Re-Awakening: I Ascend with a Legendary class

Chapter 614: Fooling the Arena, Plan Execution

The second wave did not rush in blindly like the first, and the difference was obvious the moment the gates opened wider, and the ground trembled under heavier steps, as Tier-7 monsters entered with sharper awareness, spreading out instead of charging mindlessly, circling and probing as if testing how far they could push before the group broke.

The crowd leaned forward with visible anticipation this time, sensing that the rhythm of the battle had changed, and unlike the first wave that ended too quickly to satisfy them, this one stretched out, giving them exactly what they wanted, a fight that looked uncertain, unstable, and slowly tilting toward collapse.

Almond stepped forward again, but his movements had changed in a subtle yet deliberate way, as his blade no longer carried that overwhelming dominance, and though his strike still cracked the ground and disrupted the front line, it did so within a smaller radius, controlled enough to look insufficient rather than absolute.

A monster lunged from his blind side, and this time he allowed it to get dangerously close, its claws grazing his coat before he turned and cut it down in a follow-up motion that lacked the earlier clean efficiency, making the exchange look messy, imperfect, and most importantly, real.

Natalia caught onto the shift instantly, her grin widening just slightly as she adjusted her output, summoning her orchestra in a tighter formation and releasing focused bursts instead of sweeping destruction, allowing monsters to push closer, just enough to create tension before pushing them back at the last moment.

Kayla followed the same rhythm, her control shrinking from battlefield dominance to localized influence, as her roots held only certain zones instead of everything, allowing gaps to form and forcing her to react when monsters broke through, even taking a step back once, which alone changed how the crowd perceived her stability.

Saffa’s hammer still hit with force, but her follow-through deliberately slowed, and when she let one monster slip past her guard toward Ainen, the moment felt like a mistake rather than a decision, drawing the audience deeper into the illusion that the group was starting to falter.

Ainen played along naturally, raising a brow in mild annoyance before stepping aside at the last moment and burning the creature in a controlled burst, making it look like a close call rather than effortless control, as if he had barely managed to recover the situation.

Lily reduced the presence of her Dreadlings significantly, pulling them back from overwhelming dominance and instead letting them operate in the margins, picking off weakened targets and leaving just enough pressure on the group to make the battlefield feel unstable and unpredictable.

Fraisea maintained her precision but slowed her tempo, allowing enemies to accumulate briefly before eliminating them, creating the illusion that she was managing too many threats at once rather than effortlessly controlling her side of the battlefield.

Gopu struggled the most with the act, as one of his strikes shattered a monster far too violently, drawing Saffa’s immediate warning, after which he toned it down noticeably, his next attacks still strong but no longer excessive, fitting into the illusion of effort rather than dominance.

The second wave stretched longer than it should have, with monsters pushing closer than before and forcing the group into tighter positioning, and at one point, three beasts broke through simultaneously, creating a moment that looked dangerously close to collapse, which sent a visible surge through the crowd.

The host’s voice rose with excitement as he leaned forward, sensing the shift in momentum, and the betting panels reacted instantly, with numbers fluctuating wildly as people adjusted their expectations, some now betting on exact collapse timings as confidence in the group’s survival began to drop.

Almond stepped forward for the final exchange of the wave, letting the remaining monsters close in far too much before delivering a controlled strike that detonated just enough force to clear them, finishing the wave in a way that looked barely manageable rather than clean.

The silence that followed lingered longer than before, not because the outcome was uncertain anymore, but because the crowd was processing what they had just seen, and when the reaction came, it was louder, more invested, as they began to believe in the narrative unfolding before them.

Natalia played her part perfectly, wiping imaginary sweat from her forehead with exaggerated relief, while Saffa added a sarcastic remark and Ainen stretched casually, all of it reinforcing the illusion that they had struggled more than they actually had.

Clovelle adjusted her glasses calmly and noted that the perception shift was working, her voice steady as she continued to control the battlefield subtly, her precise interventions making sure the formation never actually broke while still appearing fragile.

The gates began to open again, more of them this time, and the shift in pressure was immediate as Tier-8 monsters entered with sharper coordination, their movements faster and more structured, attacking in rotating bursts that forced the group to step back slightly.

Kayla’s root network began to break in sections under the increased pressure, forcing her to rebuild actively, while Natalia’s defensive output flickered under sustained impact, and Saffa visibly got pushed back a couple of steps, drawing an excited roar from the audience.

Ainen stepped in more frequently now, covering gaps with controlled bursts of flame, while Lily allowed her Dreadlings to reappear just enough to stabilize the situation without overwhelming it, maintaining the balance between survival and struggle.

Almond raised his blade a little more this time, his strikes becoming sharper and faster, stacking imprints and triggering detonations in measured intervals, ensuring the battlefield remained chaotic but never out of control.

The third wave dragged even longer, with layered pressure and visible strain, and when Kayla took a hit, even if it was not serious, it sold the illusion perfectly, causing the crowd to erupt as they sensed that the group was finally nearing its limit.

By the time the last Tier-8 monster fell, the group stood there breathing heavier, not out of exhaustion but to maintain the act, their posture slightly lowered, their movements slower, everything aligned with the story the audience wanted to believe.

Natalia glanced around with a grin that carried excitement rather than concern, while Almond gave a small nod that the others understood instantly, as the plan moved into its next phase, where the illusion of struggle would deepen even further.

…

By the time they cleared the 10th wave, all of them looked injured and haggard, while the audience was in ultimate chaos.

“Fucking hell! This is insane! I lost every penny I had and saved in the past month!”

“GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK!”

“These freaks of Tier-6 slaves really cleared Tier-10 waves. Is my eye tricking me? What the fuck?”

“It always fucking looked like their formation would break, and they would get fucked, but my wallet got fucked.”

“Did anyone bet on them winning this?”

“I did…”

“Fuck you!”

“Hey, look! What the shit?!”

HUURRRRRRAAAAO!

The tens of thousands of people went wild as they looked at Almond and the group.

All of them looked as energetic as one could be, with not a single injury visible anymore.

Their slave outfits were overshadowed by new ones they created with their Pulse, but imprinting an image as they leisurely made their way towards the exit to collect their cash.

Ainen did a last look at the crowd, and feeling no pity, he snapped his finger while smiling brightly.

A flame trail flew up and blasted into fireworks that transformed into letters with intent, as in, even if nobody could read it, they would get the meaning directly in their mind if they looked at it.

And letters formed just two words.

Goodbye, Losers.

…

Naturally, the scene created by Almond and others was big. There were no other such powerhouses like Tier-6 beating Tier-10 waves anywhere in this place. Moreover, they didn’t just defeat individual Tier-10 monsters. But waves!

Even Tier-10 powerhouses could fail that.

So what they did attracted some real attention. Attention directly from the top of the ruling kingdoms.