60 - The Beginning!

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PART 1 – Conversation & Preparations!

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The entire city of Jomorka was still on alert. A fearsome Black Dragon was in the city—not just any dragon, but one of the subtypes known to be the most dangerous and cruel.

Black Dragons are the symbol of disasters; even among other dragons, they tend to be excluded due to their rather explosive and dark personality, even more harmful than the Red Dragons, known for having a short temper.

It is surprising that Gojira did not destroy the city as soon as it arrived, which made many wonder what Skarla did or said to stop Gojira's advance.

As the afternoon progressed, word spread that everything was in order. Gojira will not harm the city but will help the city.

The information began to circulate days before Skarla and her entourage arrived in the city. The criminal factions underwent a purge on that day. Reports surfaced that a group of avaricious criminals invaded and stole Gojira's egg.

These criminals aimed to harm everyone in the city of Jomorka. They are still under investigation. Gojira's loss of control was just a mother's worry about her son and fury with whoever kidnapped him.

When they learned that people were scheming behind the scenes to destroy the city of Jomorka in the middle of such a grand event, with the presence of countless important figures from the continent, it created many doubts and intrigues.

Many smart people did not fully believe it, but if this information spreads—something that is already happening—the stench of war will approach. It's still unclear which neighboring nation will be the recipient of this bomb.

The possibility of delaying the event arose, but Skarla refused. There are only a few days left, and the wedding needs to be officialized to improve the life of her disciple, who is now her adopted daughter.

...

That same night, while the city relaxed and Gojira took care of her cub, Skarla was in a relationship with none other than the Emperor.

The activation of a large magic mirror revealed the handsome emperor with long platinum-white hair and sharp eyes. He seemed quite calm, but internally he was panicking.

["I heard what happened, but I want to hear it from you personally!"] - Lucius spoke in a serious tone.

"I was also taken by surprise; fortunately I managed to calm the mother dragon, or it would have been another disaster for the empire." - Skarla smiled slightly, being quite relaxed.

["I appreciate that. We are not at a time when we can deal with another disaster. I heard about the occultists you annihilated in the duchy, and now this. What other problems will arise around you?"] - Lucius sighed as he rubbed his temple.

"What can I do? Ever since Letiphia called me, problems have been chasing me, but it is nothing I cannot handle. But I think we need to be honest." - Skarla became serious, and Lucius nodded. - "What I will say must be transmitted only to people I trust, so prepare it on your side."

["Don't worry about it; only Kaleria and I are here; a stealth device has already been activated. It is also unlikely that any third party has connected to this transmission."] - Lucius smiled confidently.

"I understand. Now I will tell you what I discovered and who is responsible for angering Gojira, the Black Dragon." - Skarla sighed and began to explain the events.

Lucius listened attentively. - ["Marquise Lotoha Family?"] - He seemed confused.

["It is a small territory near Torwin. A family with 150 years of history barely maintained the title of marquis. They are no different from a small baronial family in power."] - Kaleria's voice sounded from the side.

["If that is the case, we can rule them out."] - Lucius scratched his chin, looking at Skarla in the mirror. - ["Would Lady Gojira be willing to support us?"] - There was doubt in her tone.

"You know that dragons are extremely protective and vengeful when it comes to their newly born young. Gojira is still a mystery to me since she is different from what I have heard about dragons of her species, but yes, she will fight alongside us. Since this matter involves a nation that has researched magic to domesticate pure-blooded dragons and potentially has the involvement of a dragon in this, this war interests her, and she has many justifications for participating." - Skarla, arms crossed, smiled slightly.

Lucius grunted slightly, and Kaleria's voice rang out. - ["I believe that a war is the best at this time. We will have justification to act, an insignificant family to blame for a disaster that was fortunately prevented before it occurred. The people have lost a lot of faith in us, religion is becoming stronger, and we are all being blamed. We need this war and blame our misfortunes on Torwin."]

Listening to his wife, Lucius nodded. - ["We will begin to move. As for the Lotoha Marquisate, I hope the damage will not affect the common people."]

"Gojira will leave the next morning in search of the evidence. The spy told us a lot, and she will know where to find evidence to incriminate both the Marquis and Torwin." - Skarla nodded, quickly remembering something. - "If possible, reduce Angelo's involvement in the upcoming war."

Lucius narrowed his eyes. - ["What would be the reason?"]

