The javelins screamed through the air like a storm of jagged death, each one trailing a comet-tail of stone dust and aura. I didn’t think. I reacted and pulled the spheres orbiting Tucker into motion.

  The spheres streaked downward. They locked into a rotating shield wall, a whirling barrier of metal and light forming a honeycomb pattern. This wasn’t a Talent but my improved aura and mana control making the barrier.

  I was afraid that if I activated my movement skill and went into the ether for however short, I would lose control of the shield, and Tucker would be totally exposed. My enhanced stats helped me process the situation at an astonishing rate, but it mattered little.

  I could not think of anything I could do in the moment and felt helpless. I yelled at Tucker through our mental link. “Get out of there!”

  His response rattled in my mind. “I GOT THIS.”

  The javelins exploded, hitting my barrier as rock and dust impacted. The spheres held their ground for longer than I dared hope, but instead of using the time to retreat, Tucker’s music stopped and the obsidian disks on his back glowed gold as he charged the speakers with golden light.

  Before my makeshift barrier could fully dissipate, the big idiot planted his paws, squared his shoulders and looked at the incoming javelins like they were nothing more than sticks being thrown by a toddler. His speakers flared, glowing with a deep, pulsing gold.

  My shield was about to break. I tried to yell out to warn him but it was too late.

  My shield shattered. His chest expanded and—HOOOOOOOOWL.

  A sonic beam tore out of him. Shockwaves of sound shot out of his mouth and speakers in unison. That rippled through the air like heat off a forge. The sound hit the first javelin and shattered it instantly, stone fragments vaporizing into dust.

  The next javelin cracked.

  The third split in half.

  The fourth detonated like a grenade.

  Tucker didn’t stop. His speakers continued to blast sonic beams as he charged into the storm, teeth bared, claws glowing with aura as he smashed through the remaining weakened projectiles. Each impact sent shockwaves rolling across the arena floor.

  But even he couldn’t break all of them.

  “On your right!” I yelled, screaming the warning as the last javelin slipped through the chaos—its aura flickering, its structure half-crumbled from the sonic assault.

  Tucker twisted, claws scraping against stone, but the projectile still clipped him across the ribs.

  A thin line of red sprayed across the air.

  Tucker yelped.

  Something inside me snapped. A familiar heat flooded my chest, rage, fear, fury, all of it boiling into a single, blinding point. My helm materialized around my head, locking into place as my vision sharpened to a razor’s edge.

  Natan was still mid?stance, aura flaring, sweat dripping down his temples as he prepared another spell.

  He didn’t get a chance. I chained my movement Talent.

  Once.

  Twice.

  Three times.

  The world blurred into streaks of color until I reappeared directly in front of him, my sword already in motion.

  Natan was ready for me, and to the man’s credit, he reacted quickly.

  His fist shot toward my face with surprising speed. I tilted my head, letting it whistle past the cheek of my helm.

  I halted my sword swing mid?motion, dismissing Ember, and snatched his wrist instead. Using his momentum against him, I yanked forward and drove my knee into his gut, launching him backward. The impact forced a harsh cough out of him as he spat blood. The cheating bastard was tough though and didn’t go down.

  An indentation formed under his feet as the stone from the boulder rushed up, and his armor thickened. New stone plates rippled across his body, reinforcing it in a wave of shifting dark stone.

  I didn’t give him time to do more.

  I darted in low, re-summoning Ember, and unleashed an Eclipse Strike at his lead leg, aiming to sever it cleanly. The blow landed with a thunderous crack, but his new reinforced armor stopped me from taking the limb.

  Ember still managed to shatter the stone plating and carve a deep, ugly laceration just above his kneecap.

  He stumbled back, heavier armor slowing him down. Defense over mobility was a fatal mistake against me.

  Natan found his balance but another howl sounded behind me, temporarily stunning the man. I smiled under my helm. Tucker had nerfed the fucker almost point blank.

  I slashed, unleashing a point?blank Searing Scar straight at his armored head. The blast struck with a deafening crack. His stone helm shattered like brittle pottery, fragments spraying across the arena floor.

  When the dust cleared, every spectator could finally see the face beneath the armor—

  Natan, the Master of the Shenmu fighters, stood in front of me for the entire arena to see.

  Blood pumped from a gash on his head, leaking into his left eye and blurring his vision. There was no doubt it was him.

  He hissed in pain, staggering as his injured leg buckled beneath him. He attempted to force himself upright.

  I charged forward. “Eclipse Strike.”

  Times Two! My strikes power skyrocketed and slammed into the cheating bastard’s collarbone. He let out a painful cry as his stone armor disintegrated under the blow. Tuckers howl had turned the armor brittle.

  The force caused him to shoot downward as the stone broke under him.

  What was left of the boulder we were standing on exploded into fragments, the impact burying him beneath a spray of shattered rock.

  I used my aura to propel myself back, landing at the edge of the crater next to Tucker.

  Tucker was bleeding slowly from his flank. “Stay here. I will be right back.” I started walking down the crater, my steps deliberate.

