As Aisha led me forward, I took in the massive coliseum before us—its towering, circular form reminiscent of the grand arenas built by the Roman Empire. The structure loomed over the landscape, exuding power and history.
Unlike its Roman counterparts, which featured rows of archways, this coliseum had noticeably fewer entrances—a strange deviation from tradition.
“Huh… This looks just like the Roman coliseums from our world.”
“That’s true.” Aisha waved a hand but kept looking ahead. “Think the previous heroes built it?”
“Maybe. Depends on when it was made.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Heroes left a hundred years ago. If this was built before then, sure.”
“Ohhh.” Aisha nodded as it clicked. “Wait—you said people forgot the Heroes after meeting them, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then… wouldn’t that happen to us too?”
I shrugged. “Probably.”
By then, we had reached the entrance—a massive wooden door reinforced with steel, left open for us. We stepped inside, joining a crowd of powerful wizards.
The grand hall was vast, supported by towering pillars. Three paths stretched before us, each leading somewhere different. At the center, a ten-foot-tall iron gate offered a glimpse of the pristine white marble stadium beyond—the heart of the coliseum, where battles would unfold. Just the sight of it sent a rush of excitement through me.
To the left and right, two paths led to the spectator stands, where the crowd was already pouring in, buzzing with excitement. Aisha mentioned that most people came just to watch—probably more interested in the magic explosions than the actual competition. The air practically hummed with energy.
While the masses veered off, Aisha and I headed straight for a man in iron armor standing by the closed iron gate, checkbook in hand. The moment he spotted Aisha, he snapped to attention like a soldier about to salute.
“Welcome back to the coliseum, Madam! How may I be of service?” he asked, radiating respect.
“Ah, hello!” Aisha grinned, casually resting a hand on my shoulder. “My good friend Evan here wants to join the ranking ceremony and become someone like me.”
Ah. I saw what she was doing—using her status to make sure I didn’t get stuck in some bureaucratic nightmare. Smart.
The man hesitated, clearly thrown off, but recovered quickly. “A-Ah, of course! The ceremony is open to all magicians. The match between Saul and Ilta is starting soon—Mr. Evan can go in right after them. Would that be acceptable?”
Huh. This felt like a fast pass at Disney—except instead of skipping to a fun ride, I was skipping straight to a fight.
On that note, there definitely needs to be a duel system in Disneyland, you win the fight? You get to ride. The strong needs to beat up the weak. And since the people who go there are kids in nature, It will be an easy fight.
…It’s not like I’m want to beat kids up. Although they deserve it… Only the spoiled ones.
…Yea.
“Well, can I just do all my matches back-to-back? No breaks, straight to… whatever rank Aisha is now?” I said as I pointed at Aisha.
“Professional Grandmaster,” she supplied.
“Yep, that.”
The man’s expression twisted like I’d just asked for a free unicorn. He glanced at Aisha for help, but she just looked away, clearly enjoying the show.
“I-I’m sorry, but there are rules,” he stammered. “You can only fight one match at a time and climb the ranks gradually. Many magicians are here to prove themselves, so I can’t make exceptions.”
“Wait.” Aisha suddenly cut in, hands on her hips. “When it was my turn, I got to beat up twelve opponents in a row and reached my rank in about an hour.”
The poor guy paled like he’d just been caught committing tax fraud. “I-I’m sorry, but that was under the King’s command! I can’t break the rules unless the King personally orders it.”
Aisha sighed dramatically. “Welp, I tried.” She shrugged like she’d just lost a sock in the laundry.
“So I really have to do this the slow way, huh?” I muttered, frustration creeping in.
The guy winced, bowing his head. “I truly apologize, but there’s nothing I can do.”
That was it, then. Walter would have to wait until I got my hands on my flippin’ skill books and achieved a form no mortal man should possess.
With that settled, the man hastily scribbled my name into his checkbook like he was worried I’d change my mind and challenge him to a duel instead. He then pointed us toward the seating area, where we’d get to witness the upcoming matches.
We followed the pathway to a grand staircase circling the coliseum. The steps doubled as seating, packed with spectators buzzing with excitement. One section, noticeably taller and covered by a protective roof, stood out—it was obviously the VIP area, reserved for the fancy, important people who didn’t have to worry about getting rained on or trampled in the chaos.
“Papa!”
A familiar voice rang through the noise, and I turned just in time to see Faith, perched on Luna’s shoulder, flailing her arms like she was signaling a rescue helicopter.
