"Rui-Chai," Heriean whispered, his voice filled with equal parts relief and defiance.
The man—Rui-Chai, the leader of the Black Bulls—stopped a few paces from Heriean and the King. His gaze was sharp, his expression unreadable. "You've proven your point, King Threxian. But this ends now."
Threxian tilted his head, his smirk returning. "Ah, the elusive leader finally makes his appearance. I was beginning to think you were a myth."
Rui-Chai ignored the remark and turned to Heriean. "Rest now. You've done enough."
Heriean stumbled, his legs giving way as two of the remaining Black Bulls stepped in, their faces unreadable beneath sweat and exhaustion. They carried him to the chamber's edge, where dics—their movents brisk but detached—waited to stabilize him. The dics weren't soldiers or allies but neutral figures contracted to ensure the wounded wouldn't die unnecessarily before their punishnt was complete. Their hands moved with clinical efficiency, applying salves and sutures without eting the bloodied man's eyes.
Above the chamber, the chanical hum of the drones intensified as they refocused on Rui-Chai. The sponsors' observation decks buzzed with muted conversation, the screen feeds split between the fallen Heriean, the grim-faced Black Bulls, and the King's faintly amused expression.
Jedo sat motionless in her high-backed chair, her golden eyes fixed on the monitor. Her claws tapped softly against the armrest, her focus sharp and unwavering. "He's down," he murmured, almost to herself. Then, louder, she addressed the sponsors around her. "And Rui-Chai steps forward at the very end. The Black Bulls always love their dramatics."
A portly man in a fur-lined coat, Marlek, let out a bark of laughter. "Dramatics? Call it desperation. You think this leader of theirs has a chance after that blood show?" He jabbed a finger at the replay of Heriean's final attack, the crimson vortex dissolving uselessly around the King. "They'll fall like the rest."
Jedo's smile was sharp, her voice steady. "It's not about whether Rui-Chai wins, Marlek. It's about how long he can make the King work for it. Watch closely—that's where the real ga is played."
Back in the chamber, Ty stood alone, his shoulders pressed against the cool stone wall. His gaze lingered on Heriean's still form as the dics worked, their hands covered in the dark red residue of their efforts. The sight should have satisfied him—another piece of Lt. Daemon's murderers broken and bleeding—but it didn't. Sothing about Heriean's resolve, his willingness to pour every drop of himself into the fight, gnawed at Ty's thoughts.
He let out a quiet breath, his eyes narrowing as he shifted his focus to Rui-Chai. The Black Bulls' leader was an enigma, standing perfectly still, every movent calculated. There was no hesitation, no sign of nerves—a sharp contrast to the chaos around him.
"Is this his plan?" Ty muttered to himself, his voice barely audible. He didn't expect an answer, and the silence of the chamber didn't offer one. Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire
Above, the cara feed cut to Rui-Chai's face, his expression carved from stone. Jedo leaned closer to her monitor, her lips curling faintly. "Rui-Chai," he said softly. "Show what you're made of."
The hum of the drones grew louder, the focus shifting entirely to Rui-Chai and the King. Ty's breath hitched, his focus sharpening as the tension in the room thickened. Every remaining Black Bull seed frozen, their gazes locked on their leader. And for the first ti, Ty felt a faint, unfamiliar twinge of hope—not for them, but for sothing to finally disrupt the King's dominance.
Rui-Chai finally moved. He rolled his shoulders back, a subtle motion that drew every eye in the room. The air seed to thicken as his gaze locked onto the King, unblinking and unyielding.
Rui-Chai finally moved. He rolled his shoulders back, the faint sound of his joints cracking echoing in the vast chamber. The deliberate motion was unnerving, carrying a weight far beyond its simplicity. All eyes were on him now. Even Threxian, usually bored and dismissive of his opponents, tilted his head slightly, studying the man before him.
