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 other,

turned to the camera and

this rare moment when I get to mock my dear viewers and their insufferable expert

his friends,

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 Roaring Lion

and

by an unknown novice, the real reason why I was so shocked

his eyes and interrupted

there are many — lots and lots, really — people who can beat that loud nuisance in a heartbeat, the fact that someone done so while using our own style is

but then gave up on

going to go and see who that Mongrel really is, and what is

***

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

human spectators in the amphitheater.

with all these people? Did I

not appear too powerful. Maybe they just liked the spectacle? Sunny

is no one challenging me? Stop wasting my time, people! I'm on a

step forward now. Sunny stared at them in boredom for a few minutes,

someone finally walked toward him, unsheathing

intricate engraving of a castle and four dragons decorating its

Be. Kidding

style… he was obviously

the

has challenged

pommel of the odachi, swiped his

flowed from the steel helmet, the voice of the Dreamscape thundered once

"Mongrel has won!"

crowd

these people?! Is

Sunny could even clean the blade of the Shadow Serpent,

one was wearing a

has challenged

saber… and using the

a low

out to be more nimble and aware than the last two fighters. He managed to sidestep the attack… sadly, it had turned out to be just a feint. Before he could correct his footing, the odachi pierced his chest and exited from

of the enemy's body and stepped

garment. Looking up at Sunny, he silently gave him

"Mongrel has won!"

Do I need to go to a professional arena to find