When Kael arrived at the combat arena, a wave of noise hit him head-on.
The stands were packed.
The people of the demonic race—or at least the vast majority—occupied every available seat.
Demons of all races, sizes, and shapes pressed against each other, expectant, impatient, with eyes ablaze.
Some shouted names they didn't even know yet. Others placed bets. Others simply wanted to see blood.
The arena was enormous. Circular. Made of polished black stone, with ancient marks engraved on the ground, symbols that spoke of past wars, of duels that had decided entire destinies.
In the center, the space was completely clear, as if even the arena itself knew that it would soon witness something important.
Kael was guided to an elevated seat, high enough to command the full view of the field.
Even sitting, he could see every corner of the arena without difficulty. From there, all the combats would unfold before his eyes like pieces on a cruel board.
Serenna stayed by his side, standing, back straight and hands crossed in front. Her expression was serious, focused, as if she were already analyzing every possible outcome.
Kael glanced at her sideways.
—Serenna... relax —he said in a low voice, with a nervous smile—. If you want, you can bring a chair and sit next to me, hahahaha.
He tried to sound relaxed, but inside his stomach was in knots.
She turned to look at him, a little surprised. For an instant she seemed to hesitate, as if that suggestion broke some invisible protocol.
— Yes, my lord. Right away.
Without wasting time, she took a chair that was just a few centimeters from the reserved spot and placed it next to Kael.
Then she sat with elegance, maintaining composure, though now her closeness made him a bit more uncomfortable than he had expected.
The murmur of the crowd grew, like a tide about to break.
Then, a figure appeared in the middle of the arena.
A tall man with a powerful voice held a metallic silver object: a magical megaphone, designed to amplify the voice throughout the coliseum.
As soon as he raised it, the noise began to fade.
— Good day, people of the demonic race! —his voice thundered—. Today we live an event worthy of being remembered.
Silence settled slowly.
—Today we are here to witness hand-to-hand battles between the best warriors in the service of the Demon Lord. That's right... the Seven Deadly Sins who accompany us today!
A roar of applause and shouts shook the stands.
Kael felt the sound vibrate in his chest.
—These confrontations will decide who will be the captain that leads the group of the Seven Deadly Sins —the announcer continued—. So don't get up from your seats and enjoy these battles, because what you will see today... doesn't happen easily.
The crowd erupted once more.
Some demons stomped the stands with their feet. Others raised weapons in the air. The arena seemed alive.
—As everyone knows... or as some still don't know —he continued—, the combats will be held in one-on-one format. For one of the two to advance to the next round, their opponent must be left unconscious or gravely wounded, unable to continue.
An excited murmur ran through the stands.
—We have first-class healers on the sides of the field —he added, pointing to the edges—, so don't worry. No one will die... unless their destiny wills it.
Kael swallowed hard.
—Right now we will choose the first matchup. In a few seconds we will know who the first chosen by fate will be.
Above the arena, the air began to distort.
Eight huge rocks floated in the sky. Each one measured approximately twenty centimeters long and wide. They rotated slowly, suspended by pure magic. Around them, an ethereal ribbon glowed, displaying names that moved nonstop: the names of each sin.
The crowd held its breath.
—In this moment we will know who will be the chosen ones for the first battle —the announcer declared—. The first two stones to touch the ground will be the selected ones.
The announcer raised his hand.
—Ten... nine... eight... seven... six... five... four... three... two... one!
The rocks fell.
Two impacted the ground at the same time, raising dust and a dry sound that echoed throughout the arena. The others disappeared into the air.
The silence lasted barely a second.
Then, anticipation exploded.
The man approached the stones, bent down and read the names engraved on them. His eyes opened with excitement.
—And the first duel will be between... Greed and Lust!
The arena erupted.
Shouts. Applause. Whistles. Overlapping voices chanting the sins as if they were living legends.
Kael felt a shiver run down his back.
On the sides of the arena, two enormous doors began to open slowly. The sound of stone shifting resonated loudly.
From one of them emerged Aurum.
His mere presence stole the breath of many. Elegant, confident, with a dangerous smile. His beauty was almost unnatural, like a sharpened jewel. The women screamed shamelessly. Some clutched their chests. Others uttered his name without even knowing it.
From the opposite door came Seraphyne.
Tall, imposing, with a different beauty. Wild. Burning. Her gaze was intense, like a living flame. The men shouted with the same force, fascinated, enchanted by her presence.
The noise was deafening.
Both walked confidently to the center of the field. Their steps were firm, sure, as if the arena already belonged to them. Neither carried their weapon visible. There were no swords, no spears, nothing in plain sight.
That only increased the tension.
—Now then —the man announced, raising the megaphone—. It is time to begin the first battle of the Seven Deadly Sins.
He made a dramatic pause.
—Lust... against Greed!
Silence fell suddenly.
So absolute that Kael could hear his own breathing.
Seraphyne and Aurum stared at each other fixedly.
Two sins face to face.
Two wills clashing even before the first blow.
The entire arena held its breath...
waiting for one of them to make the first attack.
A wind charged with power swept through the place. The ground trembled slightly under Kael's feet. Pure magic, invisible but dense, began to concentrate around the combatants, as if the air itself recognized them as superior entities.
Serenna clenched her fists on her knees, restrained. She knew that the first move would decide more than a simple duel: it would mark hierarchies, provoke fears, awaken dormant ambitions.
Aurum smiled with almost theatrical elegance, tilting his head slightly.
—Dear Seraphyne... I hope you don't mind if I'm the one who takes the first step toward victory.
She arched an eyebrow, with a spark of fire in her gaze.
—Oh, Aurum... I do mind. But I would love to see you try.
The crowd roared again, understanding that the words had begun the war.
Kael leaned forward, expectant. In his chest beat an emotion he didn't know if it was fear, pride, or pure adrenaline.
In that arena, before thousands of eyes, his sins were about to show what they were made of.
And as the dust still floated, as the shouts mixed with the restrained breathing of the demon king, a golden flash and a crimson blaze crossed in the air...
The real spectacle had just begun.