New World - A New Beginning

Typhon had briefly whispered the name of my opponent before climbing the podium that faced the arena. I wasn't surprised in the slightest that an arena existed in Pandora considering the decree they lived by. A location to prove one's strength was required, and this was the perfect place.

I looked around the arena, the bark walls and dim lighting creating an ominous ambiance. The stands were overflowing with monsters, every citizen of Pandora witnessing the spectacle.

"Jok is one of our top warriors. Don't underestimate him."

I recalled Typhon's words as I entered the arena. The booming roar of thousands of spectators rang across the area, all of them cheering for the warrior they had come to respect. I eyed my opponent, his eyes shining with the pride of being the crowd's favorite.

Jok unsheathed his weapon. An interesting kind of sickle-sword glinted in the light of the giant ball of fire hanging above our heads, its curved blade resembling the sword Egyptians used in the ancient world.

I fully understood the reasoning behind the confidence flooding from Jok's stance. He was fighting on his home territory with the backing of his entire community, and if utilized properly, it could be used as moral support and a way of enhancing one's skills. The effect was a double-edged sword, however, potentially leading to overconfidence.

"Draw a weapon, Jay Cadmium," growled Typhon, the minotaur acting as a witness to the duel. I obeyed instinctively, my right hand crackling with lightning as a spotless black dagger appeared in my palm.

"Does any participant wish to forfeit now? This is your final chance," said the minotaur, his words a requirement for any duel. Both of us said nothing, our eyes locked. I took a deep breath, preparing myself mentally for the fight. I had learned to remain unfazed by any kind of audience to a fight, the years of carnage on Earth allowing me to keep calm in any situation.

I stood casually, my cape swaying alongside my hair as a small breeze crept through the arena, everyone awaiting the call to begin.

TYPHON'S POV:

Jay Cadmium... It's time you show us how powerful you really are.

"Begin!" I roared, the order being received with an eruption of cheers from the spectators. Jok launched himself at the boy immediately, not wasting any time. Lizardmen were known for their agility and overwhelming speed, and I doubted the boy would be able to keep up with him.

Jok executed a stunning combination of strikes, but all I could do was let my mouth drop on every swing. Jay Cadmium evaded every attack with a glacial look in his eyes, his neutral expression more terrifying than anything.

The lizardman swung horizontally, the strike so powerful a small gust of air shot forth. Jay arched backward, evading the weapon.

What... was this speed?

I was well aware that adventurers were able to utilize bind and harness the elements around them, but there was no such technique being implemented by the Supreme Commander of the Dragons. Was his raw speed alone enough to outmaneuver a lizardman?

The deafening cheers slowly came to a halt as the fight continued, Jay consistently evading every single attack thrown his way. He wasn't fighting back, but he didn't even need to. Jok roared furiously, increasing his speed even further with his emotions.

The lizardman leaped into the air, slamming down with immense force. Jay sidestepped the attack, but Jok followed up instantly.

"Hyah!" he cried out, putting all his superhuman strength into the blow. My eyes widened slightly, realizing there was no way Jay would be able to defend. Monsters were physically superior to humans in every way, and a clash between both races was sure to send the weaker one flying into the nearest wall.

BOOM

"!!"

The battle fell silent as sparks flew from the grinding of two metal blades against each other.

What am I watching?

Jay stood his ground firmly, his arms not even shaking as he withstood the full strength of a lizardman's attack. He had used the split second between Jok's landing and the second strike to rotate his blade into a normal grip, wielding the dagger like a longsword to block the attack.

Jok leaped back, preparing for another offensive. I could see the confusion and the panic in his eyes, his mind not understanding how he was being pushed back so easily. The lizardman unsheathed his second curved blade, a small smile appearing on my face.

So he was done holding back?

Jok's eyes shone a bright orange, the fury embedded within his race allowing him to demolish all limits to his abilities. The true power of a lizardman could only be brought out when the user's conscience deemed it necessary, and it seemed like Jok had acknowledged his opponent's strength.

"I believed you to be weak, Jay Cadmium," he said, pointing one of his weapons at the boy who remained completely unscathed. "I see now that I was mistaken, and I apologize. That being said, you still lack conviction. I will show you what is expected of a leader."

A low rumble echoed across the arena as Jok dashed towards his opponent, both weapons prepared to strike. Jay remained silent amidst the monologue, his eyes barely showing any emotion whatsoever.

A dim green aura encircled Jay as he avoided the first attack, his speed further enhanced with what seemed like the element of wind. The reasoning behind his refusal to strike back eluded me, the only possible explanation coming to mind was a desire to test Jok's potential.

I realized now what kind of power the Dragonkin possessed. Jok was, without a doubt, one of the top warriors within our community. Yet when faced with an opponent such as the Supreme Commander of the Dragonkin, he was completely and utterly helpless. There was no more cheering from the audience, every pair of eyes glued on the one-sided domination that was taking place in the arena.

Was Jay even the most powerful of the Dragonkin? His position within their military force hinted that he was one of the strongest, but that didn't necessarily mean he ranked first.

Jok chained an unforgiving combination of slashes, rotating his blades and wrists masterfully to keep up the pressure. The boy stepped back periodically, only utilizing his own blade when necessary.

The banging and scraping of metal echoed in the arena, but all I could hear was Jay's deafening silence. The lack of emotion, sound, or visible signs of effort on his face washed away the uproar that had arisen from the crowd following Jok's brutal onslaught.

It seemed as if Jay had previous experience fighting within arenas considering his indifference toward the cheers of the crowd, his patience and calmness speaking for themselves.

What a terrifying being...

I was beginning to ask myself who the true monster was in this fight, and the more blows were exchanged, the more certain I became of my answer. It was true that I was much stronger than Jok, and could easily defeat him, but I was beginning to believe that Jay had not even shown a tenth of what he was capable of.

His lack of armor on his upper-body had always puzzled me, but I understood the reasoning behind it now. Why would anyone need layers of protection... if you never got hit in the first place?

Both fighters clashed, locking their weapons together with a grinding screech of metal. Jay's eyes suddenly glowed a vibrant blue, small flashes of yellow light sparking on his arm as they made their way to his weapon.

BOOM

A shockwave of energy erupted from the boy's dagger, pushing Jok back. The lizard landed on both feet, grunting from the impact and meeting his adversary's gaze. Jay's mouth opened for the first time in the entire fight, a cold voice resonating across the area.

"I thank you for teaching me true conviction," said the boy sarcastically, slowly advancing towards his opponent menacingly. Jok was unable to respond to the comment, his eyes beginning to shiver at the sight in front of him.

"Now let me show you what true power is."