『Meilia: Those magic attacks were really powerful, but you made it look easy to dodge them. 』
『Neizan: It wasn't easy. Though I should thank you. If I hadn't remembered what you taught me, I might have lost the fight. 』
『Alberto: Neizan. 』
『Neizan: Hm…? 』
『Alberto: You won't have to fight tomorrow. They're still in the qualifying rounds, so your next fight will be the day after. Based on the results of these battles, they'll assign your next opponent. 』
Arthur looked around, uneasy. The arena seemed to breathe in an anticipatory silence, waiting for the next battle.
『Arthur: Do we know what the next match is? 』
Miguel, standing beside him, crossed his arms and cast a glance toward the arena.
『Miguel: We have no idea about the order of the fights. We only know who will be facing off among the factions, but the next one shouldn't take much longer. 』
Neizan scoffed in frustration, looking at the remaining fighters.
『Neizan: ...I just hope there aren't any more wind magic users. 』
Miguel smiled cautiously, aware of the varied abilities among those present.
『Miguel: You can find anything here. It's best you watch carefully from now on. 』
Neizan was silent for a moment, thoughtful, before asking a question that had been on his mind for some time.
『Neizan: What kind of man is that emperor everyone talks about? 』
Miguel swallowed hard at the mention of the ruler's name and looked away, clearly uncomfortable. He didn't answer, but his silence spoke volumes.
At that moment, Alberto, who had been standing in the background, stepped forward and placed a firm hand on Neizan's shoulder.
『Alberto: Neizan. 』
『Neizan: ...? 』
『Alberto: You're forbidden to refer to him that way. If someone hears you, we could be in serious trouble. I'll tell you about him later... when it's safer. 』
Neizan shrugged, unfazed by Alberto's warning and the evident tension in Miguel.
『Neizan: Whatever you say. 』
Meanwhile, his eyes were fixed on the arena. Two of the next fighters had already gathered, and a new gladiator had just made his entrance. His heavy steps echoed against the ground, each step projecting authority and danger.
The newcomer stood out among the others; his armor was completely blackened steel, absorbing the torchlight and enhancing his intimidating presence. He wielded a large sword and a sturdy, round shield marked with battle scars, signs of countless fights. His bearing left no doubt: he was a dark knight, a warrior trained to instill terror in his enemies.
Neizan leaned forward slightly, his eyes locked onto the figure of the warrior.
『Neizan: Now that is an interesting opponent… 』
Miguel, watching him out of the corner of his eye, felt a chill run down his spine.
When the battle began, the sound of trumpets echoed throughout the arena, lifting a cloud of dust that floated in the air like a spectral veil. Wasting no time, the dark knight charged toward his opponents, his movements swift and precise, as if every step was calculated to instill fear.
The two gladiators barely had time to raise their weapons to defend themselves from the first strike. But what followed was a flash of steel, brutal and lethal. One of them screamed as the dark knight severed his arms and legs with terrifying precision; he fell to the ground, his life extinguished in a fraction of a second. The second gladiator tried to retreat, but the dark knight was already upon him, delivering a blow so devastating that it split him in two, scattering blood, organs, and viscera across the arena in a macabre spectacle that horrified the spectators.
Silence took over the stands for a moment, broken only by the sound of metal dripping with blood and the gasps of some of the onlookers. The bodies of the gladiators lay motionless, turned into tragic trophies of the dark knight's ruthless skill.
From the stands, Meilia wrinkled her nose, averting her gaze in disgust.
『Meilia: Ugh, that was disgusting. 』
Around her, some spectators shared her reaction, while others watched with morbid fascination, hypnotized by the scene's brutality. The dark knight remained in the arena, impassive, his black armor drenched in the remnants of his victory.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Neizan entered the amphitheater with firm steps, advancing to the center of the arena. Around him, the roar of applause and cheers from the crowd echoed—a clear sign of the fame he had earned in his previous battles. The spectators encouraged him, admiring his skill and eagerly waiting to see more blood spilled.
『Neizan: They should be quiet for a while… 』
He muttered these words to himself, irritated by the crowd that took so much pleasure in others' suffering. Those spectators didn't see the gladiators as people, but rather as mere pieces of entertainment, and their thirst for violence was almost as bothersome as the deafening noise of their applause.
Then, the arena's entry doors opened slowly, and the crowd held its breath. The dark knight made his entrance, advancing toward Neizan with heavy steps that echoed across the ground. This time, as in his previous fight, he carried a shield; however, his sword remained sheathed, as if patiently waiting for the right moment to be drawn. His face remained hidden beneath the metal helmet, and no part of his skin was exposed, giving him an inhuman, mysterious appearance.
In stark contrast, Neizan was without armor. He wore only a leather bracer on his left forearm, leaving the rest of his body uncovered. His sword rested in its sheath, and he stood still, his arms relaxed at his sides, waiting. As the dark knight stopped a few meters in front of him, Neizan moved his right hand to the hilt of his sword, ready to unsheathe it at any moment.
Both gladiators stared at each other intently, their stances firm and determined. The tension in the air was palpable, and the crowd watched with contained anticipation, aware that a single movement could unleash a storm of steel and blood. Neizan, calm, breathed deeply, keeping his body in absolute calm, focused on every detail.
Finally, the sound of the trumpets broke the silence.