Emperor’s Day (5)

Leinor’s opponent didn’t look anything special, at least in appearance. The gray garment he wore looked custom-made, the same as the leather pouches on him. After they greeted each other, his opponent instantly acted. Leinor was still just releasing his cupped hands when his opponent threw out two flasks from his sleeve that exploded in mid-air before Leinor, releasing a thick, greenish gas.

“Poison?” Ren murmured, raising her eyebrows. “First time seeing something like this.”

“It’s a despicable move,” Zern commented disapprovingly.

“Not really. You use what you are gifted with.” Ren rebuked him, “And he lost as soon as the match started. Poison is good. If I was his enemy, he could’ve surprised me with it. Still, against LeiLei’s bloodline… this kind of trick is nothing.” she added as she smiled confidently.

After throwing out the poison-filled flasks on the stage, the scrawny-looking guy pulled out a small repeater crossbow, went into a kneeling position, and fired four shots in quick succession. Only fleshy thuds were heard from the impact, but nobody could see what happened in the thick, green clouds.

A second later, steps could be heard as Leinor walked out of the smoke, letting out a long breath, exhaling the poison gas-like air, looking completely fine while his body was cloaked in a white hue.

“You are unlucky.” he sighed as he raised his arm, which was pierced by the small bolts, and pulled them out without flinching. His injuries healed with visible speed, making his opponent gulp. “If this is all, then sorry. It’s over.”

When his words left his lips, he launched forward, punching his opponent, who quickly discarded the crossbow, rolling over to the left, pulling out another vial from his belt, crushing it, as the yellowish gas started revolving around his fists.

“Oh? Interesting.” Leinor nodded, meeting his attack with his own.

Sadly, the outcome was different from what everyone thought it to be. Maybe if they were on the same level, the poison-filled attack would hinder Leinor a little… but the strength in their bodies was levels apart. Only cracking sounds and his opponent’s screaming were heard when their fists met. His arm was twisted and broken in multiple places by that one punch. Leinor’s second attack was a simple chop with the edge of his palm, hitting him in the neck, and the next second, he was standing there silently. His aura slowly receded, and he spat out a dark-colored clump, the rest of the poison in his body, before calmly walking down as if nothing had happened.

“What level are you at?” Isha asked, looking at him with slanted eyes but gripping her fists.

“Seventh.” Leinor answered, “But honestly, with our method… and the flowing energy inside us, I don’t think anyone below eight is a problem to take on.”

“Hehe, also, LeiLei can take a beating~” Ren giggled, winking at Isha.

“Hmf. We’ll see.”

For the following rounds, nothing interesting happened, and when Isha got onto the stage, her opponent only could take two hits before collapsing unconscious. Zern’s turn was slow as his opponent relied on speed which was the polar opposite of Zern’s, so he just defended, waiting until his enemy collapsed from exhaustion. When Ren’s turn came, her opponent’s first reaction was to give up, as the guy she threw out yesterday was his senior.

“This is so unfair!” Ren fumed as she walked back while Leinor tried to calm her down.

After the first rounds, only 25 remained, so one lucky person would advance to the next round without fighting. When they pulled out the number, Ren almost felt like crying. Her eyes were filled with tears that soon evaporated from her rage as the number was hers.

“Ahahahaha, look at you. I had never seen anyone who was mad they got a free pass!” Isha laughed, slapping her thighs while Zern wore an understanding smile.

“J...just… leave… me… alone… okay?” Ren murmured, shaking in place.

“Easy, easy, isn’t this better, than being disappointed by a boring match?” Leinor soothed her.

“M-maybe… hmf… still!”

“Deep breaths Master, a few rounds, and it would be your turn, surely!”

As he said that, the pulled-out numbers were his and Isha’s, surprising the two.

“Tsk, I hoped I would meet with the boytoy…” she murmured before heading up.

“Give her a beating.” Leinor harrumphed as an answer towards Zern, who just sighed again, feeling like, since he followed his Master, there hadn't been a quiet day.

“It’s not early to give up,” Isha said with a small, provocative smile.

“I value honor, and I won’t shame my Master,” Zern said, cupping his, looking into her eyes.

“I see. Then good luck.” she returned the salute and shot out with a bang as her legs were covered in red brilliance, leaving behind scorch marks on the ground as her shoes disintegrated.

Zern wasn’t surprised. He raised his arms to block the incoming kick, and his skin quickly turned metallic as if it was made of steel.

“You’re a hard one!” Isha shouted, following up with a second kick before landing and using the rebounding force to distance herself.

She felt numbness in her legs as she watched Zern’s arms that now showed bright marks, like a piece of metal after being heated up. Yet it was already cooling down.

“I know. I specialize in defense.” he stomped on the ground, resonating throughout the arena like a mini earthquake shaking Isha out of balance while Zern rushed at her.

“Nice!” Isha grinned before her aura exploded, and most of her clothing flared up, evaporating, showing big patches of skin as flame-like embers continuously flew off of her.

