Chapter 232: Sinner Ganis
Ganis walked onto the stage of battle empty-handed, laughing and waving his hands repeatedly, while the audience cheered continuously, following his rhythm.
"I am your champion!"
"I am 'Fist of Duel'!"
Ganis had a total of ten opponents, consisting of both men and women, all wielding various styles of cold weapons, while the organizers of the event were dressed like savages.
Their expressions were all perplexed, with black markings on their exposed body parts. These individuals clearly didn't belong here; they were sinners of the wilderness.
Most of the sinners who were caught while attempting to illegally cross the border would be sent to the abattoir, where only the true strong ones could survive, such as... "Fist of Duel" Ganis.
"Prohibition against using extraordinary powers! Of course, physical strength doesn't count!"
The host bellowed while announcing the simple rules, hoarsely collapsing into the arms of the girls, and once again shouting!
"Anything else is permissible!"
The audience was completely enthralled, and Ganis, with a smile on his face, stepped forward, extending his hand to provoke the sinners in front of him.
"Come on! Let's fight!"
He spoke in the language specific to sinners; one of the ten sinners, a strong man, furrowed his brow and asked, "Why do you, as the Persecuted, serve the 'people of the city' and seek to please them?"
"Do you not yearn for freedom?"
"I certainly have my reasons to fight... In this place, the only thing I can rely on is my own fist. If I don't want to die, I must stay alive," Ganis silently uttered these seemingly trivial words, and his smile on his face briefly froze.
He suddenly bellowed out!
"Come on! Put on a more entertaining show! Please these people! This way, at least they still have a chance to survive!"
The sinners exchanged looks, and suddenly the men brandished their weapons and charged towards Ganis.
However, even without being able to wield extraordinary powers, Ganis' physical being itself possesses an extraordinary degree.
His fists effortlessly pierce and shatter steel armor, and even when his skin is stabbed by sharp spears, there are only insigns of blood.
Ganis, with an expressionless face, ruthlessly swings his fist, shattering the internal organs of one man, and kicks another to death, splattering the ground with vivid crimson blood!
After consecutively killing several individuals, the other sinners retreated in astonishment.
"This fellow is no ordinary person, but a 'volunteer' (extraordinary being), we are no match for him!"
"Despicable! This is far from a fair fight; it is merely an entertaining execution!"
Indeed, this can hardly be considered a battle.
Ganis, possessing the awakening level of power, his sheer physical strength can triumph over a thousand people, even ten thousand people; it is impossible for an ordinary person to emerge victorious!
This is a one-sided massacre!
Ganis suddenly tore a black cloth from a lifeless body, first raising it for the audience to see, and then symbolically binding his own hands.
He closed his eyes and, retreating, charged towards the remaining living sinners.
The speed is remarkable!
Backing away, he swiftly slammed into two men with his shoulder, clearly indicating that everything Ganis was doing was not a duel, but a performance.
"Howling, howling, howling!"
The entire audience was in a frenzy!
Compared to the daily slaughter, the audience adores Ganis for his various behaviors in the battles! Last time, he even attempted to kill his enemy with just a single finger.
Incredible!
Such powerful beings are usually in high positions in life, but Ganis chooses to wield his own fists for the audience, and this joy of surpassing the mighty exhilarates people to no end!
Soon, all ten male sinners died, leaving the few remaining women paralyzed with fear.
"Hahaha! It's over! They were no match for me! I am your champion! Fist of Duel!"
"Fist of Duel!Fist of Duel!Fist of Duel!"
His fans are truly countless; a formidable supernormal being, both handsome and adept at pleasing the audience, is a rare sight in the abattoir.
Ganis saluted the entire crowd, eliciting cheers, as they eagerly awaited the forthcoming "adjudication."
The host immediately exclaimed, "Life or death adjudication, commence! Following the tradition, we shall now have the precious votes from the audience, who can be either merciful or cruel, to collectively decide the person who should perish!"
"This is the power bestowed upon us by the divine!"
The few individuals who were still alive ascended onto the leaderboard, and people eagerly pressed the buttons within their reach to cast their votes.
A hundred years ago, the Kingdom of Dark Light remained quite backward; however, nowadays, it has gradually embraced some modern technologies.
However, advanced items such as mobile phones and the internet are still prohibited, perhaps because they are too proficient in disseminating information.
They are deemed as blasphemous objects by the church.
The vote count on the leaderboard kept fluctuating, but Ganis knew that the number of votes could be manipulated behind the scenes. Even if there were other factions' people from the abattoir attempting to sabotage by voting for his demise, it would be an impossible feat.
However, others may not be so fortunate...
Ganis watched as the vote count of those few women continued to rise. He knew deep down that the inhabitants of the city, who lived under the "Divine Laws," had long been suppressed to the point of twistedness. The abattoir was one of the few places where the people of the Kingdom of Dark Light could release their emotions.
So, naturally, they wanted to see more, even more exaggerated and disgusting things.
"These people are just like me, unbearable to look at."
--
After Ganis left the arena, the smile on his face completely vanished, leaving behind only a sense of profound numbness.
