Dash kept dodging Arvia's constant stabbing, moving his head and body quickly. The audience continuously cheered and cursed him, demanding that he fight back and stop just avoiding her. Dash, hearing them, got annoyed.
"Hey... Arvia, right... my name's Dash... stop, don't attack again. We can definitely get out of here," Dash said.
"You don't understand... I'm a slave... there's nothing else I can do but fight... I don't want to be turned into a sex toy for those bastard nobles... and I don't want my sister to have to fight in my place... so please, just lose," Arvia countered.
"Slave? You are not a slave," Dash shouted.
"Look at the choker on my neck... you're wearing one too... we're both slaves, let's fight," Arvia yelled.
Arvia then slashed her sword, and Dash flipped backward. Seeing that, Arvia immediately wrapped her arm in a blue aura, the color of seawater, and aimed her palm at Dash. Hundreds of sharp water bullets shot toward Dash like actual bullets. Dash, of course, rolled to avoid them, then ran around the arena with Arvia shooting at him like a machine gun. While running around the arena, Dash touched his neck. He felt a metal band around his neck. He then stopped, and Arvia's relentless rapid fire immediately peppered him without end.
"Clang," "Booo-m,"
Suddenly, smoke billowed high into the air. Arvia instantly stopped her attack, tears starting to stream down her face as she looked down at the rising smoke.
"I'm sorry. May you find peace in the next life," Arvia murmured in condolence.
"The winner is Arvia!" the MC shouted.
Immediately, a massive roar of cheering filled the arena. Several servants were seen carrying trays of gold coins down the steps and distributing them to the nobles who had placed bets. But suddenly,
"Groaaaaaar,"
A loud dragon roar echoed. Arvia flinched in shock and raised her sword into a fighting stance again. "Drap... drap... drap," a sound of heavy footsteps approached her. Dash emerged from the smoke, his body covered in a gray internal energy aura. Arvia glanced at Dash's hand and was immediately shocked because the collar that should have been on Dash's neck was now crushed in his grip. Seeing Dash emerge completely unharmed and having broken free of his slave collar, everyone panicked.
"Hey... capture him... capture him!" the MC screamed.
Dozens of men in black robes rushed in and then threw off their robes. They were all human soldiers from the Grandias Kingdom. Dash immediately grinned, looking at his besiegers, then he turned his gaze to the terrified Arvia in front of him.
"Just a second, Arvia. I'll free you right after this," Dash said.
"Hey... what are you waiting for... attack him!" the MC yelled.
"Attack who?" Dash asked.
"Huh," the MC turned and saw Dash was already right behind him, ready to punch him. "Dwaack," Dash punched the MC, sending him flying across the arena. When the MC's mask flew off, it turned out he was also a human, likely a noble and the owner of this slave-fighting operation. The soldiers were immediately shocked that they hadn't seen Dash leap onto the platform, and they started shaking. Without further delay, Dash jumped down.
"Attack... attack him!" the MC screamed.
The soldiers, seeing a dragon walking toward them, froze instantly, their weapon-holding hands trembling. Dash walked closer to the MC, who was still screaming. "Thwack," he kicked the MC right in the jaw, sending him tumbling backward.
Arvia, standing next to Dash, immediately attacked Dash with a slash of her sword, but "Tap," Dash caught the blue, water-made blade. Dash then looked at Arvia and smiled. Swiftly, his hand shot up, snatched Arvia's choker, and "Boom," the choker exploded in his grasp.
Arvia immediately fell to the ground, kneeling sideways, dropping her sword, but she was stunned, staring at Dash in front of her.
"Wait here and don't go anywhere. I'm going to get you out of here," Dash said.
"Y-yes," Arvia replied, still dazed.
With incredible speed, Dash began hunting down the soldiers one by one with punches and kicks. Each time he passed a group of soldiers, five or six were sent flying into the arena. He then glanced over and used a punch wave to knock away soldiers attempting to approach Arvia or help the MC. Arvia's eyes followed Dash without blinking.
"Incredible," Arvia muttered internally, clear admiration on her face.
Suddenly, the MC got up, grabbed Arvia's sword, and pulled Arvia's hair to make her stand, then pressed Arvia's sword against her neck.
"Hey, stop that, or she dies!" the MC yelled.
Dash turned and released a soldier from his grasp, then he turned back to face the MC, who was holding Arvia hostage. "Clang," a soldier tried to stab Dash in the hip, but the spear snapped. Dash turned and kicked sideways, sending the soldier flying into the audience seats above. Then Arvia looked at Dash, her eyes sharp, as if telling him she was ready to do something and not scared like before. Seeing that, Dash nodded.
Arvia nodded. Suddenly, she threw herself backward in a somersault, surprising the MC, then she spun around. While airborne and about to land, both of Arvia's arms were covered in a green aura. She then formed a sphere of water between her palms and threw the water sphere at the MC.
Of course, the MC tried to block it with the sword, but the water sphere didn't stop, even when struck. It immediately enclosed the MC's head, making him look like someone drowning because his head was trapped in water. Arvia landed and just watched the MC's suffering in front of her.
"Clang," he dropped Arvia's sword to the ground and knelt. His hands frantically tried to tear away the water trapping his head but couldn't. His face was terrified as he struggled to breathe. Finally, his face went rigid, and he fell face down on the ground. Arvia walked closer to the MC, then squatted slightly, picked up her sword, and walked toward Dash, who was waiting for her, relaxed.
"Um... your name is... Dash?" Arvia asked.
"Yep, that's right. Nice to meet you, Arvia. Let's get out of here," Dash replied.
"But my sister," Arvia said.
"It looks like your little sister is with my companions. Come on," Dash said.
"All right," Arvia replied.
Dash walked toward the gate he had entered through. Not a single soldier dared to stop him; in fact, they fled through an exit door beside the iron gate. Standing in front of the iron gate, Dash pulled his arm back, then clenched his fist until the knuckles turned white.
"Blaam," he instantly punched the thick, sturdy iron-barred door in front of him. The gate flew open and slammed into the interior wall. Arvia's eyes widened instantly. She looked at Dash, who seemed completely casual about destroying the thick, solid door.
Then the two walked inside, following the corridor until they returned to the prison room. Upon entering and seeing the aquarium inside, Arvia immediately sheathed her sword and ran to the aquarium. She jumped into the water and checked on her little sister.
Meanwhile, Dash pulled off the collars chaining Shel, Marle, and Lilin's necks, which exploded in his hands, leaving behind smoke. The three girls were still unconscious. Dash unchained them one by one and laid them on the floor. After releasing all his girls, with Lilin being the last and laid beside Marle, "Pssh," Dash's entire body shrank, emitting white smoke that filled the room.
Arvia, who was in the aquarium, saw Dash transform into a figure with a dragon's body but a human head.
"He's... a dragonkin... I thought he was... a weird creature... I've never seen a dragonkin in my life," Arvia muttered, watching Dash try to wake Shel, Marle, and Lilin, who were smiling happily in their sleep, unaware that they had been in danger.