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 each

turned to the camera and smiled

well, well. It's this rare

to his friends,

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 three of us are childhood friends, and

and then

to have been defeated by an unknown novice, the real reason why I was so shocked by our duel… IS… YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT... oh yeah, before we do this, I should mention

his eyes and

while there are many — lots and lots, really — people who

friend with vitriol, but then gave up

see who that Mongrel really is, and

***

young man in azure armor.

for the human spectators in the amphitheater. Many had changed

matter with all these people? Did I go

to not appear too powerful. Maybe they just liked the

me? Stop wasting my time,

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, unsheathing a

with an intricate engraving of a castle and four dragons decorating its polished surface. He

Be.

he was obviously practicing the same damn

narrowed, the voice of the Dreamscape

Saifer has

of the odachi, swiped his foot, and then viciously

the steel helmet, the voice of the

"Mongrel has won!"

the crowd grew a bit

wrong with these people?! Is there no one

even clean the blade of the Shadow Serpent,

one was wearing a

has

heavy saber… and using the same cursed

a low growl and

had turned out to

out of the

and stared at the growing red patch on his silk garment. Looking up at Sunny, he silently gave him a thumbs up, then collapsed

"Mongrel has won!"

it all! Do I need to go to a professional arena