The second Laia said "sure", the whole hall exploded.
[He actually challenged the Overgod? Is he crazy?]
[Valerius is gonna get destroyed!]
[Wow, this is gonna be the best duel ever!]
[I'm putting 100 gold on Laia!]
[Same! I'm putting 500!]
Laia didn't know what the betting was about. She was too busy running back to her dorm, to send a message to her refugees. She pulled up the realm's message board, and wrote a quick note.
Hey guys! Some guy challenged us to a duel! If we win, we get even more prize money! Let's make sure the realm is safe, okay? Don't let him break in!
—Laia
That was it. Just a quick note, to tell them to be careful, so they don't lose the extra prize money.
Inside the realm, the overlords saw the note, and they froze.
Wait.
Valerius dared to challenge the Overgod? To a realm duel?
He wanted to break into their new home?
Mephis snarled, the demon's red eyes glowing. "That bastard! He's got a death wish!"
Kane's eyes went cold, he pulled up his starship schematics. "Right. Lock down the entire realm. No holding back. All defenses, maximum power."
Torin nodded, golden scales already spreading up his arms. "I'll set up the outer dragon barrier. No one can break through that."
Elara nodded, life magic glowing around her hands. "I'll set up the life wards. Any intruder gets hit immediately, no exceptions."
Borin nodded, hefting the star-metal hammer he'd just finished forging. "The defense turrets are done. All of them, powered by dragon cores. They can take out a Greater God in one shot."
Rokar nodded, his orc army already lining up at the border. "My troops are ready. We'll take out anyone who steps foot in here."
Rhea nodded, her swarm already spreading out across the entire realm. "My scouts are out. The second he steps in, we'll know."
Elowen nodded, illusions wrapping around the floating cities. "We'll hide the whole capital, so he can't find anything."
All of them, immediately, activated every defense they had, locking down the entire realm, turning the tiny pocket realm into the most fortified place in the entire pantheon.
They didn't know that Laia was just sitting in her dorm, eating a cheese sandwich, waiting for the duel to start.
An hour later, the duel began. Valerius stepped up to the platform, and activated his invasion. He was gonna break into Laia's realm, grab the runaways, and get out before the Overgod could react.
He pushed his way through the realm's outer barrier, and stepped inside.
The second his foot touched the ground, a thousand star-core defense turrets locked onto him.
Rhea's swarm swarmed him, stinging, draining his divine power before he could even react.
Torin stepped out, his full dragon form, 100 feet tall, golden scales glinting, and punched him, sending the Greater God flying into a mountain.
Rokar's orc army surrounded him, weapons drawn.
Kane's starships hovered overhead, weapons charged.
Valerius stared, his mouth dropping open.
Wait.
What?
He was a Greater God!
How was he getting punched by a ancient dragon lord?
How was there a whole army here?
How was there starships?
He couldn't move. The realm's aura was pressing down on him, so heavy he could barely breathe.
He surrendered, immediately, hands up.
"I surrender! I surrender! Don't kill me!"
Back in the duel hall, Laia was staring at her realm panel, blinking.
Intruder surrendered. Duel won.
Prize money received: 200000 gold.
Laia's eyes went wide.
Wow.
That was fast.
Her refugees really were good at defending the realm! They beat a Greater God in ten seconds!
That was amazing! She was gonna be set for life!
She was still grinning when the headmaster ran in, followed by a group of old, robed gods—the pantheon's leaders.
They bowed to her, their faces pale with awe.
"Miss Hayes. We've seen your realm. Your power. We... we want to formally recognize you as the new Overgod of the Eastern Realm. We'll give you all the resources you need. Just... just don't attack us, okay?"
Laia blinked.
New Overgod?
What?
Wait, was that part of the competition's extra prize?
She nodded, grinning. "Sure! That sounds great!"