Undead Beast Master: Living Solely for My Desires

The odds were evenly split between Zaroth meeting Grace or David, yet fate had clearly decided it would be David.

Zaroth didn't mind meeting the man, but he also wouldn't have been opposed to meeting with Grace.

After all, she and Zack had begun to date officially a few days ago, and Zaroth felt like it was important to meet his friend's girlfriend.

Zack had met Midnight before, so it was only fair that he meet her as well.

But it seemed that was going to happen at a later date.

Zaroth met David's purple gaze with his own as he answered.

"Yes, that is true, we have met only once after all."

They had crossed paths before, watching each other's fights from their assigned spaces in the tournament, but since neither had spoken or even exchanged a glance, those encounters didn't truly count.

"That is true… to be honest, one time was enough to make a certain kind of impression," David spoke with a hint of amusement in his voice as he took a few steps toward Zaroth.

Zaroth, in turn, didn't move from the spot where he was resting his back against the wall.

"Really?" he raised an eyebrow. "What kind of impression?"

David smiled a little.

Unlike what some might believe, the atmosphere between them was relatively relaxed, as neither appeared to have any hostile intentions at the moment.

"You looked like a person that held a great number of secrets that you were unwilling to share."

David quickly added, "Though, considering who you work for, it isn't that surprising."

Zaroth didn't react; he had expected that it was already known that he worked for Elysia.

There was no point in keeping it a secret anyway.

"Well, to be honest, working for her sounds much better than working for the emperor," Zaroth mused.

He expected David to react with some kind of anger, but contrary to his expectations, the man only smirked.

"Yes, that is right."

Zaroth raised an eyebrow. "That is weird, shouldn't you defend the honor of the person you're working for?"

David's smirk only grew wider. "Not really, considering that the salesman isn't with me right now, there isn't a point in holding up appearances."

Zaroth's interest was piqued. Did that mean David didn't truly work for the emperor and was merely playing a role?

"Should I take it that you don't want to work for the emperor?" he asked.

"You can take it however you want," David answered.

A silence fell upon them for a few seconds.

"Why are you working for the emperor, exactly? If you don't mind me asking."

David paused for a few seconds, but in the end, decided that this wasn't that important information that could be used against him, so he answered.

"My sister, she is sick, and the emperor is able to make her better, so I don't really have much of a choice."

Hearing the unexpected answer, Zaroth couldn't help but scoff.

David noticed that and for a moment, a hint of anger appeared in his eyes.

"Is there something funny about taking care of my sister?"

"No, don't take it the wrong way. It's just that the reason is so… noble. I expected someone like you being hungry for power or whatever."

David raised an eyebrow. "Then why do you work for Elysia? And what made you enter the tournament in the first place?"

Zaroth met David's eyes for a second.

"Let's just say it gives me the chance to be with two stunning women."

The second David heard Zaroth's reason, he couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing, though his laughter was drawn out by the singing of the woman at the center of the arena.

"Gods, really?! That is your reason? So basically, you are a slave to your desires."

Zaroth chuckled when he heard the way David described him.

"Well… one can say that these desires are the only reason I am alive right now."

After a few moments, David calmed down, and his eyes suddenly became colder.

"But keep in mind, you won't be the one to win—I will."

Zaroth met David's gaze with his own. "You have hope, which is good. But remember, hoping for the impossible isn't good for your mental health."

Silence fell upon them as they stared silently at one another.

That was until the woman was done singing, meaning the fights were soon going to start.

David broke the stare first as he sighed and took a step forward.

Once he reached Zaroth, he stopped for a moment, not shifting his gaze from the center of the arena.

"Tell me… do you see it?"

Zaroth was looking at the ground, trying not to shift his gaze, aware that the giant black creature always following behind David had its three hollow eyes fixed on him.

A few seconds passed in tense silence.

The friendly atmosphere seemed to disappear as hostility began to settle in the air.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Are you sure?" a third, menacing voice that was unfamiliar to Zaroth came.

This was the first time the entity behind David had spoken, and Zaroth heard its voice.

Zaroth tried not to show any kind of reaction.

If he did, it would be obvious that he was able to hear the thing and also see it.

A few more seconds went by.

Then, without another word, David continued forward.

After he was far away from Zaroth, David asked,

"So?"

"Not sure, it's about fifty-fifty. I feel like he can't see me, but he could also be a great actor, hiding it really well."

David nodded.

"Thought, so." he muttered.

Not that Zaroth being able to see the Spectral Warden behind David would make much of a difference anyway.

David was still going to win.

"Though something else caught my eye," the Spectral Warden spoke.

David raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Now that we've gotten so close to the man, I sensed a threatening energy coming from him. We've seen many of his beasts so far, but they're nothing compared to what Zaroth has at his disposal. He clearly has something much stronger that he can summon."

David couldn't help but release a chuckle.

"That's good, after all, we don't want the fight to be over quickly, isn't that right?"

The Spectral Warden didn't answer as David stopped at the center of the arena.

Before him stood Grace.

She, unlike the other people David had fought up until now, couldn't be underestimated.

After all, she had displayed immense control over her powers.

David cracked his neck as his eyes began to shine a much more intense hue of purple.

In turn, Grace's blue eyes shined as well.

The grand arena went deadly silent as everyone was preparing themselves for the fight that was about to unfold.

The emperor stood up from his seat and began to speak.

"At last, we have reached the semi-finals! Only the best of the best remain. These fighters will go down in history!"

"Who will win?! The undefeated David or the silent and deadly Grace?"

"Let the battle begin!"

At the emperor's words, the audience erupted into deafening cheers.

And David and Grace moved.

The battle had begun.