Supreme BeastTamer: I Can Copy and Upgrade Skills 10x!-Chapter 510: The Competition [3]

"So, tell me, Light Dragon King," he said, his deep voice carrying across the gathering of rulers. "What brings you here after all these years? Has your kingdom finally run out of resources?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "I suppose even the mighty Light Dragons must crawl back when the well runs dry."

King Dracos Frostpire chuckled under his breath. "Oh, it seems things are about to get exciting."

The other monarchs chuckled—some openly, while others concealed their amusement behind polite expressions. The Light Dragons had abstained from the tournament for years. For them to suddenly return now, it was bound to stir rumors.

The Light Dragon King, however, remained unfazed. His golden-white robes shimmered under the grand hall's light. Unlike the Fire Dragon King's boisterous presence, his aura was calm—unshakable, like the stillness before dawn.

He exhaled softly, as if the Fire Dragon King's words were not even worth acknowledging. Then, with a small, knowing smile, he met the other king's gaze.

"How amusing," he said, his voice smooth. "It appears your wit has not dulled with age, nor has your arrogance. The Light Dragons have no need to compete for mere resources. Our return has nothing to do with desperation."

The Fire Dragon King's smirk twitched, but before he could retort, the Shadow Dragon King chuckled darkly. His presence was far more subdued than the others, his obsidian robes blending into the dim corners of the hall.

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"Then why have you returned?" he said. "Surely, you don't expect us to believe it's out of sheer goodwill? Or perhaps… you intend to remind the dragon realm of your strength?"

At this, the Light Dragon King's smile widened ever so slightly. "Does it matter?" He stood gracefully. "All that should concern you is whether your warriors are prepared. We certainly are."

The air grew tense. The Fire Dragon King's grin disappeared, replaced by a flicker of annoyance. The other monarchs exchanged glances—some intrigued, others wary.

The Light Dragons had returned. And whether for glory, revenge, or something else entirely, one thing was certain—this tournament was about to become far more interesting.

"Sigh, it seems the fun is over already," King Dracos sighed bitterly as he slowly stood up from his seat and approached the edge of the resting area specially designed for the monarchs.

All the dragon kings present instinctively turned their attention to him. As the hosting kingdom, King Dracos was tasked with the responsibility of officiating this year's Kingdom Competition.

This was one of the standard rules of the competition.

Below the resting area were the spectator stands, designed for the common spectators. The arena had been separated into eight different portions, with each dragon kingdom occupying a designated section.

Despite the separation, it still didn't stop the dragons from hurling insults at each other. Since fighting was prohibited, this was the only way they could vent their frustrations, and as a result, the entire arena was extremely noisy.

King Dracos inhaled deeply as he channeled mana into his throat. Then, he declared in a booming voice that echoed across the vast arena, "Silence!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the entire arena fell silent. Even the temperature of the atmosphere plummeted significantly, causing the other kingdoms to shift uncomfortably due to the chilling cold.

Although they knew King Dracos Frostpire wouldn't necessarily hurt them—since even someone like him was banned from fighting here—the dragons were wise enough to know that an ice dragon monarch could still secretly mess with them by manipulating the temperature of the atmosphere.

This was his domain, and here, even the other dragon monarchs didn't dare to act cocky. If he wished, he could make even the very air harmful for them. That was how terrifying a monarch was in his domain.

A satisfied expression appeared on Dracos' features when he saw the effect he had on the crowd.

And with a light smile on his face, he announced, "Dragons from all eight kingdoms, you are all specially welcomed to this year's Competition of Kingdoms!"

At Dracos' words, the crowd exploded into cheers, with each kingdom chanting the names of their strongest warriors.

The king raised his arm, silencing the crowd, and sat back down. He had already made the necessary preparations, so there was nothing more to discuss. All he needed to do was announce the start of the competition and maintain order. The rest would be handled by the referee, who was in charge of officiating the matches.

Below the stage, a single towering man stood, clad in armor made of ice. His shoulders were broad, and his eyes were as sharp as the blade of a sword. Bringing out what appeared to be a whistle, he blew on it, and from each waiting room, the participants for this year's Kingdom Competition began to emerge.

All the participants stood in a straight line, staring at the officiator with determined gleams in their eyes.

The officiator nodded, impressed with the discipline and readiness of the participants. Then, in a loud and clear voice, he proceeded to state the anticipated match-pairing process.

The officiator took a deep breath and addressed the participants. "For the first round of the Kingdom Competition, teams will be paired using a randomized selection method. Each kingdom has sent their finest warriors, and fate shall determine their first opponents."

With a wave of his hand, an ice-forged pedestal rose from the ground, displaying two identical sets of eight spheres. Each sphere was infused with a distinct magical glow, corresponding to the elements of the eight kingdoms: Fire, Water, Earth, Shadow, Lightning, Light, Ice, and Air.

"Before you stand two sets of elemental spheres," the officiator continued. "Each kingdom's representative will step forward and select one sphere from their respective side. The numbers within the spheres will determine the matchups. If both sides choose the same number, they will face each other in battle."

Murmurs rippled through the arena as anticipation grew. The process was fair, unpredictable, and ensured that no kingdom could manipulate their first opponent.

"Step forward and choose your fate!" the officiator declared.

The first to move was the Fire Kingdom's warrior, a towering dragonkin clad in crimson armor. With a confident smirk, he grabbed a sphere and held it aloft, flames flickering around his body.

From the opposite side, the Water Kingdom's representative strode forward, his expression calm but his eyes sharp with focus. He picked his own sphere and stepped back.

Then the Light Kingdom.

The Ice Kingdom, Drake.

One by one, the warriors from each kingdom followed suit. The arena was silent, the tension thick as the last participant made their selection.

The officiator nodded and raised his arm. "Now, reveal your numbers!"