The elimination rounds progressed at an astonishing pace. Matches were held simultaneously across twelve octagonal arenas, and after only a few rounds, barely a tenth of the contestants remained.
Roy Wood, the youngest competitor in the entire tournament and a descendant of the Wolf Pack, had also fought his way here on an unbroken streak of victories.
Though only twelve years old, the strange transparent force field coating his weapon easily sliced through his opponents' weapons and energy shields.
Moreover, having trained in Killing Technique and martial arts since childhood among the Wolf Pack, his combat skills were far beyond those of his peers.
"Big brother, you're amazing! Big brother, you're so awesome!"
As the competition entered its rest period, Peter Rasputin had just stepped down from the arena and shed his "steel form" when a tiny figure with a blond mushroom cut leaped into his arms.
His younger sister, Illyana Rasputin, clutched an oddly shaped doll and burrowed into Peter's embrace, shouting excitedly.
At sixteen or seventeen, Peter already stood over six feet three, built like a hulking bear. With a neat buzz cut and his powerful upper body bare, he had effortlessly defeated a fellow Academy student capable of controlling plant growth.
Yet the look in his eyes when he faced his sister was tender and utterly indulgent—the very picture of a tough man with a soft heart.
"Good work, Peter. I was hoping you'd beat Kurt. Fighting him is really no fun at all. Heh, I want to see whether I can break through your 'steel form' too."
Laura passed the young Colossus, affectionately pinching little Illyana Rasputin's cheek as she spoke casually. The seemingly rough giant immediately bowed respectfully and said in a low voice:
"Miss, then I would rather be eliminated by Young Master Kurt