"WOAH, WOOOOW! That's so cool! What is that—sooo amazing!" Milim's voice thundered beside me, practically shaking the viewing stand.
She jumped up and down, eyes glowing with excitement at Gobta's new form. I couldn't entirely blame her—I myself hadn't expected that fool to look so fierce.
"T-this—! Contestant Gobta's appearance has changed dramatically!" Souka announced, her voice trembling with shock.
"Yes, it seems to be a rare ability that allows one to merge with a summoned beast," Diablo replied calmly beside her. His tone was measured, almost scholarly.
"In other words," Souka continued, "Gobta has taken the power of the summoned beast we saw yesterday—Ranga—and made it his own? That's incredible!"
Even Souka's broadcast voice carried awe, her words echoing through the colosseum.
I leaned back on my seat, golden eyes narrowing. My divine presence hummed faintly, though I kept it restrained. The crowd's amazement was almost amusing.
"Does that mean," Souka asked, "Gobta can freely use Ranga's power?"
"If he can," Diablo replied, smiling faintly, "then I'm truly impressed. Ranga seems to have entrusted full control to Gobta. Together, they may form an unexpectedly formidable duo."
"Ehhh, but that's Gobta we're talking about," Souka added doubtfully.
Diablo chuckled softly. "Kukuku… Gobta is my disciple, after all. While his body isn't the strongest, he has faced Majin far above his level before. With Ranga's strength flowing through him, his limits may be beyond what we can predict."
I let my eyes drift toward the arena, the corners of my lips curving ever so slightly. "We'll see," I murmured, my tone both sharp and amused.
The crowd buzzed with excitement. The sight of Gobta, now standing tall in his merged form, had captivated everyone.
"Hehe, my turn now!" Gobta declared boldly.
I resisted the urge to sigh. "Weren't you already the one who struck first?" I muttered under my breath, my golden aura flickering briefly in irritation.
Before anyone could react, Gobta vanished.
Or rather—he moved so fast that it appeared as though he had disappeared entirely.
"C-contestant Gobta vanished! Where did he go—?" Souka's voice boomed dramatically, feeding into the audience's confusion.
And then—
BOOOOM!
The arena floor exploded. Debris flew everywhere, a shockwave shaking the entire colosseum. The wall directly beneath our VIP booth cracked from the impact.
Through the dust, I could see clearly what had happened. Gobta—now merged with Ranga—had charged with full force… and missed.
He shot straight past Masayuki and slammed headfirst into the wall.
I stared for several long seconds, golden eyes narrowing in disbelief. "…I should have seen that coming."
This was why I rarely placed faith in fools.
"Ara… contestant Gobta isn't getting up! Is he all right?" Souka's voice carried a mix of concern and suppressed laughter.
The entire arena went silent. Gobta lay flat on the ground, twitching slightly. His transformation faded, Ranga's essence dispersing as he reverted back to normal form—unconscious and defeated.
"He's out cold," I said bluntly.
It wasn't even because of the impact. His body could handle that. No—he'd passed out from shock. The fool didn't realize his speed had increased tenfold. What was one second to him before was now like lightning—he couldn't stop himself.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling deeply. "Unbelievable."
"That idiot…" Benimaru muttered beside me, yawning like he'd seen this too many times.
"That's the Gobta I know," Shion added, barely holding back her laughter.
Hakurou, on the other hand, sat silently, a vein pulsing on his forehead.
"Hmm—so this is what Father's disciple is like?" Momiji said teasingly.
That made Hakurou's jaw twitch dangerously.
The whole situation was absurdly awkward.
And then came the audience's attempt to make sense of it all.
"W-was that… a shadowless body slam?" one man shouted.
"Y-you might be right! It must've been some kind of invisible technique!"
"He's so fast we couldn't even see him move!"
"Masayuki-sama is so strong! He defeated him in one strike!"
The cheering that followed was deafening. The crowd believed Masayuki had somehow triumphed in an invisible exchange of blows.
