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?"

two duelists glanced at each other,

turned to the camera

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

to his friends,

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 three of us are childhood friends, and we practice the same ingenious battle style. The

paused, and then sighed

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

rolled his eyes

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

his friend with vitriol, but then gave up on the ad break

see who that Mongrel really is, and what is

***

he dispatched the young man in azure armor. The other Awakened seemed to stare at him with a bit of confusion…

for the human spectators in the amphitheater. Many had

people? Did I go overboard

dash to not appear too powerful. Maybe they just liked the spectacle? Sunny was, indeed, giving them a good show. Not that doing so

wasting my

their turn to fight him seemed willing to step forward now. Sunny stared at them in

finally walked toward him, unsheathing a formidable-looking

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

Be. Kidding

style… he was obviously practicing the

eyes narrowed, the

has challenged

face with the pommel of the odachi, swiped his foot, and then viciously thrust the

steel helmet, the voice of the

"Mongrel has won!"

in the crowd grew a bit

wrong with these people?! Is there

clean the blade of the Shadow Serpent, a new

was wearing a grey silken

Fool has

wielding a heavy saber… and using the

low

it had turned out to

tore the great sword out of the enemy's

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

"Mongrel has won!"

I need to go to a professional arena to