The Ashen Dominion
Chapter 78 - Hardwork & Talent [3]

Chapter 78: 78 - Hardwork & Talent [3]

THUD!

Yin fell onto the ground. His back laid flat against the sand... A sword was still stabbed into his stomach.

Drip... Drip...

A pool of blood formed beneath him.

And seeing this scene—

"..."

The whole coliseum became silent.

No one cheered. No one shouted.

Just a few moments ago, Viktor and Yin were clashing—

Equal.

Relentless.

Neither one giving in.

And now... it suddenly ended just like that.

Viktor stood a few steps away, bloodied and panting, holding his own stab wound on his stomach. While Yin lay unmoving on the ground.

Then finally, snapping everyone out of their stupor—

"VIKTOR WINS!!!"

The announcer’s voice thundered across the entire arena, loud and clear.

"AFTER THAT BRUTAL, INTENSE BATTLE—VIKTOR IS THE VICTOR!!!"

He added with a pun.

And just then—

Cheers erupted from the crowd like a wave!

"YEAAAAHHHH!!!"

"VIKTOR!!!"

"THAT WAS INSANE!!"

The coliseum trembled from the sheer volume of excitement! The spectators going wild after witnessing the best match of the day!

Hearing the cheerings around him, a small smile appeared on Viktor’s face.

Then, turning around—

"Haaah..."

Tap- tap- tap-

He let out a tired sigh and began walking toward the waiting room.

"I need to rest."

He mumbled under his breath, picking up his axe on the way... and even his broken one, gripping its shattered shaft tightly.

"VIKTOR!!"

"THAT WAS AMAZING!!"

"YOU’RE A MONSTER!!!"

The spectators were still singing him praises. Voices loud and proud as they shouted how incredible he was.

But Viktor ignored them.

He doesn’t really like nobles. Especially not the scum ones who think they’re superior to everyone else.

He isn’t smiling for them. He’s not grateful for their cheers.

Viktor is only happy to receive attention from them... Because that just means he’ll earn more Battle Points.

And that’s all there is to it.

...

Moving on—

Not long after...

TAP—

Viktor finally got back to the waiting room.

And as soon as he stepped inside the room—

"Viktor..."

"Are you okay?"

"You’re not feeling dizzy, are you?"

Rose, Jhamillah, and Jenna immediately rushed toward him.

Jenna looked worried.

Jhamillah was practically panicking, her voice loud and shaky.

Rose, meanwhile, was trying her best to keep calm—but even she couldn’t hide the anxious look on her face.

Viktor blinked at them, slightly caught off guard.

Then, a soft smile appeared on his lips.

"...Heh."

Seeing them this concerned about him—it warmed his chest a little.

But just then—

"You good?"

A voice came from the other side of the room.

Viktor turned to look the source of it—

And saw Kaiser, seated casually with his arms crossed, glancing at him with a calm smile.

Viktor smiled back at him briefly. Then, turning to the three girls again—

"I’m fine. It’s nothing serious."

He declared that with a shrug.

The girls were about to protest because having a stab wound is definitely not something "not serious."

But before they could even get their words out—

"I’ll live. I just need something to cover my wound even for a bit."

Viktor said that flatly, waving it off.

And hearing that—

"Alright, stay put."

"Where’s the clean cloth...?"

"Are there bandages here?"

The three girls immediately scattered around, searching the room for anything they could use.

Viktor let out a soft chuckle.

Then, walking over... He plopped himself down beside Kaiser.

"Your fight was amazing."

Kaiser stated calmly, not even looking at him at first.

Viktor gave him a sidelong glance, his lips twitching upward.

"Thanks... Try to do better than me."

He said that as he leaned his head back.

And right in that moment then—

"FOR OUR FINAL MATCH OF THE DAY—KAISER VERSUS EDMAR!!!"

The announcer’s voice echoed throughout the arena again!

Swoosh~

Kaiser stood up, cracking his neck.

Then, turning slightly—

"Don’t worry. I already plan to do better than you."

He declared that, full of confidence.

Viktor snorted.

The girls, hearing the call, turned from their rummaging.

"Good luck, Kaiser!"

"Do your best!"

"Don’t lose!"

They all cheered him on.

Kaiser just waved a hand behind him as he walked.

Tap—

And with that, he stepped out into the arena.

...

...

...

*****

By now, Kaiser’s name was known by some nobles and merchants who had watched his previous four fights. He’d already built a small reputation for himself. That’s why—

"KAISER!!"

"THE KID IS BACK!"

"I WANNA SEE HIM FIGHT AGAIN!"

When the spectators heard his name—they started cheering! Chanting his name as they saw him come out of the waiting room.

But as they laid eyes on him—

"...Huh?"

"...?"

The crowd suddenly quieted a bit, confused.

There was something different about him.

Tap—

Kaiser calmly walked toward his designated spot in the arena. His footsteps steady, focused.

And once he reached it—

FWOOSH—

He pulled out the large greatsword strapped to his back with both hands!

Then—

BAM!

He took a solid fighting stance, planting his foot firmly on the sand.

The spectators widened their eyes.

His usual setup; a buckler and a short sword, was nowhere to be seen. It was gone.

Now, Kaiser was wearing light leather torso armor, steel vambraces. But most noticeably—

He was wielding a greatsword.

A heavy weapon, meant for powerful strikes.

This shocked the people who’d already seen him fight on previous events.

"W-What? Isn’t he a speed fighter?"

"He’s using a greatsword now?!"

"That’s completely different from his last match...!"

Confusion spread. People started whispering again.

