( Meanwhile on the television screens within the safety shelters and homes worldwide )
As the heart jewel of the Lich's staff shattered under Rocky's precise assault, televisions across the world displayed the precise moment that the Lich began to crumble and disintegrate.
Inside every safety shelter and locked homes, eyes were glued to the TV screen which was broadcasting the war which many feared could have been the war that ended humanity.
The immediate reaction of everyone watching was stunned silence.
Families, friends, and neighbors, gathered in small, crowded living rooms or public shelters, watched on in disbelief as the staff's light extinguished and the undead commander fell to pieces.
For a moment nobody celebrated as the Lich had regenerated from certain death not too long ago, however, as seconds passed and the Lich did not seem to be resurrecting, the hopes within the hearts of the commoners grew.
It took a few more moments for the reality to set in, moments filled with nothing but the low hum of the broadcast.
"Did he... did he really do it?" a voice broke the silence, sounding almost hesitant to believe.
"He did, he really did!" another quickly responded, the volume of voices rising as the shock gave way to elation.
The scenes on the screens shifted from the disintegrating Lich to Rocky, bathed in the golden light of victory as this visual sparked spontaneous applause and cheers in shelters and homes worldwide, with people hugging each other, their faces lit by smiles and tears alike.
"There's no way I thought we'd see something like this," an elderly man said, his voice cracking with emotion. "To witness our champion fight like this, it's a blessing, truly a blessing from the Gemini gods."
For religious old people like him, who had never thought they would witness a champion being born in their lifetimes, just the existence of Rocky was like a blessing, however, witnessing him produce miracles, they felt as if their lives had just became complete, for they could witness the glory of the gods and their chosen champion.
Within the rich urban residential complex 'Upside', a famous sculptor named 'Dalle' watched intently from her studio within her home, her mind already racing with the image of Rocky's victorious stance.
***********
(Meanwhile Ravan and Shakuni, Floor 92)
"Do you feel this brother? The influx of prayers today is crazy...." Ravan said, feeling his divinity become stronger and stronger the more mortals prayed to him.
"Of course it is.... I wrote the perfect script" Shakuni said with a wide grin on his face as he felt satisfied with how things turned out to be.
Although he had made a plan that would put Rocky in the position of being able to defeat the Lich, fate was an unpredictable force, with success being only a probability and not a certainty.
"So what did you think of the boy?" Shakuni asked Ravan who shrugged his shoulders and shook his palm from side to side indicating a '50-50' verdict.
"He has guts. Talent and tenacity. But he lacks experience.
He can become a good champion if he someday crosses the floor 60 threshold, but until then he will remain a risky investment" Ravan concluded as Shakuni agreed with his assessment.
Rocky did have potential, however, he was still very far from the kind of warrior Ravan and Shakuni needed him to be.
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END OF VOLUME 1
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/// A/N - Alright guys, that's it for the introductory volume, I hope you all like it.
The book is only going to get more action packed and mysterious from here on out, so stick around for more! ///