Time passed swiftly.
In the blink of an eye, Graham had fought and won a hundred battles.
Now, he is no longer the scrawny kid he once was; his height has grown to around 1.65 meters.
This transformation is of course thanks to his 'Plunder' ability.
By absorbing the life energy of a hundred opponents, he gained their attributes, and now, Graham has truly grown in stature and might.
Today is a special day however. He is to face a formidable opponent, one widely known throughout the Gladiator Island as the Gladiator King.
*Creak*
The arena gate creaks open, and Graham steps inside, gripping his worn two handed sword with an impassive face.
"Ohhh--!"
Cheers erupt as he enters the arena, prompting Graham to become vigilant because he knew that the applause weren't for him, but for the man approaching from the opposite entrance.
The man's bare torso, rippling with muscles, was riddled with scars... a battle-hardened appearance. He wore a black Vollachian helmet on his head which conceals everything except his eyes, it also has a few tiny holes around the lower face area to allow ventilation. In his right hand, he wields a one-handed sword, while his left holds a sturdy shield. Clearly, he is a seasoned warrior.
*Clang!*
The gong resounds and the hourglass is flipped, thus the battle officially begins.
The Gladiator King shifts his stance, crouching slightly. His helmeted eyes lock onto Graham. Anyone who has defeated a hundred opponents is not to be underestimated. The Gladiator King won't take his opponent lightly.
This is a fight to the death, there's no room for complacency.
"Hmph. Come at me!" taunts the Gladiator King.
Graham does not hesitate. Despite his opponent holding the shield advantage, he believes victory is within reach.
"Hiyah!" Graham roars, launching a horizontal strike.
*Clang!*
The Gladiator King, a season warrior, uses his shield to block.
In that moment of defense, he counterattacks, swinging his sword back at Graham.
Gritting his teeth, Graham swiftly retracts his blade and launches another attack to deflect the incoming attack.
*Clang!*
The clash of swords rings out.
The Gladiator King's power was formidable. Graham was pushed back several steps, his arms trembling, feeling a slight numbness.
However, his opponent wasn't faring much better. After absorbing life energy through his Plunder ability, Graham's strength had become astonishing. As a consequence, the Gladiator King also staggered back two steps.
"Rawrrr!"
Realizing he faced a formidable adversary, the Sword Slave King launched a tactical attack.
His advantage lay in the shield he held.
So, with a furious roar, the Gladiator King swung his sword forcefully. Seizing the moment when Graham defended with his own sword, he used his shield to strike horizontally with tremendous force.
*Bang!*
Graham was sent flying, crashing hard to the ground.
Despite this, Graham smiled as he quickly got up.
He had already discerned the Gladiator King's fighting style. While the king was indeed powerful as a warrior, Graham was no ordinary person.
He was a spirit mage, capable of controlling lesser spirits.
It was time to escape this accursed place!
Amidst the onlookers' gaze, colorful lights rapidly coalesced around Graham's sword.
The Gladiator King's expression changed as he realized what was happening, but it was too late!
*Swoosh!*
*Boom!*
A rainbow-colored beam shot from Graham's sword, piercing through the Gladiator King's body and continuing toward the audience stands with the initial momentum.
*Bang!*
Graham spun with his sword, sending light slashes towards the cell gates/doors throughout the arena, shattering them all.
*Bang!* *Bang!*
"Ahhhh! Quickly, catch him!"
"Halt! Don't let him escape!"
Meanwhile, in the stands, some nobles who had not dodged in time were struck by the light beam, their lives extinguished. The survivors furiously barked orders at the soldiers, screaming at them to capture Graham.
But the instigator, Graham, took advantage of the chaos. He sprinted toward the exit without looking back.
"Halt!"
His face hardened as he cleaved down a soldier blocking his path, then sprinted toward the exit.
Among the nobles, there were still seasoned magic users... perhaps not grand magicians, but their numbers posed a threat.
Graham did not believe he could take on a group of mages, at least not now.
This island was isolated; ordinary people needed ships and boats to leave. When Graham was first brought here, he arrived by boat.
But now, he didn't need a boat. With the help of water and wind element spirits, he successfully conjured Bubble Magic and dove into the water, swimming toward the mainland.
Bubble Magic allowed him to breathe underwater. According to Graham's instruction, the water and wind spirits enveloped his head in a magical bubble filled with oxygen, sustaining him.
In this way, he can swim back to the mainland without being discovered.
Moreover, the soldiers in the arena should be busy capturing other escaped gladiators, so they won't have time to search for the already submerged Graham.
Meanwhile, in the chaotic gladiator arena, a one-armed man saw the fallen Gladiator King on the ground, and his eyes lit up!
He reached out and took off the deceased Gladiator King's helmet and wore it on his own head to conceal his terribly disfigured face. Then, taking advantage of the chaos, he quickly dispatched two soldiers and fled swiftly.
'After so long of being forced to fight as a gladiator, I finally have a shot at freedom! I'm truly grateful to that young man for this opportunity!' the gladiator thanked Graham in his heart as he fled...