The Heavenly Pavilion Leader's voice thundered through the arena, echoing off the cold, stone walls as he declared.
"Let the duel... BEGIN!".
The air was heavy with anticipation, the crowd's collective breath bated in expectation of the clash to come. Cheon Taesan, the Cult's Eldest son, stood at the arena's center, his eyes scanning the surroundings with a mix of confusion and disorientation.
As the crowd's murmurs grew, Taesan's gaze locked onto a figure seated atop a grand, ebony throne, overlooking the arena. The Cult Leader, his father, radiated an aura of immense power, his eyes gleaming with an intensity that seemed to pierce through the very soul of Taesan. Taesan's instincts prickled, a shiver running down his spine as he sensed the weight of his father's gaze.
Across from him, his opponent, Jin Hyunwoo, seethed with a rage so palpable it seemed to distort the air around him.
"Ignoring me till the end, huh, Taesan?!".
Hyunwoo's sword flashed in the dim light of the arena, its edge shimmering with a malevolent intent as he lunged forward. The crowd gasped, their voices rising in a cacophony of excitement and trepidation.
Without so much as a twitch, Cheon Taesan activated his sole known skill, "Demon God's Aura". The arena plunged into an unsettling silence, the only sound the soft hum of the aura as it enveloped the space. Hyunwoo, mid-attack, found himself paralyzed, his sword hovering mere inches from Taesan's impassive face before clattering to the ground with a deafening clang. The challenger himself followed, collapsing onto the cold, hard floor with a thud, unable to move under the crushing weight of the aura.
The Cult Leader's smirk was the only movement in the sea of statues, his eyes sparkling with a mix of surprise and intrigue. The air was heavy, almost suffocating, as if the very presence of the Demon God's Aura had sucked the oxygen out of the room. Spectators struggled to breathe, their faces pale and drawn.
Hyunwoo, with a voice laced with desperation, begged, "Mercy... I surrender!" The words hung in the air, a poignant contrast to the defiance that had once burned within him. The Zero Pavilion Leader, poised to declare the duel's end, hesitated, his eyes darting towards Taesan in anticipation of his response.
Cheon Taesan's smirk sliced through the tension, his voice dripping with an icy nonchalance, "Surrender? Who gave you permission to surrender?" The words were a slap in the face, a stark reminder that in the world of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, mercy was a luxury few could afford. Hyunwoo's puzzled gaze met Taesan's, a flicker of fear dancing in his eyes as he realized too late the gravity of his mistake.
In a movement almost too swift to follow, Taesan drew a sword, its blade shimmering with a light that seemed almost ethereal. With a single, precise strike, he ended Hyunwoo's life, the sound of the sword slicing through the air and into flesh echoing through the arena like a death knell. As the blade retracted, the Demon God's Aura dissipated, freeing the arena's spectators from its grasp. Gasps for air filled the room, a stark contrast to the eerie silence that had preceded it.
The Heavenly Pavilion Leader, still in awe, flinched before managing to stammer out a declaration of Taesan's victory. Cheon Taesan, however, seemed utterly unfazed, his expression a mask of indifference. He turned towards the Cult Leader, their eyes meeting in a silent understanding that only they could grasp. The air was thick with unspoken questions, the crowd's shock and awe palpable as they struggled to comprehend the true extent of Taesan's power.
Without a word, Taesan turned on his heel and walked away from the arena, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and unspoken fears. The Cult Leader's gaze followed him, a deep-seated interest burning within his eyes.
Cheon Taesan had Descended for his Forsaken Cult.