Kembali ke koloseum, tepatnya di medan pertempuran, Asher terlihat berdiri dengan wujud Star Form yang masih berkobar di sekelilingnya sementara sorak-sorai menggema di seluruh arena. Kepalanya menoleh ke samping, mengamati para penonton yang bergegas ke arahnya dengan mata yang berbinar penuh kegembiraan.
Asher menghela napas. Dengan satu pikiran, wujud Star Form-nya lenyap, lambang Bintang di dahinya berkedip lalu menghilang seolah tidak pernah ada. Kelelahan tidak menyerangnya karena ia terus-menerus meremajakan otot dan sarafnya setiap saat. Begitu ia keluar dari status tempur, Pertumbuhan Fisik Tanpa Batas segera aktif, membuat Asher merasakan sensasi hangat dan menenangkan mengalir ke seluruh tubuhnya. Ketangguhan fisik dan stat-nya segera melonjak ke tingkat yang baru.
Asher menikmati perasaan itu sambil memejamkan mata sejenak. Meskipun ia mungkin telah mencurangi biologi selama lima jam terakhir dengan memberikan dirinya stamina yang seolah tak terbatas, tidak ada yang bisa mengalahkan peremajaan biologis yang sesungguhnya di penghujung hari.
Walaupun ia sedikit lelah secara mental, Asher tidak pingsan seperti saat bertarung melawan Debro, karena kapasitas mentalnya telah berkembang sejak saat itu.
Saat para penonton bergegas ke arahnya, mereka segera dihentikan oleh berbagai barier Energi Astra yang diciptakan oleh staf yang dikirim untuk mengendalikan situasi.
Asher hanya tersenyum ke arah mereka sambil melambaikan tangan; itulah hal maksimal yang bisa ia lakukan untuk para penggemar fanatiknya. Jika memungkinkan, ia pasti sudah menandatangani pakaian mereka, tetapi waktu tidak mengizinkan.
Asher merasakan tatapan tajam dari atas. Kepalanya mendongak, mata ungunya bertemu dengan sepasang mata berwarna emas amber milik Arianna dan sepasang mata merah darah milik wanita yang telah menyelamatkannya.
Asher mengabaikan wanita itu karena ia tidak mengenalnya. Fokusnya tertuju pada Arianna seolah mengingatkan bahwa ia pernah mengatakan hal ini akan terjadi jika mereka bertemu. Sesaat kemudian, ia tersenyum padanya, bibirnya bergerak tanpa suara.
"Pertarungan yang bagus."
Sebelum bibir Arianna sempat bergerak untuk membalas, sebuah suara menggelegar dari atas, dan itu tidak lain adalah Thomasinho.
"DAN KITA BENAR-BENAR MENYAKSIKANNYA!!! PUNCAKNYA. SINEMA MUTLAK. PEMBANTAIAN. KEGILAAN. KEHANCURAN. KITA MEMINTA PUNCAK, DAN DIA MEMBERIKAN LEBIH DARI ITU!" teriaknya ke mikrofon sementara tubuhnya gemetar karena kegembiraan murni.
AlyxAtlas, yang melayang di sampingnya, berteriak ke mikrofonnya sendiri, "TAUKAH KALIAN? AKU SANGAT SETUJU. AYO KITA BATALKAN SAJA TURNAMEN ANTAR-KEKAISARAN. SETELAH APA YANG BARU SAJA DISAKSIKAN MATAKU, AKU RAGU ADA MANUSIA YANG BISA MENIRU INI!"
Ia seolah lupa bahwa ia bekerja untuk penyelenggara Turnamen Antar-Kekaisaran dan bukan penonton biasa yang bisa mendukung apa pun sesuka hati. Tapi apakah AlyxAtlas peduli? Tentu saja tidak. Apa yang bisa mereka lakukan? Memecatnya? Tolonglah, ia masih bisa mendapatkan pekerjaan lain, dan tidak ada pembawa acara yang bisa bekerja sebagai komentator di Turnamen Antar-Kekaisaran dua kali.
"Hah... tapi sayangnya, segalanya harus berakhir, karena tidak ada yang abadi, dan sayangnya, begitu pula puncak ini," ucap Thomasinho.