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She wasn’t alone. Tifa was attempting to hold Hope on her lap, but the little girl was bouncing up and down like he’d just chugged a barrel of sugar after seeing me approach. Meanwhile, Lucy and Oswald had claimed a more secluded spot, forming a tiny oasis of calm in this place of beating people up.
At least someone was having a good time
I walked toward them just as Faith launched herself off Luna’s shoulder like a tiny missile. I barely had time to react before catching her mid-air.
“Well, hello there, my naughty little troublemaker. How are ya?”
Faith wiggled excitedly in my arms, her fluffy black tail whipping around like a wind-up toy gone rogue. “Hehehe! You took forever! Did you know!? There was a fight! And—AND! This guy used magic, and a huge ice spike shot up from the ground like—VWHOOSH!” She flailed her arms dramatically, nearly smacking me in the face.
I glanced at the platform she was pointing to, where she continued her chaotic storytelling about destruction and magic mayhem. But… the stadium looked fine? No signs of destruction, no gaping holes, no collapsed platforms—
Oh. Right. Magic.
“Sounds like you had a blast,” I said, hoisting her onto my shoulders before plopping down beside Luna. “So… what’d I miss?”
Luna shot me a look. The kind that said, I’m mad but I won’t say it outright. Yet.
“What took you so long?” she asked, crossing her arms.
Yeah, definitely mad.
I couldn’t exactly tell her the truth about Walter dying and our whole secret hero planning, so I had to improvise. “Ah, well, Aisha and I were just doing some, uhh… hero planning?”
Luna’s eyes narrowed. “Planning what?”
Crap. I turned to Aisha for backup, and she, being the absolute menace she was, smirked and winked.
“Oh, you know, Luna,” Aisha said, her tone way too smug, “just the kind of things a Papa and Mama usually plan.”
She definitely did that on purpose.
The moment the words left her mouth, chaos erupted.
“WH-WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?” Luna practically combusted, flailing her arms like a malfunctioning robot. “YOU TWO AREN’T EVEN HUSBAND AND WIFE! EVAN ONLY ASKED YOU TO BE FAITH AND HOPE’S MOM BECAUSE HE COULDN’T SEE THEM SAD—THERE WAS NO OTHER REASON!”
Oh, great. Now everyone was staring.
“Aww~ You’re just jealous you can’t be their mama,” Aisha teased, practically glowing with mischief.
“I’M NOT JEALOUS!” Luna snapped, her face turning the exact shade of someone definitely not jealous.
The two of them kept going at it, and I already knew how this would end—Aisha was going to win. She thrived on making people salty.
…Just like me.
Anyway, before I could enjoy the chaos any further, Lucy approached me.
“Shishou, will you participate as well?”
“Yeah, I’m aiming for Pro Grandmaster.”
“…It’s strange that I know you’ll actually do it,” she muttered, shaking her head like she was already accepting the inevitable.
As our banter continued, the energy in the air thickened with anticipation. Within minutes, the moment we’d all been waiting for arrived—the match was about to begin.
The crowd instantly fell into a hush as a referee, clad head to toe in bulky iron armor, marched into the stadium. Behind him, the massive iron gate creaked open, revealing the two fighters.
On one side, a young man stepped forward, his short, wavy brown hair giving him a boyish look. He wore a bright red magician’s robe, his grip firm on a Topaz Staff—its yellowish metal gleaming, the massive gem at the top glowing with an enchanting light.
Opposite him, his opponent radiated pure confidence. She looked older, her long black hair braided with precision. Draped in flowing black robes, she held an Amethyst Staff, its deep purple gem pulsing like a heartbeat.
They stepped into the center of the stadium, eyes locked, ready to clash.
This was going to be good.
Suddenly, Lucy’s eyes narrowed, locking onto one of the fighters in the arena. “It’s her…”
“Someone you know?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yeah… That’s Ilta. Ilta Rodney. Her family and mine… well, let’s just say we don’t get along.”
Duly noted and immediately ignored. I wasn’t about to get tangled up in some inter-family drama. Nope. Not my problem—
“They’re notorious for a spell they created called Nightmare. It forces the target to face whatever they fear most. I don’t know the details, but be careful.”
- Stop talking! Now I have to care!
“…Gotcha.”
Meanwhile, Ilta scanned the crowd until her gaze landed on us—and suddenly, she lit up like a kid spotting free candy.
