"Hey, is that them? Are they the Heroes?"

  "Yeah... Those are the Heroes... You should have seen them fight yesterday."

  "Ughh... I knew I should have watched... Dammit."

  Whispers and gossip spun in the air, the gentle breeze passing through the corridors. Three familiar figures walked amongst the crowd, parting the way as their footsteps resounded in the air, eyes indifferent to their surroundings.

  It has been a day since Grey and Yuna's debut, and as Lisandra expected, rumors have spread all over the Royal Capital. Be it children or elderly, everyone had heard of their tale and how they crushed one swordsman after swordsman, not breaking a single sweat in the process.

  In fact, they have bee so popur, a massive crowd of people greeted them by the entrance of the colosseum, all wishing to be graced by their prese was like a faion, only that Grey and Yuna were not informed.

  "Should we have goo the other colosseums instead?" ［Lisandra］

  "No, it's fine. We're quite used to this se anyway. It would only cause trouble for His Majesty if people flock here and there looking for us." ［Grey］

  "Un. Plus, it's not like they're bringing harm to us. As long as things are peaceful, we are more than fih this." ［Yuna］

  "Okay... If you say so..." ［Lisandra］

  Or so they say, but there was quite a rge margiweey and their previous expectations. They thought it would only be a couple hu best, but the people that flocked had already reached more than a thousand.

  Moreover, there were also many who had already bought tickets for the matches today, hoping to catch a glimpse of Grey and Yuna's duels. Things have escated much further than how they previously thought it would.

  A plete opposite to them, the staff of the colosseums were wearing big smiles on their faces. It has been quite some time sihey saw such a big influx of ers heading ihe colosseum. Of course, that also meant more profits to be earned.

  "A very delightful m to you, Yhnesses. Would you allow me to take you to your waiting area?" ［Administrator］

  "Our... Waiting area...?" ［Yuna］

  "Yes. repared a private chamber for our important guests. I would like to present it to you if you don't mind." ［Administrator］

  And now, they even have a waiting area of their own. They looked at Lisandra, and as it seems, she was also oblivious to the existence of such a pce. She didn't know gdiators could also have waiting areas of their own.

  They wao reject it, they really do. But with the bright and dazzling, smiling face of the administrator, it was hard to reject it. It was also an opportunity to head to a more quiet area. It was a time of desperate need.

  "Haah... Please do." ［Grey］

  "Hohoho. It would be my greatest pleasure." ［Administrator］

  Humming to himself, the Administrator then led Grey, Yuna, and Lisandra to the waiting room he spoke of, and as soon as they arrived, a grand and vish sery greeted their eyes, a little bit blinding to see.

  There were luxurious couches, fancy ets, a fluffy bed, air ditioning, paintings, expensive dishes, and many more. Rather than a waiting room, it was more like a small home, plete with all the ies and luxuries.

  They had just arrived yesterday and to think the colosseum had already prepared such a graion, they could only be speechless and amazed at the same time. No matter where one looked at it, it was too over the top of a treatment.

  "Does the room suit your taste, Yhnesses?" ［Administrator］

  "Uh, yeah... It looks amazing... Too amazing, actually..." ［Grey］

  "Hohoho. I am very much delighted to receive such praises. And please, if you find anything dissatisfactory, don't hesitate to call me. I will arrive at your bed call, anytime, anywhere." ［Administrator］

  Or so he says, but with how carefully the room ut together, there was barely something Grey and Yuna could nitpick about. They could only smile a wry smile as they replied to the administrator, n to think too much.

  "Then, I would have to bother Yhnesses any longer. I will be taking my leave now. Please enjoy your stay." ［Administrator］

  "Un... Thank you very much, Administrator." ［Yuna］

  A very satisfied and cheerful expression on his face, the Administrator soohe three on their own devices, still shocked about how "warm" their wele was. No matter how well they performed yesterday, it was still too much.

