Rumble...
The dust and steam slowly settled on the ruined arena.
Fifty thousand spectators held their breath, their eyes glued to the center of the impact crater. Who won? Did the invincible Ice Princess withstand that horrific black fire? Or did the Dark Horse crush the favorite?
A gentle wind blew, revealing the truth.
"Look!"
"Oh my god..."
In the center of the scorched crater, Lucas stood tall, his hands still in his pockets. Not a spec of dust was on his uniform. Behind him, Seraphina floated with her arms crossed, looking bored, as if she had just swatted a fly.
Opposite them... the situation was very different.
Elena was on one knee, supporting herself with her broken ice staff.
Her beautiful white combat uniform was tattered. Her sleeves were burnt off, revealing her fair, pale arms. There were scratches on her cheek, and her breath was ragged.
Most shockingly, her majestic "Ice Wings" were gone—shattered completely by Seraphina's breath.
[Ding! Enemy Defeated.]
[Lucas: HP 100% | Elena: HP 5% (Critical Condition)]
Lucas walked slowly towards Elena. The sound of his footsteps echoed like a death knell in her ears.
Elena looked up, her blue eyes trembling. For the first time in her life, she felt true powerlessness.
Her pride, her S-Rank talent, her family's expectations... all crushed by this man's shadow.
"Do you... yield?" Lucas looked down at her, his voice devoid of emotion.
Elena grit her teeth. Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes, but she held them back.
She tried to stand up to fight, but Seraphina, hovering behind Lucas, narrowed her golden eyes.
"Kneel."
A simple command, carrying the weight of the Abyss.
Thump.
Elena's legs gave out, and she fell back to her knees.
"I..." Elena's voice was hoarse. She lowered her head, her long blue hair covering her face, hiding her expression. "I... yield."
"WINNER AND CHAMPION: LUCAS!"
The referee roared into the microphone.
For a second, there was silence.
Then—
ROAR!!!
The stadium exploded! The cheers were so loud they shook the ground.
"Lucas! Lucas! Lucas!"
"The Necromancer King!"
"He defeated the S-Rank! He is a monster!"
Amidst the deafening cheers, Lucas crouched down in front of Elena. He didn't mock her. Instead, he took off his jacket and tossed it over her shoulders to cover her torn clothes.
Elena froze. She looked up at him in surprise.
"Why...?"
"You fought well," Lucas whispered. "Better than the others. But you rely too much on your bloodline and not enough on combat sense."
He stood up and turned to leave.
Elena clutched the jacket tightly, feeling the lingering warmth from his body. Her heart, which was full of fear a moment ago, now beat with a different rhythm.
He defeated me... and then showed me mercy.
In the world of the strong, mercy was a luxury.
"Lucas..." Elena murmured his name, watching his back as he walked towards the champion's podium. Her eyes were no longer just filled with defeat; there was a complex light of admiration mixed in.
[System Notification]
[Secret Quest Completed: Conquer the Ice Princess's Pride.]
[Reward: Elena's Affection +50 (Relationship Unlocked: Admirer)]
[Bonus Reward: Rare Material 'Heart of Ice' x1]
Lucas paused and glanced at the system panel.
Affection? Admirer?
He smirked. It seems the harem route is opening up automatically.
But right now, he cared about something else.
The Champion's Prize.
$100,000 and the Secret Skill Book.
"System," Lucas ordered internally. "Show me the next evolution requirements."
[Ding!]
[Seraphina Evolution Progress: 0/100%]
[Next Tier: Abyssal Dragon Queen (Mature Form)]
[Requirement 1: Level 10.]
[Requirement 2: Consume 'Heart of a Monarch' (Boss Item).]
[Requirement 3: Money/Energy equivalent to $1,000,000.]
Lucas stumbled. "One million dollars?"
The joy of winning instantly vanished.
Raising this Goddess was going to bankrupt him again. But looking at Seraphina's perfect profile and the terrifying power she just displayed...
Worth it.
He walked up the podium, ready to claim his throne. From today onwards, no one in this city would dare call him trash again.