( Next day, Terra Nova Online )
As soon as Leo logged back into the game he was put through the routine of being escorted by the royal guards to the royal carriage and then being driven to the grand arena.
It was probably for the last time in the foreseeable future that he got to enjoy the hospitality of the Royal Palace, however, Leo did not find anything too special about the royal hospitality either.
While everything felt luxurious and grand the first day he was there, he slowly got bored of it by the fifth day as he missed the minimalist nature of the smelly taverns he usually stayed in.
Being confined to small spaces was boring for him, as he preferred roaming in the open streets and blending in the shadows much more than being monitored 24x7 and attended by a dozen different maids.
Rather than the upcoming match itself, Leo felt more excited about the idea of finally attaining freedom after the grand tournament was over and reuniting with Ben, as he found the confined atmosphere of the Royal Palace too suffocating for his liking.
"Who's The Boss? Who have the fans come to see?
Me! I'm the Boss!
They have come to witness my glory" Leo began to mutter out loud as he hit his signature poses in the warm-up room, while ignoring the ugly looks that the royal guards gave him.
Hyping himself up before a fight had become his pre-match ritual, however, some of the stuff he muttered made the royal guards think that he was an absolute buffoon as they could not believe how someone as goofy as Leo made it to the finals of the grand tournament.
If not for his undeniable skills on the arena grounds, the royal guards would genuinely believe that Leo was a clown pretending to be a bigshot, however, since he did have the skills to back up his narcissism, the guards tolerated his hype speech while only giving him ugly looks.
Outside, a jam-pack crowd eagerly awaited his arrival as even before the announcement of the match was made, chants of 'Boss! Boss! Boss!' reverberated throughout the arena.
Today, everyone was excited not only for the finals bout, but also for the wish granting ceremony afterwards, as the Emperor would walk down into the grand arena and ask the victor of the tournament for the wish of his choice.
This segment was a yearly crowd favorite, as every commoner in the audience dreamed of being in the victor's shoes, being granted the rare opportunity to make a wish before the Emperor.
The anticipation of what the champion might wish for kept everyone on the edge of their seats, igniting endless discussions and speculations. Would the wish be for untold riches, unmatched power, or something unique and unthinkable?
The allure of the wish-granting ceremony lay in its universal appeal; everyone in the crowd could imagine themselves standing in the grand arena, with the Emperor poised to fulfill their heart's deepest desire as although there was only one winner, everyone felt like they had won when they witnessed someone else rise from rags to riches in a single moment.
It was a moment where the line between the elite and the commoners blurred, allowing every spectator to vicariously live out their fantasies through the victor.
This sense of personal connection and the thrilling uncertainty of the wish made the ceremony not just a highlight of the tournament, but a beacon of hope and aspiration for all.
'I wonder how the crowd would react when they heard my wish….' Leo thought, as he chuckled at the idea of wanting a royal pardon for Ben Faulkner in an arena full of 200,000 spectators.
"Hey kiddo, you're up–" The royal guards said, as Leo cracked his neck and began walking out of the warm up room as the match announcer made his introduction to the crowd.
" INTRODUCING FIRST…. THE PEOPLE'S CHAMPION….. THE MASKED ENIGMA…. THE THUNDER SUMMONER…. THE UNBROKEN…. THE ONE AND ONLY....
THE BOSS" he said in his most energetic voice as Leo ran down the grand arena with his arms spread wide as he basked in the glory and appreciation of the crowd.
*CHEERS*
Greeted by a wave of deafening cheers and countless chants, Leo soaked in the moment and committed the atmosphere to his memory, as he knew that this moment was never going to come again in his life.
Countless banners with his face on it and the slogan 'Unbroken' waved in the crowds as although this was a neutral arena, it was clear that over 85% of the crowd was in his support.
Stretching his limbs, Leo took his starting spot before hyping the crowd up as he personally clapped and greeted every section of the crowd and gave them a thumbs up sign to show his appreciation for them all.
"For the final time…. Let me remind you that KILLING IS NOT encouraged in this tournament… so please don't kill your opponent" the match referee said in a half-threatening half-pleading tone as he requested Leo to not kill Luke like he killed Cervantez yesterday.
"Don't worry ref, I don't plan to kill anyone today" Leo assured him, as although the referee did not believe a word coming out of his mouth he still shook his head and explained the rules of the bout one last time like he was required to do.
Once he was done, he stepped back as the match announcer introduced Luke to the audience.
"AND HIS OPPONENT….. THE GRIFFIN RIDER…. THE LADIES MAN…. THE HANDSOME KNIGHT…. THE SUPLEX DEMON….. SKYYYYYYLIONNNN" He said enthusiastically, as Luke rushed out to the arena in his shining armor, to a loud cheer by the crowd as well.
'So this is it…. In the end it's me versus brother in the finals of the grand tournament…' Leo thought as he saw Luke walking out to the arena, as finally the reality of his situation hit him.
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/// A/N - Bonus chapter 3/3 for the day. That's it for the bonuses, but there will still be a regular chapter later ///