Capítulo 22: Lubricant

There was a high, oval-shaped arena near the palace. This arena was part of the palace's land, but was not too close to the main imperial palace. On rare occasions, during victory celebrations, a god duel would take place in this arena, and it was seen as an entertainment device that added color to the festival. But now, with the upcoming duel between a duke and a prince from another kingdom, the stands in the arena were packed.

If the fight were to take place in the main city arena instead of the palace arena, every seat would still be filled. After all, the main arena had a capacity of 60,000 to 80,000 spectators when pushed to its limits. In any case, an exciting show that everyone was curious about was about to begin. Usually, in every fight, and in all kinds of sports activities in general, there was a favorite, but there was also an underdog, and a certain audience would support the less advantageous side.

However, today, the number of people supporting Neonidas, or at least those who thought he would win, did not exceed a handful. Although Zalira and the empress wanted Neonidas to win, they didn't give him much of a chance. And those few who supported Neonidas were rare people who didn't know much about him. They were probably guests from a faraway land.

When Neonidas and Prince Alkahmar entered the arena, a murmur rose among the spectators. Alkahmar was shining in his embroidered golden armor. With every step, the reflective surface of his armor caught the sunlight, creating a magnificent aura. His supporters had already begun cheering in admiration for their prince's confidence and grandeur.

Neonidas, on the other hand, was dressed simply. He wore a black combat outfit with no symbols or adornments, just plain armor. Although this didn't attract the attention of the spectators, his mocking smile and relaxed demeanor were enough to make a few people giggle.

As they reached the center of the arena, the tension between them became palpable. Prince Alkahmar leaned towards Neonidas and whispered mockingly,

"It's brave of you to come this far, but soon I'll humiliate you in front of everyone. I'll make sure your name is written in history with shame, you pathetic duke."

Neonidas tilted his head to the side and sighed with annoyance. "You just had to say those cliché words, didn't you? You couldn't resist, could you? How about we just fight? No words or speeches, just pure combat. Please, don't keep spouting those stupid clichés in between."

Prince Alkahmar gritted his teeth in response to Neonidas's mocking attitude. "Your arrogance will disappear in a moment," he said angrily. However, Neonidas continued to casually scan his surroundings, seemingly indifferent.

At that moment, the sound of a trumpet echoed from the edge of the arena. Emperor Gredor, sitting in the high box, called forward the palace's high priest to announce the rules of the duel. The high priest, wearing a white robe and carrying a long staff, stepped into the center of the stage. He turned his eyes to the two fighters and spoke in a loud voice,

"This duel, to be held in the presence of the gods, will be conducted to preserve the honor of both parties. The winner will have the right to fulfill their own request, while the loser will submit to the will of the gods. Anyone who disrespects the fair judgment of the gods will be forever barred from the gates of heaven."

The priest struck his staff on the ground to conclude his statement and then stepped back. The audience had fallen completely silent. All eyes were now on Neonidas and Alkahmar.

The Emperor slightly leaned forward from his throne and pointed at both sides. "Let the duel begin!" he shouted.

When the duel began, a brief silence fell over the arena. The spectators eagerly awaited every moment. Prince Alkahmar strode forward with strength and arrogance, his golden-colored shield and large spear in hand. Every move of his reflected light, creating a dazzling display. Neonidas, calm and collected, pulled his dark combat attire lightly toward the ground and took his position. He carefully twirled the ring on his finger.

Alkahmar made the first move. He quickly thrust his spear toward Neonidas. With his strength, the tip of the spear shone with a burst of light as it cut through the air. Neonidas stood still, watching the spear come toward him. At the last moment, just as the tip was about to hit his chest, he swiftly sidestepped and slid toward the edge of the arena. The spear struck the ground with a loud clang and bounced into the air.

Alkahmar quickly pulled back and immediately repositioned himself. In his eyes, there was a belief that victory was certain. "Do you really think you can escape with such a simple move?" he said, raising his spear again. Neonidas, however, maintained his calm, focusing intently on Alkahmar's every step.

