Second Shard – Champion of Colosseum

"Burn him away, Fireball!" Samael fires a single fireball at Rein. With quick movements and motivated spirit, Rein is cunning enough to dodge it despite his slight injuries.

"Times five!" Suddenly, four more fireballs are fired at him. Samael is dead serious about winning the Colosseum!

"Shift into the winds, Ranger's Vault!" Rein somersaults backwards and avoids all the incoming fireballs with style. The crowds are impressed with his agility.

"My turn, Frost Arrow!" Rein channels and fires a cold, icy arrow at Samael. It splits into small ice shards which slow him down.

"Winds, blow him away, Gale Shot!" another arrow is fired at extreme speed. The arrow is surrounded with strong winds that it pushes Samael a few meters back. Rein lets off a smirk, feeling confident that he will win the Colosseum.

"Oh, I will get you for that!" Samael is rather annoyed with Rein's fast actions.

"Wafting typhoon, cover the place with strong winds, Tempest!" Samael summons powerful winds that blow the entire Colosseum. The crowds are amazed and relaxed by the sensational feeling, but for some of them, the wind is too strong and it is too much for them to handle!

"Kyaaaa! Stop that, you perverted lousy noisy mage!!!!!" Elina yells at him while covering her skirt from getting flipped up by the winds. Samael looks at her in confusion.

"Haaaa? It's fine little sis. It's not like I'm interested with what's under your skirt or anything." said Samael. Elina is embarassed and enraged at the same time.

"But I'm interested..." Rein looks at Elina while enduring the strong winds.

"H-how dare you say things like that out aloud! Look at Melisa, she's just like me!" yells Elina. Samael and Rein notices Melisa is also preventing her skirt from getting flipped up by the winds. The look on their face is rather enjoyed and flustered now. Melisa blushes really hard as she sees them staring at her. Even the nearby male crowds are looking at them with a perverted look on their faces.

Samael notices that Rein lost his concentration and quickly takes an advantage.

"Chilling ice, imprison him in a cold trap, Frost Bite!" A blue magic circle is formed below Rein. He snaps out of his fantasies and notices the incoming attack, but fails to evade as his legs are caught off guard by strong ice. He is trapped inside a glacier formed by the ice a few seconds later.

"I knew that trick would work, you perverted guy! You just can't look away if Melisa is embarassed, isn't that right? Nothing is interesting about Elina by the way, so don't get your hopes up." Samael is the one smirking this time. Elina grabs an empty potion from Melisa's bag and throws it to Samael's head. He is slightly hurt, so he gently rubs his head. He then yells at Elina for hurting him.

"Hey, that hurts you rough sister!"

"That's what you get for saying such things!" Elina throws another empty bottle at him. Samael is knocked down by the strong throw.

"Elina, that's not nice!!!" Melisa grabs Elina's shoulders, preventing her from throwing another bottle at Samael.

Samael stands up and looks at Rein, who is still frozen in the glacier. He then casts a spell, ready to finish him off.

"Frozen blades, strike him down, Ice Bolt!" He fires a single ice bolt.

"The winner is me!" Samael screams out aloud as the Ice Bolt almost reaches Rein. Cheers from the crowds roar the entire Colosseum. Melisa is feeling excited for Samael, but worried for Rein at the same time. She does not know how to feel about this.

Suddenly, the glacier shatters into pieces as Rein struggles to break free from it. His quick movements manage to dodge the incoming Ice Bolt. He then leaps a few meters backwards, furthering his distance. He is sweating, probably feeling slightly exhausted with the fast actions.

"Man, you almost had me there." Rein casts a small spell on himself.

"Nature's sensation come and aid me, Healing Mists!" A green magic circle is formed below him. Green mists come out from it and surround his body, healing slight injuries. The crowds are amazed by the beautiful spell.

"I thought healing isn't necessary in Colosseum?" Samael teases him. Rein thinks he is somehow threatening him.

"Well, make this an exception, since it isn't fair if you're the only one showing your flashy spells. Hush now, let's get serious, shall we?" Rein fires a single arrow at Samael. He then fires three more arrows in a row as Samael tries to dodge the first one.

