Chapter 1901: Test Match: Part-1

Ssnnnngggg~

As the quadcopter zoomed through the sky, Lackey watched through the window as they crossed the border between Beta and… Alpha.

Just like before, the windows automatically sealed shut, cutting off their view of the outside world for nearly half an hour.

Lackey remained silent during the journey. He made no attempt to contact Genome Beta, knowing the Commander was travelling with them.

Very soon, the quadcopter glided silently through the city’s enormous skyline. Its four rotors produced barely more than a faint mechanical hum as it passed between towering structures of glass, metal, and luminous holographic displays.

Eventually, the quadcopter reached the drone port, where numerous quadcopters continuously arrived and departed from the vast elevated platform.

Lackey’s quadcopter hovered directly above its designated landing mark as a robotic marshaller raised one mechanical arm and motioned for it to descend. The vehicle slowly lowered toward the platform, its engines gradually powering down until the familiar mechanical hum disappeared.

Shh!

The door hissed open and slid aside, allowing the trio to step out of the quadcopter.

As the light fell across his face, Lackey instinctively narrowed his eyes. For a moment, he simply stood there and looked ahead at the enormous city surrounding them.

Alpha City.

The central city of the entire Empire.

‘Fuck…’ he muttered inwardly, his eyes moving slowly across the skyline. This city was nothing like the others he had seen before.

Nothing even came close to it.

Towering white-and-gold skyscrapers rose like enormous crystalline spires, their polished surfaces reflecting the artificial sunlight that illuminated the city.

Countless aerial vehicles moved between the buildings, following invisible routes through the sky with almost perfect precision. Bridges connected different sections of the city high above the streets, while smaller flying craft continuously travelled through designated air corridors without ever colliding or slowing one another down.

Enormous black-and-gold banners bearing the insignia of Alpha City hung from several of the tallest structures.

Everything about the city felt wealthy, controlled, and almost unnaturally orderly.

People moved through enormous plazas beneath the towering architecture while autonomous vehicles travelled along carefully designated routes. Drones continuously patrolled the skies, silently monitoring movement throughout the city, while enormous holographic displays provided information, advertisements, and public announcements.

Yet something else caught Lackey’s attention.

Far in the distance stood a massive structure resembling a gigantic eye.

He stared at it for several seconds before finally asking, “What the hell is that?”

“That is the Crown Engine,” Beta replied quietly beside him, while the Commander walked away to arrange a private transport vehicle for them.

“Crown Engine…?” Lackey repeated, slightly parting his lips as his gaze remained fixed on the distant structure.

The Crown Engine was a colossal technological structure rising far above the centre of the city.

Its architecture combined royal grandeur with impossibly advanced technology, creating something that looked less like a building and more like a monument constructed to dominate the entire skyline.

It was vastly larger than the surrounding buildings, resembling a gigantic circular crown suspended around a colossal central mechanism. Multiple enormous metallic rings surrounded its upper structure, while countless sharp spires extended toward the sky, giving the entire structure the unmistakable appearance of a crown.

At its centre was a gigantic mechanical eye.

Even from this distance, Lackey could make out the enormous lens embedded within the structure, its surface reflecting the light of the surrounding city. The design gave the unsettling impression that the entire city existed beneath its gaze.

“Yeah…” Lackey’s eyes narrowed slightly as he continued staring at it. “Crown Engine really is the perfect name for something like that.”

“It is more than a name,” Genome Beta replied, his voice carrying a subtle note of reverence.

“The Crown Engine is the symbol of Alpha City’s authority and surveillance. Nothing important within the city exists completely outside its observation.”

Lackey slowly turned his head toward Beta.

“Is that where he stays?”

Beta followed his gaze for a moment before giving a quiet nod.

“Yes.”

Lackey looked back toward the enormous structure.

‘Of course… He loves this kind of thing.’

The faint amusement that had appeared on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by a solemn expression as he studied the Crown Engine again.

