The arena was cleared once more. The Primal Beasts, defeated but not overly disappointed, retreated to their designated area leaving the field open for the final contest. The tension in the air was thick enough to taste.

On one side stood the Demon Realm, radiating confidence after their swift 3-1 victory over the Cultists. A strange victory considering that many of the real cultists worship the demons but it didn’t seem like these demons. There was no bowing or praying to them, same with the cultists that worship the beast god. It was an interesting thing that Li Yu noticed but something he wouldn’t get an answer to.

On the other stood the Human Realm, weary from their hard-fought 3-2 win against the Primal Beasts, their faces grim as they stared down their final and most terrifying opponents. Several of their champions were still injured from the last fight so they would need to bring up others to fill in the numbers.

Arch-Fiend Gorgoth let out a low rumble, his six eyes fixing on the human leaders. "Humans," his voice echoed, cold and devoid of inflection. "You have shown... surprising resilience. But your luck ends here. The first choice belongs to the Demon Realm. Send your first champion."

Grand Elder Theron looked at his five warriors: Roric, meditating deeply after his exhausting battle; Evandra, unconscious and receiving healing; Sylvia, injured but resolute; Dargan, conscious but unable to fight; and Li Yu. The strategy was clear, just based on the fighting powers of his previous group. They needed an early decisive victory to set the tone, boost morale and to shake the demons' confidence.

"Commander Little Crab," Theron said, his voice firm. "You will fight first."

Li Yu nodded and stepped into the arena. The Human camp held its collective breath but were not expecting much from the overall outcome. They saw how the fights went and most if not all of them knew that complete victory over the demon group seemed impossible. The team might get a win or two but three seemed a far reach. They knew Li Yu was strong, perhaps unnaturally so but the demons were different.

From the Demon side, a figure loped forward. It was K'thrax, the horned beast-demon who had defeated Borlag in seconds. Its aura felt even more savage than before with its eyes burning with a dark light as it fixed on Li Yu.

"Let the final begin!" Gorgoth announced.

K'thrax roared and charged instantly, crossing the arena like a dark meteor, its three-taloned hands aimed straight for Li Yu's chest.

Li Yu watched him come. He felt no fear for he’s seen a much more powerful demon before, only curiosity. The demons' energy was unique, corrosive and powerful. He has been wondering ever since he found he could absorb demon cores... could he absorb it directly? Just like from aquatic beasts.

Instead of dodging, Li Yu met the charge. Another chance to test his abilities. He brought the Star-Crusher staff up, not just to block but to test. As K'thrax's talons slammed against the staff, Li Yu subtly activated the devouring aspect of his martial spirit, trying to draw in a wisp of the black-purple demonic energy coating the demon's claws.

He felt... resistance. A harsh chaotic violent energy pushed back, refusing to be absorbed. It felt fundamentally alien, indigestible. He couldn't devour it while it was actively wielded by its owner.

So, direct absorption during combat is impossible, he concluded, his mind processing the failure even as the impact shockwave echoed.

K'thrax roared in surprise. This tiny human had blocked his charge? He pushed harder, his immense strength bearing down.

Li Yu held firm for a moment, confirming K'thrax was physically weaker than Krull had been. Then he simply redirected with a subtle twist of the staff and a shift of his feet sending the massive demon stumbling past him.

K'thrax spun, snarling, surprised by the human's technique. It unleashed its corrosive demonic Qi roar again, the same attack that had negated Borlag's curse.

Li Yu didn't try to block it with his own Qi. He simply flickered, using his basic void movement to appear ten feet away as the wave of corrosive energy washed over the spot where he'd stood, leaving sizzling marks on the basalt.

"Die!" K'thrax roared, charging again.

Li Yu flickered again. And again. He became an untouchable phantom. K'thrax's savage and powerful blows hitting nothing but air and after images.

The Human camp started to breathe easier. This was like the fight against Krull but faster. Li Yu wasn't just dodging; he was flowing, staying just outside the demon's reach, his movements economical and precise.

