“On the left, we have the Shiny Knight, Carmine. Her… um… armor…”
“Anyway, on the right, we have the silent killer, Denton. His capacity to cause enemies to lose sight of him even while closely watching him is unparalleled. Keep your eyes open, or he may just slide a blade into your gut!”
Carmine was on stage, but the crowds weren’t cheering her. Rather, they didn’t know what to say. Carmine was the Shiny Knight. Every battle, she’d proudly stamp onto the stage in her expensive, beautiful armor. She would slam her shield down like an unstoppable wall, and then she would stand there unspeaking and unmoving. As much as her fights let people down, her motif was well established and people had certain expectations whenever she appeared.
However, today, she ca walking up to the stage covered in blood and filth. Her once shiny armor had been cracked and torn to the point where most of her body was exposed. She hadn’t even bothered with her helt, and there was a bone-tired look in her eye that was enough that it almost seed to drag the entire gladiatorial competition down. Her shield was nowhere in sight, and she had a sword that looked like it had seen better days, full of nicks and dents.
She moved like a zombie, taking one step at a ti until she reached the stage. Then she stopped and stared off vacantly, not even paying much attention to Denton at all. As for the silent killer, a smile started to form on his black-painted lips. He had been very worried about fighting the Shiny Knight. After all, her powerful, pricy armor left no weaknesses, and her pure focus on defense made it impossible to breakthrough.
Denton’s power was in breaking through a weak spot, but she didn’t normally possess a weak spot. He didn’t have the strength of the Slaughtering Berserker, so without a weak spot to exploit, it was a ga of attrition, and she had shown herself very adept at winning those. Yet, that was the normal Shiny Knight. This Knight didn’t shine at all. Her armor was crippled and her strongest weapon, her shield, was completely absent. She was full of hundreds of holes to exploit, and Denton looked on with glee as he saw an easy victory.
Bernard was present again, sitting front and center despite the fact he didn’t even have a match that day. His eyes were knitted as he watched Carmine as if her appearance caused him personal grief.
“Begin!”
“I’m sorry, your ti has t an end!” Denton cried out, disappearing with a flash.
“Screw off!” Carmine suddenly moved like a spring pulled taught. “X Slash!”
She was so high strung that she didn’t hold back a single bit. She imdiately pulled out a move and attacked, slamming her sword down. Although an X Slash was supposed to be two rapid slices at a perpendicular angle, she only struck once, putting the entire power into one slash.
BOOM! The entire ground shook, and a wave of compressed air shot out from the end of the sword. She hadn’t been aiming at Denton, but the attack filled the entire battle platform. Denton, who had leaped into the air to perform a falling attack, had no ans of taking the blow or blocking. He went flying right off the platform, slamming into the wall under the bleachers. When the smoke cleared, he was embedded in the wall.
Without a word, Carmine spun around and then walked off the stage. She was already halfway out of the arena when the announcer ca to his senses and announced her as the winner. Mumblings went around in her wake, and she remained the point of discussion throughout the entirety of the next fight. Yeah… she could attack now, but her battles didn’t feel any more satisfying? If anything, her attack sort of reminded people of the undefeated champion.
Bernard gave a look with narrowed eyes as Carmine walked away. What was his problem, seriously?
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