In the room, there was a massive desk with seats for 13 people. However, Amon noticed that only one person was sitting at the desk. "I thought all 12 would be waiting for me," Amon said, feeling a bit surprised. This had never happened before. Whenever the twelve said they would await him, they were always present. But not today.
"They wanted to participate, but they had important matters to attend to. I don't know the exact reasons," a young man's voice naturally replied.
"Well, then let's proceed with the little ritual you twelve Coats of Arms always do," Amon said, as if giving a command. A man stood up from his seat and spoke in a respectful manner.
"Leon Camber, the first coat of arms, is present." Leon was a man of 177 cm height, with hair as black as the darkest night, violet eyes, and a unique trait that stood out the most. It seemed as if several gemstones had grown into his skin, slightly protruding. These precious stones came in a variety of shapes and colors, with the largest ones embedded in his palms. He was not only the first member of the guild Spellbander but also Amon's best friend. The two of them had stuck together since they first met.
Shortly after, Roxanne stood up and did the same. "Roxanne Halon, the second coat of arms, is present."
"Well, I think it'll work without them. So, how is the plan proceeding?" Amon asked. Amon and the other twelve had devised a plan to showcase Amon's true powers to the world.
"The colosseum battle is in two days, and according to my information, they plan to change the rules so that you would have to fight regardless," Leon replied.
The colosseum battle was an event held every year during the new year celebration. It determined the ranks of the guilds. Normally, Spellbander ranked around the fifth to third place, and society wanted to witness their downfall. They aimed to make Amon's life a living hell.
"The whole thing is perfect for our plan," Leon said, sporting a huge smile. He wanted the entire world to see Amon's true power. Although Amon wasn't the strongest in the country, continent, or even his own guild, Leon despised anyone who spoke ill of his best friend.
Amon eagerly looked forward to it, relishing the thought of slaying his enemies during the fight. Amon wasn't a saint; in another story, he could be the villain. But he didn't care. A wide smile appeared on his face as he said, "In that case, let's prepare everything: weapons, armor, and other items." Items referred to objects with special effects that worked with both mana and qi.
Two days later, Amon stood in a hallway that served as the entrance to the battle area of the colosseum. Everything was going according to his plan. The day before, an announcement was made by the World Guild Association (WGA), responsible for all guild-related issues. They declared that the strength of the guild master would now be considered in the guild rankings. Hence, all guilds on the continent had to face the WGA combat soldiers in a best-of-three battle. A guild master would fight a maximum of three opponents, and passing two out of three battles would determine the guild's rank, alongside other data.
"Then let's get this started," a commentator said from a room with a glass pane, providing a perfect overview of the battlefield. "And next to me, the beautiful holy maiden, Bruna Alves. Welcome, Lady Bruna. A few words for the audience," the commentator added, speaking in an enthusiastic tone. He was clearly as excited as the spectators at the event.
"Of course, my job is to heal anyone who gets hurt during these battles. I can also revive people who have been dead for less than five minutes," Bruna, a stunning woman with long pink hair, blue eyes, and an attractive figure, addressed the audience. She wore a white dress that attempted to conceal her ample bosom. However, her unique trait was not visible on the outside, but that's a detail for later.
"Good that you mentioned it. I will explain the rules of these fights!" the commentator exclaimed with such excitement that he almost screamed the words. The audience loved it.
"The guild master must participate in a best-of-three fight. The fights continue until death. But don't worry, there's an item in this colosseum that prevents you from dying. And if you do die, Lady Bruna will revive you," the commentator rapidly explained, eager to witness and commentate the fights—his greatest passion.
Two men entered the fighting stage. One of them was Amon, clad in a custom-made medieval armor crafted from lightweight materials. The armor combined mobility with sleek black aesthetics, providing stealth and combat agility without compromising protection. It was called the 'Dark Armored Protector.' Amon also wielded a metallic monk's staff with a few golden accents.
The other man was a general of the WGA combat soldiers, known as Flaming Beard. His appearance matched his name, with a burning flame forming the shape of a beard where his facial hair should be.
"These are the first fighters: Aaron Winterton, also known as Flaming Beard, one of the generals from the WGA fighters!" the commentator shouted to the audience, who cheered for Aaron.
"Let's go kill that guy!" the audience roared in unison.
"His opponent is the one who wasn't born with magic, the guild master of Spellbander, Amon Halon!" Despite not liking Amon, the commentator did his job perfectly in introducing him.
Amon assumed a martial arts stance, ready to attack Aaron.
"Do you really think you can fight me, weakling? You're the weakest being on this earth. Give up, or do you want to experience death?" Aaron's arrogant tone infuriated Amon but delighted the audience.
"Shut up! I want to fight, I want to defeat you! Let the fight begin, you coward!" Amon screamed in anger, his face distorted. He wanted to defeat this man. He wasn't a saint, and Amon knew that. He had already killed too many people to be considered anything close to a saint.
The commentator signaled the start of the fight, and a massive amount of heat emanated from Aaron's body. He gathered the energy of the flames in his enormous axe and swung it towards the ground.
"Burning Cut!" Aaron's voice echoed throughout the entire colosseum, but Amon didn't flinch. He dodged the massive flames that were aimed at him.
Amon twirled his staff three times and dashed toward Aaron with incredible speed. Aaron couldn't see that Amon had already positioned himself behind him.
The tip of Amon's staff transformed into a blade formed out of air. He thrust the spear-like weapon directly into Aaron's spine.
STAB, STAB, STAB.
The gate behind Amon levitated in the air. Amon didn't hide his actions; he wanted everyone to witness them. He was furious, and he continued stabbing Aaron's body multiple times. He targeted his back, legs, arms—every part of Aaron's body. The entire floor became bloody, but suddenly, Aaron's wounds healed.
"This is enough. You've won. Go and prepare for your next fight," Bruna spoke angrily. She was disgusted by what she saw, but somehow, she had expected something like this to happen. There had to be a reason why so many powerful mages followed a man who didn't possess magic. However, the floating circle behind Amon piqued her curiosity. She wanted to know what it was all about. Afterall she never saw anything similar in her whole life.
"Perfect, Darling! Show them who you are. If they want to harm you, kill them. If they insult you, torture them. Do whatever you want with them," Roxanne exclaimed, thrilled by what her husband had done. She loved him deeply and was extremely possessive. She would have done the same to anyone who insulted him in such a manner.
And yes, she had a little Yandere side to her.