Chapter 106 There's an attack on Zarbon City?
Holy Sword Tournament Arc II
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(POV: Akashic Records)
Today marked the second day of the main elimination round of the Holy Sword Festival. The atmosphere in the coliseum was electric, with even more spectators filling the stands compared to the previous day.
Excitement and anticipation filled the air as the crowd eagerly awaited the upcoming fights.
However, a somber undertone permeated the VVIP and VIP sections, casting a shadow over the festivities.
Ress, standing beside Fanatio, could sense the change in atmosphere.
"What's going on with the royal families?" Ress inquired.
"You'll find out soon enough." Fanatio, with a gentle smile. Ress furrowed his brow, wanting to know more, and persisted, "What do you mean by that, Fanatio?"
In that moment, King Grey gracefully rose from his seat in the VVIP section, drawing the attention of all those present. Standing beside him was Archbishop Grev Velstine, an aura of authority emanating from both figures.
Genevieve, sitting in the bleachers, raised an eyebrow and turned to Skum, "What's going on now?"
Skum, nonchalantly moving a hand through his slicked-back hair, leaned in and shared a piece of information. "Well, it's only a rumor, but word has it that the Duke of Drakoria was killed yesterday."
Genevieve's eyes widened in shock, her tone matching her disbelief as she questioned Skum, "Really? Are you sure?"
Skum cautiously reaffirmed it was just a rumor, attempting to assuage her concerns. "It's best not to believe it until we have concrete evidence, Princess Genevieve."
Meanwhile, as the king stood silently, whispers began to spread through the crowd like a raging wildfire. While many in the capital city had already heard murmurs of the news, only the king, his loyal knight Reginald, and the Archbishop were privy to the details.
"What's going on?"
"It must be the rumor about the Duke..."
"No, that can't be it... can it?"
"It has to be, no other thing would make sense."
"So the Duke's really dead?"
"Yeah, I heard it happened last night. But I'm not clear on the details.."
"We'll just have to wait I guess."
The royal family remained oblivious, isolated from the commoners who always seemed to uncover secrets through their resourcefulness and insight.
The murmurs grew louder, bouncing off the walls of the coliseum, the tension in the air palpable. The once vibrant atmosphere had been dampened by this disheartening revelation, casting a veil of sorrow over the Holy Sword Festival.
In the midst of it all, the fighters prepared to take the stage, their hearts heavy with the weight of the unknown that hung over the arena.
"I regret to inform you all that today will mark the abrupt end of the Holy Sword Festival," the king solemnly announced, his gaze shifting from one face to another.
"This is crap!"
"Horse shit!"
"It was my only excuse to escape my wife dammit!"
"Now I have no excuse to leave the kids!"
"Fiddlecrap!"
Instantly, a chorus of protests erupted, as participants and spectators alike voiced their dissatisfaction with this sudden turn of events.
Meanwhile, Lumiere, cloaked in his combat attire and donning his signature mask, observed the commotion from the bleachers. A small sigh escaped his lips, his eyes reflecting an air of expectation. "As expected," he murmured to himself.
Velzar, in the VVIP section sighed. "Well that's a disappointment."
Ress' disbelief etched across his features, he turned to Fanatio and exclaimed, "I can't believe this is happening!"
Fanatio, her voice laced with disappointment, replied, "I share in your disbelief, Ress. But unfortunately, the rumors that spread through the slums of Zarbon have proven to be true."
The royal family, seated together, exchanged shocked glances as they processed this unexpected turn of events. Rena, turning to her husband, James, the King of the Shield Kingdom, whispered, her voice tinged with concern, "What is going on, Your Majesty?"
James, his expression grave, responded, "The Archbishop will shed light on this matter shortly. We must wait and see."
With bated breath, the crowd awaited the Archbishop's explanation.
As he stepped forward, a wave of anticipation washed over the coliseum.
"With the Duke of Drakoria, Veltuor Drakoria, dead we can only see this as a bad omen... as such, we must suspend the festivities," the Archbishop declared, his gaze sweeping across the crowd.
Gasps filled the air, mingling with murmurs of disbelief.
The royal family, already shaken, seemed to tremble even more at the Archbishop's words. Among them, Bluestella, wore the most stunned expression. Ayisha, noticing her co-wife's pallor, leaned in, concern etched on her face. "Bluestella, are you alright?" she inquired, her voice filled with worry.
Bluestella took a moment to compose herself, her voice wavering slightly as she said, "I... I am."
Arthur stood up from his seat in the grandstands, his blue eyes widening with concern as he addressed his father, the King. "Father, this decision seems too abrupt," he pleaded, his voice filled with urgency.
The King sighed heavily, his regal posture betraying his inner turmoil. "Arthur, we must take precautions until we truly understand the situation," he explained, his voice carrying the weight of responsibility.
[Magic Detect] kicked in.
Almost simultaneously, the coliseum quivered with a sudden tremor, catching the attention of those with keen senses.
Lirien, hidden in the shadowy depths of the bleachers, whispered quietly, "It's unfortunate we'll have to do things the hard way."
A sense of foreboding loomed over the spectators, and their eyes turned skyward to witness a sight that sent chills down their spines. A voice from the crowd uttered a gasp, pointing towards the heavens. "What's that?" he cried out, his finger tracing the path of enormous fireballs hurtling towards them.
The colossal fireballs slammed into the coliseum with devastating force, obliterating entire wings and tearing through surrounding structures. Carts, buildings, and unfortunate souls were scattered like confetti, as chaos erupted amid the smoky haze. The ground reverberated with the force of the impact, creating an unsettling rumble.
"Oh no! Father!" Genevieve shouted from the other side of the coliseum.
The largest fireball was hurtling for the grandstands.
However, just as the VIP and VVIP section braced themselves for the nightmarish fate that awaited them, the sound of a sword being unsheathed pierced the air. The sharp metallic resonance echoed throughout the entire coliseum. In a split second, the largest fireball was sliced cleanly in half, its explosive surge silenced before it could wreak havoc.
All eyes widened in disbelief as they looked towards the source of their salvation.
"Who's that?!" Skum coughed.
Hovering in the air, bathed in a captivating aura of power, was Velzar, his sword gleaming as it hung by his side. With utmost grace, he descended onto the arena floor and cast his gaze towards the darkened skies. There, three monstrous creatures, known as dark flyers, soared with malevolent intent.
"Interesting." Velzar grinned.
Adjusting his mask, Lumiere surveyed the chaos unfolding around him, asked no one in particular, "What the hell is going on?"
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m