Overlord: The Multiverse

Chapter 26: First match

As I vanished from the Colosseum, I found myself in a room straight out of a medieval fantasy novel—long, poorly lit corridor, high ceiling, and shadows dancing around like they were auditioning for a spooky ballet.

There were these gate things, all portcullis-like, crackling with this intense white light that made me wonder if I'd stumbled into a medieval rave party by mistake. And let me tell you, the torches lining the corridor were doing their best impression of setting the mood for some epic showdown.

In the midst of all this, I couldn't help but marvel at the level of detail. I mean, talk about attention to detail—these developers went all out, even down to the flickering torches. I half expected to see a quest giver pop out from behind a corner, offering me a side mission to rescue a virtual damsel in distress.

"Impressive, they really went all out on this," I muttered to myself, feeling like I'd just stepped onto the set of a blockbuster movie.

And as I approached the gate, it shot up faster than a cat hearing the can opener. Talk about dramatic entrance! Stepping into the arena, I was greeted by a sea of eager spectators, all waiting to see what kind of virtual mayhem was about to go down.

"The challengers have arrived!" boomed the well-dressed man, his voice echoing through the arena like a dramatic movie announcer. Seriously, could he be any more extra with that floating rod thing?

"The challengers have arrived at the arena in their pursuit of the title of 'World Champion of Helheim.'"

"To my left is the demon, Demon King Aros, as the challenger from Múspellsheim." Ah, Demon King Aros, the guy who couldn't make it to his own party and had to crash ours instead. Classic.

"And to my right is the one, the only, the legendary vampire, Alexander Seductus Von Mortis, as the challenger from Helheim!" I couldn't help but grin at the over-the-top introduction. I mean, who needs fireworks when you've got an announcer like this guy?

Not to sound narcissistic but I am famous in Yggdrasil.

"The crowd goes wild for Alexander Seductus Von Mortis!" I mentally pat myself on the back for maintaining my cool demeanor amidst the roaring applause. Being famous in Yggdrasil does have its perks after all.

"If the participants have anything to say to each other, then now is the time," the announcer's voice echoes through the arena.

As Demon King Aros and I stand facing each other in the arena, I can't help but feel a mix of nerves and excitement coursing through my veins. On one hand, I'm the strongest player in the game (unofficially, of course), so I don't need to be nervous. But on the other hand, this demon dude looks pretty intimidating with all that armor and his towering presence.

But hey, I've faced scarier things before—like the time I accidentally wandered into a werewolf den during a full moon. Let's just say that didn't end well for me. But I digress.

With a confident smirk, I give Demon King Aros a casual wave, as if to say, "Nice armor, but let's see what you've got." The anticipation in the air is electric as the crowd waits for the clash to begin. Seriously, it's like waiting for the next season of your favorite binge-worthy series to drop on Netflix—you just can't wait to see what happens next.

And as the announcer's voice fades into the background, all that's left is the thrill of the competition and the promise of victory. But before things get too serious, I can't help but crack a joke to lighten the mood.

"Hey, Demon King Aros, is that armor standard issue or did you have to special order it from the 'Intimidating Demon Emporium'?" I quip, earning a few chuckles from the crowd. I mean, seriously, where does one even shop for demon-sized armor anyway? Maybe they have a demonic version of Amazon Prime.

Demon King Aros glances at me with a menacing grin, his eyes glinting with a hint of amusement. "Ah, Alexander Seductus Von Mortis, I see your wit is as sharp as your sword," he replies, his voice deep and resonant. "But let's save the banter for after I've wiped the floor with you."

I chuckle in response, feeling a surge of adrenaline at the challenge. "Oh, I'm counting on it," I retort, flashing him a cocky grin. "But don't get too comfortable in that armor—I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."

With that, the buzzer sounds, signaling the start of the match. As the crowd roars with anticipation.

But I didn't give the crowd what they wanted; instead, I activated my {Blood Monarch} ability.

"Sorry, buddy," I murmur under my breath, my voice dripping with smug satisfaction. "But it looks like I'll be calling the shots from here on out."

With a wave of my hand, I command Demon King Aros to stand down, his sword clattering to the ground as he obeys my every word.

"How?" he demands, his voice tinged with disbelief. "I have protection against mind control."

I chuckle, feeling a surge of satisfaction at my victory. "Maybe because your protection isn't up to par with my ability," I reply, unable to resist a smug grin.

"{Kill Yourself}," I commanded.

"No, don't," he gasps, his voice choked with desperation. But it's too late. My {Blood Monarch} ability holds him in its grip, bending his avatar to my command.

With a final, defeated sigh, Demon King Aros raises his sword to his throat. The crowd watches in stunned silence as he hesitates for a moment, then plunges the blade into his own avatar.

"The winner of the first match is Alexander Seductus Von Mortis! As they say, we can indeed judge a book by its cover," the anchor's booming voice reverberates through the arena, met with thunderous applause from the crowd.

Suddenly, I'm teleported back to the Colosseum, where I previously stood. Glancing at the system interface, I see that a ten-minute timer has appeared, ticking down the moments until my next match. It's time to prepare for round two and show the world what I'm made of.

~~~