775  Complacency


    "Unfortunately, no!" Aron responded calmly.


    The Galvinith fighter’s expression betrayed a flash of surprise. To it, the emperor was already caged, with no means of escape—meaning Aron would rather face death than accept defeat.


    “Looks like you have the Valthorin disease,” the Galvinith said, its tone laced with disdain. Despite its grotesque form, the viewers could sense its disgust at what it perceived as Aron’s misplaced pride.


    “You made your choice,” the Galvinith continued, then immediately began to tighten the telekinetic field around Aron. As the field’s radius shrank, its pressure intensified, closing in with the intent to crush Aron and bring a swift end to the fight.


    ...............


    “Is everything about this only telekinesis?” Aron asked Nova, as the feedback from his shield indicated that the Galvinith fighter was increasing the pressure, pushing his mana expenditure no matter how minute higher with each second.


    So, it decided to double the intensity of its abilities, unconcerned about the toll on its stamina; unlike Aron, it had no subsequent fights to contend with, allowing it to unleash its full power without reservation.


    However, just as it prepared to amplify its efforts, that small part of its mind, still alert for the source of its earlier unease, suddenly jolted it. As it scanned the area, its heart sank when it realized it was encased within a massive shield that had effectively severed its sensory range, limiting its awareness of everything inside the bubble.


    Before it could react to the sudden shift in the situation, the Galvinith found itself propelled by an invisible force emanating from Aron’s location. The sheer speed of the push slammed its body against the outer layer of the shield, trapping it between two solid barriers and attempting to crush it.


    Thanks to its mangled exoskeleton, which resisted the tremendous forces trying to compress it, the Galvinith managed to cling to consciousness, but only for a moment. Almost immediately, the pressure surged exponentially, shattering its shell and forcing its organs to spill out. However, before any of the fallen remains could drop far, they landed on another shield that had materialized to catch every drop of blood and organ, preserving the remnants of the Galvinith fighter’s body.


    {Match over. Winner: Terran Empire, Aron Michael.} The AI referee''s announcement echoed through the arena, reverberating with a finality that underscored the magnitude of the event. The Galvinith fighter, who had once seemed so powerful and confident, had perished before it could even comprehend what was happening to it.


    ............


    “I’ve become complacent and started treating this like a game,” Aron mused, his eyes fixed on the shield that contained the remnants of the Galvinith fighter. He realized that, without the immediate threat to his life or the looming specter of war, he had fallen back into his old habits of caution and overthinking. This tendency had led him into trouble before, as he often let things unfold instead of taking decisive action when he had the power to change the outcome.