When Skarla was about to answer. - ["We agree. Angelo will have little or no participation in this war."] - Lucius on the other side, frowned but agreed with his wife's words.

The transmission was soon cut off.

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PART 2 – Name!

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Gojira felt pain and anger. Her son, who comes from a noble and grand lineage, is acting like a human child, with some aspects of him being treated like a pet.

To others, he was adorable and cute, but to her, as a mother and a dragon, this was shameful.

She wanted to destroy everything, kill as many as she could, and fly to the Lotoha Marquisate, then the Torwin Kingdom, without caring about the consequences.

However, what was stopping her? Skarla.

This human had a frightening power that she had never heard of. She suppressed one of her blows; even in human form, she is still a dragon, and there should be no legendary human capable of standing up to her.

But here we have Skarla, who withstood her fist with ease. Her mere intentions made her scales tense up, causing goosebumps.

When she used her eyes to observe and assess her, she discovered massive reserves of magical power, impressive for a human, but beyond that, she detected an energy so pure and grand, having some similarity to the energy of dragons but different.

Since this oppressive feeling came from it, she wanted to know what it was. This unknown energy caused the danger Skarla made her feel came from this unknown energy.

And speaking of her. After her transmission with the Emperor, Skarla came to her. Gojira growled and looked away, staring out the window.

Skarla sat in front of her, the little one running into her lap, looking so happy that it made her laugh as she petted him, as if he were a dog.

Gojira growled. - "Don't do that; your son will soon be better. But until then, we will make the guilty ones suffer."

Snorting, Gojira nodded at Skarla's words. - "And what's his name? I thought about giving him a name, but I don't have that right."

"If I had, I would have killed you!" - Gojira growled and quickly added. - "Your first name is Atharius."

"Atharius? I like it." - Skarla smiled slightly as she stroked his head and used her martial arts to strengthen his brain waves. Gojira noticed this and understood that it was support.

"What is your full name? If it's not a bother." - Skarla was quite curious.

Gojira narrowed her eyes and quickly answered. - "Atharius Drakon Zoul'ar Bloourh."

"A bit of a long name, but not impossible to remember. Does it have any meaning?"

"Atharius is modified from Artharus, my father; Drakon is from your father's lineage; Zoul'ar is from my lineage, and Bloourh is in honor of my mother's ancestor."

"Curious. Is Bloourh related to blood?" - Skarla scratched her chin curiously.

"Yes. The Bloourh lineage is practically extinct, and the power of the lineage is almost impossible to manifest. But in simple terms, it was a Blood Demon Dragon that is said to have drunk the blood of a god."

Skarla nodded, feeling the pride in Gojira's voice. - "Why are you curious about my son?"

"Nothing major, just curious. We will interact a lot in the near future; it is good that we have some kind of friendly relationship and avoid unnecessary conflicts." - Skarla smiled gently.

"I do not aim to be friendly with you. If it were not for my son's attachment to you, I would have already taken him and annihilated this miserable kingdom." - Gojira growled, and Skarla laughed. - "What's funny?" - She frowned irritably.

"It's no big deal. I just thought that if it weren't for you listening to reason and not confronting me, you would still be alive."

"Do you think you can defeat me?" - Gojira bared her teeth, feeling challenged.

"I don't think so, I'm sure!" - Skarla smiled back, feeling an itch to fight.

Their eyes met, rivalry emerging.

Skarla was curious to understand the power of an adult dragon. Gojira was intrigued by the strength of this human, but instinctively…

"Anyway. Let's leave your unrealistic dreams for another time. When I'm done with this little family and this damned kingdom, I'll take care of you!" - Gojira bared her teeth.

Skarla laughed and nodded. - "Oh, I almost forgot. Is his father alive?"

"… why?" - Gojira frowned.

"I don't think he'd be happy about his son calling a futanari mother and you too. It must certainly be quite shameful. Wouldn't he want to cause trouble with me?" - Skarla smiled slightly, and Gojira believed he could hear a bit of expectation in her tone.

'This human is crazy!' - Gojira thought. - "Yes, he is alive. But I don't think you need to worry; Atharius' father is not trustworthy."

"Black Dragon?" - Skarla asked, laughing.

"… yes, one of the purest blood." - Gojira rolled her eyes; she knows well how her lineage is treated.

"I wanted to know a little more about that. From the stories I've heard, you Black Dragons are uncontrolled and brutal, so how did you stay conscious all this time? I was ready to lose an arm to kill you." - Skarla seemed thoughtful as she asked.

