“There you finally are!”
“We were waiting for your prick!”
“Now fight!”
Naturally, the crowd was angry, vicious even. Not only did they yell all sorts of curses at Alexander for just being late by five to ten minutes, but they were also throwing stuff at him.
This ‘stuff’ were soda cans, beer glasses and even popcorn or corn dogs. Whatever they had, they just threw it, joining the angered masses. Alexander ignored them, and made his way towards the stadium, the aura of death that Kazikato naturally exuded was being felt by every fiber of his being, he was imagining it like a monster that was above the stairs.
Yes, A monster. A monster of vile black with sharp and menacing teeth, abyssal eyes that would devour all light and a crazy instinct to kill. Looking right at him.
Alexander, dodging the filth in his way, proceeded forward, his eyes determined. He wasn’t scared of this monster.
The surrounding world all disappeared for him, and only that monster was visible. He, fearlessly, stepped up the stadium and went through the black mass that he had perceived to be the monster.
“Fuagh…”
Finally, he felt like he could breathe again, although the ‘monster’ exerted no such physical pressure, it was like an anvil being placed on his head, hurting his head the longer it continued. Even crushing it.
[Do not be afraid.]
Said Festul, already having merged with him and resting safely inside his body, he was still able to see everything though, as clear as day.
Alexander, as he stepped onto the platform, stopped abruptly, taken aback by the sight in front of him, His opponent, Kazikato…sleeping?
He lay peacefully on the hard, marble ground, clearly enchanted to make it more durable. He lay without a care in the world, yawning as if he was a school going child enjoying his winter holidays in his bed, covered in his pajama’s and warm blanket.
If someone saw him without context…they would never think he was supposed to duel Alexander.
“…
Alexander would be lying if he said the scene did not lower his morale, it did quite considerably. Just how confident, or how strong, was his opponent to regard him like this?
[Don’t fall for it.]
Festul reassured him, Alexander answered, with a sigh.
“I know, I know.”
He took his place, and Kazikato woke up, almost sensing him coming. The host didn’t even need to announce it.
Kazikato stretched, like one would when they woke up, and stood up, Facing Alexander.
But, this simple gestured was too much for Alexander, the vile monster made of black mass reappeared, and this time it was not alone.
It was accompanied by dozens, maybe even hundreds, some smaller, some bigger, but each one as menacing and terrifying like the former.
“…”
“Fooo…”
Alexander took a breath, supporting his frail mind with his mana, and the monsters were defeated. It had to be taken note that only he was feeling this, and Kazikato was not doing this intentionally. It was all in Alexander’s mind.
“That idiot.”
Commented the Sword saint, looking at the stadium from his secret room.
“Go easy on the kid.”
Oliver said, from the sides, also watching the match with great interest.
“Is that the kid?”
Asked Arken, and Oliver nodded.
“Hmm…hard to believe he almost killed Alan.”
Said Arken, sounding troubled.
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t feel anything from it, that would have been an indicator of his strength normally, but…it’s all void. He doesn’t know a lot.”
Arken explained, Oliver stayed silent and observed the two on the stage with great scrutiny, however he made no further comments.
“Well, won’t hurt to watch.” 𝘪𝘦.𝘤𝑜
Arken said, as he downed another bottle of expensive wine.
Back on the stadium, the crowd’s angry assaults had stopped. The atmosphere had turned tense as Kazikato and Alexander looked at each other in silence, the entire Colosseum, expecting a great clash, stopped. Even though the winner of this match had already been decided, that being Kazikato due to his track record, some still thought.
Can the Alex Kid do it?
It wasn’t wrong to think like such, the thing was, people loved an underdog proving everyone wrong and rising up to be the top. Kazikato may have been the predetermined winner…but what if that could change?!
Would that not be entertaining? Would it not awaken something inside their hearts? A joy, a surge of pleasure, excitement and everything else?
It would! And thus, some hoped it would be liked that, they had been tired of the usual predicted winner winning as usual.
Come on, show us something different! They yearned, even though they called the ‘underdog’ curses and threw things at him.
They wanted entertainment, and it was their job to provide it!
[Are the two participants ready?!]
Finally! The host would give it to them! He would declare the beginning of the semi-finals! Come on!
“Yes.”
Answered Kazikato, summoning his scythe, It had grown to be more polished, and possessed an otherworldly glow to it. If people looked at it for long, they would find themselves in a trance, seeing souls stare at them, sometimes taking the form of their beloved deceased ones. The children even cried when they looked at it.
“Yes.”
Alexander answered with some delay, looking carefully at Kazikato’s scythe. He unsheathed his blades, the Blade of Tempest And Thunder, the dual swords that were the reason for his strength. They each carried their own power, the Blade of tempest had wind accompanying it, whilst the one of thunder had small sparks appearing around it in irregular intervals.
[Both Participants are ready!]
The host said, clearly excited to be the one to host such a confrontation, the first match of the Semi-Finals! Between the Death Predator and Alexander!
[Now!]
The audience held their breaths, gazing onto the stage with rapt attention, eagerly waiting for their energies to clash! Come on! Any second now!
Come on!!!
[BEGIN!]
And it began, they almost jumped from their seats, their imaginations running wild…however they were betrayed!
Kazikato and Alexander did not start the match like the others before them, they didn’t follow the theme of the district matches at all!
Why so?
Because they didn’t rush at one another! Like all the rest! As soon as the match had begun, they just walked around the stadium, their weapons ready and their eyes observing the other.
They were different, they may have been youths…but they were not hot-blooded or crazily energetic to fight like maniacs from the start and expend their stamina. Unlike the others, they had experience.
Kazikato from Ariel’s Brutal training, And Alexander from his own master, Sword Saint Arken. Each of the two had one thing in common.
They made their disciples training a fucking hell, no…even worse than hell! The vivid scenes of fighting against a dragon that was as large as continents, when you were a small dragon…
The vivid scenes of fighting against hordes and hordes of demons…biting, spitting, thrashing around to try to survive as they tried to rip you apart limb to limb… Was etched into their mind. Never to be forgotten.
Both of them had learned the lesson, engage only when confident or sure, and always keep stamina a top priority. They knew the one who got tired first would lose.
And thus, this was the result. A match which involved not swords but eyes scrutinizing one another, waiting for each other to make the first move, or even observe one another, trying to see whether they could find a weakness…a clue!
But of course, this was not appealing to the audience!
“The fuck?!”
“Fight!”
They yelled, screamed and whatever could be done, however, the one’s responsible for such a reaction did not spare them a glance. Their entire attention was focused on one another, the world had disappeared for them.
And had been constructed anew, this time however, with only the two of them. Only these two, alone in this world, that would be their battlefield.
Alexander was ready, his shoulders were loose in order to respond to any sudden attack, and he was always encased in a defensive barrier of Null Mana, as a precautionary measure.
Kazikato was the same, he was also prepared for any random attacks. Now, the only question remained.
Who would do it first?
Alexander and Kazikato wondered, thinking…
‘Should I do it?’
Make the first move? Risk gaining an upper hand or a crippling chance at failure?
Who knows?
But eventually, they had to do it! It was nerve wracking even for them! One could slip up if this was delayed for too long.
And so, one did it.
Like a sudden dragon that launched at the prey, Kazikato disappeared and reappeared in front of Alexander, his scythe held high. Covered in a layer of Death energy.
He pivoted his foot into the ground…and swung down with all his might! All in an instant!
𝘪𝑎.𝘤𝑜𝘮