Miko wasn't the only one left speechless by Bloom’s display of power, even Jun Mizune was left with a stupid look on his face.

“T-The fight has been decided! The winner is Bloom Newgate!”

After a while he finally announced Bloom’s victory, but the winner had long since left the stage.

“Now let's keep this excitement going! The next fight is ready!”

The moment he said that two new faces appeared on the screen.

The first one was Sola and the other one belonged to the 20th Throne, a student called Dera.

“It's time for a battle of Thrones!”

Jun’s voice echoed out.

Sola and her opponent entered the battlefield with serious expressions.

“Now that I think about, I've never seen Sola and Yota fight.”

Said Ishma.

She and Regis took their human forms and stood beside Miko.

“Is she strong?”

She looked at Miko and asked.

He nodded.

“She's pretty strong for her age. In fact in pure firepower alone, she's only second to Bloom among all the female students.”

“Is that suppose to impress me?”

“Shut it and watch the fight.”

Miko said with annoyed tone.

He turn his attention to Sola and her opponent.

“Battle Start!”

Sola and Dera took a fighting stance the moment Jun’s voice rang out.

“Sorry, but I'll finish this quickly so that I won't disgrace my Don.”

The moment Sola said that her skin started releasing a dark purple vapor.

Dera paled when he saw that vapor and immediately leaped back until he was at the edge of the battle field.

“Smart move, backing up. However…”

Miko smirked.

“It's too late.”

“?!”

Dera suddenly looked shocked and his body stiffen up.

“Ugh!”

He suddenly collapsed on the floor as his body twitched ever so slightly.

“The moment you see the vapor, you've already been poisoned.”

Sola slowly approached the paralyzed Dera and stooped down in front of him.

“Do you wish continue? If yes blink twice, once if no.”

After much difficulty Dera blinked once indicating his desire to throw in the towel.

“Dera has given up, Headmaster!”

Sola shouted at the monitor.

“Forfeit acknowledged. The Winner is the 9th Throne Sola Azalea.”

“Oh? Sola uses poison?”

Ishma asked.

Miko nodded.

“Sola is from the Azalea Kingdom. It's a country known for its poisons. It's said that over 10,000 deadly poisons can be found there. Almost everyone there has some knowledge of poisons which they use for medical and other uses like assassinations. As the princess of the kingdom, Sola was naturally educated in poison and the techniques that utilize them. She is also well versed in Poison Magic which she just used to win her fight.”

He explained.

“Oh! My brother used poison magic but he never thought it to me. I wonder if I can make Sola teach me.”

Ishma suddenly looked like a mischievous kid that's preparing to do something she knew was wrong.

“No way.”

But Miko naturally denied her the chance.

“If Ajax didn't want you to learn Poison magic then I'm naturally not going to allow you to.”

Miko almost found himself saying “he would get mad if i did”, but he stopped himself at the last moment.

“Hmph.”

Ishma saw that arguing with Miko wouldn't get her anywhere so she decided to stay silent for now.

When sola walked off the battlefield she waved at Miko who gave her a thumbs up.

Her face brighten when she received the thumbs up.

“…,She really likes me, huh?”

“You think.”

Regis answered Miko's mutter.

“If you're thinking of using her and discarding her later I strongly advise against it.”

“Oh? You're giving me advice? The last time I checked you're not even one year old and you're giving me relationship advice?”

“Wisdom has no age.”

Miko started laughing because he said something similar to his father when he was four.

While Miko was having fun talking with Regis and Ishma the tournament continued without a hitch. But because none of the contestants interested Miko, he decided to take a stroll with the girls.

“Yo, Bloom.”

While they were walking they saw Bloom sitting by herself with her head in her lap.

“……..”

She silently lifted her head and looked at Miko and the girls.

“….Oh, hey.”

She answered awkwardly.

For some reason she seemed to be reluctant to look at Miko.

Miko naturally saw that and frown.

“Do you not want me around? If so, I can leave and never bother you again you know?”

“?!”

Miko's cold words surprised Bloom which made her quickly look back at him.

“I-I didn't mean it like that.”

“Are you sure? Because that's the feeling I'm getting.”

Miko coldly answered back.

He then sighed and scratched his head lazily.

“I know about what happened between you and Jin.”

She suddenly looked both sad and anger when Miko said those words.

“It seems that you're going through a rough time because of it so I'll give you some space to sort out your thoughts.”

He then started walking away.

“But I might not choose to close that space between us again. After all, I have no intention of chasing someone who doesn't want me.”

“………”

Bloom didn't say anything in response and just rest her head back in her lap, but if you looked closely you would see her shoulders trembling.

“Was that okay?”

Regis asked as she walked beside Miko.

“Bloom is at a point in her life where she needs to think things through and decide what she wants. Leaving her alone is for the best.”

He answered indifferently.

“Besides, I wasn't kidding when I said I have no intention of chasing her forever. By letting her know that, she'll realize that she has to make a decision sooner or later.”

“A decision?”

“Me or Jin. Well it might be cruel to ask her to make a decision now, so I'm giving her time to think.”

“Leaving her alone rather than trying to be there for her, huh. I don't know if you're being considerate or just cruel."

Said Regis.

Miko laughed.

“It's all dependent on how you look at it, I guess.”

They stopped and looked towards the battlefield.

There was a battle between the 45th and 36th ranked students. Unlike the previous two that ended almost instantly this fight was intense causing the crowd to go wild.

“To survive to the end and become a Throne one must pace themselves and be prepared to fight at least 10 battles with only a short rest.”

