Zaroth was grateful that he went with his gut feelings when choosing what kind of sword to get.
If he had played it safe, he would have gotten the all-too-familiar dium-length blade with two sharp edges.
But thanks to the fact that he went for the unknown and got the odachi, he was able to perform the attack to wound the assassin.
The odachi was bigger than the sword he was accustod to using and was also curved.
While he still found it hard to attack and control the blade as a whole, it gave him an unparalleled advantage.
If he moved the weapon just right, the power of his strike would be so strong, so fast, and with such a large area of effect that few would be able to dodge it.
And seeing that there was a bit of blood on his blade, Zaroth couldn't help but curve his lips into a nacing smile.
At that mont, he knew that the assassin had been infected by Hellweaver poison.
It wasn't like the poison was much in volu, but that didn't matter.
Even the smallest quantity of it would make his opponent a bit weaker, a bit slower.
Zaroth didn't want to give the assassin ti to breathe as he opened his mouth and used another firebreath.
Zaroth was close to the assassin, and this, coupled with the fact that the man's reaction ti was slowed down by the poison that had just entered his system, made it possible for Zaroth's flas to reach him before he could teleport.
A fraction of a second later, the assassin was nowhere to be seen—he had teleported again.
But this ti, Zaroth didn't have a hard ti finding him, thanks to the fact that his firebreath had reached the man, setting his robe afla, making him easy to spot.
That, coupled with the fact that the area was covered by the crimson mist, made the assassin and his burning robe like a beacon, revealing his general location.
Now, the smartest play wasn't to attack but to wait.
After all, even if the assassin needed a second to put out the fire on his robe, it would give enough ti for Zaroth's beasts to see him.
They might be frenzied at the mont, and Zaroth couldn't exactly know their thought patterns, but he expected that after seeing the light, they would charge at it with the intent to kill.
Then the assassin would be forced to fight or flee, burning more of his mana and making him weaker.
The first thing Zaroth did was run to the place where the spear he had thrown should have landed.
A couple of seconds later, he found it and placed it back on his back.
Then, he charged at the assassin with a twisted smile.
Wait… why?
A part of him questioned himself.
He had just concluded that the best strategy was to wait for his beasts to attack the assassin.
But there was one thing Zaroth didn't account for—the crimson mist. Or, more accurately, the effect it had on him.
His head had a pretty serious headache at this point, and his judgnt was clouded.
But that wasn't the worst of it.
As he was in the middle of the fight, he heard, as always, Midnight's symbol and its thirst for killing.
Under normal circumstances, Zaroth could ignore it.
But it seed that the voice in his head multiplied tenfold when he was inside the mist.
As such, any strategy or critical thinking was thrown out the window.
The most important thing beca killing the assassin.
Zaroth licked his lips as he imagined how much more terrifyingly powerful his demonic skills would beco after killing the man.
Maybe Midnight would judge that he was ready to learn more demonic skills from her!
The assassin had just managed to put out the fire on his robe and lifted his head, searching for Zaroth.
Only for the man's eyes to widen in surprise as he saw Zaroth already charging at him with his odachi raised high, like so kind of maniac.
"Got you," Zaroth spoke nacingly as his eyes shined.
This ti, they weren't only green—their edges had started to turn crimson, most likely due to the effect of the crimson mist.
With a silent curse, the assassin sidestepped, making Zaroth miss the attack, and attempted to stab him with his left dagger.
Or at least, under normal circumstances, he should have.
But to the assassin's horror, the powerful armor Zaroth was wearing blocked the attack like it was nothing.
"Not so easy, eh?" Zaroth smirked as he headbutted the assassin.
Both of them staggered for a second as they prepared to attack again.
A second later, they were ready to strike, but their plans were shattered as the assassin was suddenly ambushed by Silverfang.
'Good boy!' Zaroth wanted to praise the wolf, who, even in its current frenzied state, had decided to help him.
But he couldn't, as Hellweaver appeared as well, baring its poisoned fangs at Zaroth.
"Bad spider!" Zaroth shouted as he moved the odachi, his right hand on the hilt and his left on the blade.
His eyes narrowed in horror as he barely managed to block the spider's attack.
Sadly, he didn't have ti to celebrate, as under the massive weight of the giant spider, Zaroth collapsed.