"Tapi itu tidak berarti kalian tidak boleh menghargainya. Tidak akan pernah ada momen seperti ini, tidak akan pernah ada pria seperti dia, tidak akan pernah ada wanita seperti dia, tidak akan pernah ada makhluk seperti dia. Dia memuncaki peringkat di babak pertama, memuncaki peringkat di babak kedua, melawan semua kandidat yang tersisa sendirian tanpa istirahat, dan tetap keluar sebagai pemenang," sambung suara AlyxAtlas.
"Jadi, bersujudlah padanya. Berdoalah padanya. Teriakkan namanya. Dedikasikan anak pertama kalian untuknya," ujar Thomasinho.
Dan dengan kata-katanya, sorak-sorai meledak.
"TERIMA KASIH UNTUK PUNCAKNYA!!!"
"INI ADALAH ARC TERBAIK DALAM HIDUPKU!!!"
"AKU AKAN MEMBUTAKAN MATAKU AGAR PUNCAK INI TETAP MENJADI HAL TERAKHIR YANG AKU SAKSIKAN DALAM CAHAYA!!!"
"BISAKAH KAU BERPARTISIPASI DI BABAK SELANJUTNYA???"
Suara-suara bergema saat orang-orang bersorak sementara adrenalin masih mengalir di nadi mereka.
Asher memutus kontak mata dengan Arianna, matanya beralih ke arah penonton yang memukul-mukul dinding barier Energi Astra di depan mereka dengan tatapan penuh kekaguman. Asher tidak berbicara; ia hanya melakukan satu gerakan.
Sebuah penghormatan. Membungkuk sembilan puluh derajat dengan sempurna dengan tangan di samping tubuh.
Ya, orang-orang ini tidak memberinya pakaian, uang, atau apa pun yang berwujud. Namun, ia menghargai cinta mereka dan ia menghargai dukungan yang telah mereka tunjukkan. Itu memenuhi hatinya. Bagaimana mungkin ia tidak tersentuh? Ia bukan mesin tanpa emosi. Jadi, membungkuk mungkin adalah satu-satunya cara ia bisa berterima kasih atas dukungan mereka yang tak tergoyahkan sepanjang Turnamen Antar-Kekaisaran.
"Seiring berakhirnya Turnamen Antar-Kekaisaran, hadiah akan menyusul. Namun sayangnya, hadiah tidak bisa diberikan di sini karena bobotnya. Selain itu, upacara pemberian hadiah tidak akan disiarkan ke seluruh dunia," ucap Thomasinho.
"Jadi, hadiah akan diserahkan pada gala penutupan yang diselenggarakan oleh Sang Penguasa Kekaisaran Thalvorn dalam dua hari. Jika kalian tidak cukup beruntung untuk diundang, maka kurasa ini berakhir di sini untuk kalian," umum AlyxAtlas dengan senyum.
"HUUU!!!!" "HUOOO!!!" "HUOOO!!!!"
"BERHENTILAH MENJADI PENGECUT DAN KELUARKAN HADIAHNYA!!!"
"AKHIRI TURNAMEN INI DENGAN CATATAN SEMPURNA!!!"
Thomasinho menggelengkan kepala. "Sebelum kalian mencemooh aku dan rekanku dan meminta akhir yang sempurna, kurasa aku harus memberi tahu kalian bahwa, karena puncak yang baru saja kita alami, Kepala Keluarga Elox dari Kekaisaran Vandross telah memutuskan untuk memberkati setiap orang yang melakukan taruhan dengan jumlah total uang yang mereka pertaruhkan, baik mereka menang atau kalah. Melalui teknologi dan kemampuan Organisasi Taruhan, semua dana akan dikirim ke setiap individu di seluruh planet dalam waktu satu jam menggunakan metode yang sama saat taruhan ditempatkan," umum Thomasinho.
Kata-katanya segera membungkam semua orang yang hadir.
Jumlah total di seluruh planet pasti mencapai kuadriliun, jika bukan lebih, namun seorang pria telah menyatakan bahwa ia akan mengembalikan uang semua orang secara cuma-cuma. Adakah orang yang lebih dermawan darinya? Bisakah seseorang benar-benar sebermurah hati ini dan tidak mengharapkan imbalan apa pun?