He was in that man’s turf now.

Whatever rules he had relied upon in the other cities might not apply here. Until he understood what was happening inside Alpha and what kind of situation he had walked into, he needed to be careful.

Soon, the Commander returned with the private vehicle and opened the passenger compartment. Lackey and Beta entered first, taking their seats while the Commander moved into the driver’s position.

The vehicle started almost instantly and began moving through the elevated traffic route.

The Commander remained silent as he drove, but his expression was noticeably tense. He was still furious that a Slave was sitting beside his Governor, yet he kept his thoughts to himself.

It was not his place to question the Governor’s decisions.

Lackey watched the streets through the vehicle’s window as the towering structures of Alpha City gradually changed around them.

The towers slowly disappeared behind them, replaced by buildings that were noticeably lower and more spread out.

The streets became wider, and the number of people moving through the city seemed to increase with every passing second.

Vehicles filled the elevated routes while crowds gathered around various entrances and public transit stations, all seemingly moving toward the same destination.

By the time they reached the area closer to their destination, Lackey could already sense that something had changed. The city seemed louder, more crowded, and far more energetic than the districts they had passed through earlier.

“There it is… The Grand Colosseum,” Beta said as she pointed toward the window beside her.

Lackey turned his head, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

The Grand Colosseum emerged from behind the surrounding buildings.

It wasn’t merely a stadium.

It was a colossal circular structure that stretched across the horizon. It wasn’t as tall as the Crown Engine, but its sheer size made it almost comparable in scale. Hundreds of metres of reinforced metal and dark crystalline material formed its enormous outer walls, while several illuminated rings revolved around the upper structure with mechanical precision.

As the vehicle drew closer to the Colosseum, massive holographic displays became visible above the structure. They continuously broadcast the names, images, and information of the tournament’s participants, their enormous projections visible from several districts away.

Thousands of people were already making their way toward the entrance.

Lackey leaned slightly toward the window, unable to hide his curiosity.

Beta noticed his movement and quietly shifted back in her seat, giving Lackey more room to look at the Colosseum’s outer structure.

The outer walls alone towered several hundred metres into the sky, covered with enormous metallic arches and glowing lines of energy that continuously shifted across the surface.

The closer the vehicle came, the louder the surroundings became.

Even through the vehicle’s isolation system, Lackey could faintly hear the distant roar of the crowd.

Thousands.

No… millions?

The sound rolled through the air like distant thunder, growing louder with every passing second.

“Cough, cough.”

Suddenly, the Commander coughed upon noticing how close the Slave had moved toward the Governor.

Lackey glanced at him and immediately noticed the Commander glaring at him through the visor of his mech-suit.

Lackey frowned.

‘What?’

For a moment, he didn’t understand the problem. Then his eyes shifted toward Beta, and he realised that he had unconsciously moved closer to her.

She had slowly sunk farther into her seat, seemingly trying to create some distance between them without saying anything.

Lackey could feel her blunt gaze through her visor.

He looked at her for a moment before giving a weak, slightly awkward smile and moving back into his own seat.

The Commander said nothing.

He simply returned his attention to the road.

The vehicle soon passed through a massive security corridor before entering a private parking area directly attached to the Colosseum.

Since Beta was the Governor, it was only natural that they had access to private facilities that ordinary spectators could never use.

[Welcome to the Grand Colosseum.]

The automated voice echoed calmly through the vehicle’s interior.

With a soft mechanical hiss, the side door opened.

The trio stepped outside, and the first thing Lackey noticed was the noise.

“Come,” Beta called to him as the trio began walking away from the private parking area.

The farther they walked, the louder the noise became.

At first, it was only a distant rumble.

Then came the voices.

Then the cheering.

And finally, as they emerged into the open corridor overlooking the main arena, the entire soundscape exploded around them.

“YEAH!!”

“I WON!!!”

“KILL HIM!!”

“BREAK HIS LIMBS!!”

