"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen!
Tonight, we gather to honour four individuals who have pushed the boundaries of what we thought possible.
These extraordinary students of Pinnacle Academy have not only demonstrated talent and perseverance, but they''ve ignited the belief that undying spirit, that anything can be achieved.
As we celebrate these four, let us not forget that our academy thrives on diversity.
Each student, with their unique abilities and backgrounds, enriches ourmunity and reminds us that together, we are stronger.
Let these students inspire us! Let their sess ignite the fire within us all.
Remember, boundaries are but illusions.
It is through determination, through the relentless pursuit of our dreams, that we defy limitations.
And above all doubt and constriction, we exist as the 1%.
The existence of being the only one to exist... as you.
To our honorees, you are an inspiration.
We are privileged to witness your rise.
Thank you for sharing your talent and reminding us what true potential looks like.
Now, let the celebration begin!"
...
...
...
Milio nced at his script.
"Now, the moment we''ve all awaited. Presenting the cements…"
With a flourish, stagehands appeared, bearing velvet-lined cases on silver trays.
The stadium pulsed with anticipation as four identical podiums were positioned, marked with crisp numerals: one lone podium far to the left, two grouped closer in the centre, and a final one set to the right.
"In fourth ce,"
Milio''s voice boomed, "with an average rating of 4.44/5... Rel Laurence!"
A ripple of polite apuse washed over Rel.
Itcked enthusiasm but wasn''t wholly dismissive.
With a calm expression, he ascended the fourth-ce podium, the medal a shining colour of white against his chest.
Milio continued,
"In third ce, with an impressive 4.96/5 rating... Louise De Villerion!"
Louise strode forward, a conflicted smile ying across his lips.
The apuse was stronger, but a note of disappointment remained.
epting the bronze medal, he took his ce.
The tension ratcheted up another notch.
"In second ce, with a wless, HISTORICAL unmatched score of 5.00/5.00... Jan Ates!"
An eruption of cheers filled the stadium as Jan epted the handshake and medal with a modest bow.
Standing on the second podium, its silver shining, the crowd''s adoration fueled his calm.
Silence hung heavy as Milio prepared for the final announcement.
"And the undisputed winner of the tournament, with an extraordinary 4.97 rating… Valencia Freya!"
A thunderous wave of apuse crashed over the stadium.
Bnced and graceful, Valencia ascended the steps, the gold medal catching the spotlight.
As she stood upon the highest podium, a moment frozen in time, the crowd witnessed a legend in the making.
"And now, to bestow the individual performance awards, we wee back the previous winner ofst year''s tournament – a second year who swept all four categories – Derrick Song!"
A hush fell over the crowd as a figure emerged from the shadows.
Slender, with soft brown hair and piercing red eyes, Derrick''s natural appearance charmed those within distance.
A wave of adoration washed over the stadium.
"Greetings, everyone," he began his voice a charming contrast to the energy of the crowd.
"I''m here to honour those who carry on our legacy." His smile faded into a cool professionalism as Milio handed him the first golden que: Tournament MVP.
"The system''s verdict was clear," Derrick announced. "The MVP… Valencia Freya!"
Striding towards Valencia''s podium, he presented the que with formality.
As she epted it with a grateful bow, he leaned closer, his words a whisper lost to the cheering crowd.
She froze, then managed a tight smile, her usual confidence momentarily shaken.
Returning to centre stage, Derrick announced the next award,
"Best Overall Performance: Jan Ates." The crowd roared, but Derrick merely held out the que.
There was no smile, no handshake. It was almost a dismissal.
A wave of unease swept through the stadium confused.
Derrick presented the final award, Spirit of the Tournament, to Louise.
The gesture was almost violent as Louise snatched the que, his expression disgusted at the brown hair''s face.
***
{Rel''s POV}
As I waited for this awards ceremony to be over I doubted I was going to receive a Special award. Not likely.
As Derrick announced the final category, I took my best bet that Jan was getting 2 but I haven''t seen Valencia''s fight either so It could go either way, to be honest.
"Best Single Match Individual Performance…" Derrick paused, his gaze flickering to his watch as if checking for an error.
Then, with a coldness that contrasted sharply with the crowd''s cheers.
He stopped and stared straight towards me uttering...
"Rel Laurence."
What?
Did I hear that right?
Me?
As Derrick approached my podium, each step was measured.
Our eyes locked, and warmth vanished from his expression.
A re of pure hostility reced it – silent, yet somehow more threatening than any insult.
He handed me the que and spoke only a single word to me.
"Fraud."
And I felt something boiling up inside of me... hearing such a pathetic word, I couldn''t possibly hold myself back from trying to punch him.
He was the embodiment of a prick and an asshole.
Derrick Song... A character of mass destruction, not only was he as strong as people say, but he is someone not to be taken lightly in this world.
He''s a main viin, a recurring threat throughout the story.
His first major act was to destroy Pinnacle Academy by any means.
He was dimir''s weapon, willing to follow any order, no matter how destructive.
Derrick was blinded by loyalty, he set out to cripple the system that bred heroes and seeded.
It wasn''t until his third year he brought the Academy to its knees, and even then, help was needed.
The Demon Serum… a force that gave him the powers of a demon and the body of a human.
That alone crushed the main cast. But it wasn''t enough – he vanishester, aiding dimir''s schemes...
That''s the original timeline, anyway.
Killing him here, now… that''s a one-way ticket to jail.
But consequences can wait. Right now, it''s about survival.
______________
Authors Notes:
- The 4 ques have the previous names of the individuals who''ve won it starting from the 1980s up until now 2023
- The reason for Rel winning the Best Single Match Individual Performance was through a system that used an engine referenced from chess. Rel had 0 blunders, 0 mistakes, and 1 missed win during that fight. He also scored a total of 3 brilliant moves during the match which was the most in the entire tournament. Scoring a 96.9% uracy during his match against Valencia.
- Ratings for each individual is different as for Swordsmans they take into ount technique, aura utilisation, and elemental attribute usage, which exins Jan''s perfect 5/5