K'thrax was becoming annoyed at Li Yu’s tactics but more annoyed at himself for not being able to keep up. Its attacks grew wilder and less controlled. Li Yu saw his opening.

As K'thrax lunged one more time with his talons extended, Li Yu didn't dodge away. He flickered forward, appearing directly inside the demon's guard, too close for its claws to find purchase.

Before K'thrax could react to his sudden proximity, Li Yu tapped the butt of the Star-Crusher staff against the demon's temple. Li Yu tapped in order to not kill the demon but to also hide his real attack, his leviathan’s strike soul attack. Since he shouldn’t be able to use any soul attack at his realm, it was a decent cover.

K'thrax's eyes rolled back. Its massive body went completely limp and his body collapsed onto the basalt like a felled ox. Unconscious.

Li Yu stood over the fallen demon. The silence from the Demon camp was one of surprise, that their champion had lost so badly against the human. They were taking second looks at Li Yu as though etching his image into their memory. He had defeated their first champion. One of their strongest Core Formation fighters without taking a single hit, without even using a major technique beyond his movement.

In fact in both his fights the boy had barely used any techniques. As though he wanted to hide his abilities. This made others look at him with an even more analytical eye. The leaders from the Primal Beast side looked at each other as if they understood completely. Attributing it to that fearsome crab group that they knew. This human must have gotten some inheritance from them.

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He looked down at K'thrax's still form. The chaotic and corrosive demonic Qi was still radiating from its body but it was... passive now. Uncontrolled. Dormant.

He activated his martial spirit again to try and draw in the qi of the demon as before.

This time there was no resistance.

A strand of the raw, red-green demonic energy flowed into this body and was absorbed. Just like when he ate the demonic pills or the demon cores.It worked.

He couldn't absorb it from a living opponent. But from one unconscious? Or presumably dead? It was possible. The energy was difficult to digest, far more complex than standard Qi but it could be done.

A slow smile touched Li Yu's lips. This was a major discovery. He walked back to the Human platforms leaving the unconscious K'thrax on the field.

Score: Humans 1 - Demons 0

The Human camp cheered at his victory but they were still grounded. Jian Xuan was screaming praises so loudly his voice cracked. Torin Stonehand was actually weeping with joy. Even the usually stoic Theron allowed a small smile. They had drawn first blood against the strong demons.

Arch-Fiend Gorgoth said nothing. He simply pointed to a different demon, one that hadn't fought yet. "Morthos."

A tall, gaunt demon with skin like stretched grey leather and overly long spindly limbs unfolded itself and stepped into the arena. Its movements were jerky and unnatural, like a corpse puppeted by strings. It radiated an aura of evil and killing intent. It was 8th-Level Core Formation.

Theron looked at his available champions. Roric was meditating. Evandra and Sylvia were too injured. Dargan was out. "Jarek Volkov," Theron called. "Good luck and be cautious."

Jarek, 7th Core Formation, nodded calmly, adjusted his spectacles and walked into the arena. As soon as they were told to start he immediately began setting up, several array disks flew out around him, his hands weaving signs, spectral formation flags appearing around him.

He needed some time to establish his complex arrays. A few simpler arrays were set up instantly through his disks.

Morthos gave him no time at all.

The moment the match began, the gaunt demon vanished. Not a flicker like Li Yu but pure explosive speed. It crossed the distance separating them instantly.

Jarek's eyes widened behind his spectacles. He hadn't even finished the first layer of his more complex defensive array. He activated a personal shield artifact and one of the simpler defensive array.

Morthos appeared directly in front of him, its long spindly fingers tipped with razor-sharp bone claws plunging forward. The shield artifact flared brilliantly for an instant, then shattered. The same thing happened to his defensive array, as though it didn’t even exist. The claws pierced Jarek's chest, lifting him off the ground.

Morthos let out a chittering sound then contemptuously threw the scholar-warrior aside. Jarek landed in a crumpled heap. He was bleeding heavily but was alive. Defeated before he could really set himself up well. Morthos’s speed was frightening but even more so was he seemed to have been immune to all the other minor arrays that were set up.

