“The rules of this year’s Verietaga Nexus are simple,” the host’s voice rang out through the arena, and the entire coliseum immediately fell silent, every pair of eyes locked on him.

The anticipation was palpable, an intense weight on everyone’s shoulders.

At every Nexus, the rules always changed. No one ever knew what to expect until the moment the actual event began. By now, it was part of the tradition, part of the suspense that kept people on the edge of their seats.

The different races of Eldoralth had such diverse abilities that it made it very difficult to come up with a neutral competition that would be fair to all.

Revealing the theme in advance could only backfire, as everyone would prepare specifically for that scenario.

The host’s voice echoed clearly and firmly, and everyone, even the apexes, listened carefully, absorbing every word. However, compared to the others, the speed at which the apexes’ minds worked as they listened would be difficult for many to fathom.

As the host explained the rules extensively, a figure suddenly appeared high above the coliseum, floating effortlessly in the air.

It was an old man, his features distinctively Dimensari—ancient and wise. Despite his age, he radiated a power that made even the apexes narrow their eyes. A paragon.

Eletrantron Valarius. One of the grand elders of the Dimensari race, a legend in his own right.

The host bowed deeply in respect, and from the way the Dimensari citizens and paragons reacted, it was clear this man was highly revered among their race. Eletrantron’s eyes scanned the apexes, a small, knowing smile appearing at the corner of his lips.

Then, with a simple raise of his hand, everything changed.

The collective killing intent from the apexes, which had been so thick it blanketed the coliseum, vanished, replaced by an aura so overwhelming that the audience could only feel its weight without being crushed by it.

The apexes couldn’t help but narrow their gazes. This old man… he was taunting them.

Before anyone could react further, Eletrantron snapped his fingers. The air around each apex distorted, a vortex opening up beneath them, and in an instant, they were sucked through, disappearing from the coliseum.

The screens across the coliseum and in every sector turned black.

“LET THE NEXUS BEGIN!” the host’s voice suddenly boomed.

In the next instant, the oppressive silence was shattered. Once the aura that had blanketed the coliseum vanished, the crowd erupted in cheers, their excitement shaking the entire coliseum and reverberating through the streets of the human domain and the other races’ territories.

It was a sudden explosion of excitement, a release of tension that had been building .

This was what everyone had been waiting for.

—

The screens flickered back on, displaying the rules of the competition in bold, clear text as the host’s voice continued to narrate, waiting for each apex to get in place.

Stage 1: The Hunt for the Flags

– Each apex will be transported to a separate corner of an inhabited alternate planet, about 1

/30th the size of Eldoralth. The environment is filled with dangerous beasts, deadly terrains, and a living forest that will actively try to kill you.

– The objective: Reach the center of the planet, where 16 flags of different colors are located.

– Each flag bestows a unique ability that will be used in the second stage. The first to reach and claim a flag gets its power.

– Once a flag is claimed, no attacks will harm or reach the flag bearer until they are transported to the second stage.

– While combat during this stage is allowed, it is not encouraged. The focus is on reaching the center and claiming a flag.

Stage 2: The Labyrinth of Battles

– After all 16 flags are claimed, each apex will be transported into a labyrinth, randomly placed in different arenas.

– Apexes will be paired in one on one battles. The winner of each battle will advance to the next round. The process continues until only one apex remains—the true apex.

– Note: You cannot die in the Nexus. If you lose, you are immediately transported out of the labyrinth. However, if you give up, you are disqualified and cannot participate further.

– Only your main weapon will work in this world—no storage or external artifacts will function here.

—

Flags and Abilities:

1. Gold Flag: Immunity to one attack.

2. Red Flag: Choose your opponent in the next stage.

3. Blue Flag: Instantly locate your opponent in the arena.

4. Green Flag: Create an impenetrable barrier for 5 seconds (Note: You cannot move while it is deployed).

5. Black Flag: Force the battle to take place in complete darkness.

6. Silver Flag: Deflect one attack back at the attacker.

7. White Flag: Automatic victory in the event of a tie.

8. Yellow Flag: Teleport once to any location in the arena.

9. Crimson Flag: Swap your opponent.

10. Violet Flag: Change the terrain of the arena randomly for 30 seconds.

11. Orange Flag: Create an impenetrable shield that encompasses both you and your opponent for 1 minute.

12. Brown Flag: Eliminate all sound in the area, rendering it completely silent.

13. Indigo Flag: Generate a fog that blankets the area.

14. Cyan Flag: Summon an army of random beasts. Note: The beasts cannot distinguish between ally and foe, and will attack everyone and everything.

15. Teal Flag: Become invisible for 5 seconds. Attacking renders you visible.

16. Pink Flag: Alter the color of the environment and all people into a single, uniform color.

—

As the host explained the details, the crowd continued roaring at the top of their lungs, their excitement spilling out into the streets. The people from the human domain, especially those in Sector 3, were glued to the screens, eager to see what Atticus would do. Food had already been brought out, with everyone ready for the epic battles to come.

His name and face had already spread across the domain like wildfire, and now, everyone was on edge, waiting to see how their apex would fare against the strongest of the other races.

A few seconds passed, and back in the coliseum and across the domains, the broadcast screens flickered once more. The darkness disappeared, replaced by images of all 16 apexes.

However, they were no longer in the coliseum. Instead, they were each falling from high in the air, descending from different locations across the wild, dangerous terrain of a new planet.