Ryuji stepped into the grand arena, feeling the weight of countless eyes upon him. The air was electric, charged with the anticipation of the thronging crowd. He paused for a moment, taking in the vast scene before him.
The arena was a colossal structure, its oval form carved from ancient stone, now weathered and worn by centuries of fierce battles and roaring spectators.
'Wow... this place feels so tense.'
Rows upon rows of tiered seating rose high into the sky, filled with an unruly sea of people. Their cheers and jeers melded into a loud noise that reverberated off the stone walls, making Ryuji's heart pound in sync with the thunderous applause.
Banners of countless colours and emblems fluttered in the breeze, adding vibrant splashes of colour to the stone-grey backdrop.
"I wonder if any will come back to see me specifically for the second round..."
Ryuji knew little about the tournament. It seemed the first five matches weren't important and didn't even have an announcer.
It reminded him of high-school sports qualifications where fans would only turn up if they reached the semi-finals or higher.
'The only people who came before that were those driving the kids to the matches... Hence why even the king isn't here today, or Alan.'
Directly opposite him, in the north sector, stood the royal box—a majestic structure that commanded attention and respect.
Draped in rich, velvet curtains of deep crimson and gold, it was a display of the power and wealth of the Grigor kingdom.
Beside the box were imposing statues of mythical beasts, their eyes seeming to follow Ryuji as he made his way forward.
The royal family and their esteemed guests were absent from these matches, though a few nobles sat in the sporadic spaces wearing luxurious garments and glittering jewels and looked down upon the arena with a mix of curiosity and indifference.
'These people are probably Alan's enemies, scouting our powers and abilities.'
Today, Ryuji would fight himself. The tournament didn't force all team members to fight, but they needed to be registered from the first battle.
Because he worried about underhanded tricks, Ryuji made this choice, much to the anger of Yumiko and Alicia, while Erika thought his choice was quite intelligent.
'Erika has started coming out of her shell recently. I should take her out on a date to learn more about her after this battle when we have time.'
"Hmm... this Arena feels quite grand, and I can't wait to fight." Ryuji's blood surged, and he felt a slow-growing build-up of his adrenaline while walking forward.
The arena floor itself was a mix of packed earth and sand, stained dark in places from the blood of countless warriors who had fought and fallen there.
Torches mounted on the high walls cast flickering shadows, creating an eerie, almost supernatural atmosphere. Every breath Ryuji took was laced with the scent of sweat, metal, and the faint, acrid hint of smoke.
As he moved closer to the centre, Ryuji felt a distinct tension in the air, as if the very ground beneath his feet thrummed with the memories of past battles. He could almost hear the echoes of ancient warriors, their cries of victory and defeat lingering in the ether.
'This place will be a good place to fight Alan one day, the reward... His mansion! He has to give it to me when he loses, haha.'
However, while thinking stupid thoughts, he noticed there was a single person in the royal box, a beautiful woman; she looked older, in her late twenties, with soft brown hair and a scar on her face, though her eyes focused on him like a hawk.
'That woman, she doesn't feel like an ally; her gaze seems to be filled with hatred...' Ryuji thought to himself while kicking the sand beneath his feet; the burning dust felt quite soothing on his exposed thighs while the opposite gate finally opened.
"Die!" Akechi raised his sword and slashed down, bringing a wave of azure energy with it.
Ryuji's eyes narrowed, and he spun gracefully, his cloak fluttering in the wind as he sidestepped the attack. Then, his right leg was covered in the succubus chains and began to glow with a purple flame as it smashed into Akechi's abdomen with brutal force.
There was a sickening crunch, and a spray of blood erupted from the chosen's mouth as he flew backwards like a broken doll. He crashed into the far wall, the stone crumbling under the force of the impact, leaving him lying unconscious in a pool of blood.
"Oh my! The chosen Baron Veln, has been defeated by Ryuji with a single kick! Truly a monstrous display of strength!'
"Hahaha! This savage is indeed a powerful warrior. Princess Liana has chosen an excellent man to serve her." A random noble chuckled before adding. "Next time, I should bet more coins on him!"
"I agree; this human has the potential to become a big earner for us! Hahaha." Another noble laughed, his eyes filled with greed while looking at the defeated Akechi.
Ryuji ignored the audience and the announcer, though the woman's gaze was still piercing through his soul, watching his every move. He felt another feeling in her aura, and it was desire.
'She wants to fight me, to crush me... make me submit.'
With the sound of a wind passing his face, he avoided another blade, realising that his current power surpassed most Rank-B knights by a huge margin, so these Rank-C knights were like children to him.
However, Ryuji didn't underestimate his opponents; instead, he grabbed the knight's arm, twisting it with a sharp crack.
"Arghh!" The man cried in pain, but Ryuji wasn't done; his fingertips burst forth and pierced through the knight's throat, killing him in an instant.
A flood of sticky blood with a sweet scent stained his left hand; the blood almost seemed to be absorbed by the black vines and stems along his tattoo, making the roses glow bright red.
'These knights are Rank-C at best. The chosen wasn't even Rank-D... I was right to hide my true strength and the girls from this battle.'
"Thank god, Alan and Saki bet on me to win."
Thanks to that, he would soon have a huge fortune thanks to the nobles and people who bet against him.
Ryuji wasn't only killing his enemies—it was a massacre! The audience watched in stunned silence as the three knights were torn apart. Limbs and gore were scattered across the arena floor, staining the packed earth with their crimson lifeblood.
"Amazing... Those chosen are ruthless; they slaughtered those knights like pigs."
"Indeed, this tournament is getting better and better."
"Don't forget he did this alone... How is he so strong?"
"Prince Alan is our future king, and you can see he picks people with a calm and logical mind!"
Ryuji wiped his hands clean and then realised he had gained experience from killing humans.
'Is this why they hate demons and fear the demon queen?'
What he didn't realise was that his brutal and carefree actions would cause his Blood Tyrant's name to become more prominent and follow him forever because of these qualification battles.
He wanted to see the woman's reaction, but she vanished from the royal box and made him feel regretful,
'She gave the same feeling Alan does. I want to fight her!'