"Hard soil cover my presence, Earth Wall!" Samael summons a thick earth wall that blocks the incoming arrows.

"Prepare to be surprised." Rein runs out of arrows. Everyone wonders why he said that in his current state. He gently holds his bow, his fingers dance on the glowing string, successfully creating a magic arrow.

"What the-?" Samael is shocked to see the trick. It is not just a trick, it is Rein's special ability. He is able to generate spiritual arrows anytime he wishes or when he runs out of normal arrows.

"Special talent, Endless arrows!" Rein fires five consecutive arrows from long range. Samael widens his eyes as he sees the incoming magic arrows, piercing the air faster than normal arrows. He then teleports a few meters to the left side, shifting away from getting hit by the arrows. He then channels a spell.

"Swarm my ene-" His incantation is interrupted as he sees a few more magic arrows being fired at him. Rein is literally shooting endless spiritual arrows! Samael has to dodge the incoming ranged attacks, but he needs to take a quick action or else he will be tired.

"Damn it, don't you use energy to generate those arrows?" He asked Rein about energy consumption.

"Nope, that's how it works. It requires no energy at all. I am free to create limitless arrows. The downside of this talent is that the arrows are not fatal and it deals less damage, so consider yourself lucky." Rein keeps firing magic arrows while telling the details.

A few arrows manage to hit Samael in his non-vital body parts, slightly damaging him and slowing him down. He feels slightly tired.

"You're hopeless without me. I'll grant you one spell to use only for now." Izquierda's mesmerizing voice pierces into Samael's thoughts. He wants to talk to her, but Rein is still shooting his endless arrows at him, so he decides to memorize the incantation Izquierda whipers in his mind.

Rein casts a spell and aims his bow and arrow at Samael from afar.

"Magical essence, shift into a powerful focus firing mode, Arrow Barrage!" His hands are surged and fastened, shooting very quick and consecutive magical arrows at Samael.

The dangerous situation prevents Samael from casting the new spell. Izquierda tells him to find some space, but Rein's extremely fast arrows almost reach him.

He shifts and teleports to the side, but got hit by one of the arrows afterwards. He then got caught off guard and suffered the consecutive shots, around five to six magical arrows. It seems like Rein knew he will teleport to the side, so he reacts very fast.

Rein stops shooting as he becomes tired. Samael is currently injured, his movements are slowed. He barely stands on his feet. The two of them stare at each other.

"About time to give up, don't you think so?" Rein lets out a confident smile.

"Talking about yourself?" Samael responded. A pissed expression is shown on Rein's face at the moment.

"Still talking like a total idiot in your condition? I will shut your mouth with this final shot!" Rein struggles to conjure another spiritual arrow with his remaining energy. Samael notices that this will be the perfect time to cast the new spell, since Rein is busy with his arrow creation.

"Suffer from inevitable seal, Arcane Imprisonment!" A violet magic circle is formed below Rein. His arrow creation is interrupted. He fails to escape and cast any spell, thus rendering him totally useless. The crowds are shocked to see the unusual spell. Elina gazes at Samael, feeling something different about him.

"Arcane Imprisonment...how did he...?" She squints her eyes, probably confused about her brother.

"Wh-what in the world?" Rein struggles to move, but it is a meaningless endeavor.

"Anyone who is trapped in Arcane Imprisonment will be useless for ten minutes. No defensive spell can cancel its effects. Quite a hacker spell, right?" Izquierda's voice appears in Samael's mind.

"I'm impressed. You are damn powerful, succubus. I still don't know why you are helping me though, but I'm thankful to you." Samael replied with his inner voice.

Izquierda giggles and it makes Samael slightly embarrassed. She then tells him to finish Rein off with a non-lethal spell.

"I'm sorry buddy, but this has to end now." Samael casts a spell. Rein is annoyed that he cannot move an inch.

"Burn him away, fireball!" Samael fires a single fireball at Rein. The fireball crashes into him and explodes in a small radius.

Loud cheers roar the entire Colosseum as they finally see Rein fell unconscious to the ground, making Samael the winner of this year's Colosseum!

