I'll do what I can do to Freedom

The once calm atmosphere suddenly turned tense when a massive shadow appeared in the sky. Everyone in the arena looked up, seeing a muscular man clad in gleaming golden armor descending from the heavens. He held a massive sword in one hand, his face filled with determination and rage.

Without warning, the man lunged at Linggis, swinging his sword toward the old man's head.

"Die, you cowardly demon!" he shouted.

But before the sword could touch Linggis, the old cane in his hand moved with incredible speed.

CLANG!

The clash between the cane and the sword created a shockwave so powerful that the ground beneath them cracked, and the grand arena trembled violently. Massive pillars crumbled, and dust filled the air. Linggis stood with one knee bent, his face full of fury as he glared sharply at the golden-armored man.

"Are you seriously attacking me right after I said I wanted to retire? This is top-tier discrimination," Linggis remarked sarcastically, though his expression made it clear he wasn't joking.

The golden-armored man took several steps back, his sword trembling from the impact. He narrowed his eyes at Linggis. "I know what you really are. That thick black energy... You try to hide it, but I can feel it. You're a threat to my family!"

Linggis scoffed, slowly raising his cane. "A threat? Just because I have a little 'dark energy'? You must think everyone with black energy is evil. I can't tell if you're prejudiced against energy or just plain stupid."

The man gritted his teeth. "I, Kaelen, Elira's younger brother, will not allow a demon like you near my family!"

Nyra stepped forward, her voice firm. "Kaelen, stop! This is a misunderstanding. He's not an enemy!"

Kaelen ignored her, his eyes still locked on Linggis. "Be silent, Nyra! You're too young to understand this kind of threat. I am protecting all of you!"

Linggis stared at Kaelen blankly, then leaned on his cane. "Listen, Sir Kaelen, the Family Defender. I just surrendered in a duel, got accused by your aunt, nearly died from water magic, and now you're attacking me for no apparent reason. If this is how your family treats guests, I may have to reconsider my offer."

Kaelen stepped forward again, this time gripping his sword with both hands. "You can say whatever you want, but I know the darkness inside you. You are a threat!"

Linggis rolled his eyes and pointed his cane at Kaelen. "If you really want to know whether I'm dangerous, use your brain, not your sword. But if you're insisting on this fight, I can oblige. Just remember, you started this."

Arcelia quickly stepped between them, spreading her arms to stop Kaelen. "Kaelen, stop this! Linggis may seem suspicious, but he hasn't done anything dangerous. You're creating a problem out of nothing!"

Kaelen hesitated, but his sword remained raised. He looked at Arcelia with anger. "You're defending him? After everything he's done?"

Linggis interrupted, smirking slightly. "What do you mean 'everything I've done'? I haven't even had a chance to rest since I arrived in this godforsaken place."

Elira finally stepped forward, her voice firm. "Kaelen, listen to me. Arcelia is right. Linggis is not our enemy. He's… strange and cunning, but he's not a threat. If you refuse to listen, you'll end up destroying this arena for no reason."

Kaelen remained silent for a moment, his eyes shifting between Elira and Arcelia, before finally lowering his sword. However, his wary gaze toward Linggis didn't change. "I'll let this go for now. But I'll be watching. The moment you do anything suspicious, I won't hesitate to destroy you."

Linggis let out a relieved sigh, then looked at Kaelen with a sarcastic smile. "Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness. I promise I'll be careful not to make you feel 'threatened' again."

Kaelen scoffed and walked toward his family, while Linggis shook his head, glancing around at the ruined arena. "Your family is full of surprises, Arcelia. Are you sure I won't end up dead just from teaching you a game?"

Arcelia could only let out a long sigh. "Welcome to my life, Linggis."