  I dismissed my helm so that, if he was still conscious, he’d hear every word.

  “You hurt my dog,” I said, voice low and steady. “Your students almost beat my friend to death. I promised you could get it to… and I keep my promises.”

  Aura gathered along the edge of my blade, humming with lethal intent. I found him sprawled out, barely conscious. My attack had left him in a sorry state. Blood was running out of his eyes and mouth as he rasped, “Finish it.” Those final words must have zapped the last of his strength. His head rolled to the side, falling into unconsciousness.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  I raised Ember, and a pillar of light slammed down between us.

  I expected Aaron, from seeing similar light shows and situations in the tournament.

  Instead, Duke Antonious stepped through the fading glow… and he looked pissed.

  For a heartbeat, I thought his anger was aimed at me. But then he spoke.

  “He is disgraced and defeated, Outlier. Stand back.” His voice carried the weight of command, cold and absolute. “I have questions that require answers. When I am finished, you may decide whether to kill him… or turn him over to me for punishment.”

  I nodded, satisfied with the explanation, and stepped back.

  “Thank you. I have a feeling he has some information I need,” Antonious said

  I let the Duke have his way and watched as he lifted his hand, a warm white glow enveloping Natan. His limbs and collarbone were slowly healing. The huge slash where my Eclipse Strikes had landed slowly mended itself back together.

  I heard footsteps coming from behind me and watched Tucker and Shane walk down to see what was going on.

  I gave Shane a respectful nod, acknowledging him, which he returned. The Duke looked over at Tucker and raised his other hand; healing light enveloped him as well.

  Soon, Natan regained consciousness. Eyes going from bleary to focused as they landed on the man who had healed him.

  Natan didn’t look surprised. Only resigned.

  He lowered himself to his knees, hands resting on his thighs, head bowed as he awaited the Duke’s words.

  “You have dishonored this tournament and my father’s rule of law,” the Duke declared, voice magically enhanced, ringing across the arena. “Natan, High Mage of Shenmu, tell me why before I end your dishonorable existence. Speak quickly.”

  Natan inhaled slowly, and then exhaled, gathering himself.

  “My son was the fourth combatant in our group,” he said at last. He inclined his head toward me. “I knew he stood no chance against this man. So, I chose to fight in his stead. I ask no mercy for myself. I know I am undeserving. But I beg you to consider my years of service to this empire… and spare my son.”

  He leaned forward until his forehead touched the ground.

  I could hear the Duke grinding his teeth all the way from where I stood. “Why didn’t you simply surrender?”

  Natan lifted his head, hesitating. The Duke’s voice cracked like a whip. “Speak, Natan. I will not ask again.”

  “I tried,” Natan said, his voice trembling with a mix of shame and fury. “I was on my way to speak with the Guildmaster when the Earl learned of my intentions. He stopped me… told me that if my fighters did not compete, he would kill my entire line.”

  The Duke’s demeanor calmed down slightly. “Do you have proof of your claims?”

  “I do.” Natan sat up slowly but remained on his knees. “I would not send my only son to his death, but the Earl gave me this.” His stone armor dissolved, crumbling away to reveal a runic golden necklace hanging against his chest. He removed it with shaking hands and offered it to the Duke.

  “I knew my son would die,” he whispered. “The Outlier declared no quarter would be given. With no option to withdraw, I fought in my son’s stead, using that artifact the Earl provided… so my boy and the rest of my family might live.”

  There were so many holes in this guy’s reasoning that I opened my mouth to point them out, but a hand settled on my shoulder.

  Shane leaned in, voice low enough only I could hear.

  “Trust me. The Duke knows what he’s doing. Let’s see where this goes.”

  The amulet vanished the moment the Duke touched it.

  In one blink it was in his palm; the next, it had vanished into his Anchor. The Duke exhaled long and controlled, then raised one hand.

  Antonious tapped his anchor, speaking into it. “It is confirmed, do it.” He turned and gave me a wink. “Follow me. Natan, you wait there. The stone mage went back to touching his head to the ground, and the rest of us followed the Duke out of the crater.

  The crowd was holding its breath in anticipation, and I can’t say I wasn’t wondering what was about to happen as well.

  A ripple of noise spread through the crowd as a large gate opened. Twenty guards materialized boots striking stone in perfect unison. They marched in formation, led by a mountain of a man clad in dark purple runic armor.

  The giant in purple armor halted at the base of the crater and snapped a fist to his chest in a crisp salute. The runes across his breastplate pulsed once, like a heartbeat.

  Duke Antonious lifted a hand.

  The soldiers parted instantly, splitting into two perfect lines.

  And there between them stood the Earl.

  Chained.

  Gagged.

  Eyes wild.

  The crowd gasped as one.

  “Captain,” the Duke said, voice like cold iron. “Bring me my uncle.”

  The massive Captain turned without a word, strode back into the formation, and seized the chain connected to the Earl’s shackles. He dragged the man forward with effortless strength, ignoring the Earl’s muffled protests and frantic attempts to break away.

