CHAPTER 561: FREE-FOR-ALL

"Good morning, ladies, gentlemen and everything in-between! As you can see, our amazing Goddess made a few changes in today’s plans! There won’t be the usual duels stretching along the day instead, we’ve prepared something much better!"

As the female announcer’s voice echoed through the Colosseum, the spectators murmured in confusion.

The arena grounds down below were consumed my a massive thick forest. The foliage stretched just below the lowest bleachers, grazing against the Aegis shield.

The drones and their broadcast was supposed to be useless, since they couldn’t see through the foliage, but during the night they received an upgrade...

"As you can see, the drones had been upgraded, so the viewing experience wouldn’t be hindered by the new arena design! Our Goddess’s technological expert made them himself! It’s called X-ray vision!"

Somewhere below the arena, James cringed upon hearing the horrible name. He explicitly told Sera not to call it X-ray vision, since the technology has nothing to do with X-rays...

It used the same principles as the holo-screens, but instead of projecting colored lights onto tiny air particles, it simply bounced them back using a specialized wave and tiny gravitational field.

A few dozen drones could scan the entire arena’s structure and could create a near perfect rendition of the place. Basically, they created a 3D replica of the arena in real time.

Of course, nobody understood his explanation other than Mary. However, his too rational, scientist girlfriend betrayed James and referred to his creation as an overcomplicated X-ray...

Sadly, the name stuck, and now James cringed every time someone mentioned it...

The male announcer explained in broad terms how the X-ray vision worked, while the enormous holo-screens showed hundreds of different pictures from multiple angles.

Since they were technically watching a 3D model of the arena, there wasn’t a single point of observation. They could show footage from the ground or from higher up, between branches. Even more amazing, they can recreate the individual fighters’ perspectives.

The spectators immediately became excited upon hearing that, and their cheers only increased as the female announcer continued...

"Today is a special day! Instead of duels, our Goddess decided that all of today’s fighters will enter the arena at once and we’ll hold a free-for-all! Everyone will enter, but only one can leave alive! Isn’t that amazing!"

The crowd showcased its excitement by screaming at the top of their lungs. However, they needed to wait another hour before the fights began.

...

"How are you feeling?" asked Astrid while standing a step away from Yvonne. Her mouth a thin line, yet her eyes revealed an aptitude of emotions her lover read easily.

They were in a smaller room, which connected to their lounge area. Yvonne came here a few minutes before her match began to clear her mind, and her ever thoughtful, taciturn girlfriend followed after.

"Well, I’m excited, of course! How else am I supposed to feel? Are you perhaps worried about me?" she answered while a wide grin stretched across her face... Too wide...

"Stop lying, Yvonne... We’ve been together for a while now, I can read your body language perfectly. You’re scared, aren’t you?"

Yvonne tried keeping her smile going, but Astrid’s expressionless stare pierced through her façade. With a heavy sigh, she leaned against the wall while keeping her eyes off her girlfriend.

"I’m terrified... I usually love fighting, but... I feel pressured... A few months ago, I wouldn’t have cared, but now..." her metallic gray eyes gradually moved away from the floor until they met Astrid’s golden, tender gaze.

"Now I’ve plenty to lose... I don’t want to die, and I don’t want you to die... I want us to live together forever!"

Suddenly, she felt two gigantic arms wrapping around her powerful body, as Astrid hugged Yvonne. She instantly reciprocated the hug, and they stayed like that for a few calming moments.

After a while, Astrid’s usually emotionless voice whispered into Yvonne’s ear. It felt fearful but also full of hope and joy. Nobody, even Yvonne, had never heard Astrid talk like that.

"Years ago, after Sera rescued me from that goblin camp, I’d nothing to live for... I wanted to kill myself, but the hate I felt towards goblins and the Angelic Order’s help gave me direction...

"Yet I still felt like a living husk. As if I were nothing but a mere ghost, watching as everyone enjoyed their lives... Kim helped to bring the will to live back to my body, but... You’re to one who actually made me want to live and enjoy my life once again!"

Yvonne tried pushing Astrid away to gaze into her eyes, but the giantess’s hold was firm. She felt tiny droplets falling on her shoulder and neck, while tears began welling in her eyes too.

