The Twelve Seats

By being the winner of the noontime battle, the main referee declared to everyone to hear that the Adventurer named Runa is now qualified challenge any of the members of the Twelve Seats.

"Warrior Runa, now that you have reached this far, you might have a goal that is beyond enjoying the battles here, can you perhaps share to everyone watching what that goal is?" The referee asked while pointing the crystal to Veil that can amplify voices.

"My goal? Certainly, my goal is beyond experiencing the enjoyment of battles here. Twelve Seats? Come out here, I will fight all of you!" Veil declared confidently.

"!!!"

The blood boiling excitement reached the peak; with that declaration, they might witness an interesting battle at this moment.

However, some still gasped when remembering the strengths of the Twelve Seats, they are truly deserving of their positions.

This system has been established as a reward for strongest fighters within the Battle Arena, declared by the Pentagram Archangel himself.

The Twelve Seats consist of the strongest warriors of the entire Battle Arena; six men: Ra'vos, Lemorth, Gregor, Delrak, Armon and Malgar, and six women: Lilizeth, Yei, Rabiene, Cendra, Isabel and Zephia.

They reached that position after winning their respective tournaments, but being only recently established, they are yet to meet the Archangel.

Now that someone is challenging them to steal the opportunity to be granted a once in a lifetime meeting with the mysterious Archangel, they would not sit quietly.

"W-what? You are directly challenging the Twelve Seats?!" The referee calmed his pounding chest and asked a question.

"Mhm. If none of you are cowards, face me right here, right now, all twelve of you. We do not need twelve to meet the Archangel; I want all the slots for myself!" Veil growled as she issued another challenge, emphasizing that she is going to defeat all of them.

Rabiene jumped from the spectator seats straight into the stage, she evilly grinned and said: "Big words, let's see if you have the guts for it!"

Rabiene did not even wait for the referee to signal the start of the battle, she just sent the claws in her gloves thrusting forward to Veil's abdomen.

Thrust! Clang!

"WHAT?!" Rabiene flashed the most disgruntled and confused expression among everyone watching.

Her claws broke in half when she attacked the girl; however, the most confusing part is that the latter did not receive a single damage or impact.

Dazed, she did not sense her opponent grabbing the arm she stretched forward and sent a kick towards her abdomen.

Aurghh! Splat!

She spat a mouthful of saliva when she received the kick, her mind blanking out as she dropped on the floor.

"This is one of the Twelve Seats? Disappointing." Veil let go of the arm she grabbed as she watches her opponent crawl on the floor.

No one could let out even a gasp from Veil's words, she is truly ruthless and coldblooded.

Just as she was about to speak again, eleven person climbed up on the massive stage and approached her.

"Miss Runa, we ask of you to follow the rules that all twelve of us meet the Archangel. If you bend the rules as you like, then we could claim it as you disrespecting him?" The person who spoke is Armon, seemingly the strongest among the Twelve Seats.

He has instantly turned the battle into a mental warfare, turning Veil's challenge into disrespect instead.

They know they would not stand a chance against Veil because she almost crippled Rabiene, one of the Twelve Seats without even using her sword.

As for the battle with Darion earlier, it seems like Veil just made a grand show for the finale battle; she is still clearly hiding the depth of her strength.

Yei, one of the Twelve Seats, healed Rabiene with wind mana as she watches Veil's expression carefully.

"Is that so? I was told that I am free to issue a challenge against any of you and even if I win against one, I can still challenge the rest of you. I believe I am not breaking any rules here." Veil answered with a calm smile while she looks on Rabiene.

Armon could not immediately retort because what the girl pointed out is right.

"Do not cry when all twelve of us gangs up on you!" Armon nodded and sent a signal to the rest of the Twelve Seats.

It seems like the twelve of them are acquaintances and deliberately fought on different time slots to bring all twelve of them to the top.

They successfully defended their seats and therefore held on to their positions.

This was the plan derived by Armon to monopolize all the opportunity to meet the rumored Archangel.

Veil did not speak further; she just unsheathed her sword before anyone could even approach her and stabbed the aquamarine sword on the stage.

Mana Expansion: Eternal Winter's Wake!

Shikikikikik.

A massive wave of cold air washed over the entire arena, forcing the other referees to cast a barrier to protect the spectator seats.

The massive fighting stage which is now the sole stage present in the colosseum turns into an icy domain.

Grave expressions painted the faces of the Twelve Seats, this is the first time they are seeing a fraction of Veil's abilities after all.

Some of them who are adept with fire mana immediately responded by burning the floor, but to no avail.

They could not even melt any of the ice slowly crawling on their skins.

"Surrender or become my home decoration." Veil gave them an ultimatum as she unleashes her demonic icy aura.

Some of the people watching in the spectator seats passed out, others trembled on their seats, while the most affected ones: the Twelve Seats fell down on the floor on all fours.

They are all submitting to Veil's aura alone, on the entirety of their career in the Battle Arena, they have never met someone of such caliber.

These twelve all came from different races and origins, yet, for them to feel such degree of fear, only Dragons and higher lifeforms come into mind.

