Volume 2 Chapter 20
The border fortress-city of Lukapodi was experiencing its most glorious moment.
Magical fireworks bloomed in the sky with deafening booms. The royal procession had concluded in the afternoon, and now the evening glow painted the entire fortress town in shades of orange-red. Yet, the lively atmosphere hadn’t diminished in the slightest; nightlife was the main event for the residents of the Winton Empire.
A young man grilling meat skewers danced and gestured wildly to attract customers.
The restaurants were packed, with some patrons having to stand and eat. Shop owners had to set up extra tables and chairs outside, and the staff were running themselves ragged.
Fortune-tellers and vendors selling strange items and magical beast materials had set up stalls on the ground, sitting cross-legged as they waited for customers.
Even the clothing merchants were hawking their wares, afraid of losing business to their competitors.
But the liveliest place of all was not here; it was the slave Colosseum.
This place was a casino, a place where you could bet it all and turn a bicycle into a motorcycle. Bets were placed in advance, and the spectators waited anxiously in their seats for the results, much like a horse race. The only difference was that in a horse race, you bet on which horse was fastest, while in the Colosseum, you bet on the worthless lives of slaves.
Illumination magic lit up the surroundings, bathing the entire Colosseum in a light as bright as day.
“The final battle is about to begin! I’m sure you’ve all chosen your favorite teams!! Now, allow me—your announcer for this event, Oladorf—to explain the rules! This competition will be divided into three matches. Two pairs will face off, and the winners will proceed to the final battle, a fight to the death! The victor will be freed from slavery, and the spectators who bet on the winning team will receive all the prize money!! Now, let’s welcome our first match: the ‘Sister Flowers’ team versus the ‘Steel Teeth’ team!!”
“Woooah—”
Amidst a tidal wave of cheers from the crowd, the leader of the team with the six-pack abs—the one who had split Bandage Man Grunis’s head open—walked out into the arena.
The ‘Steel Teeth’ team was the underdog. With all his teammates dead, he was the only one left. Two fists are no match for four hands; when the skill levels are roughly equal, the team with more members has a higher chance of winning. However, it wasn’t out of the question that some teams had weaker slaves who had only survived by relying on their stronger teammates. The people who bet on him were probably thinking that quality over quantity would prevail, that the leader of ‘Steel Teeth’ could be a dark horse and create a miracle.
The ‘Sister Flowers’ was a team of females. For female slaves to have made it to the finals, they must have had some surprising tricks up their sleeves. And compared to a muscle-bound brute, they were more likely to win the affection of the male spectators. Many had also placed their bets on the ‘Sister Flowers’ team, hoping they would survive to the end.
“Let’s go.”
My bare feet sank into the soft sand of the arena. Nia and I stood facing the leader of ‘Steel Teeth’.
He’s called ‘Steel Teeth’ just because he’s wearing braces? It sounded like he was a man of strong will, but unfortunately, braces are just a tool for correcting teeth; there’s no honor in them.
The leader of ‘Steel Teeth’ kicked a dao sword up from the ground and spun it in his hand like a pinwheel.
“You two little girls. Although I, Okbo, have no grudge against you, please die and become the stepping stone for my freedom!”
That’s my line!
“Three, two, one, begin!” the announcer declared.
《Martial Skill · Sand Step》
A flash of blue light, and the leader of ‘Steel Teeth’ closed the distance between us at a speed visible to the naked eye.
“There it is! The leader of Steel Teeth’s Sand Step Slash! He’s rapidly approaching his target!! How will the Sister Flowers team respond!!!”
