768  The Show

Humans have a peculiar way of finding enjoyment, often thriving most when there’s an underlying risk or consequence looming. Students savor movies the night before an exam, and workers indulge in social media during office hours. It’s as if the risk of something going wrong heightens the pleasure of the moment. In the same vein, the citizens of the empire, despite the immense pressure and high stakes of the situation, were experiencing an unparalleled mix of stress and excitement, making this fight the most exhilarating spectacle they’d ever witnessed.

But within the vast sea of viewers, there was a small subsection that could be said to be experiencing double the enjoyment of everyone else—the anime enthusiasts. To them, what they were witnessing was nothing short of a live-action anime, complete with dramatic showdowns, intense power-ups, and awe-inspiring moves. Except, this time, the stakes were real. It was as if they had been transported into their favorite show, watching an overpowered protagonist dominate the arena, only with the outcomes directly impacting their world.

Aron’s final move against the Elara fighter was the last straw for that select group of anime fans. They realized that the emperor himself was relishing the fight, even under such intense circumstances. His recreation of moves from animes and cartoons showed not just his power but also his playful engagement with the battle.

With six victories already under their belt, they were just two wins away from securing a majority—ensuring they wouldn’t have to join the Conclave. However, the remaining matches still carried weight, as they would determine the specifics of the individual contracts and what the empire stood to gain from the ordeal.

…………….

Aron, as usual, walked over to Kalthar’s corpse, collecting whatever equipment remained and packing it into the container sent for retrieval.

{You just gave conspiracy theorists very convincing evidence of their suspicions,} Nova teased, as Aron made his way to pick up his sword, lying quite a distance away.

Aron wanted to laugh at her comment but kept his composure, settling for an internal chuckle. He had a part to play after all. Instead, he responded calmly, “To the Terran Empire citizens, it might seem that way, but the same can’t be said for the Conclave members and their civilizations. Everything I do here will be noted, shaping their perception of what my people are capable of. It’s important to show diverse abilities to make them even more cautious about us.”

{But why the overkill? You could’ve finished him with less damage by just redirecting the attack as it was. Why make it ten times stronger?} she asked, genuinely curious. Though Nova had access to his neural data, it was currently being handled by a separate instance of hers that was isolated to prevent any delays.

“I need them to believe that I panicked and lost control, which is why the return attack was so much more powerful,” Aron explained as he bent down to retrieve his sword. Sitting cross-legged, he placed the blade vertically across his knees and closed his eyes.

He felt a quiet sense of pride over the execution of his plan. The idea to reflect the lightning attack back at Kalthar wasn’t something he had meticulously plotted out ahead of time. It formed in that critical moment as the lightning approached. Aron had created a dual-layered shield that absorbed the attack, using his own mana to overwrite Kalthar’s, and amplified the power by tenfold before sending it back—all in less than a second.

As his conversation with Nova continued, the referee AI materialized in front of him.

{Would you like to use your break period, or shall we proceed to the next fight?} the AI asked.

Following the referee AI’s question, both the Imperial and Conclave citizens, along with the other fighters, listened intently. Aron’s response would reveal his condition after the intense fight, and everyone was eager to see if he would push forward or take the time to recover.

“I would like to use my break period,” Aron answered, his face serious. Without another word, he closed his eyes once again, visibly absorbing mana—a sight only those experienced in mana manipulation could fully understand.

{We will be taking a twenty-minute break before the next fight,} the referee AI announced, her voice echoing through the Colosseum. She then disappeared, though the protective shields around the arena and access points remained sealed. A massive timer appeared in the sky, counting down the minutes until the next bout.

…………

The Conclave viewers, upon seeing Aron request a break, collectively released a sigh of relief. Finally, he was showing signs of fatigue, a change from his earlier demeanor of confidently dispatching fighters and moving directly to the next without any rest. For many, this was a significant moment—Aron, who had previously appeared unstoppable, was now beginning to show a crack in his seemingly invincible facade.

Some of the viewers from the remaining civilizations couldn’t help but wonder if the pressure they were experiencing was also weighing on their fighters. Concerns about whether this intense atmosphere would affect their fighters’ mental state loomed large in their minds. The psychological strain of facing an opponent like Aron, who had shown such overwhelming power, was undeniable. S~eaʀᴄh the Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

However, for many, those concerns now seemed somewhat less significant. Aron, the Terran Emperor, was finally showing signs of physical fatigue. His earlier aura of invincibility had begun to waver, and the visible signs of stress from the situation had given the other civilizations a glimmer of hope.

However, the actual fighters from these civilizations were far from worried; they were confident in their impending victories. The Valthorin fighter believed his prowess was unmatched, while the Xor’Vaks fighter didn’t even entertain the thought of defeat. The Zelvora remained assured, thinking that those who were physically strong often lacked the mental fortitude to match it. The Trinarian fighter was convinced that no one was safe from his spatial abilities, especially after witnessing the empire’s black hole bomb in action. The Symmetra were equally confident, trusting that their advanced weaponry would be more than sufficient to handle a supposedly weary Aron.

The Erythians, having engineered a fighter capable of standing up to even the Xor’Vaks royal, felt no apprehension. The Galvinith shared this confidence, as their unique symbiosis had earned them a place among the top ten civilizations. Meanwhile, the Shadari, being the only ones whose weapons were proven to be unstoppable by the empire, were equally unconcerned.

The only slight hesitance came from the Yrral Coalition, which was more accustomed to large-scale warfare than individual combat.

However, that worry was minimal; their mecha was a testament to their ingenuity, created specifically to address their vulnerabilities. In essence, none of the remaining top ten civilizations felt threatened by the prospect of losing to Aron. Their confidence was palpable, and they were ready to face him head-on in the arena.

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