Trials of Triumph (Part 1)

The Battle God Academy's combat trials had begun.

The seventh group's arena was situated in a garden in the southeastern corner of the Palace of Versailles. All two hundred forty examinees in this group gathered below the platform, listening to the examiner's pronouncements.

"...Rule Seven: Examinees whose names are called must immediately ascend the stage. Failure to respond after three calls will result in forfeiture... Rule Thirteen: Beyond victory and defeat, examiners will also evaluate the potential displayed by each examinee. Even if an examinee loses, as long as they demonstrate satisfactory potential and fighting spirit, they will be granted another opportunity..."

Francis, however, had little interest in these rigid rules. He squatted among the crowd below the stage, chatting idly with Sem, his newly acquainted Xino Dwarf friend.

"Hey, my dear Sem, you're number one! I get to see your performance right away!" Francis chuckled.

Sem's large eyes were filled with gratitude. Francis squatting to speak with him was a gesture of immense respect for a Dwarf, especially coming from a Divine Scion.

"Yes, I'll be the first to ascend. Oh, you're number seven, hey, it'll be a long while before we meet in a match!"

With a total of two hundred forty participants engaging in paired elimination bouts, the trials would comprise nine rounds. In the sixth round, where fifteen contenders would vie for eight spots, one would be lucky enough to receive a bye.

Just then, a flash of fire suddenly blazed forth from a direction within the Palace of Versailles, followed by towering, roaring flames that shot skyward, an exceptionally dazzling sight against the cerulean heavens.

Sem shook his big head, lamenting, "They've set off the holy fireworks! Tsk, tsk, some poor soul just died in battle!"

The examiner, coincidentally, announced the final rule: "Rule Twenty-Six: Regardless of life or death in these trials, both parties must exert their full strength! Begin!"

The arena itself was two meters high and thirty meters square, a sturdy stone platform. At each of its four corners sat a white-robed cleric, serving as both examiners and guardians against unforeseen disturbances.

The first pair to battle were Sem and a human Martial Fighter.

Sem's sacred artifact was an arm's length short staff, and once he donned his Dwarf-specific armor, it became apparent he was a Three-Star Yellow-Robed Fiend Warrior. His opponent, however, was merely a One-Star Red-Robed Martial Fighter – on par with a flayed Frith!

This fellow, despite his meager strength, possessed a disproportionately large mouth. He pointed his sacred artifact longsword at Sem, bellowing, "Sem, surrender! You Xino Dwarves are dull-witted! Even if you manage to beat me, there's no way you'll pass the written exam!"

Sem's large eyes turned blood-red, and his dark skin shimmered with a purplish hue – a clear sign of Xino Dwarf fury.

Without a word, he slammed his short staff heavily onto the ground and roared, "Corona of Fire!"

Roaring flames surged from the arena's stony surface, engulfing the massive platform in an instant. Only the four examiners' positions remained untouched, bathed in an eerie calm.

The Martial Fighter, with no ground left to stand on, mustered a surge of battle qi and leaped high, gripping his sword with both hands as he cleaved down towards Sem's head.

Sem bared a wide grin, his white teeth starkly luminous against his dark skin. Then, a pillar of fire erupted from his head, striking the warrior squarely in the chest.

*Thud!* The warrior plummeted to the ground, and the flames on the rocks instantly consumed him.

From below the stage, Aliza smacked her lips. "Young Master, I smell roast suckling pig!"

Francis clasped his hands across his chest, sighing with feigned pity. "A pitiable soul indeed, to challenge a Xino Dwarf's pride so brazenly!"

Sem retracted his flames, raised both arms aloft, and let out the distinctive, cackling laughter of his race.

"Sem is victorious!" an examiner declared loudly, rising to his feet. "For this bout, Sem earns a perfect ten points and advances to the second round. However, his opponent, facing a Fighter two ranks above himself, showed no fear and chose the most correct combat strategy within the knowledge of a One-Star Fighter. Therefore, he earns six points and a chance to re-enter the trials against a loser from the next round!"

This, then, was the scoring method for the combat trials. Regardless of victory or defeat, as long as an examinee displayed what the examiners sought, points would be awarded.

