Chapter 181: The Rematch!
The arena reset. Dust cleared. The crowd’s roar from the last bout still echoed, and the holographic announcer’s voice boomed through the coliseum.
Final Round: Match Point!
Blake cracked his knuckles, crooked staff in hand, his purple eyes gleaming with malice. "I won’t let that last humiliation stand. Prepare yourself, rock-head. This time, you won’t even touch me."
Adam rolled his shoulders, hefting his hammer across one shoulder like it was weightless, though its size rivaled a tree trunk.
"Big words for a lazy prince who just got flattened." He smirked,his brown eyes narrowing. "This time, no mercy."
Lux leaned forward on the viewing bench, his silver eyes sparkling with excitement.
"This is going to be their best fight yet."
Nero crossed his arms, expression calm but intrigued. "Let’s see if Blake can back up his mouth."
The countdown flashed above the arena.
3... 2... 1... START!
The final round erupted with immediate violence.
Adam launched forward first, his boots shaking the coliseum floor as he charged like an unstoppable juggernaut. His hammer gleamed golden-brown, energy swirling around it in preparation for a devastating blow.
But Blake was ready.
"Shadow Mirage!" he cried.
His body blurred into four identical clones, each scattering across the arena. Adam skidded to a halt, eyes darting between the mirages. Each one moved fluidly, perfectly mimicking Blake’s staff twirls and cocky grin.
Lux smirked. "A clever trick. Let’s see if Adam can spot the real one."
Adam raised his hammer high and slammed it down. "Earthquake!"
The ground ruptured violently, shockwaves tearing through the coliseum. Two of the Blakes shattered instantly into black mist, the false images destroyed by the seismic blast.
The real Blake and his last clone leapt into the air, dodging the shockwave.
"Dark Chains!" Blake extended his staff, shadows lashing downward like spears.
Adam snarled, raising his hammer to block. The chains wrapped around the weapon, pulling tight, but Adam flexed his muscles, veins bulging as he yanked the staff-wielder downward with brute strength.
Blake cursed as he was dragged from the air, slamming into the ground hard. Dust exploded around him, but he rolled quickly, narrowly avoiding Adam’s hammer smashing down where he had landed.
"Close!" Adam grinned savagely.
Blake wiped sweat from his brow, chuckling breathlessly. "You hit harder than you look, hammer boy. But strength isn’t enough against me!"
He raised his staff, summoning a massive vortex of shadows overhead. "Dark Vortex!"
The coliseum darkened as a spiraling storm of purple-black energy swirled above, pulling at the ground, tearing chunks of stone into the air. The sheer pressure made Adam grit his teeth, his movements slowed as gravity itself seemed to warp against him.
Nero’s crimson eyes narrowed. "That’s powerful."
Lux crossed his arms. "Blake’s putting in everything. But Adam won’t fold that easily."
And indeed, Adam roared, planting his hammer into the ground. Golden light erupted from him as he activated his ultimate technique.
"Titan’s Domain!"
The ground trembled. Pillars of stone erupted across the battlefield, reinforcing the arena itself against the vortex’s pull. A golden aura wrapped around Adam, his hammer swelling with earthen runes that glowed like molten lava.
Blake’s grin faltered. "What the—"
Adam charged, the vortex tearing at his armor but failing to slow him completely. He swung his hammer with a roar, slamming it into the vortex itself. The shadows shattered in a violent explosion, purple energy scattering into sparks.
Blake skidded backward, coughing as his mana gauge plummeted. "No... damn it..."
Adam loomed before him, hammer raised for the finishing blow.
But Blake wasn’t done.
With a desperate grin, he whispered, "One last trick."
His staff pulsed with darkness as he poured everything into one final spell. "Dark Requiem!"
The arena floor cracked as a skeletal colossus burst upward, towering over Adam, its hollow eyes burning with purple flames. The massive undead raised its claws, swinging downward to crush the knight.
The crowd went wild.
Adam didn’t flinch. His hammer blazed brighter than ever. "EARTH ANNIHILATOR!"
He leapt, swinging his weapon in a full overhead arc. The hammer met the colossus’s claws with a thunderous impact. The skeletal giant shattered into fragments of shadow, the explosion consuming half the arena in blinding light and darkness.
When the dust cleared, both fighters stood at opposite ends of the arena, panting, health bars dangerously low.
Silence.
Then Blake stumbled, his avatar flickering. His health bar hit zero.
[Player 1, Adam: WINNER.]
The coliseum erupted into deafening cheers.
Blake collapsed onto his knees, clutching his chest dramatically. "Nooo...! Beaten by a rock-head?! This... can’t... be!"
Adam rested his hammer against his shoulder, grinning smugly. "And that’s why you don’t underestimate me, lazy prince."
Lux applauded lightly, chuckling. "Excellent fight. Adam, your patience and brute strength won the day. Blake, you put up a hell of a fight. Honestly... that was close."
Nero smirked faintly. "I’ll admit, it was entertaining."
Blake groaned, flopping onto his back in defeat. "Fine... fine. You win this time. But I’ll have my revenge. Just you wait..."
Adam laughed heartily, extending a hand to pull him up. "You’re welcome to try, anytime."
