Chapter 124

Next up...The final bout to round out or Top 16 to Top 8!...

Argenti versus...Luocha!

The grand coliseum trembled under the weight of anticipation. Thousands of spectators filled the towering stands, their cheers a roaring storm that threatened to shake the very foundations of the arena. It was the pinnacle of the tournament—two warriors, each legends in their own right, were about to collide in a battle that would be remembered for centuries.

On one side of the battlefield stood Argenti, the radiant knight of unshakable virtue. Adorned in gleaming silver armor, he stood tall with a noble presence, his crimson cape billowing behind him like a banner of valor. His golden hair shimmered under the midday sun, and in his hand rested a massive greatsword, its surface etched with intricate engravings of celestial designs. Every step he took exuded confidence, his stance declaring unwavering resolve.

Opposite him stood Luocha, the enigmatic wandering healer. Clad in elegant yet ominous robes, his long, golden hair cascaded over his shoulders like a waterfall of silk. The coffin he carried upon his back seemed impossibly heavy for a normal man, but he bore its weight effortlessly. His green eyes, sharp and calculating, gazed upon Argenti with a calm expression, a stark contrast to the knight's blazing aura of righteousness.

The announcer's voice boomed across the coliseum. "Warriors, prepare yourselves! This is a battle of absolutes—chivalry against mystery, honor against intrigue! Only one will stand victorious!"

Argenti raised his sword and pointed it toward Luocha. "I do not know what secrets you hide behind that veil of serenity, but I shall not falter! A knight does not hesitate before battle, nor shall I allow injustice to prevail!"

Luocha offered a serene smile, his voice smooth as silk. "A knight who judges without understanding is no different than a blind man walking through darkness. Let us see if your righteousness can pierce through the unknown."

The announcer dropped his hand. "BEGIN!"

What followed was a battle unlike any other.

Argenti moved first, surging forward with a burst of speed that defied the weight of his armor. His greatsword shimmered with divine energy as he swung in a broad arc, aiming to cleave through Luocha's defenses in a single decisive strike. The force behind the blow cracked the ground beneath him.

But Luocha was already in motion, gliding back with an eerie grace. With a flick of his wrist, the coffin upon his back unlatched, the chains snapping free as dark tendrils of energy coiled around his figure. In one fluid motion, he called forth a long, ornate spear from the depths of the coffin, its tip glowing with an ethereal light. The weapon met Argenti's sword mid-swing, the impact releasing a shockwave that sent dust and debris spiraling into the air.

Argenti pressed forward, relentless. His blade shimmered, radiating celestial brilliance as he delivered a flurry of strikes, each one precise, powerful, and unyielding. Luocha, however, was not so easily overwhelmed. He parried each attack with an almost lazy elegance, his movements minimal yet effective, as if he was simply redirecting a river's flow rather than opposing it directly.

Then, with a subtle flick of his fingers, Luocha gestured toward Argenti's chest. A pulse of dark energy erupted from his palm, catching the knight off guard. The force sent Argenti skidding back, his boots digging into the arena floor. The knight's armor darkened momentarily, as if an unnatural sickness sought to take hold of him, but with sheer force of will, he shook it off.

"A knight's resolve is unshakable," Argenti declared, lifting his sword high. "No corruption shall taint my spirit!"

With those words, he slammed his sword into the ground. From the impact, golden light exploded outward, forming intricate runes beneath their feet. The coliseum's air thickened with divine pressure, and radiant swords materialized in the sky, their tips pointing downward like celestial judgment itself.

Luocha narrowed his eyes. The swords rained down like holy meteors, each one threatening to pierce through him, but he moved with preternatural speed. His spear became a blur, deflecting the projectiles as he weaved between them. Yet, the sheer number of them forced him to take to the air, leaping impossibly high as he twisted midair to avoid the barrage.

