When the squads of men advanced from three different angles, the group of gladiators found themselves completely surrounded. Immediately, they were attacked again by fireballs, which they could barely block with their shields, as the flames expanded and increased the pressure on them. Neizan, now separated from the group, faced four of these soldiers who were trying to encircle him. Just as the men rushed toward him, Neizan created an opening between them in an instant, and one of the soldiers lost the arm that held his sword.
Screaming in pain, the soldier fell to the ground as a sword blade protruded from his chest. Neizan withdrew his sword, and the lifeless body of the soldier collapsed, revealing the gladiator's figure standing before the remaining three. Witnessing their comrade's fall, the soldiers decided to join forces instead of attacking separately, having understood the danger of facing the young man one-on-one. Though surrounded, Neizan proved to be quick and skilled enough to incapacitate his opponents with ease.
『Neizan: What's the matter? If you won't come to me, then I'll come to you. 』
With a defiant smile, Neizan advanced toward them. He began a fight where, with great skill, he blocked all their sword attacks. Taking advantage of an opening, he delivered a powerful kick to one of their shields, sending the soldier flying three meters back until he hit the ground from the impact. Now, only two opponents remained in front of the fierce onslaught of attacks from the young gladiator. Meanwhile, on the other front, things were not going so well.
『Gladiator: Damn it! What do we do!? 』
One of them exclaimed, his face covered in sweat, his eyes showing a mixture of fear and exhaustion.
The leader, gritting his teeth and breathing heavily, raised his sword, summoning all the determination he had left.
『Leader: Let's hold out as long as we can! 』
He said, his voice rough but steady, trying to ignite a spark of courage in the weary hearts of his companions.
Covering his mouth with a trembling hand, Arthur was terrified as he watched those men fall dead one after another. The first waves of nausea churned in his stomach, and he leaned forward, almost letting the acidic contents escape his burning throat. With effort, he lifted his head, closed his eyes, and sighed, trying to calm the stress he was feeling. Lina, noticing his state, approached him, concerned.
『Lina: Arthur, are you okay? 』
Arthur, his face pale, shook his head slowly.
『Arthur: I can't take this anymore… 』
Lina placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
『Lina: I can walk you to the exit. Let's go. 』
『Arthur: No… wait. I don't want Neizan to look down on me for this. 』
Lina frowned, looking at him firmly.
『Lina: It doesn't matter what Neizan thinks; what matters now is that you calm down.』
Suddenly, a -Bluagh- sound was heard beside Arthur—it was Meilia, who couldn't take it any longer and vomited, affected by the sight. Unlike the three of them, Alberto and Miguel watched the fight unfazed, indifferent to the deaths and the deafening roar of the crowd, which would have given anyone else a splitting headache. Alberto turned his head and looked at the others with a hint of curiosity.
『Alberto: Relax, boys, it won't be much longer now. 』
『Miguel: Sir, at this rate, it seems only one will be left standing. 』
『Alberto: Yes, and as always, we'd be disqualified if it weren't for Neizan. 』
『Miguel: I wonder how far that kid can go. Every time I watch him, I get the feeling he's always holding back, as if he can't—or doesn't want to—discover his true potential. 』
『Alberto: Weren't you supposed to be evenly matched in skill according to your combat results? 』
Miguel nodded slightly, thoughtful.
『Miguel: To be honest, that kid mastered in a few months what took me several years. While his sword technique hasn't yet reached mine, his raw power and speed easily make up for that gap. Plus, he has an incredible knack for adapting to fights; the more he battles, the more experience and skill he gains. 』
『Alberto: Tomorrow, before the first fight, the bets will open. How much would you bet on him? 』
『Miguel: I'm not sure until I see his opponents, but for now, I believe he'll win. 』
『Arthur: Huh? Did you say bets? Can I place a bet too? 』
『Alberto: First, tell me, do you have any money, kid? 』
『Arthur: Of course I do. I always carry my wallet. 』
『Miguel: Pay attention, this is about to end. 』
Only three gladiators remained alive. A chariot was rapidly approaching and was about to run over two of them, but one of the gladiators pushed his companion out of the way, saving his life. Now, however, he was left at the mercy of the chariot, which was about to trample him.
『Gladiator: Noooo! 』
The man, who until now had resisted alongside his gladiators, watched his companion's sacrifice. The chariot, changing its trajectory by just a few degrees, passed close to him, and the dagger protruding from one of its wheels ended up slicing open his abdomen. The wound gaped wide, exposing his intestines, which spilled onto the ground as he collapsed.
Now, only that man remained, wounded and exhausted. With great effort, he stood up once more, gripping his sword tightly and raising it to defend himself against the three soldiers approaching him. Struggling to breathe, he awaited the moment they would finally end his suffering, and in his last thoughts, he evoked the memory of his beloved wife and dear daughter. He missed them. He wished to see them again and had prayed for it.
『???: AAAAAAAAH! 』
A blood-curdling scream broke the tension, drawing the attention of the three soldiers. By the time they located the source of the scream, their bodies had been sliced through like butter, leaving a vivid red spray splattering in all directions. As he raised his gaze, the gladiator saw Neizan standing in front of him, covered in blood, looking down and holding his bloodstained sword. Finally, Neizan looked up and met the gaze of the man without a helmet, who stared at him in shock.
『Neizan: Are you okay? 』
『Man: Watch out! 』
A large fireball came from behind Neizan and struck him squarely in the back.