Coliseum Part 3

“Dad, why are the students doing this? It doesn’t make sense to me.”

“This is part of the culture in this continent. This is a rite of passage. They are not students anymore. They are soldiers, and they will remember this experience for the rest of their lives. They are being tested with the strongest iron. And with opponents that could take their lives.”

“Why would the soldiers take this risk?”

“Look around you, Cato. Look at all of these people cheering for them. They represent hope, order, law, service, and love. They do it for the people of this kingdom.”

This world is built on strength, and at the top of the strength are the soldiers of this kingdom. I don’t understand it. I would prefer to have the freedom to choose, vote, and live my life as I please.

“Match will resume in 30 seconds!” Music started playing, and Paulus’ team got ready for the next beast.

The doors opened, and one little white goat came out! It’s so cute!

"Baah."

At the same time, I let an “Aww” escape. Everyone in the arena went “Oh!”

“Oh wow, is that a Pygmy Oreamnos? I have never seen one before. Did you guys see any in Orion?”

“No, Anto. However, Phaedrus, the leader of the adventurers who were guiding us to Katuranos, capital of Orion, told me about them. Pygmy Oreamnos have high magical affinity and are also strong. They play mind games with their victims.”

“Don’t make eye contact!” Paulus screamed to their teammates. However, it was too late.

“Aah! Let me alone! One of the soldiers was screaming, casting magic everywhere.”

“Antigonus! You are fine!” another one tried to comfort him.

“Don’t get close!”

Antigonus cast earth magic, hitting his fellow soldier, knocking him unconscious.

“Elpis! Hesperos! Knock him out!” Both of them jumped on his friend and knocked him over. There were five now.

“Cover your- Argh!” Paulus, who was covering his eyes from the little white goat, got a full headbutt in the abdomen, slamming him against the wall.

“Paulus!" 

"Time to think is over! Attack! Make sure not to gaze into its eyes!”

“Yes!”

Everyone went full attack mode in a very well-organized way. Two were attacking in front with swords in hand, while another one was blocking the attacks of the goat using earth magic. The fourth member of the team was casting boost magic to the rest of the team. The team was getting tired, unable to deliver a deadly blow.

“This is not working!”

“Leave it to me! Attack with everything you got!”

Elpis, who was giving the orders after Paulus was knocked out, was the most petite female soldier in the whole group and the one using earth magic to defend against the goat. She lunged forward, looking the goat right in the eyes and holding its horns.

"Baaah!"

“Aaah!” Using so much magic that we could feel the resonance from the stands, she held the goat in the air by its horns and slammed it with all her strength into the floor. At the same time, the students finish casting their most potent attack to hit the goat in unison. After the dust had dissipated, we could see the pieces of the cute little goat all over the ground.

Once again, the public disrupted in ovation for the team.

“You have five minutes to regroup!”

“Wow, did you see that homo accipitridae?”

“She is hot. She might become the next queen.”

“Mom, Dad, what about Paulus?”

“He’s okay, he was defending with aura the whole time. He should be able to wake up.”

The team was gathering the collapsed soldiers to check if they would be able to continue. However, the first two who were knocked out were unable to wake up. Thus, the guards took them out of the arena. Finally, Paulus woke up.

“Argh… You guys did it?”

“Barely all thanks to Elpis.”

“I had to carry the team. In the end, pure strength cannot be beaten.”

“Let’s go! Good job, guys!”

“Now you will have to marry me, Paulus.”

“Hell no. You would have to fight my Mom for that.”

“Ha ha ha!”

“Alright, let’s get ready for the next challenge.”

“Do you think a monster stronger than a Pygmy Oreamnos will be at the end?”

“There is no way. It has to be something tricky.”

“We have been in the challenge for an hour and five minutes. It’s a good time if we finish the next one quickly.”

“We would have to finish in an hour and thirty minutes. Anything less than that is a good time.”

“We know what will probably come next.”

“Yeah.”

“Match will resume in 30 seconds!” Music started playing, and Paulus’ team got ready for the next beast.

“Last one,” said Dad, seriously.

The doors opened, and a person in chains came out. Everyone in the stand fell quiet, and the parents took their kids outside.

“Come, Marcus. I don’t want you to see this.” Eugine took Marcus out of the stadium.

“Cato, you stay. I think you have seen worse.”

“What is happening, Mom?”

“Sshh, listen.”

The guard entered the arena and stood behind the man, holding some papers in his hand.

“B- Class adventurer Lycus of Eleutheria. You have been found guilty of first-degree murder, genocide, and sexual assault of 12 women and four men, homo Felidae. According to the Code Law section 366 of the kingdom of Eleutheria, under section Unforgivable Evil, point nine, Crime Against a Fellow Homo, you are sentenced to public humiliation and death!”

Next, the soldiers took off his clothes, and Paulus and his team made a line in front of the convict. At the same time, they all cast wind magic that killed the prisoner instantly.

“For the gods!”

“By the gods!”

“Congratulations, soldiers! You have finished your last examination! Protect the kingdom! Protect its people!”

“Yes, sir!”

What a way to finish the event. Public death penalty. That’s another one to add to my list of things I hate about this world. But who am I to judge? I killed a man without due process. And if my Dad were in danger again, I would do it all over. We all left the arena and walked around the coliseum to watch the games and wait for Paulus to eat.