Hero of Darkness

In front of nearly 5 million people in the battle arena and more than 3 billion people watching on broadcasting screens throughout the Rakos empire… Kahn put the young talent of the Mikealson clan in the ground and riddled with wounds. 

"Why isn't anyone counting?!" shouted Kahn as he gave a deathly stare to the referee. 

The referee who was scared witless, ran towards Veronica who was barely conscious at the moment and started counting. 

"One! Two! Three!" 

Ding! Ding! Ding! 

"The winner is candidate Kahn of Rukon District!" declared the referee. 

"Boo!!" 

"Boohoo!!" 

"What a pathetic loser! How can he harm a woman this badly?" spoke some people among the audience. 

"What bullshit! So he should be gentle in a fight just because the opponent is a woman?

Didn't you see how she almost tried to kill him since the beginning of the match?" retorted one of the men from seven deadly sins who was seated as a merchant in the crowd. 

"Poor girl. Somebody call the healers. She's badly wounded!" 

Soon, millions and then over a billion people started worrying about Veronica who looked like she was in mortal danger to many people watching. The majority of them didn't like Kahn's treatment of the female swordswoman in the end. 

Kahn on the other hand didn't even bother looking at the opponent as he walked away carefreely with his greatsword on the shoulder. 

The negative public opinion was exactly what he wanted to achieve from this match. 

[Gather the money and meet me at the manor.] commanded Kahn to all the generals and Omega who were present in the crowd. 

And all of this was done to make more people bet against him in the next match. Because he knew that even if he won the match honorably.. He'd still be looked down upon in the semifinals anyway. 

So why not use it to make more profits? 

As for why he didn't fear the wrath of the Mikealson clan for injuring and then taunting Veronica even in her pitiful state was because even when people hated him, if anything happened to him till the semifinals, everyone would naturally blame the shift on them. 

At this exact moment, Stronoff Mikealson spoke in their VIP room. 

"Send a second stage saint to protect that young man." 

He said with a cautious expression on his face. 

Isaac, who was enraged to his core after watching his cousin wounded to this extent was left speechless. 

"Second uncle, why do we have to protect that bastard?! Can't you see what he did?!" shouted the blonde young knight. 

"Silence! This isn't something so simple. Anything happening to him can cost us a lot." spoke the fourth stage saint. 

This matter was so crucial that even the Mikealson clan itself was forced to provide him security instead. As a single rumor was more than enough to destroy their image in front of the whole empire and many of their enemies would use that opportunity to oppress and then pick fights with them. 

Not only their reputation but also their businesses and properties would be criticized and they'd be in a pinch just because something happened to Kahn. 

BOOM!! 

A deathly aura erupted in their VIP room and almost shattered the windows and furniture in the room as everyone excluding Stronoff were shoved away because of this sudden burst of energy. 

At this exact moment.. Kahn, who was leaving the battle ring sensed an intense killing aura coming from the 7th floor of the battle arena. Exactly from the VIP room of the Mikealson clan. 

But instead of getting worried or being fearful for his life, he gave a light smirk in their direction and left the battle ring carefreely. 

He could sense that the killing intent wasn't released by a saint but a semi-saint like himself so he didn't feel any sense of threat to his life and hence didn't bother entertaining whoever it was. 

"Calm down, Kassandra." spoke Stronoff to his niece. 

It was Kassandra Mikealson who had an extremely infuriated expression on her face as she looked at Veronica who was being escorted out on a stretcher and then Kahn who didn't even bother looking at her injured body as if he didn't care if she lived or died. 

"Kahn is it.. He better hope that we don't meet in a match. He hurt our Veronica this badly.. 

If he ends up facing me in the next round.. I'll kill him myself!" spoke the raven-haired sorceress donned in black robes. 

Her wrathful gaze had marked Kahn as she imprinted his face in her mind. 

—————-

ONE HOUR LATER 

Tap! Tap! Tap! 

Veronica came inside their VIP room after recovering from all of her wounds that looked lethal previously. Her attire was exactly the same prior to the match.

Thanks to the high-grade health and stamina recovery potions, she managed to recover and heal completely after drinking a few bottles. 

But instead of speaking a word to anyone and even her cousins. She steadily walked towards her father who was seated on a big and luxurious chair like a king. 

She knelt on one knee in front of her father and spoke in an exhausted tone. 

"Please forgive me, father. I have brought shame to your and our clan's name." spoke Veronica with a heavy heart. 

She still hadn't recovered mentally and couldn't accept the fact that she lost to Kahn in front of the whole empire. And that too when her father who trained her since a young age was watching the match himself. 

"I could've accepted my loss if it was a semi-saint. But this… this is completely unacceptable!" she said and soon, tears trickled down her cheeks and ran like a river. 

Sob! Sob! 

Veronica started sobbing while Kassandra leaned towards her and embraced her in her arms. 

"Not only did I lose to just a peak grandmaster.. But he is also a magic swordsman just like me. 

I'm sorry.. Your daughter has failed you." she said while still sobbing. 

Stronoff on the other end didn't have a look of disappointment as he gazed at his daughter. 

"You haven't brought any shame to me or our family name. You're neither a disappointment nor should you feel embarrassed." spoke the number one swordsman of the empire. 

"Huh.. Why? I don't understand father." she asked. 

Sigh! 

Stronoff let out a hushed sigh and spoke in a stern tone as he responded to his confused daughter. 

"Because you didn't have any chance of winning to begin with."