Pushing open the door, the first sight that greeted them was rows of waist-high wooden wine barrels. Behind a smooth counter, a handsome young male drow sat idly, dozing off.
Stepping inside, the space revealed itself to be a spacious stone cave, roughly a hundred square meters in size.
But the gladiator-related items were scarce—just a few weapons like swords and spears hanging on the walls, along with two towering guard statues.
Not even an octagonal cage in sight. Anthony felt a pang of disappointment.
This place resembled a tavern more than an arena. The only decorations were a fireplace and a barbecue grill.
Was this really an arena?
Anthony frowned, studying the drow. No family insignia adorned his attire—likely a commoner without a family's shelter.
Even their entry hadn't disturbed the drow's nap. Only after Anthony loudly cleared his throat did the drowsy clerk jerk awake, hastily wiping his eyes.
"Greetings! This year's Gladiator Contest won't start until two days from now. If you missed the ticket sales, don't worry—ticket scalpers should be outside the Black Pit Arena by then..."
Anthony snapped his fingers. A Light spell ignited at his fingertips, the sudden brilliance making the drow yelp and curse.
Yet his temper remained surprisingly mild. No further outburst followed.
Then again, most male drow in this city had learned patience under the constant threat of female drow domestic violence.
Drow darkvision differed from other races'. To them, living beings appeared as heat signatures—infrared silhouettes.
This made them nearly unbeatable in underground warfare. Few Underdark beings could ambush them successfully.
The downside? Reading or needlework still required candles or other gentle light sources. Alone in pure darkness, their vision was little better than standard low-light vision.
Rubbing sleep from his eyes, the counter clerk gradually adjusted to the light—and finally saw who stood before him.
His already-dark face paled further. He ducked behind the counter, shrieking:
"Lord Belos! Surface-dwellers are attacking! Save me!"
What the hell? Anthony felt a headache coming on. This was a first.
As the young drow's cries echoed, Anthony suddenly sensed a surge of arcane energy from what he assumed was the kitchen. Then a voice rang out:
"Naj'im, I've told you—fight or flee. Hesitate, and misfortune will find you. Your mentor understood that."
A drow mage clad in black-and-red robes emerged. Without pause, he raised a finger toward Anthony's group, magic coalescing at his fingertip:
"I never hesitate. Chain Lightning!"
Attack out of nowhere?! Anthony cursed inwardly.
What kind of lunatic bastard—
No time to inhale for Dragon's Breath. The lightning was already arcing toward them.
Anthony's arm flicked. A Fire Meteor shot forward with a whoosh.
This counter had to be faster. Otherwise, his teammates—none resilient enough to survive the infamous 6th-circle spell—would be wiped out.
Only he might endure. The rest? Doomed.
The drow mage's eyes widened as fire streaked toward him. His own lightning had already left his fingers—
—but the flames were inches from his face.
In that split second, his fingers twitched. A scroll activated.
Resist Fire Barrier!
The expensive fire-protection scroll, worth dozens of gold coins in materials, proved its worth. The flames were extinguished a full meter away, blocked by a circular barrier.
But just as the drow mage's lips curled in triumph, a black streak shot through the dying fire—
—and struck the amulet on his chest.
Protection from Arrows!
A pale blue barrier shimmered around Belos, but the master-forged charm's magic shattered like a fragile eggshell under the projectile's force.
The drow mage convulsed and collapsed.
Meanwhile, at the entrance, Anthony faced the incoming lightning with no options left.
Too poor to afford decent magic items, he had no choice but to stand his ground.
The devastating bolt tore through him. His black robe exploded open at the chest, revealing scorched flesh beneath.
Numbness flooded Anthony's body—then agony. His organs trembled from the shock.
The paralysis from the electrocution defied Willpower. Gritting his teeth, Anthony dropped to one knee, forcing air into his lungs.
That spell had nearly broken his control—almost forcing his true form to surface.
It was the worst injury he'd suffered since leaving Edinburgh Arena.
Yet within two breaths, Anthony forced himself upright. With a thunderous stomp that shook the ground, he lunged forward.
If he, a giant dragon, had almost been unmasked, his cheap teammates were surely dead.
Including that untouched little beauty!
Rage ignited in Anthony's ruby eyes. Killing intent blazed. That mage would pay with his life!
But this wasn't his territory.
The two statue-like guards suddenly moved.
Not decorations after all—flesh golems!
Necromantic abominations, stitched from drow and slave-race corpses, embodying the Underdark's grim artistry.
The golems lumbered forward, blocking the uninvited intruder.
Anthony had no patience for these brutes. Flesh golems were notoriously damage-resistant—blades barely scratched them, and he carried no blunt weapons.
Their strength was no joke either. A single hit meant more than superficial wounds.
Even the weakest golems boasted 20 Strength.
While Anthony could dismantle them bare-handed, it would take time—time the mage would use to recover.
In life-or-death battles, defeating the controller was always fastest.
Anthony dodged right, evading a golem's massive hook-handed swipe. His incantation flew faster than thought.
1st-circle spell: Expedited Retreat!
Low Dexterity had always been his weakness.
But for pure burst mobility? Plenty of spells sufficed.
Magic surged through Anthony's limbs. He twisted past the second golem's grapple and vaulted clear of their encirclement.
Rolling to his feet, Anthony bared his teeth at the trembling drow mage.
Nothing stood between them now. Without hesitation, Anthony took two sprinting steps and launched into a flying kick aimed straight at the mage's face.
If this landed—unless the bastard knew Clone or was a full-fledged lich—he was dead.
At the same moment, a crackling lightning shield shimmered around Anthony.
He barely had time to process it before the rear flesh golem suddenly lurched sideways, throwing its corpse-made bulk between them as a living shield.
Belos, watching through pain-hazed eyes, finally caught his breath.
Two ribs were definitely broken—all thanks to this monstrously strong Monk.
Which of my creditors managed to hire someone like this?! The debt-collection methods in this city were getting out of hand.
Fortunately, his expensive flesh golems—crafted from defeated gladiators' remains—were far more agile than standard models. They should keep this guy busy long enough...
Once he finished his next incantation, this Monk would be his. A perfect enforcer.
When it came to pacts, drow were professionals.
Gritting through the pain, Belos began chanting his signature Lightning Bolt—
—only for the flesh golem to explode.
A kick tore through its chest, spraying gore across Belos' pristine archmage robes.
These were just laundered!
As the golem collapsed, Anthony loomed over the stunned drow mage, grinning viciously.
"You thought this would stop me?" Killing intent radiated from his eyes. "You're dead."
Belos' jaw dropped. The incantation died on his lips.
Anthony raised his fist, ready to twist the mage's head like a cork—
—when a familiar voice shouted behind him:
"Master! Watch out—the other golem!"
He didn't need the warning. Anthony had already calculated the distance—four meters from the first golem, which would need at least three seconds to close the gap.
Plenty of time to kill this mage six ways to Sunday.
But that voice—
Wasn't that the little witch?
She was alive? Against a Chain Lightning? Damn lucky.
The realization made him hesitate—just for a split second.
But that was all Belos needed.
Hands raised in surrender, the drow mage blurted:
"Stop! I yield! If it's about the debt, I'll pay!"
Anthony paused. The remaining flesh golem had frozen mid-lunge.
Wrong target?
A slow smirk spread across his face.
Well now... This could be interesting.