Idle Mage: Humanity's Strongest Backer

After the short break, Elise once again announced the continuation of the matches. The next round was between the contestants named Philip and Winston.

As Philip and Winston stepped into the arena, the crowd roared with excitement, eager to see who would emerge victorious. The two opponents exchanged cold glances as they took their positions, each one sizing up the other and mentally preparing for the upcoming fight.

Philip was an Intermediate Stage Star King, but his expertise in Poison Laws made him a formidable opponent. His eyes glinted with a dangerous light as he focused his energy, ready to unleash his deadly techniques. Meanwhile, Winston was an Advanced Stage Star King who wielded the power of the Law of Darkness. He stood tall and confident, his dark energy swirling around him like a cloak.

The battle began with a burst of action as Philip immediately launched a surprise attack, sending a volley of poisonous needles towards Winston. The Advanced Stage Star King was quick to respond, however, and deflected the attack with a shield made of pure darkness.

The two opponents circled each other warily, each waiting for an opening to strike. Philip continued to use his poison attacks, trying to wear down Winston's defenses, but the Advanced Stage Star King was unfazed. He retaliated with blasts of dark energy that exploded around Philip, forcing him to dodge and weave to avoid the deadly attacks.

Despite Philip's best efforts, it became clear that Winston was the stronger opponent. The Advanced Stage Star King's mastery of the Law of Darkness gave him an edge that Philip couldn't overcome. In the end, Winston emerged victorious, his power overwhelming Philip's defenses and leaving him defeated on the ground.

The crowd erupted into cheers as Winston was declared the winner of the match, and he raised his arms in triumph, basking in the adoration of the spectators. As for Philip, he picked himself up off the ground, battered and bruised but with a look of determination in his eyes. He knew that he had been defeated, but he vowed to train harder and come back even stronger in the future.

After that comes the match between Gram and Axel...

The match between Gram and Axel was intense from the start. The two contestants entered the arena, their eyes locked on each other. Gram was a tall man with broad shoulders, his long white hair tied up in a ponytail. He wore a white robe embroidered with golden thread, a symbol of his mastery of the Light Laws. Axel, on the other hand, was shorter but stocky with a muscular build. He had short brown hair and wore a brown robe, showing his proficiency in Earth Laws.

The audience roared as the match began, and the two contestants moved forward to engage each other. Gram unleashed a blinding flash of light, temporarily blinding Axel. Axel quickly regained his composure and raised his hands to summon a wall of rock, using his Earth Laws to protect himself.

Gram continued to attack with his Light Laws, sending beams of light that burned the ground where Gram stood. Axel countered with his Earth Laws, creating pillars of earth that shattered the beams of light. The two contestants moved in closer, exchanging blows with their fists and feet.

Axel managed to land a solid punch on Gram's chest, sending him flying back. Gram quickly got up, his eyes blazing with determination. He summoned a ball of light in his hand and threw it at Axel, who dodged it and responded with a wave of his hand, sending a shockwave of earth towards Gram.

Gram jumped over the shockwave and landed on the ground, raising his hand to summon a burst of light that blinded Axel again. Gram then moved in closer and unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks that Axel struggled to block. Finally, Gram landed a powerful kick on Axel's side, sending him flying out of the arena.

The crowd erupted in cheers as Gram was declared the winner of the match.

With that, the Top 5 line-up was finalized...they are Kael, Erina, Cassandra, Winston, and Gram.

As the crowd eagerly waited for the next match, Elise took center stage once again.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached the halfway point of the High-Evolutionary League finals, and I have the pleasure of announcing the Top 5 contestants who have made it this far!" Elise announced, her voice ringing through the arena.

The crowd erupted in cheers as Elise continued. "In no particular order, the Top 5 are Kael, Erina, Cassandra, Winston, and Gram! Let's give them a round of applause for their outstanding performances!"

The audience roared in approval as each of the contestants took a bow, basking in the adoration of the crowd. Elise waited for the noise to die down before continuing.

Everyone was excited and clearly entertained. Compared to the previous Guild Tournament, this one was more intense and explosive. And that's most likely because many people were anticipating this event after the conclusion of the previous one.

The contestants had ample time to prepare themselves for the tournament this time around. Some of them were extremely determined to become the champions of this year's Guild Tournament. The reasons vary but all of them are valid and enough to keep them going.

"The competition is getting tougher by the minute, and we can expect nothing but the best from our remaining contestants. Who will come out on top? We'll find out soon enough!" Elise concluded before stepping back, signaling the start of the next match.

There has been a short break once more. This time, instead of just fixing the arena, the staff modified it and made it even larger than before. This is to prepare for the next matches of course. After all, the contestants will no longer hold back at this point.

After the short break, Elise went up once more and announced the start of the next match.

The next match is between Winston and Gram, a highly anticipated showdown between the forces of Light and Darkness. Winston specializes in Darkness Laws while Gram specializes in Light Laws. The two elements mutually contradict each other and judging by the expressions of their users, it would seem that they too are influenced by this rivalry as well.

When the referee signaled the start of the match, the two didn't hold back as expected. Their initial clash was already as explosive as it could get.

At the start of the match, Gram was at a disadvantage, struggling to keep up with Winston's barrage of dark spells. This is also because of the difference between their cultivation realms. Winston took advantage of Gram's weakened state, using his mastery over darkness to keep Gram on the defensive. But Gram refused to back down and fought back with equal ferocity.

The fight continued, with both contestants pushing themselves to the limit. Winston was determined to win, while Gram was equally determined to not let the power of light be defeated. Despite being at a disadvantage for much of the match, Gram managed to turn the tide in his favor with his unrelenting tenacity.

In the final moments of the match, both contestants were on the brink of exhaustion. Winston unleashed one final barrage of dark spells, but Gram was able to deflect them with a last-ditch effort using the power of light. In the end, Gram was declared the winner, but only by the slimmest of margins.

The audience erupted into cheers as Gram was announced as the winner. Even Winston couldn't help but acknowledge Gram's tenacity and skill. The two contestants shook hands in a show of respect, both knowing they had given their all in the fight.

Elise congratulated Gram on his victory and announced his advancement to the next round.

Kael and Cassandra step into the arena, ready for their 1v1 match. Kael draws his sword, a long, slender blade that glints in the light. Cassandra assumes a defensive stance, her body lose and fluid.

The two contestants circle each other, watching for an opening. Kael moves in with a lightning-fast thrust, but Cassandra is too quick. She ducks under his blade and lands a swift punch to his gut. Kael staggers backward, but recovers quickly, swinging his sword in a wide arc.

Cassandra ducks and weaves, avoiding Kael's blade with ease. She lands several kicks and punches, but Kael keeps coming, his sword a blur of motion. The two fighters dance around the arena, each looking for an opening.

Suddenly, Kael sees his chance. He lunges forward, his sword aimed straight at Cassandra's heart. But she's too quick. She steps to the side and lands a hard punch to the back of his head. Kael falls to the ground, stunned.

Cassandra stands over him, triumphant. She's won the match, and she knows it. Kael struggles to get back on his feet, but he's too dazed. The referee steps in and declares Cassandra the winner.

The crowd erupts in cheers as Cassandra takes a bow. Kael looks disappointed, but he knows he gave it his all. The two fighters shake hands, acknowledging each other's skill. It was a fierce battle, and Cassandra emerged victorious once more.