The audience in the stadium was betting nonstop. For some reason, they all had a strange certainty that Kurogami would win against the hollow; money kept on pouring into the reaper gang betting platform. If Kurogami fails, they will earn five to six times what they normally gain from the arena battle.
The reaper gang members, watching from their observation control room, were in disarray. The amount of money flooding into the bets was staggering, tens of millions in drakons, and some of the gang members remained confident. Their champion, the hollow, was the one Kurogami would face next, and he had never lost a one-on-one.
He was a former A-grade sentinel, one of the top ten best A-grade sentinels at that time. Still, after a major injury in battle against the anomalies, his strength was reduced to a B-rank sentinel. Even with the expensive cybernetic replacement, he was unable to recover his former strength, which led him to retire early.
Usually, players who made it this far in the Den royal clash are weekend from exhaustion. After defeating so many opponents, they would eventually make a wise decision, which is to enjoy their spoils of war and stop while they had the chance.
This was one of the major flaws in the Reaper Gang's betting system. They had lost massive profits because of it. Even though they still earned plenty through transaction fees and battle manipulation, their greed wouldn't let them tolerate winners walking away with their full earnings. It had been a long time since anyone dared to challenge the Hollow. Nearly fifty Royal Clash events had passed, and not once had he stepped into the arena. To fix this flaw, they changed the rules mid-event. Players who had planned to quit reconsidered the moment they heard the announcement; the odds had been increased fivefold or more, depending on the challenger.
"So if I beat him, I will make a big fortune."
"I wonder how strong he his, but with my new cybernetic enhancement, I will definitely win."
That was the thought running through many players' minds; their greedy eyes gleamed at the promise of greater rewards. But now, most of them were dead. Some hadn't even made it to the top seventy.
The audience grumbled at the sudden rule change, but in the end, what could they do? The strong would always hold the advantage over the weak. The Reaper Gang never forced anyone to play or bet, yet countless players and audience still signed up willingly. To gain power, one had to cultivate, and to cultivate, one needed resources. Without family backing or wealth, risking one's life in the Den was the only path left. Such was the way of this world. Survival required more than cultivation; even daily necessities demanded sacrifice.
The gang members around the Overseers were already celebrating; this event had earned them almost ten times their usual profit. But the overseer himself felt unease. Something about Kurogami felt… hidden.
"Ohh my god, the hollow is about to get in stage," the bald announced, saying out loud.
The Hollow was a fighter that every champion in the Clash Royale avoided. Few had ever witnessed him fight, but those who had knew just how terrifying he was. The moment his name was announced, the audience erupted with excitement, their cheers echoing through the arena.
"The money I paid to watch today's event was worth it."
"Heh… I'd like to see how that White Monkey plans to win this one," one of the spectators sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.
He had lost a fortune betting against White Monkey. Rage burned inside him, and the only thing that could soothe it was seeing White Monkey lose miserably.
Kurogami's thoughts raced; he was also excited to see that the stadium was changing, and a big door was about to open. "I'm exhausted, but I still have enough energy left, and thanks to my Obsidian Vessel physique, I have almost recovered my stamina." Obsidian physical stamina recovery rate was extremely fast; it was one of the major benefits they had
"I'm kind of curious to see what ten percent of my khaos energy can do." As Kurogami thought about this, a big door opened, and the hollow stepped into the arena.
He has a red bushy mustache, a bulky body, and a cybernetic right arm and leg. ha had dreadlock hair cascading down his shoulders, where no cloth at all, the scars of battle long passed could be seen. seen he entered the stage, the audience where excited, some screamed at the top of their voice. The music entry played was grand, and the lights in the den all pointed at him.
Kurogami and the hollow were fifty steps apart. Both fighters bent low and charged, but both of their eyes were shaped so that they could see each other clearly if they were only one step away from each other.
