I grinned at the crowd. "Let's make it a three-way! That was boring, right?! Let's make this fun!"
The audience roared in agreement.
But instead of leaving, I raised both arms high and paced the arena like a showman.
"Come on! That can't be it! Was that really your so-called holy might?!" I shouted, twirling my sword and pointing toward the angel faction's section. "Bring me a real fight!"
The crowd erupted again, some cheering, others jeering the Angels. A few even tossed snack wrappers into the air like confetti.
Children stood on their chairs waving flags, adults chanted my name, and the overall vibe shifted from excitement to bloodthirsty anticipation. This was no longer just a tournament-it was a spectacle.
"Draig! Draig! Draig!"
Even the announcer couldn't help but join in, laughing nervously into the mic. "W-Well, folks, the Fox Princess is certainly not shy about demanding action!"
Then, from the far tunnel, two more angels entered-the next act in this bloody drama-one a towering paladin, the other a slender female with silver wings and a gleaming bow.
"Sure, let's go, fox," the male said, planting his shield.
The female said nothing, her expression calm. But her aura was sharp-dangerous.
"Make your little chicken leave," I said, gesturing at the previously downed angel now being healed.
"Guard, fall back," the woman ordered. Her voice was cold and controlled.
The paladin bowed. "Yes, Milady."
We took our positions.
"Let the match commence!" the announcer shouted.
The paladin didn't move. Defensive stance. The woman behind the paladin closed her eyes to channel her energy.
'Oh, I see. She's prepped for something massive.
I flash-stepped behind her and went for a strike-
Clang!
The paladin blocked it just in time, his face set in grim focus.
"You're faster than I expected," I said with a grin.
He shoved me back with force, advancing in short, tight steps.
"Finally, a proper paladin," I muttered. I caught his shield with one hand and slammed my fist into his helmet.
Crack!
He stumbled but stayed upright.
With a snarl, he threw the shield at me and drew his longsword. I met him in kind-except my blade sliced clean through his.
"You!!"
The woman opened her eyes, raised her hands, and cast a massive sigil into the air. The arena's protective barrier shattered with a deafening boom.
"Ah. That's what she was charging," I said, intrigued.
Suddenly, four wings burst from both their backs.
"Noble angels... This just got fun."
I vanished-reappeared-and cut through all four of their wings in a blink. Blood and feathers rained down.
"Kyaaa!"
"Aaaagh!!"
They screamed in unison, collapsing.
"You should've stayed inside the barrier," I said calmly.
Before I could finish the girl, she summoned spears of radiant light. I blocked them with an ice dome, then countered with a wave of lightning.
The paladin charged again, flaming sword in hand. We clashed hard, my tail wrapping around his leg and slamming him backward.
The woman followed up with explosive arrows and a shadow spear. I intercepted the spear with my tail and dodged the blast.
"Let the light judge you!" she shouted, casting a sky-born holy beam.
I raised both arms and deflected the beam with a swirling vortex of wind and frost.
The paladin tried to rise again, panting and bloodied.
I summoned dozens of floating ice shards.
"Let's end this."
The shards launched. Half hit the shield. The rest pierced his armor. He collapsed.
She fired a final shot, but I twisted midair and sliced the arrow in two.
Then the king's voice boomed across the arena.
"That's enough. You have won the fight, Draig."
I bowed respectfully. "Yes, Your Majesty."
He stood in the VIP box, arms behind his back.
"Leave the wings."
"Tch... fine," I said, tossing the mangled wings to the ground.
The girl hissed from the floor, glaring. "You'll pay for this one day."
I chuckled. "Sure. But karma owes me a favor. It's going to take a while to catch up."
Her eyes widened with a mix of fear and hatred as I walked away.
Backstage was quieter than usual.
The roars of the crowd still rumbled faintly through the stone walls, but in here, the air felt heavy. Heavier than blood. Heavier than sweat.
I shook the last bits of ice from my fingertips, flicking them onto the floor as I strode past the nearest medics and stunned guards. Most of them gave me a wide berth-some out of respect, others out of fear.
Waiting by the corner was Stacy.
She didn't look frustrated. Not exactly. Just tired. Thoughtful. The kind of look someone gives when they know a storm's coming and no one else sees the clouds.
"Quite the show," she said, arms folded, her black coat catching the faint light from the sconces.
"You think so? I thought it was a bit tame," I replied with a grin, though my shoulders ached.
"You cut off their wings, Kitsuna."
