Polaris and Remy remained silent after realizing the mistakes they had made. Yet, it was too late for them to turn the situation around. Back in The Dome, the remaining five thousand in Jerome's team were nowhere to be found after the main squad was defeated. In the meantime, Polaris and Remy's forces were fighting each other.Former allies had now become foes since there could only be one winner.Unsurprisingly, candidates from both teams were being eliminated, and it was Polaris' team that was wiped out first. Remy now only had ten exhausted men remaining. The two of them originally had the upper hand, but it was now clear that Jerome was the one standing at the top.At that moment, the screen showed the remaining candidates left in each team.Juno - 9,000Sage - 9,200Polaris - 4,300Remy - 5,200Jerome - 5,000Zack - 13,000According to the data, Zack, who remained in hiding the entire time, had the largest number of men left, and the odds of him winning the showdown in
Both of them were waiting for the other's team to dwindle in numbers before sending out the ones in hiding to turn the tides. But it was evident that neither of them were going to get what they wanted.They were looking for a chance to make a temporary retreat, but neither of them could initiate the retreat. After all, the team who retreated first may end up being scattered. Thus, their stalemate persisted, and the fight continued, with both leaders gasping for air from exhaustion.Jerome turned toward Adrian and said, "Juno and Sage are stuck in a stalemate, so I think they're going to give it their all now.""How long have they been fighting?" Adrian asked.“Close to five hours," Gloria replied. Adrian frowned. "I don't think Juno's legs can last much longer.""What?" Samantha and Rue nervously looked at the screen, where it was clear Juno's legs were trembling. The five-hour fight was starting to take its toll."Can you stop the fight? I'm worried Juno's leg injury will fl
Mya said nothing in response and ordered for the showdown to continue. Sage's team was closing in on Juno's team as the fight continued, and a new leader from Juno’s team stepped forward to take control of the remaining forces. Adrian got up and patted the trio's shoulder. "You stay here and watch. I'm going to go check on Juno." He headed to the infirmary, where Rue, Samantha, and Adaline were anxiously waiting outside. Juno's attending doctor, Matthew Laughlin, ran a diagnosis on her and treated her for half an hour before coming out."How is she, Doctor?" Rue anxiously asked. Matthew took off his mask and nodded to Adrian in greeting, to which the latter did the same. "Juno's legs are damaged again due to the immense pressure she exerted. She triggered some old injuries. Her condition is currently stable, and she'll recover with some rest and treatment. However, I strongly suggest she steers clear of strenuous exercise for now or it'll become a permanent problem."“Oh, t
"Your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps the new legate was already chosen even before the showdown began.""Is it Jerome?"Adrian did not give her a definitive answer, but instead said, "Unless a miracle happens." After a moment of silence, Juno said, "Jerome is so much stronger than all of us. I can tell he's an all-rounder, and I also heard he's the reincarnation of five legates.""That's just a title given to him by others. What I can say for sure is that he’s blessed by the Heavens.”"I've heard you speak so highly of anyone before. Do you really think Jerome's that amazing?" Mya asked in surprise as she walked in. This was the first time she had heard Adrian complimenting someone despite all her years of being his subordinate. Adrian smiled. "His maturity and thought process has far surpassed Remy and Polaris. Remy and the others would've had a spectacular duel, but Jerome has changed all that."“That is true. From his earlier battle, it’s clear he's a talented general. S
Adrian, on the other hand, thought their connection was rather amusing. 'I suppose it wouldn't be wrong to say that this was all destined to be. There are times history repeats itself in mysterious ways.'He smiled, thinking how this moment might be the rise of a hero or the birth of a godlike character. After all, battle warriors were usually extraordinary people, while heroes usually left behind a huge mystery for their successors. If Adrian taking over Wyvern Peak signified a new beginning for Novemton, the next person who took over Novemton would very likely bring the country to even greater heights.All of this made him even more eager to see what the future beholds. "We'll discuss this further later. In the meantime, I want this information kept secret." The remaining segments in the selection were nothing more than following standard protocol. After all, it looked like the next legate had already been decided on. After Adrian walked out, Mya suddenly realized something.
The two teams entered the finale of the showdown. It looked like neither team was stronger than the other, and the number of casualties on both sides was equal. Just as both sides had less than three hundred survivors remaining, another five hundred soldiers suddenly emerged from the forest.These soldiers were Sylvia's final hope, who swept through Zack's remaining team.Alas, with three hundred survivors remaining, Sylvia's squad successfully captured the flag!***Horns were blown and drums were played as the flag was waved high up in the air. The spectators stood up, giving Jerome and his team—the ultimate victor of the six-way showdown—thunderous applause."Jerome!""Jerome!" "Jerome!" Jerome's teammates chanted his name. Through this victory, the next legate of Wyvern Peak was born.When the horns and drums stopped playing, everyone stood to attention and saluted as Adrian walked onto the stage."This is the first time throughout Wyvern Peak's history that a six-way
Jerome chugged down the rest of his beer before crushing the can in his hand. He then stood up and headed to the mountain peaks inside The Dome.Sylvia, too, got up and asked, "Where are you going?"He did not answer and just kept walking.***Meanwhile, Adrian was standing at the top of the tallest mountain. The moon's rays shone down on him, stretching out his shadow. Jerome walked over and said, "I feel like I lost myself after the showdown, sir. There are so many questions in my head that I don’t have the answers to. Who am I? Where should I go? What should I believe in? I'm really lost right now. Could you help me, sir?" He buckled to his knees.A breeze blew through the mountaintop, and the moon's rays were a beautiful white.Jerome was seeking answers, answers to where he belonged. Adrian turned around. He saw himself in Jerome, from the same exact moment when he was about to become the legate. He too had stood at the top of Wyvern Peak, lost and confused over what the
"I'm their hero?" Jerome mumbled. "Being a hero won’t be easy. You will need to take everything else into consideration before you even think about your own problems. Remember, you're their leader, so you need to identify all possible issues and deploy preventive measures beforehand. Your mission is to conquer the whole world." Jerome looked up. "Are you saying I'm the person they believe in, and I should do the same?"Adrian nodded. "You're the person they believe in, but at the same time, they're the people who give you courage, motivation, power, and even a shield to defend yourself with. Those are the qualities required in every soldier. You're no longer you, but a legend—a myth the citizens will tell their children, and their grandchildren after that. You're no longer alone, Jerome. You have comrades, a lover, and millions of civilians who have endless hope for you. Even Monarch Crystal has high hopes for you. They are who you should gain courage and strength from, understand