The chief blows his trumpet, and it marks the end of the final round. The large screen is shown. Everyone can see the final result.

Samael

Rein (Out)

Exion (Out)

Astha (Out)

Izun (Out)

Samael is the winner of Colosseum! Everyone cheers for him, especially the young women! They scream and squeal with all their might, providing lively atmosphere. Elina lets out a sigh of relief, feeling glad none of the Rose Garden members are seriously injured.

"Congratulations, Samael!" Melisa shouts at him from afar. Samael immediately looks at her after hearing her voice. He is too excited that Melisa has seen him winning the big competition. He shows a peace sign, hinting her that he is thankful for her cheers and support.

Rein and the others regain their consciousness a few minutes later. He then smiles after seeing Samael getting all excited. Izun sits down to rest, while Exion lays on the ground, still not able to stand up. The chief tells them to rest at the participants' dorm for a few minutes. Cheers of the crowds still pierce Samael's ears. They are too amazed by this year's participants.

"Congrats, mate." Cyril pats Samael's left shoulder. They are currently resting in the participants' dorm. Lize shows a thumbs up, feeling amazed and excited with Samael's flashy spells. The other fighters from the first and second round congratulate him for his victory.

"Thanks everyone, you are all great fighters, may you will be stronger in the future." Samael shows his gratitude by thanking them and telling them that they are great fighters.

After a few minutes rest, the chief calls Samael out and orders the other participants to join the crowds, leaving the participants' dorm.

Ceremonial melodies echo throughout the Colosseum, coupled with victorious trumpet sounds. The chief is standing on a podium in the center of the repaired arena. He then prepares to give a formal speech. Samael is standing beside him, waiting to be awarded with the prize and the shard.

"Colosseum is Vendant Fortress's annual event to prove that excellent fighters exist in Astral World. From the time when we were ambushed with such dictatorship and menacing actions by some of the invaders, we need more reliable and strong fighters to put an end to this historical invasion. I have been slightly worried about our progress until last year. This year, ladies and gentlemen, I think we have seen miraculous fights that probably stoned ourselves. I am in the verge of retirement, so I am blessed to realize that fighters like them exist. Greatest final round ever in Colosseum history, and this man right here, Samael, won the arena. He is acknowledged as the strongest fighter for now, and shall be rewarded with the winning prize." The chief offers Samael a handshake, proving that he is utterly proud of his achievement in gathering powerful fighters. Samael shakes his hand and thank him for the speech. The crowds are cheering and applauding, feeling way too satisfied with this year's Colosseum.

"He will be given a new title for his honor, and that will be, the Champion of Colosseum. A splendid reward shall be given to him. This shard is found deep in the ancient crypts while I was exploring hidden places with the mining crews weeks ago. Legend says that this shard can grant the bearer one wish, so I decide to give it to a powerful fighter who can make the world a better place for us to live. Into the hands of Samael it shall be, the shard of honor." The chief hands Samael a ruby shard. He then grabs Samael's right hand and raises it to the sky. The crowds, the honored guests, and the other participants applaud him.

Samael feels relieved to finally have the bright, shiny ruby shard. He then expresses his gratitude in a final speech.

"I am truly grateful to be given the chance to participate in the Colosseum. To be honest, I am afraid. I don't know if I will ever make it out alive, and I believe most of the other fighters feel the same. The fear of unable to predict what will happen is inevitable to some of us. Fortunately, the good fighters I know survived. Now that I think about it, it does not matter if we win or not. What matters is that we put on a great show for the crowds who come a long way to watch the fights. So don't worry my friends, for you are the winner at heart for everyone who enjoy your fighting skills. As the Champion of Colosseum, I hereby announce that everyone should have their own adventure, a journey to your hearts content, create yourselves an unforgettable memories, and make the world the best place for everyone." Samael ends his speech. The crowds are very pleased to hear his final speech. Some of them are in tears, as they are only normal people who wish to fight for the world. The lively atmosphere lasts for a while.

