Tier 3+ - Accidental Champion (Book 8) - Chapter 13 - The Time for Talk Is Over

Xavier was transported back to that same, dark space as he had been before. The strange System-constructed space that allowed him to choose from the different arenas available.

It felt like a lifetime since he’d stood here, though only a day had passed in reality.

It’s been several lifetimes…

He still hadn’t looked at his status screen. Still hadn’t done the math. There was a part of him that, for whatever reason, didn’t want to see how much time had passed when he’d been executing one Denizen after another for their unforgivable crimes. A part of him that wanted that time to not have happened at all, even if he didn’t regret it.

He would check soon enough, however. Just… not yet.

The arena he ended up choosing was significantly larger than the last, and it hadn’t actually been an option last time, either. It didn’t really look like an arena. It was a huge mountain—larger than any mountains they had back on Earth, at least pre-System integration. At first, Xavier had thought the arena would be somewhere at the top of the mountain, but it turned out the arena was the mountain itself.

Xavier was incredibly curious about who would end up being his opponents. He didn’t doubt that there were more agents in the Ventorin sector. Agents from other neighbouring sectors, or perhaps even sectors much farther out. He didn’t anticipate any more spies that were in the sector because of him, but he hadn’t anticipated there to be any of those in the first place, so who knew who he’d face?

It wasn’t just his opponents he was curious about. It was the Denizens who would be sitting in those stands. When he claimed the capital world, there had been no Denizens in the stands—only those Denizens who ruled other worlds in the sector would have been able to be there, and there had been no such Denizens.

The Collector had ruled every world.

Now, however, any sector ruler within thousands of sectors distance could appear in those stands.

Empress Larona herself might be there… and I have no doubt that Sovereign Rewke Fouran will be watching this match with keen interest and more than a little frustration.

It was the sovereign he worried about the most, as the man might think he had an axe to grind, but… Well, there was a part of him that worried about every single Denizen that would be in attendance. These fights wouldn’t just be about claiming the Ventorin sector—they would be demonstrations. Any sector that changed hands was automatically seen to be vulnerable, and it was rare that a ruler of one sector—or several—didn’t wish to expand their domain.

This would be a test. If he was seen to be weak, then the chances of someone moving into his sector would be higher.

There was an opposite problem, however. If the sector rulers saw just how strong he was and knew how long he’d been around… Well, the threat could be even higher. They might move in to put him down while he was still young. No doubt they would worry about someone who’d risen as fast as he had one day moving into their sectors.

And they’d be right worry about that. It’s exactly what I intend to do.

Xavier wasn’t worried about those he would face in these matches. The only thing he was worried about was how he would be perceived.

But could he truly let their perception of him change his actions? There were steps he should take, abilities he should hide… But he didn’t want to simply kill his opponents out of hand just because he was being watched, just because they might see his mercy as weakness, especially if the System forced his opponents to be there like they had in the last arena.

Xavier stood at the top of the massive mountain on a blanket of snow. He could see the stands from here. Though they weren’t technically “stands” like in the other arenas. These were seats that hovered high up in the thin, mountain air. There were enough seats to house thousands and thousands of Denizens, though he sincerely doubted that many would be in attendance. Though the rulers from thousands of different sectors could observe this match, that didn’t mean it would hold all that much interest to those farther away.

Only one Denizen has volunteered to challenge your claim. As there is an insufficient number of volunteers, the System has forced a selection of 9 more challengers.

The first challenger will be arriving in 5 seconds. The remaining 9 challengers will not have an opportunity to witness this fight.

Ten challengers? More than last time…

Xavier shifted his weight from one foot to the next. The moment that challenger arrived would be the moment the seats around the arena would start to fill. He suddenly felt nervous. He hadn’t expected a single person within the sector to challenge him. He’d shown every Denizen the memory of him defeating The Collector. They’d experienced exactly how powerful he was.

Yet someone still wanted to challenge him?

Maybe they’re from outside the sector… Maybe they didn’t witness that memory when I provided it to everyone else…

Or maybe they had witnessed it and still felt confident they could defeat it.

Xavier released a long breath. Well, whoever it was, he would deal with them in any way necessary.

~

The first nine challengers were clearly those who’d been taken here against their will. To Xavier’s surprise, he didn’t need to convince them to forfeit—they didn’t fight him. The System, assuming it had emotions, would no doubt be angered by this turn of events. Xavier, on the other hand, was relieved.

One by one, the challengers surrendered. They knew who he was. They’d experienced his memories. And not a single one of them wanted to fight him.

Nine challengers went by without Xavier having to lift a finger. This gave him a chance to look at who sat in the seats surrounding the vast arena. At first, a thousand Denizens had appeared in those seats. The majority of the sector rulers had their identities hidden. Hoods covered their faces, or magic blurred their entire image from being seen. Xavier searched the seats and frowned when he couldn’t find Sovereign Fouran.

Had he misread the man? Or was he hiding his presence? He hadn’t thought the man to be a coward.

