Chapter 100: Yeah, Like All of Them Do

The next opponent entered through the far gate with a long spear resting across his shoulders.

He looked human at first, but the moment he stepped beneath the arena lights, Dean noticed the faint golden lines running beneath his skin. They pulsed like veins of light, starting from his neck and disappearing beneath the sleeves of his dark combat robe.

The announcer raised his staff.

"Next match! Decanus versus Arven!"

Arven lowered the spear from his shoulders and rolled his neck once.

"I've been watching you for a while."

Dean gave him a tired look.

"Of course you have."

Arven smiled.

"Don't worry. I'm not here to tell you how famous you are."

"That's already an improvement."

The bell rang.

Arven attacked first, but unlike most of the others, he didn't rush directly at Dean. He stepped forward only once and thrust his spear from far outside normal range.

Dean almost ignored it.

Then the weapon extended.

The shaft stretched through the air like it had no fixed length, forcing Dean to twist aside before the blade could punch through his chest. Arven immediately pulled the weapon back and attacked again, this time changing the angle halfway through the thrust.

Dean blocked it, but the impact pushed his spear aside.

Arven was already moving.

He stepped in, closed the distance, and struck Dean across the ribs with the shaft before following with a low sweep toward his legs. Dean jumped over it, landed behind Arven, and brought his spear around in a heavy arc.

Arven ducked.

Dean's weapon passed over his head.

Arven turned with the movement and drove the end of his spear toward Dean's stomach.

Dean caught it with one hand.

For a moment, both of them froze.

Arven raised an eyebrow.

Dean tightened his grip.

"Got you."

He pulled.

Arven stumbled forward, and Dean immediately drove his knee into the man's stomach. The strike folded him slightly, but Arven managed to twist away before Dean could follow up.

He landed several meters back, breathing harder now.

"You're stronger up close."

Dean adjusted his spear.

"You're annoying at range."

Arven laughed.

"Fair."

Then the golden lines beneath his skin flared.

Dean immediately felt the pressure increase.

Arven moved again, faster than before, and the next several attacks forced Dean backward across the arena. The spear kept changing length without warning, extending when Dean tried to stay away and shortening whenever he stepped inside its range.

It was difficult to read.

Worse, Arven knew exactly how to use it.

Dean blocked one thrust, redirected another, and barely avoided a third that passed close enough to cut his cheek. Arven rotated the spear and struck Dean across the shoulder before Dean could reset his stance.

Dean slid backward.

Arven followed.

Dean waited.

The next thrust came directly toward his chest.

This time, Dean didn't dodge.

He stepped forward.

The spearhead scraped across his side, cutting through his clothes, but Dean let it pass and trapped the shaft beneath his arm. Arven tried to pull it free.

Too late.

Dean twisted his body, dragged Arven toward him, and slammed the butt of his own spear across the man's jaw.

Arven spun sideways.

Dean didn't stop.

A second strike hit his ribs, and a third struck the back of his knee. Arven dropped to one leg, but he still managed to raise his spear and block the next attack.

The impact cracked the shaft.

Arven stared at it.

Dean did too.

Then Dean hit it again.

The spear snapped.

The crowd erupted.

Arven remained on one knee, holding the broken weapon in his hands.

Dean pointed his spear at him.

Arven sighed.

"That was expensive."

Dean almost smiled.

"Sorry."

"I surrender."

The announcer raised his staff.

"And Decanus wins!"

The crowd cheered.

Dean stepped away as Arven was escorted from the arena. His side was bleeding again, and the cut wasn't shallow this time, but he barely had time to look at it before another gate opened.

A creature covered in black armor walked through.

Dean couldn't tell what species it was.

The armor covered everything.

No skin.

No face.

Nothing.

Only two pale blue lights glowed behind the helmet.

The announcer spoke.

"Next match! Decanus versus Vor!"

The armored figure carried a thick rectangular shield in one hand and a short sword in the other.

Dean looked at him.

"You talk?"

Vor's voice came from inside the helmet.

"Enough."

The bell rang.

Vor charged.

Dean struck first.

His spear slammed into the shield.

Nothing happened.

Dean's eyes narrowed.

Vor didn't even slow down.

The shield crashed into Dean's chest and sent him sliding backward through the sand. Before Dean could recover, Vor stepped in and stabbed toward his stomach.

