Chapter 579 Let the battles begin!
Old Hal glanced at the people in robes behind him, and many of them started floating above the numerous stages in the center of the towering walls. A middle-aged woman with long hair amplified her voice so that everyone could hear her clearly.
"It's a bit late, but I, Vexana, welcome everyone to the Gladiator Arena. It's been a hundred years, and I'm lucky to witness that once again, we are opening the platform where the winners will have a chance to enter the 'Lost Treasure Tomb'."
"This tomb is filled with otherworldly treasures that even a supreme rank like me desires. However, only those below the supreme rank are permitted to enter to ensure that the stronger individuals do not overpower the weaker ones."
She scrunched up her face when the people from the dark side barged in, hollering and cackling during her speech.
"Just kick off the Arena; My bones are practically rusting!"
"Ah, come on, zip it; we are not clueless. Start the Arena, old hag."
"I'm bored to death; start the Arena... itching for a brawl."
"Can someone shut her up?"
The rest of the crowd was eerily quiet as the two shadow generals chuckled softly at the middle-aged woman whose eyes blazed with pure fury. The people in robes hovering behind her exchanged glances, and a young man among them, Ned, swiftly raised his hand and put up a barrier in front of the section where the dark side people were seated to silence their voices.
He whispered near the woman's ear.
"Keep going..."
Vexana took a deep breath and glared at the individuals from the dark side before continuing her speech. However, this time, she omitted all the unnecessary details and jumped right into explaining the rules for the first round of the Gladiator Arena.
"As you all know, in the Gladiator Arena, many battles occur, and every fighter must win a specific number of battles to move on to the next round. In the first round, ten individuals will be picked to battle on each stage, and only the last person standing on the stage will advance to the next round."
"The rules are straightforward. If a fighter concedes defeat or is thrown out from the stage, they will be immediately eliminated. Also, if the illusionary figures overseeing your stage intervene to prevent you from harming your defeated opponents, you must cease fighting. Remember, the aim is not to kill but to earn your place in the lost treasure tomb through fair competition."
Vexana scanned the massive crowd surrounding her, seated in the audience.
"That's it for the first round... Now, let's see who secures the top positions in this round because the time taken by the winners to defeat their opponents will be noted by the Arena, and the final list of top participants will be revealed at the end of the first round. The top hundred on that list will receive additional points towards their overall final score. After all, many ties happen in the final round, and the additional points can determine victory or defeat."
While she was talking, Kyle finally sauntered back to his seat with a pair of eyes that beamed with a smile. Nine, Alec, and the others all gave him curious looks, wondering what he had been up to, but they were left speechless when they saw he had changed his clothes and was now sporting a loose, pure white shirt and grey trousers. Sinon shook his head with a sigh.
"Bro, hate to break it to you, but that shirt's gonna be a mess real soon. I mean, with a bunch of fighters aiming to defeat you, keeping it clean's gonna be a challenge."
Kyle gazed down at his clothes, and because of his beaming eyes, everyone around knew he had done something that lifted his spirits. However, they weren't sure if they should worry about the potential outcome they had to face due to whatever he had done...
"Well, I will see..."
Kyle shrugged casually, not really bothered by the idea of his clothes getting dirty. He could just switch to a new pair if necessary. Bia and Nox both floated over to Zron to watch the fights since the bonded beasts weren't allowed to join. Just then, Vexana clapped her hands and wrapped up her speech with her final words.
"Alright, everyone, check the dark circle on the back of your hands. It will lead you to your stage. Let the battles begin! I wish everyone all the best on behalf of every guardian watching over the Arena."
As soon as her words finished, the circles on the back of each participant began to glow, and a number materialized on their skin. Kyle looked at the number that appeared on the back of his hand and whispered softly.
"Stage 199?"
Next to him, Nine was fervently hoping he wasn't assigned to the same stage as his friends because only one winner would be chosen in the end. Everyone quickly matched their numbers and breathed a sigh of relief when they realized they would be fighting on different stages. Nine stood up with a smirk and stretched his shoulders.
"Finally. Now, it's my time to shine! The lone Overload of the Sea is here!"
"Guys, I will be gone for a minute, but don't worry, I will be back soon."
He winked at everyone and floated off to find his stage. Sinon spread his wings and quickly followed him to locate his stage with a smirk.
"And I will be back in half a minute, haha."
Regius shook his head at the two shameless men with a sigh, but a grin appeared at the corner of his lips.
"Okay, I accept the challenge!"
"Let's see who can return to the audience seats faster than me!"
The others chuckled, and one by one, they also left their positions. Only Kyle stayed behind, slowly getting up from his seat and looking around to locate his stage for the upcoming battle. Zron, Bia, and Nox stared at his back, and the old dwarf spoke up.
"Hurry up, young man! Why are you dragging your feet? What if the illusionary figures kick off the fights without you?"