Starting out as a Dragon Slave-Chapter 63: Mordred VS Kalderaan (Part 1)

The muffled murmur of conversations and enthusiastic shouts gradually filled the stands of the Colosseum. The magic torches illuminated the arena powerfully, casting golden reflections on the fine sand, creating a striking contrast with the dark, cold night sky above.

Mordred, alone in his cell, could clearly feel the feverish atmosphere. He could feel every vibration coming from the audience, every heartbeat of the thousands of dragons eager to see the blood flow. Yet, despite the mounting pressure, he remained perfectly calm, controlled and focused on the battle ahead.

Suddenly, a loud horn sounded, followed by an abrupt silence. Then, almost immediately, a unanimous roar rose from the stands, vibrating with such intensity that even the stone walls seemed to tremble slightly.

The royal family had just arrived.

The dragons instantly rose to their feet, imposing and proud, fervently chanting the crown prince’s name:

- VARYOS! VARYOS! VARYOS!

The din was deafening, rhythmic, almost ceremonial. From his cell, Mordred could easily imagine the entrance of King Drakeor and his children: majestic dragons with imposing forms, transforming into humanoid silhouettes of cold, terrifying grace before taking their places on their royal dais, overlooking the rest of the arena.

Finally, the silence fell abruptly, as if an invisible force had reduced them to silence in one fell swoop.

Then King Drakeor’s voice rose, powerful and clear, carrying far and wide, charged with unquestioned authority.

- My loyal subjects, I thank you for coming in such numbers to celebrate the fiftieth birthday of my beloved son, Prince Varyos! he declared in a strong, solemn voice. "Tomorrow, he will receive the crown at the Palace of the Burning Fangs, and tonight, we celebrate his strength, his courage and his glorious future! May this evening be memorable, bloody and magnificent forever in your memories!"

A mighty roar of approval resounded again, a warlike clamor, a promise of imminent violence. The king slowly raised a hand, imposing immediate silence.

- Let the show begin!

The king’s voice faded, replaced almost immediately by that of the showman, a thundering, enthusiastic dragon who seemed to relish every word.

- Dragons, dragonesses and noble guests, welcome to this exceptional evening! Tonight, we’ve assembled for you the rarest slaves and most fearsome beasts to honor royalty! Prepare yourselves, for the show begins immediately!

Mordred’s heart quickened slightly, aware that his turn was inexorably approaching.

The showman then resumed with palpable excitement:

- Our first fight will pit two exceptional warriors against each other! First, the man who defied expectations, winner of 2 consecutive fights, his black katana ripping through air and entrails with fearsome efficiency... Welcome the one we now call: "The Obscure Blade"... MORDRED!

The gate in front of Mordred slowly opened, and he stepped forward into the blinding light of the arena. The audience greeted him with shouts and boos mixed with morbid cheers, fascinated by this human who had become almost legendary in blood and suffering.

The showman continued, his voice vibrating with perverse enthusiasm:

- And facing him tonight, an adversary who is no mere beast! A warrior from a rare people, known for his ferocity and unrivalled pride. With eight victories to his name, he crushes his enemies with calculated cruelty. Make it a triumph for "The Butcher of Twilight"... KALDERAN!

The opposite gate swung open, revealing an imposing warrior with dark-red skin streaked with tribal tattoos. He stepped forward with palpable arrogance, his bare torso revealing powerful muscles and deep scars from countless battles. His black eyes stared at Mordred with contemptuous arrogance, a cruel smile revealing his sharp teeth.

- Human...," growled Kalderan in a deep voice, his smile becoming more menacing. "Your little legend ends here. I’ll make sure they never forget how you screamed under my blade."

Mordred remained impassive in the face of provocation, his cold gaze never leaving his opponent’s.

- We’ll see," he replied simply, his hand slowly gripping the hilt of his katana.

The audience exploded into wild screams, eager to witness the carnage to come. The showman raised his arms to the sky, exhilarated by the energy that now electrified the entire arena.

- Warriors, let blood flow for the honor of Prince Varyos! Let the dance of death begin!

A powerful gong suddenly rang out, vibrating deep in Mordred’s gut, announcing the official start of the fight. His heart raced with adrenalin, his breathing slowed, controlled, concentrated.

Kalderan suddenly drew two short, curved blades, their metallic reflections immediately catching the torchlight, forming a hypnotic, menacing dance before him.

Mordred slowly slid his black katana from its scabbard, the dark steel seeming to absorb the light, ready to deliver its own deadly dance.

The instant the gong sounded throughout the Colosseum, Mordred felt every nerve in his body suddenly tense, adrenalin flooding every fiber of his being.

Opposite him, Kalderan was still smirking with self-confidence, but behind this arrogant mask, Mordred could clearly feel the ferocity and deadly concentration vibrating silently.

