The Grand Arena had never witnessed a moment like the one that followed the announcement of Mechari Ascendancy as champions.
The finals had just concluded with a narrow but decisive victory for the Mechari team, their full-cybernetic fighters standing tall on the central ring, plasma-coated arms raised in triumph as red circuit lights pulsed across their plating in perfect synchronization.
The crowd's roar reached deafening levels, especially from the Mechari supporters who filled entire sections, their red circuit bands glowing brightly as they chanted in amplified, unified voices: "Justice served! Nex-7 avenged! Machine supremacy!"
Confetti cannons fired streams of red and black metallic strips that floated down like falling ash.
Mechari banners waved high, images of their fallen seed Nex-7 projected large on holo-screens.
Trash talk peaked from every direction aimed at the defeated Stellar delegation.
"Stellar weak without their killer!"
"Ghost coward hiding!"
"Cheaters finally lose!"
The Stellar team stood bruised and exhausted on their platform, heads held high despite the loss, but the boos and insults rained down relentlessly.
Principal Vaeloria remained composed at the center, her silver hair catching the lights as she acknowledged the result with a calm nod.
Then, in the space between one heartbeat and the next, silence fell across the entire arena.
Complete.
Absolute.
A blur appeared in the center of the ring.
Lian.
No cloak.
No mask.
Scars fully visible under the harsh floodlights.
Hammer blade already drawn.
Faint blue Qi edge tracing the metal like living lightning.
His void eyes were colder than the void itself.
The crowd's gasp was collective, a single intake of breath from hundreds of thousands.
Security alerts screamed across every system.
Enforcers in combat augs charged from all directions.
Judges activated intervention fields.
Too late.
Lian blurred again.
First strike targeted the Mechari champion still celebrating on the ring.
The hammer blade moved in a perfect arc.
Head severed clean at the neck.
The body stood for a fraction of a second, circuits sparking red, before collapsing in a heap of alloy and synthetic fluid.
The severed head rolled across the stone, crimson eyes dimming as it came to a stop.
The crowd's scream started then—a wave of pure horror that rippled outward.
Lian did not stop.
He moved through the Mechari fighters like a storm.
Plasma blades ignited in desperate defense.
Overclock systems whined to maximum.
But none touched him.
He was inside their reach before they could react.
Hammer strikes crushed plating.
Blade slashes severed limbs.
Qi bursts internal shattered cores.
One by one.
Fast.
Efficient.
No wasted motion.
Bodies fell.
Synth fluid sprayed blue across the ring.
The Mechari supporters in the stands were next.
Panic began as people tried to flee.
But Lian blurred into the sections.
Red circuit bands his target.
Blade swung.
Heads rolled.
Bodies dropped.
Screams filled the air.
Blood and fluid mixed on seats.
Students from Mechari platform tried to help.
Rushed ring.
Augs full.
Lian there.
Cut through.
Plating shatter.
Circuits spark die.
Enforcers charged.
Combat augs maximum.
Stun fields.
Lethal plasma.
Lian pressure release brief.
Freeze group.
Then cut.
One by one.
No match.
Judges platform.
Intervention tools activate.
Fields deploy.
Lian blur through.
Tools crush.
Judges down.
Crowd panic total.
Stampede.
Scream.
Run
But Lian focus Mechari.
Fans.
Supporters.
Students.
Fighters.
All red.
All chant hate.
All fall.
Blood cover ring.
Bodies pile high.
Arena red.
Blue fluid pool.
Chaos absolute.
Elara appear.
From shadow ledge.
Alloy body strong.
Eyes wide horror.
Voice sharp.
"Why."
"You do this."
Lian stop middle carnage.
Blade drip.
Void eyes look her.
Face blank.
Calm.
Voice low.
"Bored."
"Want little fun."
She stare long.
Shock deep.
Arena silent now.
Only distant cry.
Bodies everywhere.
Mechari gone.
Stellar safe far.
Others hide.
Lian sheathe blade.
Slow.
Walk to Elara.
Hand offer.
She take.
Alloy fingers.
They leave.
Blur.
Gone.
Arena ruin.
Tournament end.
Blood.
Legend black.
Ghost no ghost.
Demon.
Fun.