The Dimensari race knew all the languages of Eldoralth’s races. Despite this, switching between languages would be impractical, given the vast number of races tuning in.
For this reason, each spectator in the coliseum had personal translators, and the broadcast was automatically translated for viewers across the different domains.
The host paused dramatically, smiling as the crowd roared back in response. “This event happens once every 10 years, and today, we have a truly special gathering of talent!”
He gestured upwards abruptly, and fireworks exploded in the sky, lighting up the entire arena.
“Let’s give a round of applause to the paragons of each race, seated in their balconies above us!”
The crowd erupted once again, their cheers almost deafening. While not everyone liked their rulers, absolute power commanded respect, and that respect was undeniable.
“And now… the moment you’ve all been waiting for,” the host said, lowering his voice slightly, drawing the crowd in before erupting once more, “THESE ARE YOUR APEXES!”
As soon as he said that, the screens shifted, becoming larger as they began showcasing each apex in the room one by one.
The crowds instantly erupted. Across the human domain, in every sector, people leaped to their feet, screaming in excitement at the top of their lungs, as if competing silently with the crowds of the other races. The air across the human domain, and in others, was electric with excitement.
Suddenly, the room that Atticus and the other apexes were in warped and distorted. A flash of light, and in the next instant, they were transported to the center of the coliseum.
The walls vanished, revealing the roaring crowds and the massive arena that surrounded them.
The intensity of the cheers doubled, the coliseum trembling under the sheer volume of sound.
But then, as though on cue, the eyes of every apex flickered open.
The moment their eyes opened, the killing intent that had been contained within the room before now flooded the coliseum. The shift was immediate.
The cheering stopped abruptly. The entire arena fell into a suffocating silence.
The air grew cold. The crowd, which had been so loud moments ago, sat frozen, their hearts pounding in their chests.
Even the viewers across the human domain could feel it—the oppressive aura that suddenly spread, encompassing everything.
None of the apexes acknowledged the crowd. They only watched each other—silent, waiting, calculating, not uttering a single word.
Every single onlooker sat in silence. Even the host, who had been so enthusiastic seconds ago, found himself utterly speechless.
What the hell was this tension?
This was supposed to be a competition between races to foster and grow the alliance, but everyone knew it was merely a stage for the top races to assert dominance.
However, the oppressive aura the apexes had just unleashed was so intense that everyone found themselves shivering in their seats, their hearts pounding.
It was as though the youths they were watching were beasts—predators—observing, waiting for the moment to strike.
It was then that every single person watching knew: this Verietaga Nexus would be unlike any other. It would be remembered for the rest of their lives.
The paragons of each race, seated high in their balconies, smiled. This was exactly what they had been waiting for.
“L-let’s get this show started!” the host finally stammered, trying to regain his composure.
However, his attempt at riling up the crowd was met with silence.
The entire coliseum remained hushed, as if they too could feel the tension. It was like a thin thread that could snap at any moment.
Even the most experienced warriors in the audience felt their hands shaking, their bodies tense.
Atticus’s gaze met Ae’ark’s across the arena, and though neither said a word, the message was clear: no holding back.
The paragons of the other races watching the scene wore smiles. None of them were disappointed, especially the paragons of the mid races: the Dragon race, the Aeonians, the Angel race, and the Demon race.
The fact that their apexes were standing toe-to-toe with apexes of the superior races sent a wave of pride through them. However, a frown began to appear on the faces of most of them.
‘How are they so strong?’ Valkarion Ignisyth, one of the paragons of the Dragon race, thought as he gazed at the apexes of the Elven, Dwarven, and Human races.
The Dragon race, along with the other mid races, had been the reason the lower races were participating in this year’s Nexus in the first place.
They had insisted that the lower races participate because they wanted their resources. Usually, any race reserved the right to refuse participation if they deemed themselves unfit.
However, to see that each lower race had an apex strong enough to stand with theirs was shocking—especially when their current apex was the strongest their race had ever seen.
The other mid races also shared this sentiment, aside from the Aeonians.
Ae’zard gazed down on Atticus with a serious look. ‘He has grown even more than I anticipated. Incredible,’ he thought.
After the battle with Ae’ark, his grandson, Ae’zard had expected Atticus to grow, but even he couldn’t have anticipated that Atticus would grow this much.
He turned to look at Magnus, who also met his gaze and greeted him with a nod, his expression unchanged. Ae’zard chuckled, returning the nod.
The host, though visibly rattled, forced himself to continue.
“I-I will now explain the rules!” His voice shook as he tried to maintain his composure.
The voice of the host brought each of them out of their thoughts, and they focused back on him. However, the host couldn’t help but freeze in the next instant.
He shakily turned his gaze to the side and saw each of the apexes looking at him silently. An intense shiver ran down his spine, and he couldn’t help but gulp.
He was a grandmaster+, but he felt like prey. ‘Who the hell gave birth to such monsters?’
He ignored the sweat forming on his forehead and continued speaking.
