The mic fixed on the table could be heard through every floating speaker in the stadium dome crashing against something with a booming *THUD*. Unbeknownst to everyone not currently in close proximity to him; Miles, the brand new ring announcer, banged his face hard against the mic before collapsing on the floor.

And directly behind him, an aged gray – haired old woman was struggling to pic herself up off of the ground. She grasped at her own face, feeling the faint tingling sensation of blood running down her lips.

Sure enough, Aleatha Eseria was bleeding.

Specifically speaking, through her nose.

Aleatha: “I’m… I’m bleeding…? Heh… Heeheehee… because of that woman, that DAMNED woman showing up here, unannounced…!

*Clenches fist*

Miles…! Miles! Wake up! I’m not … *SMACK* paying you to sleep around!”

Miles: “… Ugh… wh– wha? Uugh… what… what happened…? Why am I-”

Random student #1: “Pffft! Ahahaha~ That noise… did he just, just smack his head on the mic?! Was it that surprising for him?! Ahahaha! It figures though, right?? I mean, he was JUST praising the sleepless nightmare, Tetra, for being too op for Luxor to handle now… only for him to receive a BIG slap to the face by a quick 10 second victory! Hahaha! That’s so fucking embarrassing!”

Random student #2: “...Really? I can’t really see from this far away. How can you tell?”

Random student #3: “My powers actually do include super sight as a branch-off power. I really did see something fall! Or… well, at least… I saw a slight silhouette of someone stretching forward, before falling… The glass is … hard to look through...”

Random student #4: “Still, what just happened? First Luxor drops to the floor while dripping so much blood, then Tetra does the same. Just … what exactly is going on here? I am so confused and lost right now! Somebody please help! Explain this match to me!”

Random student #5: “Figure that crap out yourself, I just want my baby to win! GO LUXOR~ HE’S NOTHING YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY BEATEN BEFORE! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! WOO~! WOOHOO!!”

Dome: “…Winner…! Luxor Al Amin! Five minutes until the fourth round of the second ‘King vs King’ match begins!

(Finally, the air around here feels normal again! I wonder what all that was about…? First the whole arena feels bogged down and heavy, then the battlefield turns black with dark smoke… And that weird voice in my … ugh, in my head…

Forget it. I’ve gotta maintain my image! Doing my job takes precedence.)

If one of you does not stand and take your place in the allotted time presented to participating students, then that participant will face complete disqualification for the upcoming round. Consequently, if one of you is caught PREVENTING the previous round’s losing King from standing on their feet, or utilizing any powers or outside assistance to suppress, harm and/or endanger them… you will be disqualified on the spot, and stripped of your status as a glorified ‘King’ hailing from Hero High School.

You both have been warned.”

Tetra stared blankly at the floor for a few more moments, in a desperate attempt to digest what just transpired.

Tetra Terror: “(…Wh…

...What was that?

What… WAS that?!

That whisper… that creaking gate… that black fog surrounding the arena grounds and that Luxor guy’s darkened facial expression – that look which was filled with absolute rage.

Was there something wrong with Ms. Eseria? Didn’t she mention… mention that nothing more needed to be done from this side? That… that she would suppress his connection with the Egyptian God whom he serves, Anubis… And deal with the current match in my stead? Then why…

...How come he can still move?!)”

Luxor Al Amin: “…Get up. I won’t allow you to suffer such an easy defeat! Stand and face your judgment! Today, you swindling, sniveling snake!”

A dark mist formed the rough shape of a grand gate, before finalizing its appearance completely. An extravagant illusion seemed capable of springing to life the very moment Luxor’s anger realized an outlet, and manifested. Legendary pitch, black gate doors drew open slowly, grandly in order to welcome their newest invited guest…

Their final visitor for the turning night…

And possible prisoner; for once these gates close, all destinations other than the ‘underworld’ become forfeit.

From the depths of this illusory gate, more black smoke billowed out in waves. Clattering and eerie clangs echoed forth, brushing against Tetra’s ears and sending shivers down his spine. The smoke covered Luxor’s figure, yet the rattling, clattering and clanging sounds never ceased.