’Was he changing styles? Can he even do that fast?’

’Can Kaiser even use the greatsword with his kid body?’

Then, at that moment—

Tap—

Edmar stepped into the arena and took his position on the opposite side.

Each of his hands held a plain metal sword. His only defensive gear was a pair of tough leather boots and iron-plated vambraces. His torso was bare—just bandages wrapped tightly around it.

"..."

Kaiser stared at him silently.

’He’s easy to cut.’

He thought, observing Edmar’s lack of armor.

But he also knew—

’He’s fast.’

Kaiser’s eyes narrowed.

Speed was Edmar’s greatest strength. And because of that... it won’t be easy.

"..."

"..."

Kaiser and Edmar just stared at each other.

Kaiser could already feel it—the killing intent coming off Edmar in waves from where he stood.

’Bruh, I have a skill and my killing intent is weaker than his.’

He thought with a frown on his face.

SWOOSH~

The air around them grew heavy. The atmosphere shifted fast—it was getting sharper, more tense, each breath drawn by the crowd only adding fuel to the rising pressure. A thick silence wrapped the coliseum like a storm was about to hit.

And just then—

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!"

The announcer’s voice boomed, snapping the tension just enough to make the crowd breathe again.

"ON OUR RIGHT! KAISER—THE YOUNGEST GLADIATOR IN THE KINGDOM! ONLY SIXTEEN YEARS OLD!"

"Youngest?!"

"No way!"

Gasps and murmurs filled the arena from those who had just heard about Kaiser for the first time.

"HE HAD WON ALL FOUR OF HIS MATCHES SINCE HE ARRIVED JUST TWO MONTHS AGO!"

"FOUR WINS?!"

"Holy..."

"I SAW TWO OF THEM! HE’S CRAZY FAST!"

The cheers grew louder, several nobles leaned forward with interest. Some started taking notes, others whispered excitedly, realizing they might be watching the rise of someone special.

"A TALENT TO WATCH—AND TODAY, HE’S MADE A BOLD CHOICE! SWITCHING FROM HIS SHORT SWORD AND BUCKLER TO A HEAVY GREATSWORD!"

"Why is he changing styles?! I put my bet on him!"

"WHO DOES THAT BEFORE A BIG MATCH?!"

The audience buzzed again. Some were skeptical. Others thrilled. But all of them were eager.

Then, after a beat—

"AND ON OUR LEFT! EDMAAAR—THE DARK HORSE OF THE ARENA!"

The announcer raised his voice again.

"WITH OVER A DOZEN MATCHES TO HIS NAME, AND NOT A SINGLE LOSS!"

"WOOOOH!!!"

"EDMAAAAAR!!!"

"SHRED HIM TO PIECES!!!"

The female audience screamed louder. Others pumped fists in the air.

"HE ACHIEVED SILVER RANK IN JUST HIS SIXTH MATCH! THE FASTEST ANY GLADIATOR EVER HAS IN THE KINGDOM—ONLY THREE MONTHS SINCE HE STARTED!"

The arena roared.

"NOBODY’S STOPPED HIM YET!"

"HE’S A MONSTER!"

"THAT GUY’S GOT KILLER INSTINCT!!!"

Some spectators were even arguing now—who’s stronger? newcomer? Or the record holder?

"THIS IS A CLASH OF YOUTH AND SAVAGERY!"

"A SHOWDOWN OF RISING TALENTS!"

"IF KAISER WINS TODAY—HE’LL BE PROMOTED TO SILVER, BREAKING EDMAR’S RECORD AND SETTING A NEW ONE!"

The crowd exploded.

Chants broke out from both sides;

"KAI-SER! KAI-SER!"

"ED-MAR! ED-MAR!"

Fists raised, voices collided in a thunderstorm of excitement. The entire coliseum was trembling from the energy.

And with that—

"START THE FIGHT!!!"

The announcer roared, almost laughing from the sheer thrill!

But unlike any other fights...

Kaiser and Edmar didn’t move immediately.

They started walking in slow circles instead—eyes locked, steps deliberate, their weapons ready. Observing. Calculating.

The crowd was confused. This wasn’t like any of Kaiser’s previous matches. He usually dashed in like lightning, catching opponents off-guard with his speed.

And Edmar? He was always the one who moved first. Fast. Ruthless. Precise.

But now...

"...?"

"Huh? Why aren’t they moving?"

"What are they doing?"

Whispers and murmurs echoed from the crowd. Some leaned forward, others frowned.

But Kaiser and Edmar didn’t care.

’Even a small mistake here could lose us everything.’

They both thought the exact same thing.

"..."

"..."

Time passed. Slow and heavy.

The tension rose.

Then—

BAM!

Edmar suddenly kicked off the ground!

He moved like a blur—closing the distance between them in less than a second!

SWOOSH—!

He slashed downward with his right sword without holding back!

TING—!

But Kaiser didn’t flinch. He calmly raised his greatsword and used the wide blade to block the attack—like a wall of steel!

Edmar gritted his teeth, his face twitching slightly.

Then—

TAP—TAP—

He spun and followed up with a low sweeping slash from his left sword, aiming for Kaiser’s legs!

SHHK—!

But Kaiser jumped back in time! The blade missed him by a hair!

Thud!

Kaiser landed and steadied his stance, gripping his greatsword with both hands.

The crowd roared.

"YEAHHH!!!"

"IT’S STARTING!"

But back in the arena—

"..."

The two fighters stared at each other again.

No words.

Just the sound of their breaths—

And the rising bloodlust in the air.

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