"Your sword can’t do shit!" Zare said.

Gorvo drew his sword, but he only showed inches of it, a flash of silver and the rope of the grapnel snapped. It was a snap that echoed in the room. The hook and the remaining solidified mana dissolved.

There was silence until the click of Gorvo returning his sword sounded in the arena. He turned to go and that was when Thaedric looked at Zara.

She was silent and he thought her dumbfounded until she slumped and collapsed. Thaedric saw the thin cleanly cut line on her neck in the last minute.

Then the arena exploded with shouting that shook the ground, they started chanting his name.

"What the....." Malak shouted. "How did she die? He didn’t touch her!"

"No." Thaedric said. He frowned. He saw something leaped up when Gorvo drew his sword, an arch of silver energy, that cut the grapnel and continued forward, but it was too fast to judge accurately. "He definitely did something."

"But what." Urlk muttered.

Thaedric watched Zara’s body. ’So it didn’t go as planned huh’ he turned to Malak. "You must have heard of him. Tell me what you know."

Malak scratched his head. "He’s good. Very good. And he always dominate all fight below tier three. Some tier three even have problems dealing with him. I’ve never heard what his specific powers are but his sword always shone with silver light when he uses it."

’Silver light, so that’s what I saw’ Thaedric watched as Gorvo came and sat back down. Not one hair out of place, still as cold as ever.

Gamemaster was all smile as he announced the winner of the match and the moving up of Gorvo. The next fighters were then called.

"Oh," Malak grinned. "These ones are not holding any weapons. Bloodline techniques then?"

It seems that way. They began fighting and one of them immediately transformed into a beast on two legs. The other one calmly shoved his robe aside and belted around his waist were ten small knives that levitate and stated attacking the one that transformed.

"Nice," Urlk nodded. "Use those knives to keep him away from you because just one punch from him and you’ll crumble."

The knives must carry some kind of force behind them because as Thaedric watched the rashaka turned beast was struggling to break through even as the knives left small wounds on its body.

The transformed rashaka shouted out in pain as one knife bit deeply into its side. He bend down and his hands sunk into the ground ripping out large pieces of stones that he hurled.

His opponent raised his hands to stop the rain of stones but that affected his concentration and he couldn’t keep up the attack. By the time he finished his defending, the beast smashed through and bashed him on the head. A knock out.

The crowd shouted, those who bet on the transformed rashaka shouted the loudest.

"A shame. If only he could keep his offensive and defensive going at once." Thaedric said.

"It must take tremulous energy to keep that many knives going. Maybe he’ll be able to do more when he’s in higher tier. But still, that’s a powerful technique." Malak nodded.

Thaedric sighed as his name was called. He was to fight the slave fighter of Lady Arachne. He went down the stairs that led to the stage and whispered followed him as the other slave fighters talked about him.

Urlk followed behind him and brought along his weapon.

"As you all know. Reaper blood is representing Orso who have been knocked out first match in two tournaments now!" Gamemaster smiled down at Orso who’s jaw tightened in reply.

But the crowd loved it. They shouted out Reaper blood name but Thaedric saw them as they bet against him. As they say– tournament is different from just fighting.

Thaedric would be happy to make them regret it.

Malak had frowned when they called the fighter and it belongs to Lady Arachne. He told Thaedric that the crime lord always find powerful bloodline to represent her and she tied at third or second in all the previous tournaments, so he should look out.

Thaedric saw the fighter. He was as tall as him with a green cloak complete with hood, he carried no weapons too and instead struts into the stage.

"Best of luck." Urlk said and gave him his weapon.

Thaedric walked into the stage and Gamemaster called the start of the fight.

He took a deep breath. "Are you ready, Sandskar?"

"Yes."

"Then let’s make this quick."

He opponent removed his cloak to reveal a face that was full of beard. He pointed at Thaedric. "I’ve heard a lot about you Reaper blood!"

"What do you hear." Thaedric rested his weapon between his legs.

He paused and frowned. "Nothing much actually. You are recently gotten by Orso. We don’t know what your techniques are! I will be the one to draw them out!"

"What should I call you?" Thaedric asked.

"Call me Beren!"

Thaedric lifted his mace. "Beren! What gives you the gut to think you can make me ever reveal my technique? You are not powerful enough to force me to do that!"

His voice was like a snap of whip in the silent arena. Then they started murmuring among themselves, the Crime lords looked at Orso and smirked while the slave fighters snickered among themselves.

"Don’t get too full of yourself Reaper blood just because we are hyping you!" One person from the crowd called and the rest laughed.

Thaedric laughed with them. "You should not have bet against me." Then he pushed against the ground, cracking it and he hurled himself forward, weapon held back for a swing.

"You little...underestimating me!" Beren watched him crossed the distance between them quickly and he bent down, touching his own shadow.

"Got you." Thaedric said as he reached Beren and swing his mace as if it was made of plastic.

"No, you don’t." Beren said and shadow rose and swallowed Thaedric whole.