Subject #9, codenamed Deku, was just a tool for the facility to use. A genetic hybrid, the perfect super soldier. Unfortunately for them, he had morals, sacrificing his life to free his brethren from the eternal torture of the lab. Now, he finds him...
10 seconds. That was the countdown. As the music built, a deep voice counted down in a guttural language, used by ancient Onyx.
The massive circular arena, made of black metal, was at least a mile in diameter. That was just the fighting grounds as well. The stands stretched far beyond that, using the same technology as the Terran battlefield to give viewers an idea of what was happening.
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Practically all of Draxia was there, nearly 10,000 Onyx watching, cheering, and betting on the future of their nation. There were also 50,000 individuals from surrounding nations. The rich and powerful; adventurers and travelers alike; and even some small middle-class families. But most importantly, there were the pilgrims, 250,000 of them.
A fight between two Lords was the stuff of myth and fantasy. A "Divine Spectacle." It could be seen as an act of the Gods. Especially one as ritualized and rare as this fight. A real fight between a NULL Lord and a Virtue Lord. This only happened once every couple generations in human time, give or take a hundred years.
In the eyes of those religious fanatics, this was a battle between the Dragons themselves.
Himiko faced down her nightmare, decorated in all the finest Items that Draxia could offer. She felt like an ant looking up at a boot.
Izuku's aura was insurmountable. In such a frenzy that it made wild monsters look like calm beasts. And yet, it didn't escape his control. It slammed into the ground and walls, scratching their surfaces, but none leaked beyond the aura. He was cycling it through himself, keeping it all contained. Controlled chaos.
"I've never seen him like this..."
Himiko had sparred with Izuku before, and the one thing that always caught her eyes was just how apathetic he seemed during a fight. His eyes looked dull, his lips a straight line, and his expression unmoving. He turned from a positive, cheerful kid, to a cold-blooded killer. He had no room for excitement or anything. It was like all of his emotions, all of his brain power, was devoted to finding the quickest way to win a fight.
One might think that would be the scariest opponent to face, but Himiko disagreed. Having seen that emptiness, she felt a shiver run down her spine observing the opposite.
Izuku was smiling, smirking even. His eyes were so full of life they seemed to glow. And though the crowd couldn't see it, Himiko could tell he was swaying and slightly dancing to the music.
"Is he high?" She couldn't help but wonder. This was such a stark contrast to any state she'd ever seen Izuku in that drugs were her only thought. However, they were both screened for illicit substances before a fight using Magic, cleansed of any buffs or debuffs that might be affecting them.
It wasn't drugs, but in a way, Himiko was right. Izuku was high, just not in the typical sense.
It had been bugging him for so long, like a word on the tip of his tongue. He was at the precipice of something. It wasn't his Dragon Form, and it wasn't some plan for his future. It was a revelation.
