Arganthes: The Capital of Dungeons 42 Chaptr 18.6: The Final Showdown, The End of The Tournament!!

Gideon kicked the lifeless body of what was once Bleiz while laughing at the uselessness.

"I thought higher of you… Wanting to cling onto life like this… oh well… everyone is weakened and we created a demon soul in the process, still… your work is not done yet,

as there is more to test! Hahaha"

Gideon evaporated the multi-elemental crystal the others had created to defeat the beast and save Bleiz's soul not too long ago. Dispensing the entirety of it he created a container for what was now a demon soul…

"Nothing of the one you knew is left. Hyahaha silly humans, if only you knew…

Now then… to test the strength of the young man… I think it's time he joined the battle?"

Gideon held out his hand as the container merged with Bleiz's corpse,

creating a being of incomparable horror. It was as if all their efforts were in fain…

The beast they had just purged stood there as if nothing had happened…

Only to grow even stronger… Slime oozed out of its body slowly covering all as it created a hardened shell. The flesh of its body began eroding inside, leaving nothing but an empty husk of bones who soon melted away only to turn into a monster completely.

The beast rushed towards the others who now without much energy left were no match for it. Wounded one fell after the other, unable to move quickly losing the match.

Only Geo was left standing, only holding on to dear life by sheer willpower.

Gideon joined the battle, wanting to see the sheer output of Geo's strength.

Meanwhile, I was walking through the dark corridor hoping to fight back the demon from within… Tempting words made him crawl deeper into my being as I struggled to hold on to my consciousness. The light could be seen at the end of the pathway,

commotion… even explosions could be heard. I managed to run towards the exit.

Only to be frozen by shock and grief… What had transpired here?

The other… were they okay?

"Ah! He has finally arrived, Michael… You were too late, so my question to you; what will you do?"

Gideon asked mockingly, knowing this would cause Michael to look for the others.

Only Geo was left standing, fighting with all his might he too was unable to hold on.

Losing the fight against Gideon as he got hurled through the sky.

I couldn't handle what had transpired in front of me, losing my resolve in the process.

At that moment the black flames engulfed me as the entity took over my mind.

Ereth quickly joined the battle, hoping to save the others.

"even though sacrifices for the greater good outweigh the few, getting to your end like this would be too inhumane…"

Ereth began helping and treating Alessia, Cordelia, Leonardo, and Geo. Quickly bringing them to safety outside of the area, close to the borders of the battlegrounds.

It was then the demon began to speak the same words throughout the Battleground.

"Weak… inept… tremble at my presence as I devour all!"

Fear struck down most of the audience as they did not recognize what was said, not to mention what had transpired before all this they still understood it was something ancient,

something that could rival even the gods...

As the entity had taken full control the flames wrapped themselves around my entire body,

Even engulfing my eyes, making them pitch black. When slowly some kind of bone structure began covering my face.

"Hyahahahahaha!!! Pathetic... he was struggling against a weak bug like you?! I can't believe this hyahaha! Let me take over… I'll end this quickly!!"

As it tilted its head towards my opponent it mockingly looked at Ereth and the rest with an inhumanly wide grin on its face.

"Well then... shall I show you how puny all of you are?"

The possessed Michael closed the distance in an instant slamming his fist into the slime-like monster. The sheer shockwave broke its armor instantly only to evaporate all the slime around it.

Gideon couldn't believe his eyes… as he looked in awe.

"Such power!! Master will be pleased to see we succeeded in creating a monster today.

Would you still be able to see a friend from foe?"

Horns began to grow out of my skull. Steadily increasing the force emitted from my aura.

I had lost almost all control of my body, but one thing was certain. The demon couldn't survive without me. Feeding on my energy it was able to live deep within my soul.

Losing all self control the demon began to attack those who were closest to him,

Luckily this was Gideon. Matching its pace Gideon blocked attack after attack,

Being dumbfounded by the sheer monster he had let loose on the world.

There was no time to counter-attack only to evade, block or parry.

Not expecting the difference to be this big Gideon began to panic.

Meanwhile, Ereth devised a plan to stop the monsters of the battlefield.

What was the purpose if she was the sole survivor of these terrible events?

"No… I refuse to let more people die here! Only a few more minutes left, this has to work."

Ereth left Geo's side quickly running into the ritual circle of the battleground.

