Chapter 232: Tavian Gridfall Chapter 232: Tavina Gridfall Before Miho could even get flustered by the overwhelming cheers, both she and her opponent were teleported away, and the ring sealed itself, closing the arena until the next batch of students was scheduled to fight. Miho had finished her battle in just 54 seconds, an excellent result—especially since it directly improved her ratio in the event of a tie-breaker. The ranking system prioritized efficiency. If 2 students had equal CRP, the one with the higher value in the formula— Tie-breaker = total CRP ÷ total time fought (per phase) —would be ranked higher. When Miho returned to the public area, no one recognized her. Much like celebrities blending into crowds when they weren’t conspicuous—or being dismissed as look-alikes even if recognized—she passed unnoticed. After receiving a few quiet congratulations, the group settled back into watching matches. Leon even went ahead and bought snacks for everyone, turning the experience lighter and more enjoyable. Before long, Miho’s turn came again. Miho – 1468 – 10 CRP – 54 seconds Hale – 1540 – 2 CRP – 289 seconds From the numbers alone, it was obvious that Hale had narrowly lost his previous match. This time, it was far worse. Hale was a mid-2-star archer, but Miho controlled the battlefield decisively. She softened the ground beneath his feet, turning solid earth into a sluggish swamp that crippled his movement. Once he was pinned in place, she ended the fight cleanly with a barrage of ranged icicle attacks. Another clean win. Miho – 1468 10 CRP → 20 CRP 54 seconds → 99 seconds Her position now looked extremely promising. If this momentum continued, she had a real chance of finishing within the top 10% of the Tier-4 bracket and advancing to Tier-3 in the second phase. Tier-1 = 1 – 10 Tier-2 = 11 – 50 Tier-3 = 51 – 500 Tier-4 = 501 – 2000 Tier-5 = 2001 – 6090 Once Miho’s matches for the day concluded, Leo and the others decided to switch arenas. They headed toward Arena-2, where Tier-3 bracket matches were underway. Tier-2 matches were scheduled later, from 6 PM to 9 PM. Even before they took their seats, the thunderous sounds of combat echoed through the stadium. Gard Harol – 100 – 0 CRP Vexi Chemin – 103 – 7 CRP As they sat down, Leo quickly gathered information on the beasts involved. Rumblecore Brute (Peak 2-star) – Mortal Bloodline It was an ape-like beast with a stone-packed chest that rumbled audibly every time it slammed its fists together, vibrations rippling through the arena floor. Opposing it was a lean, fire-type humanoid beast. Its teeth glowed white-hot as it circled constantly, searching for an opening. Blazefang Stalker (Peak 2-star) – Mortal Bloodline No other rings were active. All attention was locked onto this battle, and judging by the packed stadium, it was clearly worth watching. The timer read 12 minutes 34 seconds. The Brute was a tank—slow, unyielding. The Stalker was a striker—fast, precise. Their strengths perfectly countered each other, and the fight had devolved into a grueling stalemate. The Masters were just as active. Gard fought barehanded, his fists cracking against stone and flame alike, while Vexi wielded a whip-like weapon coated in fire, maintaining distance with disciplined footwork. Both fighters were drenched in sweat, exhaustion evident in every movement—but the fire in their eyes never dimmed. After nearly 20 minutes, Gard finally secured a narrow win. "We finally have a winner!" the Host announced. "Our tank takes the match through sheer resilience! But let us not forget our striker, who fell only due to mana exhaustion. Applause for both contestants!" The crowd roared. Leo noticed that the Host was careful not to belittle either fighter—unlike in Arena 3 or 4. It made sense. Contestants in Arena-2 were far more likely to become powerful figures in the near future. Soon, the day shift ended. After a 3-hour break, the night shift began. Most gathered in Arena-1 to watch the Tier-2 bracket matches. Leo observed quietly as battles concluded in wildly varying times—some in 5 minutes, others in 2, and a few stretching past 30 minutes. Occasionally, the 2nd and 3rd rings opened when matches dragged on. On average, 27 matches occurred per hour—81 per day, totalling 405 matches over 5 days. With 40 contestants in Tier-2, each fighting 10 matches, the schedule was perfectly balanced. This was where things became serious. No contestant fielded weak beasts. Mortal bloodlines were rare, most being Super—and in extremely rare cases, even Noble. One battle, in particular, drew everyone’s attention. Ronan Virex – 11 – 10 CRP - 156 seconds Elric Moonfall – 12 – 7 CRP - 489 seconds Ronan commanded a towering 6-meter guardian-like beast, its body plated with cooling lava. Cracks along its armour glowed brighter every time it prepared to strike. Moltenbrand Sentinel (Pseudo 3-star) – Super Bloodline Elric’s beast was a 7-meter-long crocodilian, its massive tail snapping like a crashing wave. When it reared onto its hind limbs, it nearly matched the Sentinel’s height—but magma clearly held the advantage. Riptail Mauler (Pseudo 3-star) – Super Bloodline The Sentinel advanced without hesitation. Magma-coated fists slammed down, evaporating water on contact as steam exploded outward. The Mauler’s tail strikes shattered against molten armour, each clash slowing its movements further. With a single overhand blow, the Sentinel crushed through its underskin, searing soft scales and forcing the beast to collapse under overwhelming heat. As the beasts disengaged, Ronan and Elric’s battles continued, blades drawn. Steel rang sharply as they exchanged strikes, but Ronan’s movements were more refined. Each clash pushed Elric back, his stance crumbling under relentless pressure. One final combination disarmed him and sent him crashing to the ground in swift defeat. Ronan Virex – 11 10 CRP → 20 CRP Ronan’s expression was fierce, burning with resolve—as if enraged that his Tier-1 position had been snatched away at the last moment. Leo also noticed that no one fought with more than a single beast. When he asked Leon, he simply stated that either it would reveal their hands and expose their true strength or that they were too ashamed to show a weak beast they had happened to tame. Leo took in Leon’s words and understood the implications. Even he needed to be careful not to show his full hand, because, at the end of the day, it’s just a competition, and if your true strength is revealed here, it would leave one vulnerable to ambushes in the wild. Just then, a notification from AAA rang in all students’ phones. >Match between 1st rank Fresher - Tavian Gridfall and 8th rank Fresher - Lyra Noctis is scheduled at 8 PM, 1 January 500, Grand Arena.