### Chapter 16: **Tournament Registration and Beginning**
Two days had passed since the light spar with Leah. It was finally time for tournament registration. I would get to meet the other candidates soon.
"Line up, line up, kids!" declared a man in a short coat and a long hat, with unruly hair spilling slightly out of it and rosy skin.
The contestants were ranked based on their abilities:
#### **First Ranked Applicant**
**Name:** Enzo Cataldo
**Origin:** A young noble of Coldmore City
**Appearance:** Gold-colored sleepy eyes, tanned skin, and straight golden hair reaching shoulder length
**Height:** 5'6"
**Weight:** 156 lbs
**Nickname:** The Young Cub of Coldmore
**Main Weapon:** A Lance
**Abilities:** Grade 1 Wind Manipulation (Low Level)
#### **Second Ranked Applicant**
**Name:** Lucien McKay
**Origin:** The youngest son of the head of the McKay family
**Appearance:** Red-colored fox eyes, dark skin, and black hair reaching his neck
**Height:** 5'9"
**Weight:** 175 lbs
**Nickname:** Demon/Devil
**Main Weapon:** Dual Katanas
**Abilities:** Special Grade Shockwave Manipulation (Pseudo-Intermediate)
#### **Third Ranked Applicant**
**Name:** Natsumi Kawamoto
**Origin:** Second daughter of the city lord of Sudao City
**Appearance:** Emerald siren eyes, a scar above her left eye, pale skin, and azure hair
**Height:** 5'5"
**Weight:** 144 lbs
**Nickname:** Minor Ice Princess
**Main Weapons:** Dual Fans
---
Other contestants followed, including myself. I was ranked **10th** out of the 50 contestants. Leah was ranked **8th**, and Lucien's companion, Diana, was ranked **15th**.
---
### The Fights Begin
The first match was between **Dylan (#50)** and **Sylvester (#25)**.
Two young boys stepped onto the stage.
One had white hair, no visible weapon, and hand wraps covering his hands from fingers to wrists. He wore a brown shirt and loose, baggy pants of the same color.
"I, Dylan, greet you," he muttered, pressing his fist to his palm and bowing.
His opponent, a young boy with blue curly hair and a saber at his side, stepped onto the stage. He was dressed in a cream-colored shirt and plain black trousers.
"I, Sylvester Stallone, greet you," he replied as he slowly drew his sword and assumed a fighting stance.
"Why do you not have a weapon? Do you not take me seriously?" Sylvester asked, his tone accusatory.
"Indeed, I do not take you seriously enough to draw my weapon in your presence," Dylan replied with a stoic expression.
"Preposterous!" Sylvester roared, clenching his jaw as he charged at Dylan in anger.
"You talk too much, Sylvester, and that leaves your stance full of openings," Dylan scoffed. He sidestepped Sylvester's midsection slash, bent slightly to dodge an upward strike, and stepped aside to avoid a downward blow.
After the first flurry of attacks, Sylvester vanished from his initial position, reappearing on Dylan's right side to deliver a slash to his shoulder.
"This is my ability: Cloaking. It allows me to meld with my surroundings at the cost of my speed. I become visible again if I attack," Sylvester boasted as he prepared to vanish once more.
Before he could disappear, Dylan unleashed a circular sonic attack that disrupted the air around them.
"If I disrupt the air with my ability, finding you is as easy as breathing," Dylan retorted, charging at Sylvester. He delivered a punch to his abdomen, a kick to his face, and finally slammed him into the ground with a facepalm.
---
**"Dylan wins!"**
The announcer's voice boomed as the crowd erupted in cheers.