidden among the noble seating, two mermaid sisters and an elegant Arachne-like woman sat in their prestigious reserved seats. They casually ate snacks while watching the tournament unfold below. The younger of the twin mermaids looked slightly nervous as she shifted in her seat.

"Um, big sis, should we really be out here and not doing our assigned work?"

"Ah, shut up. We’re finally seeing something that might actually be fun. Don’t ruin it for me."

"Fufu..." the Arachne woman laughed softly, her many eyes gleaming with quiet amusement. "Please, this counts as work too~ Think of it as entertainment. In fact... we might even spice things up a little ourselves. To show off, no? After all, the world is our oyster, my dear girls."

Not even Queen Spectria, with all her centuries of experience and power, could have guessed that this decade’s Blue Flame Soul Tournament... might also be the last one ever held.

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