The moment the Sentinels clashed with the Hidden Guards of the Crownspire Ascension, the arena descended into a spectacle of overwhelming might. Explosions of Meta Essence collided midair, shockwaves cracking the marble beneath their feet as titanic powers surged against one another.
What struck the viewers the most wasn't just the violence of the exchange—it was the sheer level of authority the Crownspire demonstrated.
To deploy Overlord-level Guards—not as generals, not as enforcers of law, but as mere protectors of an event—was an astronomical feat. In any other city, an Overlord would be a kingmaker, a one-man army capable of shifting regional balance.
Yet here, they served as guardians, standing between the bioengineered monstrosities known as Sentinels and the gathered contestants.
"So many Overlords… just as guards?" one contestant whispered in disbelief.
"The Crownspire… it's not just powerful. It's untouchable."
But it wasn't overkill. It was necessity.
