Emperor's Reckoning



The arena remained in a state of awe and disbelief after Kesya's astonishing act of intentionally jumping out of the arena, allowing Karina to secure her place in the final round. Whispers and murmurs swept through the crowd, who were still trying to process the unexpected turn of events.

However, before the spectators could fully recover from their astonishment, the attention shifted once again. His presence commanded the focus of everyone present. It was time for the final battle of the tournament, and the anticipation in the air was palpable as he squared off against Karina, his opponent in this climactic showdown. The crowd hushed, their collective breath held, as the two contestants readied themselves for what promised to be an unforgettable confrontation.

The announcer, his voice trembling slightly, continued with the tournament, "Ladies and gentlemen, the final round is upon us. But first, we must acknowledge the exceptional performance we've witnessed today. Our contestants have displayed remarkable skills, and we are truly honored to have such talent in the Felidora Tournament."

He paused, scanning the audience, where some still seemed bewildered by the speed of the previous match. Then, he collected himself and continued, "Now, without further ado, allow me to introduce our final contenders for today's championship match."

The crowd's attention shifted towards Lyon and Karina, who stood ready at opposite ends of the arena. The announcer began to introduce them, but it was evident that his previous enthusiasm had waned, especially when describing Lyon.

"As for our first finalist, we have Lyon, a human," the announcer's tone lacked the usual grandeur as if he couldn't muster the same excitement for a human contestant. "And, his opponent, we have Karina, a half-elf."

The crowd exchanged uncertain glances, their dilemma evident in their murmurs. "Who should we cheer for?" one person asked.

Another voice chimed in, "Well, Karina's got that elf blood in her, right? Maybe we should support her!"

Gradually, the crowd's confusion gave way to tentative support for Karina, recognizing the significance of her mixed heritage.

As the debate within the crowd continued, more voices began to rally behind Karina. Soon, a chorus of cheers and applause erupted, with the majority of the spectators deciding to support her. Their voices grew stronger, echoing through the arena, and it became clear that Karina had won over the audience with her unique background.

Lyon smirked, "Would you hear that? Felidora got your back." he turned and faced the crowd, "Hey, what about me?! Where is my cheer?"

The crowd, incensed by Lyon's comment, erupted in a cacophony of insults and derogatory remarks.

"Human scum!"

"Get out of here!"

"We don't want you!"

The words were harsh and unrelenting, with many in the audience making their disdain for Lyon abundantly clear.

Lyon, rather than being disheartened by the insults, turned towards Karina with a wry grin. He seemed to take some odd satisfaction in the rain of insults as if it amused him more than it offended him.

"Fight me, fair and square," said Karina as her eyes flashed with determination.

Lyon crossed his arms. "Teacher, you know this is not an even fight."

"I will fight you, fair and square," said Karina before continuing, "and also, you're not my student, not yet."

"I am me," said Lyon.

Karina shook her head before saying, "No, he is not here, The one who is standing before me, is the elusive emperor I heard too much about. Fight me, fair and square."

Lyon had his eyes widened for a bit before he smirked, "Heh, a fight with no cultivation involved, fair and square." He murmured. "Very well," Lyon undid his crossed arms. "I have to warn you, currently, I am the peak version of me— if we're not counting my cultivation level of course."

Karina nodded and entered her stance, "Enough talk, give me everything you got, Your Majesty!"

"Prepare for the final showdown!" the announcer's voice echoed throughout the arena. "May the best warrior emerge victorious!"

Lyon and Karina rushed forward together and the center of the stage was where the finale took place. Fist met fist and the distance was set.

The arena crackled with palpable tension as Karina and Lyon squared off, their eyes locked in an unspoken challenge. The crowd leaned forward in their seats, their collective breath held in anticipation. It was a clash of styles and heritages, a battle that transcended the differences between them.

Karina, with her elven grace, moved like a whirlwind. Her lithe form darted through the air, each movement a dance of precision and fluidity. Her strikes were lightning-fast, aimed at Lyon's vital points with surgical accuracy. Her half-elven lineage granted her reflexes that bordered on the supernatural, and she used them to her advantage, parrying Lyon's attacks with seemingly effortless grace.