Mordred slowly tightened his grip on the hilt of his katana, his fingers clenched on the rough leather, and stared straight into his opponent’s eyes.

Then everything exploded in a split second.

Kalderan rushed at him, his two short blades whistling dangerously through the air, drawing murderous arcs aimed at tearing flesh and bone. Mordred immediately retaliated, his black blade springing up to intercept the attacks with impressive speed. The steel clattered violently, projecting fiery sparks as the crowd roared wildly.

They tested each other, exchanging blow after blow in a murderous, swift, almost hypnotic dance. Their bodies were perfectly balanced, their blades clashing in a metallic symphony that echoed throughout the arena. Mordred quickly sensed that his opponent was unlike anything he’d faced before. Kalderan was precise, experienced, his attacks perfectly timed to exhaust his opponent before killing him without mercy.

- Not bad, human!" growled Kalderan with a savage grin, his blade passing dangerously close to Mordred’s face, lightly nicking his cheek and causing a warm trickle of blood to run down his skin.

Mordred ignored the stinging pain and stepped back sharply, regaining a safer distance, his eyes shining with icy concentration. He knew that to gain the upper hand, he’d have to raise his fighting level immediately.

Mordred ignored the stinging pain and stepped back, regaining a safer distance, his eyes shining with icy concentration.

He inhaled deeply, muttering his samurai mantra to focus his mind and channel his cold rage. Then he moved, suddenly exploding forward with lightning speed.

- First Kata: Raijinzan! launched Mordred with icy intensity, unleashing his signature stabbing technique. Propelled forward by an explosive thrust of his legs, he became a deadly bolt of dark lightning, his katana rocketing straight at Kalderan’s torso with absolute precision.

Kalderan briefly widened his eyes at the supernatural speed of this attack, reacting by crossing his blades in front of him to parry. The impact was violent, the blades crunching brutally under the impact. Mordred felt the violent impact reverberate through his arms, but he held on, his muscles contracting under the effort.

Kalderan’s arrogant smile faded for a moment, replaced by a grimace of effort. He finally pushed Mordred back with force, but Mordred landed on his feet, sliding deftly across the sand without losing his balance.

- You’re fast, vermin... But your speed alone won’t be enough to defeat me!" growled Kalderan, quickly regaining his self-confidence and aggressive stance.

Mordred felt frustration rising inside him, but he quickly controlled his breath, refocusing his mind with surgical precision. He knew he had to follow up immediately with an even more powerful attack to destabilize his opponent once and for all.

He adjusted his posture slightly, his legs bent, his weight distributed forward, ready to exploit the gravitational force to his advantage. He exhaled slowly, almost letting himself fall forward, using his own weight as a catalyst for his next attack.

- Second Kata: Shidensen! he shouted with unwavering determination.

At that very moment, Mordred propelled himself with explosive speed towards Kalderan, combining the momentum of his controlled fall with his physical power to achieve exceptional speed. His body blurred under the effect of this extreme acceleration, and his katana shot upwards, aiming directly for an opening in Kalderan’s guard.

This time, Kalderan seemed unsettled by the speed and unexpected angle of the attack. He clumsily tried to block the attack, but was too slow to prevent it completely. Mordred’s black blade shot straight for his exposed flank, ready to inflict a fatal wound.

But just as Mordred felt his blade about to penetrate flesh, something impossible happened before his eyes.

Kalderan’s entire body suddenly became cloudy, almost transparent. The blade passed through Kalderan without the slightest resistance, as if it had just struck through an intangible mist.

Mordred flew past Kalderan, carried away by his own momentum, landing hard in the sand with a look of pure amazement. He immediately straightened up, turning to face Kalderan, who was now laughing out loud, his body instantly tangible again after the blade had gone through.

The crowd erupted in applause and cries of excitement, amazed by this unexpected display of power. The commentator shouted into the arena:

- Incredible! Kalderan has just revealed a power never seen before! No blow seems to be able to reach him! Could the Obscure Blade be powerless against this supernatural ability?

Kalderan pointed one of his blades at Mordred, flashing a cruel, satisfied smile, his eyes shining with boundless cruelty.

- Are you surprised, human?" he said in an arrogant voice, straightening up with pride. "This technique makes me an invincible opponent. Your steel can never hurt me as long as I use this power."

Mordred backed away slowly, breathing heavily under the extreme tension. His thoughts whirled, frantically analyzing the situation.

The chilling truth was that Kalderan could make his body intangible at will, evading any physical attack.

But Mordred also instinctively understood one crucial thing: Kalderan had to become tangible again in order to carry out his own attacks. It would be in this brief moment of vulnerability, when he would become solid again to strike, that Mordred would have to strike with absolute precision.

Kalderan advanced slowly towards him, his eyes full of triumphant arrogance.

- You’re about to experience true despair, slave," he tossed contemptuously, clearly preparing to deliver the next fatal blow.