CHAPTER 306: THIS IS WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE [PART 3]

"Well?" Serenya asked, confidence shining in her eyes. "How many points?"

After a quick simultaneous exchange of glance, they raised their scoreboards with perfect synchronization,.

90 Points out of 100.

The elves froze.

While the score wasn’t bad, they believed it should’ve been higher.

But just before she was about to challenge their score, Doh spoke up first.

"The reason why you got a score of 90 is because we didn’t judge you based on the standards of the Singing King," Doh said in a serious tone. "We judged you based on the criteria of the Singing Queen."

"That’s right." Reh nodded. "If we were to judge you with the Singing King’s grading system, your score will only be 70 at most."

Serenya frowned. "So I only got 90 points because you are judging me based on the Singing Queen’s criteria?"

"Right." Doh nodded.

"But what do you mean by—if my song is graded based on the Singing King’s criteria, I would only get 70 points?" Serenya asked in disbelief.

"Exactly." Reh smiled faintly. "Let’s not talk about your singing talent for now. Even the Singing Queen wouldn’t win against Alex if the two of them fought in the Battle Choir."

The frown on Serenya’s face grew deeper.

Faelarun Academy also had a Battle Choir, so she was well-versed on the subject.

While she was among the Top 3 in the rankings of Faelarun Academy, there was a gap between her and the Top 1 in the Battle Choir leaderboards.

The First Place record in the Faelarun Academy came from Aeris, who had transferred to Frieden Academy during her Second Year.

Years had passed, yet no one had beaten the score she had set. Even with Serenya’s talent, she was unable to dethrone the princess of the Elven Race.

That kind of result was acceptable. After all, Princess Aeris was an elf just like her.

But she couldn’t accept the fact that she still fell short of dethroning the Singing Queen of Frieden Academy.

"I understand now." Serenya eyed the Fairies with an arrogant smile. "All of you are biased judges. You don’t want us Elves to dethrone the current top contenders because that will be a shame for Frieden Academy is it not?"

"Wow, just wow." Doh shook her head helplessly. "To think that someone will dare to call us biased."

"Indeed." Sue commented as she finished filing her nails. "But since you are in doubt, I have a proposal for you."

"I’m listening." Serenya crossed her arms over her chest.

"How about... all of you Elves fight Alex in Battle Choir?" Sue asked with a devilish smile on her face.

"Genius!" Fah exclaimed. "You’re a genius, Sue!"

"I know, right?" Sue’s smile widened.

"Very well, I will fight him!" Serenya said with confidence.

"Sorry, I think you misheard me," Sue replied. "I said "ALL" of you will fight him at the same time in Battle Choir."

"What?" Serenya blinked. "All of us? As in ALL of us at the same time?"

"Right." Sue nodded. "That way, none of you will be able to come up with any excuses when you lose to Alex. Or... are you saying that you and the rest of the students of Faelarun Academy are scared?"

"Oh, no. Should Alex give you guys a handicap?" Reh giggled. "Alex, how about you sing while blindfolded?"

"No problem!" Alex replied with confidence.

Caelum and the Elves almost coughed out blood then and there. How was singing with a blindfold a handicap?

In fact, singing while blindfolded didn’t even matter because most singers close their eyes when they feel too emotional while singing!

"I’d just like to ask for confirmation," Caelum stood up. "If we beat Alex in Battle Choir, will our names be on the top of the Battle Choir Leaderboards?"

"Of course," Melodina, who was the judge of the Battle Choir replied. "I swear upon my name and honor that I will not go back on my word."

"Good!" Caelum sneered at Alex. "Don’t make excuses if you lose later."

"Excuses are for the weak," Alex answered with confidence. "I will make you understand why I am the Singing King of the academy!"

The Fairies all clapped their hands in excitement.

Sensing the grave danger, Dim Dim escaped the training room like its buns were on fire.

The Fairies failed to apprehend the little guy in time, making them click their tongues in regret.

Seeing Alex’s partner flee so fast made Caelum and Serenya smile.

"It seems that your partner doesn’t want to see you lose," Caelum stated.

The fairies giggled, their tiny wings fluttering. They knew exactly why Dim Dim left, but they had no plans to explain it to the Elves..

"Smart bun," Sue said with a lazy smirk. "If I could leave before the massacre, I would too."

