Day Two of the Tournament.

The vast arena roared with even fiercer cheers from the fiendish crowd. After a day of brutal battles, only the true heavyweights of the Undercity remained!

Today marked the real beginning—the seed players finally stepped onto the stage. This was where the true contest began!

"Brothers of the Demon Clan—" Loyning’s voice rang out, "It’s me, Loyning! We meet again! I made plenty of mistakes in my commentary yesterday, yet no one punished me! I’m so disappointed!"

"ROOOAR—!!!" The fiends erupted. Many Fiendish Monsters tried scrambling up the platform to drag the masochist down, only to be shoved back by guards with pikes.

"Now, let’s introduce today’s first match! First, the four warriors who clawed their way into the quarterfinals from the preliminaries! They are—"

"Buqu the Butcher! As Layer One’s guardian, his spot here isn’t surprising. Rumor says he’s a die-hard fan of Princess Bessdaitiel—and a foot fetishist! But can this pervert’s twisted wish ever come true? Given today’s opponent? His future looks bleak!"

The fiends cheered wildly at the commentary. Only Buqu’s face darkened as he strode onto the sands.

*Wrong.* I turned to Bessdaitiel beside me. "If that masochist dares joke about this princess again, drag her off and give her two hundred lashes. Let her enjoy it!"

Loyning continued: "Second, the flower-picking maniac from the Narudi Mountains—Obef! Don’t misunderstand his name—he’s no mountain blossom-picker. He’s a notorious pervert who preys on women!"

"Who’d even get that confused?!" I slapped my chair arm, swinging my legs.

Today, I wore long pants for the first time in the Undercity—soft black fabric paired with a black lace-trimmed blouse. Not because yesterday’s outfit was too revealing, but because Senior Sister said to stay warm.

"Third, the Slime King—Slimekovsky! Claims decades of ‘educating’ young women! At three hundred years old, his kin honor him as… Oldski!"

"OH! OLDSKI! OLDSKI! FIGHT!"

I rubbed my temples, dizzy. "He actually made the quarterfinals… If that slime wins the championship, I’d rather die."

"Fourth, the mysterious masked butler—Cyber! He’s shown strength rivaling the seeds, making him this tournament’s dark horse! But who is he truly? Perhaps only when he lifts the championship cup will we glimpse his identity!"

"OOOH—!!!" Gasps swept the crowd. "Who *is* this powerhouse?!"

"Never knew our Undercity hid such an ultra-strong uncle besides the guardians!"

"Yeah! Who *is* he? No clues at all!"

The fiends whispered and murmured, buzzing with theories about the masked butler’s identity.

I slumped against Feyn Senior’s shoulder. "Senior Sister… do you know how hard it is? Leading such idiots."

She silently patted my shoulder, saying nothing.

"Now—the true pillars of the Undercity! Our seed players!" Loyning announced. "First: the Vampire Sword Princess, Sulia—renowned as the Undercity’s strongest martial artist!"

"Second: the undisputed master of excavation! In life, a colossal beetle king; in death, the Necro-Beetle Den Lord—Orajuuu~WANG!!!"

*She even learned the dramatic pause…* I sighed. Where did she get this energy?

"Third: the guardian of Layer Seven! A being of enigmatic power who makes demons tremble—master of all skills, the divine bovine… Jester Bull!"

"*Moo~!*"

*Hey!* Loyning, that’s not his name!

"Finally—the genius girl newly joined from the surface, already a Layer Lord! Empire’s Flower! Daughter of the Gods! Beloved by thousands! Holy Temple Knight! The chaste one—Miss Tianlin Feiyan!!!"

I noticed Feyn’s smile slowly freeze into icy stillness.

"These eight will battle for the championship of the Princess’s Coming-of-Age Tournament! Now—first match: the favorite, Vampire Sword Princess Sulia, versus Buqu the Butcher!"

Amid deafening cheers, Sulia stepped onto the sands in blood-red battle armor.

Feyn Senior and I watched intently. This was our chance to gauge the Undercity’s true strength—and for her, to scout opponents.

Buqu lumbered in, his stained apron clinging to his massive frame, hefting a colossal cleaver.

"Queen Sulia!" he bellowed. "I’ve held back before, but today—my little princess’s divine feet are at stake! I won’t yield!"

"Hurry up," Sulia said flatly. "I won’t waste time on you."

"What?! I’m a Layer Lord! Do you think we’re so mismatched? Today, you’ll taste the Butcher’s wrath!"

Buqu had no Origin Power—his fifth-tier strength came purely from brute physique.

He charged like a raging boar, cleaver dragging sparks. Even high above the arena, I felt my breath catch at the impact.

"Sulia! Taste my big friend!!!" He swung the cleaver down.

Sulia, an eighth-tier Sword Princess, would still bleed if struck raw by such force—but—

At the last second, she flipped backward, dodging cleanly.

"*Vampire Moment!*" Sulia activated her signature racial skill. When dodging successfully, she could slow blood flow in a small radius—sluggish nerves, delayed reactions, as if time itself thickened. Only she moved freely.

Buqu froze in slow motion. His cleaver rose lazily; his roar stretched into a distorted groan. Sulia became a crimson whirlwind, darting inside his guard. She dropped into a deep lunge, sword raised:

"*Demonic Blade—Bloodthorn Lightning!*"

A jagged bolt of scarlet lightning erupted from her blade, lancing toward Buqu.

The dark arena flashed blood-red.

"*CLANG—!!!*"

Buqu’s massive body flew skyward, engulfed in crackling energy.

Silence. The fiends stared, dumbstruck. Their savage Layer Lord—the Butcher—defeated in one move?

Sulia turned, flicked her sword clean, and strode off the sands.

Seconds later, a giant pig-shaped crater thudded behind her, motionless.

"Winner—SULIA!"

"OOOHHH—!!!" The arena exploded anew.

I stared blankly at the empty sands where Buqu had been dragged away. I’d known Sulia was strong—but seeing it firsthand… that was despair.

Right now, I didn’t stand the slightest chance against her.

I glanced worriedly at Senior Sister. Feyn’s chest heaved rapidly, sweat glistening on her brow.

*Senior Sister… can you really beat an opponent like this?*