The rain fell relentlessly; heavy drops pounded the stone arena, streaming down the edges of the pillars, forming rivers of water and mud, mingling with the blood of the warriors lying on the ground. Some tried to get up, but they lacked the strength; every breath was ragged, and movement seemed an effort beyond human endurance.
Only the two of them still stood facing each other — Arok and Valdor. Their gazes were filled with rage, anger, and years of unresolved conflict.
Valdor was the first to break the silence; his voice was heavy, almost drowned out by the roar of the rain:
— Why did you leave me…! Why did you leave the capital without a word, without saying goodbye!
Nebuko, stepping closer, struggling to keep her balance and leaning on Arok's arm, said quietly:
— Arok… he deserves an explanation.
Arok only grunted, closed his eyes for a moment, and then told the truth. His voice was calm, but every word weighed like a stone:
— What I did was necessary. If I hadn't left the capital with Nebuko, it would have dragged you to a place from which you would never have returned.
Valdor gripped the hilt of his sword; his heart began to pound again, and anger and regret mingled with the cold pain of betrayal. His body trembled, and his aura began to radiate an invisible power that even the rain could not suppress.
Sylphia stood on a pillar of the arena. Her face was calm, and her eyes followed every movement. She whispered quietly:
— It is time.
In an instant, Arthur vanished, leaving only a void in the air that seemed charged with tension.
Valdor, shaken by his emotions, took a deep breath. A raindrop fell from his face to the ground.
His body trembled more and more, and in an instant he let out a blood-curdling scream that tore through the air. He lunged at Arok, and their final battle began.
Their movements were so fast that it looked as if they were teleporting across the arena. Every strike of Arok's katana and Valdor's sword left trails of energy in its wake, shattering puddles of water and stirring up whirlpools of mud. The stands erupted in cheers, and the audience rose to their feet, some unable to believe the speed and power of the clash.
Sylphia, looking at Valdor, whispered to herself:
— You've made progress, Valdor…
The commentator shouted with excitement:
— What a thrill! What a clash!
The captains of the other teams whispered among themselves, analyzing every move. Some watched intently, unable to take their eyes off the duel.
At that moment, Arthur appeared before the demon leader, ready to lead the assault on the capital.
— Sylphia has given the order; we can proceed. — he said calmly.
The commander nodded, turning to the demons waiting in readiness:
— Let's begin!
At the same time, in the throne room, the Demon King, Nathan, sat upon a high throne. A messenger knelt before him:
— I report that Sylphia and Arthur have launched an attack on the capital.
Nathan smiled coldly:
— Very well. Let them kill all the seekers and the important figures. This is the end of our alliance, Emperor.
His son, sitting beside him on a small throne, asked uncertainly:
— Father, why do you want to destroy the capital?
— Because they're growing too powerful. I formed an alliance with them to conquer the Dragon Kingdom; now I don't need them — Nathan replied.
Arthur reappeared beside Sylphia to continue their strategy, and the battle between Arok and Valdor reached its climax. Both were barely standing, their bodies covered in blood, water, and scratches, but their eyes burned with unwavering determination.
— Let's end this! — Arok shouted, and their auras suddenly exploded, taking the form of roaring dragon heads.
Arok's katana and Valdor's sword collided, causing a gigantic burst of energy that scattered water, mud, and shards of stone across the arena.
When the smoke cleared, they stood back-to-back. Arok said quietly:
— You haven't changed a bit…
He fell to the ground, but Valdor managed to catch him before he hit the stones.
— I've finally defeated you… — said Valdor, a faint smile appearing on his face.
Arok returned it, weakly but sincerely.
The commentator shouted:
— Officially, Dragon's Pursuit is the new champion!
The stands erupted in cheers. Medics rushed in with stretchers; chaos, screams, and orders filled the air as everyone tried to save the fighters.
— He needs immediate help!
— Hurry!
— We're taking him away!
The awards ceremony began later. The teams lined up in the arena
The Emperor stepped closer to the railing, raised his hand, and silenced the stands. Silence fell immediately.
— Today we witnessed something extraordinary. Not only a battle of strength and skill, but also of determination, courage, and heart. Each of you has shown that you can push beyond your own limits. Thank you. — said the Emperor
The stands erupted in applause, and the commentator spoke
— Third place goes to Burning Sand!
— Second place goes to Wolf's Edge; this is their first loss
— First place goes to the new team, Dragon's Pursuit!!
— Now we will begin the awards ceremony. All the fights were observed by the Master of the Adventurers' Guild, and he has decided to assign new ranks based on their skills.
The Guild Master stepped into the arena, accompanied by two young Nekomimi carrying a tray of new badges and pouches of gold coins for the winners. The Guild Master addressed them: — You all fought brilliantly. Now I will award you your new ranks.
— Since Wolf's Edge already holds the highest rank, instead of badges they will receive only pouches of gold coins. Congratulations.
Liora handed the pouch to Arokowmi
— Great job, nya! — said Liora
— Thanks — replied Arok
The Guild Master and Nekomimi approached Burning Sand.
— Everyone has been promoted to Diamond rank, and Kiyoshi receives the highest rank: Amaterasu, Mirei, Liora.
Mirei handed them their badges, and Liora handed them a pouch.
— Congratulations, nya!
— Yeah, thanks. — replied Kiyoshi
The Guild Master and Nekomimi approached Dragon's Pursuit
— Congratulations on your victory. You are the first team to defeat Wolf's Edge; you will also receive the Diamond rank, but Noah and Valdor will receive the highest rank, Amaterasu—they both did a great job.
Liora and Mirei handed them their rewards and a pouch.
— Congratulations to you, nya! — they both said.
— Thank you. — Valdor replied with a smile.
The commentator shouted,
— Let's congratulate our new champions once again!
Sylphia, perched on the pillar, smiled. Then a massive explosion rocked the capital, the ground shook, and black smoke rose from behind the arena walls. Human and demonic screams filled the air, and the guards immediately rushed to the emperor.
— Azrok is attacking! — shouted one of the guards.
Azazel spread his black wings, soared above the arena, and saw the city in flames. Demons were slaughtering people in the streets, more buildings were going up in flames, and adventurers were fighting the demons.
— The demons are attacking! — he shouted, his voice cutting through the panic.
Everyone stood there, terrified.
Kiyoshi looked around.
— We have to act, but the exit is blocked by people!
— Leave it to me. — said Mira.
Mira plunged her sword into the ground, and a massive tree branch began to grow, creating a safe path for the teams. Tensho issued quick orders:
— We move as one team! My team and the Mechanicus head north. Burning Sands and Forest Shield to the north. Wolf's Blade and Black Void to the east. Dragon's Hunt and Fallen Crosses to the west!
Everyone answered in unison:
— YES, SIR!
And they set off, each in their own direction, ready to face the chaos that had engulfed the capital. Valdor paused for a moment and looked at the burning city; memories of his own capital came flooding back to him.
— Not this time… — he thought, and pressed on.
END OF VOLUME 3
VOLUME 4 — Early Times: Eternal Conflict