Theo slowly walked forward.
His expression had grown serious as light shone brightly into the corridor.
’No holding back,’ he thought, nodding once to himself.
Stepping out of the corridor, a wave of bright sunlight shone down onto him, forcing him to squint.
Then the noise hit.
It wasn’t as overwhelming as the Santa Barbara tournant, but it was more than enough.
A few heads imdiately turned towards him.
’’It’s him.’’
One voice echoed out, pointing down.
’’That’s Theo.’’
’’I wonder how he’ll fare against her.’’
’’Honestly, screw him.’’
Slowly, the murmurs began turning hostile one after another.
Suddenly, a faint boo echoed out from sowhere in the crowd.
Theo didn’t react in the slightest.
His gaze remained locked on the opponent walking onto the field opposite of him.
Still wearing her robes, she walked onto the field confidently.
Theo’s brows furrowed slightly.
Only now had he finally seen her weapon... and to say it was unique was an understatent.
’A Reaper’s scythe?’ he thought. ’I’ve never seen anyone fight with that.’
His expression slowly shifted to sothing strange.
’And here she told my choice of weapon was unique...’
He almost found it hard to believe.
For soone from the highest religion in the world, to be carrying the weapon practically known as the harbinger of death...
Yet sohow, it made his heart pound with excitent.
As the two ca to a stop several yards apart, he couldn’t help but grin.
The church girl also let out a faint chuckle, gripping the scythe in her hands tightly.
’’You brought quite the audience,’’ she said. ’’But it seems like they don’t like you very much.’’
That’s when Theo finally snapped out of his focus.
Loud boos echoed out harshly behind him, having grown significantly louder compared to the start.
’Oh?’ he thought, glancing behind.
Practically every single person on his side had switched from murmurs to straight-up booing.
But just as quickly, Theo’s gaze landed back on the church girl.
’’It doesn’t matter,’’ he said, zoning them out again.
The church girl let out another chuckle, clear amusent in her eyes.
Even from this distance, Theo could practically feel her smile underneath her veil.
’’You know,’’ he said, smiling slightly himself. ’’We’ve been talking for a while now.’’
The church girl’s chuckles faded away.
’’And?’’ she said, tilting her head faintly.
’’We’ve never properly introduced ourselves.’’
For a brief mont, the church girl fell silent.
Then a soft laugh escaped her lips.
’’I suppose that’s true.’’
Slowly, she lowered a hand onto her chest.
’’My na is Lucienne.’’
Her gold-and-platinum eyes locked onto his.
’’Lucienne de Ardent.’’
’’Daughter of the Virtue of Temperance within the Imperial Church of Seven Virtues.’’
The smile underneath her veil never left her face.
She glanced at Theo expectantly, leaving the scythe leaning on her shoulder.
Theo nodded slowly.
’’Nice to et you, Lucienne,’’ he said, smiling. ’’My na is Theo Lane.’’
He paused for a mont.
’’And unfortunately, that’s my entire introduction.’’
Lucienne’s eyes narrowed as the smile on her face widened.
She shook her head lightly, another faint chuckle leaving her mouth.
’’Is that so?’’ she asked, her voice soft. ’’That’s all you’re willing to tell , Lightning Hero?’’
Theo’s smile instantly vanished from his face.
’That title...’ he thought, clenching his jaw.
The beast tide flashed through his mind, followed by several faces he’d never see again.
His gaze locked onto Lucienne again, this ti much colder.
’’Oh,’’ she said, putting a hand in front of her veil. ’’Was I not supposed to call you that?’’
Theo no longer responded.
He pulled the umbrella off his back first as his eyes narrowed.
At the sa ti, a judge had finally reached them.
Though it hadn’t even been a minute since they’d entered, the conversation had made it seem much longer to them.
Slowly, the entire arena fell silent.
The judge glanced between the two of them.
His gaze lingered on Lucienne for a fraction longer before returning to Theo.
’’I’ll soon start the countdown,’’ he said, his voice hoarse and low. ’’But you may only start after it reaches zero.’’
Neither of them responded.
Their gazes remained locked on each other, each gripping their weapon tightly.
The judge’s expression twitched slightly.
’’Very well.’’
He imdiately retreated several dozen yards.
The mont he was clear of the battlefield, a powerful barrier surged to life around the arena.
Thousands of eyes locked onto the two figures standing in the center.
Crackle!
’’Alright,’’ a loud voice echoed out through the stadium. ’’This match is between Rank Four, Theo Lane, and Lucienne de Ardent, Rank One.’’
The entire arena went deathly quiet.
’’Both participants are ready.’’
’’The countdown will now start.’’
Water surged around Theo’s umbrella, swirling around rapidly.
At the sa ti, an ashen-white color appeared around Lucienne.
’’10... 9... 8...’’
Everyone held their breath.
’’3... 2... 1—’’
Theo pressed his full weight into the ground, lightning crackling under his feet.
’’GO!’’
BOOM!
The stone beneath his feet shattered instantly.
Theo shot forward like a cannonball, lightning exploding behind him as his umbrella thrust straight toward Lucienne’s chest.
Gasps erupted throughout the arena.
The distance between them vanished in the blink of an eye.
Yet Lucienne didn’t seem surprised in the slightest.
A faint chuckle escaped her lips.
The ashen-white energy surrounding her suddenly surged.
WHOOSH!
Her scythe swept upward.
THUD!
Massive bone spikes shot out of the ground, creating a dense wall in front of her.
Theo’s eyes narrowed for a mont.
’Undead affinity?’
He didn’t hesitate.
Crackle!
Lightning flickered under his feet again as he vanished from where he stood.
Within a second, he reappeared beside the wall.
But Lucienne had long since retreated several more yards back.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The ground shook under his feet as large bone spikes shot out of the ground between them.
Theo paused for a mont, sensing danger.
’Silver Core spell?’ he thought. ’Already?’
Crack! Crack!
The massive stack of bones rapidly pieced itself together.
Thick bone legs cracked the ground beneath them as a round, golem-like body gradually ford above.
BOOOM!
The bone golem slamd its newly ford fists into the ground, sending stone tiles flying in every direction.
Cracks spread across the battlefield.
Finally, its head finished taking shape and faint blue flas flickered to life inside its empty eye sockets.
Theo’s expression darkened slightly.
The creature easily stood at Owen’s height, maybe even taller.
’Well,’ he thought, narrowing his eyes. ’I’ll have no choice but to reciprocate then.’
Several large lightning bolts flickered to life beside him.
A faint grin slowly appeared on his face.
’But I’m not going to do it the normal way.’
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