Unbelievable
In such a charged atmosphere, once the melee erupted, halting it proved challenging.
This marked Johnny's first encounter with such a battle, yet he remained relatively composed, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield, assessing the situation.
However, Johnny's restraint didn't deter others from targeting him.
"Kid, I warned you before the fight began—now you die!" A bellow echoed as a fighter who had previously jeered at Johnny charged toward him, brandishing a long knife.
Within the vast duel arena, countless spectators filled the stands.
"Captain! Look, it's that kid!" A voice of surprise emanated from somewhere in the stands. It belonged to one of the guards responsible for patrolling the city boundary. Seated beside him was the man Johnny had punched earlier—the squad leader with a broken nose.
Upon hearing his subordinate's voice, the captain's gaze swiftly fell upon Johnny in the field, his eyes brimming with undisguised animosity.
"At last, this brat shows up! I've been waiting through countless matches just to witness his demise!" The guard captain's nose still bore prominent bruises, even after treatment. Johnny's presence fueled his anger and malice, evident in his fierce glare.
"Captain, fear not. This kid who dared challenge you won't survive. He's as good as dead!" Several individuals beside the guard captain chimed in with reassurances.
But was that truly the case?
The burly man wielding the long knife charged at Johnny, his grin savage as he mercilessly swung his blade.
"Die!" He shouted, his eyes gleaming with madness.
Johnny's gaze turned icy as it met the provocateur's.
"Pfft!"
The sound of flesh being pierced reverberated as a crimson blossom bloomed from the assailant's chest. The undead Spectre's sharp talons had pierced through his heart from behind, shattering it and protruding through his chest.
"Uh! Uh-huh!"
Before the burly man's knife could reach Johnny, his eyes widened in disbelief. He glanced down at the sharp talons impaling his heart before his body slumped, collapsing to the ground.
"You courted death. Don't blame me." With the assailant's demise, his breath faded instantly. Clearly, he was beyond saving, yet Johnny's voice dripped with cold indifference.
"Spectre, handle this."
Johnny wasn't about to let the 'trophy' slip through his fingers. With a silent command to the Spectre within him, he made his way to the arena, burdened by the weight of the hefty shield and spear.
"This..."
"How can it be?!"
As a fighter fell, the audience erupted into even greater fervor. But amidst the countless spectators, a few wore expressions of profound astonishment.
Among them were the Saka guards, who had clashed with Johnny before. When they spotted Johnny in the arena, the guard captain fixed his gaze on him, anticipating Johnny's demise.
Yet, the outcome defied their expectations entirely.
In their eyes, just as Johnny seemed on the brink of being cleaved in two by his opponent, the opponent suddenly dropped dead?
Typically, only the target of the attack could perceive the actions of the spectral Spectre. Hence, to the audience, Johnny appeared as just another unlucky fighter.
"Captain, don't fret, this lad's merely had a stroke of luck. In the knockout rounds, many rely on it..."
Attempting to assuage the guard captain's gloom, a guard began, only to be abruptly cut off mid-sentence.
The guard's eyes widened in astonishment.
Beside Johnny, wielding his spear and shield, another fighter collapsed.
It was a repeat of the previous occurrence, without warning. As the assailant lunged at Johnny, a gush of blood erupted from his chest, claiming his life instantly.
This scene, amidst the chaotic melee of the Hundred-Man Battle, didn't draw much attention. Save for a handful of guards who kept an eye on Johnny, and... Grandmaster.
"How did he pull it off?"
Grandmaster's gaze betrayed confusion. Even he couldn't fathom Johnny's method.
Surrounded by a retinue of guests, all eyes turned toward Grandmaster. They all knew whom he referred to, yet they shared his perplexity. No one had witnessed how Johnny's adversaries met their demise.
As the skirmish unfolded, five fighters who dared to challenge Johnny met their end, each succumbing to a peculiar strike. A gush of blood erupted from their bodies, leaving them neatly slain.
Throughout, Johnny remained seemingly idle, never once engaging.
As the chaos ensued, the other fighters noticed something peculiar about Johnny. None dared provoke him further.
In the midst of the tumultuous arena, an odd spectacle unfolded. Johnny stood solitary, as if the elimination match bore no relevance to him.
"Spectre, no need to keep watch. Let's grab dinner."
Observing the scene, Johnny felt at ease, instructing the Spectre to begin devouring the fallen fighters.
In the eyes of the mesmerized onlookers, a scene unfolded that would linger in their memories.
The bodies of Johnny's victims seemed ravaged by an unseen force, flesh and blood vanishing bit by bit. In moments, the fallen were reduced to mere bones.
Even fervent fight enthusiasts found themselves unnerved by the grisly sight.
Fear stems from the unknown, and the gradual disintegration of the defeated fighters' bodies instilled an invisible dread.
These fallen fighters held no significant threat to Johnny. Once devoured by the Spectre, they were converted into devouring points and stored.
With a resounding bell marking the end of the battle, Grandmaster's colossal projection loomed over the arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the elimination round concludes. Let's applaud the victorious fighters!"
The fighters, bloodied and bruised, erupted with jubilation.
The tolling bell symbolized triumph, marking their progression toward the championship bout.
Surveying the scene, nearly every surviving fighter bore wounds of varying severity, except Johnny, who stood apart.
Gateways flung open along the arena's edge, allowing the triumphant fighters to exit amid the deafening cheers of the spectators...
....
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