"Yeah, well... They grew back last time."
She looked at me over for a long moment before sighing. "Tomorrow's the final."
"Yup."
"Logan."
I nodded.
She didn't say it, but I knew what she meant.
'Be careful. He's not normal. You might die. Or worse.'
We walked together in silence through the stone hallway, flanked by guards. The corridors gradually widened, the hum of enchantments growing stronger with every step.
"The king requested you come to his VIP chamber," Stacy said after a beat. "He wants to speak with you before the final match."
I raised an eyebrow. "Now?"
"Now."
"Let me guess-he's going to tell me not to kill Logan?"
Stacy gave a small, knowing chuckle. "Maybe. Or maybe he's hoping you will."
We arrived at the ornate double doors of the VIP suite, flanked by royal guards in red-trimmed armor. They nodded and opened the doors without a word.
Inside, golden light poured across the marble floor from arched windows. Velvet seating, silken curtains, and a map of the city laid out on a floating board showed just how serious the atmosphere had become.
The king stood facing the window, hands clasped behind his back.
"Kitsuna Draig," he said without turning.
"Your Majesty," I replied, stepping in.
Stacy followed, silent as a shadow.
The final talk was about to begin.
avataravatar
Chapter 198: Guns, Light, and Gluttony
[Stadium, Royal Viewing Box]
"Why did you stop me?" I asked, eyes narrowed at the king, who lounged comfortably, gazing at the chaos in the arena below, his face unreadable.
"We can't kill a noble angel without a proper reason."
"...It's a tournament," I said flatly. "They signed waivers. They knew the risks; hell, they bragged about them."
"Yes, but-"
"They're the ones who broke the barrier, not us. That was on them."
"You already took his wings. That's enough."
"Pfft. They can grow back."
"With effort."
"Not really. Rachel could heal that easily. Don't ask how I know. You don't need to."
"It is necessary to know."
"It isn't." I crossed my arms. "It doesn't change the plan. In the end, she's just another angel. Especially now that noble angels are crawling out of the woodwork."
The king sighed, folding his hands. "Rachel is more than that. She's a saintess; she holds weight in every realm."
"Ah. Well... still not saying anything. Just know she won't be showing up. If she does..." I let my voice trail off with a smile. "I'd already be dead."
"What?" Kayda asked, tilting her head at me.
"My new skill," I muttered, watching her eyes widen.
"You can use that on people too?!"
"Hey, you two," another voice cut in. "We're still here."
"It's fine," I waved them off. "We'll stick to your plan. What I did won't screw it up; it just gives us an edge. You all do know what I really am, right?"
The king exhaled slowly. "Fine. Just keep casualties to a minimum."
"Be careful, all of you," I said, nodding once before my form scattered into snowflakes.
[Elsewhere, Dimensional Pocket]
'So that's their plan,' I thought, materializing in a quiet void of shifting gray. 'They really think I'm just a piece on their board... Cute.'
"Oh? Is the grand finals today?" rumbled a deep, sleepy voice.
"Yeah, Granny," I replied, turning toward the massive cat lounging behind me, eyes still closed. "There should be three of his clones down there, right?"
"Correct. You'll face one alone. Be prepared."
"Most likely. But not for long."
"Don't bet everything on that new skill," she warned.
I gave her a lopsided grin. "I won't. Besides, it can't kill me anymore, thanks to you."
"Pfft. It can still hurt."
"Pain's just pain. Nothing more, nothing less."
[Arena, Now Hidden Behind a Black Barrier]
The audience roared with anticipation until the arena shimmered and snapped shut behind a veil of obsidian mist.
"What the-!?"
"Is that supposed to happen!?"
Outside, soldiers rushed the edges. Several lesser angels and guards began sparring violently in the outer sections of the stadium. The crowd couldn't see what was happening inside the dome, but they could hear the muffled explosions and faint shockwaves rattling the stadium seats.
Panic? Maybe. Excitement? Definitely.
[Inside the Arena]
"Yo, yo, yo, ladies, and-wait, what the hell?!" The announcer's voice cut off the moment the dome fell.
"Tch. Dramatic much?" I muttered, stepping onto the arena floor and facing Logan.
The air shimmered as the black dome sealed overhead, cutting us off from the outside world. No audience. No referees. Just me, Logan, and whatever tricks he'd brought.
'Alright, showtime,' I thought, stepping onto the arena floor with my usual swagger.
