Jazmel was the last one to enter the battle, the one vs one battles were still going on. But Jazmel was entrenched in thought. He was growing anxious there was still something like a hundred contenders alongside himself in the waiting room.

  DING!

  THE LIGHTNING LORD HAS GROWN BORED!

  THE LAST BOUT WILL BE THE FINAL BOUT!!

  THE LAST TEN TO SURVIVE THE ROYALE WILL ASCEND!!!

  …

  Jazmel felt incensed, he was ready to fight. Itching to go, he waited for the talisman to move him. in a split second he was within the arena, the crowd’s shouts were monstrous. His keen senses picked up even more sounds, Jazmel was almost stunned by all the sounds bouncing around. But he didn’t hesitate, he drew his sword. Furyu and began to carve bloody slaughter through those around him.

  Flaming Evisceration!

  He slashed around and bodies were flung into the air. He wasn’t done though. He was pushing forward, diving deeper into the centre of the arena.

  Dragon fang!

  A skill soared past him, and he watched as it blew up ten different contenders, turning them all into bloody mist. He followed the strike pattern, his eyes tracing the residual Mana, and his eyes came to a man who wore wicked armour. Black scales and a cloak clearly made of leather. His sword was curved and wicked, it looked like a tooth.

  His items all looked like pieces of a dragon, and Jazmel wondered if his trait or class had been a dragon slayer. He was watching Jazmel with mock interest, but he was wary of him.

  “You look strong!” he shouted as other fights continued around them. Jazmel paid him no heed, he had no time for a rival after all. Instead he continued to fight those around him. a beam shot pass his head, he slipped it and cut through its owner like hot knife in butter.

  Dragon flame!

  Scorching through the contenders, another wave of them were obliterated and Jazmel turned and saw the man with dragon skills following him. a toothy grin upon his lips.

  “fight me!”

  Jazmel continued into the melee, striking with his sword where he could and dodging counters and parries.

  Great rumbling dragon!

  A group rushed towards him, and he felt them building their skills. He wasn’t slow, he moved quicker than them. His Mana dragon maw raged through the fray. They weren’t consumed but the Mana churned against them and Jazmel found himself being avoided by most of the remaining contenders. There was less than forty remaining now, but they were the stronger of the group. That much he could tell.

  Mana bolt!

  A searing bolt of Mana shot past his head. Turning to the direction it had come from, another two shot at him. He dodged one and deflected the other, off his sword and sent it reeling into a group that had been hurrying behind him.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  There was a short girl standing watching him. she had raven black hair, which curled down her back and she had a fringe that covered her forehead and stopped just above her eyes. Her eyes were the most interesting, they were dark brown but there was a burning gold halo around her iris. She was brimming with Mana, much unlike he had seen before. It was so great that she was shining like a star before him.

  “You can see Mana?” she asked and Jazmel didn’t answer her but readied his sword and stance.

  Mana pulse!

  She flared Mana from her core, and it reverberated from her. Striking everyone around her and offsetting their skills and cores.

  But not Jazmel, he had seen it happening in her core. He cut through the pulse as it burst towards him. He then reared forward and rushed towards her. She wasn’t even startled and formed Mana around her hands. Turning them in to burning orbs and she struck at Jazmel. Trying to punch or disarm him, Jazmel wasn’t that keen on close combat in truth. But his eyes gave him the advantage, he could see the Mana and so he knew where she was going to strike. Knew what she was aiming for and so he dropped his sword from his grip. Dropped and kicked the hilt up as she neared him. as the sword shot up, he drew Yoru No Tsubasa and aimed for her. The whispering grave iron skimmed her, and she hissed. Backing off and trying to get away from him, but he wasn’t going to let her. He caught Furyu in his back hand and spun as he crouched. So both blades struck out at her. She used Mana to block the blades, Furyu didn’t get through. But Yoru No Tsubasa was not to be stopped, it slashed through her Mana shield, and she yelped as she backed off.

  Flaming Evisceration!

  He sent his clawing scythe attack after her. She tried to block, but the strike was far more forceful than she was ready for. It struck her and knocked her into a melee. Sending them all sprawling.

  “Oi! Do not avoid me!!” he heard shouted behind him and as he turned, he used both swords to defend himself.

  Dragon fang!

  The strike hit him, jarring his muscles. He knew it was a heavy attack, but he wasn’t caught unaware. No he firmed the attack, after all he was really durable.

  “Oh your sturdy! Show me that dragon move again!” the man said, but Jazmel didn’t even bother with him.

  Sunder!

  Sunder

  Sunder

  He raised both swords, one attack with the left. One with the right, and then slashing across the air. He generated a cross that hit a large group of remaining contenders. Many disappeared after that, but there was still more than ten.

  “Down to the dozens!” the dragon skill user shouted. The girl with Mana in abundance was suddenly standing there, waiting for her turn in the battle. There were a few others, but Jazmel found himself focusing on those who could do damage.

  There was a woman standing in a circle. She wore a wide brimmed black hat, to others it might have just looked like a witch’s hat. But to Jazmel, and his Mana attuned eyes. He could see the Mana core that the entire hat was. It was as if the woman had two Mana cores and so her Mana was doubled. She raised both her hands and Jazmel watched in horror as her skill activated.

  Hellfire Storm!

  From above, hellfire flashed across the sky and rained down on the arena. Jazmel dodged and darted, but they were much larger in diameter than him. He slashed as many times as he could and split the hellfire as it came for him.

  Flaming Evisceration!

  Jazmel was trying to stop himself from being struck. By the time she had finished there was just a few more, maybe like fifteen but Jazmel was trying to end this as quickly as possible. He ran to the group closest to him.

  “Quick put up a barrier.” One of them said, but they were not prepared. He leapt high above them, almost above the wall that penned in the arena, before descending below.

  Raven’s cleaving descent!!

  He smashed their makeshift barrier, crashing into the ground and causing it to erupt beneath their feet. Five bodies were flung into the air, four turned red while the last one wreathed in gold disappeared.

  DING!

  THE ROYALE HAS BEEN COMPLETED!

  …

  THE FINAL TEN CONTENDERS HAVE BEEN SORTED!!

  …

  CONGRATULATIONS!