Multiversal Ascension

Chapter 101 - 101: A Desperate Fight

As the announcer's words fell, the two fighters locked eyes. Raynor was tense and visibly stressed, while Vorik looked at him with arrogance and amusement, clearly confident in his victory.

Raynor tightened his grip on his longsword, his gaze fixed on Vorik, ready to react to any attack. Sweat dripped down his brow as the anxiety and the high stakes of the duel weighed on him.

Vorik smirked and spoke in a mocking tone. "I hope you give me a good fight. After all, your wife's pussy is on the line here..."

Raynor saw red at his words and roared, "Don't talk about Alison like that, you disgusting piece of shit!"

The moment he shouted, a red aura engulfed him, and he charged at Vorik, gripping his longsword with both hands. He raised the weapon high, ready to strike down his opponent.

Vorik swiftly lifted his enormous greataxe, meeting the attack head-on.

"CLANK!"

The two weapons clashed, but Vorik quickly overpowered Raynor, forcing him to retreat under the pressure of his superior strength. Undeterred—knowing he couldn't afford to lose—Raynor pressed on, attempting to capitalize on the superior speed of his longsword.

Unfortunately for him, Vorik wielded his greataxe with surprising dexterity, effortlessly parrying every one of Raynor's strikes with an almost mocking ease.

Seeing this, Raynor grew desperate, intensifying his assault as he desperately tried to break through Vorik's defense.

But nothing worked.

Vorik chuckled. "This is all? It seems like you don't really care about your wife."

Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, he smirked. "Oh, I see now. This duel is your gift to me, isn't it? You wanted to give me your wife, right? How else would you explain such a pathetic performance?"

Raynor's face turned crimson with fury. "SHUT UP, BASTARD!" he roared, sending a powerful slash directly at Vorik's neck.

Sadly for him, Vorik effortlessly raised his greataxe, blocking the attack with ease before countering with a brutal kick to Raynor's stomach. The force of the blow sent Raynor flying several meters through the air.

He crashed to the ground, rolling multiple times before coming to a stop. His longsword slipped from his grasp, landing a few meters away.

At that moment, part of the crowd erupted in cheers. Vorik grinned at the reaction, raising his fist in 'victory' as he basked in the applause, completely ignoring Raynor, who was struggling to get back on his feet.

Of course, not everyone in the audience found the scene 'entertaining' or even bearable—especially considering what was at stake.

Lyra, the most 'normal' of the group, watched the so-called duel with visible disgust, her reaction the most grounded of them all. Amelia looked on with clear disapproval, while Kiara and Mikael observed the fight with indifference.

The crowd's response was just as divided. Some were enjoying the spectacle, while others found it repulsive. But even those who were disgusted couldn't look away, trapped in a fit of morbid curiosity.

At that moment, Raynor let out a strained groan as he struggled to rise.

Hearing him, Vorik turned around, momentarily pausing his basking in the crowd's admiration. A mocking smile curled on his lips.

"Oh? You're up. Why don't you just forfeit? That way, I won't have to kill you. You'll just have to hand over some pussy. Sounds like a great deal, right?"

Raynor wanted to lash out, but despair gnawed at him. The gap in strength between them was undeniable. However, the thought of his wife reignited his determination. Clenching his jaw, he quickly retrieved his fallen longsword and charged at Vorik with a war cry.

The 'fight' resumed, though calling it that would have been generous. It was nothing more than humiliation. Raynor was utterly overwhelmed in every aspect. The only reason the fight hadn't ended yet was because Vorik was enjoying tormenting him.

Mikael, seated in the stands with the girls, found the scene distasteful. He saw no point in needlessly tormenting Raynor, but beyond that, he didn't care. The same couldn't be said for Lyra, who watched the fight with a pale face and clenched fists.

Mikael inwardly sighed. 'Too soft,' he thought. Lyra was clearly affected by what was unfolding below. Unlike him, she was a normal girl. Even if she had reclusive tendencies, her moral compass aligned with the norm. Watching a man fight for his wife, only to be humiliated, naturally unsettled her.

He reached out and gently held her trembling hands, prompting her to turn toward him. His green eyes locked onto her distressed purple ones, his voice calm yet firm.

"This is the price he pays for being weak."

Lyra flinched at his words, but before she could protest, he continued.

