.Lets start it in an hour.

Seeing the sudden turnaround in Juliens behavior, Gael sighed in relief and decided to go along with the others decision.

Alright.

And so, with that, an hour was given for the participants to rest before the start of the second phase.

Once everything was in place, they relayed the information to several key figures. The First Phase was designed to filter out the truly powerful participants from the rest, while the Second Phase aimed to display the strength and potential of each Empires future leaders.

It was an event that was typically broadcast across all four Empires for everyone to witness.

Everyone get ready!

Get ready to start the broadcast in exactly an hour.

Make sure that everything is ready.

Each Empire had its own dedicated broadcasting agency. They would broadcast the entire event from the main channel, free for all citizens to watch.

News of the start of the event was already making waves in all four Empires.

The Four Empire Summit was a famous event that was known throughout each of the four Empires and was something that everyone eagerly anticipated to watch. Which Empire didnt want to see its own Empire come out on top?

Pubs started to fill, plazas started to fill, and gradually, the atmosphere around each Empire started to liven up.

*

Evenus Household.

News of the Event had also reached their households. Aldric, Juliens father, was particularly interested in the Summit. It wasnt so much because his son had made it to the squad, but more because hed be able to familiarize himself with the talents within the Empire.

If possible, hed like to recruit talented young prodigies to his household in order to increase their status.

Just as he had once done for Leon a long time ago.

It should be starting soon.

An aged voice echoed quietly from behind Aldric.

Placing his pen down, Aldric turned his head to meet the eyes of an elderly figure with a thinning mustache and well-kept hair. He wore a typical butler uniform and met Aldrics gaze with a calm expression.

He was Dorian, once a loyal knight, now turned butler.

Dorian was one of the few people that Aldric trusted completely. He didnt even trust his own children as much as he did with Dorian.

The Young Master and Leon will be participating soon.

Thats only on the premise that they make it to the Second Phase.

Aldric shut down the Butlers words.

He was very familiar with how the system worked, and just because Julien and Leon had made it to the main team didnt mean that they would make it to the main round.

Only the cream of the crop could make it to the final phase.

Do you not have much faith in the young master and Leon? From the reports the two of them are doing splendidly in the

That is none of my concern.

Aldric once again cut Dorian off.

Drumming his fingers against the polished wooden table he leaned back on his chair.

Doing well at an Academy is completely different than doing well outside of an Academy. Furthermore, Ive watched the two of them grow up. I know what theyre capable of. I do believe Leon will make it, but Im not so sure about Julien.

Listening to Aldrics words, Dorian didnt say anything and just smiled.

The Masters words were true to some extent.

He too had closely monitored the Young Master and Leon since young. He knew of their capabilities and was well aware that it was almost impossible for them to make it to the Second Phase.

.Leon can definitely make it, but what about the Young Master?

The Young Master wasnt untalented. No, he was quite talented. He wasnt a prodigy, but he was also above the others when it came to talent.

But he had one major flaw.

Hes obsessed with the sword.

To the point where after a certain point, he refused to have anything to do with the talents he had been bestowed, only training with the sword.

Night and day hed train with the sword as if there was no tomorrow.

Dorian had watched his desperate struggle for a very long time, pleading for him to stop, as that would only stunt his future, and this was now the best time for him to train.

But he never listened.

He kept at it with the sword, and his personality started to change.

In the end, they could only give up and let him be.

He was the total opposite of Leon who was talented with the sword and actually stuck to it. With time, his talent started to bloom, and it wasnt long before everyone was aware of what sort of monster they were taking care of.

.Even after they heard about Juliens accomplishments from Haven and saw the broadcast, they still werent confident in his abilities.

If only he had trained earlier

Perhaps then the Master would have more confidence in his own son.

Where is Linus?

Hm? The Second Young Master?

Yes.

He should be in his room.

Dorian answered after a brief pause.

Aldric nodded after a brief pause and brought his hand forward, nudging his finger.

Tell him to come here.

For?

The Summit.