  Well, it's not like they do anything about it. If they refused, they could already see the Administrator and the staff kneeling down and begging to give them a ce. It would be troublesome if such a rumor were to spread around.

  "Mmn... These are good. Want to try some too, Grey?" ［Yuna］

  "Yuna... You o be a little more cautious..." ［Grey］

  "Mmn... It's not like we reject what was already given anyway. Why don't we just enjoy the room as we wait for our turns?" ［Yuna］

  Yuna was absolutely right, looking at the positives as she gave up on thinking too much about it. She simply tried the snacks oer aniving them reviews even when no one else was there other thahree of them.

  Lisandra soon joined her, also eating the snacks dispyed atop the fancy table, and before long, with an exasperated face, Grey also sat down with them. The day had just started yet they already felt exhausted as one be.

  "Oh... These are really good." ［Grey］

  "Right～? Didn't I tell you?" ［Yuna］

  Eating the snacks, zing around, chatting merrily, and polishing their swordsmanship a little, time passed by ever so quickly. In the blink of an eye, several duels had already occurred, Grey and Yuna's turn drawing nearer by the sed.

  They wao watch the matches in the colosseum, but if they did so much as to step outside the room, they would surely be crowded sooner or ter. Rather, Grey simply used his eyes and shared his vision with Yuna with the use of illusion magic.

  As for Lisandra, she had uhed her sword once more and started practig with the dummies located just in the room beside their resting area. She was as eager as ever, striking every strike with all she got.

  Knooock

  Before long, a series of knocks echoed from the other side of the room. Grey and Yuna didn't eveo guess what it was about. Their turn is about to e and an escort has e to fetch them from their room.

  "Please guide us well." ［Grey］

  "A-Ah, yes... I will make sure to fulfill your expectations."

  Grey didn't evehe escort speak a single word. As soon as he opehe door, he cut straight to the chase, Yuna and Lisandra following after him. They sooowards the arena, the eyes of the diators tg on them.

  As they arrived, the ongoing match was already reag its climax, both gdiativing it their best in front of thousands of audiehey fought harder than usual, not letting a single opportunity pass them by.

  ??Heavy Ssh!?? ??Pierce!??

  The shot they strud a loud explosion echoed in the air. As the clouds of duet started to clear out, two figures were revealed once more, now in totally different positions as they gasped for their breaths.

  One of them was keeling, sword now shattered to pieces, whilst the other was still stabbing, pointing his sword towards the former. The victor of the duel had been decided, the match had finally reached its clusion.

  "The winner is Gdiator Ruveeellll!!!"

  A booming voice echoed in the air, followed by a cacophony of cheers. With the ending of the match, both swordsmen finally left the stage aement started brewing amongst the crowd, eyes watg the arena eager as one be.

  "Now, for our matchー Oh!"

  The annouopped his entary and looked at his script. A familiar name was clearly written there, uo keep his grin to himself. He then looked at the entrances for firmation, smiling even more when he saw them.

  "Folks! This is the moment we have been waiting for! A moment where we will once again witness history being made before our eyes! A moment of thrill aement for all ages! For he has e to duel!"

  The announcer hyped up the crowd, cheers getting louder and louder with the slow passing of time. They have yet to ehe arehe audience is already in an uproar, loud shouts eg from all sides and ers of the colosseum.

  "Here he is! Hailing from the Kingdom of Alfrione! He had saved Oiros from disasters a many. His name has been sung by bards and his might is known all over the nd. The one who they call the 'Grim Reaper'! His Highness! Archduke Grey!!"

  "Whooo!! Yhness, please look at us!"

  "You're the best, Yhness! Destroy them all!"

  "Please sign my shirt! I'll make it our family heirloom!"

  Ahe top introdu and ahe top reception. As Grey stepped foot in the arena, the crowd only got wilder. They said all sorts of things, Grey seeing fans he never knew he had. It was simply too exhausting to deal with.