The trials consisted of nine rounds in total. A contender who won every round would have nine combat opportunities, with each round offering a perfect score of ten points, for a grand total of ninety points!

Even a defeat was not necessarily the end; as long as potential and fighting spirit were shown, there was still a chance to re-enter combat and earn more points.

Finally, the top-ranked examinee from each of the twenty groups would compete again. This would give them a tenth combat opportunity, and one more chance to earn points than others – their potential maximum score was one hundred points!

The combat continued. Wounded examinees were carried off, and Sem rushed to Francis's side, indignantly chattering about the opponent he'd "roasted into a suckling pig."

"Number Seven, Francis! Number Eight, Kaman! Ascend the stage!"

"Dear Brother Francis, Sem wishes you good fortune!"

It was Francis's turn. He sauntered onto the arena, while Kaman, across from him, leaped onto it with a flourish.

Today, Kaman wore a full set of orange heavy armor, wielding a sacred artifact axe he'd temporarily swapped to. Catching sight of Francis, still clad in his white robes and empty-handed, Kaman couldn't help but sneer, "Hmph, the disgrace of the Saint Sigurd Cain family, have you come here to court death?"

"Who dies today remains to be seen, my dear Young Master Kaman. Can't you manage a smile? Or do you intend to have hundreds of examinees witness that perpetually sour visage of yours?"

"Don't get cocky! Hmph!" Kaman pointed at Francis, shouting, "Everyone! This is the disgrace of the Saint Sigurd Cain family! A born waste who cannot cultivate battle qi! To fight him is an insult to me!"

"Kaman!" one of the examiners stood, barking. "The Holy Church's Codex does not stipulate that one without battle qi cannot participate in the trials. On the contrary, it mandates that Titled Battle God Scions *must* attend at least one examination. Francis is fulfilling his duty; I command you to respect your opponent! Now, let the bout officially begin!"

At the command, Kaman brandished his battle axe and charged at Francis.

Francis watched him with cold eyes, his hands clasped across his chest, subtly touching the necklace hidden beneath his robes. *If Godfather Ferdinand's scheme goes awry,* he mused, *then this necklace will be my salvation!*

*And if the necklace fails, then today, Kaman shall inevitably bear witness to the Lotus Internal Force, personally bestowed by the Bodhi Patriarch and lauded by the Great Sage Equal to Heaven!*

Twenty paces, fifteen paces, ten paces...

Kaman drew ever closer.

But just as he was five paces from Francis, his legs suddenly buckled. *Thump!* He toppled forward, collapsing right before Francis.

"Oh dear, Young Master Kaman, whatever is the matter?" Francis bent down with feigned concern, checking Kaman's breathing. He saw Kaman foaming at the mouth, his face a ghastly pallor, hands clutching his stomach as he twitched spasmodically.

Like a freshly steamed fish thrashing on a platter!

Francis gave him two sharp kicks. Receiving no reaction, he then anxiously called out to the examiners, "Esteemed examiners, please come quickly! It seems Kaman is... indisposed!"

The examiners inspected Kaman, their faces turning grim as they loudly announced, "Kaman has ingested something impure! He's been poisoned!"

"According to the Holy Church's Codex, for this bout, Kaman receives zero points, and Francis is victorious. However, his victory is not achieved through honorable combat, so he will only be awarded a passing score of six points!"

This ruling was undeniably fair, and none of the examinees raised an objection. The examiner continued, "To prevent any suspicion of pre-examination cheating by Francis, the trials are temporarily suspended. Both examinees and their retainers are to immediately ascend the stage and cooperate with the Holy Church's investigation! All examinees in Group Seven will bear witness!"

Aliza dutifully made her way onto the stage, and Kaman's retainers followed suit.

*Let them investigate,* Francis thought. Kaman was indeed poisoned, but by Godfather Ferdinand, and the inspecting personnel were all members of the Holy Church. *If they could still uncover the truth under these circumstances, Francis and Ferdinand might as well bash their heads in and die!*

The greatest fear in any examination was collusion between examiners and examinees!