The remaining Black Bulls, scattered and worn, watched with expressions ranging from hope to despair. So dared to straighten their battered forms, as if Rui-Chai's composure lent them strength. Others remained slumped against the walls, their eyes flickering with doubt. One murmured faintly, "Can he really…?" but no one answered.
Ty stayed rooted to his corner, his fists clenched. He was hyperaware of every sound in the chamber, from the hum of the drones to the slow, steady rhythm of Rui-Chai's footsteps as he began to close the distance to the King. A part of Ty wanted to look away, but he couldn't. This was no ordinary clash—this was the mont where sothing had to give.
The King's smirk returned, sharper than before. "You've been saving yourself for this mont, haven't you?" His voice was rich with amusent. "Watching your comrades fall one by one. Calculating. Waiting. How noble."
Rui-Chai didn't answer. His steps didn't falter. He stopped a few paces away, his gaze fixed on the King, unblinking and unyielding. For a long mont, the room seed to hold its breath.
The King's smirk faded. He let out a slow, deliberate sigh. "Very well. Entertain ."
With a sudden burst of motion, Threxian struck. He surged forward, his movents a blur, his fist aiming directly for Rui-Chai's chest. But Rui-Chai didn't dodge. Instead, his hands shot up, catching the blow with a deafening impact. The force of it cracked the ground beneath their feet, and the shockwave rippled outward, sending shards of stone flying.
Ty's eyes widened. Rui-Chai hadn't just blocked the strike—he had absorbed it, his body shifting the energy into the ground. He slid back a step, his boots grinding against the stone, but he held firm.
"Impressive," the King said, his voice carrying a note of genuine intrigue. "You're more resilient than the others. But resilience isn't enough."
The battle began in earnest. Threxian attacked with relentless precision, each strike faster and more devastating than the last. Rui-Chai moved with calculated grace, his body flowing like water around the King's blows. When he counterattacked, it was with minimal movent, each strike targeted and deliberate.
For those watching, the fight was almost surreal. The King, who had toyed with every opponent before this, was now engaged in a battle that demanded his full attention. Rui-Chai, calm and composed, seed to anticipate every move, his eyes never leaving the King's.
High above, Jedo sat motionless in her high-backed chair, her golden eyes glued to the monitor. Her claws dug into the armrest, leaving faint scratches in the dark wood. "He's doing better than I thought," she muttered under her breath. But her jaw tightened. She wasn't sure if it was fear or hope curling in her chest. Her history with the Black Bulls was a scar that hadn't faded—and now, watching Rui-Chai fight, she didn't know where her loyalties lay.
"Still betting on them, Jedo?" Marlek's voice was smug, his broad shoulders shaking with a quiet laugh. "I'll say this for the Bulls: they know how to put on a show before dying."
Jedo's glare silenced him. "Rui-Chai isn't here to die," she said sharply. "And neither is Ty."
Marlek raised an eyebrow. "Ty? That demon hasn't moved a muscle. What makes you think he matters?"
Jedo's gaze flicked back to the screen. Ty stood in the shadows, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. His eyes were locked on the fight, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Jedo could feel it. She could feel the weight of his conflict.
"Because Ty doesn't watch for long," Jedo said softly.
The fight raged on, and Rui-Chai landed a precise blow to the King's side. It wasn't flashy or overwhelming, but the effect was imdiate. Threxian staggered back, his eyes narrowing as he placed a hand over the spot. Blood trickled from beneath his armor, dark and gleaming.
The room froze. For the first ti, the King had been injured.
"Impossible," Marlek hissed, leaning forward in his seat. "How…?"
Jedo's claws dug deeper into the armrest. "He found the rhythm," she whispered, but her confidence was tinged with doubt. Rui-Chai was good, but Threxian wasn't even close to breaking. She knew it, and so did the King.
Threxian straightened, his expression no longer amused. His gaze locked onto Rui-Chai, cold and calculating. "You're better than I expected," he said, his voice devoid of mockery. "But this ends now."
-
Thank you for reading this chapter, an entire year of writing!!!
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