"Fight or flee!"
"No matter who the opponent is, this feast will not stop!!"
He spent seven years preparing, going so far as to turn his own body into a single weapon.
All just to realize the conviction of his Chief God—
Absolute Evil, the will of Chaotic Evil that stands above all else.
This dark and bloody will once plunged all of Orario into fear.
Now, it was about to be replicated again!
"Easy to say. If someone defeats you, you'll still detonate the bomb, won't you?"
Eugene couldn't help but rub his forehead. You can't reason with a terrorist who has no regard for his own life.
Vito simply threw aside his cloak, fully exposing his body covered in Fire Stones to everyone's view.
"Any attack on me will blow me into a pile of minced meat."
"And the instant I die, this arena, along with the bodies of tens of thousands of people, will all be reduced to ashes!"
This was an unprecedented suicide attack!
The planning for today was directly facilitated by the consecutive years of peace and the huge crowds brought in by the festival.
Don't underestimate those Fire Stones.
A large part of the reason the Astraea Familia was annihilated back then was related to them.
If the quantity is sufficient, they can instantly blow up large sections of even the deep floors, engulfing everything in a sea of fire!
"It's a good thing that idiot Elf isn't here, or she'd really lose control."
Because of the reason her Familia was destroyed, Ryuu was extremely sensitive to Fire Stones and the Dark Faction.
Fortunately, she probably didn't have the day off today; otherwise, who knows what would have happened.
"That's right, don't even think about leaving your seats, everyone."
Vito's face, twisted and ugly from the modifications, was filled with ecstasy.
This feeling of being feared, of one person holding power over tens of thousands, was simply too wonderful!
Back then, when the Dark Faction appeared, infants stopped crying, and the streets were emptied.
What power.
If it hadn't been for Erebus's failure, Orario would have completely devolved into a lawless land, a source of fear!
"Ah, Lord Erebus, I may not be able to complete your unfinished work."
"But, I will ensure that everyone is forever shrouded in our dark will!"
"You bastard!"
The Amazon sisters simultaneously roared with rage.
"If it's a fight, then let's fight!"
"How dare you involve innocent people! We're going to tear your insects apart!"
"Heh heh, excellent."
Vito's expression was ecstatic, as if he was already witnessing the beautiful sight of blood covering the ground.
"Then, according to the ancient rules!"
"No more than three warriors may enter the arena at one time!"
"And... no weapons allowed!"
What!!
Everyone present was shocked. Adventurers largely relied on equipment to defeat monsters of the same level.
The difference between having a sword in hand and fighting bare-fisted was a concept even a common person could grasp.
"Surprised? Monsters don't wear equipment when they gamble their lives either."
Vito mocked the solemn-faced Amazon sisters: "I heard that in the Amazon homeland, children start fighting to the death from a young age."
"What's wrong? Now it seems you lack even that much courage?"
"Shut up, you scumbag!" Tione and Tiona's beautiful faces were instantly filled with anger.
The aura of powerful beasts emanated from their bodies!
"Very good, two warriors have entered the arena."
"Are there any other volunteers?"
The entire arena fell silent.
People huddled together, not a single person willing to step forward.
Even though there was more than one Lv. 3 and even Lv. 4 present!
"Hahaha, wonderful, this scene is truly captivating!"
"The combined courage of tens of thousands of people can't even compare to a little girl!"
"How can you even live with yourselves!"
Vito laughed hysterically at the crowd whose minds were gripped by fear, then raised his hand high, his voice sharp: "Five counts!"
"If no one steps forward, I'll randomly detonate another section of the audience seating!"
"What!!" "Wait! No!"
"Hey! You're Lv. 3! Go up there quickly!"
"I'm not going to fight that lunatic!"
A massive sound wave swept through the people, generated by their own mutual shoving and cursing.
Those who usually lived in harmony, smiling at each other, now completely tore off their masks.
Vito laughed until tears streamed down his face.
"Five."
He began the countdown.
And with that one word, the scene became even more chaotic!
"Four!"
"Three!"
"Hey, wait! The two of us are enough!" Tione and Tiona were anxious.
Though they possessed great strength, they were unable to stop the countdown.
"Two..."
Eugene watched closely.
Like Vito, he was counting in his heart.
"One!"
"I'll go!!"
A girl's delicate voice cut through the air, stopping the crowd.
The Elf girl, with a fragile appearance and not a hint of a warrior's demeanor, slowly stepped forward.
Her expression was resolute, but her clenched fists and trembling high ponytail proved her inner panic.
"Thousand Elf" Lefiya Viridis, the Lv. 3 Mage of the Loki Familia.
Although young and inexperienced, she was the successor recognized by the strongest Mage in Orario, "Nine Demon Princess" Riveria!
The magic she possessed, "Elf Ring," could replicate all Elf magic!
At merely Lv. 3, she already possessed the output capability of a Lv. 5 Mage!
"Lefiya!" The Amazon sisters were both surprised and pleased to see their comrade step forward.
Pleased that the immediate crisis was finally resolved.
But surprised because Lefiya was a glass cannon Mage with very weak physical strength.
During her long chant, she would become a sitting duck!
If they were in a large group, it would be fine, but now that it was just the two of them on the front line, it would be difficult to guarantee Lefiya's safety.
"WAA HA HA HA HA HA!!"
"I can't take it anymore! I can't!" Vito roared with laughter: "The combined courage of tens of thousands of people can't even match a little girl!"
"How can you even dare to live!"
He was about to continue mocking the pale-faced people, but Lefiya angrily interrupted him.
"Stop twisting the reality here!"
"You are the one who caused all of this, clearly!"
"Everyone gets scared, everyone hesitates! Everyone here is a person of flesh and blood, unlike a cold-blooded demon like you!"
"I, Lefiya Viridis, as a member of Orario's strongest and most noble Loki Familia, must pass judgment on you!"
She used this outburst to vent her emotions, enlarging her presence as much as possible to calm her extremely tense heart.
Even without a magic wand, a Mage's output capability is far greater than that of a warrior!
In the coming battle, she must cast aside all distractions.
"Well said..."
"Then, let us begin!"
"Welcome the three warriors to the arena!"
The worst possible duel thus began.
And just at this moment...
Clang!
A roaring monster was cleaved in two by a sharp cut!
Ais, who had been chasing the escaped monsters, landed lightly on a rooftop.
The borrowed sword in her hand was already nearing its limit.
"Hmm... I chased them quite far."
Ais looked back, and the rising smoke reflected in her clear, golden eyes.
"That way is... the arena?"
"Did something happen?"
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