His gaze vacant, Ganis made his way to the makeshift bathroom behind the corridor, rinsing the hot blood off with cold water... Suddenly, Ganis started vomiting, even expelling the remnants of his previous night's meal.
His room was immaculate and tidy, with only a single bed, a small bathroom, devoid of any other belongings.
Upon Ganis' return to his room, he was confronted by an elderly gentleman seated on the bed, puffing on a cigar, evidently awaiting his presence.
The elderly man had a head full of white hair and his skin was adorned with golden scales. His eyes resembled those of a serpent, while he was dressed in an exquisitely high-priced red Western-style suit.
Perhaps, it is possible that the value of this cigar alone surpasses that of those deceased sinner slaves.
He is one of the "Church Agents" in the seventh district of Annottales, known as Keno, and has acquaintances among the upper echelons of society's priests. No one dares to offend him.
Keno, who is now known as Keno, is over a hundred years old this year. Several decades ago, he was once a mere mortal, but today he has ascended to become a semi-dragon being of Rank Five in the hierarchy.
After Ganis entered the room, Keno took a puff of his cigarette and squinted his eyes slightly, saying, "Ganis, my champion, I've heard that you wish to have an audience with me?"
Ganis took a deep breath, nodded, and his gaze became exceedingly serious. "Yes, Mr. Keno, I wish to see my sister, just for a moment."
The elderly man, known as Mr. Keno, remained silent for a while, calmly puffing on his cigar on the bed, and only spoke at the end:
"Are you out of your mind?"
Ganis remained silent.
"You sister is doing well now, we have performed surgery on her, removing the black markings on her skin. In a little while, she can apply for transformation, becoming a vampire or a dragonkin like me, ascending to Rank Five… Are you now wanting people to know that your sister, like you, is a lowly sinner at Rank Nine?"
Mr. Keno said coldly, "When the time comes, as long as someone reports it to the church, any priest, after verifying the situation, can arrange for a 'trial'. According to the 'divine law', your sister is as good as dead."
A portion of the supernatural races possess the ability to transform other races, such as vampires being the most iconic example.
Therefore, in the Kingdom of Dark Light, many low-ranking races consider "transformation" as the most crucial step towards advancement.
However, it is against divine law for a sinner to seek to change their race.
The people of the Kingdom of Dark Light live under the "divine law". In this country, there are no judges, nor anyone who formulates laws. There are only rules designated by the Savior of Dark Light.
Once someone violates the rules and their true name and identity are known by the church, it is highly likely that the priest will "submit" their case to the divine being... the Savior of Dark Light.
"The judgment" will be initiated!
A black pillar of light descending from the heavens will envelop the violator. As long as this individual remains within the confines of the Kingdom of Dark Light, regardless of where they hide or what extraordinary powers or Relics they employ for defense, they will face corresponding punishments... including but not limited to imprisonment, humiliation, dismemberment, and execution.
Due to its advanced and powerful enforcement methods, the Kingdom of Dark Light has always been a country characterized by order, harmony, and a pleasant environment, where everyone can lead a peaceful and prosperous life.
This is a land where the divine presence exists!
This is a land where evil has nowhere to escape!
This is a country that must absolutely not defy the "Divine Law"!
Ganis remained silent, refraining from uttering a single word.
Mr. Keno continued, saying, "You have already earned a great deal of glory. In the Seventh District, you are now the most formidable champion. Everyone admires you, and the audience cheers for you. What else could possibly make you unsatisfied?"
"Do you desire women? Women of lower status, I can help you find as many as you want! Actually, lately, women of higher status have also shown an interest in you. Hmm, perhaps I can arrange something for you all."
After Keno finished speaking, Ganis took a deep breath and paced around the room, remaining silent.
A few minutes later.
His expression grew increasingly agitated, and his voice gradually grew louder.
"I don't feel unsatisfied! I just... I just want to see my sister, after several years! I have only seen her in photographs!"
Mr. Keno slowly stood up, his voice still indifferent.
"Don't overthink it. Our champion, what you need most right now is to rest well... Forget about her in the future, and of course, she will forget about you too."
After saying that, he left, paying no attention whatsoever to the sinner's feelings.
Ganis sat on the bed, holding his head, in silence for a long time, then suddenly let out a hoarse and vehement roar.
"Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!"
With a fierce punch, he struck the ground, leaving behind a prominently dented mark from the forceful blow... However, the damaged surface quickly began to restore itself automatically.
When we parted ways, she was only five years old... Three years have passed since then.
Ganis is not foolish, aware that Keno might be deceiving him, but what does it matter? This is his sole hope.
Perhaps, we should not have come to this city. Meeting our demise amidst natural calamities might have been the most desirable outcome.
Outside Ganis' chamber, within numerous other chambers, the rest of the sinners also heard Ganis' piercing wails of sorrow.
They had never seen this elegant, courageous man making such a sound.
Ganis roared, in this moment he yearned for freedom more than ever before.
At this moment, even if the devil demanded his very soul, he would willingly present it!
As long as I can attain freedom and strength!
An icy, ruthless, and utterly captivating voice suddenly resounded in his mind.
[You have been chosen by destiny, Fist of Duel.]
