Chapter 94: Transformation
"What accusation are you even talking about, you senile old man...
Didn’t the Founder conquer planets and destroy those who stood in his way...
Didn’t the Empire’s heroes follow him because they sought glory and status...
Or do you think they conquered all those worlds and annihilated all those civilizations that resisted them... just to spread love and peace...
Wake up, you fool, and don’t let bootlicking blind you to the truth...
This is our history...
And we are proud of it.
Had the Founder not done it...
Someone else would have.
Only then...
We would’ve been the victims.
My younger brother already said it...
The only standard in this universe is strength...
And we possessed that strength.
That’s why we earned the position we’ve reached."
Azar’s killing intent intensified even further, completely ignoring everyone else in the hall.
He took another step toward the Prime Minister, the madness within his eyes showing no sign of fading.
"Besides...
Which one of us is insulting the Empire...
Me, who merely states the facts...
Or you, who openly tramples the Founder’s laws?"
The Prime Minister was stunned by the extent of Azar’s madness, his anger rising even further after being accused.
"And how exactly am I doing that, you fraud?
Where is your proof?"
"Proof...
Weren’t you the one who called my younger brother a Prince just a moment ago...
The Founder’s instructions regarding who deserves the title of Prince of the Empire were perfectly clear.
Only seven members of the Emperor’s bloodline may bear that title.
Yet I haven’t heard that my younger brother founded an Empire of his own and defeated one of the six Princes to earn that title...
Nor have I heard that His Majesty removed one of the seven of us and appointed him in our place...
Or was it you who granted him that title without caring about the Founder’s laws...
Or His Majesty’s authority?"
Azar’s words struck the Prime Minister’s mind like a whip.
Almost instantly, he turned toward Emperor Thayron, cold sweat covering his forehead.
"Your Majesty... I... I didn’t mean—"
Before the Prime Minister could finish his explanation...
Emperor Thayron slammed his hand against the armrest of his throne, shattering it.
"Enough!"
The Emperor’s aura spread throughout the entire hall, instantly suppressing both Azar’s and the Prime Minister’s auras...
Forcing them both to kneel.
But before anyone could say another word...
Or before any further orders could be given...
A man who greatly resembled Emperor Thayron, though older with longer hair, suddenly spoke.
"The youngest son has begun transforming into his Beast Form...!"
---
Back in the Eternal Colosseum...
Ricky remained silent for several seconds, genuinely taking Iris’s words to heart.
What if the entire human race faced the Phoenix race...
What would the outcome be?
Ricky lowered his gaze, countless thoughts passing through his mind as he stared at his clenched fist.
After a full minute of silence...
He looked back at Iris...
And smiled.
"So...
You ask what the Phoenix race would do if it had to face all of humanity..."
A sharp madness filled Ricky’s eyes as he stared at Iris.
He had already decided...
Today, he would completely crush him.
He swore to destroy him...
To make him an example for the rest of humanity.
At this moment...
The game was over for Ricky.
He had decided to reveal everything...
And assert his complete dominance.
His body gradually began to grow and change.
— "Ooooh! Ho! Ho! Ho!"
— "What’s happening here?! Has the little Fang finally become serious?!"
— "Is he really going to transform and reveal his true form in his very first Colosseum battle?!"
His arms disappeared...
Replaced by four gigantic crimson wings.
His legs vanished as well...
Giving way to two razor-sharp talons capable of tearing apart even the hardest metals.
A hooked beak grew from his face...
lined with blade-like teeth.
The bloody flames above his head blazed even higher...
As though his very head had become the source of the flames.
After completing his transformation and revealing his true form...
Ricky stood thirty meters tall.
As for his full length...
It was nearly twice that, thanks to his long feathered tail.
He spread all four wings and beat them powerfully...
Ascending into the sky.
Then he looked down at Iris with eyes overflowing with madness.
"Of course...
The Phoenix race would do to humanity...
Exactly what I’m about to do to you!"
His body and all four wings erupted with bloody flames...
Until he looked as though he were made entirely of flames.
The Blood Flames rapidly gathered before Ricky’s beak.
KRAAAAAAAAGH!
Blood Nirvana — Blood Liberation!
Then, with a deafening cry...
Ricky unleashed a colossal tornado of bloody flames toward Iris.
— "What in the world is that?!"
— "That kind of Phoenix has never appeared before!"
— "It looks incredibly similar to the Blood Phoenix...
But this one possesses an extra pair of bloody wings...
And an even more savage and barbaric aura!"
— "He’s no little Fang anymore."
— "Now this is what I call a true monster!"
— "Can Iris Lagnar withstand this attack...
Or is he about to suffer his very first defeat in the Colosseum?!"
The announcer’s voice rose with overwhelming excitement, igniting the crowd’s enthusiasm even further.
Faced with the massive tornado...
Iris didn’t panic.
Instead...
He smiled with madness and defiance.
"You’re not the only one here who can transform into a Beast Form!"
ROOOOOAAAAAAAR!
The bloody flames crashed into Iris’s body...
Yet, contrary to everyone’s expectations...
He wasn’t consumed.
From the very place where the bloody inferno struck...
Another blaze erupted...
Forcefully pushing the crimson flames away.
Unlike Ricky’s bloody fire...
This flame was dark red, almost black.
And from within those flames...
A massive dragon emerged, nearly the same size as Ricky.
— "Damn! Damn! Damn!"
— "Is Iris transforming as well?!
Is he finally revealing the Beast Form of his bloodline?!"
— "Throughout Iris Lagnar’s glorious history in this Colosseum...
Not a single opponent of the same level has ever forced him to reveal his Beast Form!
Will this be the very first time?!"
The announcer grew even more excited.
His voice became louder still, urging the spectators into an even greater frenzy.
"HURAAAAAAAH!"
The dragon’s scales were jet black...
Pulsing with something that resembled crimson veins.
At the center of its chest burned what looked like a raging crimson sun...
Surrounded by countless sinister dark-red cracks.
Unlike Ricky’s long, slender fangs...
Iris’s fangs were enormous...
Appearing to be carved from pale bone itself...
Made for nothing but destruction and tearing.
Upon his head rose four massive horns...
Curving backward...
A symbol of protection...
And status.