"Then. I'll be going out too. You all should rest. The city is vast. So please be in shape when we go out."
"Yes. Thank you, Cerrio."
The soldiers then went to rest.
The three arrived and get inside their party's room.
"Are they doing well? Resting?"
"Yeah, leader."
Cerrio answered.
"Alright. Let's take a rest too."
"Yeah. You're right."
They rest and a few hours later. It's time to go.
"So. That's everyone?"
Taga asked.
Every soldier had changed clothes and their things have been left inside the pavilion.
"Yeah."
"Alright. Let's go. Where do you guys want to go first based on the map?"
"What is this fighting arena?"
Jake asked.
"Oh. You'll see. Do you want to go there?"
Jake looks at his watch. It's 3:00 PM
"H, how long do fights last?"
"Based on who's fighting and how many matches you wanted to watch."
"Alright. Let's just go with it then. Is that alright, men?"
"Yeah. Captain. We're following you after all."
A nearby soldier said.
"Alright. We're taking a break to after all."
They strode forward to the arena and had arrived after a few minutes of walking.
"It's huge."
Jake exclaimed.
"Of course. This is double the size of that of the Gallensia."
Taga replied.
"Gallensia?"
"A nearby Kingdom."
"Oh…"
"Let's go inside."
"Yeah."
They get inside to pay for the entrance fee. However. They don't need to do so as the entrance fee is free for Taga who has a special ring that will make buildings from the King himself free of service or entrance that also includes anyone with him. This ring couldn't be faked though as it could be inspected and be found special magic within it. But since they know Taga. They don't need to do so.
Let's take a seat over there."
"Yeah."
All of them sit and the show starts.
"Oh! Leader! The champion is fighting!"
One of the eight said.
"You're right."
Taga replied.
From the left side. A person of around in his twenties got out from an iron gate and carried two kamas.
"We welcome our great challenger! The one who managed to win the tournament and had been given a chance to fight the champion who managed to defend his title six times! Yet the best record of the five years of this arena! A person who's from the Dark Seraph Family! Anton Dark!"
The host announced.
"Dark family? Dark Seraph?"
Jake wondered.
"That's a family who held a Duke title. Their house is home to elite assassins and valkyries. They hold two magic. The light for the women and shadow for men. They are powerful and the Mage King trusts them truly."
"Oh... But it's a bit of weird family name."
"Sure it is. The males are only addressed with Dark, while females are Seraph. Since it's two, they simply made it like that and also because men are the shadow and women are the light."
"I see…"
"On the right side! Our beloved champion! He killed tens of people to have this title! Giano Blazen! How will this fight proceed!? Will it be magnificent!? Disappointing!? Or will it be one-sided!? Now! Let's place the bets!!!"
A huge bulky man with a wide smile on his face came out of the iron gate. Apparently, he has no weapons but gauntlets clad on his huge arms.
"Are you both ready!?"
Anton nods with a serious face and Giano simply smiles like that of a ferocious beast who found his prey.
"Alright! A fight to the death! Start!!!"
The host then disappeared to the shadows. He's also from the Dark family.
"Death!?"
Jake exclaimed.
"Don't worry. That's the winning condition. Nobody actually really dies."
Taga answered.
"Huh? Nobody?"
"The host has two magics. He could resurrect the dead. Don't worry about who dies."
"It's possible to resurrect somebody?"
"Of course, and it's extremely easy. Just watch."
"Okay…"
Giano dashed at high speed towards Anton and a huge explosion occurred when he punched the wall since he missed due to his opponent turning into a shadow. That explosion though frightens the soldiers and Jake.
"Don't worry. There is a protective barrier. None of their attacks could pass through it you all are safe."
"Oh… I thought I was going to die there."
"Haha! You can't always do that kid!"
Giano shouted.
"..."
The fight proceeds and Giano goes again dashing towards his prey.
A left punch, dodged.
Right, ducked.
Right kick, dodged when he turned into a shadow.
Anton appeared behind him and slashed him and backed.
"Hah! That's nothing!"
"!"
He dashed again.
A huge fire gathered on Giano's right hand and this time he landed a punch that caused an explosion and led his prey to crash at a wall.
"Gak!"
His punches are powerful. Especially since be is from the Blazen family. It's even more powerful because of the flames. I had to find a way.
A huge fireball then came towards him but he barely escaped through his shadow form.
Close call!!! I must utilize my assassin abilities!
Several clones made of shadow came towards Giano.
"Hmph!"
He defended and dodged elegantly against the six clones.
One attacked and he dodged.
Another came and he kicked it with flames and vanished it.
One attacked with its kama and he used his hulking hand to block it. He then punched it with an extreme force that it also vanished.
"Ha! Four left!"
But then the four clones also vanished.
"Huh!?"
One appeared below and tried to slice him up. But then. A huge surge of flames came out to his surrounding and that clone vanished.
"You can't do it like this kid!"
The other three attacked in different directions at the same time.
[Multiple Shadow Kill]!
"Huh!!? You're underestimating me!"
With flames on his both hands, he will burn the whole area but then. A shadow grabbed both of his hands from behind, thus halting it.
"Bastard!"
It vanished as he sent a burst of flame from his back.
But then. The three got close. He's not able to complete the attack.
With perfect coordination the clones attacked.
Leaving Giano to defend and stop his final attack.
But this time. He seems to not be able to hit the clones.
A clone swept his feet and he began falling.
"Hap!"
Before he hit the ground. He used his fire to propel him back up.
Two clones suddenly attacked him on front and back and disappeared.
He then stomped the ground and a huge explosion happened thus creating a smokescreen.
"Come out bastard!"
Though both of them can't see well. The audience could see everything through the smoke due to the special effect of the barrier.
Anton then used the smoke as an advantage and began attacking Giano and immediately escaping back to smoke.
"You have to finish me."
He then utilized the previous attack and put his flaming hands on the ground.
No!
As heat accumulated. He waited for it to reach its limit and finally releasing it to reach an extremely huge explosion.
"I'll kill you now!"
Anton hurried to kill him but then.
Giano finished it early. Even though the explosion is not that of its strongest it's still strong enough to push Anton towards the wall and severely injure him.
"Gah!"
Giano dashed and grabbed his neck even before he falls on the ground.
"Well... Let's finish this. My seventh time on defending the title."
He started brutally punching him all over his torso with his hulking hands amplified by flames.
"Gah!!!"
Each time a punch land. Anton screamed.
"I'm tired. Let me kill you now!"
He then further extends his arm for the killing blow. But Anton smirked.
"!"
He felt a shadow crawl upon his neck.
"Whatever! Die!"
But before his punch land. He disappeared.
"Huh!? He can't!"
The shadow on his neck gained significant weight.
"!!!"
"I had mastered an advanced shadow technique. Shadow switch."
A person who's restrained can't possibly escape and use his shadow to do so. But with switching between shadows it's possible as an escape tool. Though it severely tires the caster, it's arguably the best in this situation.
Using his two kamas. He choked him in his neck and nape.
And then. He's decapitated.
His head flew and fell onto the ground as his blood spurted everywhere and Anton got down.
"I simply wanted to tire you. Thank you for the smokescreen earlier."
"Can you believe this!!!??? We have a new champion! Anton Dark!"
As the crowd applauded.