Gojira narrowed her eyes, sighing. - "Atharius' father is also my father."

"…" - Skarla was listening; it took her a while to understand. - "Really?"

"Black Dragons have little to no parental relationship. My father was never present, which is quite common among male dragons; few are those who stay by the side of the female and the young, which is mainly caused by what you inferior creatures call love." - Gojira snorted in disdain.

"About 200 years after reaching Level 20, my father came to my lair, having smelled me. We fought, and he impregnated me. My mother was a Storm Dragon; from what you told me, the situation was the same. My father is very strong, one of the oldest dragons living in this land." - Gojira had disgust and disdain in his tone.

Skarla was surprised, the mood becoming horrible because of her. - "Don't you feel like killing him?"

"Why would you? I am a dragon, and it is a great privilege to have descendants of someone as strong as my father. We dragons, especially the Black Dragons, have no problem with incest; this is nothing more than a way to maintain the purity of the lineage, and we have no problem with defective children, because we are perfect." - Gojira seemed proud.

Skarla was considering making a small joke about Atharius, but I believe it would be detrimental to the situation.

"I see. So you dragons only listen to the force."

"The world is ruled by force; everyone listens to the force. Regardless of the society or empire, if something or someone with monstrous power manifests itself, what can they do? Talk?" - Gojira mocked while laughing.

In fact, in a world with magic and people who can develop a force capable of damaging mountains, it is natural that there are individuals who unbalance the entire power system of a region, conquering it.

Take the mountains, for example. Throughout history, there has consistently been a state of equilibrium, characterized by a limited number of rulers. Makaulu had the good fortune to be stronger than most due to luck, which is still considered a skill.

But even when there were masters and legendary-level individuals in the mountains, there was still a fine balance. It is rare for someone like Makaulu to appear, and even rarer for someone as monstrous as Skarla.

This equilibrium exists practically everywhere. Those who are strong become stronger and fight each other, serving as rivals and preventing them from paying attention to others, allowing these "others" to develop and potentially reach their levels.

Skarla is an anomaly. Her strength, which unbalances everything, is inherently a form of balance. Only the system's inability to suppress her allows her to wield such monstrous power, bringing about changes.

The moment Skarla underwent the [First Metamorphosis], the system began to lose control over her, forcibly breaking its limits.

…

Skarla stood up, stroking Atharius' head, and handed him to Gojira. - "I'm going to sleep; tomorrow will be a busy day, and I need to meet with some people who think they're hiding."

"Those people with a strong smell? They're all over the city. I believe the strongest one is in one of the churches." - Gojira scratched her chin thoughtfully.

"The same ones." - Skarla smiled, enjoying the warning.

["Mommy, sleep. I want to sleep with mommies."] - Atharius looked at Skarla and Gojira, being quite excited.

Gojira frowned, and Atharius, holding Gojira's arm, jumped to Skarla and bit her hand that instinctively reached out to grab him. That's how he stayed, not letting go.

Skarla looked at the adorable Atharius, unable to let go of his two mommies.

["When he regains his intellect, will he still be so cute?"]

Gojira narrowed her eyes and replied. - ["Hardly. He has more Black Dragon blood than I do. He probably inherits more from our father than from me."]

Skarla didn't like that. - ["What do we do? I doubt he wants to share a bed with me."]

["I don't want to, but he won't let go unless we hurt him. If he's going to hurt him, let it be you."] - Gojira glared at her.

["I won't hurt a child."] - Skarla frowned.

["I won't hurt my child!"] - Gojira growled.

The two stared at each other.

…

["Hehehehe~"] - Atharius was laughing happily as he snuggled between Skarla and Gojira. In the end, they didn't give in to trying to push Atharius away emotionally through pain.

But Skarla is not her mother; she has two daughters who need her attention, as well as a small child growing very fast and strong who has green skin and who probably sees her as a mother, Malu.

After bringing Atharius to sleep in his bed next to Gojira, Skarla also brought the three children, who lay in her arms.

Atharius disliked sharing with Skarla; as a dragon, sharing was not something his instincts allowed him to do. However, upon sensing the scent of Skarla in the children, he ultimately came to accept them as his brothers and sisters.

Gojira just watched this. Skarla does not seem like the most emotional or loving person, but the 3 children seem so attached and comfortable around her. She understood that she was doing something when she opened her eyes.

