Psychic Overlord-Chapter 121: Kaizer’s Return, Shaking The Esper World 4

As the great double doors to the stadium’s lower entrance hissed open, Kaizer led the Overlord Force into the registration corridor, which was a wide hallway lined with hovering panels, AR interfaces, and dozens of staff in academy uniforms.

Other students - most from lower Echelons, others from top ranks - were standing in queues or tapping through their digital ID bracelets to confirm their participation.

"Look at this mess, this many people want to get bruised today?" Lisa muttered, glancing at the wall-mounted screen showing the number of applicants, a total of 1,024 registered combatants.

"It’s tradition. It’s not just about winning, it’s about getting noticed," Maria said with a smirk.

Rina craned her head to look down the hallway. "Which means we’re gonna have to beat a lot of people who think they’re main characters."

Sophia moved ahead of them, calm as always. "Let’s register."

A staff member approached as the group entered. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of Kaizer, but he kept his composure.

"S-Special Echelon ID?" He asked.

Kaizer raised his hand, letting his student ID be scanned by the staff member. "Kaizer Lunin, entering the tournament."

The staff took a look and blinked. "Oh, you use the old physical ID?"

"Old?" Kaizer asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yup, they phased out the old IDs for digital wristbands which contain all your details and can be used to access the student portal for anything academy related. It even links to the Esper Commission!" Rina explained as she showed her black and purple custom wristband.

Kaizer glanced at the staff. "Do I need to apply for this first?"

The staff shook his hands rapidly. "N-No! The old IDs still work until the next year begins, so you can still register!"

The fellow quickly leaned forward and brought his own wristband closer to the ID, and a quiet beep sounded.

"Confirmed. You’re placed in the High Rank Pool, under the Titanium Division, reserved for S-Class and elite A-Class participants," the fellow said hurriedly, his head lowered.

As Rina’s bracelet flashed purple with the Platinum Division symbol, she ended up making several staff pause as S+ ranked students were rare enough to warrant their own record category.

Sophia, Lisa, Hector, and the rest filed in behind, all logged and registered one by one. Morgan excitedly asked if she could livestream her registration, while Julius tried to hand the clerk a printed manifesto about "Psychic Enlightenment Through Association with Overlords."

He was politely ignored.

After everyone was processed, a holographic briefing display flared to life before them.

A voice, smooth and clear, rang out from the speakers in every corner.

"All registered participants, please direct your attention to the central display for tournament rules and format."

The room hushed. Kaizer and the others turned their eyes upward as the details of the End of Year Tournament began to unfold, both visually and through the announcer’s voice.

"This year’s tournament will follow the traditional single elimination format. Once you lose, you’re out with no second chances."

"Harsh, guess they’re not playing around this time," Lisa muttered, arms crossed.

"Matches will be one-on-one, with no team battles allowed. All brackets have been shuffled for fairness, though Special Echelon participants have been seeded directly into the top sixty-four due to ranking."

Sophia nodded calmly. "That’s to prevent the early rounds from turning into slaughter fests."

"Combat will take place in the Dynamic Combat Dome, a modular arena capable of generating a variety of battlefields. Expect random terrain per match, either the desert, a forest, urban ruins, an arctic tundra, zero-gravity, underwater domes..."

Rina perked up. "Wait, underwater?!"

"Don’t worry, you’ll float just fine with those airbags on your chest," Kaizer said dryly, to which Rina proudly raised her nose and puffed out her impressive bust.

The announcer continued. "Victory conditions include: Knockout, Ring Out, Forfeit, or Time Expiry. A panel of judges will decide the winner if a match exceeds ten minutes."

"Sounds fair, though I don’t see any of you fellows going to time," Maria said while inspecting her nails.

"Lethal force is strictly prohibited. The arena will deploy emergency stasis fields the moment lethal intent is detected."

Cornelius breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the stars. I don’t think my insurance covers spontaneous combustion."

"Rewards for top performers include Supreme Force special recruitment, Esper Commission permanent bonuses, and specialized gear access. The Champion will receive this year’s ultimate prize, The Crown of the Overlord. A custom artifact, created to enhance your unique ability, forged by the best esper artificers."

Everyone looked up as a projection of the "Crown" spun slowly in mid-air. It wasn’t a literal crown, but more like a high-end piece of tech or spiritual gear that could take the form of a weapon, a tool, or even a wearable enhancement depending on the winner’s nature.

"Now that... is a divine artifact," Julius whispered in awe.

"I want it!" Rina declared instantly.

"Didn’t even let the thought settle..." Lisa said, impressed by Rina once more.

