Entering The Combat Test's Heroic Arena

Stellaramid, a yellowish humongous building gracefully levitated on the middle of the abandoned island in the northwest area of Gloricon. The levitating building contained the silk-amber pyramid-shaped body for the entire lower part, beaming the eye-catching leams on the large gaping lines. 

Whereas, the upper part of the building displayed the massive head of the bearded man's golden statue expressing his rigid look to the outside world. The statue also revealed the other two faces on the side part of the statue, exposing the same expression as the front face. The three faces also shone the bluish flashes in their eyes.

All The Triumph Makers and Viscable were recently transported through the wormhole inside the room in the lower part area. To be more exact, they landed inside the shimmering bright yellow painted room and they stood on the giant circular spot that reduced the wormhole into a complete speck of dust.

"I highly expected you Triumph Makers will initiate the combat test in Stellaramid," The Ace Duelist uttered, marking his glance toward VWX and confidently chuckling. 

Daigrun VII grinned and uttered, "It's much faster if you have the skill and attitude qualified as the newest members of Triumph Makers."

"Why do you need more members if the five of you its already enough?" The Ace Duelist countered.

Daigrun VII took one step forward and shrugged his hands, "Having more heroes is better, Arrogant one."

"Because it will be more efficient to stop more dangerous threats in the future," Daigrun VII assured. "Moreover, it's better to fight together. Trust me, doing this Superhero task alone is quite exhausting especially for your human's limitation."

The Ace Duelist immediately headed forward before he turned his sight toward The Triumph Maker's members who heedfully pointed their gazes at him. The exception was Scrap Devil who shivered his legs in dread the longer he spent his gaze on the new hero. A sense of fear provoked Prila to switch her stare toward her teammate.

"That's the limitation I'm willing to sacrifice," Viscable remarked, drawing his clutching hand and crushing his grip. "It's a challenge that I needed to overcome."

VWX burst out loud ridicule laughter that lured Scrap Devil and Mina Rodax to center their stares on him. Daigrun could only close his eyes, freeing a perplexed smirk when The Laser Master stepped forward. An irritated grumble was released from The Ace Duelist's throat, observantly watching VWX move closer.

"Is it hypocritical that you said those things, but you still have a strong feeling with Prila?" VWX asked sarcastically.

The Ace Duelist chuckled and grinned, "I only treated her as a trophy girl when I succeeded."

"Mainly to fulfill my desire, that's all," The Ace Duelist admitted with an alluring voice, encouraging Prila to shake her head and sigh in tiresome.

"Also here is another question perfect for you, did you let yourself be consumed by the dark power?" VWX argued, briefly glancing toward Mina Rodax who glistened the flickering blue light on her eyes. "You knew the power is evil right?"

The Ace Duelist crossed his arms and scanned his eyes to the rest of Triumph Makers who cautiously kept their distance from him. Regardless, he pointed one of his left fingers to the sky, triggering the dark scorch to embed his pounding heart. Mina Rodax gasped and raised her trembling hand emitting the ghastly blue particles on her palm.

"I didn't mean to be rude, Prilla, but your former lover gave me a sinister vibe," Scrap Devil whispered, gathering the green mist that swaddled his fingers.

Prila nodded and uttered, "I might agree with you, Caldister," 

"I could sense that dark power is from Tacrion," Prila stated, sleeving her long ponytail hairs with a pinkish aura

A heavy wind blew throughout the room, shaking the standing feet of The Triumph Maker's members. Mina Rodax hurriedly fled to her lover with more wind spreading throughout the room, alerting her to tap him on the shoulder. VWX sensed the gentle touch and convinced him to focus his sight on her.

VWX assuredly nodded despite his lover strengthening her grip on his shoulder, returning his stare to The Ace Duelist's again. Hence, The Laser Master rolled his right arm and stepped closer to his old friend. Daigrun VII hushedly perceived his sight at his teammate who elevated his determined knuckle.

"You sure, you're going to let Layfree face his old friend alone?" Mina Rodax asked telepathically.

"Sorry, this is his choice, and he's too stubborn if I dare to stop him," Daigrun VII confirmed. "However, I'm ready to prevent it when there is something bad happens."

Mina Rodax anxiously landed her feet on the ground and steered her sight away from the view of her lover and Viscable. She even began to return to the same spot as Prila and Scrap Devil who remained persistent keeping their eyes on The Ace Duelist, anticipating the fishy movement.

"Remain eager to become my first opponent, Glasses freak?" The Ace Duelist taunted with a soothing confidence.

VWX brazenly directed his fingers onto his friend and shouted, "You don't have that question again, Gdark?"

"I don't know what happened to you in the ten years of training, but I hope I could convince you to give up your current path," VWX declared, enlightening the white light reflecting through his glasses.

The Ace Duelist cackled in disbelief and mocked, "The same freak who couldn't defeat my weakest form now has the confidence to change my path?"

"What an utter joke," Viscable stated, funneling more scorching flames through his beating heart.

"I praise your resilience and persistence, glasses freak," The Ace Duelist complimented his old friend. "Especially when it compares to your insecure self 10 years ago, it's a hundred times better." 

Viscable laughed pleasantly and shouted, "It will be more satisfying once I crushed you flawlessly."

VWX grumbled, "I always hated you when you did that. Reminded me of those times, full of humiliation."

"Still, I'm going to face you no matter what," VWX affirmed, affirming himself to challenge his old friend in the incoming duel. "Are you ready to settle this….or do you want to continue mocking me?"

"Insulting you might be fun, but you're right, we have to settle this," Viscable countered, dimming out the scorch from invading his beating heart. "And I'm glad you become the new victim for my next backpack."