Jika orang tahu kemampuan yang dimiliki Kepala Keluarga Elox, mereka tidak akan terlalu terkejut, karena itu adalah kemampuan yang berhubungan dengan uang. Orang kemudian akan mengerti alasan ia begitu dermawan, menghabiskan kekayaan yang bahkan tidak dimiliki oleh seluruh Kekaisaran.
"Aku tetap Host kalian, Thomasinho."
"Aku tetap Host kalian, AlyxAtlas."
"Dan bersama-sama kami mengumumkan berakhirnya Turnamen Antar-Kekaisaran. Kami berharap bisa melihat kalian semua di puncak berikutnya. Selesai," ucap AlyxAtlas dan Thomasinho bersamaan sebelum mereka lenyap dari langit dan kembali ke tempat asal mereka.
Adapun Asher, ia hanya berbalik, melambai dengan senyum, dan berjalan menuju terowongan sebelum menghilang ke dalamnya, meninggalkan suara dan sorakan penonton yang memenuhi udara.
Back at the Coliseum, particularly on the battlefield, Asher could be seen standing, his Star Form still blazing around him as the chants echoing throughout the arena reached his ears. His head turned to the side as he watched the live spectators rush toward him with glee in their eyes.
Asher sighed, and with a thought, his Star Form vanished, the Star emblem on his forehead flickering away as though it had never been there. Exhaustion didn’t hit him as he was constantly rejuvenating his muscles and nerves at all times. The moment he left his combat state, Limitless Physical Growth immediately activated as Asher felt warmth and a soothing sensation course through his body. His physical prowess and stats immediately soared to new heights.
Asher enjoyed the feeling as he closed his eyes for a moment. Although he might have been cheating biology for the past five hours by granting himself seemingly endless stamina, nothing beat true biological rejuvenation at the end of the day.
Although he was a bit mentally exhausted, Asher didn’t faint like he had during his battle with Debro, as his mental capacity had only grown since then.
As the live spectators rushed toward him, they were immediately stopped by various Astra Energy barriers created by different staff members who had been sent to take control of the situation.
Asher simply smiled in their direction as he waved at them, as that was the most he could do for his fanatical fans. If possible, he would have signed some clothes for them, but there was simply no time.
Asher felt a heavy gaze on him coming from above. His head tilted upward, his purple eyes meeting a pair of amber-gold ones belonging to Arianna and a pair of crimson-red ones belonging to the woman who had saved her.
Asher simply ignored the other woman, as he didn’t know her. His focus settled on Arianna as though reminding her that he had told her this would happen if they ever met. The next moment, he smiled at her as his lips parted and silently mouthed something inaudible.
Good battle.
Before Arianna’s lips could even move in an equally inaudible reply, a thunderous voice boomed from above, and it was none other than Thomasinho.
"AND THERE WE FUCKING HAVE IT!!! THE FUCKING PEAK. THE ABSOLUTE CINEMA. THE CARNAGE. THE MADNESS. THE DESTRUCTION. WE ASKED FOR PEAK, AND HE MORE THAN DELIVERED!" He shouted into his microphone as his body trembled from pure excitement.
AlyxAtlas, who was floating beside him, screamed into her own microphone, "YOU KNOW WHAT? I TOTALLY AGREE. LET’S FUCKING SCRAP THE INTER-EMPIRE TOURNAMENT. AFTER WHAT MY EYES JUST WITNESSED, I DOUBT ANY MORTAL CAN EVER REPLICATE THIS!"
She seemed to forget that she worked for the organizers of the Inter-Empire Tournament and wasn’t one of the viewers who could support random things and chant whatever they liked. But did AlyxAtlas care? Definitely not. What could they possibly do? Fire her? Please, she would still get other gigs, and no host could work as a commentator in the Inter-Empire Tournament twice.
"Sigh... but sadly, everything must come to an end, as nothing lasts forever, and sadly, so does this peak," Thomasinho spoke.
"But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t appreciate him. There will never be a moment like this, there will never be a man like him, there will never be a woman like him, there will never be a being like him. He topped the rankings in the first round, topped the rankings in the second round, fought all the remaining candidates single-handedly without rest, and still came out on top," AlyxAtlas’ voice followed.
