NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1356: Behind the Divine Colosseum
Hearing the constant and unending chants of Max and the Grim Gladiator colliding throughout the Divine Colosseum, the announcer slowly fell silent, his expression stiff as he stood helplessly at his post. This decision was far beyond his authority, because whether Max would be allowed to fight the Grim Gladiator or not was never in his hands to begin with.
Only the higher ups who controlled the Divine Colosseum, or more precisely the will of the Heron Family, could decide how this situation would unfold.
And so the announcer could only remain standing there, feeling the pressure of tens of thousands of gazes while waiting for an answer that he himself could not provide.
Deep within the heart of the Divine Colosseum, hidden far from the roaring crowd and sealed away from the chaos above, there existed a large office like chamber. Inside it stood a round table crafted from dark crystal, and seated around it were three figures whose authority ruled every match, every rule, and every life within the colosseum.
Two of them were men, while the third was a woman, and it was these three individuals who truly controlled the Divine Colosseum from behind the shadows.
"This brat is far too strong," one of the men said with a deep frown. His name was Randolf, a burly man with a thick beard and a bald head that reflected the faint light in the room. "He defeated all four of the warriors we sent to deal with him without any difficulty at all." His tone carried frustration and disbelief, because those four were never meant to be simple obstacles.
"What should we do now?" the second man asked, his voice more restrained but no less serious. His name was Chris, and unlike Randolf, his face was clean shaven, while the long hair on his head flowed past his shoulders. "His strength has clearly surpassed that of the Grim Gladiator already. Sending the Grim Gladiator to fight him now would only end the same way as the last four battles."
Chris paused briefly before continuing, his expression darkening. "On top of that, this brat is arrogant enough to openly reject the Heron Family. If he had simply joined us, none of this would have been necessary, yet now his fame has grown so large that I am certain the other six main families are already watching him closely."
"Hmph," the woman snorted coldly, her eyes sharp as she finally spoke. Her name was Malissa, and among the three, she held the greatest authority within the Divine Colosseum. Her connection to the Heron Family was far deeper and stronger than that of the other two, and it was precisely because of this that her words carried an unmistakable weight.
"If that brat could not belong to our family, then I will not allow him to belong to any other either. Even if it would not change much in the grand scheme of things, I refuse to let him walk his own path after rejecting the Heron Family." Her gaze turned icy as her voice hardened. "No one who rejects our family is allowed to live a peaceful life, especially not a mere mortal who dares to stand above us."
"What did the family want?" Chris asked with a deep frown, his tone cautious as he looked toward Malissa. He understood very well that even if they personally wished to crush Max and erase the trouble he was causing, their own intentions were secondary when compared to the will of the family.
For people like them, bloodline and family authority always came first, and any personal grievance had to bow before that reality.
"Father told me to bring Max into our family at all costs, but I have no intention of listening to him," Malissa sneered coldly, her lips curling with disdain. "We extended an invitation once, and he rejected us. That alone is enough. Someone who dares to refuse the Heron Family does not deserve a second chance." She then turned her sharp gaze toward Randolf and Chris, her eyes narrowing as she continued. "Send the third one."
"Third one?" Randolf and Chris exclaimed almost at the same time, shock written clearly across their faces. The words alone made the air in the room feel heavier, because both of them understood exactly what Malissa was implying.
"But that one can only be deployed with the approval of the family head," Chris said quickly, his voice tense as he tried to reason with her. "If we send him against Max now, the situation could spiral out of control. This is not something we can undo once it begins."
Randolf immediately nodded in agreement, his expression grave as he spoke as well. "Yes, Malissa. The family head explicitly ordered that the third one must never be used unless he personally gives the command. Even if this resolves the Max problem, the family head will not forgive us for acting on our own."
"Do you dare question me?" Malissa asked calmly, yet the moment those words left her mouth, the temperature in the room seemed to drop. Her eyes locked onto the two men, sharp and suffocating, leaving no room for argument.
Randolf and Chris immediately lowered their heads, neither of them daring to meet her gaze any longer. They did not want to disobey her, yet they also understood that there were lines within the Heron Family that should never be crossed without the explicit will of the family head.
"Just do as I say," Malissa said in an even tone, her confidence unwavering. "I will deal with father myself." As she spoke, she turned her attention to the large screen in the room, where Max's figure could be seen standing calmly in the arena, completely unaware of the decision being made behind the scenes.
Randolf and Chris exchanged a brief look filled with hesitation and unease, knowing full well the consequences of what they were about to do.
In the end, however, neither of them voiced another word. Turning away in silence, they moved to carry out Malissa's order and release the third one, setting in motion something that could no longer be easily controlled.