Maybe he isn’t a coward, simply cautious…

Xavier had no doubt he was out there somewhere.

By the time the ninth challenger surrendered, the majority of those observers had disappeared. Those who had their faces visible looked bored. Some looked disgusted. Still others even jeered, egging him on to kill the challengers and not simply let them go.

Less than a hundred sector rulers remained, their curiosity stronger than their boredom. Several of those rulers had no disguise. Xavier didn’t try to pierce their veils. Now was not the time nor the place to do such a thing, especially since they would likely all feel it. He doubted any of the sector rulers sitting in those stands were A Grades, but there was a small chance of that. Even so, they would all be powerful B Grades. B Grades far more powerful than The Collector had been. B Grades stronger than Sovereign Rewke Fouran.

And almost all of them would be far stronger than Xavier.

He got a good look at those who remained—the ones he could actually see, at least. He couldn’t help but notice a few significant glances between them.

Then, the final challenger arrived. This man’s arrival gained the full attention of every sector ruler in attendance.

And he gained Xavier’s full attention as well.

The final challenger to appear was none other than Sovereign Rewke Fouran himself, the leader from the Orin sector. Xavier prevented shock from showing on his face—which was quite the feat, considering how much he was feeling.

Sovereign Rewke stared at him from the other side of the mountain’s peak. The man raised his chin in greeting. “Hello, Xavier Collins.” He tilted his head to the side, glanced around, then opened his arms. “So, this is why you refused my offer of being sector warden?” He took a few steps forward, his boots leaving sizable imprints in the snow. “You really think you’re powerful enough to hold this sector on your own, don’t you?”

Xavier let the shock of this turn of events slowly subside. This eventuality hadn’t even been something he’d worried about. While he’d expected to see the man observing the match, the last thing he’d expected was to see him in the stands. How he handled this fight—if indeed he could handle it—would be more than enough of a display for the remaining observers.

Less than a second had passed since the sovereign had posed his question, and already news must have been carried around the other sectors of this fight, as the sector rulers who’d left in boredom, disgust, or both, started to return to their seats. Only a handful at first, but it wasn’t long before more arrived.

Xavier sighed. “Are you that petty?” He peered at the man. “You came to fight me because I refused you?”

The sovereign glanced about at the seats, seeing them fill with more and more of the rulers that had left. It wasn’t only those who’d left appearing, either. Denizens appeared in seats that hadn’t been filled before.

Did the System notify them of who was in this fight?

“Petty? No. I’ve long grown out of such childish emotions. Unfortunately, that’s something you’ll never get to experience.” Sovereign Rewke Fouran frowned. “Unless, of course, you wish to surrender this match? I have always been a merciful ruler. There would be no shame in forfeiting when you know it’s pointless to fight.” He waved a dismissive hand. “You could return to that sector of yours, at least for as long as it’ll be around.” The sovereign smiled cruelly. “I understand it’s under imminent threat.”

He’s taken a risk, coming here. Though I doubt he understands what the extent of that risk is.

Xavier raised an eyebrow at the man. “You would truly do that? Allow me to surrender?”

The sovereign’s smile widened, showing more teeth. “Well, of course. I wouldn’t want someone with so much promise to wither and die when they’re barely getting started.”

Xavier narrowed his eyes. He didn’t believe a word the man was saying. Though Fouran as well as him knew they were being watched. Was this some kind of display for the others?

He can’t spend long here. If he’s here, and in the Ventorin sector, that means he’s left the Orin sector vulnerable. And if he wins this fight… He’ll be overstretched. How can he expect to rule the Ventorin sector and the Orin sector when he doesn’t have the means? Isn’t that the whole reason he never moved on The Collector?

Xavier sighed inwardly. He supposed it really didn’t matter what the man thought he could achieve, but the fact that he was here had sweeping ramifications. If Xavier defeated another sector ruler, he would gain a claim to that sector as well—though he wasn’t sure if that would work if he won in this arena, so that might not be true.

But if it is true, I’m not ready to rule two sectors… The other sector rulers will move in. They’ll see my weakness. If Fouran would be overstretched, I certainly would be, especially if I’m sucked back into the Tower of Champions and unable to even be here…

And if killing him doesn’t give me a claim? The Orin sector will fall into chaos, just like this sector did.

Xavier smiled back. “Well, in that case, I should extend you the same offer.” He gripped his Scythe Staff. “You shouldn’t have come here, Rewke.” He shook his head. “It was a grave miscalculation.” Xavier flapped his wings, coming to hover in the air above the ruler of the Orin sector. “I understand why you did. You saw an opportunity. One you thought you couldn’t refuse.” He tilted his head to the side. “But this isn’t what you want. Not really.”

Sovereign Rewke Fouran looked Xavier up and down. His smile disappeared, replaced with a look of utter contempt. “How dare you speak to me that way! However you gained this power, whoever placed it in your hands, whoever you stole it from, it may have been enough to kill that worthless Collector, but it won’t be enough against me!” His eyes blazed with sudden cold fury. “The time for talk is over. I rescind my offer.”