That night, they returned to the Parliament building. Lord Weigner congratulates them for their successful quest in the second shard hunt. Melisa looks at him, expecting him to remember about the promise about her job class change. Lord Weigner winks at her.

"I'll call you next time. For now, enjoy yourselves since there is no need to rush things, right?" he smiles widely. Melisa also smiles, probably feeling relieved that there are less problems now, so there is really no need to rush.

"What are you two talking about?" Samael asked.

"Nothing important. Let's try to contact Lady Valeria, shall we?" Lord Weigner stands up and tells the Rose Garden members to take our their Telepathy Stone.

Everyone takes out their Telepathy Stone as ordered. Queen Valeria at the Dreambreaker's Mansion notices and quickly focus on her mind telepathy. Haze stares at her and smiles.

"You will be surprised with their achievements, Valeria." he lets out a giggle. Queen Valeria is eager to know their progress. As usual, she conjures a holographic image of herself in the Parliament building to provide eyesight vision.

"Greetings, my saviors. How was the quest on the second shard? I sincerely hope all of you are fine. Is Weigner with you? I thought I heard his voice." she is worried about their safety.

"Valeria, it's me, Weigner. Are you alright?" Lord Weigner shows his concern.

"Yes I'm still fine, the third invader kinda takes good care of me. How are my saviors?" Queen Valeria seems rather fine now.

"We're fine your highness, this is what we've won in the Colosseum." Samael shows her the ruby shard.

"We still don't know if it is the second shard you seek. Why don't you have a look at it?" Cyril suggested. Queen Valeria's illusion takes a look at the ruby shard. She then smiles widely.

"It is the second shard, Shard of Honor!" Queen Valeria's illusion jumps with joy. Everyone stares at her in bewilderment, probably feeling slightly confused.

"You sure know how to tell if it's the real shard. I'm impressed." Lord Weigner compliments her.

"Shard of Honor. You have prove to the world that you are strong fighters. Your honor in winning the Colosseum is indeed marvelous. It will go down in history, and shall be remembered for as long as the Colosseum exists. You have completed the second big quest. Thank you, my saviors. May your future adventures will be blessed with great fortitude and endless supports. You give hope to new generations and novice fighters to struggle in their combat lives, and it is also a great honor. Honor is very important in our lives. Without it, we would have been suffered from rowdy behaviors and unsettled feelings. We are honored to have good allies, loved ones, and kind strangers. Even in death battles, we honor our opponents by fighting them with all our might. Combined with passion, we can forge great adventures ahead with excitement. Once again, thank you, Rose Garden members." Queen Valeria lets out a tear in her left eye. Everyone smiles after hearing and understanding her wise words.

"Well, for now, keep the shard carefully, and go have your rest. Until the next time we meet again, after you've found the third shard." Queen Valeria nods at Lord Weigner, hinting him that he should explain the details about the third shard. She then vanishes from sight, returning to her real body in Dreambreaker's Mansion.

"So, where is the third shard, and what kind of shard it is?" Rein questions about it. Everyone looks at Lord Weigner, expecting a detailed answer.

"The third shard, Shard of Union, is located beneath a huge ancient building, Centuria Necropolis, in the fourth continent. As I mentioned to Melisa before, Centuria is a red zone for any neutral creatures like us. The fourth invader, Asherah Weigner, who is possessed by a spectral nemesis, reigns the entire place." he pauses for a moment, taking deep breaths, since this is his daughter they are talking about.

"Well, there's no need to rush things up, since you guys are probably tired right now. I will tell you about it later when we are all set for another adventure. For now, rest all you want, heroes. Thank you for bringing the second shard." Lord Weigner walks away to his room, leaving the Rose Garden members alone.

"Lord Weigner is right, I am exhausted after what happened today. I need some long sleep." Cyril yawns, feeling tired. Everyone else feels the same. Then, Melisa realizes something.

"Eh, school starts tomorrow! In our world! What should we do?" she seems a little worried and surprised to know how time flies very fast.

"Maybe we can return home for a while, since there's pretty much nothing to do for now in this world." Cyril stretches his body, trying to relieve his muscles.

