In the heart of the arena, the large man and the small boy had no idea what was happening around them. Their fight, which resembled a game of cat and mouse, continued amidst the laughter of the audience—one fleeing and the other chasing him with rising fury. The large man's face turned red from anger, while the crowd's laughter in the stands only grew louder, unaware of what was happening behind them.
As they laughed at the ridiculous battle in front of them, a voice rose from among the audience, dragging them from the comedic scene into one of terror:
— "Look! The battle between the newcomer and that young man is over!"
All eyes turned toward where Youray stood, and toward the other young man lying on the ground… his head separated from his body.
Shock spread among the crowd:
— "What happened?! Is he… dead? How?!"
That slender one with closed eyes—look what's coming out from under his sleeves...
Someone said it was bones.
He's a possessed one.
Fear swept through the spectators, and whispers of panic rose.
On the Honorary Platform,
Dorana's features froze as she whispered to herself in astonishment:
— "This germ… it vanished decades ago. Why has it appeared here? And who is this boy? His face… it's familiar… but where exactly have I seen it?"
Meanwhile, in the other corner of the arena, where the battle between the large man and the young boy continued, nothing had changed. The former kept chasing the latter—until the boy stumbled and lost his balance.
The large man laughed the laugh of a victor and said:
— "You're finished!"
He raised his heavy hammer and charged at the boy.
But before the hammer could fall, a wicked smile appeared on the boy's face… and in a split second, the man's head flew into the air.
It was the first—and only—time the boy had struck.
What the crowd saw was blood splattering into the sky...
A deadly blow had torn off the large man's head.
Shock. Then silence.
One of the spectators in the stands burst into laughter. It was Lilar, who spoke with a wide smile:
— "What a cunning boy... he pretended to be weak to lure his opponent into a trap. A clever trick for someone your age. I think I've found a replacement for what I was searching for."
In the arena, only three survivors remained.
The large man had been killed by the small boy.
The old man with the severed arm had fallen dead.
And the third had been finished off by Youray.
Meanwhile, the girl who had been sitting beside Mihon had stood up and left—unnoticed by anyone, as all were stunned by what was unfolding.
Suddenly, a man leapt from the stands into the arena and stood beside the small boy.
The crowd was shocked:
— "Again?! Another person invading the fight? What kind of farce is this?! Is this a battle or a play?! Don't tell me he wants to fight in the boy's place too?!"
But the moment Mihon, Youray, and Amis laid eyes on the man, they recognized him instantly:
Lilar, with his gray hair and purple robe.
Even on the honorary platform, some of the attendees recognized him.
Loren said in surprise:
— "What brought this man here? What is he planning?"
Dorana replied in a cautious tone:
— "People like him don't move without a reason… so what drove him to come?"
Lilar turned toward them and spoke loudly:
— "Ladies and gentlemen, I will be taking this child with me. It would be a shame for him to die without showing his full potential and talent."
Then he said to the boy:
— "Do you want to get out of here alive? Come with me… but you'll have to join my fellowship."
The small boy replied defiantly:
— "And who are you to make such a demand? Why do you want to get me out of here?"
Lilar smiled and said:
— "I told you… I want to recruit you into my fellowship."
— "And if I refuse?" the boy asked.
Lilar laughed mockingly and said:
— "Look at that white-haired youth… do you think you can fight him? You won't leave here in one piece. Your fate will be the same as the one next to him."
He pointed to the boy with the severed head.
Then, without warning, he slapped the small boy hard, knocking him unconscious. He slung him over his shoulder and muttered:
— "Why waste time explaining to a kid like you?"
At that moment, one of the cavalry commanders charged into the arena, attacking swiftly with his sword, shouting:
— "Who do you think you are?"
But Lilar smiled and delivered a punch strong enough to block the sword, then collided his fist with the rider's face, sending him backward with such force that he slammed into the wall, cracking it.
Lilar smiled and said:
— "So, you have some good fighters in this small kingdom…"
The king stood up from his place, removed his magnificent royal robes, revealing a silver armor underneath, then jumped into the arena saying:
— "You dare attack my people before me? It seems you seek death."
In the stands, Blue ran was speaking to his followers:
— "Prepare yourselves well outside the city. We will capture the white-haired one and his friend. We don't know where the other is, but since the human devil isn't here, we'll settle for those scum."
The soldiers replied, "At your command," and all set off, leaving Blouran and Reno watching the events unfold.
Suddenly, a faint voice echoed through the stands:
— "Begin."
Some attendees started removing their cloaks, revealing black attire underneath… Fifteen people moved toward the honorary platform!
Panic spread. People screamed and began running in all directions throughout the stands.
Commander Felix shouted:
— "Protect the queen! Kill anyone who comes near!"
The knights charged forward, clashing with the black-cloaked assailants. The battle grew fiercer, screams echoing in every direction, while Lilar and the king stood wide-eyed, stunned by the chaos erupting before them.
At that moment, Raiven and his followers rose and began moving toward the honorary platform as well.
Blue ran spotted them and rushed forward with Reno to intercept, shouting angrily:
— "Raiven Bethorne! Even you're here?! You bastard!"
Raiven smirked and replied mockingly:
— "Wherever I go, you filth are always in my way. Why won't you just let us live in peace?!"