  Heck, there were even some strange requests from the crowd that are better left not mentiohey were so disturbing that Grey was left shocked for a moment. He didn't think Merusia would also have different sorts of insane people.

  "And his oppo...! Ranked 27 and also a ander of the army in his free time! The man they call the 'Knight of Avarice'! The one who destroyed a whole band of bandits on his own! Sir Kayn!"

  "Sir Kayn, show the brat what Avalon is! Don't let us down!"

  "Please give us a great show!"

  "Sir Kayn, you do it! Don't let a fner defeat you!"

  Their reception was just as warm as it was on Grey's side, a knight in heavy armor entering the stage, his heavy steps ringing out in the air. He was evehan Kd, who was Yuna's oppohe day before, only much more intimidating.

  Of course, to Grey, such a physique was worthless. All that mattered was that he could hold his ground against him. The man before him was a ker and also has a 52% profi the sword, all much higher than the ones yesterday.

  "Good day, Yhness. I don't know if you remember me, but I am part of the Royal Guards. I dare say your aura the other day was a meo behold, I look forward tht." ［Kayn］

  "The feeling is mutual. Let's do our best." ［Grey］

  "As you wish," ［Kayn］

  There was no hostility in Kayn's eyes, oement as he looked forward to having a duel with Grey. He may have been easily subdued by his aura, but he prided himself in the sword. He would surely give him a good fight.

  The announcer looked at the two of them and decided to start the match. He soon stepped dowage and held his microphoightly. He cleared out his voice with a series of fake coughs, and...

  "Let the fight... Begin!!"

  ... Along with his annou, a sharp glint glowed deep inside Kayn's eyes. He immediately dashed trey, closing the distan just a couple of moments, his sword ready to stab and ssh if needed be.

  GGG BOOOOMMMMM

  His sword came from above and his strike was heavier than any boulder. An massive boom reverberated throughout the colosseum as his sword cshed with Grey's, an intense shockwave following it soon after, letting out a string gust of wind.

  Yet despite how powerful he was, Grey remaiill in his position, not budging a single inch. He soon waved his sword and Kayn ushed back along it despite looking as if he didn't put any strength on it, flowing like the gereams.

  Kayn nded on his feet and did not let his momentum die down. He soon charged trey once again, attag in angles even he could not easily defend from. It was an attack pattern tailored to break the defense of most swordsmen.

  However, Grey wasn't a part of the "most" swordsmee the difficult angles Kayn struck from, he defe easily, eyes darti and right as he predicted the path of Kayn's sword and how he should parry it.

  ??Fsh Rain!?? ［Kayn］

  Kayn tried to unch a merciless barrage, but they were all slow as one be in Grey's eyes. He perfectly captured them in his eyes, narrowly dodging the attacks as he moved his body accly, moving his steps lightly like a hummingbird fluttering in the fl forest.

  'Crazy... So this is the Hero of Oiros...' ［Kayn］

  Only such thought entered Kayn's mind as he tinued his barrage. Even his eyes could not catch up to Grey's movement, striking pretty much every ce he could, all to be in despair as not a sirike has yet to graze the young man.

  A dangerous light fshed in Grey's eyes, grabbing the opportunity as soon as he saw it. It was small, but a gap was still a gap heless. Grey struck that very gap, easily breaking Kayn's barrage of swords with brute force.

  "It's my turn, right?" ［Grey］

  Kayn's offensive was now broken, and as if he was just returning the favrey then started a terattack, once again striking at impossible angles as if it was no one's business, giving Kayn a very difficult time.

  ??Bded Tempest!?? ［Kayn］

  Kayn tried to defend by surrounding himself with a tornado of bdes, all were razor-sharp bdes to cleave boulders smoothly like a hot knife running through butter. It was an amazing defense which could easily retacks useless. It also expanded with time, swallowing the stage little by little.

  However, it wasn't amazing enough. With his eyes and the durability of his swrey easily found gaps iating storm of bdes, nding stabs and thrusts oer another, peppering Kayn who was hiding inside.

