บท 92: Exposed and Decimated
"..."
"What are you waiting for? Come on!"
Amy pulled on Sebastian's hand. The place she had led him to was very familiar. They had just eaten a light meal and strolled around for a little before she led him here.
'This is the underground arena, how in the world does she know about it?'
"W-what is this place?"
"Oh, it's an arena. You see, I was here yesterday to conduct some business and amazingly, I spotted someone using lightning!"
Sebastian flinched.
"Umm... Amy?"
"Not just that, I saw that person using something that looked like Lightning God!"
"..."
"What a coincidence, huh? To think there was someone in the country who learned a style very similar to Miss Meliena's!"
Amy wore a smile that didn't reach her eyes as she spoke to Sebastian.
"I wonder who it is? It could be anyone! I mean, except you. Because I know that the Sebastian I love doesn't break promises like the one we had made!"
"..."
She was very angry.
Sebastian had told her that if he was ever going to do anything related to fighting, he would report it to her first. Naturally, he wouldn't say anything related to Blue Rose.
If she hadn't been there that day, she wouldn't know about the fact that he was fighting in the arena. That's what made Amy mad. She had set up a date and waited for him to tell her but he wouldn't admit anything.
"I'm sorry."
"What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything."
"Amy," Sebastian took her by the hands, "I'm sorry."
Amy puffed up her cheeks and turned her head to the side.
"Wear these."
Amy handed him a cloak and a mask with fox features.
"I just procured these, go ahead and register for a fight."
"..."
'Why do I feel a sense of foreboding?'
With Amy scarily smiling behind him, he couldn't just deny her. He wore the disguise and registered for a match as Greed.
Amy disappeared soon after he told her that he was finished.
"She's definitely going to do something..."
Soon, Sebastian was called to enter the arena. Unlike before, there was no opponent waiting for him.
'I'm the defender? Then, the other participant is someone who's fighting for the first time?'
The foreboding feeling that Sebastian felt got stronger and stronger and when the overseer announced the name of his opponent, he couldn't help but sigh.
"And his opponent is someone well-known in the country! At a young age, she had excelled in many areas is and is even called the most talented among her generation! Please welcome, Amira Luna!"
The overseer dragged out Amy's last name as the audience cheered louder than Sebastian had ever heard them before.
Amy walked into the arena with a smile. She greeted the audience while waving her hands left and right.
When she made eye contact with Sebastian, he read her lips.
"Punishment. You better fight back."
Sebastian couldn't help but sigh once more as he readied his spear. If he went easy on her, she'd definitely do something else later.
Once the overseer gave the signal, Amy vanished from her spot.
Sebastian's eyes widened as he raised his spear to block.
"Ugh..."
She appeared right in front of him with her sword of light threatening to cut his spear in half. Amy had traversed at least thirty meters in one second.
Sebastian took a step backward and tried to launch an attack on her while crouching but Amy anticipated his movements and landed a kick at the side of his head.
It was a kick backed with the power of light and it knocked him back a few meters.
He couldn't even react to her movements. It was like he was facing Mile.
Lightning crackled around Sebastian's body as he charged out. He had no need to hide being able to use lightning as he had told her about the spear already.
"Death Throes."
Sebastian muttered.
Amy took her sword of light and struck his spear in from the side. Though she was still hit by the shockwave, the lightning and the damage the spear would've dealt was rendered invalid.
"Crescent Light."
Amy used her technique at close range. Sebastian quickly blocked with his spear and slid backwards. Before he could regain his footing, Amy charged forward and lightly punched his chest with her knuckles.
"Ethereal Strike."
Sebastian's pupils contracted and his body shot backwards in the shape of a bow.
Amy's hand had shot light that passed through Sebastian's body and sent him flying. It wasn't a very lethal move, but it definitely induced great pain.
"Grand..."
Amy pointed her sword at Sebastian who had yet to recover.
"Lightning Strike!"
Sebastian forcefully used the technique even without the right footing to arrive right next to Amy. He couldn't go the full distance due to his improper footwork.
But, it was enough.
"Thunderclap!"
Sebastian swung his spear downwards. Amy was forced to block but following that strike, there was an explosion of lightning and sound that sent Amy flying.
It was the first real hit that Sebastian managed to deal to her.
"Agh..."
