The footsteps of Samurai-X echoed softly throughout the Colosseum arena.
The dust that remained from Feeth's body still drifted lightly through the air, shimmering beneath the light pouring down from the open sky. There was no celebration from him, no triumphant expression. He simply walked toward the right gate with his sword neatly sheathed, as if victory had merely been his duty.
The commentator's voice thundered across the arena.
"And… the first duel has come to an end! Samurai-X leaves the battlefield victorious!
The Warrior's Assassin has fallen, reduced to dust, leaving behind only silence within this Colosseum!
But audience… do not be mistaken! This is only the beginning!"
The crowd erupted once again, their cheers now mixed with awe and tension.
Samurai-X stopped briefly before the right gate. Without turning around, he coldly muttered,
"The next one… better not disappoint me."
The gate slowly closed behind him, leaving the massive arena empty and eerily silent for several seconds.
Then—
The giant bell of the Colosseum rang once.
The commentator raised his voice again.
"Attention, everyone in the Colosseum!
With the first duel concluded, the current score will now be announced!"
His voice echoed throughout every corner of the arena.
"Indavers: One victory!
Warriors: Zero victories!"
The right side of the audience exploded with cheers.
Meanwhile, the Warrior supporters on the left side fell silent for a brief moment before determined shouts began rising once again.
"But don't misunderstand this situation, audience!
The Warriors have not fallen yet!
Many fighters still remain!
And now… it is time for the second duel!"
The arena lights dimmed.
The two gigantic gates slowly began glowing with radiant symbols.
"Watch carefully!
The left gate belongs to the Warriors!
And the right gate… belongs to the Indavers!"
The audience screamed louder than before.
Names were shouted wildly even though no fighter had appeared yet.
A thin layer of fog spread throughout the battlefield.
The ground itself trembled lightly, as though the Colosseum understood that the next battle would be something far more terrifying.
"The first duel showcased speed and technique…
But this second duel… will touch something far more horrifying!"
The right gate opened first.
From within the fog emerged a towering figure, far taller than any ordinary human.
Its body was thin, elongated, and pitch black.
Its face was blank—without eyes, without a mouth—like an empty surface swallowing all light around it.
Black tentacles slowly stretched from its back and sides, writhing as though alive.
Every step it took was silent, yet the pressure of its aura alone caused many spectators to unconsciously stop breathing.
The commentator's voice lowered with tension.
"Audience… here comes the next fighter representing the Indavers!
A being whose mere presence makes the air feel heavy itself!
Slenderman has entered the arena!"
Cheers mixed with terrified screams echoed throughout the Colosseum.
Some spectators shouted hysterically, while others roared in excitement.
Slenderman's tentacles slowly dragged across the arena floor soundlessly.
It stopped precisely at the center of the battlefield.
No movement.
No voice.
Only suffocating silence.
Then—
The left gate opened.
Light footsteps echoed gently.
A young man with short white hair casually walked out from the light.
His crimson eyes remained calm, almost emotionless.
He carried no weapon.
He made no fighting stance.
He simply… walked.
The commentator shouted excitedly.
"And from the Warrior side!
The next fighter has finally appeared!
The young man everyone has been waiting for… Nova Reed has entered the arena!"
The left side of the audience exploded with cheers.
"NOVA!"
"WARRIORS!"
"GET REVENGE!"
Nova stopped several meters away from Slenderman.
He stared directly at the towering creature without fear.
Without hesitation.
Without even curiosity.
Slenderman remained motionless.
Its tentacles slowly lifted into the air, as though reacting to Nova's existence.
"The second duel is about to begin!
A Mage against a creature of darkness whose very existence is difficult to comprehend!
Audience… prepare yourselves!"
Before the bell could even ring—
Nova slowly raised his hand.
He pointed directly toward Slenderman.
No long chant.
No brilliant magic circles.
No overwhelming burst of light.
Nova merely opened his mouth and quietly said,
"Die."
Instantly—
The entire arena froze.
Slenderman stopped moving.
Its tentacles stiffened midair.
Its dark aura collapsed immediately like a candle extinguished by the wind.
Its body crashed heavily onto the arena floor.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
No cheering.
No screaming.
The commentator's voice trembled.
"…What…
What just happened?!"
The audience stared at one another in confusion.
Some unconsciously stood up.
Others remained frozen, unable to process what they had just witnessed.
"Slenderman…
Defeated…
By a single word?!"
Nova remained standing calmly.
But his eyebrows slightly narrowed.
He felt something strange.
A foreign aura.
Dark.
Sticky.
Nova slowly pressed his hand against his chest.
"Wait…!
Nova isn't leaving the arena!
Something… something is wrong!"
Nova closed his eyes.
The entire arena suddenly felt an unnatural pressure, as though time itself had begun trembling.
"Rewind."
The air pulsed violently.
For a brief moment, it felt as though time itself had reversed by a single second.
