SON OF THE HERO KING

In the lounge belongings to the royal family, Lilith watched this display in a daze, her eyes seemingly reminiscing a scene of the past.

She remembered how all those years ago she began to admire the boy who also displayed his power in the colosseum, under the eyes of the whole kingdom. They looked so much like each other, but–

'Their demeanors are completely different.'

Once again she was reminded that even though they had the same appearance, Sol and Mars were different. If she could say that his ways with women were because of her order, then she could only sigh as his current conduct was of his own choice and born from his own personality.

'Sol isn't Mars, nor is he a replacement of him.'

Such a simple reality.

She couldn't help but feel sadness and joy at the same time. Closing her eyes, she sighed before clapping her hands, the sound reverberating through the whole colosseum.

This was followed by one or two people before an entire ovation began resonating. This ovation was filled with whistles and screams as well as cheer.

Looking at the young boy she had raised basking under this ovation, her complicated emotions were swept aside and were replaced with pride and happiness.

---

"Yes!! Take that in your face shitty nobles! My Sol is the best!"

In another VIP room, a brown-haired woman with incredibly voluptuous form could be seen cheering in a rather unbecoming way. Though she didn't seem to care about the look she was receiving from the people who were sharing the room with her.

"Aunt Camelia please! Stop it."

A blonde-haired young girl begged on the side with a red face. She knew that her aunt loved Sol. She also knew that their relationship wasn't just platonic. Still, there were limits to some things.

"Hehe~!" Giving a cute laugh, Camelia took back her place.

Crossings her legs, she calmed down as she continued, "This is just the first step. Fufufu~! Soon, no one will compare my Sol to his idiot of a father."

Saying so, she snapped her finger, and a slim black-haired woman who stood at the back came and kneeled in front of her.

"Sigh, Elsmere, Elsmere. You were one of my favorites. I even planned to ask Luxuria to make you the next supreme daughter once I decided to retire. So why? Sigh, no need to answer."

The woman named Elsmere kneeled down in silence with a vacant expression. Camelia, completely uncaring, began to think once again of the dashing figure of her Sol.

"It doesn't really matter, nothing can make me lose my happiness after today's event. If he didn't have to visit those nobles I would have asked him to join me tonight."

Chloe, who sat next to her, was listening to this conversation with a bitter smile and a slight unconcealed fear. She was reminded once again just how dangerous and ruthless her aunt was.

After Camelia's loss of blessing was declared, movement in the church for power seizing became common. But what people didn't know was that–all those so-called traitors or ambitious nuns were nothing more than puppets dancing in the palm of Camelia's hand.

Camelia had never feared being betrayed for the simple reason that she was the true absolute master of the church.

Thinking about how absolutely all the members of the church had a hidden command in the back of their minds that would activate at the slightest thought of betrayal, she couldn’t help but feel a shudder.

'This wasn't the kind of power a mortal should have.'

"Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. After what happened to Mars, all my subordinates had a command implemented. It only activates at the thought of betrayal. After all, Mars's death taught me an important lesson."

A melancholic smile formed on her face as she said so after noticing Chloe's reaction. She might be used to her enemies fearing her, but she did not wish to see this kind of expression on her loved one. As such she tried to explain her reasoning.

She might not have had any romantic feelings for Mars, but the fact was that he was indeed a good man. The sacrifice of her best friend, Blaze, saddened her further.

The cause of all that suffering?

Betrayal.

Since then, Camelia swore to never let herself fall in the same trap Mars fell in. She hated using her power. She hated controlling people. But in her mind, traitors weren't humans, they were nothing more than dirty wretches that needed to be either erased or controlled.

----

The Colosseum was a large structure. Aside from the VIP lounge, there were also underground restrooms dedicated to the gladiators who were scheduled to fight.

Most of the rooms were grouped, with four or five gladiators having to share them as they equipped their armor or prepared themselves. But, only one gladiator had the right to a single room.

The one who stood at the summit of them all.

Currently, in the room of the gladiator king, could be seen clenching their fist in joy and excitement as they watched the results of the match.

Currently, their whole body and face was covered by a thick silver armor made out of dwarven steel, that covered their whole body and a helmet that hid their face, effectively hiding their gender and identity from the world.

No one knew the true identity of the gladiator king, this was this sense of mystery that made this king even more popular than the previous one.

Well, no one– aside from the royal family and the director of the Colosseum.

"It's time for me to go."

Saying so, the gladiator king stood up and took their sword before beginning to walk out of the room reserved for them.

This could most perhaps be their last fight in this Colosseum. Either way, they couldn't wait.

-----

It did not take long for the crowd to calm down. After the medic helped in taking away the previous fighter, the scene gradually began to calm down.

They knew that what would happen next would be a display of a totally different level.

​ Bets were being fired one after another. The odd being mostly in the Gladiator king's favors. Though the odds weren't as overwhelming as it seemed at first, few people thought the prince could win.

The referee, receiving a message, tilted his head before raising it up with a wide smile.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I just received news that He was coming! The king of fighters! The Berserker! The destroyer! Theeee–Gladiator–Kingggg!!!!"

Oooooohhhhh!!!!!

The cheers were on a completely different level.

Sol, who was observing the situation couldn't help but feel as if some kind of world-renowned star was stepping on the Arena.

Soon, under the clear ovation, an armor-wearing individual could be seen advancing calmly. Their armor, shining brightly under the sky. In their arms, a beautiful long sword.

Their gait was calm and steady. The energy emanating from them, powerful but reserved.

Seeing 'him' walk toward had the illusion that was facing an unsheathed weapon or a crouching monster ready to pounce on him at the slightest lax of attention.

Grinning without even understanding why, Sol felt his heart beating wildly in his chest. He could already feel the world around him slow down a little as he entered a focused state.

He didn't need to be told to understand. His instincts were screaming at him. This guy is different.

But this thought, rather than bringing fear to him, made him happier instead.

"So it has finally come to this. Do you remember our promise?"

"Of course not, your highness."

After they reached a certain distance from Sol, the gladiator king, or rather the gladiator queen, took off her helmet, showing her beautiful long blue hair and twitching wolf ears.

"Then, Setsuna, I hope you are ready."