Sebastian dropped down on one knee. The pain from Amy's Ethereal Strike and his improper use of Lightning Strike combined and intensified each other.
Amy soon stood up while dusting her shoulder. A translucent shield of light slowly faded from the place that Sebastian's Thunderclap had erupted.
Sebastian could only make a bitter laugh.
He was made painfully aware of the gap between him and the dubbed most talented of their generation.
He had defeated that Adept only because Amy had worn him down. It was just because of luck that he managed to win.
"Sebas—Greed, isn't it about time we end this?"
Sebastian chuckled and stood up. He brandished his spear and pointed it at Amy.
"Then, this next attack will end it."
"Agreed."
Sebastian tensed his body, an abnormal amount of energy began flowing into his spear and the surrounding air became unruly. Lightning wrapped around the spear as it trembled.
Amy raised held her sword with both hands and pointed at Sebastian above her shoulders as it began to shine brighter and brighter.
The overseer and the audience could only hold their breaths. Though the majority of them weren't Inheritors, the energy from the two could be felt even by them.
"Grand Judgment!"
With Amy's yell, she thrust her sword forward. A massive beam of light shot out. It was larger than the one Markus had used against Ptelea.
Sebastian took a deep breath and pointed his spear at the beam of light.
BZZZZZZZT
Lightning flew out from his spear and met with the beam of light. It looked like a tree with many branches devoid of any leaves.
The sound produced by the constant clashing of the two powers deafened the audience temporarily.
It didn't seem like either of the two powers were going to give in as they continued in a deadlock. The power they produced was nearly equal. The winner of this showdown depended on who managed to gather more energy.
The clash seemed to last forever, or at least, that's how it felt like to Sebastian.
"Agh..."
Finally, one of the powers weakened. Sebastian's lightning was pushed back. Amy's light was unrelenting as it continued to move forward.
Sebastian had used half of the stigma's power in that attack but Amy had managed to overtake it. He couldn't use more in case he lost the clash or else he would have to take the full brunt of the attack without any protection.
It was a lengthy struggle, but in the end, Amy was superior in both power and capacity. Sebastian dropped down on all fours after defending himself from Amy's attack.
Sebastian was thoroughly defeated. He didn't even come close to winning. In both close range and from afar, Amy bested him.
But, Sebastian didn't feel disheartened or disappointed. In fact, he was elated. If he wasn't wearing a disguise right now and that they were in public, he would run up to Amy and give her a big hug.
In the end, the reason he sought power is to protect his loved ones.
If Amy were to become stronger and stronger to the point that nobody is above her, then it would only be better.
If she couldn't do that, then he'd protect her. That was Sebastian's vow.
"And the winner is Amira Luna! Greed has finally been felled!"
The audience cheered louder than ever before as Amy and Sebastian left the arena.
"My body hurts..."
"Sorry."
Amy apologized immediately.
"It's alright, I'm not blaming you. It was my mistake for using Lightning God improperly. That aside, though it is a bit late, are you sure it's okay to be using your real identity?"
"There's no problem. Though the arena itself isn't a legitimate business and the betting is illegal, the kingdom won't pursue it. They were the ones who made this place for entertainment after all."
"Eh..."
"Do you think that all Inheritors would be able to keep their stress bottled up? This place is made for that. In there, nobody has to worry about their status, everyone is a warrior."
"I see..."
It was a place made for the intention of Inheritors and by extension, people, to appease their urges through the simplest way possible—fighting.
They could fight while remaining anonymous with their lives guaranteed. And to top it all off, they could also make money by betting.
"Though it strayed a bit from its original purpose, it functions the same way. But still, that spear is really amazing."
"Isn't it? If I didn't have this, I wouldn't have lasted against you for as long as I did."
"You should remember to always bring it on your person. Even if you don't plan to use lightning, you could still use fire. That spear would best any other spear out there."
Even Amy praised it like so.
Though she had not felt the effects of the spear herself, she could tell how much Sebastian's strength had improved.
"Still, carrying around a weapon like this all the time is a bit..."
It was a fairly large spear. It was a little longer and thicker than a normal long spear but was as light a short spear.
Even if Sebastian were to strap it to his back, he would still have a part almost twice his head's size protruding out.
"It's better than not having one for emergencies."
Sebastian smirked after Amy's comment and held out his arm.
"Would you come with me for a bit?"
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