"Fuck!" he shouted as he flexed his arms as much as possible while Hellweaver pressed downward.
If it wasn't for the expensive odachi he had gotten from Elysia, Zaroth's weapon would have broken already, leading him to be bitten by the spider.
In an attempt to free himself, Zaroth began to kick with as much force as he could, but the spider didn't move its body.
It was positioned over Zaroth, and it seed that nothing could move the giant mass.
Zaroth didn't have much ti to formulate a plan, as so of the poison from Hellweaver's fangs began to drip right onto his face.
'Shit!' he wanted to curse but stopped himself from opening his mouth—otherwise, the poison would enter his system.
Just when all hope seed lost, an ear-piercing howl echoed across the arena, startling everyone, including the spider.
Zaroth, being the one with the most resistance to Silverfang's howl, used the fraction of a second it bought him.
He broke free of Hellweaver's grasp and got away.
The spider was about to chase him when two unnad wolves appeared and distracted it.
Zaroth didn't need much ti to locate the assassin.
The man was in the midst of fighting Silverfang.
His wolf bore heavy wounds, unable to neutralize the man, but that didn't an the assassin was unscathed.
He also bore so injuries, even if they weren't that severe.
"Good boy!" Zaroth shouted, and a second later, threw the spear he had retrieved once more.
The spear was of the highest quality, as it had been gifted to him by Elysia.
So once the spear collided with the back of the unprepared assassin and broke through his armor—
"FUCK!" the assassin shouted as he felt his abdon being torn open by the spear.
He would soon lose a lot of blood, and coupled with the fact that he was poisoned, his movents had beco much slower than before.
Zaroth could reach him fast. However, earlier, so of Hellweaver's poison had gotten into his eyes, poisoning him as well.
Still, he didn't need to hurry, as the assassin couldn't afford to stop paying attention to Silverfang.
Zaroth noted that the man hadn't teleported again—he must either be out of mana or almost out.
Finally reaching him, Zaroth attacked with the odachi, but the man sensed the attack and sidestepped to the left.
Zaroth grinned, rotated the blade, and changed its direction of attack!
This would surely hit the assassin!
And yet, to Zaroth's horror, the assassin teleported again! He must have used his last reserves!
Appearing to Zaroth's right, the assassin attacked, aiming for his head.
Zaroth couldn't dodge. The arena was too bright to use Darkveil, and the armor didn't co with a helt.
He would die!
Before that could happen, however, Silverfang lunged at the assassin, stopping the attack.
The wolf was closer to Zaroth, so it made sense for it to attack its master. Yet, even in its frenzied state, so of its senses remained intact.
"You fucking pest!" the assassin spat with pure hatred toward the wolf.
It had ruined his perfect attack.
A second later, that hatred was replaced by fear as he saw Zaroth had raised his odachi, slashing in a horizontal arc.
The assassin was forced into an awkward angle because of the wolf, and he didn't have enough mana to teleport!
"What did you just call my companion?"
Zaroth's voice, filled with rage, was the last thing the assassin heard before the odachi cleanly severed his head.
The head flew toward the ground, and a fountain of blood began to pour from the severed neck.
The body of the assassin, now headless, collapsed onto its knees, and the crimson mist disappeared all in a second.
After it dissipated, all of Zaroth's beasts were revealed, and the way they were fighting each other.
They were confused—the effect of the mist was still there, even if it was weakened.
Zaroth breathed out a sigh of relief as he felt his beasts again and unsummoned them.
His mana core was seconds away from cracking due to the exhaustion.
A second of silence passed.
Then, without hesitation, Zaroth squatted down and picked up the severed head.
For the first ti, he saw what his opponent looked like—
Black hair and green, lifeless eyes.
Standing up as he held the head of the corpse, he lifted it above his head.
He gazed at the audience, making sure they saw it in all its glory
It was important to rember that Zaroth was still under the effect of the mist, clouding his judgnt, which resulted in his actions.
After making a circular motion to ensure everyone saw the head, he paused, his gaze locked on the emperor, with twisted smile on Zaroth's face.
He had sent a ssage.
Two fights took place this round, and it was safe to say that Zaroth's was the more brutal of the two.
Zaroth had advanced to the finals.
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