Miko's gruesome display sent shivers down everyone's spine.

They all thought that his cruelty was just as terrifying in person as it was on video.

Miko didn't take his eyes off Flow even when his opponent’s blood flowed down his face.

His expression was indifferent but the aura his body was giving off was like that of a beast and Flow was his prey.

Flow on the other hand looked unbothered and somewhat pleased by the bloodlust he was getting from Miko.

Jun who saw this was starting to have a headache.

He repeatedly warned his son not provoke more than what was necessary, but he seemed to be ignoring his warning.

“Sigh. He's too eager. I wanted him and Miko to become friends through an intense battle and come to understand each other, but it looks like I was too naïve. Now there's no chance reconcile considering Miko's personality.”

He announced Miko's victory with his head hurting.

The crowd didn't cheer, they could feel the tension between Miko and Flow who came back on the field.

Even so jun still announced the next match.

This announcement didn't reach Miko and Flow’s ears, because of this one of the contestants had to step in.

“Hey, it's my turn to use the field. Could you two please leave?”

This voice caused the tense atmosphere to disappear and made Miko and Flow to quickly look at the person who spoke.

“Kaido.”

Miko smiled.

“It's your match that's up next, huh? Sorry about, you're free to use it as you please.”

Miko had no problem surrendering the field to Kaido because out of everyone competing Kaido was the one he wished to fight the most.

Flow looked at Kaido for a bit and then quickly retreated. He didn't seem to want anything to do with him.

That didn't miss the eyes of Miko and some of the audience.

“Was the Dark Waters King frightened just know?”

Someone asked.

“I don't know but it looks like he was cautious of that Kaido guy.”

“Not only him. Even the famously savage Heavenly Demon King respectfully backed off.”

“Just who is that guy to make those two cautious?”

“The 4th Throne The Chimera Kaido Khan! He's undefeated and is only ranked 4th because of his occasional forfeiting of a match before it even started. It speculated that he might be stronger than the 2nd Throne Killer Throne Sami.”

“That maniac?”

“Hey….Do you think that he might be stronger than Flow?”

This question caused the audience to be silent. They wanted to deny that such a thing was possible but they couldn't completely rule it out because of Flow’s behavior early.

Naturally the crowd’s discussions reached the ears of Miko, Kaido, and Flow.

Miko laughed, Kaido stayed quiet while Flow simply walked off the stage.

Kaido stood on the stage with a deadpan expression. But Miko could see that he was bothered by the numerous stares he was getting.

This caused Miko to laugh.

As for Kaido's opponent, he had already been nervous when he found out who he was facing, but after seeing how the infamous Miko and Flow reacted to Kaido he had the urge to call it quits there.

He wasn't a Throne in the first place, so he already had a huge disadvantage. But seeing that his opponent wasn't an ordinary Throne, but a monster in disguise he had virtually no chance of victory.

“I give up!”

He couldn't take the pressure and forfeited before Jun could've start the match.

Although this made a lot of people dumbfounded, it quickly made a lot sense.

“I mean who would want to go up against such a monster?”

That was what everyone thought.

Because his opponent suddenly forfeited without waiting for the match to start, Kaido was left dumbfounded and even more troubled.

‘….Won't this draw more attention to me?’

He thought.

Miko who could guess what he was thinking couldn't help but to burst out laughing.

His previous bad mood had been blown away by Kaido's misfortune.

Kaido walked off the field with an expressionless face, which made everyone believe that he was indifferent; but Miko could sense the gloomy aura around him which he found amusing.

“For someone who's unable to show expressions, you're surprisingly sensitive.”

Miko said as he hit Kaido's back in a friendly manner.

Kaido sighed and didn't say anything in response.

Jun who wasn't too far saw Miko's and Kaido’s interaction and frowned.

‘Those two having a friendly relationship could be very disastrous for us.’

He thought for a while and then decided to announce the next match.

“So far we've seen several Thrones take the field, and now it's time for us to welcome another one!”

Jun announced.

“This Throne is called the Killer Throne because every match he's won ended with him brutally killing his opponents. He is the academy's #2, an acknowledged future Pillar, Sami Diaz!”

“2nd Throne?”

Miko looked and saw a teen with a mischievous look on his face.

Miko didn't know why, he immediately disliked Sami.

He couldn't tell if it was just an instinctive hate or a hate that stems from his appearance, he just knew that he could never see himself getting along with him.

“Hm?”

As if sensing Miko’s unmasked dislike for him, Sami looked back at Miko and smiled.

He even waved at him as he took the field.

This caused Miko’s dislike for him to increase.

“Kaido, what’s the deal with that smiling bastard?”

Kaido who was still beside him looked towards Sami who was all smiles.

“He’s the 2nd Throne Sami Diaz. He’s recognized as a maniac by the entire city because of his brutal methods when facing his opponents. If not for his lost at the hands of Flow Mizune he would’ve been undefeated. He’s also the protégée of one of the Four Pillars Luna Isabel, because of this he’s considered to be her successor. Meaning that just like Flow Mizune, he’s a future pillar and ruler of this city.”

Kaido explained with his usual monotone, but Miko could sense disgust from him.

“You don’t like him either?”

Kaido slowly nodded.

“That’s a surprise. I thought you couldn’t hate anyone?”

“No, I can hate people. It’s just that it takes a lot for you to acquire my hatred.”

He answered.

“So do you hate him?”

“I don’t like his methods. He’s shrewd and goes through any length to destroy his opponent mentally and physical before finally putting an end to the battle leaving his opponent a shadow of their former selves.”

“Is that so?”

Miko thought that it wasn’t that much different from what he normally does, but he kept it to himself.

