It was true!
Amidst the gasps of the crowd, all eyes flickered as they realized Kael was indeed moving with astonishing speed—fast enough to overtake Lucian!
Compared to the tortoise-like pace of the others, Kael was simply too swift!
Yet, as he advanced, an overwhelming resistance bore down on him. His face paled, and his breathing grew ragged.
"Damn it, this Chrono-Light Array is even more terrifying than I thought. At first, it didn't seem so bad, but now every step feels like my body is about to shatter!" Kael gritted his teeth. Lucian was now less than five meters ahead of him.
Lucian, too, had slowed considerably. Each step was a Herculean effort, his movements dragged down as if time itself had thickened around him. When he glanced back and saw Kael closing in, his eyes flashed with heightened vigilance.
"Kael's speed is unreal!" Arjun, witnessing this, felt a chill run down his spine. Kael was simply too formidable. Had he and Lucian not started slightly earlier, they would have already been surpassed.
Many others caught sight of Kael's progress, their own pressure mounting.
"At this rate, that guy will take the lead sooner or later..."
"Incredible. Who knew such a monster would appear out of nowhere? Just who is he?"
"Probably the heir of some major noble family or a disciple of a powerful faction."
Sighs of amazement rippled through the crowd. Kael's performance was nothing short of breathtaking. Many fixed their gazes on his face, memorizing his features and mentally comparing him to the elite disciples of renowned powers they knew.
Currently, among the participants, Arjun and Lucian held the lead—with Lucian hot on Arjun's heels.
Kael trailed closely behind them, poised to overtake at any moment.
Next came the four Black Armor warriors and the other tenth-rank powerhouse. The latter moved steadily, his pace neither rushed nor sluggish, his measured strides a testament to his profound foundation.
As for the rest? They were practically negligible. Most had barely covered a dozen meters out of the hundred before grinding to a halt, unable to advance another step.
Lucian was right ahead!
They hadn't even crossed the halfway point yet.
Lucian, struggling at the front, caught Kael's approach from the corner of his eye. With a furious clench of his jaw, he mustered every ounce of strength, leaning forward as he forced another step.
Kael clenched his teeth and surged forward, his strides unyielding despite the crushing pressure. Step by step, he pressed on.
Now, Kael ran shoulder-to-shoulder with Lucian!
Then, with one decisive step—he overtook Lucian completely, leaving even Arjun behind in his wake!
"That kid's taken the lead! Damn it!"
"Incredible. It seems the Water Dragon's legacy is his for the taking," someone muttered, unable to hide their awe.
Indeed, Kael had surpassed both Arjun and Lucian, securing first place—leading the pack!
The Water Dragon's eyes gleamed faintly as it observed, inwardly nodding. This young man possessed not only extraordinary talent but also immense potential—precisely the kind of successor it sought.
Of course, Kael wasn't the only candidate. Arjun, Lucian… they too were under consideration.
With hands clasped behind its back, the Water Dragon scrutin movement. Nothing escaped its gaze. Its true heir must excel in every aspect, standing above all others!
"Damn it all! That Idris is in first place now. If this continues, he'll end up claiming the Water Dragon's legacy!" Black Armor No. 1's eyes glinted with malice as he stared at Kael.
"We can't let that happen. Even if someone else gets it, that brat must not!" No. 1 sneered.
Exchanging glances with Nos. 3, 4, and 5, they nodded in silent agreement. Their gazes toward Kael turned icy.
Nos. 1, 4, and 5 were warriors, move within the Chrono-Light Array—incapable of hindering Kael. But No. 3 was different.
No. 3 was a ninth-rank mage.
Abruptly halting in the formation, No. 3 raised his staff—and locked onto Kael!
"No matter what, we can't let that brat gain even the slightest advantage!" No. 3's eyes glinted with icy malice as he immediately began chanting an incantation. In an instant, elemental energy surged around him.
Kael's heart tightened as he sensed an overwhelming pressure bearing down on him. Whirling around, he saw No. 3 chanting spells, his gaze as venomous as a serpent's!
Damn it!
Kael's brow furrowed, and his Moonveil Armor emitted a faint glow as he prepared to cast a defensive spell.
But he was a step too late!
No. 3 had planned this meticulously—how could he let Kael thwart his attack at this critical moment?
"Perish, Flames of Calamity!" With a cold laugh, black flames erupted around No. 3, swirling like infernal fire. The sinister blaze crackled hungrily, as if capable of incinerating everything in its path, carrying with it the most malevolent power in existence.
"What kind of magic is this? It's downright evil!" Kael's pulse quickened as he realized the Black Armor warrior's abnormality. No. 3 had gone all out—what exactly was this black fire?
The dark flames scorched the air, erupting with deafening roars like a beast from the abyss, lunging straight for K
Kael's pupils contracted. His Moonveil Armor activated, enveloping him in a faint radiance that weakened the eerie black flames—but unlike other spells, they didn't dissipate entirely!
Instead, they clung to him like a curse, relentlessly pursuing him!
Just as Kael was about to be struck—
"Brother Idris, move aside!"
Arjun, who had been behind Kael, suddenly turned with unwavering determination and hurled a magic scroll!
It was an eighth-rank spell scroll—'Guardian of the Wind Spirit'! The elements converged violently as countless wind particles swirled around Kael. A vibrant barrier of emerald wind energy before him, its lively currents dancing to form an impenetrable wall of gale force!
An eighth-rank defensive magic scroll—an item of immense value, especially for a protective one. This was undoubtedly Arjun's trump card, his last resort. Yet without hesitation, he had used it to save Kael.
The shield formed before Kael just as the terrifying black flames crashed against it like a tidal wave meeting an unyielding cliff. Already weakened by Kael's Moonveil Armor, the sinister fire was now completely neutralized by the Guardian of the Wind Spirit.
Kael exhaled in relief, though his eyes darkened like stormy waters. He understood No. 3's intentions all too well.
"Thank you, Arjun." Kael's gratitude was genuine. Without Arjun's intervention, he would have at least suffered injuries—complications he couldn't afford now.
"We're brothers, after all. Glad you're unharmed!" Arjun grinned, visibly relieved.
Kael's gaze shifted to No. 3, his eyes narrowing into icy slits. The enmity between him and the Black Armors was now irreparable—they would die for this. But now was not the time for retaliation.
"Luck saved you this time. Next time, don't count on it." No. 3 smirked, his expression venomous. Positioned behind Kael, he could strike again whenever he
"You dare act recklessly, disregarding my presence?!" The Water Dragon's voice boomed, having witnessed everything. Its aura radiated an indescribable majesty, and No. 3 suddenly felt as if a boulder had crushed his chest—he couldn't even breathe!
"Ghk—!" No. 3's face paled as he coughed up a mouthful of blood, his vitality draining instantly.
After all, this was the Water Dragon—even a wisp of its was enough to overwhelm a mere ninth-rank mage!
"Attack again, and you die." The Water Dragon's decree brooked no argument.
Everyone trembled under its might, not daring to scheme further.
Yet Kael sighed. Though No. 3's assault had failed to injure him, it had cost him precious time. In that brief moment, Lucian had surged ahead, reclaiming the lead in the Chrono-Light Array!