Villainess X Villain: They are obsessed with each other!

Chapter 246: Chapter: 245 Watching Duels.[1]

The next day, Kavin and Jasmine made their way toward the great arena where the ranking duels were held.

Even from a distance, the massive structure dominated the surrounding district, its towering walls rising above the nearby buildings like a fortress built solely for battle.

People continuously flowed through the roads leading to the arena.

Some were entering with eager expressions while others were already leaving, looking either disappointed or bored.

The crowd was far from small, yet it lacked the excitement usually seen during major matches.

That was understandable.

Today’s duels involved the fighters ranked between 50th and 30th place.

There would be ten matches in total, but none of them featured the famous names people truly wanted to see.

Most of the competitors were only around the Arcane Core Realm, making their battles far less impressive compared to the higher-ranked duelists.

Because of that, ticket prices were relatively cheap, attracting gamblers and curious spectators rather than enthusiastic fans.

As they approached the entrance, they found several guards standing watch near the gates. Each person entering had their ticket checked before being allowed through.

Kavin and Jasmine calmly joined the line and eventually reached the front.

One of the guards accepted their tickets and carefully examined them.

After confirming everything was in order, he tore the marked portion away before returning the remainder.

"Enjoy your time."

The guard offered a polite smile and bowed slightly before stepping aside.

Kavin and Jasmine walked past him and entered the arena.

The moment they crossed the entrance tunnel, the enormous interior revealed itself before them.

The arena was circular in shape and so vast that it could comfortably accommodate nearly fifty thousand Zlycons.

Layer upon layer of stone seating rose upward like waves surrounding the battlefield, creating a colossal bowl that focused all attention toward the combat grounds below.

Eleven fighting arenas were positioned throughout the center.

Ten of them were arranged around the outer area, each consisting of a large stone platform where ranked participants fought for their positions.

At the very center stood the largest arena of all, a grand battlefield reserved exclusively for the top ten ranked duelists.

Those ten names represented the strongest fighters within the city rankings, and only they were considered worthy of battling upon the central stage.

As for everyone else, they had to earn that privilege.

Most duels actually took place within underground arenas hidden beneath the city.

Only after a participant successfully entered the rankings would they gain the right to fight upon these public stages before thousands of spectators.

Unfortunately, today’s fighters occupied the very bottom of those rankings.

The audience reflected that fact.

Large portions of the seats remained empty, and many of those present were gamblers studying the competitors rather than genuine fans interested in the outcome.

To most people, watching Arcane Core spellcasters battle simply wasn’t exciting enough to dedicate an entire day to.

Kavin and Jasmine eventually found seats near the front rows.

The moment they sat down, the surrounding spectators instinctively kept their distance.

Their expressions remained cold and detached, while the aura surrounding them carried a pressure that was difficult to describe.

It wasn’t overwhelming enough to suppress others directly, yet it created a subtle feeling that approaching them would be a terrible idea.

As a result, several nearby seats remained completely empty despite the crowd.

Jasmine sat gracefully with her gaze fixed upon the arenas.

"Shouldn’t we start our duels too?" she asked while keeping in mind that no one was looking at her.

Ever since adopting the identities of Kavin and Jasmine, they had carefully maintained the image of a couple mourning the loss of their only son.

Their cold demeanor fit that story perfectly, making people naturally avoid unnecessary interaction.

Kavin leaned slightly against his seat.

"We’ll register after these matches," he replied calmly. "There’s no hurry. We still have four years before the Grand Tournament."

His eyes moved toward the central arena.

"Once we reach first and second place, we’ll need to keep those positions. Rushing now won’t change anything."

"Right."

Jasmine nodded in agreement and returned her attention to the battlefields below.

At that moment, ten hosts stepped onto their respective arenas simultaneously.

Using amplification spells, their voices echoed throughout the massive stadium one after another.

"Arena Ten, ranking duel! Fiftieth-ranked Kyle versus forty-ninth-ranked James!"

The announcements continued across the remaining arenas, introducing the participants scheduled to fight.

On Arena Ten, a tall middle-aged man walked forward.

His dark brown skin contrasted against his short black hair, and his handsome features remained completely expressionless.

Like most Zlycons, he possessed an imposing physique, standing nearly six feet and eight inches tall.

He stopped beside the marker displaying his name.

Kyle.

Rank fifty.

Moments later, his opponent entered from the opposite side.

Compared to Kyle, James appeared far less impressive.

He possessed a slight hunchback and was noticeably shorter than the average Zlycon.

His pale brown skin and green eyes gave him an unusual appearance, while his posture suggested years of physical strain.

Despite that, his expression remained calm as he stepped into position beneath the marker bearing his name.

James.

Rank forty-nine.

The host stood between them for a brief moment before raising his arm.

"Fight!"

The command rang throughout the arena.

At nearly the same time, the hosts of the other arenas issued identical commands before quickly retreating from the battlefields.

The instant the host left the stage, Kyle acted.

He threw his head back and released a loud roar while extending both hands forward.

A brilliant flash of blue light erupted before him.

The next moment, a massive beast materialized upon the arena.

It was a Lightning Bear.

The creature towered over ordinary people, easily reaching eight feet in height whenever it stood upon its hind legs.

Thick muscles rolled beneath its body, while countless strands of fur ended in sharp blue-tipped points that resembled tiny bolts of lightning.

Crackling sparks continuously danced across its body.

Even standing still, it radiated aggression.

"It hasn’t undergone its second metamorphosis yet," Jasmine observed quietly.

Kavin nodded.

He had reached the same conclusion the moment he sensed the beast’s aura.

Across the arena, James responded without hesitation.

With a simple wave of his hand, another summoning formation appeared.

A large eagle-like beast emerged from the light.

Its appearance was both elegant and unsettling.

Unlike normal feathers, the creature’s body seemed covered in flowing strands resembling liquid water.

Ripples continuously moved across its surface as though its entire body were made from a living stream.

Its beak was longer than that of an ordinary eagle, giving it a far more predatory appearance.

When it spread its wings fully, its wingspan approached ten feet, casting a large shadow across the stone platform.

The beast released a sharp cry that echoed through the arena.

"A Slime Eagle," Kavin said.

The creature belonged to the Water Path.

Just like the Lightning Bear, it had yet to undergo its second metamorphosis.

The two summoned beasts stared at one another across the battlefield while their masters stood behind them.

Blue lightning crackled across one side of the arena while waves of watery energy flowed across the other.