Viscable sneaked his sight at Prila briefly and stated, "A test whether my current power is enough to match The Trophy Girl."

"Alright then, Gdark, I wished I could crush your precious ego in the next duel," VWX exclaimed, glimmering the dark gray beams of light. "Especially if you still underestimate my power to this day."

"True power of VWX!!" The Laser Master added, raising his voice. "I respected you for giving me this suit and training me to be better, sadly I disagree with you embracing the evil power." 

...

***

A few moments passed and The Ace Duelist patiently stood in the middle of the floating square-shaped area that contained glassy bluish tiles and a yellow bubbly barrier. The battle area was inhabited inside the highest level of the Stellaramid above the statue's head.

Four holographic projections of the suited figures stood on every corner of the area, intriguing Viscable to rotate around his sight. The projection becoming The Ace Duelist's main duelist was the orange armored knight who unveiled the hollow-black face and pair of yellow lights, acting as his eyes.

"So Triumph Makers indeed respected the past heroes," The Ace Duelist praised, grinning his jaw and pushing his eyes closer. 

"Including The Legendary Blazing Hero who died a hundred years ago in a splendid final fight with one of the strongest rogues," Viscable added, elevating his fist.

Viscable hoisted his fist rigorously. Unfortunately, I wasn't born in his time. I'll be glad to crush him as he was one of the strongest heroes in the universe.

Meanwhile, on the front of the white portal door that became the main access to the arena, VWX adamantly headed to the door. However, The Laser Master rested his feet once he detected the familiar presence trailing behind him. He swiftly turned around and caught Mina Rodax hovering.

VWX sheepishly rubbed the back of his head as The Telepath put her floating feet on the glimmering white floor. She quickly walked to her lover, tightly concealing her shivering right hand on her back. The Laser Master gently patted her left shoulder, discerning the bitter concern within her. 

Cozy relaxation halfly streamed into Mina Rodax's mind by taking a deep breath and retreating her right hand, leaning her palm on his chest. The Laser Master peeked at the door shortly before he rotated his sight toward his lover, gleaming the light through the group of X-symbols on his suit. 

"I have a feeling that he will use a ruthless tactic to defeat you," Mina Rodax professed a concerned warning.

"He might be your old friend, but I'm afraid his ten years of training already changed him a lot," Mina Rodax added. "Especially when I couldn't read his mind. It was like reading a blank slate."

"I can handle that and hopefully this can persuade him into a better path to reaching his goal," VWX said with a perplexed tone, lifting his knuckle.

 "And as his old friend, I promise to repay all the debt," VWX added, shaking his head to the right.

"Don't worry about it, babe. Everything is under control," VWX assured, marking his thumb on his chest before he captively chortled. "By the way, after this, do you want to have dinner in Courtney's Chicken Wings or do you want to buy the newest Last Geas Instalment, babe?"

"Oh come on, Layfree, focus on the combat test now," Mina Rodax countered blissfully, propelling her knuckle onto her lover's arm.

"Alright, alright," VWX replied, deciding to walk further from his lover and gesturing the two lined-up fingers for a farewell.

The Laser Master eagerly entered the arena by phasing the portal, at the same time Mina Rodax flew upward. As he stepped foot on the arena, VWX repeatedly stretched his arms to bend his hefty bones, sharpening his glare toward The Ace Duelist who pridefully crossed his arms. 

The upcoming fight between VWX and Viscable was also watched through the giant bubble projection with the single white glassy circular dot in the middle, levitating on the side left of the arena. A dancing glimmer came by on the bubble projection, escalating the transparent smoke to circle the arena.

Inside the bubble projection, the three Triumph Maker members, Scrap Devil, Prila, and Daigrun VII darted their sight through the multiple holographic screens above. The holographic screen clearly showed the current recording of every side of the combat test area, including the ones on the middle left that revealed VWX and Viscable trading their watchful glares.

"Prila, do you think Layfree can handle your twisted lover alone?" Scrap Devil asked curiously. 

Prila giggled, "My honest opinion is mostly no."

"However, do not underestimate him," Prila said, blithely smiling, "Layfree is no pushover. Even better he is the type of guy who dislikes the idea of giving up."

Scrap Devil scratched his head uncertainty and spoke "Okay, now I'm more confused with you."

"Which side are you on right now?" Scrap Devil let out another question, provoking Prilla to snigger.

"I only said my honest opinion regarding this situation, Caldister," Prila asserted. "Relax, I'm not completely siding with Gdark."

"Still glad to hear that my lovely ex-girlfriend is not turning evil?' Scrap Devil said gladly, sliding his hand on his forehead. "Because, of course, I voted for my friend, Layfree in this combat test."

"I'm not that pathetic in terms of love," Prila said with a little bit of irritation as she furrowed her left. 

Daigrun VII whistled and presumed as he joined the conversation, "I do have a feeling your crush is neither a hero nor a villain based on our current conversation,"

"Reminded me of one Rogue who almost killed us all", Daigrun VII blurted out a reminder, smirking. "Seemingly they both have almost the same kind of motivation."

"Come on, at least Gdark is somewhat aware of his surroundings unlike the crazy Pendogswing," Prila rebutted.

"You do have a good point on the difference, Prilla," Daigrun VII agreed. 

Daigrun VII switched into a bleak anticipative glare and remarked, "But remember, do not hold back when you enter the combat test despite he is your crush."

"Understood, Daigrun VII. I'll be sure to use everything I got," Prila uttered, obediently nodding and fixating her eyes on the screen showing the sighting her lover and teammate remained staring at each other.

"Excellent," Daigrun VII mumbled formally. "As for now, we could only wish the best of luck to Layfree."

…

***