Reborn: Rise of the Greatest Summoner

After bestowing them with the Honorary Title, time finally came to the last phase of this celebration that Tribe Chief Kohama hosted for the heroes.

Legolas turned to look at Captain Aegon. "A Sand Worm competition?"

"Yes". This Captain smiled as a hyped look dominated his face.

"What is that?"

Even as Legolas asked, Tribe Chief Kohama was already leading the crowd to the great coliseum of the Kong Tribe that was built since the tribe's inception.

Captain Aegon explained as they left. "As you already well know, Sand Worms are the Apex Predators of the Great Desert".

"Ranks between warriors of the tribes are determined by how many Sand Worms we have killed, I have killed 28 Sand Worms since becoming a warrior".

"We didn't meet them on our way to fulfill the mission of the Vanguard Squad because over the years, we already mastered ways to evade them".

"They no longer hunt us, when we meet them, it's us hunting them".

"Ok". Legolas smiled. "I understand but I want to know about the competition".

"Oh, about that, it's like a coming of age ceremony".

"Before young warriors are allowed into the wild to start hunting Sand Worms, they must first prove their mettle in the safer coliseum".

"Over the years of hunting Sand Worms, we managed to capture some".

"We keep them all in the coliseum".

"In this competition, our young upcoming warriors of 16 to 20 years would be pitted against each other in the coliseum to hunt Sand Worms".

"The first one to hunt and kill a Sand Worm wins first prize".

"But Din was just 18 years old…"

"Din and Kamnak are special cases, they are champions".

"Oh…" Legolas finally understood.

It only took them 2 minutes before they arrived before the massive coliseum.

The coliseum was built like an oversized gladiator arena with massive walls surrounding it that were built using stones, it was so massive that Legolas could barely see its end from where he stood, it was an ocean of sand.

The spectating crowd watched from behind the wall of stones.

Without hesitation, as the young promising warriors got prepared to enter the centerstage, Tribe Chief Kohama addressed the crowd again.

As the Tribe Chief addressed them and as Legolas watched, his eyes suddenly creased slightly as a crazy idea just went through his head.

He turned and grabbed Captain Aegon. "Only natives can participate?"

"What?"

"The competition, are desert tribesmen the only ones that can participate?"

"I'm not sure, outsiders have never seen our coliseum before so…"

"Then it means there's a chance". Legolas's eyes lit up excitedly as he grabbed him tighter. "I want my student to participate".

"Huh?" Christensen and Blade who were behind their master were surprised as they looked at him with widened eyes.

Legolas turned to look at Christensen with a serious look on his face. "I trained you but I didn't organize a proper graduation rite for you".

"Let this be your proper graduation rite".

"Go into that coliseum, hunt some Sand Worms and make me proud".

"…" Christensen was speechless.

In the end, he simply nodded as for some reason, perhaps feeling competition from Blade already, he felt an urge to impress his master.

Legolas turned to face Blade with expectations on his face.

"I am already a warrior, I won the competition 2 years ago".

"Oh…" Legolas chuckled and patted him on the back.

He turned to face Captain Aegon again who was short of words to say, he scratched his head. "Let me inform the Tribe Chief".

As soon as Tribe Chief Kohama was informed, like Legolas expected, he was not denied as Christensen became part of the contestants.

Legolas heaved a huge sigh of relief.

For a long time, he thought of how to milk Christensen of his exclusive abilities, the speed of progress was just not fast enough for him.

With this competition now, things became easier for him since he could watch his student making full use of his abilities to hunt the Sand Worms.

"Let the competition begin".

The massive wooden gates of the coliseum were opened as the contestants rushed inside before they were closed back the next moment.

A tense atmosphere rose in the crowd as they watched with bated breaths.

Sand Worms live under the sand and since they already witnessed their brothers being killed by the humans, in most competitions, they hide in the sand while the competitors tracked and hunted them.

This was not always the case though as there were some crazy Sand Worms who were fed up of the oppression and was why the crowd was tense.

Thud!

As soon as Christensen landed on the coliseum, without hesitation, he activated the Beast Plane Summoning ability as both Leo and Brutus arrived.

"Woof!" Brutus jumped in shock on arriving.

He turned to glare at Christensen. "Where are we?"

"I'm in a competition, I need to hunt and kill Sand Worms".

"I'm not part of this suicide competition, send me back".

"No". Christensen glared at the Shadow Hound.

Smack!

Leo wacked the smaller Hound on the head the next moment as he glared at him, taunting him with his eyes and accusing him of cowardliness.

Brutus snorted. "I hate naïve companions the most, we'll die in 6 months at this rate".

"I'll help you track them, but I'll see how well you fare when you actually see one. Sand Worms are not your regular worms, these are beasts".

Without hesitation, the Shadow Hound sprinted away, leading the way.

Christensen mounted Leo and followed behind him.

Up in the spectating ground, Legolas smiled as his interface lit up.

-----

Christensen Exclusive Special Talent Detected: Detective

[Requirements to unlock Character Special Talent: Stay alongside Christensen and watch him make use of his Detective Talent 100 times.]

[Unlock Progress: 69/100]

…

Christensen Exclusive Special Ability Detected: Auditory Tracking

[Requirements to unlock Character Special Ability: Stay alongside Christensen and watch him make use of his Auditory Tracking Ability 70 times.]

[Unlock Progress: 43/70]

----

Through his exclusive auditory ability, Christensen could already hear the nibbling sounds deep in the sand as the Sand Worms nibbled restlessly.

Through their sound, he already deduced how colossal these beasts were. He could track them alone but he brought Brutus for reassurance.

After fighting many battles alongside his master, he was no longer the greenhorn who was new to battles, he was now an experienced veteran and already learned long ago to never underestimate his opponents.

In just 4 minutes, he could no longer see any of the contestants as they already separated into different parts of the massive coliseum.

This was when he heard it.

Gri! Gri! Gri!

It started softly at first like strange hissing and shrieking sounds.

The next moment, it exploded in aggressiveness and loudness as a loud shrieking sound reverberated followed by the ground vibrating rapidly.

Christensen became the first contestant to locate and attract a Sand Worm.

Boom!

This colossal creature finally dived out of the ground but having been tracking it since, Christensen already grabbed Brutus as Leo carried both of them, exploding with a speed burst to escape the damage area.

The Sand Worm dived out of the ground and exposed its colossal form.

On seeing the human and its beasts, it shrieked loudly.

The Sand Worm was just like any other worm, just of a much more gigantic size. Its massive maws were filled with hundreds of dagger-sharp and spear-long teeth, and apparently, these beasts could control sand to attack.

"Shriek!!!"

It shrieked loudly as it exploded with speed towards Christensen.

As it moved through the sand like a snake, the sand followed it as they formed colossal fists in the coliseum which now punched towards Christensen.

After seeing the bulk of the beast, Christensen was no longer intimidated.

He patted Brutus on the head. "I know your plan but ditch it".

"Remember we're one. I die, you die".

He grinned. "Cooperate with me let's kill this beast".

Brutus looked up at him and snorted. He dared not hesitate though as he activated his Invisible Shadow and Identity Merge special abilities.

As soon as they turned invisible, Leo moved, escaping the Sand Worm's deadly charge in the nick of time as they now flanked the beast.

It was now time for their counterattack.

Christensen brought out the G-96 pistols. "Let's show these beasts what we are made of".

"Attack!"

Leo exploded forward with speed as he howled loudly.