Who Are You When The Mask Breaks?

Aureli continued to maintain a cheerful expression for the crowd, though Arachna could tell he was wary of the Ryōzan children. Hand in hand, two identical teens emerged from the first gate, donned in ninja attire, a headband on their heads with the symbol of the kingdom they hailed from; the kingdom of Saigetsu, nation of the moon. The nobles cheered louder than the rest, aiming to please the Queen with their enthusiasm. 

“First we have the Ninja twins! Hattori, the older brother and Amara, the younger sister! Well versed in the arts of ninjutsu, taijutsu and genjutsu! The youngest yet strongest jutsu-duo!” The cheering soared loud at the mention of the ninjutsu, especially the hollering of young boys. Hattori and Amara looked at each other, not showing much enthusiasm but careful not to behave disrespectfully in front of her majesty, simply taking their positions.

“Next we have Shinosuke Nohara!” A young man with branch-like tattoos covering his arms emerged, and, similar to the ninja twins, he didn't have much of a reaction. “Specializing in the art of Kagura dance, using his simple dance moves as a lethal weapon, he has won many battles of strength by emulating the movement of water!” Shinosuke scratched the back of his head, uncomfortable with the praise.

The next person to enter through the gate was a beautiful pink haired girl. A kind smile, rivalling that of a saint, was painted on her face as the crowd fawned, cheering louder than they had for Runa. “This young beauty is the pride and joy of the Queen’s dojo; Sakura! Master at the art of seals, a born genius with an IQ of 136!” Sakura simply smiled, whispering something in Shinosuke’s ear causing him to grunt while she giggled, sounding pleased.

The fourth student's entrance sparkled with ignited flames as a tall young lady walked forward, coming in hot, literally! She was tall, notably so, dwarfing the boy walking behind her. The boy was unfettered by the gaze of the audience, fixated only on the young lady displaying her powers.

Aureli’s eyes widened with disbelief upon realising the flames were ignited not through magic but actual gasoline! “Coming in next we have Hina and Naru! The inseparable duo! Specialising in the use of voodoo and talismans, this shaman combo is unstoppable!” Hina ignored the praise as she fidgeted with the glasses hanging by her chest before the final member of the Dojo arrived.

A moon crest on her silver hair paired with a snowy white yakata, she was similar to the night sky on a winter evening. She was the very epitome of elegance as she quietly but confidently walked out of the entrance gate. “Last but not least we have Tsukihime, the queen’s niece and a priestess at the Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto shrine! Tsukihime carries multiple talents, utilising summons as her method of fighting whilst also being a highly skilled martial artist!” Tsukihime didn't glance at the crowd, simply taking her stance as one of the candidates.

Aureli stood as the host of the culling, trying his best not to be biased, but as a mage, he could smell the scent of blood radiating from the Saigetsu children. It wasn't the nervous energy of students but rather a quiet, predatory stillness of warriors.

What disturbed him the most was not the lethal aura they projected, but the sheer condescension in their eyes as they looked out at the arena as exterminators, viewing every other human in the Colosseum as nothing more than worms and cockroaches to be crushed.

And unlike the Sol Academy students, who relied largely on their mana, the Dojo disciples came prepared for slaughter, each carrying a signature weapon, gleaming with a deadly polish that whispered of the many lives taken.

The Ninja twins, Hattori and Amara, sported weighted chains and bandoliers of razor-sharp kunai. Shinosuke’s hand rested casually on the hilt of a katana, while Sakura held a spear taller than herself. Hina and Naru tinkered around with their enchanted talismans, but it was Tsukihime who drew the most eyes. Slung across the petite girl’s back was a massive Odachi greatsword, a weapon so heavy it should have crushed her, yet she wore it as lightly as a scarf.

Aureli knew it was time to let the chaos ensue, raising a gloved hand high as his voice, amplified by wind magic, boomed across the stadium, silencing the murmurs of the crowd.

"Observe them well! For many of you, this will be the last time you see them standing!" Aureli announced, his tone shifting from celebratory to grave. "The Queen demands a test of true resilience. We will not coddle you with brackets or duels. The First Round is a Grand Melee!"

A gasp ripped through the audience.

"A Battle Royale!" Aureli roared, sweeping his arm across the gathered contestants. "There are no teams. There are no rules. You will fight simultaneously until the herd is thinned! The round ends only when when the herd is thinned to the elite few! Magic, steel, or fist, use whatever you must to survive the storm. And, if you fall outside of bounds, or if you are slaughtered, you are eliminated! BEGIN!"

The gong sounded, a vibrating pulse that shook the dust off the obsidian floor as the world exploded into violence.


"Slaughtered?! They're going to kill each other?!" Vanessa asked shocked watching on from the crowd, but Silver did not reply, his gaze fixed on the fighting as Spells detonated left and right.

In the middle of all of the chaos stood Noah. Unmoved. He was like a stone, solid amidst the rushing stampede, the roar of the crowd sounding muffled, as if his head were underwater. The numbness in his chest was throbbing now as a barbaric mercenary with a warhammer, who mistook Noah’s stillness for fear, broke from the pack and lunged at the defenseless young student, or so he thought, a savage grin splitting his bearded face. He swung the weapon in a wide, crushing arc, aiming to take Noah’s head off in a single blow.

Noah didn’t even blink as the static in his mind screeched, drowning out the man’s battle cry.

Why is it so loud?  

Noah thought. 

Why won’t everyone just be quiet?

Noah growled casually and then, with a guttural roar, he twisted his hips and shattered the weapon’s shaft using his molding magic, as if it were made of cardboard, leaving the mercenary in disbelief, driving a palm strike into his flabby abdomen that launched the man thirty feet back into a cluster of surprised mages.

As the crowd looked on perplexed, Noah cracked his shoulder and walked forward, ready to brawl! Not for glory, but rather to calm the demon inside. He raised his hand, urging the others to rush him as he taunted them, speaking in a low, methodical tone, laced with a fatal rage.