Kael was ready to push his power further, to let the full extent of his transformation out, when suddenly a scream split through the colosseum. It was sharp and heavy, filled with holy power that poured over the entire place like a flood. The crowd gasped as everyone turned their eyes toward the source. Kael’s gaze shifted too, his eyes narrowing when he saw a woman in white robes glowing with light. Her long silver-white hair fell over her shoulders, and her face burned with anger. "What is a corrupt beast doing here?" she cried, her voice echoing with divine force. It was Seraphina Dawn, the Saintess of Light herself. Her eyes locked on Vale’s twisting form, filled with disgust. The stadium fell into silence, broken only by the trembling roar of Vale’s monstrous cries. Seraphina should not have been here. Such matches were below her rank, left to priests and bishops to oversee. Yet she had not come for the match. She had been following traces, faint hints of something she had once encountered. A power that should no longer exist. The Power To Devour life essence. She remembered first finding the signs in the North,soaked in death. It was not a human power. It was something that belonged only to the primordial demons, creatures nearly wiped from the world. A power that fed on life essence, draining it from others. It was vile, corrupt, and wrong. She had followed those trails for months, but today, here of all places, she had stumbled across another clue. Her voice was cold as she pointed toward Vale. "He carries a seed of corruption from the Abyss Cult." "WHAAAATTTTTT?" The colosseum exploded into chaos. The crowd panicked, whispers and shouts crashing into each other. All eyes turned to Edward, waiting for the Emperor’s response. Kael, however, had no time to spare. Vale screamed louder, his body stretching and twisting as tentacles of black slime erupted from him. Find the newest release on N0velFire.ɴet His skin split in places as the monstrous form took over, his human outline buried beneath writhing corruption. With a roar, he slammed one of the massive tentacles at Kael, the force ripping through the arena floor. Kael leapt aside causing the tentacles to slam onto the ground. Dust flew around as the stone cracked under the impact. Another strike came, faster and wilder, forcing him to keep moving. Vale had lost control. His power was like a beast unleashed, thrashing without reason. Dodging a blow that tore through a pillar, Kael shouted up ahead, "Are you sure about this? Maybe this guy just lost his head." Seraphina turned her eyes to him, her gaze sharp and arrogant. "Are you doubting me?" Her voice carried pride, as if no one should ever question her words. "I have fought against their kind for years. I was taught how to recognize them. This is no madness. This is corruption." Her light flared brighter, holy energy rising like a tide. She did not even glance at Kael again as she turned her attention to Edward. With a slight bow, her voice rang out clearly. "Your Majesty, please allow me to take care of him." Edward leaned back, silent for a long moment. His sharp eyes studied her, then moved to Kael. His gaze lingered. It was not a casual look. It was deliberate and heavy, a message passed without words. Kael stood there, chest rising and falling from his movement, and the weight of the Emperor’s gaze pressed on him. He understood the gaze.The call was clear. And he could not stop the wild grin that spread across his face. A laugh bubbled up, sharp and manic, spilling into the air. "Hahahahaha!" His voice was filled with raw madness, echoing through the colosseum. "For real? Finally!" His eyes burned as his laughter broke into sharp bursts. He looked back at Vale, now fully lost in his monstrous state, his tentacles smashing the ground and walls without thought. Dust and stone exploded with each strike as screams rang out from the crowd. Kael’s blood boiled with thrill. There was no need to hold back any longer. This was about destruction, madness, and crushing whatever stood before him. His eyes gleamed with dangerous light as he faced the abomination Vale had become. The arena trembled under Vale’s monstrous power, but Kael only laughed harder, his voice echoing in the chaos. The madness in him answered the corruption before him, and the fight was about to descend into something no one had expected. Kael’s laughter rang through the colosseum, loud and unrestrained. His eyes glimmered with a strange madness as he tilted his head slightly, grinning. "Since I have been commanded to do such a beautiful thing, how can I refuse it?" His tone was light yet chilling, a voice that sent shivers crawling down the spines of many in the stands. He suddenly stopped moving, standing perfectly still, as if waiting. The stillness made the tension heavier. "Killlllll!" Vale roared like a beast, his voice breaking apart in rage. His morphed body, covered in writhing darkness, lunged forward on all fours. His monstrous limbs clawed at the ground as countless black tentacles sprouted from his body, lashing wildly toward Kael. The sight was grotesque, madness painted on his bloodshot eyes. "Kill... kill everyone... slaughter them all!" he screamed, his voice raw and filled with insanity. The tentacles shot forward, sharp and endless, aiming to rip Kael apart. But before they could reach him, a sound like a blade cutting through air echoed. Many pairs of tentacles split into pieces. One after another they fell, shriveling into nothingness before even hitting the ground. In the crowd’s eyes, Kael had not moved. He seemed to stand there without lifting a finger. It was as if reality itself had obeyed his will. Gasps rippled through the audience. "Woo..." someone whispered in awe. "What is this move?" another muttered, too shocked to believe what they had seen. "So cool..." The voices of audience rose the loudest, their eyes wide with admiration, especially the young hearts shaken by Kael’s display of power.