Kaizer exhaled softly, understanding that this prize was specifically prepared for him by the Dean as it was even named after him. Of course, if he could realize this, so too could the others, so his ’aggro’ was about to spike crazily.

His eyes flicked across the names slowly populating the tournament board. Familiar esper names shimmered at the top, with various colors.

Greenish-brown for Ragnar. Kaleidoscopic for Elementia. Silvery-white for Judgment. Yellowish-gold for Titaness. Dark-white for Tide. Pitch black for Death Goddess.

And then, his name appeared too.

Blue just like his eyes, Overlord.

The crowd near the viewing platform buzzed in a frenzy, pointing, snapping photos, and recording clips. Even faculty members in the area paused to look at the board, their eyes filled with emotion at the seven highlighted espers who were the titans for this tournament.

"Guess we’re officially in," he said quietly.

The others gathered behind him, following his gaze.

"Let’s go win this thing," Sophia said simply.

Kaizer’s group moved through the corridor in formation, drawing more attention than even the arena itself at this point.

Back in the wings, Tessa chuckled as she saw the names go live. "Well, well. The Overlord finally enters the dance."

Eleanor closed her tablet and smiled faintly. "Let’s see what kind of story he writes."

Tyrron clenched his fists. "I hope I get him first."

Lucian stood without a word, light blades forming around him silently.

And Roland?

Roland popped another soda can and tilted it back, grinning.

"This is gonna be one hell of a tournament."

............

In one of the highest VIP observation boxes—shielded by reflective glass and insulated with telepathic dampeners—a group of imposing figures stood watching the stadium’s central display as names and power signatures lit up one by one.

These were no ordinary spectators.

They were the various commanders of the Supreme Force, the regional leaders responsible for each major city in the United Federation. Each of them governed a powerful force of espers in their respective territories, balancing law, order, and high-threat engagements that threatened the stability of the esper world.

And standing silently at the head of this box, sipping from a crystal tumbler of aged wine, was President Ethan Voss, the current Commander-in-Chief of the United Federation.

He was a man in his late fifties, tall and refined, with silver-gray hair swept back neatly and a face that seemed carved from experience. His deep-set eyes missed nothing, but he spoke even less as he simply observed, his presence suffocating enough to keep even the most prideful generals from raising their voice.

To his right stood Commander Blaze, the Supreme Force Leader of Alpha City, the Federation’s number one city and the stronghold of esper development as the only esper academy of the federation was located here.

Dressed in his usual red-and-black tactical coat with golden lines etched across the sleeves, Blaze’s demeanor now lacked its usual swagger. He was calm, composed, and borderline indifferent, arms crossed as he watched the tournament unfold below.

Commander Rae of Beta City, a tall woman with short silver hair and a uniform made of glowing blue threads, leaned toward Blaze. "So... that’s the boy? The Dean’s new student?"

Blaze didn’t even turn. "Kaizer Lunin, an S-Class esper in the Special Echelon who walks the psychic path, with Telesthesia and Telekinesis mastered."

Commander Varrin of Gamma City leaned back in his seat, brows raised. "He’s the one who took down a cell of international dark espers at Al-Rafid? The one who walked into a burning city and came out without a scratch?"

"The same," Blaze answered simply.

"And you’re just letting him walk around unmonitored?" Rae raised an eyebrow.

"He’s under the Dean," Blaze replied, as if that alone was enough.

"But what’s your personal assessment? Hype? Or real potential?" Commander Durand of Epsilon City asked, a lanky man with glowing tattoos running up his arms.

Blaze finally moved, unfolding his arms and clasping his hands behind his back as he gazed at the massive arena below.

For a long moment, he said nothing, then exhaled sharply through his nose. "Kaizer’s not the strongest esper in the Federation."

"At least, not yet," Blaze added slowly, voice low and measured.

"But?" Rae asked with raised eyebrows.

Blaze narrowed his eyes slightly. "But... he’s something else. Something this world hasn’t seen in a long, long time."

He turned slightly toward the glass, watching the boy’s name flicker again across the tournament display.

"He doesn’t just grow fast, he also makes others evolve like the Dean once did... and like Reaper before him."

President Voss finally stirred at this as he placed his glass down, its clink echoing louder than expected in the silent room. His voice was quiet, but intense.

"Do you believe he will surpass you, Blaze?"

Blaze smiled faintly. "He already has, Sir. Just not in the way everyone is thinking."

The other commanders glanced at each other, their expressions unreadable.

Down in the arena, the next wave of student names began to load into the brackets starting from the various A-class students going downward.

And still at the top, side by side with another six names while glowing an intense blue hue, stood the name on everyone’s lips.

Overlord.freeweɓnovēl.coɱ