“YYYEAAAAAHHHHHH!!”

The deafening roar echoed throughout the enormous Colosseum.

Lackey immediately rubbed his ears with an annoyed expression and instinctively squinted against the sheer volume.

He turned toward the open space ahead of them, and his expression slowly changed.

The sheer number of people was insane.

Thousands upon thousands of spectators filled the enormous seating areas surrounding the combat arena, their voices blending into one overwhelming roar. Some were standing on their seats, others were waving their arms, and many were screaming at the fighters below as though their lives depended on the outcome.

Lackey stared down toward the arena.

A fighter was battling furiously against a monstrous creature.

Lackey blankly stared at the monster fighting below. He could clearly see the Origin Crystal embedded within its body, glowing faintly beneath its flesh as the creature moved.

But something else soon caught his attention.

A crack?

His eyes narrowed.

A spatial crack in the arena.

The edges of the crack distorted the air around it, as though space itself had been fractured.

Lackey stared at it for several seconds.

‘What is that…?’

Before he could examine it any further, he noticed Beta continuing ahead.

Lackey reluctantly followed her.

As they moved through the Colosseum, Lackey saw even more people.

Crowds moved in every direction, filling the enormous corridors with constant movement and noise.

Some wore expensive clothing and arrived in private vehicles, surrounded by attendants and security personnel.

Others wore combat uniforms, military equipment, or specialised armour, their weapons and equipment making it obvious that they had come prepared for battle.

Some, however, looked like ordinary people who had simply come to watch the tournament.

Lackey casually looked around as they walked.

A heavily armoured man passed by him, carrying a weapon that was almost twice his own height.

A woman with mechanical limbs stood near one of the walls, speaking to someone through a holographic interface projected from her wrist.

Nearby, a group of young combatants stood together while a floating drone scanned their bodies.

Eventually, they reached a separate chamber overlooking another section of the Colosseum.

A VIP section.

Lackey and Beta entered the chamber while the Commander remained outside.

Lackey walked toward the enormous viewing window and looked down at the arena.

His expression immediately changed.

“This isn’t the one I saw before.”

The arena below was considerably smaller, and the crowd surrounding it was nowhere near as large. Instead of one massive battle, numerous smaller fights were taking place simultaneously across different sections of the arena.

“This arena is solely focused on the Beginner Participants,” Beta explained as she sat down on the sofa, her eyes calmly following the battles below.

“Beginner Participants?”

“Yes.”

Beta crossed one leg over the other and rested her arm against the side of the sofa.

“The Grand Tournament isn’t something anyone can simply enter because they are strong. Before reaching the main stage, every participant must prove that they can survive here.”

Lackey glanced toward her.

“So this is the qualification round?”

“You could call it that, but it is more than a simple qualification.”

Beta’s voice became quieter.

“This is the Test Match.”

Lackey looked back toward the arena.

“The Test Match?”

“It exists to determine whether someone is worthy of entering the Tournament. Strength alone isn’t enough. They want to know whether your body, your mind, and your power can continue functioning when everything is taken away from you.”

Lackey’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Beta’s gaze remained fixed on the fighters.

“If you want to enter the Tournament, you have to fight through this stage first. The purpose is simple. Flush out the weak before they reach the real competition.”

She looked toward him.

“And no, I cannot pull any strings to let you enter directly. This entire stage falls directly under the President’s authority.”

Lackey’s expression became thoughtful, and his eyes returned to the arena.

Beta continued, “And in order to enter the Tournament, you must defeat at least 150 opponents.”

Lackey’s eyebrows rose slightly.

Her eyes remained fixed on the arena below.

“Look at them.”

She pointed toward the battlefield.

One of the fighters had just defeated his opponent.

The defeated man collapsed onto the blood-covered floor, his body motionless.

The victor stood over him, breathing heavily.

For barely a few seconds, there was silence.

Then the arena doors opened.

Another fighter entered.

The victor looked toward the new opponent.

