"What do you mean..... using her magic for the battlefield, Miss Ace?" Maena asked.

"Ah that, you will find it later," Ice replied.

"I see. Regardless, among all the people in the venue, only the empress and that beautiful girl are having the same hair color. It seemed like they are related to each other," Maena said.

"You're right, Maena!" Almina who was staring at the beautiful Encan in the monitor screen had suddenly agreed.

Ice placed her finger below her mouth, "Hmm if I'm not wrong, Miss Merea Ella is from the Mangrove Kingdom. And the empress was also originally from there. The empress hair color was the main feature of the royal family in that Kingdom. I don't know about Miss Merea Ella being a royal. Maybe she is a far relative of the royal family. Or maybe she dyed her hair. I'm not sure, I'm not particularly familiar with their cultures or traditions," She said then took a can of cola which was placed on top of the small table in front of them, together with some potato chips and popcorn.

"Hmm... The Mangrove Kingdom....?" Almina and Maena whispered in their minds.

While they were discussing, the empress in the monitor screen just finished giving her inspirational words of wisdom and the wish for everyone's success in the coming competition.

This competition would be their stepping stones to create a better version of themselves in the future, even if they lost or won.

An earth-shattering war cry followed after the empress finished her words.

Different kinds of demi-humans were gathering in the public square at the moment. They were the Encantasia's people. In truth, some pure humans were also there, but the majority were demi-humans.

The next who came to the stage was a demi-human with bunny ears.

He was wearing a blue magician's cap and wearing a blue tailcoat paired with blue pants together with a cane in his hand. He was a Rabbitman from the Rabbitmen Tribe.

After he went to the stage, "Chuuuch Chuchuchu!"

Everyone heard a peal of mysterious chuckles. On the stage, the Rabbitman took off his cap then bowed slightly in front of everyone.

"Hello everyone! My name is, Faye!" Said the Rabbitman.

It was followed by a little louder whispers from the people around.

"Faye the trickster?"

"Yeah, it's him, the man in the circus!"

"Woah it's really him!"

Faye raised his hand slightly to signal the crowd to quiet, "Chuuu Chuchu Chuchu. I see everyone was so lively. In that case, let's not wait far longer. Today! Will be the official opening of the competition known as The Clash Of Strength!" He said while spinning the cane in hand, and flickering lights were visible from it.

The timbre of his voice was not high and low. It was a normal timbre just like talking with the person face to face. Even though he didn't shout while speaking, his voice rang in everyone's ears like he was talking to them face to face.

After hearing his words, "WOooooooooohhhh!" The crowd cried out again.

But they immediately went silent when "Thud!" A dull sound when the tip of the cane hit the floor of the stage. Right when the tip of the cane hit the stage floor, at the same time, he raised the cap above his head while the hole facing the sky. From the hole, different sizes of white birds flew from it. They flew overhead towards the people around. From their tail, different kinds of flickering colors trailed behind and rained below.

All the people gasped in admiration at the majestic view.

Then the birds flew into the sky and the flickering brilliance that trailed behind them formed an image of the Encantasia Empire's insignia — the side-view fairy with 6 protruding wings.

But the majestic show didn't end there.

A few seconds later, Faye the Rabbitman flicked his white fingers, then the flickering insignia of the Encantasia Empire exploded into a flash of colorful fireworks in the sky.

The opening of the competition was a true beauty to behold. Everyone shouted in elation because of it, even the people watching it through their screen monitors couldn't help but admire.

"What a grand opening..." Almina whispered.

In the podium, Faye dipped his hand into the cap hole. When he retreated, he was already holding a piece of paper.

After looking at it for a second he showed a toothy grin then opened his mouth. He then place the cap on his head, "I know all of you are eager to start the competition, especially the younger generation of the empire who were full of vigor..... But for a few minutes, please give me your attention as I am going to explain the rules for this competition! Please listen carefully as I won't explain it again for the second time.

Okay, without wasting more time as you are probably excited about the start.

However, before that let me announce that there are a total of 1,500 participants! Yes, just 1,500 participants!" He repeated his words in the end.

After hearing his words, the participants and the audience around immediately broke into random inaudible murmurs.

"What! 1,500?! So many!" Kesha who was watching closely in the monitor exclaimed.

Almina opened a can of potato chips while glancing at Ice. "Do you think..... they will launch a mass duel at the same time, Miss Ice?" She suddenly asked.

She smiled at her. Actually, Ice was the one who told to them about the competition in the Encantasia Empire, and she asked them that they would be going to watch it together in her room.

Every time they finished their training, although these two girls did their best in every training, they were usually absent-minded after the training.

Especially Almina Amulet. Sometimes, she was clumsy, like her mind wasn't in there.

She wondered what was bothering her. But she couldn't ask her out of a sudden.

Nonetheless, until now, she didn't see that guy again. That person who fought with the demon together with them.

For some reason, that person and the mysterious black magician were both mysterious for her.

Regardless, she needed to answer Almina's question, "I think..... they will do an elimination round in the first phase of the competition to lower the number of competitors for the second phase," Ice said.

"I-I see..." Almina wondered if the Academy competition would also be the same. She glanced at the window and saw the blue sky. Then her mind suddenly traveled to a pathless adventure.

She wondered where Yman was at the moment. Her mail just went through without a reply.

What happened to him after the fight with the demon? Not even his body was found by rescuers who came to retrieve all the bodies of fallen victims by the demon. It seemed like he suddenly popped up like a bubble.

Did he go back to the Outerworld as the rumors said? Wherever he was at the moment, Almina wished that he was fine. If the rumor was true that he decided to continue his study in a normal university then it's fine.

But why could she not get rid of the feeling of unease within her? If only she knew that he would go after that time she left him to seek help, she would rather choose not to leave.

If only she was stronger at that time, there was no need for her to leave him at that time.

"Bestfriend, Miss Ice! Look, the beautiful Miss went upstage!" While Almina was mulling, Kesha suddenly called out.

In the video, they saw the beautiful girl Merea Ella on stage. Then she cast a spell while waving her hands. She looked graceful the way she did it. The next second, a giant magical canvas appeared in front of the stage.

She was painting mountains, rivers, trees, meadows, plains, animals, monsters, skies, beasts, and etcetera.

Everyone gasped in surprise. Especially those who didn't know about this ability of the most popular artist in the Empire of Encantasia.

Apparently, she was not only popular inside the Ecantasia Empire, even in the other cities and Kingdoms she was well-known.

In the barracks of Zone 7 Academy, Bob, Chloe, Mai, and the other people inside have slack-jawed while staring at the monitor.

"What kind of magic is that beauty using?" Asked Bob in surprise.

"I heard that the magicians of this world are using different kinds of unique magic. If we mostly depend our magic on different kinds of elements, and by learning ancient techniques, they on the other hand were born with unique talents. Though like us, they could also learn some ancient techniques.

What really made them different, are their in-born talent," Mai said.

"That's right," Chloe chimed.

"I wonder what she was doing it for?" Bod asked again but no one was paying attention because at the moment the painting was already finished.

"That is the battlefield where the first elimination round will be held. Miss Merea Ella's magic is not only for making an exquisite painting but also to create a real-world," Inside the room of Ice, Almina and the others fell silent after hearing the word of the academy's Ace.

"Create a real-world...?"

"....."