The arena fell into a tense silence, the loud cheers dying down as everyone leaned forward in anticipation. All eyes were on the stage, where Seraphine and Braun stood face to face. The sunlight streaming down from above highlighted their bosy—Seraphine, slim yet sturdy, her stance composee, versus Braun, an enormous mass of muscle, his broad shoulders casting a shadow over her.

    From my spot by the entrance to the under-seating passage, I leaned against the cool stone wall, observing the scene unfold.

    *Bam*

    A piece of bubble gum lazily popped between my lips. The crowd, thousands strong, had fallen utterly silent.

    Seraphine''s expression was one of pure focus, her sharp eyes locked on her opponent. Her grip tightened on the hilt of her sword, which was sheathed for now but ready to come out.

    But Braun... something about him wasn''t right.

    I shifted slightly, crossing my arms and tilting my head as I studied him. His massive form loomed over Seraphine, his muscles bulging unnaturally.

    "Is that even a human?" I thought.

    Thick veins ran like ropes across his arms, neck, and head, pulsating. His two large axes hung on his back, their blades shining strong under the sun. Yet it wasn''t his size or his weapons that unsettled me—it was his eyes.

    They were dead.

    There was no fire, no spark of life, no trace of humanity. His stare was blank, almost empty, as if he wasn''t even present in his own body. His movements were stiff, mechanical, like a puppet. I couldn''t shake the feeling that he wasn''t entirely in control of himself.

    "Something''s off about him," I muttered.

    My bubble gum popped again as I glanced toward Seraphine. I admired her composure, but even she had to sense that there was something unnatural about her opponent.

    "Hope Seraphine will be okay..." I murmured, in concern.

    Seraphine remove her blade from its sheath with a sound of steel, catching the sunlight as she raised it. She pointed it directly at Braun, her expression as sharp as the edge of her weapon.

    The crowd held their breath as she took a steady step forward, her stance lowering slightly, ready to strike. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire

    "WHAAA—"

    "WOAHHHHHH....."

    "That was cool..."

    The crowd erupted into chaos, their cheers loud. "What just happened?!" someone shouted. Others were screaming, overwhelmed by the speed of the exchange.

    Even the announcer seemed shaken, his voice quivering with excitement. "Ladies and gentlemen! Did you see that? When did Braun remove his axe? I couldn''t even catch it! Did anyone?!"

    Chewing my gum slowly, my eyes narrowing on the battlefield. Unlike the crowd, I had seen everything—every minute detail of Braun''s movement. He wasn''t just fast; he was inhumanly fast, his axe drawn with such precision and speed that felt like time slowed down for him.

    "He''s faster than he looks," I murmured, staring at Braun. "Far too fast for someone that size..."

    Back on the battlefield, Seraphine''s grip tightened on her sword, Her voice was firm,

    "When did you remove your axe?"

    Seraphine''s brows furrowed, and she adjusted her footing. But Braun didn''t give her time to think. With a sudden, explosive movement, he lunged forward, his massive axe gripped tightly in his hands while other stayed on his back

    Seraphine''s eyes widened in alarm. She raised her blade, her muscles coiling as she prepared to block the incoming attack.

    "Tch—!"

    Braun brought one axe down in a devastating arc, the weight of it splitting the air with a sharp whistle. The moment it connected with Seraphine''s sword, the ground shook beneath them. The clash sent a BOOM across the arena, and the force of Braun''s strength was overwhelming.

    Seraphine gritted her teeth, but it was no use. The sheer pressure of his attack drove her down with terrifying force. Her knees buckled, and before she could recover,

    THUD!

    Her body slammed hard against the ground, her back striked with enough impact that showed immense pain in her expression. She gasp, spit flying from her mouth as she choked. The weight of Braun''s axe was still pressing down on her sword, on her chest, pinning her against the ground.