The air crackled with anticipation as the match officiator announced the start of the match. Even the eight Dragon Monarchs looked forward to this match with eagerness, as it was one that involved the reigning champions. A massive gate on the southern end of the arena opened, and out marched the Fire Kingdom's team. The sun caught the crimson and gold armor of their warriors, making them appear like walking infernos. A tall youth with red hair streaked with purple led the charge, his fiery purple eyes scanning the crowd. At his side was a beautiful young woman, about 19 years old. She was the one Drake had warned his teammates to watch out for. Elise, the fiery beauty with seductive cat-like eyes, twirled her blade between her fingers, sending sparks dancing into the air. Nox's gaze met Elise's for a split second, and for a moment, he thought he saw her wink at him with a smirk on her face. But it had been so brief that it could very well be considered to have never happened. Anyways, the moment the eight-man team from the Fire Kingdom stepped out from their waiting chambers, the heat in the arena rose instantly. Even those sitting far from the battlefield could feel it. Afterwards, the northern gate slid open as well, and the Water Kingdom's warriors stepped onto the battlefield. They were a stark contrast to their opponents—clad in deep blue and silver, their presence was like the calm before a storm. At the front, a young woman with pale silvery hair strode forward, her gaze filled with resolve and determination. She was Celeste Valoress, of the Water Kingdom. The crowd was split. Some chanted for the champions, others for the underdogs, but all knew one thing—this was not going to be an ordinary fight. "Emperor Tier, Lv9," Nox noted as he glanced at Ignis Valkor, and then moved his gaze to Celeste. "And Emperor Lv7." Nox sighed inwardly when he saw this. Not only did Valkor possess several powerful skills, but he was also at a much higher level compared to Celeste. "Drake was right, she truly doesn't stand a chance," he thought, shaking his head. He had hoped to see the hyped Fire Prince display his power, but Celeste didn't seem like a challenger capable of forcing the prince to show his cards. Nox suddenly lost interest in the fight and leaned back in his seat. The match officiator went over the rules with them again and thundered in a loud voice that echoed across the arena. "Begin!" As soon as the officiator announced the start of the match, the water dragons exploded forward, with the majority of them immediately taking their dragon forms. They didn't dare take chances with this opponent. The entire arena was engulfed with powerful auras instantly as so many dragons appeared at once, sending out a burst of shockwaves that slammed into the spectators, ruffling their hair. "Pity. No matter what they do, I'm afraid it will be difficult to change the outcome." Drake shook his head. "What will be, will be." Fenix sighed. At the king's balcony, although she tried not to show it, the Water Dragon Empress was very anxious as she watched the battle. At that moment, Nox's eyes gleamed as he noticed something, his brows furrowing together. While the rest of the Fire Kingdom surged forward to clash with the water dragons, Valkor and Elise instead took a step back as if they didn't want to participate in the fight, their expressions indifferent as if the fight didn't warrant their time. "So this is what they plan on doing?" Nox mumbled to himself, a flicker of disappointment passing through his eyes as he had been looking forward to seeing the prince display his power and use that flame. The purple starlight flame, rumored to be the strongest flame in the Inferno Kingdom, just below that of the current Dragon Monarchs. "It seems luck is not on my side today." Others might have called Valkor arrogant for not participating in this fight, but Nox thought otherwise. With his strength and formidable skill set, it was a waste of time to participate in a fight where he would gain nothing but deplete his stamina. As for Elise, it was the same thing. Though Nox could tell she was not as powerful as Valkor, the fierce red-haired beauty was still plenty powerful—more powerful than Celeste. "Tsk! I'll shatter that arrogance!" Celeste roared at the top of her voice as water rippled beneath her feet, carrying her forward. She was the only one who had decided to only partially transform, finding it much easier to use her water skills in this state. Arriving before the first dragon, she fired a barrage of condensed water spikes, which cut through the air. Swoosh! Swoosh! There were about 10 water spikes—more than enough to deal with all the fire dragons, including Valkor and Elise. But little did the Water Dragon Princess know, her thoughts were too wistful because right at that moment, the flame warriors shared a collective look and stomped the ground once. A blazing bright wall of flame rose from the ground, radiating an intense heat that spread through the crowd. Frostspire was an icy region; however, the flames from the six warriors weren't overshadowed. It incinerated the icy platform, revealing the concrete beneath it. "Those flames are really pure. Is this because of the boundless resources at their disposal?" King Dracos muttered under his breath as he watched the flaming wall effortlessly swallow the ice spikes, incinerating them into steam that flew up into the sky. "Now it's our turn!" One of the fire dragons smirked, and they attacked the stunned water dragons. The fighting platform was suddenly engulfed in a bright blaze of flames. For a moment, the spectators couldn't see a thing, only hearing the screams and wails of the water dragons. After approximately three minutes, the flames slowly dissipated, revealing the eight water dragons scattered on the ground. Though they were still alive, it was obvious they couldn't continue the fight anymore. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚 "The winners are the Inferno Kingdom!" The fire dragons erupted in cheers, while the water dragons wept. "This is how it always ends," Drake remarked, his voice calm yet filled with a hint of bitterness. "The Fire Kingdom rules these competitions with ease." After the match, Nox and the others went back to the royal castle; however, on their way, they were suddenly stopped by someone. "Kawl Frostspire, if you don't mind, may I borrow you from your friends for a while?" The Light Dragon Monarch smiled mischievously, his gaze lingering on Nox's chest, where the amulet was.