Shadow Slave

Leo sent the clip to a couple of his buddies and waited in the dark void, chatting with the viewers and laughing about his terrible performance in the duel against the demonic newbie.

'That Mongrel... there's something about him...'

Just as he had expected, his friends joined him in the Dreamscape almost immediately after receiving the message.

Yes, his defeat was rather embarrassing… but there was an opportunity in every disaster!

This was going to be a very special broadcast.

A rare and bombastic… crossover episode!

Answering the invitations, two figures joined him in the black void. The viewers grew silent for a moment, and then sent so many reactions that the Broadcast Interface almost crashed.

Well, as expected. Both guests Leo had invited were very prominent duelists, at least as popular as he was himself, or perhaps even more.

One wore a heavy plate armor. There was a castle engraved on its breastplate, and four dragons depicted on his pauldrons and vambraces. This was Daoist Saifer, a renowned swordsman who possessed a powerful Aspect that allowed him to control fire.

The other was a taciturn warrior in a grey silken robe. His alias in the Dreamscape was the Fool, and he was known to be one of the most peculiar and persistent duelists in the professional league.

Leo grinned.

"Hey there, Saifer. Hey there, Fool. Long time no see!"

Saifer scoffed, then pointed at him.

"Leo, my friend. What the hell was that? You got killed by an amateur… in one strike!"

The Fool simply shook his head and remained silent.

Leo coughed in embarrassment and looked down.

"Yeah, well… it's not like the two of you never tasted a piece of humble pie, is it? If I remember correctly, Queen Bee decimated both of you just last week…"

Saifer grinned.

"I am ready to be killed by our noble Queen every day. But a newbie? Come on..."

Leo shrugged, then pointed to his sword.

"Alright, alright. But there's a reason the two of you arrived so quickly, right? You saw it too?"

glanced at

turned to the

Well, well, well. It's this rare moment when I get to mock my dear viewers

to his

Strike Force veterans who still remember the early days of my broadcasting… as you might know, these two distinguished gentlemen are actually not only my colleagues, but also disciples of the same cranky old man who taught me swordsmanship. Basically, the

and then

so shocked by our duel… IS… YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT... oh yeah, before we do this, I should

rolled his eyes

that the masked guy used the Roaring Lion Strike style to defeat that dolt. And while there are many — lots and lots, really — people who can beat that loud nuisance in a heartbeat, the fact that someone done so

glanced at his friend with vitriol, but then

the three of us are going to go and see who

***

after he dispatched the young man in azure armor. The other Awakened seemed to

human spectators in the amphitheater. Many had changed

all these people? Did

powerful. Maybe they just liked the spectacle? Sunny was, indeed, giving them a good

wasting my time, people!

turn to fight him seemed willing to step forward now. Sunny stared at them in boredom for a few minutes, trying to understand what was going on. They had been very eager just a few

finally walked toward him,

armor, with an intricate engraving of a castle and four dragons decorating its polished

Be. Kidding

was obviously practicing the same damn

Sunny's eyes narrowed, the

Saifer has

him in the face with the pommel of the odachi, swiped his foot, and then viciously thrust the tip of the great sword into the narrow crack of his

helmet, the voice of

"Mongrel has won!"

faces in the crowd grew a bit

the hell is wrong with these people?! Is there no one

could even clean the blade of the Shadow Serpent, a

one was wearing a grey silken

has challenged

heavy saber… and using

a low growl and dashed

attack… sadly, it had turned out to

the great sword out of the enemy's body and stepped back

man in the grey silken robe swayed and stared at the growing red patch on his silk garment. Looking up at Sunny, he silently gave him a thumbs up, then collapsed to the sand in a rain

"Mongrel has won!"

to