Chapter 113: Promise kept

Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Promise kept

The girl’s victory was met with another tremendous roar from the crowd.

The referee waited until the noise began to settle before stepping into the center of the battlefield.

He looked toward the remaining contestants, then toward the thousands of spectators filling the arena.

"That concludes today’s matches."

The crowd immediately quieted.

"The remaining matches the semifinal and the final match, will take place tomorrow."

A murmur swept through the arena.

Some spectators groaned in disappointment.

Others immediately began discussing the fights they had just witnessed.

The referee continued.

"All remaining contestants are required to report to the designated preparation area tomorrow morning. Anyone who fails to appear will be considered to have withdrawn from the competition."

He lowered his hand.

"Today’s competition is over."

The massive formations surrounding the battlefield gradually dimmed.

The tension that had filled the arena for hours finally began to disappear.

Contestants who had been standing around the edges started leaving.

Some were limping.

Some were supporting injured friends.

Others walked out with their heads held high despite their losses.

The spectators began pouring toward the exits in enormous numbers.

The arena that had been deafening only moments earlier slowly became quieter.

Merchants outside immediately began calling out to the departing crowds.

Food stalls that had been surrounded throughout the day became busy again.

Groups of cultivators gathered together, arguing over the fights they had witnessed.

Everyone seemed to have their own prediction about tomorrow.

Who would reach the final?

Who would win the competition?

And, perhaps most importantly, which young cultivators had just revealed themselves to be worth investing in?

Tolu remained where he was for a moment.

He looked across the battlefield.

Only four contestants were left.

The girl who had just won.

The boy she had defeated.

And the two contestants who would fight tomorrow.

One of them would become the fourth finalist.

The other would face her.

Tolu slowly exhaled.

His body was exhausted.

Tomorrow would be even harder.

He turned toward the exit.

Kenny was waiting for him beyond the contestant area.

The moment Tolu approached, Kenny looked him over.

"You look terrible."

Tolu glanced at him.

"You should see the other guy."

Kenny laughed.

"I did. You both looked terrible."

Tolu shook his head and continued walking.

The two of them joined the stream of people leaving the arena.

Behind them, the enormous gates remained open as thousands of people slowly dispersed into the capital.

....

By the time Tolu and Kenny returned to the Omimi manor, the sky had already begun to darken.

The long streets of the capital were still crowded despite the late hour. Merchants were closing their stalls, carriages moved steadily through the roads, and groups of cultivators returning from the arena filled the streets with excited conversations about the day’s battles.

Tolu walked beside Kenny in silence.

His body was exhausted.

His clothes still carried traces of the battles he had fought throughout the competition, and several wounds had already begun to close thanks to the healing medicine they had been given.

Kenny, on the other hand, seemed incapable of being quiet.

"You realize you’re one fight away from the final?"

Tolu glanced at him.

"I know."

"And if you win tomorrow, you’re in the final."

"I know."

"And if you win the final—"

"I know, Kenny."

Kenny laughed.

"Fine."

They finally reached the Omimi manor.

The guards opened the gates almost immediately.

Tolu expected the usual calm atmosphere inside.

Instead, the moment they entered the main courtyard, they saw Jide.

He was waiting for them.

And he was smiling so broadly that Tolu almost wondered whether something had happened.

"There he is!"

Jide walked toward them.

"Tolu!"

Tolu stopped.

Jide grabbed his shoulders.

"You actually did it."

Tolu blinked.

"Did what?"

"Made it to the final four!"

Jide laughed.

"I knew you were good, but this..."

He shook his head.

"You have no idea how happy I am right now."

Kenny chuckled.

"I’ve never seen him this excited."

Jide pointed at him.

"Of course I’m excited."

He turned back to Tolu.

"Do you understand what you’ve done?"

Tolu remained quiet.

Jide’s grin widened.

"You have put our branch on everyone’s lips."

His voice carried genuine excitement.

"People who barely acknowledged our existence this morning are talking about us now."

He paced a few steps.

"My father has already received messages from people who haven’t bothered with our branch in years."

Jide stopped.

"And the elders are watching."

Tolu’s expression became slightly more serious.

Jide reached into his robe.

"I told you I’d reward you if you made the top five."

He pulled out a spatial ring.

It was simple.

No extravagant decorations.

Just a dark metallic ring with a small Omimi insignia engraved into its surface.

He held it out.

"Take this."

Tolu looked at the ring.

"What is it?"

"Something you need more than another promise."

Tolu accepted it.

He sent a small amount of energy into the ring.

His expression changed.

Inside the spatial storage was a mountain of gold coins.

Two hundred thousand gold coins.

Tolu stared.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Kenny looked inside as well.

His eyes widened.

"Two hundred thousand?"

Jide laughed.

"Yes."

Tolu looked at him.

"This is too much."

"No."

Jide shook his head.

"It isn’t."

Tolu frowned.

"You promised anything within your power if I reached the top five."

"And I meant it."

Jide’s expression became serious.

"But this isn’t merely a reward."

He pointed toward the ring.

"Buy resources."

Tolu looked at him.

"Resources?"

"For yourself."

Jide’s voice became more deliberate.

"Resources for cultivation. Resources for your weapon. Anything that can strengthen you before tomorrow. Pills, materials, defensive artifacts, whatever you believe will help."

He paused.

"You’ve already shown everyone what you can do. Don’t walk into the next fight holding back because you didn’t have what you needed."

Tolu looked down at the ring again.

Two hundred thousand gold.

He had spent so much of his life calculating whether he could afford a few silver coins.

Now someone had casually placed a fortune in his hands.

Jide smiled.

"And don’t think this is the end."

Tolu looked up.

Jide’s grin returned.

"This is just the start."

He stepped closer.

"You’ve shown the Omimi family that our branch has someone worth investing in."

His expression carried barely contained excitement.

"My father wants to meet you."

Tolu’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Your father?"

Jide nodded.

"He watched your fights."

He paused.

"And apparently, your performance made quite an impression on the elders."

Kenny whistled softly.

Jide laughed.

"You don’t understand what that means."

He looked toward Tolu.

"For years, our branch has had very little to show during matters like this. We were tolerated, respected enough to be left alone, but rarely taken seriously."

His expression changed.

"But today?"

He shook his head.

"Today, they saw you."

Tolu remained silent.

Jide continued.

"My father wants to speak with you personally."

"When?"

"Tomorrow morning."

Tolu glanced toward the ring.

Then toward Kenny.

Then back at Jide.

"What does he want?"

Jide shrugged.

"Probably to understand who exactly I brought into this competition."

He smiled.

"And perhaps to discuss what happens after it."

Kenny grinned.

"Sounds important."

"It is."

Jide looked at Tolu.

"But don’t let it distract you."

He tapped the spatial ring lightly.

"You have a semifinal tomorrow."

Tolu nodded.

"I know."

"Good."

Jide stepped back.

"Rest tonight."

His smile returned.

"Because if you make it to the final tomorrow..."

He laughed.

"I might actually be unbearable."

Kenny shook his head.

"You’re already unbearable."

Jide laughed loudly.

For the first time since leaving the arena, Tolu smiled.

He looked down at the spatial ring again.

Two hundred thousand gold coins.

It was more money than he had ever possessed.

And according to Jide, it was only the beginning.