Supreme BeastTamer: I Can Copy and Upgrade Skills 10x!

"I see them," the second brother smiled. With his enhanced eyesight, he could spot five figures heading in their direction. At first, they hadn't been sure about the group, but with a clearer look, it was indeed the Cromwell Barony.

"If my guess is right, the one leading the team should be the one called Nox?" the first brother asked, his eyes sparkling like those of a hawk that had spotted harmless prey.

"Yes, Kron said they were the twins," the third sister spoke, brushing her white hair behind her ear. "Nox and Nyx Cromwell. The boy is known for being extremely silly and stupid, but after his encounter with the fifth brother five years ago, he somehow became calm and calculating. The girl, on the other hand, is prideful, unpredictable, and fierce. We should be careful with both."

The first brother was usually a bit impulsive, but he listened to what his junior sister said. There was a reason Nox was the second favorite to win this tournament, and there was also a reason Hendrix was obsessed with beating him. Somebody like that was definitely not to be taken lightly.

"Hmmm, the white-haired girl," the second brother muttered, his gaze fixed on Wendy. "She looks familiar."

"Well, that's because she's a student of our academy," the third sister responded, walking towards the edge and pointing out. "Though I don't know her exact position, I know she's in the top 100."

"Which makes her stronger than an average student," the fourth brother rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. "A top 100 student traveling with the Cromwell twins? This group isn't ordinary."

The first brother's eyes flicked toward the mountainside. "Let's not waste time. If they're as good as we think, we shouldn't give them an open path. We'll force them into a disadvantage... but before anything." He paused and looked at the fourth brother. Their eyes met, and in that brief moment, they shared unspoken words.

"On it," the fourth brother nodded and made hand signals in the air. An instant later, a glowing glyph appeared beneath his feet, encircling him and the first brother in a blinding light. Then they vanished. A moment later, the fourth brother appeared again, this time alone.

He nodded at the second brother, who was a mage specializing in earth magic. The second brother cracked his knuckles with a grin; they had already planned everything in advance.

The second brother planted his feet, his hands glowing faintly as he invoked his earth-element ability. The ground beneath him rumbled, cracks spreading through the packed slope like jagged veins. Then, with a sharp thrust of his arms, he punched the mountain.

BANG! BOOOOOM!!

A thunderous crack echoed as tons of rock and debris began to tumble down the mountain. The avalanche surged forward like a wicked white tidal wave aimed to bury the group of five below.

"Hahahahahahahaha!" The third sister laughed like a maniac, her eyes shining with cruel anticipation. With a loud bang, she leaped off the mountain, tearing a huge chunk of ground with her. She expertly landed on a flat slab of rock, using it like a skateboard. She surfed the avalanche, riding the wave of rock and debris with a wild look in her eyes.

Her long white hair whipped behind her as the slab skidded across the chaotic surge, gaining speed with every second.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Rab's expression darkened slightly when he saw the avalanche coming towards them. The only ones that were calm were Nox, Wendy, and Nyx. Of course, they didn't think this was a natural occurrence. It was an ambush!

"Fall back!" Nox's loud voice boomed as he saw the wave of rocks and debris crashing towards them. But his shout wasn't really needed; the others were already running back in the opposite direction. However, they abruptly came to a stop, their eyes shining in horror as they saw another avalanche from the opposite side, trapping them in the middle.

Surfing down the avalanche were none other than the second and fourth brothers.

"Damn it, this is a carefully planned ambush!" Rab shouted with a grim expression on his face as he saw the maniacal look on the faces of the two siblings.

"Looks like the Cromwells got themselves cornered. Is this the end of the road for them?" Klein's voice rang out, putting the Cromwell citizens on edge.

Although the duke didn't approve of what his children had planned at the beginning, after witnessing their carefully planned ambush, a gleam of pride flashed across his features. Seeing the restlessness of the Cromwell Barony only added another layer of satisfaction.

In the spectator seats, the citizens of the Cromwell Barony could be seen clenching their fists, their eyes bloodshot as they watched the avalanche approach their youngsters. Some were even offering silent prayers, while others were on the verge of tears.

"Dammit, this is unfair!" one Cromwell citizen cursed through gritted teeth.

"All is fair in war, my friend," someone from the Armstrong Duchy retorted. "If you want to blame anyone, blame your team for being so weak."

"Bastard, I dare you guys to face our team one-on-one!" another Cromwell citizen shouted. The Armstrong Duchy citizen was right, but the mere thought of losing after coming this far left a bad taste in his mouth, making him slightly irrational.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it seems this is really the end of the Cromwell Barony!" Kelen said in a grim voice. After witnessing Nox's Shadow Oblivion, there had been a lot of expectations, but in such a precarious situation, even Shadow Oblivion couldn't change their fate.

Back in the Cromwell Barony, the spectators sat in stunned silence as they watched the impending disaster. Tears filled their eyes, and many looked away, unable to endure the sight of their champions facing such overwhelming odds. The atmosphere was tense, filled with murmurs of worry that spread quickly through the crowd.

"I guess things will return back to the way they were before." One man sighed, his voice barely a whisper as the flicker of hope vanished from his eyes.

"Damn, the mere thought of giving 50% of our revenue to those greedy bastards makes my heart ache badly," another added, his voice filled with bitterness.

In the arena, the fluttering banners of the Cromwell Barony started to drop one after the other as the avalanche drew closer and closer, extinguishing the little flicker of hope in their hearts.

However, suddenly...

"Wait!" Klein shouted, his voice trembling.

His sudden outburst snapped everyone's attention back to the large screen.

With wide eyes, Klein pointed at the display and stammered, "I-it... it seems Nox is making a move!"