Serenya snorted, folding her arms. "Big words, but this time, you’ll face not one but all of us. You can’t possibly hope to defeat the pride of Faelarun Academy in Battle Choir."

"Battle Choir," Alex repeated, his grin spreading into something far too wide for a lawful human. "Good. It’s about time I showed you why I am called the Singing King!"

"After this, you will not be called a Singing King but a Singing Joke!" Caelum snapped back.

"Big words." Alex smiled faintly. "Make sure you can back it up."

The elves stiffened.

The fairies cheered.

"Battle Choir!" Sue announced, her sleepy eyes suddenly sharp with excitement. "One Human versus a dozen Elves. Venue: Seventh Training Room. Time: right now."

Magical runes lit up along the floor, forming a massive circle. The walls shimmered as the enchantments activated, ensuring that the following unmeasurable destruction wouldn’t leak outside.

"Good luck," Reh said in a singsong voice, winking at the elves. "Try not to get scarred for life."

Serenya and Caelum stepped into the glowing circle, followed by the other elves, their faces firm with determination.

Alex walked in last, stretching his shoulders like a fighter preparing for the ring.

He casually rolled his neck and cracked his knuckles, as if he was preparing for nothing more but a warm-up practice.

"Alex," Serenya declared, raising her voice so all could hear. "Today, your so-called throne will crumble."

Alex chuckled. "You don’t get it, do you? There’s no throne. There’s only me."

The runes flared to life, locking the combatants inside.

"Battle Choir, begin!" Melodina’s voice rang out like a bell.

The two Parties appeared in a majestic coliseum, with Alex on one side, and the Elves on the other.

The illusionary sky above shimmered with golden clouds, the cheers of phantom audiences filling the air.

The enchantment made the atmosphere heavy, as if every note sung here could split the heavens and tear apart the ground.

Caelum raised his chin, summoning his lyre with a flash of emerald light.

Serenya’s hands glowed as she drew out a silver flute made from starlight.

The other elves manifested harps, violins, and even crystal chimes. Together, they formed a complete orchestra, their magic weaving around each other to create a beautiful melody.

"This will be your end, Human," Caelum declared.

The elves struck the first chord.

A wall of harmonious sound rose, layered with ancient Elven incantations.

Their voices merged, creating a radiant shield of melody that shook the coliseum’s pillars. Images of forests and glowing stars manifested above them, the embodiment of Elven pride.

The phantom crowd roared in approval.

Alex stood, holding his microphone in hand, as a wonderful memory played on his side of the battlefield.

"The song I didn’t write..." Alex said with a smile. "This is what it sounds like."

The moment he opened his mouth—

"—!"

A wave of sound exploded outward.

It wasn’t singing.

It was the opening verse of the end of the world.

His voice hit like a cannon—no, a meteor—shaking the coliseum as though an extremely vengeful beast had been unleashed.

The illusions the elves had conjured shattered instantly. Like glass, the glowing forests shattered. Like dying embers, the stars fizzled. Like sand, everything crumbled down.

The harmony they had built collapsed under the sheer force of Alex’s opening verse.

Caelum staggered backward, his lyre strings vibrating violently before half of them snapped as if reaching their limit.

Serenya covered her ears, her flute trembling in her grasp. The other elves cried out as cracks ran along their instruments.

"What... what is this?!" Caelum shouted.

""This is! Battle Choir!"" All the Fairies shouted in unison and exchanged high fives with each other.

The fairies in the stands exploded into laughter, clapping their tiny hands.

"Yes! Yes! Break them, Alex!" Mii cheered.

"Destroy their harmony!" Reh yelled gleefully.

"Kill!" Doh roared.

"Deaaaaaaaaath!" Fah raised both of her hands as if she were the Empress of a Kingdom who was cheering her favorite gladiator to go for the kill.

Sue smirked. "This is just the prelude. They haven’t even heard the chorus yet."

Inside the arena, the elves scrambled to recover, pouring mana into their instruments to rebuild their shattered harmony.

Serenya’s eyes blazed as she raised her flute again. "Don’t falter! We are Elves! Show him the beauty of our song!"

The orchestra roared back to life, defiant, their melody weaving tighter and stronger.

But all their efforts crumbled the moment Alex sang the chorus of his song.

And then...

There was no then.