The crowd exploded. Some appealed for a re-check, while others supported the decision. The referee remained emotionless, motioning the healers to take the two combatants to be healed.
He then bowed to the crowd before vanishing into thin air.
Leo finally slumped back in his chair, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Were you that anxious?" I asked, chuckling. The battle was amazing, despite the fact that I was unbeknownst to the standards.
"Weren't you?" Leo replied with a question. "I was supporting neither, but the battle was still exciting."
"That's true. Gods are incredibly powerful," I admitted. I previously felt like superhero movies were exaggerated, but they were nothing compared to a battle of Gods.
The battles were climactic, with both parties displaying strength that far surpassed movie characters. Even a certain alien demigod who is indestructible would cower before these Gods.
Witnessing the battle of the Lowest-Ranked Gods, I wondered how powerful Prometheus was. A Supreme-Ranked God should be able to shatter worlds at that point.
I wanted to come to the arena every day.
"Let's watch the rest of the battles," suggested Leo, to which I nodded enthusiastically.
*
A few hours passed, and Oliver and a Low-Ranked God named Tyler Yellowone emerged victorious. They received a few silver coins and an automatic entry into the playoffs, which would occur in a few months.
The final battle of the year would happen in five months, and only the strongest Gods in both divisions would emerge victorious.
For now, Oliver had qualified for the playoffs for Lowest-Ranked Gods, while Tyler had done the same for Low-Ranked Gods.
"Tyler was amazing," I confessed, to which Leo nodded.
"He definitely was amazing," he replied. "Considering his already terrifying power, he should have no problems reaching the semi-finals, or possibly even the finals."
"Do you think he can win?"
"No," replied Leo in a solemn tone. "Winning is not possible with such strength. Although he is amazing, there are always bigger fish."
I didn't pry since Leo's expression had turned weird. It seemed I had asked something I shouldn't have.
Anyway, I enjoyed the battles. I only had positive things to say about the competitors. They were all amazing.
The battles were bloody, and I vomited several times. Aside from that, the aspect of murder provided the battles authenticity.
It was weird, but I was becoming accustomed to such morality.
No, I couldn't. That was like discarding everything I'd learned in my fourteen years of life on Earth. But wouldn't I be residing in the Divine realm now?
Was it really time to abandon my morals?
I'd think about it at a later date.
Leo and I packed up our things before leaving the arena, satisfied. It was almost dusk, and the sun was setting.
The sky had turned an orange hue, and the breeze had turned chilly.
"Shall we head back, prophetic child?" Leo asked, but I didn't respond. For a second, Leo stared at me with uncertainty.
I simply observed the mesmerizing sky in awe, commenting internally on its amazingness. Everything about the Divine Realm was amazing.
The only thing missing was my dad.
Suddenly, my heart sank. It had been less than a day since my transmigration, and thoughts about my father plagued me.
I didn't want to forget him, but thinking about him caused an intense pain to arise in my heart.
It was like a dagger was piercing my heart at all times.
Uncomfortable and agonizing.
Despite the pain, I persisted. I desperately wanted to return to Earth, but there wasn't a possibility of it occurring.
Prometheus, a person whom I knew had unlimited power, denied the possibility.
Maybe I could ask a Cardinal-Rank God, but that was for the future. For now, I wanted to live in comfort. That was my only goal.
It was sad, but I had to learn to forget about my father. Only then would I embrace this new life.
"Yes," I said, finally answering Leo's question. "Let's head back."
Leo nodded solemnly before leading the way. He retraced our steps, heading towards Prometheus's castle.
"Wait," said Leo, placing his arm in front of me. I stopped walking before directing a confused glance at Leo.
I was about to question him but decided against it after witnessing his expression, which displayed traces of murderous intent.
It was like I was staring at the face of a demon.
The air around us turned solemn, and Leo's arm didn't move from in front of me. He remained still, and so did I.
Was something happening? Why did we have to stop?
I had several questions in my mind, but I couldn't afford to answer a single one. I simply waited, allowing Leo to do his thing.
A few seconds passed, and Leo's arm jerked my body towards him. I was sent flying backwards while Leo shielded me with his body.
Suddenly, a weird sound resounded through the air. The surrounding area became tinted crimson.
I watched blankly, confused out of my mind. Standing still, I wasn't sure what I should do.
Leo waved his arm, and a projectile invisible to the naked air disappeared into thin air. I hadn't even noticed the approach of the projectile.
Following that development, Leo raised his arm, causing several silver swords to spawn.
The swords were suspended in the air and surrounded Leo and me before spinning continuously around us.
Each sword contained an aura I had never felt before. It was scary, but it wasn't trying to scare me. It was trying to scare someone else.
No, it was trying to kill someone else.
My heart began racing, yet nothing happened. The sword continued spinning, drowning me in anxiety.
Aside from the single projectile, nothing happened.
After a few seconds, however, three people in loose robes appeared in front of Leo.
Leo attempted to slice them into bits, but they avoided each blow precisely. It was as if they predicted Leo's attacks before the man even thought of them.
Suddenly, after a few seconds of fighting, the men muttered something inaudible.
I watched as Leo paled. Immediately, the man who'd attacked him tapped their chest, and an explosion rang.
Their bodies turned to dust, but several wounds appeared on Leo's body.
My jaw dropped, and I contemplated how to assist him. However, there was nothing I could do. I would only get in the way.
My heart raced even after, fostering negative thoughts I never expected I would have.
This was worse than my first death. My first death was unexpected, but this… this was happening in front of me, and there was nothing I could do about it.
As I saw the grievous wounds on Leo's body, I lost composure. Something… something happened.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and they streamed down my cheek continuously. I sobbed, shocking Leo.
He attempted to console me, but another set of men approached him, probably with the same motive in mind.
I couldn't hear anything, yet I could practically imagine pained groans escaping Leo's body as he suffered wounds every time a group of people exploded.
They were sacrificing men just to secure Leo's death. But why? What was their true motive?
I was helpless, and that saddened me to no end.
It was immature of me, but I didn't know what to do at that moment. I had spaced out.
Leo's body bled continuously, and he finally relented. Running towards me, he grabbed me before slinging me atop his shoulder.
He then sprinted, utilizing mana and divinity to speed through the streets of Locus Sacer.
Several people noticed his dire state, but none dared to help. It seemed his gaze was preventing them from being involved.
But why? Why was he refusing help?
Covering several miles in a few seconds, Leo appeared before Prometheus's castle. He then dropped me to the floor before collapsing.
I immediately regained my balance, running to him before kneeling. Examining his body, I let out a cry.
Leo was on the verge of death. His wounds were too much. Moreover, there seemed to be several internal injuries, too.
I sobbed and sobbed, hoping someone would come to our rescue.
Several guards approached us. Their eyes widened as they quickly carried Leo away. I didn't resist and immediately headed to the castle.
Banging on the door, I was met with Jacque's face once the door opened. His eyes widened once he spotted me, and he immediately invited me inside.
I ran to Prometheus's room. He let me in, too.
"What happened? Tell me," he demanded, his expression and voice solemn. He quietly shut the door behind me before sitting on the couch.
Noticing the dirt and grime on my clothes, he narrowed his eyes. He had already heard about Leo's wounds.
I explained the situation as best I could, considering my mental state.
His expression darkened by the second, eventually morphing into a grimace. He stood up, releasing murderous intent.
Finally, he uttered a few words.
"Follow me."