"LET'S GO, SON OF HADES, ROUND THREE!"
"Dude you are nuts"
He laughed maniacally. His voice echoed across the battlefield, growing louder and louder. The skeletal arm rose even higher—first its fingers, then its arms, and finally—its entire body started to rise.
A monstrous skeleton—an eldritch titan—rose from the water, its massive form only reaching up to its torso.
"That's new," Kael muttered.
The battlefield shook. Waves crashed onto the shore as Kael stood there, watching it unfold.
Its skull stretched into a jagged grin. Its hollow eyes flickered with the same bluish fire. Black mist curled from its mouth like breath. In its right hand, it held a massive black blade.
It loomed behind Charon, protecting him.
It mimicked every movement he made, as if it wasn't a massive titan—but Charon himself.
Charon swung his staff horizontally—so did the monstrous skeleton.
The strike came down like a meteor, cutting through the air, slicing downward.
Kael whispered, "Too slow."
He sidestepped, dodging easily.
The impact split the river in half.
A huge explosion sent water bursting into the air, shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. Even though Kael dodged it, the force was too strong—it pushed him back.
"Damn it," he muttered, trying to regain his balance.
"That's a nice toy you got there. How do I get one?" Kael asked.
Charon smiled. "You like it?"
"Yes, it's pretty cool. How do I get one?"
"You can't."
"But why?"
"Because you can't."
Kael rolled his eyes. "Well, if I can't have one, you're not allowed to have one either."
Kael's body dissolved into shadows. He reappeared right in front of Charon, his blade flashing toward his neck. Fast. Deadly.
But before Kael could land the hit—
The skeleton warrior's rib cage snapped shut, forming a shield around Charon.
Damn it.
Then—
Another arm formed from the skeleton's side, smashing into Kael's ribs and sending him flying across the river.
Kael skidded across the ground, stopping just before the water's edge. He gasped for breath. His ribs ached.
"This is really pissing me off," Kael blurted out, wincing.
"Damn it, fight fair, you damn skeleton!"
Charon grinned. "Define fair."
Kael clenched his jaw. "Not using that damn thing!"
Charon only smirked.
The skeleton swung its massive blade.
Kael waited. Not yet.
It came crashing down—
At the last second, Kael angled his sword, letting the force glide past him, scraping against his own blade.
The massive skeleton lost its balance.
Kael rushed forward, but more arms sprouted from its sides, striking at him like spears.
Kael sidestepped, vanishing into the shadows.
He reappeared behind Charon, unleashing a relentless barrage of strikes.
Fast. Nonstop. Crushing.
The skeleton's armor cracked—slowly, slowly starting to break.
Then—chains shot out of its back, aiming for Kael.
Before it could wrap around him—
He vanished again.
Charon's eyes darted around. Left. Right. Behind him.
Kael's voice rang out—
"Above you, idiot."
Charon barely had time to look up before—
Kael dove down, headfirst, swords in both hands.
Charon smirked. The skeleton swung its sword.
"You can't dodge midair, child."
Kael grinned.
He twisted midair to dodge it. As he did, its other hand came toward him, trying to grab him. Seeing no other option, he continued to dive down, gripping his sword tightly.
This time, instead of dodging, Kael dove head-on, bringing his blade down on the hand. Using the momentum of his fall to increase the power of his strike, he cleaved through its arm until he landed before Charon.
A sharp whisper—
"Slice."
Charon barely had time to react.
His weapon—split in two.
Charon took a step back.
Kael laughed. "You scared?"
"FINAL ROUND, MY KING!" Charon shouted.
Kael grinned. "Oh, I like that."
"Remember when you asked me to define fair?" Kael dropped his sword—it vanished into the shadows. "Since you can't use your weapon, I will not use mine either."
Charon smiled. "Let's make this magical."
They stared each other down.
Then, with a smirk—
He charged.
No weapons. No shadows.
Just two warriors.
Fists collided.
Charon moved first.
His punch flew toward Kael's ribs—
Kael blocked it. Countered with a knee to his bony stomach.
Charon stumbled back—but didn't flinch.
He swung—his fist smashed into Kael's jaw, knocking him sideways.
Kael didn't wait. He countered. His fist slammed into Charon's jaw.
A kick. Blocked.
A punch. Dodged.
Their blows became a blur, the impact shaking the riverbanks, sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
Then—
Punch after punch—nonstop.
Both were exhausted. Slowing down.
Kael gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain.
With everything he had left, he leaped up, clapped his hands together, and brought them down like a hammer onto Charon's skull.
CRACK.
A hole burst open in Charon's skull.
Charon gasped. "I surrender."
Kael collapsed to his knees, his shadow coat slowly fading away, leaving him in just his pants—barely keeping his dignity intact.
He took a deep breath.
"What the hell was all this for?"
Charon wiped his jaw. "A test."
Kael growled. "This test is stupid. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you now."
Charon smirked. "Well… without me, you can't pass and go to Tartarus."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "Well, give me two, then—after all the trouble you put me through."
Charon's grin widened. "What if I tell you how to use the chain technique?"
Kael hesitated. "Why not the giant skeleton thingy?"
Charon chuckled. "Because it's too difficult."
"You calling me stupid?"
"No, we will get to that next time"
Kael sighed. "Damn it. Fine. How?"
Charon crossed his arms.
"It comes from the same place as your shadows—the deepest part of the Underworld. Those chains are not ordinary. They are forged in the Underworld, meant for punishment.
"The chains grow stronger based on how much sin the target has committed.
"You, the Son of Hades, can call them anytime."
Kael's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Fine, fine! Just show me!"
Charon smirked. "I can't show you, child. You will have to figure that out on your own."
Kael's smile slowly disappeared.
"I will kill you now, you damn troll."