In reality, the only opponent Gobta had fought was the wall.
Beside me, Milim trembled with rage. Her tiny fists were clenched tight, eyes glowing dangerously.
"T-that idiot… Was he mocking me?! How could he look so cool one moment, and then… that?!" she shouted furiously.
I raised a hand calmly. "Calm yourself, Milim. He worked hard for that power."
"Hard work means nothing if he can't use it properly!" she snapped back.
Hakurou nodded gravely. "Atem-sama, I must take full responsibility. I've been too lenient with Gobta. I will see to it that he undergoes proper training."
I turned to him slowly. "See that you do. A warrior who cannot control his strength is nothing more than a liability."
Milim, however, wasn't satisfied. Her eyes gleamed with wicked excitement. "Then it's settled! I'll train him personally! Atem, give him to me—I'll turn him into a real fighter!"
Her tone was so eager it almost sounded like she was begging for a new pet.
I gave her a long look. "…You realize he might not survive your version of training."
"Ehhh, he'll be fine! Probably!" she said, smiling innocently.
I ignored that. "There's another matter, actually. Something that may interest you more."
Milim blinked. "Oh? What is it?"
"Beneath the ruins of Clayman's old territory, there lies an ancient structure. I suspect it's connected to the old world—possibly even predating it. I've ordered my people not to touch it until further notice. But I intend to investigate soon. I'd like your approval to enter your territory."
Milim tilted her head. "Why do you need my approval?"
Before I could respond, Frey cut in smoothly. "Because, Milim, that land belongs to you now."
Milim froze for a second, then quickly straightened her back and puffed her chest. "O-oh yeah! Of course! I remember that! Totally!"
I smirked faintly. "Then, I'll take that as permission?"
She nodded eagerly. "Of course it's fine! Go ahead!"
"Good." I leaned back, satisfied. "Then it's settled."
Poor Gobta may have humiliated himself, but at least something useful came out of this day.
"By the way, Atem," Milim asked suddenly, "when you go investigate, can I come with you?"
"That depends. I've already invited an expert from the Freedom Association. But if you're serious, then yes, you may join."
"Perfect! I'll be ready!"
"We'll see," I said, smirking slightly. "You might find it boring if nothing worthwhile appears."
As we waited for the referee's final announcement, the arena buzzed with excitement.
After a few moments, Souka finally raised her mic and shouted,
"The results are in! While it's worrying that contestant Gobta has yet to recover, the winner of the match is—!"
And at that moment, the colosseum held its breath—awaiting the declaration.
"I'll give you a taste of it! Magic Wolf Unification!" Gobta shouted confidently at Masayuki as the standoff began.
In that instant, Masayuki felt a cold sweat trickle down his neck. Hold up! What the hell is that skill?! I've never heard of that before!
Before he could even blink, Gobta's body began to radiate with a wild, primal light. His aura flared, and the next second, a dark wolf spirit wrapped itself around him. His appearance shifted—hair spiking up, eyes glowing, his frame larger and sharper.
"Wha—!? That's cheating!" Masayuki shouted internally. The pressure alone was enough to make him choke. Even though he wasn't a warrior, he could feel it—Gobta wasn't just playing around.
That aura... this guy's the real deal!
Masayuki glanced at his flimsy armor. "If I get scratched by those claws, I'm toast," he muttered. "I should've taken that full magisteel armor when they offered it…" But deep down, he knew it wouldn't have mattered. Against that thing, nothing would save him.
Gobta grinned wildly. "Heh hehe, my turn now!"
"Wait—let's talk about this!" Masayuki tried to step back, but Gobta was already channeling energy, the entire arena trembling from the surge.
No no no, this is bad! I need to forfeit— Masayuki thought frantically. He didn't care about pride or titles anymore. If this continued, he'd end up dead.
And then—
BOOOOM!
