Shadow Slave

Leo Striker appeared on the Colosseum and looked around with a bit of nostalgia. A few years ago, at the very start of his career, he had been a frequent visitor of this arena… this was where it all had started for him.

Times had changed, of course.

Using the few moments before he was recognized, Leo smiled widely and said:

"Well, well, well. Did you really think that I would forget about the Public Mondays, guys? Of course not! This is a sacred tradition… SACRED, guys. Some of the Strike Force veterans might remember how I started in the amateur arenas, and now that I am a brilliant, famous, and incredibly handsome celebrity, I have to return here from time to time. To, you know… stay humble."

There were currently around twenty thousand people watching his broadcast, and pretty much all of them immediately exploded with a flood of mocking messages. Glancing at the Broadcaster Interface that Dreamscape provided to popular duelists like him, he grinned and winked, humored by some of the good-natured jabs thrown his way.

Leo Striker was not the most extraordinary fighter in the Dreamscape, but over these past few years, he had gathered a rather large following thanks to his skill, flair, and boisterous personality. He was so popular, in fact, that thousands of younger Awakened became enamored with the battle style he and a few of his duelist buddies practiced.

As the result, the Roaring Lion Strike style had become all the rage among the amateur duelists, and his old mentor was now flooded by a deluge of new pupils. That fact really warmed Leo's heart… he was glad to be able to repay the old man for all his patience.

Leo spent most of his days participating in top-level duels on the professional league arenas, but on Mondays, he liked to visit a public dream or two, chat with fans, fight a few amateurs and provide them with pointers as a way to give back to the community.

Today was one such Monday.

Looking around the Colosseum, Leo noticed a small gathering a dozen or so meters away from him and headed over. As he walked, he heard excited voices:

"Hey… isn't that Leo Striker?!"

"No way… wait! It's him! I can recognize that gorgeous armor with my eyes closed!"

"Leo! Love you, man! Keeping it real like always!"

"Strike Force Roar! I've been watching your broadcasts for two years, Leo!"

A friendly smile appeared on his face. Waving at several fans, he approached the crowd of challengers and glanced at the lone figure standing in the empty space in the middle.

'Woah! This dude has style!'

The man in the middle of the crowd wore a beautiful onyx armor that radiated a sense of solemn, dark menace. His face was hidden behind a fearsome black mask, with three twisting horns rising from it like a jagged crown. His hair was stark white, and there were two pools of impenetrable darkness in the place where his eyes were supposed to be.

His weapon of choice was a long, curved odachi forged of lusterless black steel. It rested on his shoulder, seemingly devouring the bright light of the illusory sun.

stranger looked more like a demon than a human

let out an approving

broadcaster? Huh, I

the stats of the demonic

"Mongrel"

"Victories: 27."

"Defeats: 0."

newbie… but a talented one!

due to the gap in their skill, but it would definitely look stunning. Leo felt a

might meet again

the invisible camera, Leo raised

you say, Strike Force? Should we challenge

expressed their approval, he approached Mongrel and gave him

got there. Do you even

opponent was another sacred tradition of the Dreamscape, and Leo was rather good

and faced him. The disturbing mask stared at Leo,

"No."

Leo laughed.

to use your sword? Well, would you like me

demonic warrior stared at

"No."

not know other words? Come on, work with me

Leo stepped forward and unsheathed

with a flood of messages, and at the

has

***

'Goddammit!'

young man in a beautiful azure armor, cursing his

he get

Mask, he tried to

challenger… what did the Dreamscape call him, Leo?... but there

practiced the same damned battle style that everyone else here seemed