Chapter 67: The Outer God’s Arena
“Where is this place?”
Abyss couldn’t see the fish-man leader but remained calm, asking loudly.
“Druid! You might be strong, but you’ve lost! Lost to your own arrogance! Did you think I, the High Priest of the Lord of Bullying, wouldn’t have a contingency plan to deal with you?”
The fish-man leader’s voice was filled with arrogance. His naturally sharp, grating voice was even more unpleasant now. But Abyss wasn’t angered; he looked up, searching for the fish-man leader with interest.
“Since you say you have a plan to deal with me, can you tell me what it is?”
The fish-man leader, seemingly anticipating Abyss’s lack of fear, said, “Hmph, it seems you haven’t considered your current situation. Do you recognize this place?”
“Yes, it’s an arena, something ancient people enjoyed. Even now, the Western Empire still holds duels of honor in ancient arenas,” Abyss nodded honestly.
“You’re trapped in this space created by my Lord’s divine power, with no escape. To leave, you must defeat me in a fair duel…” The fish-man leader’s voice lowered slightly. “The victor will gain the loser’s power. Conversely, the loser will become nourishment for the victor, body and soul!”
“Why bother? Can’t you just defeat me?” Abyss shrugged, asking.
“Because this duel has rules! And I make the rules!” The fish-man leader’s voice boomed, deafeningly loud. “Druid, you’re strong, but if I restrict your abilities, how strong can you be? Don’t you Druids love nature? Now, I’ll let you fight against true natural power!”
Abyss, hearing this, seemed to realize something. He tried to access his magic reserves but found them sealed. Even his Dou Qi, amplified by Leona, was stagnant within his muscles, unusable.
“This is a one-on-one duel, taking place in the depths of the sea. The match ends when one party loses the ability to fight. The loser will be executed by the power of the Lord of Bullying, their power offered to the victor as nourishment.”
The fish-man leader began announcing the rules.
Abyss raised an eyebrow. If the fish-man leader wasn’t bluffing, defeat would have severe consequences.
Abyss wasn’t afraid of death, but the transfer of power meant that if he lost, his three companions would become the fish-man leader’s property – an outcome he absolutely couldn’t accept.
“After the match begins, neither party may use magic, Dou Qi, or Divine Arts. The fight must continue until one falls.”
The fish-man leader continued reciting the rules.
“This match does not recognize draws. There must be a victor and a loser; only one can leave the arena alive. Once the rules are set, they cannot be changed after the match begins. Both parties must fight to a conclusion.”
Abyss began warming up. He wasn’t entirely unskilled in combat; he had learned some techniques from Leona during their time together.
Leona wasn’t a professional fighter, but her moves were modified versions of royal self-defense techniques, brutal and effective in a brawl. She took pride in her “self-created martial arts”. Since Abyss wanted to learn, she had happily taught him everything she knew. This had elevated Abyss’s combat skills to the level of a skilled thug. While not systematic, his moves were effective, and Leona’s influence ensured a certain degree of elegance.
After reciting the rules, the fish-man leader began chanting in the unknown language Abyss couldn’t understand, perhaps repeating the rules. Abyss suspected it was the language of the Lord of Bullying.
This meant the arena was a form of Divine Art, and a powerful one at that, capable of affecting Abyss despite the divine power he carried.
After chanting the rules in Ghanakleba’s language, the fish-man leader finally said, “Alright, Druid, it’s time for our fair duel. I’m ready. Are you?”
“Not yet,” Abyss shrugged. “Let me warm up a bit more.”
The fish-man leader fell silent, seemingly at a loss. Clearly, the arena required both parties to confirm their readiness before the duel could begin. Of course, Abyss wasn’t naive enough to believe the match wouldn’t start if he kept stalling; there was surely a time limit.
He continued his warm-up, adapting to the water’s resistance. The arena was filled with seawater, putting him at a disadvantage in underwater combat. He had to ensure he was in peak condition to avoid falling for the fish-man leader’s tricks.
“Are you ready? The Lord’s patience is wearing thin,” the fish-man leader asked again after a few minutes.
Abyss finally nodded, adopting a fighting stance. “Alright, let’s begin. I accept your challenge.”
“Begin!”
The fish-man leader’s voice echoed throughout the arena, followed by a loud horn blast. The phantom cheers from the invisible audience intensified, accompanied by the booming of drums. They roared in Ghanakleba’s language, their savage excitement filling the arena with noise, assaulting Abyss’s ears.
A subtle shift in the water alerted Abyss’s skin. Despite his lack of underwater combat experience, he reacted instantly, pushing off with all his might, propelling himself away.
Just as he dodged, the fish-man leader appeared behind where he had been standing, a sharp claw slashing through empty water. If Abyss hadn’t moved, he would have been decapitated.
“Druid! Without magic or Dou Qi, how can you fight me, a natural-born warrior? I will show you the true meaning of survival of the fittest!”
The fish-man leader roared, kicking off with his webbed feet, launching himself towards Abyss like an arrow, claws aimed at his throat.
Abyss, momentarily unbalanced from his dodge, was facing the fish-man leader with his feet first. Seeing the enemy charge, he didn’t try to adjust his posture but prepared for a head-on collision.
“Useless!” The fish-man leader lunged, claws outstretched.
He could see that Abyss, unfamiliar with underwater combat, had no chance of winning!
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