"I want that too. We all do... Sadly, achieving peace requires sacrifice and us to take chances... Don’t worry though. If you happen to die today or any other day, I’ll find a way to bring you back... Even if I fail, you don’t need to worry, since I’ll join you in the Afterlife!"

This time, Yvonne was much more forceful. She pushed her lover away, then grabbed the sides of her face firmly yet lovingly. Tears poured down Yvonne’s face as she spoke in a trembling voice.

"Don’t you dare!... I-if I die, you need to live!... You need to find another reason to continue... I-if... If you kill yourself... Because of me..."

She couldn’t even finish the sentence. The imagined pain of losing Astrid because of her own failure to survive... It felt too overwhelming to even picture a reality without them living happily forever...

"Let me ask you something," said Astrid, her voice back to its emotionless tone. "If I would die and you couldn’t bring me back... Would you continue living? Without me?"

Suddenly, Yvonne’s breathing stopped as her heart skipped a few beats. However, after a few seconds, she glanced away from her lover’s face. Her face was flushed red with shame as she answered in a melancholic voice.

"No... I would also end myself... Sorry... I’m a hypocrite for ask—"

Before Yvonne could’ve finished the sentence, she felt Astrid’s warm lips sealing her mouth. The sudden, shocking kiss stunned Yvonne.

Sadly, it only lasted a few moments, but after ending it, Astrid’s face stayed close, staring deep into her lover’s metallic gray eyes. A gentle smile played on her glistening lips as she whispered.

"Let’s not pretend! We both love each other more than anything! I couldn’t imagine living without you, and I’m pretty sure you feel the same... We’ll make sure even death won’t do us apart, one way or another!"

Her words should’ve sounded horrible, yet Yvonne couldn’t help but grin. The way Astrid put it, death didn’t sound too bad. They’ll live and die together, no matter what!

Yvonne gave another, longer kiss to Astrid before leaving the small room and entering the elevator. Astrid moved back to the lounge area and watched the holo-screen with a near invisible smile and worried eyes.

...

The rising platform brought Yvonne into a lush, shadowed forest. The place was awfully quiet, since for today, the Aegis shield filtered out the loud cheers of the spectators. It created a gloomy, scary atmosphere.

The point of this free-for-all wasn’t just a deathmatch of nearly fifty fighters. This forest gave opportunities to the less fortunate. The ones who weren’t the best at fighting duels, but could easily land ambushes.

Yvonne knew that this free-for-all wasn’t a simple battle. It was a struggle for survival. You didn’t need to kill anyone for victory, just everyone else needed to die.

She stood on the platform, covered in dark gray armor. Her eyes bounced around the forest. The helmet she wore didn’t restrict her vision even in the slightest, which was strange, since it covered her entire face.

The armor had similar properties to the first armor Sera got, which meant it could distribute physical damage all across Yvonne’s massive body, while it enriched her natural regeneration and gave protection against weaker mind and soul attacks.

It also made her created weapons sturdier and sharper, since it gave them an Angelic Metal coating.

Her hands trembled as she awaited the announcer’s voice, so the match could begin.

Above her, a light breeze ruffled the foliage. A few green leaves gently fell to the ground near Yvonne. She took a few deep breaths, calming her racing mind and bringing peace to her rapid heartbeat.

A few long minutes passed before the female announcer’s voice echoed inside the arena.

"Fighters! Prepare yourselves! There are no rules here! You can use any means necessary to win! You can make alliances! Betray your friends! Kill your lovers! Only one can survive!"

Yvonne’s heart rate increased, but the trembling disappeared from her hands as she her mind entered the early stages of Clear Mind.

"We usually announce each participant, but since there are 46 fighters here, we’ll only announce one person! The winner!" Shouted the male announcer, his voice full of excitement.

"Now! Let the match begin! Let the blood flow in rivers! Make your enemies scream in agony! May the best fighter win!"

The female announcer’s voice echoed through the arena for a few seconds before it disappeared into nothingness. The silence returned to the forest, but soon new sounds reached Yvonne’s ear.

The clashing of weapons... The panting of fighters... The gasps of pain... The screams of agony... The sounds of war... The sounds of death... The sounds, which brought a wide grin to Yvonne’s face, as she began her hunt!