Hero of Darkness

In front of 3 billion citizens of the empire watching the match, Kahn declared himself to be the strongest unlike the usual trope of a protagonist hiding his strength till the very end of competition arcs in novels and mangas. 

Instead of keeping his cards hidden, Kahn had arrogantly displayed his true potential to the entire audience and the top figures such as powerful saints of all the factions. 

At this exact moment, he was the center of attention for the whole empire. 

"You.. You will regret this! My clan and faction won't let you live, you lowlife bastard!!" shouted Victor with all his remaining strength as he publicly threatened Kahn. 

[Hehe.. What an idiot. Fine then.. 

I'll give this whole empire a big show!] thought Kahn as he unsummoned Drakos Armor and returned to his usual black and golden longcoat with fighting gear equipped with it. 

Kahn's handsome face and tall stature with the epic rank gear made him look like an heir of a prestigious noble clan, yet his countenance was as humble as it could be. 

Victor's impulsive declaration after being unable to accept his defeat opened a new window for him as he decided to use it in his favor.

[Are you guys done?] asked Kahn to his subordinates. 

[Yes, my lord. We've successfully infiltrated the broadcasting department and incapacitated the staff. Whatever whatever you say from now, will be uninterrupted.] replied Ronin and the rest of the generals. 

[What about you, old man? Are you up for the task?] asked Kahn to Albestros who sat in one of the VIP rooms and held a telepathic communication artifact. 

[I'm ready when you are.] replied Albestros. 

The next second, Kahn's gaze shifted from the subdued opponent and he looked towards the audience across the arena. 

"Did you hear what he said, people of Rakos Empire?!" asked Kahn loudly as he looked right in the center of projection artifacts that were floating around the battlefield. 

These were the artifacts used to relay the live feed to broadcasting stations. And thus the entire empire could see and hear Kahn loud and clear. 

"I've rightfully defeated him in front of everyone. He can't even move a muscle and by the rules of the competition… I have officially won the match! 

Yet the referee hasn't declared me as the winner. The announcer hasn't spoken a word about it. It's as if they don't want to declare me as the winner at all!" he exclaimed. 

"At this moment, if it was me lying in the ground all bloodied and wounded, they wouldn't have waited even for a moment and declared him as the winner. 

Nobody would have cared whether I lived or died at his hands because I don't come from any powerful force or have the support of these noble clans and factions." he iterated. 

At this moment, all the audience was stunned on the spot. Everyone watching the match suddenly came to realize that what Kahn said was indeed true. It had been a minute since Kahn defeated Victor in a fair and square battle but no one made any announcement even now. 

"It's as if the whole competition itself is a scam and anyone who isn't one of these prestigious noble clans and factions will never be allowed to progress furthermore. 

Let me ask all of you something.. Why is that in the past one thousand years, no one from a commoner background has been able to qualify till the semifinals before me? 

Is it truly because the common folks lack wealth or resources? Do you really believe that our great empire didn't have talented warriors sitting amongst you? 

Wasn't the first emperor, the one who created our empire and was the strongest warrior to ever exist in the past millennium born as a commoner? 

Open your eyes! Until when are you going to believe in these lies?!" questioned Kahn in a grandiose manner. 

Gasp! 

Billions of people came to a sudden realization. Because what Kahn said was indeed a fact that no one could deny. 

"Just now, he tried to use his clan and faction's name to threaten me after I defeated him. And yet, no one has spoken a word about it. 

To be honest with you… I have already been threatened a couple of times to forfeit my match against him. And if I win, not only me but everyone I ever knew would be killed. 

So tell me.. How is that fair?!" he spoke with a fierce expression. 

"This competition itself was created by the first emperor to give everyone a chance to become a respected and powerful person in the empire as long as they have the strength and capacity. But now.. It feels more like a playground for the rich and influential where only they win and we participate for the sake of entertaining them. 

Do we commoners have no right to fight to better our lives? Do we not have the right to control our fate? Are we only supposed to live and die under somebody's thumb?" Kahn riled up the crowd again. 

The majority of the audience had clenched their fists as all of them resonated with Kahn's words. 

"They don't want you to rise in ranks but always stay under their control. They act all fair and just in public but have you ever seen a commoner as one of the top ruling figures in this empire? 

Even now, the government itself is made with the members of these clans and no normal citizen has ever risen a rank above a magistrate or a normal officer of the army. 

So tell me! What's even the point of holding this competition if of us are even allowed to win?!" asked Kahn with fearless eyes. 

Let it be an old person who had spent their lives struggling or a teenager, regardless of their species, race and gender.. All of them found Kahn's questions relevant to their lives. 

Why was it that the status quo never seemed to change in their empire? Why is every influential person in the empire, let it be a grandmaster or a saint, they always came from these forces? 

Was it really because of their resources and wealth or could it be that the gifted people among them were never allowed to rise up in the first place? 

BOOM!!! 

Before Kahn could continue his words again.. Two oppressive auras landed on his body and he was instantly made to kneel on the ground in front of the whole empire. 

Two mighty demonkins, both of whom seemed to be third stage saints appeared in between Kahn and Victor and they directed their saint aura as well as intense killing intent on Kahn. Both of their enraged gazes landed on the young swordsman as they declared in a tyrannical voice. 

"You have provoked someone you shouldn't have. Now you shall pay for it…" spoke a demonkin swordsman. 

"With your life!"