The entire arena shook. Gobta's massive energy burst exploded outward, kicking up dust and wind like a miniature storm.
When the smoke cleared… Gobta was lying flat on his back, completely unconscious.
Masayuki stood there, frozen. His mouth hung open. "Huh?"
He didn't even process what happened. One moment he was preparing to run, and the next, his opponent had knocked himself out.
The shockwave had torn through the stone walls.
Pebbles and debris hit Masayuki's face, stinging his cheeks. The pain snapped him out of it. "No way… I couldn't have dodged that. I'd be dead if that hit me!"
He looked around. The crowd was already murmuring excitedly. Some were cheering for him. Some were in awe. Some… actually believed he planned this.
Oh, come on! Why does this always happen?! Masayuki thought, panic rising.
If Gobta stayed down, that meant he would be declared the winner.
But that wasn't a prize—it was a death sentence.
Winning meant earning the right to challenge Demon Pharaoh Atem, the ruler of Eterna.
Masayuki froze. Just the thought made his heart skip a beat. Atem wasn't just a Demon Lord—he was something far above it. His very presence made kings bow and monsters tremble. His golden eyes held the weight of eternity, and his voice alone could command armies.
Masayuki remembered hearing stories. Atem had crushed wars with a word. Nations knelt to him not out of loyalty—but fear.
Challenge him? Are you insane?!
Even if Masayuki somehow survived the match, he wouldn't survive Atem's gaze.
He began to panic. No, I can't win this. I need to lose. Lose now.
The crowd grew louder as the referee, Souka, stepped forward. "The results are in! While it is unfortunate that contestant Gobta has yet to recover, the winner of the match is—"
"Wait!" Masayuki yelled. His voice cracked slightly, but he quickly composed himself. Everyone turned to look at him.
Souka blinked. "What's the matter, Masayuki-sama?"
Masayuki swallowed hard, then stretched out his hand calmly, taking the microphone from her. He forced a serene smile, the kind that only hid sheer terror. "For this match…" he said slowly, "wasn't I the one who lost?"
Souka tilted her head. "Eh? But, Masayuki-sama, it was contestant Gobta who knocked himself out."
Masayuki chuckled softly, pretending to be composed. "That may be true, but I failed to read his final move. That means… I still have much to learn."
He paused for a moment, eyes flicking toward the royal balcony above the arena where Atem sat upon his golden throne, watching silently. The Pharaoh's golden eyes gleamed, filled with amusement, yet his aura carried an oppressive authority that made Masayuki's knees nearly buckle.
Masayuki's heartbeat thundered in his chest. He continued, "I am not yet ready… to face His Majesty, Pharaoh Atem. It would be far too early for me to challenge a god."
The words rolled naturally, his fear guiding every syllable.
Souka stared at him in disbelief, but the crowd—oh, the crowd went wild. They twisted his excuse into something grand. They cheered for his "humility," for his "wisdom." They believed he was showing respect to Atem's divine authority.
Masayuki slowly handed the microphone back and turned toward the exit. He didn't answer anyone calling his name. He didn't look back. Every step he took felt like escaping death itself.
From his throne, Atem's lips curved slightly. His presence alone silenced the stadium. His crimson cape draped behind him like flowing blood, and the Eye of Horus faintly glowed upon his forehead. Solarys, the Sovereign of Wisdom, whispered telepathically,
"He avoided your challenge well, my Pharaoh. Shall I mark him as unworthy?"
Atem's golden eyes shimmered.
"No," he replied calmly, his voice echoing like thunder through the air. "He may be weak… but he knows when to bow before true power. Let him live with that fear—it will guide him better than arrogance."
Masayuki didn't hear those words. He simply ran.
This was the first time in his life he'd focused so intensely on just moving his feet. He didn't care how he looked—he just wanted out.
And thus, Masayuki elegantly escaped from what could have been the end of his life—his greatest crisis yet, spared only by his instinct to survive and his fear of Pharaoh Atem.