"I REQUEST A DUEL!"
The words rang out, loud and defiant, echoing across the entire Colosseum. Heads turned, eyes scanning the arena in confusion and curiosity, searching for the source of the bold voice.
The crowd's murmurs grew as they realized that the voice had come from within the Colosseum ring itself—from one of the prisoners standing at the center, bound and awaiting execution. It was the young man captured just the day before.
Shin Ludwig's face twisted in surprise, then amusement, as he recognized the prisoner who dared to challenge him. His amusement quickly turned to scorn as he leaned forward, his gaze piercing down at the man who dared defy him.
"So," Shin sneered, "it's you—the fool who thought he could stand up to me in the market."
The crowd watched in anticipation, eager to see how this daring act of defiance would unfold.
"Again and again, you go against me!" Shin's voice thundered across the Colosseum, his face twisted in fury. "I can't take it anymore."
He clenched his fists, shaking with anger, as he continued, "Invalid! Prisoners don't get to choose how they die!"
The crowd fell silent, holding their breath as Shin glared down at the defiant prisoner below. "You can't ask for a duel!" he spat, his rage barely contained.
But the prisoner, standing firm, met Shin's gaze with unyielding resolve, as if daring him to reconsider. The tension hung thick in the air, and the Colosseum buzzed with the anticipation of what would happen next.
"By the authority of the great god of Eternity," the prisoner's voice echoed through the Colosseum, his tone both desperate and defiant. "I request a duel!"
The crowd shifted uneasily, murmuring among themselves. Invoking God of Eternity name left even Shin momentarily taken aback.
"You can't ignore a duel requested in the name of God of Eternity, young master Shin," the prisoner continued, his voice trembling. Behind his words, though, was the unmistakable fear in his eyes as the saber panther crept ever closer, each heavy step sending a new surge of dread through him.
His life flashed before his eyes, and he knew this request was his only chance, his last thread of hope to avoid the brutal fate awaiting him.
Shin narrowed his eyes, visibly wrestling with his fury and the traditions bound to his family name. The Colosseum went silent, everyone waiting to see if the young tyrant would heed the sacred call for a duel, or dismiss it in an act of defiance.
"In... in... invalid!" Shin stammered, his face flushed with rage and frustration. "I... I will not accept your duel!"
But just as the words left his mouth, the atmosphere of the Colosseum shifted.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Footsteps—heavy, deliberate, and echoing through the stone structure—cut through the silence. Each step seemed to fill the air with an overpowering aura, one so intense it silenced the crowd instantly. Even the notorious apex predator, the saber panther, cowered at the presence, backing away with its tail tucked, whimpering as it retreated from the prisoner.
Shin swallowed hard, his anger fading momentarily as his eyes darted to the back of the Colosseum. The arrival of someone powerful had altered the entire dynamic, and everyone present could feel it.
Shin Ludwig's confidence began to unravel the moment he realized who was approaching. Panic spread through him, seeping into every inch of his body as he muttered to himself, This is it... I'm done for.
In his arrogance, Shin had always believed he could do anything he wanted, especially with his father out of sight and away from the day-to-day workings of the household. His usual bravado made him feel invincible. But now, as the sound of heavy footsteps echoed throughout the Colosseum, his one true fear was about to come true.
This was a man whose very presence commanded absolute authority. There was only one person in the entire world who could bring Shin to his knees in terror—the one who could undo everything Shin had ever done with a single word.
The footsteps grew louder, more powerful, as if the very earth trembled under their weight. In that moment, Shin's heart raced as he realized that he had made a fatal mistake.
He had angered the wrong person.
The head of the Ludwig household, the patriarch, the leader of the Ludwig faction—
Duncan von Ludwig.
Duncan was a name spoken in hushed tones across the land, a living legend whose power and strength were beyond comprehension. It was said that even the fiercest warriors and the most monstrous creatures quaked at the sight of him. His reputation had earned him a near-mythical status, and those who dared to defy him, or worse, dishonor his name, would face an unrelenting wrath that no one had ever survived.
