At the top and bottom of the arena were circular gates that let outside light pass into the interior. There were two such gates in total, facing each other in perfect parallel while maintaining an angle of 23.4 degrees relative to the ground.

So when one looked toward the center of the stadium, cylindrical shafts of light descended from above, creating a breathtaking sight as though reenacting the descent of angels.

Into those beams of light, enormous shadows slowly began to intrude.

The cheers of the surrounding crowd crashed down like a storm.

Waaaaaaah!

There was not just one shadow.

Countless floating platforms dropped toward the middle of the stadium, producing a spectacle like a rain of meteors. The same was happening at the opposite gate as well. The floating platforms passing through the entrances rode rising currents upward like lions summoned by a god’s call.

The floating platform Leonardo stood on was one of them.

Squinting slightly beneath the blazing sunlight, he lowered his center of gravity against the sensation of defying gravity while first taking in the scenery around him.

The floating platforms rising up and down from both gates met in the center of the stadium like the creation of heaven and earth. Crossing and tangling together, they stopped in midair just before colliding.

It looked as though it were embodying the Last Day—the disaster that, long ago, was said to have driven the living creatures of this land to the brink of extinction.

<Welcome, contestants, to the preliminary round! This is the Ether Nexus Stadium, the first hall where you may be reborn as the league’s rising stars!>

<As this league is being held for the first time in two years, we hear an exceptional number of skilled fighters have entered. Expectations are already high for what they will show us. Many participants stood out from the very first test matches.>

<Exactly! And with that came no shortage of incidents as well. Ah—do you see those resolute figures? Don’t they look like gallant warriors? One glance is enough to understand why controversy never stopped following the earlier matches!>

Bathed in the pouring light, the figures on display struck far more impressive poses than the ragged crowd Leonardo had seen earlier in the waiting area. Most of them had their eyes shadowed, which only deepened the effect. One man, emboldened by the commentators’ voices, casually waved at the audience.

The crowd roared back at them, and the waves of sound traveled through the Ether, making the floating platforms wobble unstably under the pressure of the vibrations.

The participants flinched as well. Lowering themselves instinctively, they leaned over the edges of their floating platforms. Every one of them looked down, trying to gauge the height below—

and recoiled in horror.

Ero was no exception.

“W-we’re doing this here...?”

What spread beneath his view was open air, yawning beneath the scattered floating platforms.

Since the stadium itself had been built at a great height to create the sensation of flying through the sky, there were no safety devices below apart from the five pillars supporting the structure. There were even clouds drifting beneath them. It was the sort of setup where one bad fall looked certain to kill.

“Get back.”

“Gah!”

Leonardo snatched Ero by the back of the neck and yanked him away. Already taut with nerves, Ero trembled like a newborn foal and stuck himself right to Leonardo’s side. The other contestants sharing the same floating platform saw that and snickered, asking if they had come here as a couple.

Lowering his voice, Leonardo whispered so only Ero could hear.

“Don’t do anything that makes you look weak. You’ll become the first target.”

“Ah, uh... yes! I’ll remember that!”

“And don’t stand at the edge. What are you going to do if someone shoves you from behind?”

Ero, who had been shrinking into himself, sent his sturdy savior a grateful look and answered with forced bravado.

The floating platforms varied in size, ranging from roughly 10 to 20 meters in diameter, and each one held exactly ten people. There seemed to be dozens of such platforms carrying contestants.

On the other hand, there were also occasional floating platforms with no one on them at all.

Leonardo became certain at once that today’s match would revolve around these floating platforms.

I saw the list up into the four hundreds earlier... Ero is number 499 and I’m 500. If there are this many people, does that mean we’re nearly the very last group?

If there were only 500 contestants in the preliminary round, then they had undeniably been filtered down to a select few.

That meant none of them would be easy opponents.

Perhaps because of that, several of the figures who had caught his eye during the first two test matches gradually came into view as well.

The first to draw his attention was a corpse-like woman with long white hair trailing down her back. She already had a strong presence on her own, but what made her stand out even more was that the other nine people on her floating platform were all pressed toward the edges as though trying to avoid her. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Avoid that one first.

Then, farther away, he spotted the outline of a huge frame. It was Gillian, towering among the contestants, with Beatrice perched on his shoulder. They must have spotted him too, because Beatrice wriggled as if about to wave—but fortunately Gillian stopped her at once.

