The energy in the Colosseum was electric as the crowd eagerly awaited the match. Phil stood on the announcer’s ptform, his voiing over the cheers and chatter. “All right, folks! up, in the advanced bracket, we’ve got the man of mystery himself—Sephiroth! And his oppo… the mighty Minotaur!”

  A massive, hulking figure stepped onto the stage, t over the other batants who had fought earlier. The Minotaur was an imposing sight: half man, half bull, with rippling muscles and dark, leathery skin. Its head resembled that of a ferocious bull, plete with curved horns that gleamed uhe sunlight. In its massive hands, it held a gigantic battle axe, its bde chipped and stained from tless battles. The on’s haft was nearly as thick as a man’s torso, and every swing seemed capable of splitting the very earth.

  The crowd erupted into cheers and gasps, clearly impressed by the beast’s sheer size and power. The Minotaur snorted, pawing at the ground with one hoof-like foot, its blood-red eyes locked onto Sephiroth as though it could already taste victory.

  Sephiroth, by trast, stood calm and posed, his Masamuing lightly in his hand. His long silver hair shimmered in the sunlight, and his glowing teal eyes betrayed ion as he gazed at his oppo. The stark trast between his icy demeanor and the Minotaur’s feral rage alpable.

  Phil raised his hand, signaling for the match to begin. “Let’s get it on!”

  The instant Phil’s hand dropped, Sephiroth vahe croed collectively, their eyes sing the stage for him, only to find nothing. The Minotaur bellowed in frustration, its axe swinging wildly through the air as it searched for its elusive oppo.

  A moment ter, Sephiroth reappeared—not in front of the Minotaur, but behind it. His back was turo the creature, and he walked calmly toward the edge of the stage as though the fight was already over.

  The audieed into boos and jeers. “Coward!” someone shouted. “Get back here and fight!”

  “Running away already?” another called out, ughter following their words.

  Phil raised an eyebrow, clearly fused. He stepped toward the ter of the ptform and began to speak. “Uh… looks like Sephiroth has—”

  Before he could finish, the Minotaur let out a guttural roar. Its body froze mid-motion, and thin red lines began to appear all over its massive frame. The lines multiplied rapidly, interseg in intricate patterns. For a brief moment, the Colosseum was silent as the crowd stared in disbelief.

  Then, all at once, blood erupted from the Minotaur’s body like a crimson geyser. The beast let out a final, agonized cry before colpsing to the ground with a resounding thud. The cheers and jeers were repced by a stunned silence.

  Phil, regaining his posure, stepped forward and raised his hands. “Ladies alemen… Sephiroth is the winner! Wow, that was the fastest win in the history of the Advaour!”

  The crowd, still reeling from what they had witnessed, erupted into thunderous appuse and cheers. Some were awestruck, others exhirated by the sheer dispy of porecision.

  Sephiroth walked toward the exit of the Colosseum, his expression unged. As he reached the archway leading to the fighter’s area, his glowing eyes turned upward, log onto a figure seated high iands—Helios.

  Helios sighed heavily under Sephiroth’s pierg gre. He muttered under his breath, “Well, I guess I’ve been summoned.”

  Standing up, Helios left the stands, weaving through the crowd until he reached a secluded er. There, he opened a dark corridor and stepped through, reappearing directly in front of Sephiroth, who stood waiting with his arms crossed.

  Sephiroth didn’t mince words. “Is this the challenge you promised me?”

  Helios chuckled, his tone light but tinged with exasperation. “No, no. This is just a warm-up. I’ve been preparing your real challenge, and it’s almost ready. This advaour is just a way to kill time while I finish the preparations.”

  Sephiroth’s narrowed eyes glinted dangerously. “You’re stalling.”

  Helios’s smile didn’t waver. “Not at all. I wouldn’t waste your time, Sephiroth. I know how much you hate that. Think of this as a little appetizer before the main course.”

  “And what exactly is this ‘real challenge’?” Sephiroth demanded, his voice low and threatening.

  “There are actually two challenges,” Helios said, his tone growing serious. “The first is nearly ready. The sed… well, that one will have to wait a bit longer. But trust me, wheime es, you won’t be disappointed.”

  Sephiroth took a step closer, his imposing presence casting a long shadow over Helios. “You’d better not be lying.”

  Helios met Sephiroth’s gre head-on, his own expression unfling. A faint smirk tugged at the er of his lips. “Do you like my eyes or something? You’ve been staring at them pretty intensely.”

  Sephiroth’s gaze hardened for a moment before he scoffed and turned away. “You’re insufferable.”

  Helios chuckled as he watched Sephiroth walk off. “You’re the one who keeps stig around. Must mean I’m doing something right.”

  Sephiroth didn’t reply, disappearing into the shadows of the Colosseum’s inner halls. Helios sighed softly, running a hand through his hair. “Well, that went about as well as I expected.”

  Straightening his posture, Helios prepared to open a dark corridor, but just as the swirling portal began to form, a voice called out sharply behind him.

  “Hey! What are you doing back here? Only petitors are allowed in this area!”

  Helios turo see the young Hercules, his broad shoulders squared, his expression a mix of fusion and weariness. The demigod’s fiery e hair glinted uhe Colosseum’s torches.

  Helios sighed, his lips curving into a polite smile. “Ah, my mistake. I seem to have gotten turned around and ended up here by act. I was just looking to get bay seat.” He gestured toward the portal, which dissipated behind him with a casual flick of his wrist. “Would you mind pointing me in the right dire?”

  Hercules hesitated, his stern expression softening slightly as he looked Helios over. Finally, he raised a hand and pointed down a corridor to the left. “Folloath. It’ll take you back to the stands.”

  Helios ined his head respectfully. “Thank you. I’ll make sure not to wander where I shouldn’t again.”

  Hercules crossed his arms, still watg Helios carefully. “See that you don’t. If you get caught back here again, you’ll be banned from the Colosseum ime. Got it?”

  “Crystal clear,” Helios replied smoothly. With o nod to Hercules, he turned and walked toward the path indicated.