"I will take the role of referee so that you can fight with the sole goal of killing your enemy!"
A solemn expression appeared in the geniuses when they heard the words of the Emptiness Thearch. None of them were truly worried that they could kill their opponent as Ezequiel's words only meant they could attack with killing intent without a worry as he could save them in the last second, allowing battles where they could go all out.
What bothered them was that they could be disqualified during the first round, not because they were too weak but because their opponents were too strong.
Take Zaphirox, for example. The Eldar was among the top six in terms of battle strength but could not have a chance to fight for a position among the top five if he were to have an extremely powerful opponent like Noah or Beelzebub.
Although it was not exactly fair, the selection of opponents had much to do with luck, and no one among the geniuses did not understand just how meaningful luck was for their destinies. The fact they were part of a super universe full of Rank 10 Inheritances and with rulers that enforced justice and meritocracy was by itself a divine lucky chance.
Ezequiel generated a black sphere full of arcs of white lighting moving in random patterns. He threw the sphere into the sky, where it grew gigantic.
"Each of those white arcs of lightning has a number in them. Do not try to use powers like karma to figure out the numbers, as I have already destroyed the power of causality around them, making them totally random.
You just need to focus on them, and they will come to you. The one that picks the number 33 will pass directly to the next phase."
Some geniuses showed awkward smiles as they heard the part about causality since their bloodlines granted them access to such feats, but it was clear that it would be pointless to try something like that with the Emptiness Thearch's presence.
As for the lightning arc with the number 33, many of them wished nothing more than to have it. A direct pass to the second round without the need to battle would make things easier and prove their luck's strength.
"Noah, since you are the semi-finals winner, you have the right to pick first." Ezequiel's voice echoed across the arena.
Noah immediately stepped forward, and his eyes burned with battle intent. Whoever his opponent would be, he would fight with everything he had.
When the Neo-Demon focused on a lightning arc, this one flashed toward him and landed on his right hand before transforming into a number.
Noah focused on the lightning number, and when he saw it, he did not know whether to laugh or cry. Not wasting time, he raised it and showed everybody the number 33.
Complicated expressions appeared on the face of the other thirty-two geniuses. Although they were annoyed that the free pass to the next round was gone, they were also happy that they would not have to fight against someone so strong as Noah.
Beelzebub was next. Just like Noah, he focused on an arc of white lightning, and this one traveled to his hand, where it transformed into a number. He did not hide it and showed everybody the number 21.
The next thought that appeared in the geniuses was the wish to obtain anything but the number 22.
One by one, the geniuses move forward, taking an arc of white lightning from the black sphere. In a few minutes, the battles for the first round were ready.
Ezequiel waved his hand, making an arc of lightning form a giant screen in the sky that depicted all the battles. Most were not that excited since people could assume the winner.
However, the ninth battle was different since it involved the divine daughter of the Depravita Race, Abadon, and the child of the Emptiness Thearch, Athea.
Both of them emerged at the same time from the Nine Sacred Samsara Worlds, and their fighting styles could not be more different, so their battle would definitely be one full of might and surprises.
Ezequiel showed a small smile as he saw his daughter's opponent since Abadon could force Athea to break her limits. He waved his hand the next second, teleporting everybody out of the arena except for the ones that took the numbers 1 and 2.
In the right corner were a man with a flaming cape and two massive black swords. He was no other than the Depravita genius that faced Athea during the First Sacred Samsara World, Beleth.
As for the one in the left corner, he was a young man that kept a very low profile before this tournament but whose name now echoed across the entire Daybreak Universe. The son of a mighty Nightmare King and holder of the Astral Fiend Bloodline, Sirik.
Beleth's eyes narrowed as he stared at Sirik and instinctively tightened his sword grip. He saw the battle between the Astral Fiend and Athea and knew this one practiced a melee battle style that countered explosive fighting styles like his.
'If I want a chance, I need to create an opening before unleashing all my brute power and landing a decisive blow.'
As Beleth formed a plan, Sirik also focused on his opponent. He did not let fame go over his head, nor for even a second did he look down on his opponent. A meaningful light appeared in his eyes as he took his swords out.
Ezequiel saw that both parties were ready to fight and shouted in a voice that made the sky tremble.
"Fight!"
Beleth did not hesitate before making his flaming cape fuse with his body and making the power of the Concept of Wrath flow through his flesh and blood.
The Depravita was ready to begin a long battle and deploy superb swordplay, but his eyes widened as he saw Sirik vanish.
'Where did he go!?'
That thought just appeared in Beleth's mind when he saw a figure covered in a white exoskeleton diving down from the sky above him.