In fact, they seemed to be drawing closer.

Tetra’s powers run deep. Not only are they vast, but equally unexplored - considering he doesn’t yet have access to a lot of them. In fact, a large majority of his abilities and capabilities derive from, utilize and revolve around Tetra’s mental capacity, plus his ability to access other people’s minds.

As fate would have it: Tetra’s powers had seemingly no effect on the boy genius – the prodigal painter and child Pharaoh of Spes Nova. Like a tide of misfortune returning to his shaky shore, the one person he had no choice BUT to surpass, was nigh – completely immune to Tetra’s ability to target and manipulate, hinder or directly assassinate his adversary’s mind. Not only was Luxor’s mind completely shielded thanks to an illusory gate much like the gates to the underworld, but both his ‘soul’ and ‘mind’ were equally protected by the God whose incarnation he serves as: The God of the Underworld, Gatekeeper of the Underworld and even the Guardian of the scales of Life and Death: Anubis.

For who among the young high school mortals can withstand the presence of a God, much less break through their divine protection?

Suddenly, a bright golden ankh shone through the dark misty battlefield. It floated in the sky and right below it, hovered a set of magnificent and glorious scales.

And right below them… floated a sword. Its shape bore a striking resemblance to a large question mark and was roughly the same length as Luxor’s own body.

It was a massive, shining khopesh.

Tetra no longer hesitated. Although he was still feeling weak, he could clarly ‘sense’ a couple of strange figures lurking deep within the darkness. His eyes and hands flashed as dark blue-green energy shot in different directions from his upper palms and fingertips – akin to a wave of sharp bladed energy. They attacked the enemies on both sides, and those seemed to have lost their heads and collapsed in on themselves. Tetra hoped this was all they were capable of. He didn’t know what exactly ‘they’ were… but this was his only attacking move! He didn’t know anything else – and he knew that Luxor had a plethora of ways to deal with it! His abilities were just that versatile!!

The fog receded in two sides as if repeating a certain holy man’s brave act at parting a large body of water – the Red Sea, except this was more like the parting of two smaller – scale red seas.

The pitch black fog receded and parted, but only mangled remains of a whole slew of corpses were found. Going back in time, those clattering and rattling noises seemed to be the bony remnants of skeletal warriors marching forth, in no specific rhythm or momentum. However, that very disorganized and … almost barbarically savage movement carried its own specific ‘flair’ that stirred the hearts regardless.

To summarize: The army of skeletal zombies and soldiers that unharmoniously marched onward with movements that were very out-of-sync… that chaotic ‘march’ actually managed to reveal its own uniquely developed rhythm of terror that struck Tetra pale – faced.

It wasn’t that he lacked confidence in dealing with them. He still had plenty of energy to spare, after all. He himself was VERY familiar with terrifying scenes – whether they came from movie screen selections or other peoples’ memories. But there was one distinct problem. He clearly watched as the black fog once more rolled over to block the undead army from view, yet, Tetra vividly watch on and saw that those he’d shot at had lost what little remaining flesh they still clung onto and collapsed to the ground...

…Only to find that their ‘holes’ were already being healed by the black fog itself!

This stuff was ACTUALLY healing them! It didn’t only serve to camouflage their collective moving around, and rather, kept them up and willing to fight as an endlessly untiring legion of flesh – craving servants!

And even worse than that: was the fact that in the midst of this revelation, the scales overhead began tipping in either direction, as if already beginning to judge its target’s past and present deeds and actions – ready to dictate the matter of Tetra and company’s life and death in this battle!

Even scarier than that, however, was the fact that Luxor disappeared from Tetra’s sensory range. This opposing King quite literally just disappeared from his range without even the slightest warning!

But he was sensing Luxo’s ‘life’ energy – his energy itself! How could it vanish so fast? Was this teleportation? If so, then it still wouldn’t make sense. Because Tetra could at least sense throughout this entire five mile long platform! In fact, he’d been keeping a close watch on Luxor’s location this entire time! So how did he…

Where did Luxor go off to?

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