"So, bow to him. Pray to him. Chant his name. Dedicate your first child and son to him," Thomasinho stated.
And with his words, cheers erupted.
"THANK YOU FOR THE PEAK!!!"
"THIS WAS THE BEST ARC OF MY LIFE!!!"
"I SHALL BLIND MYSELF SO THIS PEAK REMAINS THE LAST THING I EVER WITNESS IN THE LIGHT!!!"
"CAN YOU PARTICIPATE NEXT ROUND???"
Voices echoed as people chanted while the adrenaline still coursed through their veins.
Asher broke eye contact with Arianna, his eyes shifting toward the spectators who banged against the Astra Energy wall before them as they stared at him with fascination in their eyes. Asher didn’t speak; he simply performed a single motion.
A bow. A perfect ninety-degree bow with his hands by his sides.
Yes, these people didn’t give him clothes, money, or anything tangible. But he appreciated their love, and he cherished the support they had shown him. It filled his heart. How couldn’t he be moved? He wasn’t some emotionless machine. So, a bow was probably the only way he could thank them for their unwavering support throughout the Inter-Empire Tournament.
"As the Inter-Empire Tournament comes to an end, the rewards will follow next. But unfortunately, the rewards can’t be given here due to the heaviness of the reward. Also, the reward ceremony won’t be streamed throughout the world," Thomasinho spoke.
"So, the rewards will be presented at a final gala hosted by the Overlord of the Thalvorn Empire in two days. If you aren’t lucky enough to be invited, then I guess it ends here for you," AlyxAtlas announced with a smile.
"BOO!!!!" "BOOO!!!" "BOOO!!!!"
"STOP BEING COWARDS AND BRING OUT THE REWARDS!!!"
"END THIS TOURNAMENT ON THE PERFECT NOTE!!!"
Thomasinho shook his head as he spoke. "Before you boo at me and my partner and ask for the perfect ending, I guess I should tell you that, due to the peakness we’ve all just experienced, the Head of the Elox Family of the Vandross Empire has decided to bless every single person who made any form of stake or bet with the total amount of money they had staked, whether they won or lost. Through the Betting Organization’s technology and abilities, all funds will be sent to each individual across the planet within an hour using the same method through which the bets were originally placed and rewarded," he announced.
His words immediately silenced everyone present.
The total amount across the planet had to be in the quadrillions, if not more, yet a single man had declared that he would return everyone’s money for free. Was there anyone more generous than him? Could anyone truly be this generous and expect nothing in return?
If people knew the ability the Head of the Elox Family possessed, they wouldn’t be so shocked, as it was an ability related to money. One would then understand the reason he was being so generous, spending fortunes that even entire Empires didn’t possess.
"I remain your Host, Thomasinho."
"I remain your Host, AlyxAtlas."
"And together we announce the end of the Inter-Empire Tournament. We hope to see you all at the next peak. Over and out," both AlyxAtlas and Thomasinho stated as they vanished from the sky and returned to wherever they had come from.
As for Asher, he simply turned around, waved with a smile, and walked toward the tunnel before disappearing into it, leaving only the voices and chants of the crowd to fill the air.
_____
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Bonus Chapter sponsored by Sluggish_Slug through Ko-fi.
Finally, I’m done with all the bonus Chapters. This author demands a free Super gift or Kofi for all the hard work.
Also, major announcement: I will be traveling on the 9th (tomorrow) for a friend’s burial on the 10th and would return on the 13th or 15th. If my updates are unstable within these days, it’s because of the burial, as it would be held in a village, and 99% of all villages have no service/internet connection.
So be patient with me during these dates. If possible, I will try releasing one Chapter for the time being during these days. But if I can’t, it’s out of my hands.
Also, Ko-fi is on my profile and novel synopsis in case anybody ever wants to support the bonus Chapters or send this greedy author free money. Lol.
Look at the book at the Golden Ticket rank 5.
It will overtake us in a few hours... it’s a smut and horny people book. We can’t allow such books to overtake us.
Let’s fight to keep our rank 4.
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