Blake reluctantly took it, muttering, "Damn hammer monkey..."
Lux shook his head with an amused smile. "Well, that settles it. Adam, the Knight, victorious."
The three left the virtual arena, their avatars dissolving as they removed the headsets. The laughter lingered, though, filling Lux’s villa with warmth.
’’Let’s go for a rematch dear Blake.’’ Nero said with a smile. His provocative tone worked perfectly.
’’Oh! Sure why not. I shall vent my frustrations on you if you offered yourself. I’ll gladly oblige.’’ Blake responded, his purple eyes shining.
The coliseum reloaded once again, stone pillars rebuilding themselves as if nothing had happened. The crowd’s roar shifted, anticipation sharpening like blades.
Blake yawned dramatically as he reclined back in his chair.
"Alright, alright... I’ll give rock-head his moment of glory." He flicked his bangs back with a smirk. "But Nero, you’re not getting away from me. It’s time to drag you back into the pit with me."
Nero adjusted the visor calmly, his crimson eyes flashing as the system scanned him back in.
Flame gathered around him, prove that he was going to use his Law to their fullest unlike the previous time.
Lux leaned forward, grin wide. "Oh, this is going to be good."
Adam crossed his arms, still riding high from his win. "Let’s see if Nero’s got what it takes to do what I did."
The countdown rang out again.
3... 2... 1... START!
The arena blazed to life.
Blake wasted no time. His staff spun, shadows swirling to his command. "Dark Barrage!" Spears of pure blackness erupted from the ground, tearing forward like waves.
Nero’s sword ignited. Flames roared to life along the blade, burning bright, reflecting in his sharp gaze. "Flame Step."
He vanished in a burst of fire. The dark spears shredded where he had stood, but Nero reappeared at Blake’s flank, sword slashing with surgical precision.
CLANG! Blake barely raised his staff in time, sparks exploding as flame met shadow. He skidded backward, cloak singed at the edges.
"The hell?!" Blake barked. "You weren’t this sharp a moment ago."
Nero’s smirk deepened. "That’s because I was learning."
The daemon prince felt a shiver race down his spine.
The battle turned into a blur.
Blake raised the skeletal army again, bones clawing out of the earth. But Nero swept his sword across the ground, fire erupting in a burning line that scorched the minions into ash before they could even stand.
Blake clicked his tongue. "Tch—"
"Flame Burst!" Nero thrust his sword forward, a column of fire blasting like a cannon. Blake leapt aside, shadows coating him like wings as he narrowly avoided being roasted alive.
But Nero was already there. Another Flame Step. Another flash of heat. Sword pressed against his throat before Blake could even breathe.
The announcer’s voice rang out.
[Player 2, Nero: WINNER.]
The crowd went wild.
Lux laughed loudly, nearly spilling his drink.
"HA! Beautiful! That was clean!"
Adam whistled low. "Damn... you weren’t joking, Nero. That wasn’t beginner’s luck."
Blake’s jaw hung open. "...No way. No freaking way. That was a fluke."
Nero simply sheathed his sword, unbothered. "One more, then."
The rematch loaded instantly, and this time Blake went all out. The coliseum darkened, and massive chains of shadow wrapped around the sky. His voice boomed, dramatic as ever. "I’ll show you despair! Shadow Abyss!"
The entire field sank into a black mire, pulling Nero down as if gravity had doubled.
Lux muttered, impressed, "He’s not holding back this time."
Adam chuckled. "Good. Let’s see if Nero can really adapt."
Nero’s character chuckled, before heat flaring from his body. His crimson cloak ignited, his avatar’s aura swelling like a rising inferno.
"Not bad," Nero muttered. "But fire burns brighter in the abyss."
His sword blazed white-hot as he shouted:
"Inferno Breaker!"
He swung down, flames erupting in a tidal wave that consumed the arena. The black mire evaporated instantly under the heat, Blake’s shadows shrieking as they disintegrated.
Blake staggered, coughing as his health bar plummeted. "No—no, no, no—!"
Nero Flame Stepped again, appearing above him mid-air. His sword descended like a comet, fire trailing in a dazzling arc.
The coliseum shook.
[Player 2, Nero: WINNER.]
The match ended. Blake lay sprawled flat on the ground, arms outstretched, eyes wide in disbelief. "I... lost... twice. In a row. To you?"
Nero exhaled, calm as ever, wiping fire from his blade. "Like I said. Adaptation."
Lux roared with laughter. "Ahaha! Blake, you just got schooled!"
Adam chuckled, shaking his head. "Guess our little genius finally decided to flex."
Blake groaned dramatically, clutching his chest. "Tortured in real life, and now tortured in the game... damn you all. I’ll never know peace again."
Nero sheathed his sword, finally allowing himself a small grin. "Consider it training, Blake. You should be grateful."
"Grateful my ass!" Blake cried, flopping onto his back. "You’re a monster!"
Lux raised his glass toward Nero, eyes gleaming with approval. "To the quiet one—turns out you’re full of surprises."
Adam smirked, clapping Nero on the back. "I think I’m starting to like you even more."
Blake sulked, but deep down, even he couldn’t deny it, this guy is truly a monster with boundless potential.