Aldric answered flatly, pressing his hand against a small cube on his desk which lit up to display a large screen.

Ill have him watch the event with me.

***

Grimspire.

Main Plaza.

Rattle! Rattle! Rattle!

It happened abruptly. I didnt have the time to properly process what was happening before a sudden rattling sound echoed in the air.

It was reminiscent of a series of chains pressing and grinding against one another.

What?

Whats going on?

Confusion took over the Plaza as everyone stood up from the spots, raising their heads to look around the Plaza to better understand the situation that was unfolding.

Just moments prior everyone had been recuperating their injuries when everything started to change.

But not all looked confused.

Raising his head up, Caius smiled.

Is it starting?

Rattle!

The rattling grew louder and more chaotic, filling the air with an unnerving noise.

I barely had time to process what was happening before a thick chain sprang up from the ground with a loud clank!

Cla Clank

It wasnt just one chain.

Dozens of them shot up in quick succession, their metallic links grinding against each other as they soared toward the sky.

Rumble! Rumble!

The ground beneath me trembled violently, almost throwing me off balance.

!

As I steadied myself, I noticed that despite the chaos, everyone around me seemed unusually calm, their eyes fixated on the Hand of Independence that stood at the center of the Plaza.

I recalled all the information that I knew about it.

From how it had been here since the formation of Grimspire to how it had been too fragile for people to dig around it.

At least, that was what I thought at first.

Rumble!

The hand, once something I thought was just there for decoration, began to shake violently.

Around it, small, hovering devicesrecording devicescaptured the unfolding scene for the world to see.

The chains continued to rise, and the ground shook even more fiercely.

Then, the hand began to move.

It rose slowly at first, revealing the massive arm attached to it. With pieces of metal dangling loosely, the arm was in a sorry state, its entire body corroded into a dull greenish hue, marred by deep fractures.

Cra Crack!

The ground beneath me cracked, the fissures spreading across the Plaza like a web until they reached the municipal building where they finally stopped.

I stepped back further.

Clank!

A loud mechanical sound echoed through the air as the hand ascended further, revealing more of the arm.

My breath caught in my throat as I fixed my gaze on the slowly unfurling statue.

A thought crossed my mind.

So it wasnt because they couldnt dig it out, but rather Its because they were waiting for this moment to show it.

Was it all for this moment?

Rust and signs of wear marred the arm, with some parts missing entirely, exposing the skeletal structure beneath.

As the hand continued to rise, several long spikes emerged from the ground just a little bit to its right, forming a jagged, broken crown atop a head.

The crown and the face beneath it were both in a sorry state.

Half of the statues face was missing, with only thin metal lines outlining where the missing pieces once were.

My heart pounded in my chest as the face of the statue started to reveal itself.

I was curious.

Just what sort of statue was this?

And

Why did it look so familiar?

The thought took my breath away.

Clank! Clank!

The chains that had shot into the air fell back down, coiling around the statues form like serpents, binding it as it rose up from the ground.

The chains connected the statue with the surrounding plaza, planting themselves onto the ground.

As they planted themselves firmly, the Plaza itself seemed to pulse with faint, dark energy as a dim purple glow manifested around them, displaying several runes that slowly started to light up.

Rumble! Rumble!

As the chains locked into place, securing the statue from all sides, its rise quickened, and its eyes gradually came into view for everyone to see.

It soon became clear that the statue depicted a woman, with patches of soil and debris clinging to her face, partially obscuring her features.

But the debris and soil soon fell to the ground, allowing everyone to see her face.

I saw it too, and

My mind blanked.

..

Rumble!

The more it rose, the more imposing the statue appeared as it cast a long shadow over the large Plaza.

Everyone looked impressed by what they were seeing, some even clapping at the sight, but I couldnt muster a single thought.

Not one

H-how?

When I snapped out of it, my thoughts were in a mess.

My chest trembled as I unconsciously took a step back, my gaze remaining locked on the statue rising before my very eyes.

H-how is it here?

That Statue. No wonder it felt so familiar.

It was none other than

The Statue of Liberty.