SCORPIA

" Duke Philip,the organiser of the tournament,Sir Giovanni is here to see you." Marilin the head maid said.

" Let him in" Replied the duke not looking up from the book he was reading.

Giovanni was let into the dukes study.

" I'm going to get right to it" Giovanni said.

" Not even a hello. " the duke said.

" Where is Atari Kojo?"

" And why would you like to know?"

" I,I his injuries were quite severe. I came to check if he's still fit to participate in the tournament." Giovanni said

" That won't be necessary. He woke up a few days ago. I saw his injuries too it would take a very long time to heal from such damage"

" So he's here at your estate?"

" I brought him here because I knew my siblings would try to make sure he was permanently out of the match. Not that they'd be able to with the way his friends protect him. Still its a risk I would rather not take so I took him in. Anyone who has any funny ideas is bound to think twice when they realize that there are two apostles living here"

" There are?"

" You didn't know?" the duke asked surprised.

" No I was at the Capitol preparing for the event "

" I see"

" Well that will be all" Giovanni said and turned to leave.

" I heard about what happened to your brother " The duke said.Giovanni stopped walking. The duke out down the book.

" I know it's painful to loose someone especially if it's the only family you have. Even so ,in such situations we must think rationally and not let our emotions get the better of us."

Giovanni stood silent.

" There's no proof that Atari killed him and his men and even if that was the case you shouldn't do anything reckless for your own sake."

" Thank you for the concern " Giovanni said before walking out.

The duke sighed.

"I hope you don't end up suffering the same fate as Gaston. I might not have known Kojo very well but I do know that under that carefree demeanor ,lies the embodiment of true malevolence."

" The champion of Opal faces off against the victor of Carnellia,the unbeaten Jattara " Zang said floating over the crowd.

" You know what to do" Cyranius said to Jattara as she stepped into the arena. Kojo sized her up.Kojo sized her up,his eyes lingering in her bosom and her shaply figure. Her rugged clothes did nothing to help. His mouth watered.

( You know she's out to kill you right?)

Kojo shook his head, returning to reality. He looked again and noticed the mask under her hood.

She walked towards him, a dark coloured liquid materializing and slowly swirling around her.

( Poison)

" That's gonna be annoying. Will my poison king be able to handle it?"

(ORACLE: based on her appearance, Jattara is a member of the Cobra King sect, a group of assassins that uses curses to manipulate poisins often using ut as a form if magic)

" Curse?"

( You don't remember Sharone's explanation?)

" Nope I don't even know what chapter it's in" Kojo said scratching the back of his head.

( The match's about to begin so I'll explain.)

Kojo his eyes, a depiction appearing in his head.

(Oracle

There are six types of magic in this world

Mundane magic which most humans use

Then we have Spirit magic that can be attained by making a contact with spirit to grant you Thier power.

There's also blood magic used only by the vampire king Drakule Al'Vlad and his heir.

Soul Magic and Holy magic dream from the Deities and Demon Lords respectively.

Then there curse magic. It's been classified as a forbidden art since it grants the user great power but ultimately corrupts Thier souls. It's the sacrifice of something part of the user that causes an inverse reaction termed as magic. Fii instance a cursed flame user would have to cause himself harm say by freezing himself in order to create the inverse phenomena of fire)

" Sounds freaky" Kojo said. He heard Zang signal the start if the match and opened one eye in time to see a pulsinf ball of swirling poison a few centimeters from his face. He ducked and it flew behind him arching up and disappearing until the clouds above the arena. There was a flash then a huge explosion that cleared the clouds around the City.

" Wow she's not holding anything back" Kojo said looking up.

( Duck)

He ducked in time to avoid a sword that Jattara manifested with her poison. She made another and rushed at him one to which Kojo extended his claws and charged the two clashing and exchanging blows , sending sparks.

" I knew you wouldn't settle for less when it came to competitions but who knew you'd employ an assassin." Duke Philip said looking at his brother. Micheal didn't return the gaze. He just sat there and calmly took a sip of tea.

" Based on her appearance and her serpentine movements she's a member of the Cobra King sect,is she not?" Philip asked.

" Observant as ever brother but you are wrong." Michael replied.

" Hm?"

" This isn't just an assassin,she single handedly defeated the all grand masters of the sect . I wouldn't be wrong to say she is the Cobra King."

" She's that skilled eh?" The Duke said looking back at the fight.

" The Cobra King clan is one of if the three most powerful sects on the kingdom. Little is known about the sect because no one knows about its location any anyone unfortunate enough to fund it is made ti gi throu a trial in order to join or die. The trial itself is death. If she's the Cobra King ,it means that she has that skill.

Scorpia" the duke though.

Jattara fired chains from her sides at Kojo who jumped and spun twisting ant turning so that they bypassed him. Jattara pulled them back and charged at him making a giant hammer which she dragged behind her as she ran. She jumped and brought it down but he blocked with an air shield. She fell back but Kojos fist appeared infront of her before she could regain her bearings. She made one of her chains shot at her from behind but he dissapeared. Jattara looked around seeing nothing but a blur if purple lightning that ran around her haphazardly attacking from all dis. She soun two chains around her to block his attacks jump around to evade.

"Your good at running away,but youre no match for me" She suddenly disappeared. Appearing beside Kojo and knocking him into the wall.

" What the-" he rolled out of the way to avoid a spear that impaled the wall. He ran towards Jattara but she accelerated, matching his speed.

The clashed in the middle of the the arena shaking it. Kojo smiled.

" Interesting. Let's play some more" He knocked her back and ran at her jumping to attack from above. Poisoned spikes shit out of the ground under her and impaled him in midair