Zero to Hero (Prequel/prototype)

Chapter 15. Tournament part 4

"Morning Ken! Let's go get breakfast! Lovetta is paying again!" Genesis shouted as the pair chatted while waiting for Ken to get ready.

"Nice to see that Lovetta is back after missing in action for two days." Kens said sleepily while greeting the pair of girls.

Even though the events for most students are over, Clare and Alice are staying with their families in town until the end and won't be joining the group while Ken and the two girls made their way to the stadium for some breakfast and got ready for the open tournament.

Since most of the students now done with the tournament, the student section grew much bigger compared to the first three days but since everyone signed up for seats weeks ago, Ken and the two girls got the three seats at the end of the aisle mid-way up the stands where they had seated for the whole tournament.

With Ken sitting in the middle, a girl on each side holding onto one of his arms, the three got pretty cozy as they waited for the start of day 4.

Instead of Lucia, when a voice spoke up at 9, it was a voice Ken was familiar with and had heard many times before. From day 4 onward, for the main tournament, instead of letting a student with aspirations practice on the biggest stage, it's hosted by the one and only Ryder Ethelred.

For as long as Ken can remember, Ryder was the one who commentated on the main event for every tournament. Once a top 10 hero who got as high as rank 5 during his prime hundreds of years ago. After he retired from been an active militant, he persuaded a career as a diplomat who tried to bring equality between the races and advocated strongly for peaceful coexistence.

With a gentle face, slicked back white hair from age with a small mixture of black and gray. While his skin shows his age with the deep wrinkles, his posture and the way he carried himself showed class and charisma.

A pair of giant white wings that covered his entire back, a thick and long scaly tail, pointy elf ears and gills around his neck, Ryder was given the nickname, The Chimera during the days when he was active. Since his retirement, Ryder became active in global politics in regard to race and is very open about the way he got treated due to the way he looked and is the voice for the mixed races around the world.

For Ken and his siblings, Ryder had always been their hero growing up. But between his disappointing start to the school year, desperation to catch up and just day to day struggles, he completely forgot who always hosted the tournament.

Couldn't hold in his excitement, Ken cheered loudly as his hero began the opening speech.

"I can't believe I totally forgot that Ryder had hosted the open tournament for who knows how long now. Do you think I can go ask him for an autograph?" Ken asked, squeezing the two girls tightly due to his excitement at possibly meeting his hero face to face.

While Ken was busy fanboying, Ryder with his deep calm voice explained the open tournament to those that had been living under a rock and never tuned in to the biannual event. Anyone could sign up for the open tournament if they have reached divine level in any area and paid the entrance fee.

Out of the current top 10, 8 were graduates from Dragonspire but the current 7th and 9th ranked heroes never got selected and it was through the open tournament that they made a name for themselves and are now heroes of hope for children all over the world especially those that did not get selected by the academy.

As Ryder went on with the opening speech reminding everyone that just because your max potential might not be as high, it does not mean you won't achieve greatness.

Of course, Ken agreed wholeheartedly with that statement. He has now seen firsthand just how much potential is wasted by those privileged nobles and royals and one of the biggest flaws in who gets selected to the academy.