The arena remained silent for only a moment.
Then the Hell Minotaur stood again.
Blood poured from its broken face.
One arm hung unnaturally.
Its breathing was uneven. Yet its eyes had changed.
The arrogance was gone. Only seriousness remained.
It stared at Damian.
At the black-haired human standing motionless beneath the dark skies of the Underworld.
Then the Minotaur smiled. Not mockingly. Respectfully.
Its deep voice rolled through the colosseum.
"I underestimated you."
Damian didn't answer. The Minotaur lowered its body.
Then BOOM.
Its foot struck the arena floor.
A strange vibration spread outward. Another stomp.
BOOOOM. The entire arena shook.
The spectators immediately recognized the technique. The stands erupted.
A demon shouted:
"He's using it!"
Another stood.
"Trample!!"
The Hell Minotaur raised its head.
Its red eyes locked onto Damian.
Its muscles expanded. Its body lowered further.
Then it said..
"TRAMPLE."
BOOOOOOOOM—
The Minotaur disappeared.
No.
It accelerated so violently that sight itself couldn't keep up.
The arena exploded behind it.
A shockwave ripped through the battlefield.
The Minotaur appeared directly in front of Damian.
Its massive foot rose and descended.
BOOOOOM.
The entire arena cratered. Then again.
BOOOOOM.
Again.
BOOOOOM.
Again.
The floor cracked apart. Stone collapsed.
Dust and shattered rock erupted upward and swallowed everything.
The spectators screamed.
The impact continued. Again, Again and Again.
The Minotaur breathed heavily.
Then finally stopped. Dust drifted. Silence.
The Minotaur stared into the crater.
Nothing. Its eyes narrowed.
Then Instinct. Its head snapped backward.
Too late.
WHOMP.
Something struck its left knee.
The sound echoed through the arena.
The Minotaur's eyes widened.
Its body suddenly tilted.
Its leg gave out.
Bone burst through flesh.
The gigantic creature dropped onto one knee.
A scream escaped its throat.
The dust cleared. Damian stood behind it. Expressionless.
His leg slowly lowered after the kick.
The audience exploded.
"HE BROKE IT!!"
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
"HE READ TRAMPLE?!"
The Minotaur looked downward.
Its leg. Destroyed. Its breathing became unstable.
But Damian moved.
Instantly.
He rushed forward.
His body blurred.
His fist connected with the Minotaur's face.
BOOOOOOM.
The giant creature was knocked onto its back.
The arena shook.
Before it could react Damian landed on its stomach.
His feet sank slightly into flesh.
Then… Step. Step. Step.
He began walking.
Toward its head. Slowly, Casually.
The audience became quiet. Nobody understood why.
But the atmosphere changed. Damian's expression remained empty.
Yet black miasma began forming around his right arm. Thin streams at first.
Then thicker. Then darker. The Minotaur stared upward.
Something unfamiliar appeared inside its eyes.
Fear. Its voice came out lower.
"What are you going to do…?"
Damian stopped walking.
He looked down at it.
Then smiled. A cold smile. No anger. No excitement.
Only certainty.
"Didn't I say…"
He crouched. His hand grabbed the Minotaur's arm.
"…I'm going to tear you apart limb from limb."
CRACK.
He pulled. The arm came off. Blood exploded.
The audience gasped.
The Minotaur screamed. Damian grabbed the other arm.
RIP. Gone. The Minotaur tried to move.
Damian grabbed the left leg.
SNAP. Pulled.
The leg separated. The Minotaur cried out again.
The right leg already broken.
Damian took it too.
Blood stained the arena.
The Minotaur remained alive.
Helpless. Breathing. Its massive body trembling.
Damian stood over it.
Covered in blood.
The spectators stared.
No one cheered. No one laughed. Even Hell felt quiet.
Damian slowly raised his right hand.
Black miasma wrapped around his fingers.
He placed his palm over the Minotaur's face.
The Minotaur looked upward.
For the first time It understood. This wasn't a fight. This wasn't brutality.
This wasn't revenge. This was consumption.
Damian looked down.
And spoke.
"Devour."
The black miasma exploded.
The Minotaur's body froze.
Its spiritual energy surged violently.
Then It began disappearing. Its flesh dried. Its spirit cracked.
Its essence flowed upward into Damian.
The arena trembled.
Energy flooded into his body. His spiritual energy expanded.
His connection with Sophie deepened. His embodiment stabilized and somewhere deeper the Black Crown pulsed.
More of Achlys answered.
Stage Four was now stabilized and he now had complete access. Full Embodiment became available.
Greater synchronization. Greater authority. Greater consumption.
The Minotaur turned to dust.
Gone. Only silence remained.
Then the demons exploded.
"DEVOURER!!"
"DEVOURER!!"
"DEVOURER!!"
The chanting spread.
Millions joined. The colosseum shook.
The announcer stood. His smile stretched. He raised his hand.
"This match goes to—"
He stopped.
Looked at Damian. Then spoke.
"Present your name, candidate."
The entire colosseum became quiet.
Damian stood alone. Blood dripping. Black eyes empty.
He looked toward the stands.
Then spoke calmly.
"I am the Child of the Fallen."
Silence.
Then the arena erupted.
The title spread instantly.
But not everyone celebrated. Several Demon Lords froze.
Expressions changed. One slowly stood. His eyes narrowed.
His subordinate looked confused.
The Demon Lord quietly turned.
His voice was low. Controlled but serious.
"Inform Lord Hades."
The subordinate stiffened.
The Demon Lord looked back at Damian and finished…
"…HE has arrived."
Far above the colosseum, beyond the dark skies something ancient opened its eyes.