He had barely recovered his breath.

“Wait…”

The word escaped his mouth.

The next fighter attacked.

The previous winner tried to defend himself, but his movements were noticeably slower. His legs trembled, and his weapon moved with nowhere near the same speed as before.

The attack pierced his defence.

Blood sprayed across the arena.

He collapsed.

“That’s the rule,” Beta said quietly. “The one who remains standing until the end earns the right to enter the Tournament.”

She paused.

“And once you enter the Test Match, there is no backing away.”

Lackey glanced at her.

“It is either do or die.” She said solemnly.

The fighting continued without pause.

The man who had killed the previous fighter somehow managed to defeat ten more opponents.

Then twenty.

Then thirty.

With every battle, however, his movements became slower.

His breathing grew heavier, and his body began trembling from exhaustion.

A holographic counter above the arena continuously displayed his name and the number of opponents he had defeated.

Forty.

Forty-five.

Nearly fifty.

By then, his entire body was trembling.

He could barely keep himself standing.

Yet the next opponent was already entering the arena.

Lackey watched silently.

The exhausted fighter raised his weapon.

His hand was shaking.

His opponent charged.

The fighter tried to move.

He was too slow.

The attack struck him directly to his chest.

He collapsed.

That was it.

He died there.

The counter immediately reset.

His name disappeared from the display and was replaced by the name of the Victor.

Lackey stared silently at the arena.

‘It would be hell trying to fight here without enough stamina or strength.’

There was no opportunity to recover.

No break.

No chance to regain their strength.

Lackey slowly exhaled.

‘They aren’t testing whether someone can win.’

His eyes narrowed.

‘They’re testing how long someone can survive.’

And yet the crowds continued to come.

Thousands of people watched without hesitation, cheering every time someone fell and celebrating every brutal victory. Some were shouting the fighters’ names while others screamed for blood as though the lives below were nothing more than pieces on a game board.

Lackey remained silent for several seconds before finally asking,

“What does someone actually gain by entering the Tournament?”

He glanced at Beta.

“No human would willingly come here and risk dying for nothing, right?”

Beta looked at him.

“To receive Powers.”

Lackey blinked.

“Powers?”

“Like us.”

“Huh…”

Lackey hummed quietly as he nodded to himself.

That made sense.

His gaze returned to the arena.

“So that’s the prize.”

Beta leaned back slightly as she nodded.

“The Tournament can grant access to powers, resources, positions, technologies, and opportunities that people could spend their entire lives chasing and never obtain.”

Lackey remained quiet for several seconds.

Then he shook his head and looked toward Beta.

“All right. I’m in.”

Beta’s expression immediately became serious.

“Are you sure?”

She pointed toward the bloody arena.

“You said your powers were sealed. If that’s true, then you understand what you’re agreeing to.”

She didn’t want to say the thought that had already entered her mind.

What if he really died here?

The God?

And what if she was responsible for it?

That was the last thing she wanted.

Lackey chuckled softly before leaning slightly closer to her.

“What? Are you worried about me?”

A gentle smile appeared on his face.

Beta stared blankly at him for several seconds.

Then she simply nodded. “All right. Let’s register you.”

She stood up from the sofa.

Lackey blinked.

‘That’s not exactly the reason I was hoping for from her…’

He sighed quietly before following her.

Just as the door slid open, they saw the Commander leaning his head against the doorway, clearly positioned as though he had been trying to listen to their conversation.

“…”

Beta quietly stared at him.

The Commander immediately straightened himself.

“I… I wasn’t…”

“Let’s register him under our division,” the Governor said coldly as she walked away.

Lackey followed behind her, but he couldn’t help glancing back at the Commander.

The Commander was repeatedly slapping his own helmet with one hand, seemingly blaming himself for getting caught listening.

Lackey watched him for a moment.

“Hmm…”

He hummed quietly before turning around and following Beta toward the registration area.

“”…

“…”

“…”