  When they reached the Duke, the Captain forced the Earl to his knees. The Earl thrashed, still trying to twist away, but the Captain held him steady with one gauntleted hand on his shoulder, unbothered.

  Tucker and I all looked at one another in surprise. When I looked at Shane, he mouthed two words, Told you.

  I just smiled and went back to watching the events unfold.

  Antonious was now standing over the Earl, looking down at him with a calm demeanor.

  “For your crimes against the Crown,” he said, voice carrying across the silent arena, “specifically your attempt to circumvent the terms of your direct liege lord’s agreement… I strip you of your title as Earl.”

  The Earl screamed into the gag, a desperate, furious sound. “And,” the Duke continued, “I sentence you to death.”

  The Earl’s eyes went wide. He thrashed harder, muffled shouts turning frantic. The captain tightened his grip, pinning him in place.

  Antonious summoned a dagger into his hand. The Earl tried to recoil, but there was nowhere to go.

  The Duke drew the blade across the man’s throat in one clean, practiced motion. The Earl's eyes went wide. After a few moments he sagged in the Captain’s grip.

  Antonious seemed to be waiting for something. Most likely the System Notification confirming the kill, I thought.

  The arena remained silent, thousands of people holding their breath as the Duke dismissed the dagger and exhaled once, slow and controlled. “It’s done.”

  The Captain handed the body off to the soldiers, then turned back to the Duke, awaiting further orders.

  I let out a slow breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

  Relief washed through me, not joy, not satisfaction, just the quiet release that comes when a problem finally stops breathing. The Earl had been a shadow hanging over this entire floor, and now… he was gone. Out of the picture. Done.

  Antonious turned toward me, his expression neutral.

  “Outlier,” he said, “what would you like to do with Natan? I leave his fate to you.”

  I didn’t answer him right away. I looked down into the crater at the man kneeling. After everything, the cheating, the threats, him hurting Tucker. I was so damn ready to put this entire ordeal behind me.

  Tucker reached out then to me. “You think maybe this guy is just an idiot, who was too dumb to see a way out of his situation?”

  “Possibly.” I admitted. “What are your feelings on this?”

  Tucker looked down at the man then back to me. “I think the guy was just trying to protect his cub. He tried to withdraw, but the Earl forced him to fight. So I can give him a pass on that part, but I do think his character is truly shit though. And his raising of his own cubs leaves a lot to be desired.”

  I felt the pressure of hundreds of thousands of eyes on me as I stood there and processed. I went with my gut and decided to give the guy the benefit of the doubt. I would not execute him.

  “I’ll turn him over to your justice, Antonious. But if you choose to spare his life, I ask that he and his disciples are brought to heel and retrained on what honor truly means.”

  The Duke inclined his head, accepting my decision without question.

  “Very well.”

  He turned to the Captain. “Have the men take him through the portal to my castle. Lock him in a holding cell while I consider the best course of action.”

  The Captain snapped a sharp salute, then gestured for Natan to follow. The stone mage complied without a word. As he passed me, he gave a small nod, which I took as gratitude, or something close to it.

  I didn’t return it. I was still on the screw-that-guy train, and time would tell whether mercy was the right call. The soldiers and Natan walked out of the arena, the gate closing behind them.

  Antonious hadn’t left with his men. This signaled to me that there was something else he wanted to say. He gestured to Shane. “With respect to Champion Shane,” he said, projecting his voice across the arena, “it was the Earl’s doing that a former champion was even involved in this tournament. If you wish, Outlier, you may advance to the next round without facing him.”

  Shane’s shoulders dipped. Just a little.

  I could tell it was not in anger but disappointment.

  But he still managed a small, understanding smile toward me.

  I couldn’t help it. I laughed.

  “Come on,” I said, sweeping my hands toward the stands. “These people came to see a proper match. And I plan on testing myself against this man. I need to know what I can do when someone makes me go all out.”

  Shane’s eyes lit up like as if someone had flipped a switch inside him.

  “Hell yeah,” I heard him say.

  The Duke actually smiled at that.

  “The people did indeed come to see a show,” he said.

  The crowd erupted, cheers, stomping, chanting, the whole arena shaking with excitement. The energy hit me like a wave, buzzing through my aura, through my bones. It was infectious, and I felt myself getting pumped.

  Antonious raised a hand for quiet, though the crowd only barely obeyed.

  “Before I take my leave,” he said, turning back to me, “you should know this: regardless of the outcome, you are guaranteed third place… and your companion fourth. This is a System tournament. Only those level seventy-five and under qualify for the rewards.”

  I nodded. “I appreciate the knowledge, Antonious. But I don’t plan on coming in third.”

  The Duke’s grin widened. Then he vanished in a flash of light.

  A heartbeat later, Altus’s voice boomed across the arena, full of barely contained excitement. “This has to be the craziest tournament in history, but it’s finally time for the showdown of champions! Let’s do this!”

  The crowd roared again, louder than ever.

  And I felt my pulse quicken. We took our place at the center of the arena. Facing one another.

  There would be no holding back; this was going to be a dogfight. I heard Guildmasters Aaron's voice come over the speaker. “BEGIN!”