First Victory

"What's wrong with them?" Thomas asked, his voice echoing in Ludwig's mind as the silence in the arena stretched on. The students around the perimeter of the arena seemed frozen, their hands hovering near the metallic boxes but not pressing the buttons. "I mean, they sure know you're strong, but at least one would try and challenge you, right?"

Ludwig smirked, his eyes scanning the crowd as he stood in the center of the arena, his one-handed scythe resting casually at his side. "Think about it," he replied mentally, his tone calm and analytical. "If they fight me, regardless of who wins or loses, they'll be tired. The first person to go up to the arena isn't the one at a disadvantage—it's the one who wins their first fight. And they all know that even if they win, they'll have to fight more and more students afterward. So, no one wants to risk it."