Dean knocked the blade aside and struck the shield again.

Nothing.

Vor attacked.

Dean blocked.

Another strike came immediately.

Dean twisted around it and hit the side of Vor's helmet.

The sound rang through the arena, but Vor barely moved.

Dean stepped back.

"That's irritating."

Vor raised the shield.

Dean rushed forward.

He struck the shield once.

Twice.

Three times.

Vor absorbed every hit.

Then Dean changed direction.

Instead of attacking the shield again, he planted his spear into the sand and used it to vault over Vor.

The armored fighter turned quickly.

Not quickly enough.

Dean landed behind him and struck the back of his knee.

Vor dropped slightly.

Dean struck again.

The armor cracked.

Dean's eyes sharpened.

There.

He attacked the same spot again.

Vor stumbled.

Dean brought the spear down with both hands.

The armor around the knee shattered.

Vor collapsed onto one leg.

Dean stepped around the shield and struck the side of the helmet with enough force to send the armored fighter crashing into the sand.

Vor tried to stand.

Dean placed the spear beneath the helmet.

"Enough?"

There was a short silence.

Then Vor lowered his sword.

"Enough."

"And Decanus wins!"

The cheers came immediately.

Nobody was shocked.

At this point, nobody expected anything else.

Dean looked around the arena and noticed how different the audience felt compared to earlier. They were still loud, still excited, but there was no disbelief anymore. Even when an opponent pushed him back or made him bleed, the crowd reacted like they were watching part of a familiar pattern.

Decanus struggled.

Decanus adapted.

Decanus won.

Another gate opened.

The next fighter floated into the arena.

Not walked.

Floated.

She was a demon, but far less physically intimidating than most of the ones Dean had fought. Her skin was pale gray, her horns were small, and six black rings hovered behind her back in a vertical line.

She smiled.

"Decanus."

Dean looked at the rings.

"Those look annoying."

"They are."

The announcer introduced her as Neria of the Nether.

The bell rang.

The rings moved.

Dean barely had time to react before one appeared beside his head and released a blast of dark energy.

He ducked.

Another appeared beneath him.

Dean jumped.

A third opened above him.

He twisted in the air.

The attack passed beside him.

Neria hadn't moved.

She simply stood at the far side of the arena, controlling the rings with small movements of her fingers.

Dean landed.

"You really don't plan on coming closer, do you?"

Neria smiled.

"Why would I?"

All six rings activated.

The arena became chaos.

Dark beams crossed over one another, cutting through the sand and forcing Dean to move constantly. He sprinted between them, blocked one with his spear, and immediately had to dive aside when another appeared behind him.

A beam struck his back.

Dean stumbled.

The crowd reacted.

Neria smiled wider.

Dean stood.

"That hurt."

"Good."

Another ring appeared beside him.

Dean moved before it fired.

He started running directly toward Neria.

The rings followed.

One appeared in front of him.

Dean struck it.

The spear passed through.

Not physical.

Dean frowned.

Another beam came from behind.

He dropped low.

The attack passed over him and struck the ring in front.

The ring flickered.

Dean noticed.

His eyes narrowed.

Interesting.

Neria attacked again.

Dean stopped running.

She raised an eyebrow.

Dean waited until three rings surrounded him.

Then he moved.

The first fired.

Dean stepped aside.

The beam struck the second ring.

It flickered violently.

The third fired.

Dean ducked.

That beam struck the first.

Both rings disappeared.

Neria's smile vanished.

Dean rushed forward.

The remaining four rings attacked desperately, but now he understood them.

He used their own attacks against one another.

One disappeared.

Then another.

By the time only two remained, Dean had already reached her.

Neria stepped backward.

Dean's spear stopped against her throat.

She stared at it.

Then at him.

"That's unfair."

Dean laughed.

"You were shooting me from six directions."

"Fair point."

She raised both hands.

"I surrender."

"And Decanus wins!"

Dean lowered the spear.

The audience roared again.

The next opponent was already waiting near the gate.

This one was an angel.

A large one.

He had four wings and wore heavy white armor, with a broad golden blade resting on his shoulder. Unlike the others, he didn't look at Dean with curiosity or excitement.

He looked annoyed.

The announcer introduced him as Caliel.

Caliel entered the arena and immediately pointed his sword at Dean.

"I don't like you."