This was truly a grand event. City Z's location was no secret to the great houses of the Duskborne Nation. The reason it hadn't been wiped out was simple, it was useful. City Z provided services that were forbidden within the nation's borders. Among those, entertainment stood as one of its greatest exports. From high above, nobles and powerful figures watched the live broadcast of the clash, placing extravagant bets through the Reaper Gang. Vast sums of money flowed with every strike and fall, and through these brutal spectacles, the Reaper Gang amassed hundreds of millions after each Royal Clash event.
Immediately, news of the hollow battling a lot of higher-ups logged in to watch the battle, live streaming bot as thin as a baseball flew around in the arena.
The audience soon stopped, their eyes fixed in the arena, all felt with anticipation and hope, the hollow broke the silence.
"Ahhh, a kid, what are you doing? Ever mind admit now and leave if you want to preserve your life?" the hollow said
"Old man, I was about to ask you to do the same," Kurogami said as he laughed out loud.
The hollow was furious, hearing Kurogami called an old man, he was in his 30s, but was called an old man
"You insolent brat, you are very arrogant, I only said it cus of you look young,"
"If you could find a way up there and become a sentinel, your future will be bright, but since you want to die by my hands, I can do nothing but grant you your wish."
As the Hollow stepped forward, a Rank B Sentinel's aura surged across the arena; his killing intent was immense, suffocating. The audience was protected by a barrier, yet they could still feel it. Cold sweat trickled down their foreheads as the weight of that murderous pressure pressed on their chests.
Kurogami laughed at this, seeing the hollow's aura, he could tell he was in the hollow was in the Core Awakening Stage, early stage, this was several realms higher than Kurogami, who was in the foundation realm, beginner stage. Their distance was that of the land and sky, but Kurogami was unwavering in his aura.
daichi had connection with the hollow, there relationship was that of a young master and body guide, daichi was even one of the majoy spornsor of the hollow, this was why he was confident in the result, before they appeared in the den he had sent a message towards the hollow communication device to lose the match, this instruction was sent in code both only daichi and the hollow could understand, this made him frown since he hadnt fought in along time now he was getting th chance ans now instructed to lose, even the reaper gang cant tell him to do such a thing.
But Daichi wasn't a reaper gang; Daichi was like his young master, his words were absolute, the moment the hollow stepped onto the stage, he could slightly understand why he was asked to lose.
"This young lad seems to be a young master friend. I will go easy on him, but he is too arrogant."
Kurogami calling him an old man really angered him a lot, but soon the hollow received another message which made him pause, it was from Daichi, his young master, who as changed his mind.
"I should go all out on him," the hollow murmured the new message. This made him confused.
"Could it be that he offended the young master, and the young master wanted to use my strength to deal with him?" the hollow thought, but as soon as that thought came he discarded it "no young master is also in the core intermidiate realm, initial stage, tho he is hiding is power pretending to be in the fundation realm upper stage, if young master wanted him dead they are other means to do it than this." the hollow continued thinking internally, it looked like minutes as passed but it was just few seconds
"Money is not a young master's problem even if the nightbane clan isn't assisting him, so that only means one thing."
"This guy is also a monster like young master, now that I think about it, he isn't even faced by my aura, that" as the hollow thought internally, he glanced at Kurogami, which looked chilled.
"This means he is also hiding his power. How can a Mare Foundation stage beginner survive this?"
"Old man, you are thinking too much."
The hollow frowned, hearing that word again, "old man," the hollow said, "you are really having a death wish."
"Old man, I'm too tired for a long battle; let's put everything on one strike."
"Huh, one strike, you are very bold, then I'll crush you into the ground."
The hollow took a deep breath and exhaled, and immediately he unleashed his energy.
"I will take that as you agree on one strike," Kurogami said with a smile.
The Hollow stood firm, his red energy surging wildly as it engulfed his entire body. The sheer pressure sent wind, dust, and fragments of broken metal scattering across the arena. His mustache lifted with the storm of power, and his crimson dreadlocks flared upward like fire.
This was Energy Explosion, a technique used by the charger sentinel. It detonated one's aura outward, reinforcing every muscle and nerve with raw power. But its effectiveness depended on mastery; a flawed technique could waste half the aura in meaningless bursts. The Hollow's, however, was near perfect, his veins bulged, his knuckles glowed red, and the air around him trembled.