Logan waited, blade drawn, armor glowing faintly with blessings. "Are you ready?" he asked, faking confidence.
"Always." I formed a black katana in my right hand, letting the edge hum with subtle, dark energy. "Let's see if you've stopped being a punching bag."
Logan snarled. "I've trained every day for this. You won't humiliate me again!"
With a shout, he leapt forward, holy light wrapping around his sword. "Radiant Slash!"
I met him halfway, clang! Our blades locked, sparks flying. He pushed with everything he had.
'He's stronger... not strong enough though.'
I twisted under his guard and drove my knee into his ribs, sending him flying back.
While airborne, he shouted, "Holy Lances!"
Dozens of spears of light materialized midair, aimed straight at me.
Bang. Bang.
I drew my M9 in a fluid motion, blasting the nearest spears out of the air. The rest rained down; I flash-stepped left, then right, weaving through them with only a few scorch marks on my coat.
"Are you still using that outdated magic?" I scoffed. "Gotta do better."
Logan clenched his teeth. "Blinding Halo!"
A circle of blinding white light erupted under my feet.
"Tch,"
I jumped, but the flash still seared my eyes for half a second. I landed in a crouch, blinking spots away.
'Annoying trick, but still weak.'
Ratatatat!
I swapped to my AR-56 and sprayed fire at him; he dodged, zigzagging behind a barrier of conjured shields.
"Sanctuary Field!" he called, forming a dome of light around himself.
'Not letting you get comfy.'
I switched mags to explosive rounds.
Bang, BOOM!
The dome cracked with the first shot and collapsed by the third.
"You bitch!" Logan shouted, his body glowing now as he drew deep from his mana pool. "I'm not done!"
"Then stop playing defense and fight me!"
"Purifying Wrath!" he roared, launching a torrent of searing white fire from his palm.
I dove to the side, flames licking the edge of my coat.
"Shit, that one was new," I muttered, rolling and firing back.
He charged through the smoke, slashing wildly. "Light Edge, Double Split!"
Two blades of compressed light carved toward me; I ducked, sliding across the ground as they passed overhead.
Clack. Click. Bang.
I fired three rounds upward, catching him in the shoulder and hip.
"Grah!!" He staggered back, barely staying upright.
"Come on," I said, rising slowly. "Where is the holy might that I was warned about?"
Logan snarled, and then his aura changed.
The air around him began to warp. A pale vortex opened behind him, spinning clockwise like a vacuum in reality itself.
'Shit. Now he pulls it out.'
He raised one hand, letting the vortex feed off his mana. "You think you're clever with your bullets and toys? Let's see how clever you are when your magic gets eaten alive."
"Ah, Gluttony, huh?" I muttered, watching the vortex pulse with growing hunger. 'Damn. Gran warned me about this.'
I fired a mana bolt directly at the vortex; it evaporated instantly.
Bang. Bang.
I aimed at Logan instead, but the bullets lost velocity the moment they passed into the vortex's range. The pull was subtle, like gravity pressing sideways.
'It's feeding. Shit, it's pulling from me now.'
My mana started to drain, not heavily, but like a leak I couldn't plug.
"Lightstorm Barrage!" Logan shouted, sending bolts of raw divine power at me, guided ones.
"Try it!" I hissed and flash-stepped again, bullets spraying from the AR-56. I aimed for the air around the vortex, trying to keep space between us.
'I need to distance myself. Can't get caught in the range of that skill... It's not just eating mana; it's learning from it.'
My breathing tightened as I felt the familiar tug on my reserves.
'Not yet. I can't let this thing copy me.'
I summoned another gun mid-air, this time a heavier model, plasma-based. I didn't fire yet.
"Still got a new toy? It won't help." Logan shouted, eyes wide and almost crazed from the mana burn. His skin had started to crack along the edges; he was burning his life for this.
The vortex pulsed. Everything within ten meters was being sucked in.
'It's too unstable,' I thought. 'He doesn't even realize it'll collapse if he pushes more.'
He launched himself toward me again.
"Divine Spike!" he cried, casting a narrow, high-velocity lance of energy straight from the vortex's core.
I side-stepped, but the edge nicked my side. A deep burn cut through my ribs.
"Fuck!"
"You bleed after all!" Logan grinned, charging again.
Bang bang, click!
I emptied the mag point-blank into his chest, cracking his armor. He reeled back, coughing blood.
I didn't stop. I switched to explosive rounds again and sent him crashing into the ground with three detonating shots. The vortex flickered.
