The world outside the [Chosen Games] was holding its breath.
Everyone, gods, mortals, creatures of every realm, had access to the spectacle.
The battles weren’t hidden, no, they were broadcasted across reality like some twisted game show, yet there was nothing fictional about it.
The abilities were real. The deaths were final.
And the stakes, they couldn’t be higher.
And now, the fight between Alex and Kaelios against Selvaron and Lunareth had finally concluded.
“ALEX WON!” a loud voice rang out through the [Fox Tribe Village], one of the many places watching the broadcast.
“LET’S GO!”
Cheers erupted like fireworks, echoing through the silver-lined trees and across the peaceful terrain of the tribe.
The girls who had been watching, many of whom had once feared Alex wouldn’t survive, were now screaming in joy.
The fight had been close. Far too close.
Alex had teetered on the edge of death more than once.
Selvaron’s ultimate move, [Moon Annihilation], should have ended everything.
But thanks to Kaelios’ last-second gambit, sacrificing 70 Destiny Points for his [Fated Cataclysm], and Alex’s unrelenting will, they had pulled through.
Even now, in the chamber where both victors rested, there was a lingering sense of tension in the air, like the echo of the battle hadn’t fully faded yet.
Their chamber remained silent, with both of them lying on the beds engraved with their names.
Only the floating panel in front of them that displayed the fight squares, the nine screens where the ongoing duels could be viewed by those outside.
Five of the squares already bore the label [Completed].
Others were still marked as [Ongoing], though one by one, that changed.
Only about ten minutes after their battle ended, the status of the remaining squares began to shift.
It was subtle at first.
One turned to [Completed].
Then another. And another.
Like falling dominos. And finally.
Ding!
[The “Elimination Round” is now officially over.]
A new message blinked across the screen, and a wave of shifting energy passed through the room like an unseen wind.
Then the projection changed again.
For the first time since the opening of the Games, the [Creators] returned.
The darkened thrones of the ten figures emerged from the void, their faces obscured just like before.
Their forms remained cloaked in shadow, but their eyes, those piercing, glowing eyes, stared directly through the screens, directly into the hearts of those watching.
There was a weight to their presence, as if they were judging everyone at once.
[And so, with that, it means only ten participants remain.]
Alex sat up slightly, and Kaelios tilted his head in acknowledgment.
The same realization had likely struck the other chambers as well.
From nearly two dozen participants, only ten were left.
Ten pairs, chosen from a pantheon of gods.
It hadn’t even been an hour.
That was how fast it had happened.
[Of course, participants are still not allowed to see the abilities of their opponents. That will remain hidden. However, you will be given the names of the victors.]
It made sense.
No one would be foolish enough to assume they’d be given free access to their enemies’ capabilities.
But names?
That much, the [Creators] seemed willing to share.
And then, the blue-eyed [Creator], the one with the massive figure and imposing silhouette, clapped his hands.
Instantly, a glowing list appeared in front of each participant.
For Alex and Kaelios, it shimmered above their beds.
[Participants remaining after the “Elimination Round”: God of Destiny, God of Darkness, God of Death, God of Hatred, Primordial Goddess, God of Swords, Goddess of Fate, God of Nightmares, God of Elements, God of Destruction.]
A chill settled in Alex’s chest.
These were not just any gods.
They were some of the most powerful names in the divine hierarchy.
He recognized many of them.
The God of Death, the God of Darkness, and especially the God of Hatred, Daniel’s patron.
Even the Primordial Goddess remained, her presence a haunting reminder of forces older than time itself.
Every single one of these remaining gods was dangerous.
Deadly.
[As for those eliminated, they simply weren’t strong enough. Their purpose in the Games has ended.]
The [Creators] continued, their tone still as cold and uncaring as ever.
Another list formed below the first.
[Eliminated: God of the Abyss, God of Light, God of the Moon, God of Fear, God of Life, God of War, Goddess of Luck, Goddess of Love, Goddess of Wrath, Goddess of Eternity.]
Alex frowned.
These were all gods with real power, ones who likely had hundreds of followers and centuries of influence, and they had still lost.
Whatever had happened in their battles, it hadn’t been enough.
Their Chosen Ones were dead. Their divinity, erased.
He didn’t care too much about what those fights had looked like.
The only thing that mattered now was that the competition had narrowed.
The remaining participants weren’t just strong, they had proven they were survivors.
And every single round would only make things harder.
Each god eliminated meant the ones left standing were even more dangerous than before.
And the [Creators] weren’t done.
[You will now be granted a brief rest before the next round begins.]
[The “Elimination Round” was created solely to reduce the number of competitors. With that complete, we will now progress to the next phase.]
[There will be two more rounds before the Finale.]
Alex’s eyes sharpened at that.
He hadn’t expected this much clarity from the [Creators], but he wasn’t about to complain.
Information was power, and the more they gave, the more he could prepare.
[The next round will once again cut the remaining participants in half. Only five will survive.]
[After that, we begin what is known as the “Main Round”. The most dangerous and important phase.]
[Once the “Main Round” is over, only two pairs will remain. These two will face each other in the “Finale”, where the winner of the Chosen Games will be determined.]
[That is all. Enjoy your break, you will need it.]
[We have now enabled your abilities while in your chambers. You may train, strategize, or simply rest. Use this time wisely.]
The panels blinked out of existence, leaving the room in eerie silence once more.
But the sense of peace was an illusion.
Both Alex and Kaelios knew it.
This was the calm before another storm.
Kaelios leaned back slightly, his gaze flicking to his own screen.
“Our DP’s back,” he muttered, raising his hand and showing the numbers glowing on his interface.
[Destiny Points: 300 / 300]
“Everything’s refreshed,” Alex noted.
Cooldowns, resources, even his physical state.
It was as if the [Creators] wanted everyone at full power before the next bloodbath began.
Kaelios shrugged.
“Thirty minutes isn’t a long rest, but it’s better than nothing. I’m betting once that timer hits zero, they’ll teleport us straight into the next arena. No warnings. No prep.”
Alex didn’t reply immediately.
Instead, he stood from his bed, stretching slightly.
His muscles felt loose now, relaxed.
But he knew that tension would return the moment the next round began.
The [Creators] may have spoken like impartial observers, but Alex had seen it in their actions.
They were entertained by this.
They enjoyed the chaos, the death, the desperate fights to survive.
And that meant the next round?
It wouldn’t be simple.
There would be new rules, new traps, maybe even new terrain.
The [Chosen Games] weren’t just about power.
They were about endurance, strategy, luck, and above all, adaptability.
“You’re right,” Alex finally said, rolling his shoulder.
“Let’s use this time. Show me how your domain works, fully. Every detail. I have a feeling every single battle from now on will involve domains.”
Kaelios gave him a toothy grin.
“Smart. I was thinking the same thing.”
And so the two of them moved to the center of the room.
Though plain and simple in appearance, it had just enough space to let them train, maneuver, and spar.
Blue runes flickered in the corners now, likely the [Creators]’ doing, ensuring that any destruction wouldn’t carry over to the next round.
They trained without holding back, every move calculated, every explanation Kaelios gave about his [Domain of Inevitability] clear and precise.
It was better to overprepare than to regret not doing enough.
Minutes ticked by.
Their grace period would soon end.
But neither Alex nor Kaelios feared it.
They were still standing.
And they would keep standing, until the end.
Because for Alex, there was no other option.
This was the only way forward.
The only way to win. The only way to survive.