My Soul card is a Reaper

For a moment, the other two 6-star Angels paused their fight and glanced at the serpent. They couldn't help but become nervous at its appearance.

As the energy serpent was charging at him while the Angel was recovering his soul energy in the sky, Azzy also charged forward while the rod in his hand suddenly expanded and transformed into a scythe.

With a swing from the plasma scythe, the serpent was slain instantly, and Azzy pushed his legs against the ground to jump high while transforming the scythe back into its base form before throwing it at the opponent.

The spinning plasma rod flew toward the 6-star Angel, who was already stunned by the sudden defeat of one of his strongest attacks and barely managed to evade it with a flap of wings to the left.

Seeing, Azzy slightly smirked as he stretched his hand, "You wish…" The spinning plasma rod changed its path, taking a u-turn and striking his opponent's back at faster speeds.

"Argh…"

A loud scream escaped from the angel as the bone at the back of his neck was broken by its attack and he crashed to the ground, falling unconscious.

Guardian Angel: "Was that a scythe he displayed earlier? I have only seen it in the books."

Instructor Cassiel: "Good… very good. He is perfect for a Knight. The name's Rael, right?"

As Azzy ended his battle, the other two stopped their fight and exchanged a glance and a nod, charging at Azzy at the same time. They don't need a talk to ally. Azzy's performance was enough.

Azzy stood his ground as the plasma rod returned to his hand. He brandished it like a whip, waiting for them to approach him. Tightly grabbing the hilt of the swords in their hands, they jumped at him in different directions but swung at the same time, one directly aimed at his chest and the other aimed at his shoulder.

"Let's put an end to this…"

Azzy ducked to evade them and gave an uppercut to one's chin. As the opponent blasted into the sky, Azzy swept his leg at the other, making him spin with his eyes widened.

Finding himself horizontally in the air, the Angel momentarily saw the look at his opponent, who was looking at him in the same way he used to weak ones in his past.

But, before he could do anything, Azzy swung the plasma rod, striking his abdomen and breaking his ribs.

He spat out blood, blasting away dozens of meters and crashing to the ground.

At the same time, Azzy jumped high above the other Angel and gave a punch to his stomach. The Angel fell to the ground and created a mini-crater.

"The winner is Rael," announced the guardian angel, upon confirming that the other two were also not in any condition to battle.

As he proceeded to heal them, considering those in 6-star or Tier-60s are important for the kingdom, Azzy stood there calmly.

The guardian angel saw that he didn't leave and told him to move to the next waiting hall for the top 8.

Azzy responded with a question instead of directly following him, "I heard that Top-8 receive a qualification letter to attend the Knight Academy. If you give me the letter, I will be on my way."

The guardian angel was healing the third one, the one who was knocked out first with a broken neck. He momentarily paused and looked at Azzy, "what do you mean that you will be on your way?"

Azzy shrugged his shoulders, "I'm only here to enter the academy through the tournament route. Next round holds no significance to me."

The instructor of the academy also seemed taken aback upon listening to their conversation.

"You don't want to participate in the tournament of Knights? You are one of the strongest contestants in this tournament. You have a high chance to make it to the top 2." The guardian angel asked with his eyes widened.

Azzy shook his head, "No, I don't want fame. I only want to become stronger and attain knowledge."

The guardian angel composed himself after a couple of breaths and asked him in a serious tone, "Are you sure you want to withdraw from the tournament? Think again, Rael. The tournament of Knights will grace the presence of many noble houses and even Her Highness."

"Yes." Azzy firmly nodded his head.

The guardian angel then shifted his gaze to the instructor in the stands, and the instructor nodded with a smile.

The guardian angel finished his healing and signaled for the attendants to take the unconscious contestants away to the first waiting hall as usual and then flew to where Azzy was standing.

He handed him a medallion that looked a bit similar to the one he received from the previous guardian angel in the preliminary tournament. If anything is different, it is just that apart from the divine energy of the guardian angel, there is also a purple gem embedded in it.

Azzy took it and walked away toward the exit instead of the waiting hall. As the others were called in, the instructor left his seat for the first time, swiftly reaching the exit gate before Azzy did. He waited for Azzy.

However, Azzy was never seen.

The academy instructor entered the arena but Azzy was nowhere to be found. He couldn't help but wonder how did this fellow disappear under his nose.

Meanwhile, Azzy, in his mosquito-sized form, left the floating city and came down to his house at the lake, sensing a familiar presence waiting for him.

He transformed back, and Tellus swiftly created an Aeternium mask on his face as he slowly landed before the entrance, walking into the upper-floor residence of the two-story house.

Nyra was seen alone, sitting on a wooden chair; her arms crossed her chest and there was a bit of anger on her face.

As soon as her eyes fell upon the masked friend of hers, she got up abruptly and walked toward him in heavy steps as she spoke, "Mister… did you know what have done today?"

Azzy helplessly sighed inwardly and apologized, "I'm sorry but something urgent came up."

Nyra's anger didn't subside from his explanation. She complained, "With so much begging, I managed to bring my master to the arena. She waited for three lumens (1.5 hours) for you, but you were nowhere to be found. And how should I even contact you? I offered you a message card item my master created, but you rejected it. I don't have any other means to contact you, and I had to keep requesting my master to be a bit patient. Do you know how embarrassing for me? How much stress did I face? I… I… I…" Tears almost formed in her eyes, but she held them out with a fierce stomp onto the wooden floor and returned to her seat, looking away while letting out a snort. "Hmpf… I don't want to talk to you."

Azzy knew that this was one of those apologetic situations where he would fall into a trap if he went ahead and promised her something. He faced enough moments with Claire in the past timeline and his sister in the present timeline, too.

The moment he says what he can do for her to amend his mistake, the demands will be never-ending. Or atleast, it would surely make him uncomfortable, but for those two girls, they were his loved ones, and he had to do it. However, this girl isn't a loved one. But, for the case of meeting Claire again, he had to adhere to her demands.

Hence, after quick thinking, Azzy went on to give a perfect excuse, which is true but still can be misunderstood by others, "I was attacked, Nyra. And it was multiple opponents. I had no choice."

"What?" Nyra's facial expression changed suddenly to worry. She hurriedly scurried to him and asked, "Are you alright? Who attacked you? How dare some people try to make trouble in the city of Tiara."

Azzy felt bad for misleading an innocent girl like her, but he could only avert his gaze and reply, "Everyone had their own set of troubles, Nyra. I told you before, too. I wear a mask for a reason."

Nyra grabbed his hands in response, moving her face closer; her eyes were gleaming in innocence and sincerity, "How about you come with me after the tournament? I won't ask you to stay at our home, cuz that has a higher chance of exposing your identity which you don't want to, I know that, but you can still lay low at our Crystallis City."
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Azzy was well aware that going into Crystallis City was the same as walking into the death trap. After quick thinking, he said, "I have already found a place to stay low-key, Nyra. It's the Knight Academy."

"Eh? Knight Academy?"

"I have decided to stay low by posing as a student in the academy. That will give me some time. If you ever want to meet me, just come to the academy. I will find you."