Ludwig kept his pace, his movements fluid and deliberate as he avoided Kuro’s relentless shadow projectiles. The latter refused to surface, his voice echoing tauntingly from the darkness. “Come on, Ludwig! Is this all you’ve got? Running away like a coward?” Kuro’s voice dripped with mockery, but Ludwig remained unfazed. He had no intention of playing into Kuro’s hands. Fighting someone who could literally turn into shadows was a fool’s errand, and Ludwig wasn’t about to fall for it.
The fight had reached a stalemate, and the crowd’s initial excitement began to wane. Some spectators even started to boo, their impatience growing as the match dragged on. But Ludwig wasn’t about to let the pressure get to him. He continued moving, his skeletal frame weaving through the arena with an almost unnatural grace. Each step was calculated, each dodge precise, as he carefully avoided Kuro’s attacks while maintaining his own strategy.
“FOR HOW LONG CAN YOU RUN?” Kuro’s voice roared, tinged with anger and frustration. A massive wave of shadowy spears erupted from the ground, surging toward Ludwig like a tidal wave of darkness. Ludwig didn’t falter. He kept moving, his path carefully planned to lead Kuro into a trap. He maneuvered around his own explosive mines.
Finally, Ludwig reached the corner of the arena. He stopped, his back to the outer ring, and turned to face the incoming wave of shadows. With a flick of his wrist, he placed one final explosive mine directly behind the wave. Then, with a swift leap, he jumped to the side, landing safely between several of his glowing orbs.
Kuro’s shadows halted abruptly at the corner, unable to advance further. The explosive mines’ light created an impenetrable barrier, cutting off all escape routes. Kuro materialized back into his physical form, his expression a mix of annoyance and grudging respect. “I guess you think you’ve cornered me with that?” he said, his voice calm but laced with defiance. “I can still use other magic, you know.”
Ludwig’s hollow eye sockets seemed to glint with amusement. “I know,” he replied, his tone steady. “But now I can beat you senseless, and you can’t run away.” With that, he finally unleashed the chain he had been whirling since the start of the match. The chain lashed out like a whip, its metallic links gleaming in the dim light.
Kuro ducked under the first strike, his movements quick and agile. But Ludwig was faster. With a flick of his wrist, the chain curved back and slammed squarely into Kuro’s back. The blow wasn’t enough to knock him out, but it sent him staggering forward, dangerously close to one of the explosive mines.
Ludwig snapped his fingers, and the mine detonated with a deafening boom. Kuro raised his hands instinctively, summoning a curtain of black shadows to shield himself from the explosion. The force of the blast pushed him back, but he managed to stay on his feet.
Ludwig didn’t give him a moment to recover. He retracted the chain and threw it again, this time with an explosive mine attached to its tip. Kuro dodged the initial strike, anticipating the chain’s return, but he wasn’t prepared for the mine that exploded on his side. The blast rattled him, sending him stumbling backward.
Kuro cursed under his breath and retaliated, hurling several shadowy orbs toward Ludwig. But the moment the orbs entered the range of the explosive mines’ light, they dissipated into nothingness. Ludwig smirked. “Bounds of Latvia!” he chanted, summoning chains that erupted from the ground and wrapped around Kuro, pinning him in place.
“That won’t work!” Kuro shouted, his body beginning to dissolve into shadows once more. But Ludwig was ready. With a wave of his hand, several explosive mines closed in on Kuro, their light forcing him to remain in his physical form.
“Goodbye,” Ludwig said calmly as the mines detonated, the force of the explosion sending Kuro flying out of the arena and onto the ground below.
“We have a winner!” Olim’s voice boomed across the stadium, the crowd erupting into cheers and applause.
Ludwig stood tall, his scythe resting at his side. “So much for all that shit talk,” he muttered, his voice carrying just enough for Kuro to hear.
Kuro’s face twisted into an angry scowl, but he didn’t say a word. He simply turned and walked away, his pride clearly wounded.
The crowd’s energy shifted as more students seemed interested in challenging Ludwig. Several pressed the metallic boxes, their names flashing on the screen above the arena. Others, however, backed away, unwilling to face the cruel Ludwig.
“Next challenger! Bron Steelheart!” Olim announced, his voice filled with excitement.
Bron stepped forward, his long sword gleaming in the fading light. He didn’t say a word as he walked onto the arena, his expression grim and determined. He pointed his sword at Ludwig, the tip steady and unwavering. “Time to take you down,” Bron said, his voice low and menacing.
“Sure, sure,” Ludwig replied, his tone casual as he waited for Olim to start the match.
Bron glanced around at the explosive mines scattered across the arena. “Shouldn’t you remove these?” he asked, his voice tinged with irritation. “This isn’t a fair fight since these mines have been preset.”
Ludwig raised an eyebrow, his skeletal face betraying no emotion. “Why?” he replied. “It’s mana I used and wasted. Are you going to compensate me for my used mana?”
“Ludwig is right,” Olim interjected, his voice firm. “Since he is the defender, he set these up earlier. It’s a king-of-the-hill fight. If you want them removed, you must beat Ludwig first.”
Bron cursed under his breath, his frustration evident. He was forced to fight Ludwig on uneven ground, but he had no choice. He tightened his grip on his sword and stepped forward, his eyes locked on Ludwig.
“Don’t worry,” Ludwig said, his voice almost teasing. “I’ll use nothing but swordsmanship.”
Bron felt a flicker of relief at Ludwig’s words, but it was short-lived. The moment Olim called for the match to start, Ludwig charged forward with terrifying speed. He injected mana into his scythe, transforming it into a massive greatsword that he wielded with ease.
“[Steadfast Leap]!” Ludwig’s body surged forward, the weight of his hundred points of strength behind his blade. The sword came down with crushing force, and Bron barely managed to raise his own weapon in time to block the blow. The impact was overwhelming, forcing Bron to his knees as his arms trembled under the strain.
Ludwig didn’t let up. His free arm coiled like a spring and shot forward in a devastating hook that struck Bron’s side, right against his liver. Bron’s body shuddered from the pain, his breath catching in his throat. Before he could recover, Ludwig followed up with a powerful kick to the stomach, sending him stumbling backward.
As Bron struggled to regain his footing, Ludwig snapped his fingers. Only then did Bron notice the explosive mine planted right under his feet. His eyes widened in horror as the mine detonated, the force of the explosion sending him flying off the arena floor and onto the ground below.
“MATCH OVER!” Olim shouted, his voice filled with excitement.
Bron groaned as he pushed himself up, his face twisted in anger. “You cheating bastard!” he shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Ludwig. “You said you wouldn’t use magic!”
Ludwig smiled, his hollow eye sockets glinting with mischief. “I lied.”
