"Good luck, old man!" Ivaim shouted, waving with exaggerated enthusiasm.
His voice carried easily over the murmuring crowd.
Eris didn't respond.
Instead, his hand moved deliberately to the hilt of a blade strapped to his side.
A faint gleam of crimson coated the edge, not steel, but solidified blood.
His brows furrowed slightly, and a cold, menacing glint flickered in his dark eyes.
'I take it back.' Ivaim thought with a wry chuckle. 'I ain't giving you any good luck, pal.'
The announcer's voice boomed through the arena, amplified by enchanted crystal amplifiers.
"Let the battle—BEGIN!"
A deafening roar erupted from the audience, cheers and chants blending in on the noise.
The gong reverberated through the arena.
Eris moved first, swift and precise, his blade slicing through the air with deadly intent.