Miko muttered as he watched how hard the two were fighting.

“Those among the Thrones are really a cut above the rest. They have to face so many opponents while pushing themselves beyond their limits with every fight. Of course there are those who are talented and will cruise through the tournament until it reaches its final stages.”

Miko turned to his side and looked at the person who stood beside him.

“Don't you agree?”

The person who stood beside him was a tall, slender, teen with a handsome face and short silver hair.

He was wearing the academy's uniform except he didn't wear the blazer and was only in the white dress shirt that was partially unbutton near the top.

Miko could see a tattoo of a mermaid silhouette on his chest.

This person was the 1st Throne Dark Waters King, Flow.

“I agree. It's always so tiring facing everyone in the academy to reach the top for the last five years.”

He answered while watching the battle with quite a bit of interest.

“I heard that you've won every tournament you've competed in since you've enrolled here. I heard that your dominance was so great that every time someone else won the tournament and was asked if they wished to fight you for the official top spot they'd always refuse almost instantly.”

Miko asked with a smile.

“That's being exaggerated. Not all have declined the chance to fight me. There have been some people who wanted to test me out, but I've always won in the end.”

“Oh. I'm envious. To be undefeated all of your life is quite the achievement. I've lost so many times in the past that it was starting to look embarrassing.”

“Quite the modest statement from someone who threw this city into chaos and came out unscathed.”

Flow laughed and said.

He then face Miko.

“Do you intend on winning this tournament?”

“Of course.”

“If that's the case then we’ll meet each other again.”

Miko watched as his body turned into a pond of water.

“Good luck.”

His voice echoed out before the pond evaporated.

Miko looked at the monitor and saw that the previous fight had come to an end. He didn't really care for the results what he was looking at was the next match.

Yota was in this match, however so was Flow.

“That bastard knew the format of the matches beforehand and that's why he left.”

Miko muttered as he watched Flow appear on the stage.

He also watched as Yota entered the stage with an uncomfortable look on his face.

“Tsk. He's already given up.”

“If he had even a chance of winning it's gone now with him like that.”

Said Ishma.

“I was just thinking the same thing.”

Miko thought about it for a while before making a decision.

He made Yota look towards him by directing some bloodlust towards him.

When Yota felt the bloodlust he was scared out of his mind at the thought that Miko was angry with him. But he quickly became relieved when he saw that Miko was just try to draw his attention.

Yota watched as Miko put up two fingers and bent them slightly.

This was a sign that Yota was to give up the fight.

Yota wasn't an overconfident or arrogant person. He acknowledged that he wasn't Flow’s match from the start, so seeing Miko signally him to give up made him breathe in relief.

Even though he was ashamed to dropout in the first round, but there was no shame conceding defeat to the man in front of him.

The undefeated king of the academy wasnt someone he could handle.

With that thought in his mind Yota was prepared to call it quits the moment the battle started.

“Okay! Both contestants looks ready!”

Jun’s voice could barely be heard over the cheers for Flow coming from the crowd.

As the top of the academy and a potential Pillar in the future, he was naturally famous and had lots of fans.

Jun waited for the crowd to settle down a little bit.

Miko could imagine a proud smirk on his face because of his son’s popularity.

“Battle Start!”

The moment Yota heard that he lifted his hand into the air. He opened his mouth to admit defeat.

“?!”

However before he could, he saw a spike of water burst through the ground and pierced towards his chest.

He let his guard down because he never expected that he would be attacked before he could speak.

“I give up!”

He desperately shouted those words when the spike was merely a couple inches away from his heart.

‘Shit! I'm dead!’

He thought.

*Boom!*

It was at that moment that a hand appeared out of nowhere and blocked it.

Of course the hand belonged to Miko.

The water spike pierced through his hand, but Miko showed no reaction to it. He looked at Flow as his blood fell on the ground.

“I know that you heard that he gave up.”

“I know, but by the time he said it I had already attacked him. It was impossible for me to stop it by then.”

Flow said with a genuine smile.

Miko's interference shocked the crowd, but they all remained silent as they were afraid to offend him in anyway.

“I see. I guess accidents happens.”

Miko smiled and faced Yota.

“Don, I…..”

“Don't mind it. You just did as I instructed. Go and cheer for me and Sola.”

Miko then turned back to Flow.

“I'll handle the rest.”

Yota could sense that Miko was angry and decided to quickly leave the battlefield.

“Jun. Your son’s match is over. Announce my opponent and start my match.”

Miko spoke slowly.

Flow said nothing and left the battlefield before he could’ve been declared the winner.

Jun was left in a tough spot since Miko wasn't scheduled to fight yet, but since he knew Miko's personality he knew that he definitely wouldn't leave the battlefield unless his wish was granted. And if he was to force him it would put him in a position he had been trying so hard to avoid.

In the end he gave in and announced Miko's opponent.

Miko's opponent was the 15th Throne, a very strong looking fifth year.

When he stood in front of Miko the difference between the two's physique couldn't be any clearer.

“Start!”

The moment jun said that the man rushed towards Miko.

Miko didn't even look at him and kept his eye on Flow. This angered his opponent who moved to crush him.

“If you wanted to piss me off….”

Miko's figure disappeared and reappeared with his hand in his opponent’s stomach.

*Boom!*

He shot a blast of Demonic Qi into him and caused his body to burst apart.

“You've done it. You've pissed me off.”

He said as the innards of his opponent rained down on him, dying the battlefield red.