Thankfully, Morthos was following the rules and aimed at non-vital points in his chest. A show that the demons were just as disciplined as anyone else here.

Score: Humans 1 - Demons 1

The Human camp’s morale plummeted again. They were expecting this result but for it to happen so quickly was even beyond their expectations.

Theron looked grim. His top five champions were now mostly out of commission. He looked further down the merit list, his gaze landing on a familiar face. "Bronwyn Steel!" (Rank 6).

Bronwyn, the stern woman from the Forest of the Radiant Dawn, stepped forward without hesitation. She was 6th-Level Core Formation, strong and steady but lacked the specialized arts of the others.

The Demons sent out Ignis, the obsidian-skinned demon radiating primordial fire.

Bronwyn summoned her Martial Spirit, a sturdy 'Ironwood Protector,' and employed the 'Unyielding Pine Sword Art' she had been studying. Her defense was formidable, rooted and unyielding like an ancient tree. But Ignis didn't attack directly. He simply flared his aura.

The heat washed over Bronwyn and her spirit. Her Ironwood Protector began to smoke and char. Her own defensive Qi sizzled and evaporated. The basalt floor around Ignis melted. Bronwyn tried to use water arts drawn from ambient moisture but the water turned to steam almost instantly. After a tense minute of simply enduring the heat, Bronwyn's Qi reserves were depleted, her skin flushed red and she collapsed down, ending the fight.

Score: Humans 1 - Demons 2

A groan of despair went through the Human camp. They were behind again and Ignis seemed unbeatable by conventional means.

Theron looked at his last available high-ranking disciple who hadn't fought. "Faelan Nightwind!" (Rank 3).

Faelan, 8th-Level Core, stepped forward and his expression was grim. He was known for his speed and agility arts.

The Demons seemed unfazed, their victory expected. Arch-Fiend Gorgoth pointed at his final strongest champion to close out the match. "Ur'goth."

The four-armed, 9th-Level Core demon stomped into the arena, radiating immense power and confidence after his easy victory over Malak.

Faelan was fast, incredibly so. He was weaving around Ur'goth's powerful four-armed blows, looking for an opening. He summoned his Martial Spirit, a 'Spectral Wind-Eagle,' which harassed Ur'goth from the air with sharp wind blades.

But Ur'goth was simply too strong, too tough. He ignored the wind blades, his carapaced skin deflecting them easily. He focused solely on Faelan. The speed difference was noticeable but Ur'goth's four arms made him hard to approach, combined with his overwhelming strength, made it impossible for Faelan to land a decisive blow.

Eventually, Ur'goth anticipated one of Faelan's movements. He didn't try to punch him; he simply stomped the ground. A shockwave erupted, disrupting Faelan's footwork for just an instant. It was enough. Two of Ur'goth's arms shot out, grabbing Faelan's leg and arm. The other two delivered a devastating combination of punches to his torso. Faelan crumpled and was sent flying.

He could have gotten up to continue on for a while more but Theron called the fight to an end. There was no point in getting more injured in a losing battle.

Final Score: Humans 1 - Demons 3

The Human camp was quiet but no one was sad. The outcome was as most had predicted. Their only victory was Li Yu's. Their other champions were injured in the previous fight, they might have gotten another win with Roric if he had fought.

Arch-Fiend Gorgoth let out a low rumble of satisfaction. They had won. The first pick belonged to the Demon Realm.

Grand Elder Theron stood, his face carved from stone. He looked at his defeated champions, then at the roaring Demon camp. He bowed his head slightly towards Gorgoth. "The Demon Realm is victorious. You have earned the first choice."

Korgath slammed his fist on his chair in frustration but quickly regained his calm. Caelia's face was ice but the results were acceptable. Choosing first didn’t mean they would get the best location, it also came down to luck. Even those choosing last, if they had enough luck could end up with the best location.

The Primal Beast and the cultist fought each other, ending in 3 - 1 victory for the Primal Beast side. They would get to choose 3rd and the cultists would get whatever is left over.

The tournament was over now. It was time for the victors to choose which location they wanted and then for each side to set up perimeter lines.