The energy flows through these children, filling them with vitality and undoubtedly strengthening them. This made her full of curiosity.

In the end, she spent the entire night watching Skarla circulate her energy to her and her children, including Atharius. She wondered about its effects.

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PART 3 – Lotoha Marquisate!

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Geomey Lotoha, a knight of the Imperial Guard who accomplished numerous feats in his conquest against the Torwin Kingdom when it was twice its current size, founded the Lotoha Marquisate.

Geomey was a war hero, reaching the Master Level and even saving the empire's princess, as well as taking the life of an infamous Torwin champion.

Through his merits, he acquired a large portion of the conquered lands of the Torwin Kingdom, gaining great influence and respect, to the point where many believed he could even find a Duchess family in the coming decades.

But Geomey was powerful for his 45th year, which is quite young for a master. He was burning with ambition, but he did not accomplish any notable feats. He settled into his lands and accepted depravity.

Lust and wealth corrupted a war hero.

From this point on, his family's status began to decline. His numerous offspring displayed extreme arrogance and overconfidence. The respect that Geomey had was disappearing, and intrigues arose. Lower-ranking nobles trying to profit from it came into conflict with Geomey.

Geomey, who many thought was just a perverted old man, demonstrated a great martial feat as a result of the conflicts. Almost single-handedly, he defeated his enemies despite a significant difference in troop strength.

But his actions went beyond certain limits, resulting in the Imperial Family ignoring his transgressions and irresponsibility, as they did with many other noble families that were of little relevance to the future of the empire.

Regardless of the justification, the deaths of nobles could not happen lightly. As a result, the imperial family punished Geomey and the Lotoha family. They had to compensate for the nobles' deaths by handing over a portion of their lands.

As time went by, the Lotoha Family lost more and more lands. The ever-increasing taxes, poor territory management, and exaggerated spending left the people living in their territory shaken. All these factors led to the people fleeing to other territories, seeking refuge from Geomey, the Wicked.

A bad vase, as the saying goes, does not break.

Geomey lived a long life; with his strength, he helped some children grow stronger so that their rivals' authority or wealth would not easily surpass them.

Geomey passed away at the age of 104, during the 60th year of the Lotoha Family's rule. As soon as he passed away, there was a fierce fight for succession. Geomey's sin of lust was to have many children, who created several factions and thus divided the entire territory.

The conflict escalated to a point where the Imperial Family intervened, resulting in further penalties for the family, which now possessed only 1/6 of the territory they had previously seized.

Surprisingly, the Lotoha Family continued to exist, even 100 years after such conflicts and so many penalties. Their spending decreased, and they became a small family that squanders the title of marquis.

Their current patriarch is Marquis Inerius Lotoha. He was an old man, great-grandson of Geomey Lotoha. Inerius was not the strongest among his brothers, but he was the wisest and cruelest.

He was promoted to the position of Marquis without spilling blood. All he had to do was destroy the image of his brothers, get all his sisters on his side, and hand them over to various families in exchange for connections and many benefits.

Faced with his pressure and growing power within the family, Inerius expelled his brothers, putting some in prison for crimes they never committed. Inerius did not find any satisfaction in merely murdering his brothers.

Killing was the easiest thing in the world. Inerius enjoyed the thrill of physically and mentally torturing those he saw as enemies. He destroyed every aspect of their lives, leading them to either commit suicide or endure a life of suffering.

In his hands, the Lotoha family surprisingly prospered. With massive profits from various transactions in which he always came out on top, he was aiming to buy back many lands that his family had lost in the past.

The barbarian invasion greatly benefited him, as he strengthened his army with money and hired numerous mercenaries, enabling him to repel the barbarian attacks on his lands. He even used money to bargain with them, sending them to harm his many neighbors and even teaching them secret places in his lands to assassinate them.

It wasn't long before he heard about the deaths of several neighbors. In the process, he learned that some of his sisters had been killed, others taken away, and probably met an end worse than death. Did he care? Of course not!

Like the bastard that he is, Inerius exploited his sisters' misfortune to inflict harm and exert pressure on these former allies, resulting in numerous rewards.

However, one issue that significantly affected him was the "Hermit Swordsman." The "Hermit Swordsman" emerged from the chaos, annihilating several criminal groups and severely damaging his numerous underground jobs.