The sudden “striptease” stunned Zern, and the minute stop in his charge was enough to help Isha regain the lost time since losing her balance. Her explosive force was almost comparable to Ren’s speed, although she quickly slowed down, while Ren could constantly maintain her flash-like movements.

Every strike of hers was as if she coated her body with flames, and when she hit Zern’s body, sparks flew everywhere, and the snow started to melt around the arena, releasing white fog everywhere.

The spectators soon felt like they were in a blacksmith’s forge as she pummeled Zern’s body repeatedly, evaporating his clothes. Still, under it, the young man’s skin was glittering like steel, resisting continuously with a calm face.

“Gotcha!” Zern grabbed her legs, finally exerting such force. Isha felt like being caught in a beartrap.

“Who got who?!” Isha laughed as she coiled around him with her other leg, and soon both of them were on the ground wrestling in a way that now, with many clothes missing, reminded many people of something else.

“Ahahaha! I told you, they are looking good together!” Ren laughed. “Hey!”

“You shouldn’t watch this, Ren,” Leinor said with a red face, placing his hands before her eyes.

“Come on, don’t play around! I want to see it! I’ll bite you! Move!” she moaned frustratedly as she tried to pry away Leinor’s fingers. “Don’t be cocky, you are only two years older than me!” Ren growled as she finally peered off his fingers. “Oh… Zern lost,” she said suddenly, a bit shocked but not disappointed.

On the platform, Zern was lying on his back, holding Isha’s neck in a chokehold, while his legs were around her waist as she laid her back on him.

“Give up!” Zern groaned, not wanting to hurt her.

“You should be the one to give up!” Isha grinned, grabbing onto his wrists. “You may seem like you are made of metal… then be ready… I’ll turn up the heat, don’t melt under me, baby boy~” she chuckled as her whole body exploded like a volcano.

The searing heat evaporated everything around them, and Zern’s whole body turned bright red while Isha looked like an ifrit from the legends as she started to cook him alive. Zern’s stubbornness made him hold on, trying to choke her out, but soon the pain was unbearable as he felt like his organs started to cook and all the water in his body was evaporating through his pores.

“Isha has shown great talent since she switched.” Leinor sighed.

“If this were a death battle, she would have lost when Zern caught her,” added Ren. “But as she is our friend, Zern couldn’t snap her neck.”

“Who is friends with that stripper?” Leinor argued.

“Hehe, what? You have been ogling at Boobie Lady’s chest since the start, no? Pervert.” Ren said as she looked at him with slanted eyes and then down at her flat chest. “Tsk… just you wait! When I grow up, I’ll have bigger and rounder ones than hers!”

“I’m not particularly interested in it. I like you because of you, not because of how you look….” Leinor murmured quietly and shyly.

Before Ren could answer, Zern’s voice echoed out in the arena.

“I give up!”

As soon as she felt his arms releasing her, Isha stopped the output of her energies, and the flames subsided.

Both of them looked like someone who had just climbed out of a fire. Their clothes were only hanging in parts. Isha was almost naked. Not like it seemed she minded it at all.

“It was a good fight. You are strong.” Isha grinned at him, stretching out her hand while Zern tried not to look at the exposed curves of the incredibly blessed Isha. “What?”

“C-clothes…”

“Hm? What about it? Ahaha, are you a virgin?” she teased him a little.

“So what…”

“Bwahaha, at that age? Come, I’ll pay you a round back at home. I know a few girls that would like you!” she laughed as she grabbed onto his shoulders, laughing like a ruffian as they walked off the stage.

“Their powers overshadow low-level Harmony Realm fighters.” Carthus commented.

“Yes, Father. The little devil’s technique seems more potent than we thought.” Dermitos nodded.

“Who do you call a little devil?” Anya walked up to the two emperors with a smile that wasn’t a smile.

“Oh, Anya, come, come, sit!” Dermitos laughed while Carthus stayed calm and just looked at her before directing his gaze back to the arena. “You must admit, sometimes your daughter does act like one.”

“She’s just young. Only throw stones at her if you were different at that age.”

“She’s right. You were like your third son.” Carthus commented, watching the four, most exciting candidates.

“Father!”

“What, how many girls are in your harem? Why do you think I don’t bother learning every kid's name, you sire? You whore of a man.” Carthus looked at his son with one eye.

“Really… I give up too!” Dermitos moaned, rolling his eyes while Anya silently chuckled, looking back to the stage.

The fights after it were not as flashy or gripping, and when the next round came, Isha got a free pass to the next round, giving the remaining competitors a breath of relief.

“Finally! It’s my turn!” Ren laughed loudly as she jumped up to the arena when she saw her number coming up. Her enemy, a young-looking man, walked up with a calm face, holding a shortsword at his side; meanwhile, Leinor chuckled a little.

“Oh… poor Poli.. he may think this is his time to show off.”

“I bet Master doesn't even realize who her opponent is.”

“What… who? Is he some kind of love rival?” Isha asked, now wearing a brand new outfit.

“No. Rival… It’s hard to say. Not now, that's for sure. But let’s see what he is capable of.” Leinor smiled, a bit curious about what Ren would do, as it seemed she had a lot of pent-up energy.