Clash with the Five Idiots(6)

After a few seconds of silence, the stands suddenly erupted in a storm of emotions. In the section where Leon's supporters were gathered, a wave of celebration swept through—people enthusiastically congratulated him on his victory.

"This is the strength of the one whose achievements you've ignored for so long!" — a loud voice rang out.

"Hahaha!" — others laughed, rejoicing in Leon's triumph.

His mentor, a true gentleman, also rose from his seat. Unlike the others, he did not shout or wave his hands but simply gave Leon a restrained yet confident nod of approval.

Many spectators continued to show their support, shouting words of admiration. Laughter, joy, and applause filled the air.

Olivia and Angelica's Reaction

Olivia, unable to contain her emotions, excitedly grabbed Angelica's hand.

"Anji, look! Leon won! And it was absolutely amazing, wasn't it?!"

Angelica, still in a state of confusion, nodded, but her thoughts were racing in a completely different direction:

"How can his armor move so fast? That's impossible! It's so heavy… Brad's armor isn't a mass-produced model; it was custom-made for him. He should have had the advantage since his armor is perfectly balanced for speed and maneuverability. But Leon… how did he do it?"

She barely had time to process what had happened before she overheard the conversations of other spectators.

The Discontent of the Prince's Supporters

In another section of the stands, where the prince's supporters had gathered, tense whispers filled the air. Disappointed and bewildered spectators exchanged doubtful glances.

"How is this possible?!"

"Wasn't he supposed to be slow?"

"His armor shouldn't be able to move that fast! It's huge and looks incredibly heavy!"

"I hope the rest of the prince's group doesn't lose… I bet all my money on their victory!"

"Me too… I even borrowed some! If that bastard wins, I don't even want to imagine what my family will do to me…"

"Don't worry! Greg is up next!"

Despite the confidence in some voices, many were clearly starting to panic.

Angelica's Laughter

At that moment, Angelica suddenly burst into laughter. Her clear, almost hysterical laugh caught the attention of not only Olivia but also several people around them.

"A-Anji?! Why are you laughing all of a sudden?" — Olivia asked, concerned.

Angelica wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, still smiling.

"How can I not laugh at this?" — She chuckled again, shaking her head. — "Leon… really is a terrible person."

Hearing this, Olivia immediately tensed. She stepped forward, clenched her fists, and firmly declared:

"That's not true! Leon is a good person!"

Angelica looked at her, and her smile softened.

"Yes, you're right," — she replied, turning her gaze back to the arena, where the next duel was about to begin.

---

Inside Leon's Armor

Meanwhile, inside Leon's armor, besides himself and his AI companion Luxion, there were two other artificial intelligences—Legion and Cleare.

"Excellent work, Master," — Legion praised him, his voice filled with approval.

"As expected from you, Master," — Luxion added, a clear note of satisfaction in his tone. — "You mercilessly demonstrated the superiority of old-world technology over these 'new humans'."

Cleare, clearly excited by Leon's victory, eagerly spoke up.

"Master, I added something new to your armor! You absolutely have to try it!"

Leon frowned, detecting a hint of excessive enthusiasm in Cleare's voice.

"And what exactly did you add?" — he asked cautiously, knowing all too well that her "innovations" could often be… extreme.

"Ah, I'm so glad you asked!" — she exclaimed, clearly delighted to showcase her work. — "First of all, I added a gas mask for protection against this new weapon!"

Leon tensed.

"What weapon?" — he asked suspiciously.

"Gas!" — Cleare replied cheerfully. — "Look: if you press this button…" — a small indicator lit up on the armor, pointing to the corresponding section — "a special invisible gas will be released through multiple hidden vents!"

Leon was already beginning to suspect where this was going, but he still listened.

"Once the enemy enters the gas's effective range, they will first go blind. Then, as they inhale it, they'll start to feel an intense burning sensation in their lungs. After that, the gas will destroy their respiratory system, and they will slowly, agonizingly die!"

"I'm not using that." — Leon immediately shut down the idea, his voice firm and unwavering.

"Aww… such a shame," Cleare sighed, disappointed. But almost instantly, her voice regained its usual enthusiasm. "But we can replace the gas with a sleeping agent! It takes a few seconds to work and knocks the enemy out. Though there is one downside…"

"What is it?" — Leon asked, slightly relieved.

"It's not invisible. It looks more like a thick smoke screen!"

Leon pondered for a moment, then nodded.

"That… I can use," — he murmured, clearly pleased with this alternative. — "Especially against Greg. I want to defeat each of them in a different way."

And as if on cue, at that very moment, Greg finally stepped onto the arena.