  "H-How terrifying... To think even Sir Kayn's defense was useless..."

  "Is he even human...? How could he achieve such a feat?!"

  The crouzzled and baffled by such a se. They have seen Kayn's moves before, but there were only a few who broke through. And now, a young man who had fought him for the first time had easily broken through, it was nothing short of an achievement.

  ??Heavy Ssh!?? ［Kayn］

  Turning the moment from his spinning bde into attack power, Kayn shot a vertical ssh trey, pag enough power to demolish the arena if it weren't for the barrier looming around them, an overwhelming pressure crashing at insane speeds.

  Yet there was not a trace of pani Grey's face. He simply heaved a deep breath and put a little bit of strength to his sword. He struck back at Kayn's and hit it by the side, a tingliion of ominosity looming in his heart.

  'Crap! It's already too te...!' ［Kayn］

  Kayn had already put too much strength to his sword and had no way of stopping it. With Grey's attack, the trajectory of his strike was then deflected, Grey only needing to step away oo fully dodge it.

  BOOOOMMMMMM TREMBLLEEEE

  Kayn's sword crashed towards the ground and a rge crater was formed, a violent burst of wind rushing towards the audience. Yet Grey received no damage. He was still standing there, unfazed as the clouds of dust cleared out.

  It was a magnifit sight, yet Kayn couldn't h,o but be irritated. He already knew from the start that Grey wasn't going all out on him. He khe gap between them was a massive one, but he still wanted Grey to fight him with all he's got.

  "Yhness, please take this more seriously..." ［Kayn］

  Kayn was right. Grey wasn't really being serious the whole match, simply trying to improve himself, thinking if it was training rather than a duel. But doing so was simply insiowards the oppo. A smile blossomed on his face as he realized such.

  "Very well." ［Grey］

  At Grey's words, the atmosphere oage pletely ged into one full of terror and domination. It was as if a mountain was weighing down on Kayn, all the fibers in his body screaming about immeasurable danger heading his way.

  Grey's eye glowed a cold and deadly glint, a storm of mana gathering unto his palms, getting more and more chaotic as time passed. Kayn's instincts were telling him to bolster up his defeo the max, anticipating the advent of doom.

  ??Wailing Moon?? ［Grey］

  An insurmountable amount of pressure swallowed the whole colosseum, Grey's sword appearing to be as massive as a dragon. Fear and despair struck Kayn's heart as he witnessed such a sight. The dest of death in the mortal world.

  ?? ?? ??Guard!?? ?? ?? ［Kayn］

  Oer another, Kayn deployed barrier magic to coat his body, creating more than a dozen yers all over his body. Yet, all were for naught as Grey's ssh cut through them all with even halting a single sed.

  The attack passed through, bsting Kayn towards the side of the arena, clouds of smoke rising towards the air as darkness devoured his sight. His eyes soon closed, losing sciousness as the reign of terror finally dissipated.

  "Th... The victor is His Highness! Aro! Gdiatrey!"

  The announcer didn't miss a beat, announg the clear results as soon as he could. The booming cheers of the audience rang towards the vast sky, everyoed to have witnessed such a ferocious fight.

  After all, it was Grey's first time using mana in his matches, so it would only be natural that everyone was surprised. Thankfully, he mao hold himself back a little, not harming Kayn too much. He was soon healed with a bit of magic.

  Fufufu! You did well, Grey! That was amazing! ［Yuna］

  Thanks, and good luck. It's your tur. ［Grey］

  Un! I'll make sure to surpass your expectations! Watch carefully! ［Yuna］

  The unscious Kayn was soon carried out of the arena, and Grey walked out soon after. With the clusion of their match, another pair of names was called out, one was that of a young dy's and one was of a veteran adventurer.

  The crowd cheered loudly once, wishing to see more a between Yuna and her oppo. They wao see how an S-rank adventurer would fare against a k when they possessed the same physical prowess, curious as one be.

