Not even a single soul was able to react as the voice itself carried a hint of arrogance and order..... devoid of any emotion.
"Y-You finally come? W-Where did you run off to?" King Theo shouted, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and defiance. He struggled against the chains that bound him, desperation evident in his actions, "R-Release me, You Coward!! I won't tolerate you bounding me with these chains," he demanded, his words laced with defiance even in the face of danger.
"..."
However, there was no reply, only an eerie silence that hung heavy in the atmosphere. Even the Vampire Queen furrowed her brow in concern, sensing a shift in Eli's demeanour, 'What happened...? He feels different..' she wondered, her instincts on high alert.
After a few moments, the figure in the sky spoke, its voice cutting through the silence with chilling precision....
"Son of Carter Theo, How do you want to die?"
"....."
A heavy silence descended upon the arena, leaving everyone on edge. Even the Headmaster couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at Eli's ominous question.
"H-hehe..hehehe..." Theo's laughter rang out, forced and strained as he attempted to mask his fear, "Figuring you won't be able to win... So, you finally resort to violence?" he taunted, his bravado wavering in the face of Eli's silent gaze.
But Eli offered no response, his reddish-black eyes fixed unwaveringly on the golden-haired man who was hiding his perplexed face on the upper floor..... There was a calm determination in his gaze, a silent resolve that spoke volumes.
"Violence.... ah..."
With deliberate slowness, Eli descended from the sky, each movement deliberate and calculated. His golden sparks emitted an ethereal glow that filled the arena with a sense of awe and wonder, captivating all who beheld him.
Even the Headmaster, Vampire Queen, and Lucian were taken aback, not just by Eli's powerful aura, but by something else...
"Hey, Look!" Someone from the crowd suddenly exclaimed, pointing towards the.... scoreboard.
"Hmm? What hap--- Wait!! What the fuck!!!"
"99!!!"
"Are you serious?! When did he even start running in the first place?"
"Is the scoreboard broken?"
"Y-Yeah, that has to be.."
"Yes, there's no way he could have run that fast!!!"
The audience erupted into a flurry of chatter, bewildered by the sudden appearance of Eli's score on the scoreboard, a seemingly impossible feat that defied all logic and explanation.
Even the fastest runners left visible trails behind them for example Theo, but Eli... They weren't sure whether it was true or false.
"For that, I will let you live... for now, that is," Eli stated calmly, a small smile playing on his lips as he patted Theo's cheeks patronizingly, like a parent indulging a misbehaving child.
Theo's face flushed bright red with shame and rage, his indignation boiling over as he attempted to lash out at Eli as he took out the crystal that his father gave him, "You damn bastard!! How dare you h--" Before he could finish his sentence, however, Experience tales at mvl
"Children should listen to their elders otherwise...." Eli's voice cut through the tension like a knife as he silenced Theo with a single wave of his hand.
"SPLASHHHH!!"
Theo's mouth split open, a torrent of blood gushing forth like a breached dam. His horrified expression spoke volumes as he struggled to contain the flow, his efforts futile against the relentless onslaught.
"Trrrkkkkk"
The crystal meant to counteract Eli's attack shattered into fragments, its power nullified before it could be unleashed.... That showed how much Eli changed with in hours.... to them of course!!
Eli paid little heed to the chaos he had caused, his focus unwavering as he continued his steady advance towards the finish line. Let's be real, It wasn't out of mercy for Theo because of Arlyne, but rather a compilation; killing him would have disqualified Eli from the race, a risk he couldn't afford to take.
With each heavy step, Eli drew closer to the end, his progress relentless and determined.
'Step, Step, Step...'
Onlookers watched in horror, their faces twisted in disbelief at the gruesome scene unfolding before them. Meanwhile, Theo's supporters prayed fervently for their fallen hero, hoping against hope that he would somehow defy the odds and stage a miraculous comeback....
but to their dismay, Instead, they witnessed their hero's desperate struggle to stay conscious, his strength waning with each passing moment.
As Eli neared the finish line, he came to a sudden halt, he asked a single question,
"Does Sentinals appear if their King dies?"
"..."
A heavy silence enveloped the arena, thick with tension and uncertainty. Many struggled to comprehend the implications of Eli's inquiry, while nobles and influencers who knew details alike froze in shock, their minds racing with fear and dread.
".... Yes," Adriana, the Vampire Queen, replied with chilling indifference.
"Too bad.." Eli muttered as he stepped on the line. A white light emerged from the ground, travelling towards Eli, indicating the game's winner.
"The Winner is--" Just as the Head Master was about to announce the victor, a sudden flurry of sparks filled the air.
"Spark, Spark"
In an instant, Eli vanished from the arena, reappearing inside the upper floor where Lucian Dwan and Carter Theo stood.
"Let's play a game...." His voice, laced with a hint of menace, hung in the air, setting the stage for a new confrontation.