Yet Slenderman's corpse still remained on the ground.
Nova opened his eyes once more.
He pointed again toward the fallen creature.
"Die."
This time, the dark aura that had slipped into Nova's body was forcibly dragged out, vanishing like smoke blown away by the wind.
Slenderman's body began cracking apart.
Lines of light spread across its surface.
Its tentacles collapsed one by one.
Then—
Its body slowly turned into dust, rising into the air and disappearing particle by particle until nothing remained.
The audience EXPLODED.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
"ONE WORD?! TWICE?!"
"WHAT KIND OF MAGIC IS THAT?!"
The commentator nearly screamed.
"INCREDIBLE!
ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!
Nova Reed has defeated Slenderman in a way that cannot even be explained properly with words!
There was no prolonged battle!
No opportunity to resist!
This… this was absolute execution!"
The entire arena shook violently from the overwhelming cheers.
"And with this… the score is now tied!
Indavers: One!
Warriors: One!"
Nova lowered his hand.
Without even glancing at the fading dust behind him, he turned away.
The Colosseum thundered with excitement.
Two duels.
Two outcomes.
Two worlds challenging each other.
And everyone understood—
This was only the beginning of a far greater nightmare.
Nova Reed's footsteps slowly faded as he walked away from the arena.
The audience's cheers still echoed behind him, yet he never turned around. The left gate slowly closed, as though ending one nightmare while opening another far worse one.
The dust that remained from Slenderman had completely vanished. The arena was clean once again—far too clean—as though waiting for the next bloodshed to become ash.
The Colosseum bell rang twice.
The commentator's booming voice echoed once more.
"Attention, everyone in the Colosseum!
The second duel has officially ended with an overwhelming victory for the Warriors!
But… do not leave your seats.
Because now… we enter the third round!"
The crowd erupted even louder than before.
"This third round will bring together two completely different beings!
From the left side of the arena… the Warrior fighter known for being cold, sharp, and merciless!
And from the right side… the winged Indaver, the bringer of light who has destroyed countless worlds!"
The arena lights dimmed once again.
The ground trembled softly.
"Audience… prepare yourselves!
Because this duel is not merely a clash of strength!
This is a collision of beliefs!"
The left gate opened.
Slow footsteps echoed softly.
A woman with long black hair calmly stepped into the arena. In her hand rested a massive dark scythe, its curved blade sharp and menacing while a cold aura flowed from the weapon itself.
The commentator shouted loudly.
"Representing the Warriors!
The Reaper known for precision and strategy!
Shi Morgan has entered the arena!"
The Warrior side erupted.
"SHI!"
"TAKE HIM DOWN!"
Shi stopped at the center of the battlefield. The blade of her scythe scraped against the ground with a heavy metallic sound.
Then—
The right gate opened.
Golden light burst outward.
A winged figure slowly stepped forward, tall and graceful, radiating blinding light. His enormous white wings spread slowly, casting a massive shadow across the arena.
"And representing the Indavers!
The Bringer of Light!
The Judge from another world!
Lucifer has descended into the arena!"
The right side of the audience shook the Colosseum with deafening cheers.
Lucifer stared at Shi from afar, a faint smile appearing on his face.
Lucifer said calmly while tilting his head slightly,
"So you're the Reaper? You look… fragile."
Shi slightly lifted her scythe before replying coldly,
"Light that shines too brightly… usually hides fear."
The bell rang loudly.
THE THIRD DUEL BEGAN.
Lucifer moved first.
His wings burst open as his body shot forward at incredible speed.
Shi spun her scythe, blocking a beam of light that slammed into the arena floor.
"And the duel begins!
Lucifer's speed is unbelievable!
But Shi blocked the first attack with incredible precision!"
Shi leapt sideways as her scythe sliced through the air.
Lucifer avoided the attack effortlessly, sparks of light scattering from every movement.
Lucifer smirked faintly.
"You're slow."
Shi answered without hesitation.
"Fast enough to kill you."
Shi launched a relentless barrage of attacks.
The giant scythe spun violently, tearing through the air and forcing Lucifer backward.
Light and shadow collided repeatedly, creating explosive flashes that made the audience scream.
"INCREDIBLE!
Shi is pushing Lucifer back!
No one expected this!"
Lucifer landed roughly, slightly losing balance.
His wings flapped violently, generating a shockwave that forced Shi backward.
Lucifer narrowed his eyes.
"…Interesting."
Shi gave him no time to recover.
She dashed forward, her scythe aiming directly for his neck.
Lucifer blocked using his glowing arm, but the impact still forced him back several steps.
"Audience!
Lucifer is being pressured!"
The Warrior side roared wildly.
Lucifer slowly inhaled before staring at Shi sharply.
"…Fine.
Enough playing."
The air around Lucifer began heating up.
Light condensed within his hand, forming a blazing sword of fire.
"WHAT IS THAT?!
Lucifer has summoned his weapon!"