"Michael has lost all humanity that was left only locking or exorcising the demon could save him now. As for Gideon… he won't hold on much longer as the beast is too immensely overpowering him."

Ereth began her incantations, as she continued the circles slowly began emitting a radiant light.

"Oh, ancient lord of life, of all that flourishes in this world.

Grand me, your loyal servant the power to rectify what transpired here today."

Gideon knew this could end the both of them, knowing what he needed to do to succeed he tried rushing past Michael, barely slipping through at the cost of injuring his left arm beyond use… He had to stop the incantation or everything would be for naught.

"You wicked bitch! I knew you would be plotting something in the background!

I can't allow you to succeed or the very reason why I am here today would be in vain!"

Gideon closing in on Ereth was blinded by panic, leaving his guard wide open.

This allowed Michael to attack him from the side making him crash into the wall on the east side of the battlegrounds.

Michael screamed in agony as he readied himself to move towards Gideon to end the fight.

"Raaaaaaaaggghhhh!!"

Before moving energy gathered in between the edges of his horns.

Michael put strength into his stance and arms broadening his stance and unleashing a devastating beam of energy towards Gideon.

The ground underneath the beam got evaporated before,

indicating the sheer heat and power emitting from it.

Ereth then finished her incantations allowing her spell to focus on one of the two opponents. At that moment the beam impacted Gideon's body completely obliterating its essence.

The spell quickly took effect as the light took over the black flames around Michael's body.

Just then Michael regained consciousness only to see a vague shadow emerging from Gideon's lifeless body. Soon after the alarms sounded signaling the end of the tournament.

Michael then stood there unconscious as his body was completely devoid of energy.

Quickly the guild masters, guards and announcers rushed in with medics to tend to the wounded making sure most had survived this insane turn of events.

"The Tournament of Beginnings has ended, there are only three people left who did not get killed or lost consciousness… Among them, Geo Birchwood, The Hidden Talent! Congratulations on your victory, to those who have lost this year.

We do hope you all will participate again next year.

Now… we will let the victors take their well-deserved rest before they gain access to the rogues association!

As everyone got carried to the medical bay inside the guildhall Yami quickly rushed towards Michael, worried about what had transpired she vowed to stay with him,

guarding him for any dangers to come.

Once there she never once led him out of sight only to guard him with her life.

After a while, everything had been cleared out and everyone had calmed down.

Allowing Ereth to visit the survivors of the tournament,

giving them the treatment that allowed a full and quick recovery.

Lastly, she arrived at Michael's door, Geo was there too…

Only to be mystified by the sheer demons the boy was carrying.

"Will the young man be okay? I know he was a monster not too long ago,

but he still protected all of us, or at least… that's what it looked like to me."

"Yami will protect master, he was burned heavily by the black flames that engulfed his body, if only

this could be treated…"

Yami said as a tear fell worrying about her master.

"Don't worry child, during the battle I had purified this young one, please…

allow me to treat what the others couldn't."

Ereth entered the room, passed Geo without a care in the world and quickly began giving aid to Michael. She held her hand above his body as the light began to dimly emit from them.

It looked like nothing much was happening, but surely the burned flesh and scar tissue began to heal, slowly reverting to the healthy skin it once was before the battle.

After a while, the process had finished allowing Michael to fully recover.

"I am glad that I could be of service to all of you, but please let me do you one more solid."

Ereth flicked the fingers of her right hand up, slowly a black burning soul emerged from Michael's body. Swiftly inciting some incantations chains formed around them as it slowly fell back into Michael's body.

"This should help him stabilize and keep the beast from emerging for quite some time,

at least until he learns to control it I hope."

Yami and Geo thanked Ereth as she took her to leave.

Shortly after Ragnee entered worried about Michael.

"I-is… Is he okay? We battled during the preliminaries and seeing what transpired during the finals I was worried."

"He is fine now, the hidden talent healed him and restrained the demon within,

allowing for a speedy recovery."

Relieved Ragnee sighed.

*sigh*

"Thank god! The hidden talent also approached us, to be honest, I already scouted the young man for the rogues association before it was certain if he would win, I think it would be in is the best interest to join as well, knowing we can help with the restraining of the demonic essence."

Ragnee also congratulated Geo as he was one of the two who finished the tournament enabling him to join the association as well.

Hearing the news he decided to join Ragnee and let Michael rest for the time being.

quickly a few days had past when Michael finally emerged from his slumber.

Chapter end