The dust began to settle, revealing the unconscious body of Hammar sprawled on the ground. His once cocky smirk had been replaced by the stillness, blood trickling down his forehead where my scabbard had hit him.@@@@

    The crowd around the arena fell silent, stunned into disbelief. Even the announcer, who had been energetic throughout, seemed to lose his voice for a moment. Read latest chapters on My Virtual Library Empire

    "What just happened..." The whisper started coming out.

    "C-Cutiepie... wins the fight!" he finally stammered, his voice shaky. "She advances to the next round!"

    A ripple of murmurs came through the audience.

    "Was that a fluke?"

    "She one-shot Hammar? That''s impossible!"

    "Did anyone even see her move?"

    Among the spectators, the little boy from earlier stood wide-eyed, his expression a mix of awe and joy. His clenched fists trembled with excitement as he whispered, "She''s so amazing...."

    Seraphine, watching from the sidelines, gulped softly. Her usually composed demeanor faltered as she stared at me. Even the others, who had mocked me earlier, now looked my way with newfound respect—or perhaps fear.

    I didn''t care for their reactions. Keeping my face neutral and expressionless.

    I turned away and walked back to the bench. Sitting down calmly, I pulled out my book and opened it, flipping to the page where I had left off earlier. The chatter and whispers around me faded into the background as I immersed myself in the words on the page.

    ---

    The tournament continued, the energy in the air slowly building as more fighters stepped into the arena. Each battle came with its own shine—some filled with raw strength, others showcasing dazzling technique. But none of them drew the same shocked silence that my fight had caused.

    Seraphine was called up for her match. She stepped forward with confidence, her silver armor glinting under the sun. Her opponent was a burly man twice her size, wielding a massive hammer. The fight was over in moments.

    I dusted off my hands, walked back to my bench, and resumed reading as if nothing had happened.

    ----

    The tournament stretched over two days. Fight after fight, the number of contestants had participated, now the number decreasing with each battle. Seraphine breezed through her matches with her elegant combat style, each of her victories earning admiration from the crowd. Meanwhile, my fights continued to leave people speechless. Whether it was through precise strikes or overwhelming strength, I destroyed every opponent with ease.

    By the end of the second day, the announcer stood in the center of the arena, holding a scroll.

    "And now, we have our top three contestants who will represent our locality in the main tournament!" he declared. "Give it up for... Cutiepie, Seraphine, and Alex!"

    The crowd erupted in cheers. Alex, a tall and dashing young man known for his chain skills and charm, gave a polite nod as his name was called. Seraphine stood stoically, her silver eyes scanning the crowd. I simply closed my book and stood, offering no reaction.

    As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the area in a warm orange glow, the crowd began to disperse. The excitement still in the air, and whispers for the upcoming main tournament was the topic among the people.

    The streets were quieter now, the chatter of the day fading into the usual daily life of cars and people strolling around. I walked down the bridge path, the faint scent of flowers from nearby gardens was in the air.

    Just when I was thinking what I should do after returning home as Austin..

    "Cutiepie..."

    The voice stopped me in my tracks. I turned slowly and saw Seraphine standing a few paces behind me.

    She was out of breathe, telling me that she came running to meet me.

    The warm glow of the streetlamps highlighted her figure—her blue hair cascading down her shoulders and her piercing eyes fixed on me. There was no armor on her now and just a blue t-shirt and skirt below. But this time, her gaze wasn''t cold; it was soft, as if she were trying to meet me eagerly and talk to me about something.

    "Yes?" I asked, my tone calm.

    Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out at first. After a moment, she stepped closer, her voice soft yet firm.

    "Umm...."