Lucifer attacked instantly.
The flaming sword collided against Shi's scythe, creating a massive explosion of light.
The arena shook violently.
Shi was thrown backward, but she landed on one knee.
Shi muttered while breathing heavily,
"So this is your true power."
Lucifer coldly responded,
"And you are not worthy of seeing more."
The battle exploded once again.
Scythe and flaming sword clashed repeatedly.
Fire and darkness devoured one another.
Every collision felt heavier than the last.
Then—
Shi twisted her scythe past Lucifer's defense—
AND LUCIFER'S LEFT WING WAS SEVERED.
The audience ERUPTED.
"INCREDIBLE!
Lucifer's wing… has been cut off!"
Lucifer fell to one knee.
The light surrounding him flickered wildly.
Slowly, he stood back up.
"…Enough."
Lucifer's aura changed completely.
The once warm light became sharp and painful.
Lucifer stared directly at Shi.
"I acknowledge your courage, Reaper."
Suddenly—
He vanished forward.
Shi tried to defend—
But the flaming blade pierced through her vision.
Yet Shi did not fall.
Her body crashed into the arena wall as dust exploded everywhere.
The audience fell silent.
The commentator shouted nervously.
"A direct hit from Lucifer!
Is this the end for Shi Morgan?!"
The dust slowly settled.
One of Shi's hands still tightly gripped her scythe.
Then—
She stood up.
Staggering.
Bleeding.
But still standing.
Dark blood dripped onto the arena floor as she slowly continued walking forward.
Lucifer stared silently for a moment.
"…You're still standing?"
Shi smirked faintly.
"Reapers never surrender.
We fall while dragging our enemies down with us."
The Warrior side EXPLODED with cheers.
"SHIIII!!"
"DON'T FALL!!"
Shi slammed the handle of her scythe into the ground.
The shadows across the arena suddenly moved.
Lucifer's own shadow trembled unnaturally.
The commentator shouted in shock.
"Wait—!
What's happening to Lucifer's shadow?!
This… this isn't an ordinary illusion!"
Shi dashed forward.
Not with speed.
Not with brute force.
But with absolute precision.
Her scythe sliced directly through Lucifer's shadow—
And his real body froze for a split second.
Lucifer's eyes widened slightly.
"…A soul technique?"
Shi suddenly appeared directly before him.
"You focused too much on the light.
Your shadow… was careless."
SLASH.
Shi's scythe tore across Lucifer's chest.
The surrounding light cracked apart.
Lucifer's body was blasted backward, crashing across the arena floor.
The Colosseum ERUPTED.
"INCREDIBLE!!
Lucifer has taken a direct hit!!
Shi Morgan refuses to fall!!"
Shi stood there breathing heavily.
Her entire body trembled violently.
It was obvious—
She had already surpassed her own limits.
Lucifer slowly rose to his feet once more.
The light surrounding his body had become unstable.
He stared at Shi silently for several moments.
"…I was wrong.
You are not fragile."
He slowly raised his flaming sword again—
But now both hands gripped the handle.
"You are a stubborn soul.
And because of that… I will end this completely."
The pressure within the arena skyrocketed.
The ground cracked apart even further.
The air itself became unbearably heavy.
Shi slowly inhaled.
She raised her scythe one final time.
"Good.
If I must disappear…
Then I'll do it standing."
Both fighters moved simultaneously.
No complex techniques.
No complicated maneuvers.
Only two overwhelming wills colliding head-on.
The flaming sword and the dark scythe clashed—
SLOW MOTION.
Light and darkness devoured one another.
Then—
CRACK.
Shi's scythe shattered.
Lucifer's blade broke through her defense.
The final strike landed directly on Shi.
Her body froze in place.
But—
She did not fall.
For several seconds, Shi remained standing while staring directly at Lucifer.
Then she quietly whispered,
"…Remember this.
Even light… can bleed."
Cracks slowly spread across her body from her shoulder downward.
Black dust began rising from her arms, chest, and face.
Shi released her final breath—
Still standing.
Then her body slowly crumbled into dark ash, spiraling gently through the air before vanishing completely.
Her shattered scythe fell heavily onto the arena floor.
Silence filled the Colosseum.
Then—
THE ENTIRE ARENA ERUPTED.
The commentator shouted with overwhelming emotion.
"THE DUEL HAS ENDED!!
LUCIFER IS VICTORIOUS—!!
BUT AUDIENCE!
SHI MORGAN NEVER SURRENDERED!!
SHE FELL WHILE STILL STANDING!
SHE FELL AFTER MAKING EVEN LIGHT ITSELF BLEED!
THIS IS A BATTLE THE COLOSSEUM WILL NEVER FORGET!!"
Lucifer stood silently, staring at the dust that remained.
Then he quietly murmured,
"…Reaper.
Your name will be remembered."
The arena gates slowly opened once more.
The duel had ended.
But the price of victory was painfully clear.