Free Web NovelChapter 510: 510. Before sword comes the main weapon
"How much are you betting this time? And on who?"
"20 gold coins. What about you?"
"The fight this time is hard to predict, but I am still putting a 100 on Serisca Vaelcrest. Her beast has an undefeated track record till now."
Conversations like these echoed throughout the coliseum. Though the arena itself was still empty, it felt like the coliseum was packed more than usual.
"I don’t know... but I have a feeling something different is going to happen this time," the boy with a crafty look muttered as he sniffed the air dramatically.
"I smell money from Theo Merrick."
At that moment, one of the arena gates slowly opened, and a girl no older than 14 stepped out.
Her face carried a serious expression, yet there was no trace of fear on it.
Still, there was a difference between hiding one’s fear and revealing it through actions.
"Wait... why is Serisca wearing armor? She has always battled in her academy uniform till now."
Questions like these spread through nearly every group in the whole battleground.
Shouts and cheers of appreciation of her arrival rose around the coliseum, but at the same time, mixed within them were whispers, which had never been the case before.
Serisca noticed this change as well. Her gaze shifted toward the still-closed gate across from her before she calmly walked to her designated position in the arena.
Only a measly few seconds later, the second gate was pulled upward, revealing the entrance beyond.
At first, Serisca could only make out the silhouette of a single individual standing within the shadows of the entrance.
Then, the figure began walking forward.
The moment he stepped out into full view, scattered shouts erupted from the audience.
There were smaller shouts at first.
Then the noise grew rapidly.
Within seconds, the entire coliseum exploded into deafening roars.
Some professors had to cover their ears while shouting for order as the thunderous voice echoed through the massive structure, making it difficult to stay in.
When Theo saw the sea of people around him, a smile immediately spread across his face.
His gaze soon landed on the girl standing before him and looking at him with seriousness.
The instant he stepped fully inside, the coliseum became almost unrecognizable from the chaos. It took several minutes for the professors to regain control of the crowd.
Many students were reluctantly escorted out—most of them commoners, though a few nobles were dragged away as well.
"Yes... this is it," the crafty-looking boy from the crowd smirked. "I can already see the profits."
He said again before side-eyeing the one sitting beside him.
The one who had invested in Serisca instead.
"To simply enter the academy and already gather this much support... I can’t help but be impressed, Theo Merrick," Serisca said from within the arena.
Many people were curious as to what she said, but unlike the audience stands where the voices echoed, voices spoken within the middle of the arena itself couldn’t be heard easily. If someone were to whisper, then all they could hear would be whispers; there wouldn’t be anything to comprehend.
"Thank you for the compliment, Miss Serisca Vaelmont," Theo said with a faint smile.
Yet his body language was anything but humble. One of his hands already rested on the hilt of his sword. freёwebnovel.com
"Please, you don’t need to be so formal. Your family has ascended to the rank of Counts as well. We are equals," she said, shaking her head lightly.
Theo merely shrugged it off, making the girl’s eyebrow twitch slightly.
"I am already wearing armor, but if you do to hit me, try to be a little gentle," she added casually, making Theo just stare at her without replying.
Before either of them spoke again, the referee entered with relaxed steps, a large red flag in hand.
The moment he took his position, both fighters were already mentally prepared.
"Begin the battle," he declared in a deep voice that echoed throughout the coliseum.
As soon as the words left the referee’s mouth, Theo took a deep breath. However, he still did not draw his sword out from its scabbard, confusing most of the spectators who had been expecting it.
The crafty-looking body’s body language immediately changed when Theo did that.
Serisca didn’t wait for anything. There was a reason she had come wearing armor.
White energy flashed across her forehead, and a silhouette shot out instantly.
Theo’s grip tightened around the hilt of his sword.
This was the moment.
The white energy surrounding the beast vanished, revealing its full form to Theo and everyone else.
Theo inhaled sharply for a moment while the coliseum erupted into even louder cheers at the sight of the creature.
The instant the beast sensed the crowd’s reaction, it opened its mouth and let out a piercing, high-pitched screech, so loud that it made everyone instinctively cover their ears.
Theo let out an awkward chuckle.
*****
Earth Dragon Hatchling
Epic
Level 5
Type: Reptile-type beast
*****
Theo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. His gaze barely even stopped at the ’Epic’ grade, which was already ridiculous enough.
But the fact that the dragon was categorised as a ’Reptile-type beast’ was even more ridiculous. It was a dragon hatchling, not some oversized lizard.
The earth dragon stood only around two feet tall and lacked any visible breath attack.
Its wings resembled those of a pterodactyl, yet they flapped way faster, allowing the beast to remain steady in the sky.
But more than anything else, it was those eyes that Theo noticed immediately.
His demeanour shifted too, and his gaze sharpened.
The dragon’s eyes were filled with such overwhelming arrogance that Theo instantly realized just how superior the creature imagined itself to be, not compared to the humans, but compared to all other beings.
The battle had already begun, and Theo no longer had the time to hesitate or wait.
Taking a deep breath, he made his decision.
His grip on the hilt of his sword remained, but soon, while everyone’s attention was distracted by the dragon’s majestic presence, Theo’s forehead flashed with white light as well, and a silhouette shot forward with such speed that several professors’ eyes widened in shock upon seeing it.
Carlos grinned widely.
It was finally time for the real fight to begin.
