Chapter 758 (2/2)

In a way, Helen could understand Azriel’s plight. Her goal was to prove her master to be a powerful spear user and not a crystal bug the size of a cart, and yet her matches had all been absurdly easy. Meanwhile.

“Veir! Veir! Veir! Veir!” The crowd chanted ceaselessly, clearly demonstrating who the home favorite was. With great relish, Althumber raised his hand and made a fist. Instantly, the crowd went silent. For all that it was meaningless, it was a cool show of influence.

With the crowd finally allowing the fighters to take center stage, it was possible to make out their voices as they spoke back and forth.

“I have waited many months to finally put you to rest, Rune. This is the culmination of a lifetime. And after beating you-”

“Ever wonder what it feels like to be one of the people you kill?”

“Keh-! Arrogant curr. For interrupting me, I’ll break your legs as punishment.”

“I bet they find themselves detestable. To be so weak.”

Then the referee’s voice, interrupting the strange exchange. “Begin!”

Althumber’s spear was overly long with a thick blade at each end. It was in sharp contrast to Silo, who held a thin spear with only a few spiked spines for adornment. But when Silo rushed toward Althumber, that large spear was barely brought around in time to block Silo’s thrust.

But as Silo pulled back his spear, he twisted the weapon and one the spines ripped across Althumber’s forearm. A flash of red hit the pale tiles of the arena.

“HOW DARE YOU-” Althumber began to bellow, but his explosion of rage was cut short as Silo’s spear swept outward and absolutely smashed him to the side. Helen’s expression was grim as she watched. There was an image there, but it was a bit… hard to grasp from this angle. But what she could see were that those spines she had noticed earlier were in fact hooked. So they could be used creatively to throw the opponent off guard.

Which was exactly what Silo did when he looped the end of the hook under Althumbers shoulder guard and yanked the man sideways. He stumbled, and Silo drove his spear into Althumber’s foot.

Instantly Althumber howled again, but the rage was edged with something close to panic. As quickly as he could, he stumbled backward. His spear stabbed outward in blows that were powerful enough to create small sonic booms. Perhaps in some cruel, twisted pride, Althumber didn’t manifest any of his images in the face of SIlo’s assault.

Which was a mistake.

That hooked spear snaked sideways and ripped a deep gash in Althumber’s calf. When he tried to spin to protect the weakness, Silo pounced like a beast and physically slammed himself against Althumber. Although he was much larger and heavier, the surprise was enough to knock Althumber backward.

Instead of relying on the spear, Silo scratched with his hand. Although the movement was quick, Helen could have sworn-

“MY EYEEEEEE!!” Althumber screeched. This time, he dispensed with the pride and an explosion of flames forced Silo to leap backward or be charred.

His chest heaving, Althumber held one hand to his left eye and glared at Silo.

“Concede,” The skeletal Silo said softly. “Otherwise…”

“I will grind you to dust.” Althumber roared. “This spear has been tempered in a thousand flames! The heat of its core could melt the coldest ice! Lakes evaporate from my single thrust! You are nothing but-”

“A spear,” Silo said as the sky darkened overhead in an overwhelming display of image potency. “Is just a tool to kill. To pretty it up… is foolish. Power is found in the killing.”

Above Silo, a huge image of a spear as large as a mountain rushed downward. Crimson streams of blood ran across it, so thick they resembled rivers. And as it descended, the fires around Althumber were just… snuffed out. On the ground, Silo ran Althumber through.

“YOU DARE-?!”

Silo pulled the hooked spear out, pulling out several dozen meters of entrails out with it. With his one good eye, Althumber goggled at the mess of his own gore for several seconds, even as a deep boom echoed out arena. The ground cracked as Althumber’s father arrived between the two, his eyes bloodshot. If looks could kill, Silo would have been roadkill at that moment. But he pulled his gaze away and produced a glittering potion for his son to drink.

“If you have confidence in your violence, I am prepared whenever.” Silo said. He didn’t smile, but there was a manic glee in his gaze. “Otherwise…”

Then Silo turned and walked off the stage. The tip of his spear dragged across the ground, leaving a thin line of blood to mark his passage.