★33
Weeks passed, and Sai was ready to start his ascension. He defeated five imperial guards daily, rising to the top quickly after nineteen days, and he was ready to conquer the top five.
As promised, the Emperor was there to spectate the following matches. The Coliseum housed over a hundred individuals, but currently, not more than 20 people were present. It has always been like this since Sai's Levelling
(Solo Levelling, lol).
Only a few important figures in the empire were present. Damrada stepped forward in the ring facing Sai.
"Wh.."
"Single Digits 05, step up."
A man walked up to the stage facing Sai.
"My name is Garcia, 04. I'm impressed you've come this far but you won't go any further."
"Save that for later."
"All set?"
Damrada asked.
"Yeah."
And Sai nodded.
"Begin!"
Garcia attacked Sai using his water-cloaked sword.
"I'll finish you before you move!"
He managed to close the distance in a short duration, something no one had accomplished since Sai's ascension. It almost looked like he couldn't keep up with him, but.
The sound of something solid clashing against metal echoed, and I looked at the impossible.
Sai caught his sword with his right hand and the.
"Impossible!"
"It's not... ice freezes water."
The frozen water broke as they fell on the floor
"..you lose."
On his left hand was a long ice spike inches away from his heart, ready to take him out.
"Stop! The winner is Sai."
Damrada announced, Sai turned and faced the emperor, kneeling.
"Your Majesty, I'm not worth your time, but I'd like to take on Single Digit 04 now."
Silence was felt, and someone spoke up. It was Tatsuya Kondo.
"04, approach the stage."
He commanded. Another male stepped up onto the stage facing Sai.
"The name's Gardner."
"I'm set Damrada san. There is no need to ask me."
"Good. Begin!"
Sai slowly approached Gardner with that same weapon in his hands. Gardner removed his twin blades, and Sai stopped in his tracks the moment he saw them.
"What? Are you scared?"
"Hmm."
He swung his ice sword, sending ice slashes, which Gardner easily deflected with his twin blades.
"My turn!"
He suddenly appeared behind Sai, attempting to cut him down.
"It's futile."
Sai spoke before Gardner's blade cut him down, but when he fell, it was an ice sculpture. It littered the floor with snow as it hit the ground. Gardner thought of where he could appear. A normal human would've chosen to attack at his blind spot, which is...
<
He swung around without looking, expecting to strike someone, but no one was there.
"Sai wins."
Damrada announced. As Gardner heard those words, he was pissed. Actually, another would've been in his shoes.
"You're joking, right..."
As he looked down, ice spikes were on standby, waiting to impale him from all sides. He looked ahead and saw Sai.
"What did you do?"
Dumbfounded by his quick defeat, he asked.
"I don't like prolonged battles. I'd end my enemies with all I've got from the beginning."
"That's not what I asked."
"You lost from the very beginning. The spikes were already underground waiting. I noticed you'd sensed them, so I used those ice slashes and that snow to mask their presence. That way, as long as you're within the snow, you can't detect them, and in doing so, means your life belongs to me."
"The snow does make sense, but the slashes don't."
"It does. Each one you deflect either disappears or turns to snow or.."
Sai pointed ahead, and Gardner turned to see that one of the slashes was still solid and stuck in the wall.
"See. That one is still maintaining its form the others didn't."
"Hmm."
Gardner walked away.
"Still feel like going up?"
Damrada asked.
"Yeah. Tomorrow will be epic, top 1 and 2. I'll want to focus on them alone."
"Good. Single digit 00..."
"No need for Lord Damrada. I'll teach this kid a lesson."
A tall, big guy with a masculine physique & black hair appeared.
"I'm Granit, the god of war."
"Sai... just, Sai."
Sai assumes a battle stance.
"You won't use your sword?"
Without a response, Sai dashed to punch him, but Granit grabbed his fist with his large palm. Using an ice dagger, Sai went for his head, but it was destroyed when it came into contact with Granit's dagger.
His left fist still locked, he leapt to kick his head, but was easily avoided, and Sai was thrown away. Before he landed, Granit was onto him with punches and kicks.
His strength was so great that Sai had to embed ice in his fist to reduce the damage. Out of nowhere, Granit pulled out an axe and swung vertically.
Sai materialised two small axes to block, which were destroyed upon contact. He moved away from the aggressor, and the axe continued to destroy the floor.
"I've mastered all kinds of weapons and martial arts. You won't stand a chance."
"Mere barrages won't stop me. It's over."
Sai raised his arm upwards, and ice spikes were forming all around the battlefield.
"Useless!"
Granit barked, destroying them, and charged towards Sai, who was standing still gathering magicule. A huge ice ring materialised behind him, as Granit closed the distance.
"I'll defeat you with the very weapons you're skilled at."
