Chapter 94: Your Head Is Becoming Too Heavy for Your Shoulders

The courtyard exploded into applause.

Students cheered from every direction, some even rising from their seats. Queen Mia clapped openly from her elevated throne while Yua grinned beside her and joined in as well.

Eselin lowered her sword and stepped back respectfully, the golden glow around her body fading away.

Null remained still for a moment before giving her a small nod of acknowledgment.

Despite losing, his expression barely changed at all.

Ken leaned back beside me and groaned quietly. "Wow... just... wow, man. Wow."

Three more matches passed after Eselin and Null’s duel, each one louder than the last. Students clashed with wooden blades beneath the glowing barrier while the crowd shouted from the rows of seats surrounding the arena. Some fights ended quickly. Others dragged on with exhausted students barely able to stand by the end of them.

By the fourth match, the sun had already begun lowering slightly behind the academy walls, casting long shadows across the courtyard.

Professor Veyra stepped back into the center of the arena after the latest team finished bowing and leaving the field.

Then her eyes landed directly on us.

She raised one finger and gestured forward.

Ken immediately stiffened beside me.

"Oh no," he muttered. "Oh, no no no. Gods, it’s us. It’s actually us."

Mio rose from her seat calmly. "Well, obviously."

The three of us stepped down from the seating rows and headed toward the arena floor. The closer we got, the more attention started turning toward us. Some students recognized Mio. Others recognized Ken from the Ranger assessments.

Most of them recognized me. The whispers had already started before we even reached the lower level.

"That’s him."

"The Ambly-blessed one."

"He’s actually participating?"

Near the arena entrance, one of the academy assistants stood beside a long wooden crate and several cloth sacks filled with practice weapons.

"What weapon?" he asked quickly while checking a list.

"Dagger," Ken answered immediately.

The assistant tossed him a dark wooden dagger with a leather-wrapped handle.

"Bow," Mio said next.

He handed her a curved practice bow along with a quiver filled with blunt arrows.

Then his eyes landed on me.

"And you?"

I hesitated for a second. "A sword... and a dagger?"

The assistant blinked once. "Both?"

"Yeah."

"Strange choice."

"You have no idea," I muttered.

He rummaged through the sack before handing me a one-handed wooden sword alongside a shorter dagger. Both were made from the same dark Varken wood as the others. The sword felt heavier than I expected, solid enough that getting hit by it would still hurt like hell.

Ken looked at my weapons and frowned. "You dual wield?"

"Not really."

"Then why..."

"I panicked."

"That somehow explains nothing."

Mio shook her head once and started walking again. "Come on."

We stepped through the arena gate together.

Across from us, five other students entered from the opposite side.

Great. Five against three.

The opposing group looked far more coordinated than us already. Two carried shields and short swords. One had a spear. Another held twin daggers loosely at his sides, while the last student carried a staff with glowing blue lines carved along the wood.

A mage.

Fantastic.

Professor Veyra walked toward the center once both teams lined up across from each other.

"Team One," she announced clearly. "Daren Holt. Second-Year. B-Class. Vaelor-blessed."

One of the shield users raised his weapon slightly toward the crowd.

"Sylra Fen. First-Year. C-Class. Thessir-blessed."

The spear wielder gave a small nod.

"Lenik Vale. Second-Year. B-Class. Nythera-blessed."

The mage adjusted his grip on the wooden staff calmly.

"Rhett Morn. First-Year. C-Class. Martyn-blessed."

The dagger user spun one of his blades around his fingers with a cocky grin.

"Tobias Renn. First-Year. C-Class. Solvane-blessed."

The final shield bearer stepped forward once before returning to position.

A few cheers and whistles came from the student rows. Five people. Balanced classes. Two frontliners, one mage, one spear user, one rogue. Compared to our mess of a team, they looked painfully organized already.

Professor Veyra then turned toward us.

"Team B," she continued. "Mio Lenn. Second-Year. C-Class. Ranger."

Mio stood calmly with her bow resting against one shoulder, looking completely unbothered by the hundreds of eyes watching her.

"Ken Noi. First-Year. C-Class. Ranger. Solvane-blessed."

Ken lifted one hand awkwardly toward the crowd, then immediately lowered it again when nobody reacted.

Then her eyes shifted toward me. "Ace Walker," she announced. "First-Year. F-Class."

A few students already began whispering before she even finished. Then came the last part.

"Ambly-blessed."

The entire courtyard went silent.

Not quieter.

Silent.

Several students stared openly at me now. Some looked confused. Others looked nervous. A few looked outright terrified.

One of the guards near Queen Mia’s platform frowned and glanced toward another guard beside him. Even they looked unsettled hearing Ambly’s name spoken aloud.

The dagger user from the opposing team blinked twice.

"Wait," he muttered loudly enough for nearby students to hear. "Seriously?"

Ken groaned beside me and rubbed his face.

I resisted the urge to sigh.

High above the arena, Queen Mia rested one arm against the side of her throne while watching me carefully now. Her expression remained composed, but her attention had clearly sharpened.

Beside her, Yua leaned slightly forward with open curiosity written across her face.

Even Thornhawk had narrowed his eyes at me.

Great.

Exactly what I didn’t want.

"The match will begin shortly," Professor Veyra announced firmly, her voice finally snapping the crowd out of its stunned silence. "Combatants, prepare yourselves."

Queen Mia slowly rose from her throne, the movement alone enough to quiet the entire courtyard.

Her dark-red dress shifted elegantly around her figure as she stepped toward the front edge of the elevated platform. Golden ornaments sewn into the fabric caught the afternoon sunlight pouring over the arena. Even the guards standing beside her straightened further the moment she moved.

Every student’s attention locked onto her instantly.

Then the Queen raised one hand.

The courtyard fell completely silent. Queen Mia’s sharp eyes swept across the arena before she spoke.

"Students of the Academy," she said, her calm voice carrying easily through the courtyard. "Today is not merely a display of strength. This tournament exists to test discipline, cooperation, judgment, and resolve."

She paused briefly while the wind brushed through her long hair.

"The kingdom has no need for reckless fighters who crumble under pressure. Whether you stand here as F-Class or S-Class, what matters today is the will to rise above your limits."

A few students visibly straightened after hearing that.

The Queen’s lips curved into a faint smile.

"So fight proudly," she continued. "Fight honestly. And may the stronger team claim victory."

The entire courtyard erupted into cheers.

Students shouted loudly from the rows of seats while weapons knocked against benches and armor in excitement. Ken nearly lost his mind beside me.

"Gods, this is insane!" he shouted. "The Queen actually said that to us!"

Mio simply crossed her arms, looking far less impressed than everyone else.

While the cheering continued, Professor Veyra suddenly stepped closer to me from the side. Before I could react, her hand grabbed my shoulder firmly. She leaned toward my ear.

"You listen carefully, kid," she muttered quietly enough that only I could hear. "Her Majesty already knows what you were planning."

My stomach dropped instantly. "What?"

"If you fake an injury," She continued without looking at me, "or intentionally throw this match, the Queen will personally make your life miserable."

My mouth opened slightly.

Professor Veyra glanced briefly toward Ken and Mio. Ken was still cheering like an idiot while Mio remained focused on the arena ahead.

Then Professor Veyra looked back at me again.

"So no shortcuts," she said flatly. "No pretending to collapse. No surrendering because you’re scared. Fight properly. Win. Or, if you think your head is becoming too heavy for your shoulders to carry... lose."