This trial had definitely taken a turn for the worse, by everyone's standards. The "Iron Serpent" had effectively and eventually literally knocked out almost half the contestants, three or four of the volunteers managing to move him slightly surprisingly.
They were waved off with a grunt and went and stood in the winner's circle, which was placed directly next to the losers circle which holds the knocked out individuals that the irritated royal guard member had knocked into unconsciousness after they had not "Tried hard enough"
Even Cobra started to look a little anxious, looking up into the rafters nervously as the Iron Serpent flung another volunteer at the loser's circle.
"Hey come on Ga-" Cobra leaned backward just in time, doing a limbo as a jagged iron sword swung where his head was a second ago. "Don't. Call. Me. That." The voice had deepened considerably and echoed strangely with the massive Royal Guards face guard still in place.
Cobra brought his hands up slowly as he stood up, glaring at the black armored dragon slayer. "Fine Iron Serpent don't you think in present company you should be a little, tame?" He asked, the words slowly coming out as he picked them carefully.
The black armored dragon slayer growled and turned away, casting a glance up at the rafters, his red eyes catching the red glint of the captain's. He scoffed before glancing at the rest of the volunteers and rolling his eyes.
"Alright punks, whatever is left of the volunteers, pick up and escort the losers circle out of the arena." He growled out, and the group looked at each other in confusion, before rushing to do as he said, his booming roar catching them off guard, "DID I STUTTER PUNKS?!"
Quickly they rushed out of the arena, leaving only the five recommended, the Royal Guard, and Tiberius, who slowly rose, and followed behind the group of volunteers, stopping by Cobra to whisper in his ear angrily, baring his fanged teeth for a second as Cobra flinched, and then continued on as the poison slayer nodded quickly.
"Now for the four of you, same thing, hit me." The Iron Serpent growled out, and Titus stepped up, face calm, his tan features giving him a brooding look almost as his hand slowly closed into a tight fist, his fingers surrounded in light blue energy which started to rush past his arm and on past his elbow, collecting into a swirling light blue jet of seawater.
"You wish for me to hit you? Fine." He mumbled out, his eyes narrowing at the last word.
"Sea Dragons Sea Spray Strike." growling out that wonderful tongue twister, Titus shot forward, his hand being propelled by the jet of seawater shooting out of his elbow.
It collided with the Royal Guard's outstretched hand, the latter's eyebrows rising in surprise as he slid back a few feet, the feeling of the iron surrounding his hand cracking open from the strike, throwing him off for a second.
The Iron Serpent stared down at Titus for a second before nodding, Titus walking back to the rest. "Next." The black armored slayer grunted out, and Gavriel stood and walked forward, his hand slowly turning a strange mixture of red and black.
Without warning the Durocko brother shot forward, his body twisting so his elbow met The Iron Serpents hand, surprise slowly showing on the royal guard's features.
"Magma Dragon's Eruption!" A roar in comparison to Titus' mumble, The Royal guard grunted in pain as his hand practically exploded, the attack making him dig his feet into the ground as he was forced back two or three meters.
He looked at the smoking remnants of the iron around his hand and nodded at Gavriel, who shook his elbow, which now sported a heavy bruise where it had struck the iron on the iron serpent's palm, and walked back to the group.
"Next." The Iron Serpent growled out, looking pointedly past Mara who still looked slightly afraid, and onto the white-haired figure of Lilia, who was ignoring the Royal Guard, checking her nails.
"I said, NEXT!" He roared out and she looked up, rolling her eyes before going back to checking her nails. "Like I told the poison dude, I am not touching any of you, you all disgust me. I don't want to ruin my wonderful skin by getting it close to a brute like you," she grumbled out, the Iron Serpent narrowing his eyes as he spotted a strange burn mark on the floor under her hand.
"Fine." He grumbled out, waving away the snobbiness. He then focused on the still fearful Mara, and gesturing for her to come closer.
"Your turn." He snarled out, his eyes narrowing and his face guard rising as if he was grinning. "Time to see what you're made of cousin." He chuckled out darkly.
I hope you enjoy the chapter!