With both Kaiser and Ayato Amagiri eliminated simultaneously and exiting the stage, the outcome was now beyond dispute.
From the very start, Kirin Toudou held a slight advantage over Julis, and now, due to Kaiser, the Mana on the battlefield had been completely burned away by Ser-Veresta, effectively sealing Julis’ abilities.
Although Mana had gradually begun to replenish itself on the battlefield, allowing Julis to connect and exert some of her power, the overall supply remained scarce, significantly hindering her performance.
Given these conditions, the outcome of the one-on-one duel between Kirin and Julis was all but predetermined.
Thus, the moment the spatial rift on the stage healed enough to no longer obstruct Kirin’s movements, the girl wasted no time and charged straight at Julis.
Julis resisted with everything she had, fighting tenaciously, but the disparity was too obvious. A miracle simply wasn’t going to happen.
Three minutes later, a loud notification resounded across the Sirius Dome’s stage.
"Winners: Kaiser & Kirin Toudou."
As soon as the final verdict was announced, the entire Sirius Dome erupted.
Applause thundered like a raging storm.
"The battle has been decided!"
"An incredibly intense grand finale has come to a close!"
"And in the end, the victors—the champions of this year’s Phoenix Festa—are Seidoukan Academy’s very own Kaiser & Kirin Toudou!"
"Let’s congratulate them!"
Cheers, applause, whistles, and the voices of the commentators filled the stage, their excitement palpable.
On stage, Kirin Toudou, the sole remaining competitor whose school badge remained intact, was overcome with emotion. Her face lit up with joy as she ran straight toward Kaiser, throwing herself into his arms.
Kaiser wrapped his arms around her, chuckling softly to himself.
The spotlights shone entirely on them, making them the center of attention. Their figures were broadcasted across the world, ensuring that countless people would remember and recognize them.
After more than three months, Kaiser had finally seized one of the most remarkable moments of his life.
At that instant, a formless will descended into Kaiser’s mind, delivering a message he instinctively understood.
[You have reached a pivotal juncture in this fantasy world. Your life experience has reached a preliminary conclusion.]
[The Librarian may now choose to return and conduct this life’s evaluation in the Library.]
The message arrived and faded just as quickly, yet Kaiser’s smile never wavered.
"I’m sorry, Ayato..."
"No, if anyone should apologize, it’s me..."
Elsewhere on the stage, Ayato Amagiri and Julis consoled each other. Though their faces showed signs of regret, there was no resentment.
A loss was a loss—their opponents had won fair and square, without resorting to any underhanded tricks. Though they felt a pang of unwillingness, they had no complaints.
They could accept this result—they just needed some time.
"With that, the champions have been decided! The 24th Phoenix Festa has officially concluded!"
"Thank you to all our viewers for your support. We hope to see you again at the next Festa!"
And with the voices of the two commentators, the Phoenix Festa came to an official close.
The audience’s applause continued for a long time, refusing to fade...
Time passed swiftly, and before long, the evening was approaching.
Due to the extensive damage sustained by the Sirius Dome’s stage, repairs could not be completed in the short term. As a result, the final award ceremony and closing event for the Phoenix Festa was relocated to a large-scale indoor venue.
The ceremony was attended by the champions and runners-up, as well as high-ranking officials from the Tournament Operations Committee and various city dignitaries. Additionally, the student council presidents of all six academies were present, though the overall number of attendees remained limited, making the large venue more than sufficient.
Of course, despite the restricted attendance, the spectator seats were still packed. The sheer number of people attending far exceeded expectations.
At that moment, Madiath Mesa, the Chairman of the Tournament Operations Committee, stood on stage, delivering his final remarks on this year’s Phoenix Festa. Meanwhile, Kaiser, Kirin Toudou, Ayato Amagiri, and Julis waited to receive their awards.
During this time, Kaiser took a moment to observe the student council presidents from the other academies.
At the forefront stood Claudia Enfield, Seidoukan Academy’s student council president. At this moment, she was undoubtedly the most prominent figure among them.
It was unavoidable—both the champions and runners-up of this year’s Phoenix Festa were from Seidoukan Academy, making it the biggest winner of the tournament. As such, Claudia had naturally become the center of attention.
Standing beside Claudia was Jie Long Seventh Institute’s student council president—a young girl dressed in lavish attire.
Although Jie Long had no representatives in the semifinals, it had the highest number of participants in the Top 32, with nine teams making it that far. One of their teams even advanced to the Top 8, ranking their overall performance second only to Seidoukan.
Thus, Jie Long’s student council president was positioned next to Claudia, staring at Kaiser with an intense gaze—as if she were eyeing a delicious piece of meat.
To the other side, the presidents of Le Wolfe Black Institute, Allekant Academy, Saint Gallardworth Academy, and Queenvale Academy for Girls stood in sequence, ranked based on their schools’ overall Festa performance.
Le Wolfe’s student council president was naturally Dirk, who stood with arms crossed, not even sparing Kaiser a glance, as if they were complete strangers.
Allekant Academy’s president was a frail-looking young man, who genuinely had no idea who Kaiser was.
Saint Gallardworth Academy’s president actually acknowledged Kaiser, offering him a friendly smile.
Queenvale Academy for Girls’ president surprised Kaiser—when their eyes met, she flashed him a cheerful smile, catching him off guard.
Upon closer inspection, she was a cute, petite girl with vibrant purple hair and striking violet eyes—as radiant as a sunrise.
And when she smiled at him, the audience’s cheers erupted, surpassing even the moment Kaiser was crowned champion. Their excitement was practically visible to the naked eye.
Of course, this was only natural.
Queenvale Academy for Girls was renowned for producing idols, and its student council president was the world’s most dazzling superstar—the most beloved idol of all.
She was Queenvale’s Rank One, the runner-up of the previous Lindwurm Festa, and a world-class songstress known as the "Sigrdrífa."
For some reason, Kaiser felt an odd sense of familiarity when looking at her.
Especially when she smiled at him—the feeling only grew stronger.
Suddenly, Kaiser’s thoughts clicked.
Back then, when he had gone out with Julis, Kirin, and Ayato to a restaurant popular among Queenvale students, he had encountered a chestnut-haired girl...
Her appearance perfectly matched the world-renowned idol standing before him.
"So that’s how it is..."
At last, Kaiser understood.
At that moment, Madiath Mesa finished his speech.
"Now, let us welcome the champions and runners-up of the 24th Phoenix Festa to the stage."
Stepping forward, Madiath Mesa smiled warmly at them.
"Your match was incredible. I had the privilege of witnessing it firsthand."
"I hope to see you all competing on this stage again in the future. Congratulations."
With that, he presented two trophies—one to the champions and the other to the runners-up.
The Phoenix Festa had officially come to an end.