As the five cloaked people turned to leave, Lord Starsky decided that enough was enough.
"You think you can just leave like that?" he asked with narrowed eyes.
SHING! SHING!
Lord Starsky's two partners, that also led Star City, appeared beside him.
Now, there were three Mage Lords standing flying above the colosseum, and the audience felt the pressure in the atmosphere increase.
The five cloaked people stopped, and the person in the blue cloak turned to Lord Starsky.
"Yes, I thought that we could just leave like that," they said.
Lord Starsky snorted. "I was fine with your warriors joining the tournament since they were warriors, but your little stunt with the disguised Ancestral Mage went too far."
"While the provoking words of your red warrior could be interpreted as banter between competitors, your flagrant attempt at smuggling an Ancestral Mage into the tournament went too far."
"You broke the purity of the tournament, and your actions were disrespectful towards the entirety of Star City."
The more Lord Starsky talked, the more nervous the audience became.
This was bad!
If these Mage Lords decided to fight, there was a chance that everyone here would die!
"So what?" the person in the blue cloak asked. "What will you do about it?"
Lord Starsky snorted.
WHOOOM!
All three Mage Lords summoned their Foci.
"We'll make sure that something like this won't happen again."
The watching Mages immediately became frightened and left the Star Colosseum.
BANG!
Or, at least, they tried to.
As soon as they reached the edge, they were stopped by an invisible barrier.
"Do you think, as the lord of Star City, that fighting inside Star City would give you an edge?" the person in the blue cloak asked with a slight chuckle.
Lord Starsky's eyes narrowed.
"This does not involve the onlookers!" he shouted.
The person in the blue cloak chuckled some more. "I decide who is involved or not."
"This is breaking the laws between the Empires!" Lord Starsky shouted.
The person in the blue cloak only chuckled. "Well, if I wouldn't have some hostages, I would die, right? Tell me, what's the punishment for breaking these laws?"
"It's death," the person in the blue cloak said. "If I'm going to die either way, I might as well take a million people belonging to my killer with me to the afterlife. That's at least something, right?"
Lord Starsky only glared at the person in the blue cloak as he talked with his two companions via voice transmissions.
This was a very difficult situation to navigate.
BOOOM!
Suddenly, seven Ancestral Mages in the audience exploded into a shower of blood.
Lord Starsky gritted his teeth while the audience became horrified.
"Do not attempt to damage my Spell," the person in the blue cloak said. "Anyone that tries to escape will share the same fate."
At that moment, the warriors were confronted with reality.
The warriors had come so far, and they had become so powerful.
Yet, at this very moment, just one thought from the person in the blue cloak would eradicate hundreds of years of progress for the warriors.
All the strongest warriors in the world were gathered.
Over 95% of Diamond Body Stage warriors were inside the Star Colosseum.
One thought and the warriors would need to start again.
The warriors were so powerful, but in front of the truly powerful Mages, they were still nothing more than unimportant playthings.
They had no autonomy.
They were only alive because the Mages allowed them to be alive.
Shang was already wearing his cloak again, which was why no one could see his expression at the moment.
Right now, Shang's expression was intense.
It was a mixture of concentration, excitement, and nervousness.
His payment was about to arrive.
Of course, Shang couldn't have just left Icy Bastion to randomly travel around the world.
He belonged to the Temple of Blood, and they wouldn't just take their eyes off him.
Because of that, Shang had to convince the Temple of Blood to allow him to travel the world.
So, he had told them of a good way to speed up the plan.
Join the tournament and show the Impose Stage to everyone.
Naturally, Shang also included himself in the scheme, and his appearance would draw the attention of all the warriors and the Lightning Manor.
If everything worked out, Lord Starsky would inform the Lightning Manor, and the Lightning Manor would contact the Twilight Dusk Family.
Then, their plan would finally be complete.
But Shang also wanted to be paid for that.
The plan the Temple of Blood had come up with over the last centuries would finally be complete, and Shang would repay the Temple of Blood's investment severalfold.
Their cooperation would end, and both sides would be happy with the outcome while separating on good terms.
On top of that, Shang had done amazing work over the past centuries with the creation of the Impose Stage warriors.
The Temple of Blood was more than happy with his results.
Now, how does a good company treat its good employees?
Bad companies would squeeze them harder and harder, but a good company would reward the hard workers to motivate others to work just as hard while also ensuring that the good workers kept being good workers.
It was long-term gain instead of short-term gain.
So, when Shang asked for one last thing before their cooperation ended, the Temple of Blood was open to the suggestion. Even more, Shang might one day become someone very important with his talent, and being on the good side of someone like that was very useful.
And that was when Shang asked for his last bit of payment, which would be paid right now.
At the moment, Lord Starsky was in a difficult position.
He couldn't just let them go after announcing that he wouldn't let them leave, but he also couldn't recklessly attack, or his entire city might turn into ruins with literally millions upon millions of people dying.
"You thwarted our little scheme," the person in the blue cloak said. "We failed in our attempt, and that is already quite embarrassing for us."
"Killing us seems a bit excessive, no?"
The person in the blue cloak snickered.
"But I can understand that you want to release a bit of your anger. So, why don't I accompany you for a bit."
A blue Focus appeared beside the person in the blue cloak, and they floated upward.
"Let's have a friendly duel, Lord Starsky," the person in the blue cloak said.
"Just you and me."
"And whatever happens, happens."
It was here!
Shang's payment!
Shang was searching for a way to reach the next Realm, and his opportunity was finally here.
He got the opportunity to watch a fight between two Mage Lords!