Kurogami only smiled. He sank into his stance, left leg forward, both hands moving in a circular rhythm like yin and yang before locking together. His right hand clenched into a fist, his left covering it. A calm yet suffocating stillness fell around him.
Unlike the Hollow's violent storm of energy, Kurogami's Chaos Essence flowed like water, wrapping around him in layers of deep green light. It shimmered and pulsed, thickening until his form looked carved from living chaos itself.
The crowd erupted.
"Oh my god, they're going all out!" the announcer said
"White Monkey's insane, is he really going head-on with the Hollow?!"
"Does he have a death wish?!"
Shin and Kaia gazed at the battle arena intensely
Excitement reached a fever pitch. Even the VIP spectators abandoned their rooms to watch from the edge. Among them stood Daichi, his calm face half-lit by the arena's glow. He had wagered 150 million drakons on Kurogami's victory, an absurd gamble that could ruin or crown him.
Through his lens display, Daichi watched the clash unfold. Despite the Hollow's monstrous aura, Kurogami's expression never wavered.
"Could it be… he's hiding his true strength too?" Daichi thought, a faint grin curling on his lips as he stepped closer to the screen.
Behind the Hollow, a crimson lion phantom roared to life. The spectral beast towered over him, its mane blazing like fire, twin horns jutting from its skull, and fangs so long they gleamed past its lower jaw. Its blood-red eyes glowed with primal fury. This was a beast-type phantom, a manifestation of his inner spirit proof that the Hollow was also a beast user, tho the Hollow didn't transform he could use fifty percent of the beast power.
With a thunderous step, he lunged forward. Every movement tore gouges into the ground, the sheer force of his energy ripping through the air. His aura was wild, a storm of crimson power surging straight toward Kurogami.
" Only ten percent remained, enough for one final strike." Kurogami thought.
He gathered it into his body, compressing it into his fists until a fierce green aura erupted around him. The very air vibrated.
Spectators leaned forward as pressure rippled across the arena; his energy felt primal, violent, Even the Overseers watching above felt their throats tighten.
The hollow grinned, unfazed. "If that's how you want it," he said, "roaring crimson lion king fist,"
The hollow knuckles were big, showing red light; His Khaos energy covered the entire fist.
Their auras clashed before their fists did. The ground cracked beneath them.
"Jujustu Technique, Eight-Coupled Fist God: Splitting the Heavens!" Kurogami murmured.
He then threw his punch towards the hollow ouch, their fist collided
A destructive force exploded from his arm as his punch collided with the hollow fist.
BAM!
A blinding flash tore through the arena. The entire stadium quaked, walls fracturing and crumbling as shockwaves blasted through the stands. The announcer screamed,
Majority of thee close streaming not where wiped out.
"They went for a one-shot! They went for a one-shot!!"
Then, silence.
When the dust finally settled, only Kurogami was left standing. His right arm trembled slightly, smoke curling from his knuckles. Across the ruined arena, the Hollow's body was sent hurtling backward, smashing through seven iron pillars before finally coming to a stop. His arms were completely blown apart, thankfully, they were cybernetic, or he would have lost them for good. His right leg was barely holding together, the metal twisted and sparking from the impact.
The ground shook again from the impact. The Overseers watched, speechless.
Kurogami stood unmoving, his aura flickering like dying firelight, his body battered but still standing tall.
The aftermath of Kurogami's strike was devastating. Around the spot where he stood, a massive crater stretched nearly fifty steps wide. The ground ahead was torn open in a long, deep line leading straight toward where the Hollow had fallen, proof of just how overwhelming the force behind Kurogami's punch had been. The explosion carved a curved trail across the arena floor, its impact radius spanning several meters, like a scar left by raw, unrestrained power.
The audience erupted.
"Was truly a match worth watching,"
"Ahhhhh my money," some were dumbstruck
"My god, I just made a fortune," some where excited.