He claimed. Granit's axe was close to beheading Sai. Instead of a blade cutting flesh, a sound of metal clashing was heard. The ring behind him helped shape it into an ice sword. Two more swords appeared side by side, attempting to cut Granit in half.
<
"Yanugun Gekishin Ressho!"
A lightning shock wave was emitted from his axe, destroying all the ice blades. However, new ones emerge, and he is forced to step back, but Sai will not allow it.
The spikes on the ground turned into snow, but they had the same effect as quicksand, dragging anyone on their surface.
"You!"
Ice daggers were created by the ring all firing at Granit. He was stuck, absorbed by the snow, and some daggers were approaching him.
From his spot, he managed to break them all with his axe.
"You're at my mercy. I can send an infinite number of those in an instant, but I won't. Try these, then."
Sai declared his victory was set in stone and was just playing further. Huge axes replaced the tiny daggers, and they were all charging towards the helpless Granit.
<
He closed his eyes, waiting for Damrada's call, but that didn't happen. He opened his eyes and saw that all the axes were frozen.
"Don't give up."
The ring disappeared along with the snow and axes. Granit was set free. Sai made a pose.
"Round two, martial arts."
The Emperor chuckled at this sight.
"Playing with his food, are we?"
"His haughtiness will soon be his downfall."
The Marshal replied.
"You bastard!"
Granit angrily dashed at Sai, attempting to punch him.
"Feel my wrath!"
Sai managed to dodge them all despite all the magic unleashed by each punch.
"These punches are capable of damaging an immortal being even though the damage will be very minimal. But it's no problem to me."
Using Asteri's eyes, he predicted all of his attacks and delivered a clean uppercut, sending Granit flying away. Granit was knocked out by the punch upon contact, and Sai won the second round in under ten seconds.
"Don't let your emotions control you."
"Sai wins."
The few spectators were surprised at the intense battle, although to Sai, he was just playing along to keep up with the humans.
"That's enough for today. Prepare for your final battle tomorrow!"
The Marshal yelled although she and the Emperor were behind a special curtain only their silhouette could be seen. They are all left to attend various activities and hope to see the next battle.
...
...
...
Somewhere in the Star Island.
Eto took a break after training the kijin, goblins, and elves on his team.
"That Tokito... is he some prodigy or what? I can see why he's fit to lead the kijins. The goblins are a shame, but they'll manage. But still, aside from us, Tokito is undoubtedly the strongest."
While resting near the ocean, Eto felt a sudden distortion ripple through the air, a portal tearing open somewhere in the distance.
Through Asteri's Eye, his vision transcended space itself, witnessing a single light descending from the rift before it sealed shut.
Without hesitation, Eto spread his wings and soared toward the disturbance. The wind screamed past as he crossed valleys and misty plains in seconds.
He halted above a tranquil stretch of water, hovering in silence. Beneath him floated a glowing, blank page, its surface radiating an ethereal white light that reflected off the gentle ripples.
He descended slowly, landing on the water's surface as if it were solid ground, eyes fixed on the page.
<>
He observed the strange page.
Eto materialised inside the mansion's first floor, yet the place was eerily quiet. Not a single presence could be sensed.
He made his way down the corridor until he reached Asteri's room, the faint scent of incense lingering in the air. Raising a hand, he knocked softly.
"Come in, Eto."
The door creaked open on its own. Before he could take a step, Eto's figure blurred, and in the next instant, he appeared directly before Asteri, who sat calmly beside Hinamatsuri.
Asteri's gaze was sharp yet serene.
(I wonder what they're always doing._.)
"Obey the customs of this world, Eto."
His fingers traced faint runes of light on the table as if he'd been expecting him all along.
"Use the door next time."
"Hold your break..."
He paused, the wrong words came out.
"Y.. you need to see this."
Eto pulled out the glowing page and handed it over.
"It fell from a strange portal.
He said quietly.
Asteri's eyes widened, surprise flickering across his face.
"What could this be, Asteri-san?"
Hinamatsuri asked, her voice soft but curious.
"It carries... a familiar presence."
Ssteri murmured, narrowing his eyes.
"But I can't place it."
The moment his fingers brushed the page, faint golden letters began to carve themselves across its surface, glowing brighter with every passing second.
...
...
...
Weeks before the letter appeared.
Somewhere in Jistav.
Mimon was sitting on his throne. Azel was in front of him kneeling.
"Inside preparation has been completed."
Azel spoke.
"Good. You'll be in charge. Take as much as you want. I, myself, will be the decoy."
Azel was surprised.
"Heh?...that's why we're here, my lord. Myself, the Emotional Clowns included."
"My decision is final. You'll take the lead. I might pick at least two from the Emotions or not. You know where and when to attack, right?"
"Yeah, the mainland and that place."
"Good. We'll move in weeks. That's enough time to prepare."
"Sure..."
To be continued...