  "A master of o K.O.! A cold beauty who dominates all frost! The Heroine of Oiros who had stopped all sorts of peril who bears the niame of 'Phantom'! And the you S-ranker in history! Her Highness! Archduchess Yuna!!"

  "Yhness, you're so beautiful! Please be my bride!"

  "Ah! She looked at me! She looked at me, didn't she?!"

  "Waah... She's seous..."

  Yet another fantrodu ing out of nowhere. The announcer was out of breath the moment he finished his piece. Yet despite that, he was smiling, the crowd cheering even louder with him as they weled Yuna's entrance.

  Or rather, they were all enticed by Yuna's goddess-like beauty. It didn't matter much whether they were men or women, all were stu her entrance. Some saying a few questionable lines better left unsaid.

  "Fighting against her! Ranked 25 and a veteran adventurer aowledged even by the General! He has pleted all quests with perfe using his insane speed! Please wele him! Mister Ja!!"

  "Ja! Teach the brat a lesson, otherwise, you're a bastard!"

  "Oii! Ja! How dare you have fun before us?!"

  "Ja, you motherf*cker! Just die already!"

  Though... The same enthusiasm couldn't be said for Ja. A bunch h and rowdy adventurers cursing him rather than cheering. They were his drinking buddies who also happeo be idiots. The most stereotypical kind of adventurer.

  "Please ighem, Yhness. They're just a bunorons." ［Ja］

  "Bastard! Who are you calling a moron?!"

  "Who else would it be! And stop eavesdropping you piece of sh*t!" ［Ja］

  In fact, they were too lively for their own good, Ja quickly snapping back at their antics. One even used his "Sharp Hearing" ability just to piss off Ja. Yuna didn't know whether to ugh or cry or both.

  "Then... Without further ado! Let the fight... Begin!!"

  The announcer raised his hand and dropped it soon after. Strong bursts of winds ran wildly on the arena as two figures dashed towards one another. With the both of them specializing in speed, most of the audienly saair of blurs.

  Ja had seen Yuna fight before, so before she could even think of striking, he immediately struck the most unstable points of her sword, all the while ung terattacks whenever he saw the moment,

  ??Dang Snow Flower!??

  Ja brandished his sword and cold winds blew all over the arena. Be it the moisture in the air or the water ier jugs all started to freeze, bdes of mana blooming like a flower as they rushed towards Yuna.

  The flowers bloomed some more and it soon exploded into a storm of petals. Petals which were bdes sharp as daggers, darting at breakneck speeds and wreaking havoc like a storm, freezing everything they touched.

  "Waah～ So pretty～" ［Yuna］

  Unfortunately for him, it er terrible matchup. If it es to ice magic, Yuna reigned supreme betweewo of them. She easily deflected all the petals as she prepared for her own terattacks.

  ??White Dream: Fluttering Snowfkes??［Yuna］

  Yuna's soft words rang out in the air and the whole arena turned white in an instant. Everyone was frozen in pce, snowfkes starting to fall like leaves in an amber autumn day, pretty as the stars.

  The Snowfkes dao the symphony of the winter gale, gathering denser and deowards Yuna's bde. She brandished her sword and a wave of blue rushed towards Ja like a surging and unstoppable tsunami.

  The man was devoured whole and his body was soon frozen in deep, blue ice. The fight was over as quickly as it started, not even half a minute epsed on the clock. Even the announcer was in shock.

  "Th-The winner is Her Highness! Gdiator Yuna!"

  The pead silence was soon broken with the boisterous cheers of the crowd. It may be a short match, but it wasn't any less impressive than what Grey had shown them. Everyone's eyes were sparkling brightly.

  Just like that, Grey and Yuna tihe day, dominating every match they fought as if it was no one's business. Every fight they won, the crowd's excitement only rose along with their fame, loud cheers to be heard time and time again.

  The excitement was far from over.

  CHAPTER 308 END