The arena lay in ruin. The sand was soaked in blood, and the air reeked of iron and smoke. The few surviving spectators had fled or cowered in the shadows, their whispers barely audible over the wind.
Kairo stood alone in the center, chains coiling around him like living serpents. He flexed his fingers, testing the weight of the chains he had claimed from the fallen demons. Each one felt alive, responding to his intent as if it knew its purpose: destruction.
From high above, the gates of the arena creaked and groaned, stirring echoes that seemed to reach far beyond the pit. A presence moved in the shadows — silent, observing. Hades' voice cut through the silence, cold and deliberate:
"Do you feel it, Veyrith? The currents are shifting. His actions tonight… they will awaken forces long dormant."
Veyrith's gaze followed Kairo, still standing tall amid the carnage. "A warrior who fights without holding back invites more than challenge," he said softly. "He invites destiny itself."
Kairo did not hear them. His focus was on the horizon, where faint shapes moved between the dunes. A scout? Perhaps a messenger. Or… something worse. His senses, honed by countless battles, tingled. There was a weight here — something ancient, watching, calculating.
The chains in his hands rattled, almost anticipating the threat. He tightened his grip, crimson eyes narrowing. Every instinct screamed at him that the calm after the storm was only temporary.
Suddenly, the sand shifted, and a shadow broke the horizon. A figure approached, cloaked in dark fabric, moving with unnatural grace. Even at a distance, Kairo felt its intent — deliberate, lethal.
Hades watched silently, eyes narrowing. "So it begins," he muttered. "The first to test him beyond the arena."
Veyrith's expression was unreadable, though his tone carried caution. "Let us see if he truly has grown… or if tonight's victory has sown the seeds of arrogance."
Kairo advanced toward the figure, chains flicking like whips in the wind. Each step resonated with purpose, the Judgement Dance lingering in every movement. The approaching shadow halted, almost studying him, waiting for the perfect moment.
The desert around them held its breath. No wind, no sound — only anticipation. And in that silence, Kairo felt the thrill of what was to come.
"This is no ordinary challenger," he muttered, voice low but steady. "And I have no intention of holding back."
The shadow tilted its head, and in a voice that cut like steel, it spoke:
"So… the Red-Eyed One finally awakens."