Volume 2 Chapter 6
Screech… Grind… The heavy gate leading to the Colosseum groaned open for the slaves. It was, for all intents and purposes, the gate to their deaths.
Outside, a deafening roar of voices washed over us.
Ugh, my eyes are stinging after coming out of that dark place.
Beyond the gate lay an open-air sand arena, about the size of a soccer field—more than enough space for slaughter and escape. All sorts of weapons were laid out on the ground.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Nidhogg Colosseum! What we have for you now is the preliminary qualifying match for our slave gladiators! I’m sure you’ve all placed your bets on your favorite teams, so without further ado, the match is about to begin! Please, take your seats!!”
The crowd roared, bringing the atmosphere to a fever pitch.
The announcer used 《Amplification》 magic to provide a live commentary for the audience.
《Rank B · Fourth Tier Magic · Crystal Barrier》
This was a defensive spell meant to protect the spectators, but it also served to prevent the slaves from escaping. It was cast in unison by all the Colosseum guards, forming a massive, hemispherical shield. The announcer and some nobles sat on observation chairs, surrounded by a tight circle of guards ensuring their safety.
Seeing some of the more restless slaves bumping against the edge of the arena, searching for an escape route, the announcer decided to make an example of them.
“Listen up, slaves! The collars on your necks are a new type made with Magic Crystals. If you break the rules, our esteemed referee will activate the magic within them, and your heads will probably be blown clean off. Don’t even think about escaping!!”
“Are you kidding me?”
“For real?”
“Ugh…”
“I knew you bastards would pull a dirty trick! When I get out of here, I’ll kill every last one of you dogs!”
The female slaves squeezed their eyes shut, while the male slaves were a mix of disbelief and suspicion. Some even began to curse loudly.
On the neck of a man with a spiky hairstyle, who was wearing a small vest and shouting curses, a pentagram-shaped magic circle filled with glowing characters suddenly appeared.
《Explosion》 activated.
Bang! With a loud explosion, the man’s neck erupted like a fountain. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees. His head, with its steel-nail-like spikes of hair, rolled across the ground with a dull thud. The curses died on his lips, silenced by the blast.
The warning was brutally effective. All the slaves fell silent, their angry glares the only sound they dared to make.
I touched the collar on my neck.
If that thing goes off at close range, my head will fly off too. After all, this body only has the durability of a human. If I took a direct hit without any defenses… there’s no doubt that even as a vampire, I would probably die, at least temporarily. I’ve never suffered an injury this fatal before, and I’d rather not start now. If I were decapitated and the wound healed, my race would be exposed. That would be a much bigger problem than losing my head.
“Hmph ha ha ha! Did you see the power of our new collars? Now listen up, slaves! Various types of weapons have been placed around the arena. When the match begins, you may choose any weapon you like to compete with. However, if a team fails to kill at least one person every two minutes, all members of that team will be punished with 《Explosion》! That’s right, you heard me correctly! The en-tire team will be punished! Now, let the joyous slaughter begin!!! Unleash your beastly instincts!! Gahahahaha!!!”
Spittle flew from his mouth. The announcer was in a manic frenzy, his entire body twitching. Even his dark sunglasses couldn’t hide the fact that his eyes looked ready to pop out of his head.
Important question; if she gets [explosion]’d, would her head or body turn into bats?