11 The Opponent

"Hey, come over and stamp your mark, we're recording a video for the first match tomorrow morning," the arena director said, eyeing Caesar briefly before cutting off his words once his identity was recorded.

Every day, there were contenders stepping into the arena for brutal battles, where life and death were routine.

"Hey, fresh meat?" The others around chuckled.

"Is he new to Saka? Still dreaming of glory? Hoping to be a champion?" jeered a fighter, his face bruised but his physique robust.

"Haha, maybe he just wants to rake in the cash!"

Winning each bloody battle meant hefty rewards.

"Trying to earn your keep, huh? Haha," the fighters erupted in laughter.

Until a fighter with a broken hand spoke dispassionately, "Who among us isn't risking it all to survive?"

The laughter immediately hushed, the mood turning somber.

Arena combat typically fell into two categories: Normal Fights and Bloodbaths.

Normal fights were about victories and defeats, though broken bones or the occasional fatality weren't unheard of.

But in bloodbaths, survival often meant being the sole survivor.

Survive until the end, and claim the title of champion.

Thanks to his Tier 3 solar power, Caesar found the bloodbaths almost effortless.

He swiftly notched up nine consecutive wins, needing just one more victory in tomorrow's tenth match to challenge for the championship.

"Your Majesty, tomorrow's opponent won't be a walk in the park, so please tread carefully," Valina cautioned Caesar, sipping wine she couldn't have dreamt of affording before her stroke of luck at the betting table.

"I highly doubt anyone in this arena poses a real threat besides the Desert Lord," Caesar responded, a hint of suspicion lacing his words.

Valina, who had amassed a fortune through her astute betting, took a cautious tone. "There might be one contender—a two-headed ogre. He's formidable, likely new to Saka and eager to make a name before moving on."

Having meticulously studied each of Caesar's adversaries, Valina was devoted to his safety, willing to sacrifice anything to ensure it.

"A two-headed ogre?" Caesar mused, glancing toward the towering Champion Building erected by the Tiffany Group, adorned with thirteen heads representing past champions. "I recall hearing about an ogre slated for the top spot. Could it be him?"

Taking a sip from his glass, Caesar reassured Valina, "Fear not. You know we're divine beings, and I, the sun god."

As a Protoss boasting third-order sun power, Caesar believed in his strength.

.....

The following day, the arena erupted in a violent spectacle as the bloodshed commenced.

Valina, having wagered her entire fortune on Caesar's victory, sat nervously among the spectators.

"Ogre! Ogre! Ogre!" The crowd's thunderous cheers echoed for the formidable opponent.

Only a smattering of onlookers voiced support for the sun god.

Standing at a towering five meters, clad in impenetrable iron armor, wielding a mammoth two-meter mace, the ogre exuded undeniable power.

Meanwhile, Caesar, a mere two meters tall, had never resorted to flashy theatrics in his previous nine battles.

In contrast, Ogre had a much larger audience backing compared to Caesar.

"Break his bones!"

"Tear him apart!"

"Eat, eat!"

Ogre and Caesar had entered the arena.

The supporters of Ogre were getting restless.

"Do you think that toothpick will do anything to me?" the ogre taunted.

Caesar gripped his one-handed sword tightly, lacking a shield against the ogre's massive mace, rendering the arena's shield useless.

To the ogre, Caesar's sword probably seemed no more than a toothpick.

"I'll devour you! Little man, you are a tasty snack," the ogre swung his mace provocatively, but hesitated to attack immediately.

As a Protoss, Caesar's very blood contained potent energy.

"We will see...," Caesar remarked as he circled the ogre, searching for any vulnerabilities.

He sensed the ogre's formidable strength, akin to that of a third-order divine power.

"Come on!"

"Crush him, crush him!"

The crowd went wild.

Both Caesar and the ogre cautiously squared off, feeling the tension, but the crowd grew impatient.

"Today's a special day indeed, with two promising contenders. Maybe one of them will emerge as the new champion,"

The Grandmaster sat atop the high platform, gleefully observing the clash between Caesar and the ogre in the arena.

"Coward! Coward!"

"Let's go, Ogre!"

"Get him, tear him apart!"

The audience's impatience mounted.

"No, I must intervene, but I can't keep the audience waiting any longer! Let the spectacle begin!"

The master produced a controller and pressed a button, causing a small device on the ogre's neck to emit a faint electric current.

The ogre trembled slightly, knowing that the master was growing impatient.

He had become an outcast after accidentally consuming numerous friends and family while intoxicated at a banquet.

Banished forever by his tribe, he had become the master's slave fighter.

With a roar, the two-headed ogre abandoned caution and charged toward Caesar.

Boom, boom, boom, the thunderous footsteps of the colossal creature reverberated throughout the arena.

And thus, the battle commenced!