Innerworld, the Champion’s Arena.
Torches light up around the arena. It illuminated the edges of the arena. The arena was just a circular platform.
Hovering in the middle of a stadium.
The audience consisted of the residents of the Innerworld. They were cheering loudly. Waving whatever they got in their hands.
Xuan Guo appeared in the arena.
He was wearing heavy-looking armor with a cape of the Phoenix China flag. The armor was in the color of red and gold.
"..."
Xuan Guo drew his sword, and pointed towards the ceiling of the stadium, and he was showered with applause.
"Xuan Guo! Xuan Guo! Xuan Guo!"
They chanted his name like it was a battle cry.
In that moment.
Across from in the platform, another man appeared—he was Kang Bael—he was also donning silver armor.
A cape billowed behind him. A silver cape. In his hand, a long spear appeared that had an interesting-looking blade at the end.
The blade had one large spike and a jagged edge.
[Xuan Guo - HP: 100%]
[Kang Bael - HP: 100%]
...
"The two warriors have entered the arena. The fight is about to begin. Before they start trading blows, let’s talk more about the two competitors!"
Jimmy shouted and then looked at his co-commentator, Jack Dawn, whose tattoos peeked underneath his sleeve.
"Xuan Guo and Kang Bael are both among the Six Gods of the Innerworld—the only players to have reached the top of the Tower of the Innerworld.
"Hundred floors cleared. Only six have ever succeeded in that. They’ve tap-danced at the line between failure and victory, but they always came out on top."
Jack said.
"Xuan Guo’s class is Circus Clown—a legendary class that he happened to find over at the 9th floor.
"Kang Bael, on the other hand, has the class of Spear Saint—one of the three Mythical classes that has ever been found.
"And he has the only Combat Mythical class. It was like the tower knew that he was destined for greatness and gifted him with one of the most powerful classes in existence!"
Jimmy said.
"It had been a topic of heated discussions for a long time—who is stronger between the two of them—today we will get an answer."
Jack said with a smile.
The crowd looked impatient. The stadium had quieted down. It was like calm before the storm.
Fans of the two nations could barely look into the screen. They felt so nervous that they were on the edge of their seats.
Leaders of the two nations were also in the stadium.
They were watching everything unfold with their families.
...
"What will your nation give to you in exchange for your victory?"
Xuan Guo curiously asked as he paced back and forth—as if he were too excited to stand still—and that was indeed the case.
Every cell in his body screamed for him to make a move. To start the fight. And become the proud hero of his country.
"A private island and I will be its lord."
Kang Bael said.
"That’s nice. I will be given an Immunity. I will not be bound by the laws of the country, allowing me to do whatever I want."
Xuan Guo said.
"Whoah... That sounds like a lot of power."
Kang Bael said, and then he lifted the spear and pointed it straight towards Xuan Guo.
"Then let’s get this started, shall we?"
"I am ready."
Xuan Guo lowered his stance. He dropped into his fighting stance. The sword was in a ready position.
It felt like the whole world around him quieted.
...
In the audience of the stadium, a nervous-looking woman watched.
She was gorgeous. Looked to be of Asian descent. Definitely Korean, and she was with an older couple.
"I am sure my boy will win."
Kang Da-eun said with a smile and grabbed the hand of the beautiful woman next to her, who answered with a nervous smile.
She was Bael’s mother.
The beautiful woman was Kang Bael’s girlfriend.
"..."
Bael’s father looked towards the screen with a serious look on his face. As if he were military-disciplined man.
Somewhere else in the stadium.
"Papa!"
A young girl pointed towards the screen, and her mother wrapped her arms around her so she wouldn’t try to jump towards the screen.
"That’s indeed papa."
A beautiful Chinese woman said with a smile.
She was Xuan Guo’s wife.
She looked towards the screen and felt overwhelming pride but also felt so nervous that she felt her heart racing in her chest.
...
Kang Bael and Xuan Guo exchanged a long gaze.
’I’ve used this spear thousand times. Tens of thousands of times. Hundreds of thousands of times. Millions of times.
’It was all for this moment.’
Kang Bael caught his breath, and at that moment, he made the first move, and the whole world held their breath.
The battle had begun!
"XUAN GUO!"
Kang Bael screamed, and he pushed the spear through the air, and Xuan Guo, with a roar of a lion, swung his sword in response.
The spear and sword met.
"KANG BAEL!"
Xuan Guo screamed.
...
New America, New Angeles, the household of Levi.
In the living room of the house, Devon Levi sat on the couch, looking at the television with a quiet expression on his face.
He had tousled black hair and a face that could be considered handsome, but his eyes held longingness that didn’t seem to belong to a young man of his age.
"Cough... cough... cough..."
At that moment.
His ears perked up as he heard coughing, and then he quickly rose from the couch and walked to his mother’s bedroom.
There, a sick-looking woman lay under a blanket.
She looked like a gentle man, and if she weren’t so sick, it would be certain that she would be a really beautiful woman.
Her face, however, had grown quite white, and her eyes were filled with exhaustion.
"Mother..."
Devon walked next to the bed and grabbed his mother’s hand, and she looked back at him with a tired smile.
"My beautiful son... How did it go... The tournament...?"
Adele asked curiously.
"Kang Bael won. It was a legendary battle. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow."
Devon said with a smile and kissed his mother on the forehead.
"You... don’t have to look after me... I want you to be happy too... I know you also want to experience that world..."
Adele said with some struggle.
"Don’t be silly, Mother. There is no way I would rather play that game than spend time with you."
Devon said with a smile, and then he closed the door, but he longingly looked towards the television.
On the television, Kang Bael was celebrating the victory with tears in his eyes.
It was indeed a legendary battle.