The rain fell relentlessly; heavy drops pounded the stone arena, streaming down the edges of the pillars, forming rivers of water and mud, mixing with the blood of the warriors lying on the ground. Some tried to get up, but they lacked the strength; every breath was ragged, and movement seemed like an effort beyond human endurance.
Only the two of them still stood facing each other — Arok and Valdor. Their gazes were filled with anger, rage, and years of unresolved conflict.
Valdor was the first to break the silence; his voice was heavy, almost drowned out by the roar of the rain:
"Why did you leave me…! Why did you leave the capital without a word, without saying goodbye?"
Nebuko, stepping closer, struggling to keep her balance and leaning on Arok's arm, said quietly:
"Arok… he deserves an explanation."
Arok merely grunted, closed his eyes for a moment, and then told the truth. His voice was calm, but every word weighed like a stone:
"What I did was necessary. If I hadn't left the capital, Nebuko, it would have dragged you into a place from which you would never have returned."
Valdor gripped the hilt of his sword; his heart began to race again, and anger and regret mingled with the cold pain of betrayal. His body trembled, and his aura began to radiate an invisible power that even the rain could not stifle.
Sylphia stood on a pillar in the arena. Her face was calm, and her eyes followed every movement. She whispered softly:
"It's time."
In an instant, Arthur vanished, leaving only a void in the air that seemed charged with tension.
Valdor, overcome with emotion, took a deep breath. A raindrop fell from his face onto the ground.
His body trembled more and more, and suddenly he let out a blood-curdling scream that tore through the air. He lunged at Arok, and their final battle began.
Their movements were so fast that it looked as if they were teleporting across the arena. Every strike of Arok's katana and Valdor's sword left trails of energy in its wake, shattering puddles of water and stirring up whirlpools of mud. The stands erupted in cheers, and the audience rose to their feet, some unable to believe the speed and power of the clash.
Sylphia, looking at Valdor, whispered to herself:
"You've made progress, Valdor…"
The commentator shouted with excitement:
"What a thrill! What a clash!"
The captains of the other teams whispered among themselves, analyzing every move. Some watched intently, unable to take their eyes off the duel.
Meanwhile, Arthur appeared before the demon leader, ready to lead the assault on the capital.
"Sylphia has given the order; we can move." — he said calmly.
The commander nodded, turning to the demons waiting in readiness:
"Let's begin!"
At the same time, in the throne room, the Demon King, Nathan, sat upon his high throne. A messenger knelt before him:
"I report that Sylphia and Arthur have launched an attack on the capital."
Nathan smiled coldly:
"Very well. Let them kill all the seekers and the important people. This is the end of our alliance, Emperor."
His son, sitting next to him on a small throne, asked uncertainly:
"Father, why do you want to destroy the capital?"
"Because they're taking too much by force. I formed an alliance with them to conquer the Kingdom of Dragons; now I don't need them anymore." — Nathan replied.
Arthur reappeared beside Sylphia to continue their strategy, and the battle between Arok and Valdor reached its climax. Both were barely standing, their bodies covered in blood, water, and scratches, but their eyes burned with unwavering determination.
"Let's end this!" — Arok shouted, and their auras suddenly exploded, taking the form of roaring dragon heads.
Arok's katana and Valdor's sword clashed, causing a gigantic burst of energy that sent water, mud, and shards of rock flying across the arena.
When the smoke cleared, the two stood with their backs to each other. Arok said quietly:
"You haven't changed a bit…"
He fell to the ground, but Valdor managed to catch him before he hit the rocks.
"I've finally defeated you…" — Valdor said, a faint smile appearing on his face.
Arok returned the smile, weakly but sincerely.
The commentator shouted:
"It's official — Dragon's Pursuit is the new champion!"
The stands erupted in cheers. Medics rushed in with stretchers; chaos, shouts, and orders filled the air as everyone tried to save the fighters.
"This one needs immediate help!"
"Faster!"
"Let's get him out of here!"
The awards ceremony began later. The teams lined up in the arena.
The Emperor stepped closer to the railing, raised his hand, and silenced the stands. Silence fell immediately.
"Today we witnessed something extraordinary. Not only a battle of strength and skill, but also of determination, courage, and heart. Each of you has shown that you can push beyond your own limits. Thank you." — said the emperor.
The stands erupted in applause, and the commentator spoke up:
"Third place goes to Burning Sands!"
"Second place goes to Wolf's Edge. This is their first loss."
"First place goes to the new team, Dragon's Pursuit!!"
"Now we'll begin the awards ceremony. All the battles were observed by the Master of the Adventurers' Guild, who has decided to assign new ranks based on their skills."
The Guild Master stepped into the arena, accompanied by two young Nekomimi carrying a tray with new badges and pouches of gold coins for the winners. The Guild Master addressed them.
"You all fought brilliantly. Now I will award you your new ranks."
"Since Wolf's Edge already holds the highest rank, he will receive only pouches of gold coins instead of badges. Congratulations."
Liora handed the pouch to Arok.
"Great job, Nya!" — said Liora.
"Thanks." — replied Arok.
The guild master and the Nekomimi approached the burning sand.
"Everyone has been promoted to rank A, and Kiyoshi has received the highest rank, S."
Mirei handed them their badges, and Liora handed them a pouch.
"Congratulations, nya!"
"Yeah, thanks." — replied Kiyoshi.
The guild master and Nekomimi approached Dragon's Pursuit.
"Congratulations on your victory. You are the first team to defeat Wolf's Edge. You will also receive an A rank, but Noah and Valdor will receive the highest rank, S. They both did a great job."
Liora and Mirei handed them their badges and a pouch.
"Congratulations to you, nya!" — they both said.
"Thank you." — Valdor replied with a smile.
The commentator shouted,
"Let's congratulate our new champions once again!"
Sylphia, standing on the pillar, smiled. Then a massive explosion rang out in the capital, the ground shook, and black smoke rose from behind the arena walls. Human and demonic screams filled the air, and the guards immediately ran to the emperor.
"Azrok is attacking!" — one of the guards shouted.
Arok looked up:
"Destro, go see what's happening!"
Destro spread his black wings, soared above the arena, and saw the city in flames. Demons were slaughtering people in the streets, more buildings were going up in flames, and adventurers were fighting the demons.
"The demons are attacking!" — he shouted, his voice cutting through the panic.
Everyone stood there, terrified.
Kiyoshi looked around:
"We have to act, but the exit is blocked by people!"
"Leave it to me." — said Mira.
Mira thrust her sword into the ground, and a massive tree branch began to grow, creating a safe path for the teams. Tensho issued quick orders:
"We're acting as one team! My team and the Mechanicus are heading north. The Burning Sands and the Forest Shield to the north. The Wolf's Blade and the Black Wastes to the east. The Dragon's Pursuit and the Fallen Crosses to the west!
They all replied in unison:
"YES, SIR!"
And they set off, each in their own direction, ready to face the chaos that had engulfed the capital. Valdor paused for a moment and looked at the burning city; memories of his own capital came flooding back to him.
"Not this time…" — he thought, and pressed on.
END OF VOLUME 3
VOLUME 4 — Early Times: Eternal Conflict