Argenti seized the moment, launching himself upward with a burst of energy. He met Luocha midair, his greatsword crackling with divine might. Their weapons clashed once more, sending arcs of energy cascading through the sky. Each exchange sent ripples of force that threatened to shake the coliseum apart.

Luocha, still composed despite the ferocity of the battle, suddenly inverted his grip on his spear. With a deft motion, he swung it downward, and the coffin he had left on the battlefield reacted. A vortex of energy erupted from it, pulling Argenti downward with immense force.

The knight crashed into the ground, but before he could recover, the coffin's lid creaked open, releasing spectral chains that shot toward him like striking vipers. Argenti barely managed to raise his blade in time, severing some of the chains, but others wrapped around his limbs, momentarily locking him in place.

Luocha descended gracefully, landing before the restrained knight. He placed a hand over his heart and muttered something under his breath. Immediately, a wave of unnatural darkness surged from his palm, seeking to seep into Argenti's being.

But Argenti roared, his body exploding with golden light. The chains shattered, the darkness recoiling as if burned by divine purity. In an instant, he was upon Luocha once more, their weapons meeting in another thunderous clash.

The battle waged on, neither combatant yielding an inch. Each move was met with a counter, each strategy dismantled in mere moments. Argenti's strikes were mighty and unwavering, embodying the essence of righteous fury, while Luocha's movements remained calm, methodical, as though he was always two steps ahead.

As the minutes stretched into what felt like eternity, both warriors began to unveil their full potential.

Argenti's armor shone even brighter, his very presence becoming akin to a celestial beacon. Every swing of his sword left golden trails in its wake, and his power reached heights that made the ground tremble beneath his feet.

Luocha, in turn, became an enigma of unfathomable depth. His spear pulsed with an eerie luminescence, and the coffin behind him levitated on its own, swirling with an abyssal energy that threatened to consume all light around it. His expression remained unreadable, yet there was a knowing glint in his eyes, as if he had already foreseen the outcome of the battle.

They clashed once more, the impact sending shockwaves rippling across the coliseum. The spectators could hardly keep up, their eyes struggling to follow the movements of the two titans.

As the shockwaves faded, Argenti and Luocha stepped back momentarily, their weapons still humming with raw energy. The battlefield between them crackled with lingering power, but neither moved to strike just yet.

Argenti, his golden eyes ablaze, steadied his breath. "You wield darkness as if it were second nature," he observed, his voice calm yet edged with curiosity. "And that coffin… it is no mere burden, is it?"

Luocha's lips curled into a faint, unreadable smile. "No burden," he murmured. "A companion, perhaps. A gate to something far beyond mortal grasp." He tilted his head, studying Argenti. "And you, drenched in starlight, stand as if the heavens themselves ordain your every step. Tell me, does the light ever weigh upon you?"

Argenti's grip tightened around his sword. "The light does not burden. It beckons." His aura flared, the ground beneath him fracturing further. "But I wonder, Luocha—how long can you hold on before your abyss swallows you whole?"

Luocha chuckled, raising a hand toward the levitating coffin. "Perhaps it is time you find out."

The air grew heavy as the coffin trembled violently, its chains snapping one by one. A deep, guttural hum resonated through the battlefield as abyssal energy erupted from its depths, spiraling into Luocha's form. His spear darkened, crackling with an unholy fusion of void and vitality. The light around him bent and twisted, consumed by the growing mass of shadow.

The spectators gasped as Luocha's presence expanded, suffocating in its intensity. His very essence seemed to blur, his silhouette flickering between reality and something beyond. His once-calm expression sharpened into something predatory and filled with malice.

"Argenti," he said, his voice layered with echoes of something ancient yet hollow. "Let us see if the stars can outshine the abyss."

Argenti raised his sword, golden energy surging through its blade. He exhaled slowly, his radiance intensifying to combat the suffocating darkness.

"I fear no man!" Argenti declared.

A dark chuckle emerged from Luocha before he uttered...

"I am no man."