Chapter 4
The deafening roar of the crowd slowly died down, anticipation thick in the air. Torac, the towering Gnor warrior, stepped onto the colossal stage, pounding his massive chest with thunderous force before letting out a bestial roar that shook the very walls of the colosseum.
With a single, deliberate motion, he slammed his blade into the ground before him. The arena quaked faintly as dust stirred around the weapon. Torac's glowing eyes fixed on the opposite entry gate, his breath heavy with bloodlust. He waited.
The announcer stepped forward once the silence settled once more, raising his hand toward the opposite chamber door. His voice boomed through the magical amplifiers laced across the arena.
> "And now, the challenger! A warrior who defies all logic—a man whose rise to power shattered every expectation of his race!
Let us welcome... Raven Ling!"
The moment the name was uttered, a strange pause swept through the colosseum. The cheers that had been bubbling beneath the surface died in an instant, replaced by stunned silence. Then came the sneers.
> "An Earthling?"
"You've got to be kidding…"
"We traveled star systems just to watch a human fight?"
Murmurs turned into groans. Laughter rippled through sections of the crowd. Some looked disgusted. Others seemed genuinely insulted.
A few held out hope the announcer was joking, waiting in tense silence. But when the heavy doors finally creaked open, their last illusions shattered.
Out stepped a man.
His long, jet-black hair was braided down to his waist, swaying as he walked. Two circular emblems hovered quietly beside him, spinning with slow, deliberate rhythm. He was clad in black armor that gleamed dully under the arena lights, his helmet matte and unassuming.
Despite the mocking voices echoing from every direction—despite being drowned in the ridicule of billions—Raven Ling walked forward with serene grace, his expression calm and unreadable.
Only a few claps rang out in support.
And one voice—small, but unrelenting—pierced through the noise.
> "GO, DAD! SHOW THEM WHAT EARTHLINGS CAN DO!"
Raven paused mid-step, turning slightly toward the stands. Far above, a young boy jumped and waved wildly, voice cracking from overuse.
Jared.
He beamed when his father gave him a subtle thumbs up. That one gesture made his voice strain worth it.
But not everyone appreciated the moment.
A deep, mocking voice spoke behind him.
> "Hmph. Shouting won't change what you are. Twigs snap easy. Your father's bones won't last five seconds against the Gnor."
Jared turned around, facing the speaker.
A creature stood there—its bark-covered body resembling a tree, yet vaguely humanoid. Gnarled limbs twitched, and sap glistened in its joints. It oozed arrogance.
But Jared only grinned, a mischievous spark lighting his eyes.
> "Twigs, huh?" he said casually. "Funny thing to say coming from a walking fire hazard."
The tree-creature blinked, caught off guard.
> "What did you say?"
Jared smirked. "I'm just saying... if I snap like a twig, what does that make you? A rotten stump?"
Laughter erupted from nearby spectators—other alien races chuckling at the exchange. The barked creature's mossy cheeks flushed... well, at least Jared imagined they did.
The creature growled but tried to brush it off.
"You've got a sharp tongue, kid," the tree-creature muttered with a twisted smirk. "But all that won't save your old man down there from being crushed by that titanic Gnor."
Jared didn't flinch. His eyes locked evenly with the creature's.
He believed in his father—fully.
Yes, the Gnor warrior radiated overwhelming power, his presence alone enough to shake the bravest of men.
But no one here had seen what his father was truly capable of.
The bark-skinned alien chuckled cruelly, clearly enjoying himself.
"And the best part?" he leaned in, voice dropping with venom. "Your old man won't die alone. You, your precious Earth, and every last soul on it... you'll all follow him into the void."
Jared's brow furrowed. That couldn't be right.
It was just a match—wasn't it?
The tree-creature's eyes lit with wicked amusement as he noticed the confusion on Jared's face.
"...Don't tell me..." the creature said slowly, like savoring the words.
"You seriously don't know what this is, do you?"
Jared stared at him in silence.
"This isn't just any fight, kid. This is the Battle of Survival. And that name ain't just for drama."
The creature stepped closer. "Whoever loses... loses everything. Not just their life.
Their home. Their people. Their entire world—erased."
A heavy silence pressed on Jared's chest.
His heartbeat quickened. His breath caught.
Everything...?
His mind reeled at the revelation.
If his father lost... Earth would be destroyed.
Every city, every life, every person he knew—gone.
His gaze dropped to the arena below, where his father stood alone on the grand stage.
That's why he looked so serious... why he didn't smile.
The weight his father was carrying... Jared had no words for it.
Jared's fists clenched. It wasn't just a duel.
It was extinction or survival.
And all of it was happening as sport—for the amusement of beings who watched from on high.
Jared looked up.
Floating above the arena was the Sovereign Booth, where the gods reclined in comfort, observing the battle like spectators in a grand theater. Their figures shimmered like celestial phantoms behind a transparent veil of power.
Why?
That question rang louder in Jared's mind than the crowd ever could.
Why would they do this?
Why would protectors of the cosmos orchestrate something so cruel?
Wipe out entire civilizations... for entertainment?
This wasn't divinity.
This was tyranny in disguise.
Jared's view of the gods—once filled with awe and reverence—shattered like glass underfoot. His expression darkened. If what this creature said was true... then today, one world would be reduced to dust.
But which one?
Would it be the world of the Gnor?
Or... Earth?
Jared's heart pounded like a war drum in his chest. His thoughts tangled into panic and disbelief. The weight of what was at stake crashed into him like a tidal wave.
There was no more room for nerves. No more time for confusion.
This was no longer just his father's fight.
It was a battle for all of them.
Because if his father lost...
Then Earth—everything and everyone on it—would vanish.
Without a trace.
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To be continued...