The young girl in front of them is making them kneel through her willpower in the form of a domain, something that they have never experienced someone do.

When Veil is about to open her mouth to ask the same question, a magical light brimming with divine mana manifested into a humanoid creature.

The creature then slowly gained wings, grew taller and became an Archangel.

"What is this commotion about?" The Archangel waved his hands; a gray barrier expanded and enveloped the entire Battle Arena.

"Who are you?" Veil sheathed her aura and asked.

"Me? I am the one you want to meet. I am Harazath, one of the Pentagram. I own this Battle Arena." Harazath answered.

"So it is you Esteemed Arena Lord, I ask for your understanding for this display. I am doing this to gain an audience with you, me alone." Veil assumed a respectable position.

"Worry not, I have isolated us from the rest of the world, this barrier is the proof, in the perspective of everyone affected, time is unmoving." Harazath gestured his hands on the barrier.

"Mhm, I am grateful. However, may I ask if I am now in a position to converse with you regarding an extremely important matter?" Veil pointed her hands in the state of the Twelve Seats.

"Indeed you are. Clean up and meet me on the treasury room, there will be another barrier there." Harazath cancelled out the gray barrier and faded out of existence.

When time moved again, some of the people who passed out in the spectator seats recovered, while the Twelve Seats are now standing back up one by one.

"I will not get away your positions anymore. Wrap this up without me." Veil walked out of the stage into the waiting room without looking back as she left the dazed Twelve Seats.

[…]

She asked one of the guards to lead her into the treasury; she has a certain authority now that she won a tournament.

The guard just considers this as the girl picking a reward; unbeknownst to him, this is the path leading to the rumored Archangel's room.

Veil stretched out a finger to sense the barrier and channeled a certain amount of mana to wrap her body before entering.

Shururururuk~

"Welcome to my room, human. Look for a place to sit and tell me what it is that you wish to speak with me." Harazath pointed somewhere on the room.

Books littered the room; Veil just chose a random spot with a space enough for her to sit down.

"I wish to ask if you know the great Azazel's whereabouts, I wish to take her challenge and find out certain information." Veil truthfully said.

"Azazel… The Pentagram is yet to meet after hundreds of years you see. So even I do not know of that…" Harazath showed a perplexed expression.

"I am actually not from this timeline." Veil stated the truth she has been hiding from everyone else but Runa's grandfather Gordo.

Harazath was greatly shocked, he could not immediately respond as he fell into a deep thought.

"The great Azazel would know of my past identity, I retained all of my memories into this body and is now questing to solve all the truths." Veil added.

"This matter does truly need the attention of us." Harazath stood up and declared in a serious tone.

"Our sole enemy is the Dark Clown I met on my past identity, with that I wish to do what I can, please say the word." Veil similarly stood up with a determined face.

Harazath nodded as he pulled out the necklace on his neck, the small crystal embedded on the center of the necklace glowed and leaked out pure mana.

Shinggg!

Shortly, the pure mana took shape of another crystal slightly bigger than a regular person's entire hand.

Harazath grabbed the floating crystal and chanted divine language.

Veil watched quietly, she feels the amount of mana in the room rising in a rapid pace.

["I call upon thee, my brethren."] Harazath spoke to the other Pentagram.

Zarall's ring, Ophanim's bracelet, Sabriel's tiara and Azazel's earrings respectively glowed when Harazath finished his words.

They are all spread out through the land of Terra, only conversing now after half a millennium.

When Harazath confirmed that the other four Pentagram received his initial message, he spoke again.

["I wish to meet. To avoid disturbance, we must go to a space in Aeria, the floating land."]

["The matter I wish to discuss is of utmost importance, I ask of you to come, no matter what."] Harazath ended his words before the lights dissipated and the rising mana calmed down.

Veil stayed silent and just observed.

"I have already called for the rest, we could only wait for now." Harazath comforted the girl while wearing his necklace.

"Thank you." Veil smiled.

After a dozen minutes or so, the crystal that was formed through Harazath's necklace glowed partially, signifying that someone responded.

"We now have one, let's proceed to Aeria!" Harazath opened a gate directly to the floating land.

Veil nodded and followed into the gate.

Shurururuk. Vuim~

Harazath pointed a finger in the skies, seemingly writing runes which shortly turned into glowing birds.

He lightly waved his hand before the glowing birds spread through the Aeria; these birds will inform him if another Pentagram Archangel arrives.

[…]

Armon asked the other Twelve Seats to tend to the people in the spectator seats; they also cancelled the nighttime tournament.

They also closed up the Battle Arena for now, as all twelve of them underwent some discussions.

They discussed their current positions and strengths, if they truly deserve to meet the Archangel.

While walking on the streets, they noticed the absence of people; they could not spot a single soul.

They dismissed the thought thinking today is just different since the Battle Arena was closed down early; however, they were proven right in an unexpected way.

This afternoon is truly different, when they meet a mysterious person wearing unusual loose clothing.

"Do you seek more power? I can give you that, as long as you join my army." The mysterious person offered.

The Twelve Seats agreed not knowing the identity of the mysterious person, which is the sole enemy of the entire world: the Dark Clown!