When Kael arrived at the combat arena, a wave of noise hit him head-on.
The stands were packed.
The people of the demonic race—or at least the vast majority—occupied every available seat.
Demons of all races, sizes, and shapes pressed against one another, expectant, impatient, eyes alight.
Some shouted names they didn't even know yet. Others placed bets. Others simply wanted to see blood.
The arena was enormous. Circular. Made of polished black stone, with ancient marks engraved into the ground—symbols that spoke of past wars, of duels that had decided entire destinies.
In the center, the space was completely clear, as if even the arena itself knew that it would soon witness something important.
Kael was guided to an elevated seat, high enough to command a full view of the field.
Even seated, he could see every corner of the arena without difficulty. From there, all the battles would unfold before his eyes like pieces on a cruel board.
Serenna remained at his side, standing, back straight, hands crossed in front of her. Her expression was serious, focused, as if she were already analyzing every possible outcome.
Kael glanced at her sideways.
—Serenna… relax —he said quietly, with a nervous smile—. If you want, you can bring a chair and sit next to me, hahaha.
He tried to sound relaxed, but inside his stomach was in knots.
She turned to look at him, a little surprised. For a moment she seemed to hesitate, as if the suggestion broke some invisible protocol.
— Yes, my lord. Right away.
Without wasting time, she took a chair that was just a few centimeters from the reserved spot and placed it next to Kael.
Then she sat down with elegance, maintaining her composure, though now her closeness made him feel a little more uncomfortable than he had expected.
The murmur of the crowd grew, like a tide about to break.
Then, a figure appeared in the middle of the arena.
A tall man with a powerful voice held a metallic silver object: a magical megaphone, designed to amplify the voice throughout the coliseum.
As soon as he raised it, the noise began to die down.
— Good day, people of the demonic race! —his voice thundered—. Today we live an event worthy of being remembered.
Silence settled slowly.
— Today we are here to witness hand-to-hand battles between the finest warriors in the service of the Demon King. That's right… the Seven Deadly Sins who join us today!
A roar of applause and shouts shook the stands.
Kael felt the sound vibrate in his chest.
— These confrontations will decide who will be the captain to lead the group of the Seven Deadly Sins —the announcer continued—. So don't get up from your seats and enjoy these battles, because what you will see today… doesn't happen easily.
The crowd erupted once more.
Some demons stomped the stands with their feet. Others raised weapons into the air. The arena seemed alive.
— As everyone knows… or as some still don't know —he went on—, the combats will take place in one-on-one format. For one of the two to advance to the next round, their opponent must be left unconscious or gravely wounded, unable to continue.
An excited murmur ran through the stands.
— We have top-tier healers at the sides of the field —he added, pointing to the edges—, so don't worry. No one will die… unless fate wills it.
Kael swallowed hard.
— Right now we will choose the first matchup. In a few seconds we will know who the first chosen by destiny will be.
Above the arena, the air began to distort.
Eight enormous rocks floated in the sky. Each one measured approximately twenty centimeters long and wide. They rotated slowly, suspended by pure magic. Around them, an ethereal ribbon glowed, displaying names that moved nonstop: the names of each sin.
The crowd held its breath.
— At this moment we will know who will be chosen for the first battle —the announcer declared—. The first two stones to touch the ground will be the selected ones.
The announcer raised his hand.
— Ten… nine… eight… seven… six… five… four… three… two… one!
The rocks fell.
Two struck the ground at the same time, kicking up dust and a dry sound that echoed throughout the arena. The rest vanished into the air.
The silence lasted barely a second.
Then expectation exploded.
The man approached the stones, bent down, and read the names engraved on them. His eyes widened with excitement.
— And the first duel will be between… Greed and Lust!
The arena erupted.
Shouts. Applause. Whistles. Overlapping voices chanting the sins as if they were living legends.
Kael felt a chill run down his spine.
At the sides of the arena, two enormous doors began to open slowly. The sound of stone shifting echoed powerfully.
From one of them emerged Aurum.
His mere presence stole the breath of many. Elegant, confident, with a dangerous smile. His beauty was almost unnatural, like a sharpened jewel. Women screamed without shame. Some clutched their chests. Others spoke his name without even knowing it.
From the opposite door came Seraphyne.
Tall, imposing, with a different kind of beauty. Wild. Fiery. Her gaze was intense, like a living flame. The men shouted with equal force, fascinated, enchanted by her presence.
The noise was deafening.
Both walked confidently to the center of the field. Their steps were firm, sure, as if the arena already belonged to them. Neither carried their weapon visibly. No swords, no spears, nothing in plain sight.
That only heightened the tension.
— Now then —the man announced, raising the megaphone—. It is time to begin the first battle of the Seven Deadly Sins.
He made a dramatic pause.
— Lust… against Greed!
Silence fell abruptly.
So absolute that Kael could hear his own breathing.
Seraphyne and Aurum stared at each other fixedly.
Two sins face to face.
Two wills clashing even before the first blow.
The entire arena held its breath…
waiting for one of them to make the first move.
A wind charged with power swept through the place. The ground trembled slightly beneath Kael's feet. Pure magic, invisible but dense, began to concentrate around the combatants, as if the air itself recognized them as superior beings.
Serenna clenched her fists on her knees, restrained. She knew that the first move would decide more than a simple duel: it would mark hierarchies, provoke fears, awaken dormant ambitions.
Aurum smiled with almost theatrical elegance, tilting his head slightly.
— Dear Seraphyne… I hope you don't mind if I'm the one to take the first step toward victory.
She raised an eyebrow, a spark of fire in her gaze.
— Oh, Aurum… I do mind. But I'd love to see you try.
The crowd roared again, understanding that words had begun the war.
Kael leaned forward, expectant. In his chest beat an emotion he wasn't sure was fear, pride, or pure adrenaline.
In that arena, before thousands of eyes, his sins were about to show what they were truly made of.
And as the dust still floated, as the shouts mingled with the held breath of the demon king, a golden flash and a crimson blaze crossed in the air…
The true spectacle had just begun.