The Tournament of Gods raged on, a breathtaking, universe-spanning spectacle of raw power, cunning strategy, and desperate survival.

From his high throne, Sunny watched the countless battles unfold, his God's Eye processing all the battles simultaneously.

Fifty million champions remained from the initial hundred million, a staggering number, yet only a fraction of those who had begun.

The sheer scale of the elimination was brutal, but necessary. This tournament wasn't just about glory; it was about forging the future protectors of his empire.

His gaze swept over the stands where his own champions rested, awaiting their next matches.

They had performed exceptionally well, their S-Grade power and the subtle enhancements from Veridia's unique environment setting them leagues apart from most competitors.

Anaske, Nephis, Kalzarin and all the othereaders of the races! they were legends in the making, their names already whispered with awe and fear in the live chat that connected all the souls of the universe.

Yet, even among his elite, there had been casualties. His focus drifted to a small figure resting in the Veridia stands, a pixie whose vibrant wings drooped slightly, her form still recovering from a recent defeat.

She had fought bravely, her illusion magic a dazzling display of misdirection and cunning.

But her opponent had been the chosen champion of another God, a hulking warrior from a race bred for generations for raw, brute strength, his mind too simple and direct to be fooled by her tricks.

Sunny watched as the pixie, healed by the angels, finally managed a weak smile and nodded gratefully towards his throne before being teleported back to Veridia by Thea.

"Pixies are not designed for direct combat anyway," Sunny thought, sending a silent wave of approval towards the departing champion. "It was still a good fight."

His simple acknowledgment, a gesture unseen by most, nonetheless sent a ripple of warmth through the remaining champions of Veridia.

They felt the care of their Creator, a quiet reminder that their efforts were seen, their sacrifices valued.

A new fire of determination ignited in their eyes. They would fight harder, push further, not just for glory, but for him.

'Sometimes I don't know if you do these things unknowingly, or if you are the greatest schemer I have ever known,' Adam thought, observing the subtle exchange from his referee's perch.

He smiled. 'Whatever it is, you are truly their Emperor.'

The battles continued. The fifty million survivors dwindled to twenty-five million. The stands grew emptier, the tension thicker.

Sunny's forces suffered a few more losses;two dwarves overwhelmed by their opponents power, two merfolk champions unfortunately got opponents that left their powers completely useless.

But overall, the champions of Veridia remained a dominant, almost terrifying force.

And then, a matchup appeared on the main screen that sent a collective gasp through the entire arena of emphiany and even the universe.

Two names, already legendary in this tournament, because of their awesome fights.

It was a clash the audience had been dreaming of, a battle between two titans operating on a level far beyond most mortal champions.

Vel versus Lux.

"I didn't know I would be this lucky," Lux said, his voice echoing in the vast, jungle arena where they had teleported.

A confident, almost predatory smile touched his lips as he faced the elven king.

"I should be saying that," Vel replied coolly, his serene expression unreadable. "You would have been eliminated in our last encounter, were it not for the round ending prematurely. Luck favored you then."

Lux just chuckled, stretching his arms casually. "I suppose you won't listen to reason like this. Very well. I held back during our previous encounter. Consider this fair warning: I will be going all out this time. Take care of yourself, old king."

In the next instant, Lux exploded into motion. His previous attacks, which had felt probing, almost hesitant, were gone.

Now, it was pure, unrestrained aggression. He moved like a blur, his fists and feet striking Vel's defensive barrier of contracted spirits with the force of cannonballs.

The air cracked with the sonic booms of his blows. The invisible shield, which had seemed impenetrable before, now visibly cracked and warped under the relentless assault.

Vel knew the shield wouldn't last long against this onslaught. Lux wasn't just strong; he was channeling an immense amount of refined mana into every strike, a level of power that belied his youthful appearance.

The elf king's expression hardened. It was time to go on the offensive.

With a grace born of centuries of practice, Vel began to weave spells, not one at a time, but dozens simultaneously.

His hands became a blur, drawing intricate runes in the air, pulling raw mana from the environment, shaping it with his formidable will.

It was a feat of magical multitasking that would have made lesser archmages weep with envy.

Fireballs the size of boulders, lances of pure lightning, shards of razor-sharp ice, tendrils of binding earth; a storm of elemental fury erupted around him, all locked onto Lux's charging form.

But Lux just grinned, his eyes blazing with a joyful battlelust. He didn't stop his attack. He didn't even try to dodge. He welcomed the incoming magical storm, his body becoming a conduit.

Seeing that same, infuriatingly confident smile, Vel also smiled. 'I will not be a fool and fall for the same trick twice,' he thought.

Just as the wave of spells was about to crash upon Lux, Vel snapped his fingers.

Every single spell detonated prematurely, halfway between them, unleashing a catastrophic explosion of elemental energy.

The blast wave hit Lux like a physical hammer blow, sending him tumbling backward, skidding across the jungle floor for hundreds of meters before finally coming to a stop.

He pushed himself up slowly, wiping a trickle of blood from his lips, his confident smile replaced by a look of grudging respect. "Impressive, Vel," he admitted. "Very impressive. I never thought you would find such a direct counter."

"And I am impressed that you survived a point-blank detonation of ten of my strongest spells," Vel replied, his own voice holding a newfound respect for the young human prodigy.

They both began to laugh, a shared moment of pure joy in the thrill of facing a worthy opponent. It had been centuries since either of them had felt such exhilaration.

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