He had already heard at their quarters that the two of them had passed. At the time he had scolded them for wasting energy on pointless things, but still, seeing familiar faces again in a strange place was welcome.

Unlike the test matches, as the competition intensified in the higher rounds, Ero had been right:

having more allies was never a bad thing.

Just then, a vast amplification magic circle spread across the sky. It was the same phenomenon that appeared whenever announcements were made.

<Before the match begins, we have one important notice for all participants.>

All the contestants lifted their heads in unison.

<Beginning with this preliminary round, the use of firearms and teleportation—both of which were restricted during the test matches—is now permitted. In addition, unless you suffer a fatal injury or one of equivalent severity, the organizers will not stop the match or intervene for rescue unless the individual participant explicitly states their intention to withdraw.>

The restrictions had been lifted, which meant a much fiercer bloodbath could be expected.

It also sounded like contestants were now free to point guns directly at other people.

Leonardo and Ero exchanged looks without thinking.

<These regulations were explained at the time of league registration, and each participant provided a handwritten signature. All participants are therefore considered to have agreed to them. If anyone wishes to withdraw that agreement at this moment, please twist your right hand and indicate your intention to leave now.>

Ero carefully took hold of the pistol hanging at his waist.

For this one moment, even the crowd fell silent.

In a situation like this, there could hardly be any would-be rising star willing to raise a hand and admit they were too afraid of injury to continue.

While everyone merely rolled their eyes about, Leonardo glanced toward the direction that had been bothering him since earlier.

The section where the Council’s white uniforms were densely gathered.

To be honest, they looked even smaller than last time—so small that now he could not distinguish individuals at all.

Even so, it was not hard to infer the direction where that man was sitting.

Damn... now I’m suddenly nervous.

Leonardo wiped his damp palm against the back pocket of his trousers. He had already intended to win anyway, but just thinking that Hugo might be watching him made him feel as though he had to do even better.

For a fleeting moment he was seized by the urge to wave, like Beatrice would have, just to confirm it.

But not only Agrizendro—the Council’s senior commanders were all gathered here as well.

Knowing that, he did not act on the foolish impulse.

I want to show him how I can fly... but if I advertise who I am in front of all these bastards, that creates a different problem.

The last time, they had parted decently enough, with Hugo bringing up his nosebleed just as the fireworks died away. Separate from the heaviness already weighing on Leonardo’s heart, it seemed His Excellency still had no intention of letting Leonardo know how he pleasured himself—unless Leonardo completely turned the arena upside down.

At this rate...

to prove he was doing just fine, did he really need to turn it upside down?

Still, for now, don’t stand out. Just watch the situation and move accordingly. Even small fry become a problem if several hundred of them rush at once. And I’ve got baggage beside me too.

While Leonardo steeled himself, not a single contestant raised a hand. Judging that no one wished to withdraw, the organizers moved on to the full explanation of the match rules.

<Then we will proceed directly with the first match of the preliminary round. First, we will explain the rules. There are currently 500 participants in the preliminary round. Contestants may move freely by stepping across the floating platforms suspended throughout the stadium, and must survive atop those platforms until the number of remaining participants is reduced to 200.>

Two hundred? Survive?

That was slightly less than half.

Strict, but not so severe as to be hopeless.

<There is no limit to the number of movements. However, if you fall beneath the floating platforms during combat, or if the wristband bearing your identity number is damaged, you will be eliminated. If any part of your body remains separated from a floating platform for more than five seconds, that will also be treated as elimination, so please take special care.>

Leonardo tugged down his sleeve to cover the glowing band around his wrist.

Most of the others made similar moves.

<Then, from this moment, the first match of the 53rd Xenogrant League preliminary round will begin. We wish all participants good fortune.>

<And to those in the stands, please join me in the countdown!>

At the commentators’ urging, the crowd that had been holding its breath began to count.

One by one, the contestants gripped their weapons and assumed fighting stances. Instead of drawing his flame sword, Leonardo seized Ero by the back of the neck and tapped lightly against his throat—a signal.

Ero turned to look at him.

Leonardo gave him a look in return.

Whether the idiot understood the details or not, he had probably grasped at least that Leonardo was about to do something.

<Three, two, one!>

The instant the final count rang out, Leonardo leapt high from where he stood.

At that exact same moment, the contestants behind the two of them rushed forward all at once and dull explosions erupted from every direction.