Inerius helped some large criminal groups harm their rivals by providing information about merchant caravans, their routes, and what they had. This was a major factor in his family's prosperity, enabling them to reclaim several territories and even more.

However, everything came crashing down with the arrival of the infamous "Hermit Swordsman." Inerius had to get rid of all connections because of this extermination that was supported by the Imperial Family, harming not only him but many other nobles who had similar relationships.

The family's high expenses quickly made him realize that they were spending more than they could earn. Instead of reducing expenses, he chose to increase taxes and restart several criminal activities, selling his own people as slaves to other territories or countries.

He even sold one of his daughters. Some nobles love the feeling of buying noble ladies as slaves, and they spend a lot of money on it.

Inerius didn't mind, because he had ways of manipulating his daughters' buyers without them knowing that he was the one who sold them. He had plans in place to reap significant benefits in the near future.

Everything was going perfectly well; one of his most talented sons went on an expedition to raise the family's fame and potentially steal a dragon's lair. How about the losses?

Inerius trusts his son, knowing that he will find a way to keep the family from harm. What impact will this have on the empire? He doesn't care, because he is beginning to connect with the Radiant Church, men of God who claim to be enlightened and pure but are abnormally corrupt and easy to get along with. Inerius believed that if he hadn't become a marquis, he would have become a priest and be able to do even more.

But who would have thought that the son he trusted the most would be the reason for his downfall?

News of his capture in Jomorka City reached him. This infuriated him. The new Marquise Verona, who did not yet own any land, captured his son.

This infuriated him, but he did not lose control and tried to better understand the situation. Skarla is a legendary warrior, and provoking her is useless. The right thing to do would be to pay to free his son and hope that no trouble arises. If it does, he will abandon him.

But as he searched for information, he waited for the rumors of his son's arrest to arrive. On the 3rd day, a cloud of fury descended upon him.

It was supposed to be a peaceful day, in anticipation of the information that should arrive today. But what fell upon him was the fury of a beast covered in black scales, spitting green and blue flames across his fields.

His animals were turned to coal, houses destroyed, and his city invaded.

A majestic dragon attacked his lands, bringing terror and despair.

Inerius, protected by his knights, simply watched in disbelief as the dragon approached. His knees gave out, and he knew his son was to blame.

The idea of negotiating? Upon seeing the color of the dragon's scales, the idea of negotiation didn't even cross his mind. Black Dragons only kill and don't negotiate with ants.

BOOOMM!!

Landing on his castle, destroying its walls and walls, Gojira gave a brief glance until falling on him, hatred in those eyes, along with a hint of joy and cruelty.

In the following moments, only Inerius's screams and cries resounded. Gojira amplified his voice with magic so that all the terrified citizens could hear.

His lord's sin was to have provoked a calamity upon himself.

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PART 4 – News!

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Information about the Lotoha Marquisate spread like the flames that burned it. Spies informed everyone of the real event and why a dragon had attacked the empire at this time.

When the common people learned of the son of Marquis Inerius Lotoha, in addition to plundering the lair of a Black Dragon, he also stole its egg, putting the life of a dragon cub at risk.

Many questioned why the Lotoha Marquisate, rather than the surrounding territories and cities, was the only target. It was surprising that a Black Dragon was so calm. In fact, in all of history, no one had ever seen or heard of anything like this coming from this species.

Regardless of the circumstances, the Lotoha Family endured destruction, its bloodline reduced to ashes, its treasures seized, and the lands sustained damage. Thousands died due to a few people's mistakes.

And amidst such rumors, one in particular caught people's attention. There was a rumor that the Lotoha family was weak and full of cowards. Their greed prevented them from stealing a dragon's lair, much less its egg.

Amidst this rumor, the idea arose that the Lotoha family had been manipulated to commit such crimes.

These rumors were accompanied by the occurrence of two disasters within a span of less than one year. A Black Dragon of legendary power attacking the empire is no less devastating than the previous 2.

This made many wonder if this was not the action of a rival Kingdom.

Many were blaming the Imperial Family for being weak and incompetent, allowing so many disasters to occur. With Gojira's attack, this only increased for an instant, like a strong wave that was calmed by the rumors.

And now doubts arose, the rumors gradually becoming stronger and more concrete, names being said, fingers pointed. Little by little it was getting out of control and those who planned it were just waiting for the moment to act.

The main cause of the rumors, who planned it all, was on a throne in the coliseum, watching the opening show of his adopted daughter's wedding event.

