BXBX NOVEL Chapter 78: The Deadly Arena
[Heh, knowing Lucy? She's probably just getting warmed up,] the system chimed in, its tone dripping with amusement. [You might want to hurry, though. Wouldn't want to miss the fireworks.]
Ignoring the system's smugness, Zeus quickened his pace and made his way to the audience seats, his eyes immediately locking onto the arena floor.
There, standing with an unyielding confidence on one side, was Lucy. She was poised, her stance betraying no fear, while on the opposite side stood five men, each radiating arrogance.
Zeus's frown deepened, his brows knitting together as a surge of worry coursed through him. He leaned forward slightly, the tension in his posture clear. "Don't tell me she's actually planning to face all five of them," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
In the arena, Lucy stood with unwavering calm, her eyes focused and determined as she prepared for the fight ahead. In stark contrast, the five men facing her were anything but serious, their overconfidence practically radiating off them.
They openly mocked her, their arrogance laid bare for all to see. "Look at her, thinking she can take us on," one of them jeered, his voice dripping with disdain.
A man with sharp green eyes and short blonde hair stepped forward, sneering as he spoke to his comrades. "I want the first move. She dared to punch me earlier, so it's only fair I get to pay her back."
His friend, a burly man with a cruel smirk, chuckled darkly. "Go ahead. Just make sure you humiliate her as much as possible before we finish her off."
The blonde-haired man's smirk widened, the anticipation of what he intended to do clearly giving him a sick thrill. "Don't worry. I'll make sure she regrets ever laying a hand on me."
Before they could continue their taunts, the announcer's voice boomed through the arena, drawing the attention of everyone present. "Today's battle is between the new outer disciple, Lucy, and the ranked disciples—positions 96, 97, 98, 99, and 100, respectively."
A buzz of excitement rippled through the crowd, but what the announcer said next sent a collective gasp through the audience. "This match is a death match. The battle will not stop until one side is completely dead."
The arena fell into a stunned silence. Even the five men, so full of bravado moments before, looked momentarily shocked by the gravity of the situation. But their surprise quickly gave way to smug amusement, their arrogance resurfacing with a vengeance.
"Are you out of your mind?" one of them taunted, his voice laced with mockery. "You really are stupid, challenging us to a death match. We're going to make sure you suffer before we kill you."
Another chimed in, his tone dripping with malice. "You've sealed your fate, little girl. We'll have our fun, and then you'll wish you'd never set foot in this arena."
Lucy's expression remained icy, her gaze locked onto them with an intensity that cut through their laughter like a blade. Her voice was cold, steady, and utterly fearless. "Let's see who the real fool is. We'll find out soon enough who will be the one to die."
The men exchanged glances, their smirks faltering for just a moment as they registered the lethal intent in her words. But it was too late to back down now, and they knew it. The death match was set, and only one side would walk away from this arena.
Meanwhile, from the audience side, Zeus could only sigh and shake his head, his expression a mixture of concern and reluctant acceptance. He watched as Lucy prepared to face off against the five ranked disciples in a death match, a scenario he had hoped to avoid but knew was inevitable given her fierce nature.
"As expected, she's decided to fight all of them... and in a death match, no less," he murmured, his voice tinged with both admiration and frustration. He knew Lucy too well—once she made up her mind, there was no turning back.
[Heh, you should've seen this coming,] the system chimed in, its tone dripping with smugness. [That girl's got more guts than most of these so-called 'top-ranked' disciples. Not surprising she'd go all in. You should be proud—she's a real firecracker, just like you!]
Zeus rolled his eyes, his voice laced with mild irritation. "Proud? More like worried she's going to tear through them and cause more trouble than it's worth."
[Oh, please,] the system scoffed, a hint of arrogance in its tone. [Trouble? That's what makes things interesting! And let's be honest, these guys deserve a good beating. Besides, watching her wipe the floor with them will be entertaining, don't you think?]
Zeus couldn't help but chuckle, despite his concern. "You really are shameless, you know that?"
[Guilty as charged,] the system replied with a mocking laugh. [But come on, admit it—there's a part of you that's excited to see her unleash her full strength. These fools won't know what hit them.]
Zeus sighed again, but this time there was a slight smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yeah, maybe. But I just hope she doesn't go too far."
[Too far? Where's the fun in holding back against these stupid bastard?] the system retorted, its voice oozing with amusement. [Let's just sit back and enjoy the show, shall we?]
Zeus shook his head, a mixture of concern, resignation, and a begrudging sense of anticipation on his face. "I just hope we don't regret this," he muttered, his eyes fixed on Lucy, who was now ready to take on the challenge of her life.