Chapter 408: First strike

The cheering and roaring of more than a thousand spectators created an atmosphere worth experiencing at least once. Had Luke not been in this state, where the presence of the two moons left him feeling unusually confident and relaxed, he might have felt at least a little nervous. But now, standing at the edge of the arena with the crowd’s thunder rolling around him, he felt remarkably calm.

He had done his preparation, and he knew exactly what his priority was.

He would get hurt. There was even a chance he could be killed. Yet knowing that death here would only teach him a few painful lessons rather than actually claim his life gave him the confidence to step into the arena and face his opponent without hesitation.

Another person stood waiting inside, most likely a referee or someone fulfilling a similar role. Luke barely spared him a glance. His attention remained fixed on the man he had come here to face.

Astfall.

The Dragon Lord’s younger brother and the one who had been most desperate to see humanity burn.

He stood around six and a half feet tall, with broad shoulders and thick, powerful arms. His dark skin contrasted sharply with his long black hair, while a deep scar ran beneath his left eye, disappearing toward his cheek. There was something imposing about his presence, a weight that seemed to follow him even when he remained perfectly still.

As Luke drew closer, he spoke.

"I heard about your loss, and despite how much of a bullshit consolation it might sound like, I really am sorry for what you have gone through."

No parent should have to endure the loss Astfall had suffered. His young dragon had crossed the Wall out of nothing more than curiosity, only to fall into the hands of people who cared little whether their prey was a child or a grown being.

It was difficult not to find that distressing.

"You would never understand the pain of losing someone that close to you, since you have no one you could call your own."

Astfall’s words came through a low growl, his expression making it clear that he had no intention of accepting Luke’s condolences.

Luke simply shook his head.

He had no intention of explaining himself. There was no need to tell Astfall about the few people in his life whose loss he could never bear, or how there was one particular woman whose tears alone could make his heart sink and send his thoughts into complete disarray.

Astfall was too consumed by his grief and anger to listen to anything Luke could say. Trying to reason with him now would be nothing more than a fruitless venture.

"Alright, people! Here we are to witness the battle between our Almighty Commander of the Flaming Legion, Lord Astfall Crowshade!"

The referee’s booming announcement swept across the arena, and the mere mention of Astfall’s name was enough to unleash another wave of cheers from the crowd. Thousands of voices rose together, shaking the air and filling the Grand Arena with an almost tangible excitement.

While the spectators celebrated their champion, Luke calmly instructed the System to assess the man standing before him.

It didn’t matter much anymore. Whatever information the System could provide would not change the fact that he had to fight Astfall. Still, knowing where his opponent excelled and where he was lacking could prove vital once the battle began. Even the smallest weakness could become an opportunity if Luke knew where to look.

"And on the other side, entering the Grand Arena of the Mistborn for the first time, we have a human who has proposed himself as a challenger in exchange for the lives of his people!"

"Booooooo!"

The response was immediate.

A deafening chorus of jeers erupted from every corner of the arena. Some spectators shouted insults, while others simply booed as loudly as they could, their hostility directed entirely at the lone human standing in the middle of their territory.

Luke looked around at the sea of unfriendly faces.

Then he casually raised his middle finger.

"Fuck you back."

He gave them a small nod as though acknowledging a greeting before lowering his hand.

It wasn’t as if he cared what they thought of him.

He wasn’t here to make diplomatic relationships. He was here to fight, and if they wanted to hate him for it, they were more than welcome to.

Just then, Astfall’s stats appeared before Luke’s eyes.

[Str: 140

Spd: 140

End: 165

Int: 120]

There was no doubt that Astfall was considerably weaker than his elder brother. Then again, that was precisely why he was not the Dragon King himself. Astaroth was the strongest being in the entire realm, a monster whose strength stood in a league of its own.

But Astfall being weaker than his brother did not mean he was weaker than Luke.

Quite the opposite.

His Strength stat alone made it painfully clear that the man before him would be a tremendous problem. And this was only Astfall’s base form. Luke had yet to see what kind of monster he would become once he unleashed his true power and transformed.

Luke couldn’t even begin to imagine what he would be dealing with then.

’I need to end this before he gets the chance to transform.’

Gamma began gathering around Luke’s body as he lowered his stance, his knees bending as he crouched closer to the ground. The energy crawled over him, gathering with increasing intensity as his eyes remained fixed on Astfall.

The referee was in the middle of saying something when Astfall suddenly moved.

With a casual backhand, he struck the man across the body and sent him flying several meters away. The referee crashed onto the arena floor, rolling across the ground before finally coming to a stop.

Astfall didn’t even bother looking in his direction.

"You don’t waste time, and that’s the only thing I appreciate about you, human."

Luke didn’t respond. His entire body tensed like a spring drawn to its limit.

Silence descended over the arena.

The crowd seemed to instinctively sense that something was about to happen. Luke’s magical presence alone was enough to make the air feel heavy, the pressure rolling outward from his body as Gamma gathered around him.

Then, in the next instant, Luke shifted his foot.

The concrete beneath him cracked.

He vanished.

Dhak!

The air exploded in a violent burst as Luke’s fist slammed forward, sending waves of pressure rippling through the arena. Yet Astfall didn’t move an inch.

When the dust settled, the spectators saw Luke’s fist stopped against Astfall’s forearm. The two stood locked together, neither willing to give the other even an inch.

"Tch."

Luke clicked his tongue, his muscles tightening as he pushed harder against the block.

Astfall grinned. He could feel the sting spreading through his muscles, an unfamiliar sensation that seemed to amuse rather than concern him.

"You are stronger than any human I have..."

Before he could finish, Luke’s free hand shot toward his jaw.

Dhak!

Blocked again.

The impact reverberated through the arena as Astfall caught the second strike as well. Now they were truly locked together, standing almost chest to chest with barely any distance between them.

Exactly what Luke wanted.

His cheeks suddenly bulged as he drew in a deep breath. His head tilted backward, and the muscles and veins around his neck tightened under the strain.

Astfall’s grin faded slightly.

He didn’t understand what Luke was doing.

Then Luke unleashed it.

"GAAAAAAHHHH!"

The roar came from somewhere deep within his chest as the concentrated Gamma erupted forward.

Five seconds of concentration.

Five seconds of compressing an immense amount of power into a single devastating release.

At this level of magical energy, Concentrated Burst was no longer something that could be casually endured at point-blank range.

DOOOOOOM!

The entire arena behind Astfall erupted.

Concrete was blown apart in an instant as chunks of stone and debris were hurled through the air. A violent shockwave tore across the battlefield, swallowing everything in its path and sending dust billowing toward the stands.

Had the audience not been protected by the surrounding barrier, the force of the explosion would have claimed several lives before anyone could react.

Astaroth could only stare at the scene with a feral grin spreading across his lips.

Agatha, meanwhile, was genuinely astonished. She had never expected Luke to begin the battle with such overwhelming force. The sheer intensity of that opening attack was enough to surprise even her.

However, her expression soon settled.

"This is far from over."

And just as she expected, when the dust finally began to settle, a change could be seen

Astfall slowly pulled his head back.

Luke’s expression tightened.

Black scales covered Astfall’s face, head, and even his neck, forming a natural layer of protection that had apparently endured the explosion head-on. Not a single visible injury marred his features.

Then Astfall’s cheeks began to bulge.

A faint orange glow gathered around his mouth.

The heat intensified.

Luke stared at him.

"..."

Yeah.

This was not exactly the start Luke had been hoping for.