(Sky-God Arena, Finals Match 8)
Darnell stood across Leo with his signature childishness plastered all over his face as let alone trying to intimidate Leo, he did not even try to hide his amazement.
"Sir Leo…. You're definitely an amazing fighter! You almost turned me into a fanboy! I'm for sure buying your action figure after the finals are over—" Darnell said, as Leo raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Smack-Talk before a big fight he could handle.
Because smack-talk he expected.
However, such niceties before such a tense final wasn't something he could expect.
And somehow, it repulsed him even more than the worst insult.
'Agh shut your mouth or I'll shove that action figure right up your ass—' Leo thought internally, however, did not let any of his irritation reflect on his face, as he assumed his signature low fighting stance.
"Haha…. No words exchanged! You're as cold as my father….. No wonder you're an assassin by choice! Hahaha!" Darnell said, assuming his own fighting stance, as the referee nervously glanced between the two.
"Fighters ready?" He asked, looking at Darnell first and then Leo, as both nodded.
"Very well then…. Begin–" He said, dropping his hand, as both fighters charged towards one another at the same time…. With the crowd gasping collectively before the first exchange.
—----------
However, while every single eye in the stands was either focused on the fight or the jumbotron, there was only one man in the entire arena who was focused on neither.
This man was Ruyen Baximore, the Seven Lions guildmaster, and an Evil Cult elder in disguise, as he focused on the viewership numbers displayed on his data slate instead.
'Hoo— it was a good judgement call to not blow the arena up during the opening match.
The viewership dipped from 650B to 570 when Yu Shen lost. However, it's somehow climbed to nearly 900 billion now….' Ruyen thought, as he smiled happily looking at the climbing viewership numbers.
'Dozens of my Cult brothers and sisters will lose their life today once I press this button.
And for that I'm truly sorry, but it's a sacrifice that we must make.
We must remind the righteous alliance that we haven't forgotten the death of our previous dragon.
That this bitter war isn't quite over yet—
And for that, this terrorist attack is necessary!' Ruyen thought, as he felt his chest tighten up at the thought of just how many peak masters were about to lose their life in this mission today.
In total, the Cult had managed to integrate 51 undercover security officials inside the arena—31 of whom were Transcendent-level warriors and irreplaceable assets to their cause.
But now that the mission had entered its active phase, all 51 of them—including him—were as good as dead.
Even if they succeeded in abducting Darnell Nuna, there was no scenario in which the Righteous Alliance allowed any of them to walk away alive once the operation began and hence Ruyen's heart felt heavy as he weeped for their impending demise.
'Dupravel, you bastard… I'll be watching from the afterlife as you scream and writhe, begging for your son's return,' Ruyen thought, his gaze drifting toward the VIP balcony where Dupravel stood, as his killing intent flared, just for a moment.
And Dupravel noticed instantly.
As the Black Serpents Guildmaster turned slightly to meet Ruyen's gaze, before chuckling visibly.
Dupravel had known for years that Ruyen hated him in a professional capacity and hence he found nothing odd about his killing intent.
However, little did Dupravel know that this time it wasn't because Ruyen was pissed by his presence, but because he genuinely wanted to kill him.
'Him, The Su family patriarch…. The Mu family patriarch and the Enigma Wade are the strongest fighters in attendance for the finals and they are the ones we must stall for the kidnapping to go successfully–' Ruyen thought, as he hoped that everything would go as planned when he hit the button soon.
"900 billion and 663 million watching— I think this is enough!" Ruyen decided, as he glanced down at the arena, where Leo and Darnell were exchanging fast paced attacks, before bringing out the activation remote.
"Oh God Soron please watch over us as we carry out this heroic act under your name…." Ruyen prayed, before pressing the activation button, as all Evil Cult members within the Sky God Dome got a 30 seconds activation signal, which was a small electric current across their wrists from a common device they all wore, which signalled that only 30 seconds remained until the explosion, so that they could all synchronise their future movements.
—------------
"Ooof—- What a close dodge by Skyshard, he's beginning to really play it close to the chest now, as his dodges have grown riskier and riskier," Derek said, as he watched the finals match play out from the edge of his seat.
"It's the fatigue kicking in Derek…. Nothing else.
This is the fourth match he's fighting in the day and his legs are not as fast as his first.
He's playing it close because he has no other option—" Lee added, as Leo dodged yet another attack by Darnell at the last possible microsecond, his close quarter dodging causing the Rodova fans to shriek and squirm in panic.
"Skyshards unique blocking ability is what's keeping him alive in this bout so far, as when he can't dodge, he simply activates that unique barrier move to deflect Darnell's attack. However, for how long can he keep that up?
A barrier of that strength is sure to be draining on one's mana reserves and considering how he's an assassin and not a mage, I don't think he's got much left to spare anymore—" Derek theorized, as Leo blocked yet another attack using [Celestial Veil], with him looking utterly on the backfoot, so far in the bout.
"Well we have seen it again and again…. Leo Skyshard on the backfoot for the entire match, until he isn't.
So maybe he's just waiting for the right moment to counter, or pull out yet another unseen move from his bag... you never know with this one—" Lee said, as the camera angle cut to Leo's smiling face, as he activated [Thousand Phantom Slashes].