Duncan was known as the strongest human alive. A warrior who could decimate armies with his bare hands, a man whose power could level mountains. He was the embodiment of strength and authority, a living testament to the supremacy of the Ludwig bloodline. And now, he was here.
Shin's pulse quickened, his arrogant facade shattering like glass. In his heart, he knew that no amount of power, no amount of privilege could save him now. His father, Duncan von Ludwig, had arrived.
Duncan von Ludwig stood like a living monument to strength. Towering over everyone around him, he was a colossal figure, standing at a full 7 feet tall, his presence alone enough to cast a shadow over the entire Colosseum. His physique was that of a true warrior, broad-shouldered and muscular like a bull, the kind of man whose sheer power was palpable in the air. Every inch of his body was marked with scars from countless battles, each one telling a tale of victory earned in the most brutal of ways.
He wore a dark leather coat, its edges frayed from years of use, but it wasn't the coat that drew attention. It was the hide of a Vulcun, a volcanic lava dog from the heart of the Dark Forest, that hung over his broad shoulders. The Vulcun was one of the fiercest beasts to roam the land, ranked twentieth in authority among the creatures of the forest—monsters whose very names sent chills down the spines of those who knew them.
Duncan had hunted and killed it himself, a task that few would even dare to attempt. The fur he wore wasn't just clothing—it was a symbol of his dominance, a badge of honor earned through blood and sweat.
The coat, thick and dark, was marked by streaks of molten red, a reflection of the Vulcun's fiery nature. As Duncan moved, the coat shifted with him, its weight barely noticeable to the man whose strength was beyond that of mere mortals.
His piercing eyes, cold and unyielding, scanned the arena, and even the air seemed to bend under his gaze. No one dared move as he walked, every step resonating with the power and authority of a true leader.
He was a man who had seen it all—who had conquered every challenge thrown his way and emerged stronger for it. A man who could break bones with a single blow, whose name alone struck fear into the hearts of his enemies. And now, here he was, standing before his son, his eyes filled with a quiet fury.
Shin knew, with a sickening certainty, that there was no escape from the wrath of Duncan von Ludwig.
Duncan von Ludwig stepped forward, his presence towering over the entire Colosseum. The moment his boots hit the stone floor, a chilling silence fell over the arena.
It wasn't just his size or strength that commanded respect—it was the weight of his reputation, a living legend who had crushed any who dared challenge him. His eyes, cold as steel, scanned the surroundings, but it was Shin who caught his attention first.
Shin, unable to even lift his head, stood frozen in place. Fear gripped his heart so tightly that he could hardly breathe, let alone move. His legs shook beneath him, and his thoughts were a blur. The weight of Duncan's gaze felt like it could crush him. He had never been so aware of his own insignificance. Duncan's very presence suffocated him.
Duncan stopped directly in front of Shin, towering above him like an unmovable mountain. His gaze was slow, deliberate, as he looked down at his son—if he could even call him that.
To Duncan, Shin was nothing more than a worthless pig, a creature who lived only to be consumed one day. And even pigs, he thought, had more worth than this pathetic excuse of a son.
"You," Duncan's voice was like gravel grinding underfoot, rough and cold, "you are nothing more than a parasite. You eat, you consume, you waste air. Even pigs have more value than you, because they at least know their place in this world." His words were like a slap to the face, each one striking harder than the last.
After a long moment, Duncan shifted his gaze, the disdain for Shin still evident in his eyes, but now it was directed outward toward the prisoners. He moved past his son without another word, his footsteps echoing with the authority of a man who could change the world with a single command.
The prisoners trembled as they saw him approach, the tension in the air growing thicker with every step he took. Duncan was here, and they knew—just as everyone in the Colosseum knew—that his judgment was final. No one could escape the wrath of Duncan von Ludwig.
A deep, resonating ahem echoed throughout the Colosseum, and the very air seemed to vibrate with the force of it. The sound was not just a throat clear; it was a proclamation. It was the roar of a lion, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
"I, Duncan von Ludwig, have returned from my hunt!"