Death...is RELEASE!

Utter silence reigned within the arena after Priscus' rather blunt declaration. It wasn't until Priscus had dropped the mic and left the arena stage that the crowd returned to their senses.

The roar that erupted was deafening, even with the advanced sound-dampening technology several of the judges and still-fighting gladiators were forced to cover their ears.

"Just who does he think he is!!!" Cried many of the lower-level Lanistas. They felt incensed by the disrespect and were nearly frothing at the mouth how an unknown brat could disregard them as nothing more than air.

"We have raised contender and champion grade gladiators for decades! And some upstart, wet-eared, know-nothing brat is going to steamroll us?!" 

The sentiment was felt by a majority of the participating Lanistas and their gladiators. They couldn't comprehend how a top-10 finish in an interplanetary game would give someone such overconfidence.