"You pity him because he's fighting for his wife, but pity won't change the outcome. In the world, strength is everything. If you don't have it, you don't get to decide your own fate. Someone else will do it for you." His grip on her hands tightened slightly. "If Raynor were stronger, he wouldn't be groveling in the dirt, getting mocked like this. He'd be the one dictating the terms of this fight. But he's not. And now? He's nothing more than entertainment for Vorik and the crowd."

Lyra swallowed hard, her fingers trembling in his grasp. She wanted to argue, but the scene below made it difficult to deny his words.

Mikael sighed. "If you don't want to end up like him, Lyra, then never allow yourself to be weak."

At his words, Lyra lowered her head, clearly lost in thought.

Mikael let her process for a moment before pulling her into his embrace, momentarily surprising her. But soon, she relaxed in his warm, protective arms.

Leaning close to her ear, he murmured, "Keep it in mind, okay?"

Lyra remained silent for a moment before responding in a hesitant whisper, "Maybe... you're right..."

Mikael pressed a small kiss to her neck, pulling her out of her thoughts as he said, "Think about it, but don't dwell on it too much. After all, I'm here for you, and I'll always protect you. You know that, right?"

She answered with a small nod but didn't move, choosing to stay in his arms.

From the side, Kiara watched Lyra with narrowed eyes, jealousy flickering in her dark blue gaze.

'I should have acted distressed by the fight,' she thought bitterly. 'Then I'd be the one in his arms. But now this bitch is hogging him.'

Grinding her teeth, she forced herself to look away, shifting her gaze back to the fight below. She refused to watch this 'horrifying' scene any longer—at least the fight was more bearable.

At the same moment she looked down, Vorik ended the fight by decapitating Raynor with his greataxe. Blood sprayed everywhere, and part of the crowd erupted into loud cheers.

Vorik raised a fist in victory, his greataxe in his other hand, fresh blood dripping from the blade.

The crowd's cheers redoubled at his display, but their excitement was soon drowned out by the announcer's voice. "AND THE FIGHT ENDS IN THE BRUTAL DEATH OF RAYNOR! FOLKS, IT SEEMS THAT JUSTICE DIDN'T TRIUMPH TODAY, AND VORIK WILL ENJOY HIS PRIZE!"

At the announcer's words, a small, arrogant smile appeared on Vorik's face as he turned and exited the stage, disappearing into the entrance tunnel from which he had arrived earlier.

As soon as he left, the stands erupted into heated discussions about the fight, Raynor's demise, and the fate of his wife. Mikael and the girls, however, didn't partake in the conversations. Instead, they silently stood up and made their way back to the place where they had first appeared, before being teleported away, once again finding themselves in the Hub.

The atmosphere among the four was tense after what they had witnessed—or at least, that was the case for Amelia and Lyra. Kiara, on the other hand, simply clung to Mikael, occasionally shooting annoyed glances at Lyra, clearly displeased about the 'opportunity' she had gotten with him earlier.

Mikael ignored Kiara's antics, already used to them, and turned his attention to the other girls. Amelia looked relatively normal, aside from a displeased expression, showing that while she wasn't happy about what she had seen, it hadn't affected her too much. Lyra, however, was noticeably paler than usual, her face set in a pensive expression.

Seeing their reactions, Mikael regretted suggesting the visit to the Arena, realizing that it had dampened the mood of their trip to the Records. Still, despite how it had played out, it wasn't entirely a bad experience. While it had killed the mood, at least Lyra had learned something from it—something that, hopefully, would benefit her in the long run.

"Sorry, girls. I didn't expect the duel to be so... dark. It kind of killed the mood. If you want, we can continue our visit—hopefully, without another situation like the last one."

Following Mikael's words, the group resumed their visit, exploring multiple locations. At first, Amelia and Lyra weren't exactly in the mood for sightseeing and showed little interest, but as the tour progressed, they gradually became more engaged.

When they visited the military promotion room, Mikael explained how military missions worked. The girls were fascinated by the concept and expressed their interest in participating in a mission with him.

Knowing that military missions could last several days, Mikael suggested waiting until after the midterm exam, as there would be a two-week break from the Academy afterward. They could use that time to take on missions together without worrying about classes.

The girls agreed with his reasoning, and they continued their exploration. They passed through various locations, each with its own unique charm, reflecting the grandeur and mystique of the Akashic Records.

One stop was at a restaurant where delicious food could be bought using LP. They took a short break there, enjoying a meal together before resuming their tour.

By the end of the visit, despite its rocky start, they had managed to enjoy themselves, turning the experience into a worthwhile memory.

Author Note:

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