For the first few minutes, Alkahmar appeared to be in control, with Neonidas on the defensive. Every one of Alkahmar's moves echoed through the arena like neon lights, but Neonidas never allowed himself to be hit. Alkahmar flexed the muscles in his arms and kept attacking, but Neonidas dodged quickly, making no moves of his own, only defending.

But for Neonidas, this was just a way to buy time. He was quickly analyzing Alkahmar's strength and attacks, and he was biding his time to improve the situation. He touched his ring and flicked his finger slightly, feeling the energy of light. The light rising from the ring enveloped his hand and transformed it into a metallic sword. The sword shone with a pure red light. Neonidas smirked mockingly.

When Neonidas fully transformed his hand into a sword, the light from the blade echoed across the arena like an explosion. The warmth of the light spread through the air, making it feel as if the very atmosphere was changing. The brightness of the sword contrasted sharply with Neonidas's dark attire, but within this contrast, the power of the light seemed to reflect his very soul. Alkahmar, with arrogance on his face, stared at Neonidas, momentarily surprised by the sudden surge of power from the young duke. Yet deep down, he still believed victory was on his side.

The radiant armor of Alkahmar and the glowing sword of Neonidas mesmerized into silence the spectators. But within a few seconds, the loudest cheers in the arena were interrupted by the effect of the light around Neonidas' sword. His power had immediately drawn everyone's attention.

Princess Allea, in the highest box of the arena, widened her eyes as she watched Neonidas. The light in his hands seemed like a force that played with the gods themselves. Allea couldn't hide her astonishment as she stared at him, her mouth slightly open. How had Neonidas obtained such power? But it wasn't only Allea who was shocked—Emperor Gredor, Empress Velriona, Zalira, and everyone who knew Neonidas to some extent were all equally bewildered.

Neonidas deliberately aimed his bright sword at Alkahmar's face, blinding him. Alkahmar, barely managing to defend himself, could no longer see. It was at this moment that something occurred which would shock the entire arena.

The honorable and proud duke of the Oreoned house, Neonidas, harshly pulled his leg back and then struck Alkahmar hard in the groin with all his might.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!"

Alkahmar's painful scream echoed across the arena as Neonidas hit him again in the same sensitive area. "You said so many cliché words, so I wanted to beat you with a cliché move. How do you feel now, little prince?"

When Neonidas struck the same spot again, and blood began to drip from Alkahmar's groin, it was clear that if he didn't receive urgent treatment, Alkahmar would never father children. However, to be honest, Neonidas was a bit disappointed. He hadn't even shown all of his strength yet, and he still had many tactics and tricks planned in his head, but none of them had been used.

Neonidas pulled his foot back slightly again and prepared to strike Alkahmar, who was sitting on the ground in pain, one final time. This time, he planned to deliver his hardest blow.

"AHHHHHHH! I GIVE UP, I GIVE UP!"

"I accept your surrender," said Neonidas, and the priest quickly intervened.

"The winner is Duke Neonidas!" the priest declared in his hoarse voice.

Neonidas took a step back as Alkahmar's painful screams filled the air. Every move he made had both shocked and horrified the audience. Some, not fully understanding what had happened, believed it to be an action against the will of the gods. But Neonidas knew exactly what was going on; this was just a duel, and nothing here had to be fair. Especially not against a prideful prince.

Alkahmar collapsed to his knees, groaning in pain as he clutched his groin. But inside, a growing rage began to stir. Neonidas's mocking attitude and the humiliation he had suffered were shaking his pride. "This will be your end," he hissed through gritted teeth, though his voice was weak from the pain. Neonidas simply shrugged and smiled.

"Hope you've prepared some good lubricant for tomorrow to satisfy the donkeys. Because if you're still alive right now, that's why" Neonidas said, grinning as he turned his back and walked away from the arena without looking back.