"What do you mean, maybe? We must go back right now! This instant!" Samael takes out his cellphone to call Instructor Wilson back in the Sun Empire Castle. After Instructor Wilson answered the call, he kindly ask him to notify their allies in the Astral World that they will return home for a while. Instructor Wilson receives the order and will inform everyone else soon.

"Elina has returned home safely before us, minutes ago. No wonder I could not find her anywhere. She must have been busy, that hardworking little sister of mine." Samael lets out a sigh of worry. He then takes out his portal stone.

"Well, I'm going to miss this world for a while. Let us return to where we belong for the meantime." Cyril takes out his portal stone and quickly teleports to Reality World, back in Rose Garden Mansion.

"See you guys at the mansion, then. Good night!" Samael fades from sight after teleporting back into the Reality World, along with the ruby shard in his inventory bag.

Melisa stares at Rein, who seems not in in the mood. She hopes she can do something to cheer him up. It is probably the feeling of losing a crucial fight with your own friend.

"Are you still worried about your fight with Samael?" Melisa walks closer to him. Rein looks down, feeling embarrassed.

"I should have been a stronger fighter. You must think I am weaker than Samael now. I've failed to impress you, Melisa. I'm sorry." As predicted, he is worried about the fight. Melisa realizes that she should not let her self-conscious rules her this time. She must comfort Rein, or else things would not be good.

"There's no need to apologize, Rein. Honestly, I am very impressed with your talent and strong spells. If you had more energy back then, I am sure that you'll have higher chance of winning. Really, I'm glad you're safe." her eyes sparkles. Rein is slightly flustered with her comfortable words.

"You lied about using no energy at all in your magic arrow making, am I right?" she giggles lightly.

"Yeah, I just want to sound cool in front of everyone. Thanks a lot Melisa. I do wish that we could be more than just friends, you know what I mean?" Rein halts his words. He then widens his eyes, feeling very shocked that he accidentally let those words out from his mouth!

Melisa is blushing pretty hard all of a sudden. She then looks down, embarrassed that Rein confessed to her!

"W-what do you mean?" she struggles to find her voice. Rein sweats and tries to explain.

"Um, we could be err...partners! You get what I mean, right? Partners in combat who stays in long range, safely helping our allies out." his voice seems a little off the tune.

"O-oh...I see..." Melisa looks at him in the eyes. She wishes that she is not a dense girl. She wants to know if Rein is crushing on her, but she keeps on believing that they are just normal friends. Deep down in her heart, she is interested to know him more, as he is the first guy to found outside the mansion.

"Well, time to get going, I guess..." Melisa is sleepy. She wants to think about her relationship with Rein later, when her mind is at ease. She takes out her portal stone, vanishing from sight a few seconds later.

Rein is left alone. He lets out a huge sigh, worried that Melisa might find him weird and creepy now. She must have hated him when he accidentally confessed, since she might have someone else she loves right now, probably a more powerful man.

"Darn it. I'll rest myself for now..." He takes out his portal stone and quickly teleports into Reality World, back in the mansion. He noticed an unusual presence before teleporting, but did not mind it.

A strange woman is standing behind the shadows of the room. She was there when Rein was the only one left. Her horns, bat wings, and long tail resembles Izquierda, but she is a another person.

"That man is interesting. Too bad he already left..." She walks off to search for something in the room. Her voice is also similar to Izquierda's melodious tune. Is succubus really not dangerous at all? Are they just creatures that enchant others?

Suddenly, a patrol guard notices her inside the room. Before he could run and warn the other guards, the succubus shifts in front of him. He cannot resist her glowing, pink eyes. He is currently petrified, losing his mind as he keeps gazing at her eyes.

"Izquierda would probably let you go by now, with your memory today being reset. However, I am different. Very different from her." She smiles cynically. She points her index finger into the poor guard.

"Forbidden Love."

The guard transforms into purple orbs. The succubus sucks all the orbs using her left palm. His soul is trapped inside the her heart!

"Weak creature. I need a man like him inside me." She is referring to Rein. Fortunately, Rein returned home safely.

She continues searching for something, probably ordered by Haze.

End of Chapter 21