Chapter 19: A Pair of Sevens, the Formidable Cohen!

Meanwhile, Raymond spoke up:

“Since everyone doubts the credibility of the Extraordinary Arena, let’s go with the Shadow Lord’s suggestion. Also, this time, there will be no entry fee. Whoever wins the match will receive the prize money as promised!”

Raymond’s words instantly ignited the crowd.

Many ordinary first-tier extraordinaries were eager to try their luck; opportunities like this, under such intense public scrutiny, were rare for them.

Even the front two tiers of the stands, usually out of reach for common spectators, were now closely watching the match.

Moreover, waiving the 10 gold coin entry fee stirred the ambitions of those lower-tier extraordinaries who had previously been deterred by the high cost.

Suddenly, Cohen became the center of attention, a coveted target for anyone hoping to snatch some gold or gain fame.

Raymond glanced at the nearby announcer, who understood immediately and addressed the audience:

“Anyone who wishes to participate, please step onto the stage.”

As soon as the voice fell, a martial monk carrying a long staff stepped forward.

The monk rubbed his bald head and sneered at Cohen:

“Mr. Shadow Lord, shall we begin the match?”

Before he finished, a thief with a black cloth covering his face jumped down and shouted at the monk:

“Why do you get to go first?”

Cohen raised an eyebrow; well, it seemed they really saw him as an easy target, all eager to take their shot first.

It looked like he would have to give them a lesson they wouldn’t forget.

Cohen chuckled softly and scanned the crowd:

“Anyone else want to come down?”

Amid the noisy chatter, five more professionals came down from the stands.

Judging by their attire, they were small-time figures struggling at the bottom of society, their eyes gleaming greedily at Cohen.

Cohen said leisurely:

“You seven—who should I fight first?”

The seven stared at him intensely, each wishing to be chosen.

Feigning thoughtfulness for a few seconds, he then spoke softly:

“Not an easy choice. Fine, all of you come at once.”

His words left both the seven on the stage and the audience in stunned silence.

A brief eerie quiet fell over the arena.

Then a wave of uproar followed, and the gazes directed at Cohen suddenly sharpened.

Raymond’s eyes darkened as he stared fixedly at Cohen, as if trying to see through his mask and discern his true identity.

Such arrogance—this was either bluffing or genuine strength.

But for a first-tier extraordinary to face seven equals at once... it was almost unbelievable.

Sandro let out a disdainful laugh:

“Lord Raymond, this kid isn’t some jester hired by the Extraordinary Arena to entertain us, is he?”

Others shared similar doubts.

The seven on the stage instantly flared up; this was blatant disrespect!

Cohen looked at Raymond:

“Is this allowed?”

Raymond, now intrigued, curious to see how this would end, nodded:

“Of course!”

Then he addressed the seven:

“Anyone who knocks him down gets the prize!”

With that, Raymond left the stage, leaving only Cohen and the seven.

The crowd’s excitement was fully aroused; a one-versus-seven match was unheard of in the Florence Extraordinary Arena.

The announcer’s voice rose:

“Never expected to witness such a scene—a one against seven! Will the mysterious Shadow Lord pull off this unprecedented feat, or will he pay the price for his arrogance? The answer is about to be revealed!”

At the signal, the seven struck simultaneously. Raymond had made it clear: whoever took down Cohen would win the prize.

These seven were lower-tier extraordinaries, who often fought tooth and nail over mere copper coins—let alone a prize of ten gold coins.

The announcer’s rapid commentary ran:

“The match begins! Clearly, all seven want to be the first to knock down the Shadow Lord. Our protagonist, as in the previous rounds, remains motionless! Is this confidence or helplessness? Let’s wait and see!”

Cohen’s cold eyes locked onto the seven advancing on him, focusing on the fastest one—the martial monk.

Among them, the monk’s aura was strongest, nearing second-tier strength. His eyes flashed gold—a willpower check!

The dashing monk suddenly felt dizzy and shivered all over.

Check succeeded.

[Disarm], activated!

The monk’s long staff mysteriously vanished from his hands!

The announcer’s shocked voice rang out:

“Heavens! What did I just see? The weapon has been taken again! Just like that barbarian who lost both hammers earlier! Does this mysterious Shadow Lord have the ability to snatch weapons? He’s making the first move!”

Cohen gripped the long staff firmly, his feet lightly tapping the ground as he charged at the seven with lightning speed—his enhanced movement speed from the Ghost Crab perk bringing him instantly within reach.

The sudden disappearance of the monk’s weapon and the appearance of the staff in Cohen’s hands caused a huge stir.

Everyone saw clearly—they were over ten meters apart. How did the weapon suddenly transfer to Cohen?

Not only the common spectators in the stands were stunned, but many in the front-tier boxes also stood to watch closely.

The seven had no time to be surprised; Cohen was already before them.

The vigilant monk whispered to his comrades:

“This guy’s strange—seems he can steal weapons. Hold tight and go all out!”

Cohen sneered, swinging the staff in front of him; the staff’s shadow overlapped wildly, like a raging dragon tearing through the air.

The announcer’s voice quickened:

“Look at the Shadow Lord’s staff skills—he’s clearly proficient with the staff. No wonder he disarmed the monk first. But relying on this alone to fend off seven attackers together seems... wishful thinking.”

Suddenly, an unexpected turn in the arena cut off the announcer’s words, choking him silent—

Cohen swung the staff, forming a chilling vortex around him. With a thunderous boom, the seven’s attacks struck the vortex.

Counterattack Storm, Absolute Defense!

Clang! Clang! Clang! The sounds of impact echoed fiercely.

The seven felt a tingling numbness in their weapon-wielding arms, muscles trembling as if hitting a solid stone wall.

A roar erupted from the stands.

The announcer shouted in disbelief:

“My God, what just happened? If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it! Seven combined strikes couldn’t break the defense of a single first-tier extraordinary? Even a Shield Warrior skilled in defense couldn’t do that!”

Two seconds passed in a flash, and Cohen unleashed Counterattack Storm again!

Dazzle!

The seven suddenly felt their souls tremble, their minds muddled, as if struck by a stunning spell!

All were stunned for a full second!

The announcer’s voice soared higher with astonishment:

“How did the seven freeze all of a sudden... Is this... a stun spell? Magic! Could the Shadow Lord also be a spellcaster? A battle mage? Damn, what kind of extraordinary class is this?”

In extraordinary combat, one second often decides victory or defeat. Cohen raised his staff high.

Thanks to the passive bonus from [Weapon Mastery], he seemed to merge with the staff, swinging it hundreds of times with unstoppable force.

The seven were struck instantly in vital spots and collapsed to the ground.

The announcer’s commentary abruptly ceased, and the entire arena fell into a deathly silence.