Lyon, on the other hand, was a master of his craft. He moved with a calculated finesse, each step a testament to years of training and discipline. His counters were precise, his blocks unwavering. His experience allowed him to read Karina's patterns, anticipating her every move. It was a battle of wits and skill, with Lyon relying on his vast knowledge of combat techniques.

Linnea's sharp eyes were fixed on the arena, and her murmured words barely left her lips, lost in the collective gasps and whispers of the crowd. Her disbelief was evident as she watched Lyon and Karina engage in a battle that defied convention.

"Incredible..." she whispered again, her voice tinged with awe. It was a sentiment shared by many in the audience, but for Linnea, it held a deeper significance. As a captain of the knights, she had witnessed countless battles, each one a testament to power and strategy. But this was different.

The two combatants before her were not relying on their cultivation powers, the essence of their races, or any supernatural abilities. Instead, they were engaged in a raw display of combat techniques, honed through years of training and experience. It was a reminder that at the core of all battles lay the fundamental principles of martial arts.

As Lyon and Karina continued their relentless bout, it became evident that Karina possessed an almost boundless reservoir of stamina. She pressed forward, her movements precise and efficient, never faltering, and never showing signs of fatigue. Lyon, on the other hand, found himself gradually being pushed back, his defenses solid but strained.

Every parry, every block, every dodge was executed with precision, but he struggled to find an opening to mount a counterattack. Karina's movements were like a well-choreographed dance, fluid and unyielding. It was as if she had an infinite wellspring of energy, and Lyon couldn't help but feel the weight of her relentless assault.

"Go, Karina!" one spectator shouted, their voice echoing through the arena.

"Half-elf, show 'em what you've got!" another voice chimed in.

The crowd's cheers grew louder with each strike and parry, as they rallied behind Karina. They were enthralled by her relentless assault and stamina. The sight of a seemingly unstoppable half-elf warrior was inspiring, and they couldn't help but cheer for her.

"Karina! Karina!"

"Finish him, Karina!"

The arena resonated with the energy of the crowd, their voices a cacophony of support for the underdog, who had already exceeded their expectations.

"You're really fast," said Lyon as his voice immediately swept by a grazing punch, narrowly missed his head. "It doesn't matter if you have one hand or two or six even, you're a fighter, Karina... BUT!"

"?!" Karina's eyes widened.

Lyon caught Karina's palm strike by the wrist with his hand and got the latter to have her eyes widened. He was one push away from out of bounds, but he countered with a swift kick toward Karina's abdomens, pushing her back several steps to regain her balance.

However, Lyon was not quick enough before his chest was kicked instead. He was pushed to the edge and his arms swam wildly against the air to gain his balance with his teeth gritted ( Damn it, that line was cool though! )

"My win, your majesty."

"Huh?"

Karina stood calmly in front of him with a smile on her face. Her gorgeous golden hair fluttered before she gently placed her hand on his chest. She gently pushed and his feet tilted out of the ring. 

"Not so fast," Lyon grabbed Karina's hand and pulled her in, using her weight to push him back to the arena all the while he evaded Karina's incoming body that trajectory toward out of bounds.

However, the inherited great reflex of the elven, made her turn at the last second that her feet were on the edge of the arena. She grabbed Lyon's robe before jumping out of the arena on purpose, but at that exact moment, Lyon was leering over his shoulder.

"Oh c'mon!" Lyon exclaimed before he did the same and jumped backward in Karina's direction right before his robe pulled him.

The two crashed in mid-air, head to head, before falling. Lyon fell on his butt, but Karina was face down. Lyon glanced over and saw that her arms were up despite her countenance kissing the ground.

"Oh, are you kidding me?!" Lyon blurted.

The arena fell into stunned silence as the announcer's words hung in the air.

"Winner of the Felidora Tournament... Karina!"