“Was it just me, or was she way too happy to see us?” I whispered to Aisha.
“I think she smiled after looking at me.”
An opportunity presented itself. I took it.
Evan: That means she has the BIG GAY.
Aisha barely managed to cover her mouth before she burst out laughing, shaking with suppressed giggles.
Before I could enjoy my victory, the referee’s voice boomed across the stadium.
“BEGIN!”
The dude—whose name I’d already forgotten—raised his staff, launching a blazing fireball straight at Ilta.
Without missing a beat, Ilta conjured a translucent shield, the flames crashing harmlessly against it. She immediately started chanting, her voice steady and focused.
Not to be outdone, Fireball Guy slammed his staff into the ground, summoning a roaring ring of fire around them. He, too, began chanting, his magic crackling with raw intensity.
The crowd leaned in, completely hooked. The battle had only just begun, and it was already heating up—literally.
In a shocking twist, Ilta’s voice rang through the arena as she unleashed a powerful incantation. The air thickened with an eerie darkness, swirling into a dense black fog between her and her opponent.
The mist expanded rapidly, its tendrils curling outward—then, with a sudden burst of energy, it vanished.
And standing in its place…
A colossal blue slime, a regal crown perched atop its gelatinous head.
Inside its translucent body, a ninja stood motionless, poised and ready for action.
Wait. Is that a King Slime?
The arena erupted. Gasps, whispers, and awestruck murmurs spread like wildfire. The sheer absurdity of the summon had everyone hooked. The giant blue slime pulsed with a quiet menace, its jiggly form somehow commanding respect.
The dude—whose name I’d long since stopped bothering to remember—was visibly panicking. He hastily cast a spell, launching a barrage of fiery projectiles at Ilta.
But the King Slime?
It didn’t even flinch.
Each fireball plopped into its gelatinous body, sizzling out like someone had dropped a match into a bucket of water. The flames did nothing.
The dude's face contorted in sheer terror. His composure shattered like glass.
Then, he let out an actual shriek—like, a full-on, high-pitched, horror movie scream—before spinning on his heel and bolting straight out of the stadium.
The crowd lost it.
And honestly? Same.
With an air of complete composure, Ilta raised her hand, signaling the King Slime to withdraw. The majestic blob obediently melted into a swirling black fog and vanished as mysteriously as it had appeared.
“Winner! Ilta!”
The referee’s voice boomed across the stadium, cutting through the crowd’s deafening cheers. The coliseum exploded with excitement, the energy so intense it was practically contagious. My friends jumped in on the celebration, cheering and clapping—except for Aisha.
She just stood there, arms crossed, eyes narrowed, lost in thought.
Weird.
Then I noticed something else—Ilta had never once looked at me. Her gaze had been locked onto Aisha the entire time, like she was piecing together a puzzle she didn’t know existed until now.
Huh. Interesting.
“Do you have some beef with her?” I asked, nudging Aisha.
“First time seeing her,” she replied casually.
Ilta, still looking our way, gave a polite bow before turning and gracefully walking out of the arena.
“Well, she definitely has something to do with you.”
“We’ll see,” Aisha muttered, still watching Ilta’s retreating figure.
Before I could press her further, the referee announced the next match—and mentioned that a mysterious stranger personally approved by Hero Aisha would be entering the arena.
Ah. That was my cue.
I stood up, stretching lazily. “Welp, that’s me.”
Giving a quick wave to everyone present, I casually strolled downstairs, ready to see what this coliseum had in store for me.
Hello everyone, Yep I disappeared for a long time but I have two good reasons for that.
I think that story is really good as well so please take a look at it at least. :D
As you all know that writing an original story is really hard and I'm doing this all for free as well so all I ask is for a little help, commenting, voting, reviewing anything on this story or my other story is a huge motivational boost for me and Even a single comment from a single person is enough for me to do my best above and beyond so i'd really appreciate it if you took a bit of your time to help me as well, pointing out mistakes, or just generally talking, I'm happy for anything as realizing mistakes makes me improve myself and just talking normally makes me realize that I'm not writing this for nobody but actual living, breathing people. Thank you for staying with me even till now.
Oh, and check out my discord :D
https://discord.gg/GEDDSu6zn
( <- This link in case the first one doesn't work)
Also, check out my other story that I've been cooking up :P
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/69334/new-genesis-litrpg-isekai-progression