Sami’s opponent was a 1st year who Miko recognized as the one who Ishma turned into a human chandelier on his first day at the academy.

Miko could clearly see him trembling in his boots.

He also looked like he was cursing his bad luck.

“There’s no need to be scared.”

Sami spoke to his opponent before they fought.

“It will be over before you know it.”

A gentle smile appeared on his face as he spoke those words, but his opponent wasn’t an idiot. He knew what fate countless of others suffered after seeing that smile.

“Battle Start!”

The boy’s body shook when heard that the battle had commenced.

Sami didn’t rush towards him, he simple took a step forward.

“Ekk!”

That simple action was enough to drive his opponent mad with fear.

He completely forgot to forfeit and drew his weapons.

“Stay back!”

He threw his weapons that were knives in a clumsy manner.

Sami simply moved to the side and dodged the knives.

However, the knives suddenly changed directions after passing him and shot towards his head.

Sami seemed to haven’t realized because he didn’t move a muscle after dodging them.

“Got him!”

The boy couldn't help but to cheer after seeing that the knives were just a few inches away from Sami’s head.

“If I remember correctly, your fighting style composed of using throwing knives and strings that’s produced by your Infected ability to strike your opponents in their blind spots.”

Sami quickly and smoothly pulled a knife from his waist and swung his hand behind him.

*Clang!*

He used his knife to deflect the knives just before it reached his head. He then grabbed the knives and showed them to his opponent.

“Attacking me from such an angle was unwise and basically child’s play.”

He said as he threw back the knives at his opponent. However, he didn’t throw it with enough strength to hit him. He was obviously returning the knives.

This confused the boy.

“Take them up and try again.”

Sami said while smiling.

“What?”

“I said take them up and try again. Surely you couldnt have hoped to display such mediocre skills to all these people who came here. That would just be disrespectful.”

He pointed his knife at his opponent.

“Let’s compare knife skills and give the audience a good time. If that’s the best you could do I’m sure that my skills will wash away the rancid after taste of your skills.”

“Wha?!”

The boy’s face was instantly dyed red with anger after hearing Sami’s words.

He immediately forgotten his fear and replaced it with killing intent.

“Oh? He’s good.”

Regis said after seeing how Sami provoked his opponent.

Miko nodded in agreement.

The boy drew his knives back and jumped into the air.

He spread his arms and hundreds of knives started floating around him.

He swung his arms and the knives rushed down towards Sami.

Sami smiled and put his knife in front of him.

Just before his opponent’s attack reached him, the knives suddenly ignited and and burst into pieces.

“Oh?”

Sami was slightly surprised when he saw the thousands of burning knife fragments rain down on him.

*Boom!*

The fragments hit the ground and at the same time burn the ground and created a lake of fire.

Sami’s figure was seen being impaled by countless fragments and being devoured by flames.

“Hahahaha! How’s that?! This the first time I’ve ever publicly used this technique, so there’s no way for you could’ve predicted that!”

The boy started shouting proudly.

However he quickly became shocked when the fire dyed out.

“Wha?!”

Sami was nowhere to be seen. What was left in his place was knife fragments.

“Where did he go?! I’m pretty sure that I got him!”

The boy quickly looked around after landed on the ground.

“I guess it’s my turn.”

“?!”

Sami suddenly appear in front of him.

Before the boy could react, Sami jumped back into the air and spread his arms. All of a sudden hundreds of knives appeared floating around him.

“That’s?!”

“Have a taste of your own technique!”

Sami swung down his arm and the knives shot down towards his opponent.

Just like earlier the knives ignited and burst into to pieces.

The boy screamed in despair as he faced his own technique with just a single dagger.

*Boom!*

The boy’s body was impaled by thousands of fragments that burnt his entire body.

He fell on the ground and wailed in pain in the lake of fire.

When the fire dyed out he was left twitching on the ground while at death’s door.

Sami silently approached him and looked down at him with a slight smile.

“How was my knife skills?”

“……..”

“What? You don’t think I showed enough? I guess it can’t be helped then.”

Sami who continued the conversation by himself, took out a knife and bent down beside the boy.

“Let me show off my cutting skills.”

Without hesitation he cut the boy’s ear off.

“Haaaa!”

The boy’s scream sent chill down everyone’s spine.

“See? A clean cut with one swift motion.”

He then stood up.

“I’d like to display more of my skills, but unfortunately I have some matters to take care of.”

He then threw two knives into the boy’s head and turned his back on him like he was nothing.

“……The Winner of the match is Sami Diaz!”

Jun announced after a long silence.

Sami got no cheers from the crowd only scornful looks, but no dared to criticize him because of his status.

Sami didn’t seem to mind the looks he was getting as he took center stage.

“I as the 2nd Throne would like to issue a challenge using my right as a Ruler to pick my opponent as long as they’re ranked lower than me!”

Sami’s sudden shout caught a lot of people off guard.

He suddenly announced that he wanted to issue a challenge right after a match. It’s to be known that each Ruler could only do so once during a tournament and if they used it against someone of a lower rank they had no right to refused.

However if they used it on someone of a higher rank, that person could refuse the challenge.

But there was only one person who was ranked higher than Sami and that was Flow. Meaning, he could challenge anyone else and force them into a match.

Of course, the person who’s forced into a match still had the right to forfeit after the match started, so it wasn’t complete tyranny.

“Challenge right acknowledged. Who do you wish to challenge?”

Jun’s voice rang out.

Sami smiled and looked towards a certain direction.

When Miko followed his eyes and saw who he was targeting a cold glint appeared in his eyes.

“It’s seems that this 2nd Throne has gotten tired of living.”

He softly said.

Sami quickly shouted.

“I wish to challenge the 6th Throne, Bloom Newgate!”