( Ben's POV )
The second round of the masters tournament saw Ben face off against the South Duke Nico Paz, who had very recently lost his home in Thumba City and had only survived because Ben had taken the aggro of the Demon King towards himself, allowing Nico the opportunity to escape.
"Sir Ben, I'm most grateful to you for saving my life, back in Thumba City and helping the Empire in killing some Demon Counts.
You're undeniably a hero, however, that won't mean that I go easy on you.
I need to take over the Kingdom Of Elves under me, to re-establish my house's lost dominance and for that, I must win this tournament" Nico said, pointing his thin fencing sword towards Ben who snorted in response.
"You won't last 3 moves against me lad. You're out of your depth here–" Ben said, as the crowd burst into cheers at his words.
Ben's turn around was nothing short of a fantasy story.
He was the boogeyman, the nightmare that mother's used to keep their children obedient and teenagers told as a legend.
However, his recent actions had turned him from being a notorious villain to a beloved hero, as the current Ben Faulkner was looked at as a vigilante, a symbol of hope and a man of the people.
"Give him hell, Sir Ben!"
"We are rooting for you, Sir Ben!"
"We love you, Boogeyman Ben!"
Chants like these could be heard throughout the Grand Arena, as true to his words, Ben managed to defeat his opponent in under 3 moves.
As soon as the match referee said the word "begin," it was Nico who confidently charged towards Ben first, his thin fencing sword aimed directly at Ben's heart. Nico's footwork was impeccable, and his speed would have overwhelmed most opponents. But Ben was not most opponents.
From Ben's perspective, Nico's movements seemed almost sluggish. The young Duke, filled with bravado, clearly believed he could match the legend before him. However, Ben had seen countless men like Nico—skilled, yes, but inexperienced in the brutal realities of combat outside the arena.
[ First Move ]
As Nico lunged, Ben didn't even draw his daggers. Instead, he sidestepped with a fluid motion, almost as if he were dancing. Nico's blade thrust through the space where Ben had been just a millisecond before, slicing through empty air. Ben's right hand shot out, slapping the flat of Nico's blade aside with minimal effort, causing the Duke to stumble forward, his balance momentarily compromised.
[ Second Move ]
Nico recovered quickly, his pride pushing him to turn and swing the blade in a wide arc, attempting to catch Ben off guard. But Ben was already moving. With blinding speed, he closed the distance between them, finally drawing one of his daggers. The blade gleamed for just a moment before Ben struck.
He slashed upward, the edge of his dagger barely grazing Nico's exposed wrist, but the precision was enough to disarm him instantly. The fencing sword clattered to the ground, echoing in the stunned silence of the arena.
[ Third Move ]
Nico's eyes widened in shock as he tried to retreat, but Ben was relentless. He moved faster than Nico could react, his free hand clamping down on the Duke's shoulder like a vice. In a single, fluid motion, Ben spun Nico around, his dagger coming to rest just beneath Nico's chin, the cold steel pressing lightly against his throat.
The crowd held its breath, the reality of Ben's sheer dominance sinking in.
For a moment, everything was still. Then, Ben leaned in close, his voice barely above a whisper, but loud enough for Nico to hear. "I warned you, lad," he said, his tone devoid of malice. "You were out of your depth."
Ben released Nico, stepping back as the Duke dropped to his knees, utterly defeated. The referee, realizing the match was over, quickly called for its end. The crowd erupted into deafening cheers, their beloved "Boogeyman" having lived up to his reputation once again.
Nico, for all his bravado, had been bested not just by skill, but by a man who had honed his craft through years of surviving in the shadows. Ben Faulkner was no mere fighter; he was a force of nature, and in that arena, no one could stand against him.
"Winner Ben Faulkner, advances to the quarterfinals–" The referee announced, raising Ben's hand in victory as the Emperor Julien D. Evanus once again stood up from his seat to applaud.
**********
In another corner of the arena, Commander Thalion and Chief Strategist Alaric both sighed in relief when they saw Ben Faulkner win, as if he had faltered here, all their future plans would have been for naught.
"Are you sure you can take him down, Thalion? That old man looks in better shape than you do–" Alaric asked, while clapping for Ben, as for a moment even Thalion hesitated with his reply.
"If he's at his best….I'm not sure, but if you manage to poison him with the disorientation poison, then I can definitely kill him" Thalion replied, as he did not overestimate himself and gave Ben Faulkner the credit he deserved.
"What about the new Virex Corps leader? How will you bypass his security, I'm sure he will be guarding Julien well–" Thalion asked, as Alaric calmly tapped on his thigh, signaling for him to calm down.
"The new Virex Corps leader is no Cedric, he can't even detect the laxative I put in his own drink, let alone the taste and smell free poison we intend to use in Juliens.
Our plan is foolproof. The only thing that you must ensure is that you don't let Ben Faulkner escape alive" Alaric said, as Thalion cracked his neck and nodded with sincerity.
"Don't worry. The old man is as good as dead–" Thalion said, as he stood up from beside Alaric in the stands and started to walk towards the contestant warm-up area, to prepare for his next bout.
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/// A/N - Mass Release Chapter 7/7. Thank-you so much for all your donations!
It's hard to be motivated to write thousands of words every single day, but it's moments like these where you guys give me so much love that I can't help but feel super charged. ///