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PART 5 – Opening Show!

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After so long, what seemed like an eternity, the day of the event began!

The city of Jomorka was festive; the people were excited. The streets were extremely busy, and commerce was flourishing.

In several important points of the city, even those with few people, received the surprise of a large screen.

The first "TV show" kicked off with a large entourage exiting the city's ruler's castle. A tall, imposing, and beautiful figure stood in the center. Everyone could admire the beauty and grandeur of Skarla.

At her feet was a figure that astonished everyone; there was no way not to be astonished. The docile and comfortable dragon cub gazed curiously at the people, yelling and waving to them.

More figures appeared, like the beautiful and cold Letiphia Veremor, stroking her large pregnant belly. Viper, a beauty with platinum white hair and a gentle smile, stood out.

A powerful orc with an intimidating appearance, arms crossed, is accompanied by a group of younger orcs full of vigor.

Everyone watching the screens could see such influential and powerful figures, marking such faces in their minds.

But it was not only Jomorka who had the privilege of such screens; many were sent to the Krugar Mountains, allowing the people there to watch the fights.

Skarla has many plans, and one of them is to spread her image among the people.

…

The walk lasted about 20 minutes until they reached the coliseum. The fireworks began as Skarla sat down upon entering. A great opening show by one of the most famous troupes in the empire took place in the coliseum below.

Everyone was entertained by their antics, the displays of unique and bizarre talents, and the presence of wild animals performing various tricks. The event culminated in a sex show featuring stunning individuals.

For Skarla, this may seem depraved, given the large number of children watching, but it is a common occurrence in this world, greatly appreciated by everyone.

She doesn't like it, but she has to put up with such depravity, which naturally forbids her children and little Atharius from watching. But tens or even hundreds of thousands of people enjoyed the show, thanking Skarla for such a privilege.

And with the explosions over and the troupe farewelling, it was Skarla's turn to speak.

Skarla rose from her throne, the screen focusing on her as she began.

"Hello everyone, I am Skarla Verona, Marquise of this glorious Empire." - Skarla opened her arms, and silence dominated the place.

"I thank everyone who is present here in the City of Jomorka, as well as those watching from their cities. This is an important event for me, but especially for my adopted daughter, Holga Verona, who accompanied me during the demonic invasion and massacred the barbarians who invaded these lands during the year." - Skarla made room for Holga, who was quite nervous, to come forward, waving her hand slightly.

"As a gift for her and her marriage to these beautiful young women." - Skarla waved to Sasha, Pietra, and Melania. - "We will hold a fantastic tournament full of incredible fights, where we will be able to see talents from all over the empire. We will certainly have many surprises during the next days of this event."

Skarla smiled as she looked at the coliseum, but the atmosphere changed, becoming melancholic. - "This year has truly been a huge mess. Demons going crazy and the people of the north taking advantage of our pain to cause us even more harm. Many have lost their families, friends, and homes. So much tragedy after another." - Skarla sighed, hearing some sobs.

"But we resisted!" She clenched her fist. "In the midst of so many enemies and disasters, here we are, breathing and living another day, to fight again and never give up. We, the living, are not entitled to give up because of those who have left. We have to live, cry, smile, feel anger, and love. It's all part of life, and there's no need to rush; live one day at a time."

"I won't use this to talk about sadness, because it's an event to celebrate, and I hope that these fights distract you from the losses, allowing you to have a little strength to recover what's important, finding a new reason to live and fight."

"And now, some of the prizes that many are waiting for. In addition to massive gold rewards according to the bets on the fighters, those who are among the 10 finalists will receive magical equipment custom-made by my personal blacksmith. The 3 finalists will be able to ask me for anything, as well as I will send an invitation to become my disciples, being able to learn some of my most powerful techniques."

Smiling confidently, Skarla looked up at the sky, at the clouds, and said, "It's casting too much shadow." The screen switched to the beautiful sky, and everyone saw the manifestation of a massive palm reaching for the sky.

Soon the palm reached the clouds and scattered them, allowing everyone to see a vast, clear sky.

"Those who catch my eye, even if they're not in the top 10, may receive an invitation from me, so show me what you're capable of, and perhaps I'll allow you to reach heights you've never imagined."

"Let the event begin!" Skarla clapped her hands, and soon a round of applause was followed by cheers and whistles.

The screen turned to the arena, and the first fighters began to enter.