The Walk to the Arena
ancient power woven into the heart of this place. His eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.
Orion walked beside him, practically vibrating with excitement. His hands were balled into fists, his breathing sharp and quick. "Master! This is it! We're about to crush them!"
Dante followed closely behind, his eyes darting toward the cracks of light spilling through the archway ahead. His hands were clenched into trembling fists. "You sure this is a good idea? This isn't exactly a sparring match."
Raizel's crimson eyes gleamed. "Good." His smirk sharpened. "That means it'll be more fun."
The light at the end of the hallway burst open as they stepped into the coliseum. The roar of the crowd struck them like a storm—thousands of voices, gods and mortals alike, screaming in anticipation.
The arena was vast—an enormous circular battlefield made of dark marble and edged with golden glyphs that shimmered faintly with suppressed magic. Towering pillars encircled the field, carved with runes of old gods long forgotten.
Above them, the sky itself seemed unnaturally dark, rippling with faint distortions of divine energy. The banners of the gods—marked with sigils of flame, wind, time, and perception—hung motionless despite the swirling winds.
The podium at the far end ignited with a burst of golden light. A masked figure materialized, his silver robes trailing smoke as his feet touched the ground. His face was hidden beneath an intricate mask, and his voice resonated unnaturally across the arena.
"Welcome to the Tournament of the New Gods!"
The crowd roared in response, the sound vibrating in Raizel's chest.
"Today, we honor those chosen by the gods—mortals and divine alike—as they face the crucible of power. Only the strong will rise. The weak… will be forgotten."
Raizel smiled faintly. Pathetic.
The masked figure's gaze swept across the competitors.
"The rules are simple. A 20-man Battle Royale will determine who advances to the next round. Defeat or ring-out equals elimination. No direct killing allowed—but injuries… are expected. Interference from outside parties will result in immediate disqualification. The last 20 standing will advance to the next phase."
"Let the battle… begin!"
A blinding pulse of divine energy shot through the arena. The ground beneath their feet trembled. The air twisted unnaturally, golden glyphs rising from the marble floor and forming a shimmering barrier around the battlefield.
Orion's fists tightened. "Master! Master! Did you hear that?!"
Raizel yawned. "I heard."
"Twenty people! We've got this!"
Raizel smiled darkly. "This will be over in five minutes."
Dante's face was pale as he stared across the field. "I hope you're right…"
A wave of burning pressure cut across the arena.
Ignis's crimson hair flared wildly as he stepped toward them, his golden eyes narrowed with barely concealed rage. Flames licked at his hands, twisting unnaturally as he stalked toward Raizel.
Behind him, Chronos and Zephyros stood shoulder to shoulder. Chronos's golden eyes glowed faintly, distorting the space around him. Zephyros's silver hair floated weightlessly, his piercing gaze gleaming with stormy malice.
Ignis's lips curled. "Raizel."
Raizel's smile sharpened. "I thought you'd be too humiliated to show your face."
"You…" Ignis's flames flared higher. "You only won because we were holding back."
Zephyros tilted his head. "We'll enjoy watching you crawl this time."
Chronos's gaze sharpened. "We weren't prepared last time. This time… we'll kill you."
Raizel chuckled darkly. "Funny. You talk like you've already won."
"Master!" Orion stepped forward, his aura flaring. "I've got this! I'll protect you!"
Raizel's smirk deepened. "No need. Just stay out of my way."
A sharp chime sounded across the arena. The first phase had begun.
Ignis attacked first.
A spear of flame shot toward Raizel's face. He didn't even blink.
Snap!
A wave of dark pressure erupted from Raizel's body. The air around him twisted unnaturally as the flame dissolved mid-air.
Ignis's eyes widened.
A blur of silver lightning struck from the side—Zephyros's attack.
Raizel vanished. He materialized behind Zephyros in an instant. His hand curled around the back of Zephyros's head.
Slam!
Zephyros's body collided with the marble floor, shattering it beneath him.
Zephyros coughed blood. "You… bastard…"
Chronos appeared behind Raizel.
Time froze.
Raizel's crimson eyes flicked toward him.
Crack!
Chronos's blade struck the air where Raizel had been a fraction of a second ago. Raizel reappeared, his hand around Chronos's throat.
"I've already seen this move."
Raizel's hand flared with black energy. Chronos's body flung backward, slamming into the wall. He crumpled to the ground, coughing violently.
Ignis screamed. His flames erupted across the arena in a wall of hellfire.
Raizel stood in the middle of the inferno, unharmed. His eyes glowed faintly as his hand lifted.
Whoosh!
The flames dissipated instantly.
Ignis's breath caught in his throat. "How…?"
Raizel smiled. "Next."
Orion squared off against two gods wielding blades of ice and steel. His body glowed with divine energy as he dodged the first strike and countered with a spinning kick.
"Yah!"
The blade wielder flew backward.
"Master! Did you see that?!"
"Fight first," Raizel said lazily.
A strike caught Orion across the shoulder. Blood splattered the marble.
Orion grimaced but refused to fall. He pivoted and delivered a crushing blow to his opponent's chest.
"Yes!"
From the high-ranking seats, a figure leaned forward. Orion's father's dark golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"Tch. Reckless as always," his father murmured.
"Perhaps," a voice next to him said. "But… his loyalty is impressive."
Zephyros and Chronos were down. Ignis stumbled, his flames dying in the cold air.
Raizel stood alone in the center of the battlefield, his expression bored.
Twenty figures remained standing.
The masked figure's voice resonated across the arena. "The battle royale… is over!"
Raizel's gaze lifted toward Orion's father's box. His smile sharpened.
Soon.