I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 619 Dark Gladiator
New Cairo,
The newly constructed city is planned to accommodate five million people, relieving pressure on "Old Cairo" on the Nile.

However, for various reasons, occupancy rates remained very low, with most Cairo residents preferring to live in the cramped, dirty, and chaotic old Cairo. This situation was recently reversed abruptly, thanks to the extraordinary arrival of 'Egypt'!

The fact that the Great Pyramid rose from the ground overnight is proof of this.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian government was operating at full speed, and various ancient Egyptian-style buildings, streets, and gardens were expanding at an astonishing pace, which was obvious to everyone:
"The era of ancient Egypt has arrived."

Walking the streets of the city, a reporter from KYG sighed softly.

KYG, known as the 'King of News,' naturally operates in ways that extend far beyond the waters off the coast of the Philippines: it has journalists stationed in almost every major power.

As one of the ancient civilizations, Egypt naturally has its own foreign journalists: this middle-aged man in beach shorts and a floral shirt is from the sea country.

As a dog of the Sea Kingdom, he must have enjoyed various privileges, such as freedom of movement and the freedom to dress as he pleased.

"The Great Pyramid, colossal temples, and—"

The reporter's gaze swept across the roadside; all the male residents had changed into white sleeveless robes and loincloths; the women wore tight-fitting long skirts and shawls adorned with tassels. Numerous artists were painting murals on the houses, their vibrant colors and solemn, dignified ancient Egyptian style depicting mythological stories.
At this rate, it won't be long before visitors here will be able to experience the 'authentic' Egyptian culture.

After all, Egypt in the past was so remote that people who didn't know better might have thought it was in the Middle East.
Ok?
The reporter turned to look at the giant temple not far away.

There was an aura of 'spiritual energy fluctuations' emanating from there, but even for a 'sea kingdom reporter' like him, there were some places he couldn't enter.

This temple is in the standard Egyptian style, with massive white stone pillars encircling it, covered with dense bas-reliefs of hieroglyphics. Seated at the temple entrance is a lion-headed woman holding a long-handled weapon, representing the temple's function.

"war,"

As a journalist stationed in Egypt, this superhuman under KYG naturally knew who the statue belonged to.

Sekhmet,

Daughter of the sun god Ra, she was the lioness and war goddess of ancient Egypt.

The word Sekhmet means power in ancient Egypt, and the activities that took place in her temple were probably battles involving prayers for power.
Unfortunately, the reporter was itching to explore, but dared not: this temple was one of the few places he was not allowed to set foot in.

what?
Should we just climb over the wall and get in?

For a journalist with superhuman abilities, this is indeed very simple.

But provoking the local superhumans is not a wise move; he's not like his own boss, KYG, with an unparalleled speed that even supersonic missiles can't match.

I really want to go inside and take a look!
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In this temple of Sekhmet,
Indeed, a fierce battle is taking place.

"Go, Ali!"

"Kill him in one go—"

"You're the strongest among us!"

A group of teenagers dressed in black priestly robes cheered each other on loudly; as long as they weren't embarrassed, it was everyone else who was.

Of course, no one here would feel awkward: not even the Egyptian military superhumans standing like javelins on the other side.

The crowd stood in the stands watching the game.
On one side were young priests waving their arms and shouting, and on the other side were silent soldiers.

In the sandy arena between the two, two extraordinary individuals were engaged in a fierce battle!
The boy who had removed his black priest's robes, revealing only a waistband with defined abdominal and pectoral muscles above his golden belt, and who was pursing his lips, was 'Ali'.

Opposite him, a man with messy hair plastered to his face, covered in blood-soaked bandages, and with his arms crossed, was an extraordinary prisoner.

With the advent of the extraordinary era, those extraordinary individuals willing to cooperate with the government are generally treated with great courtesy.

But there are always some people who can't see their own place and think that they are the 'protagonists' of the times.

It's only at the dog level, so it can easily take down an ordinary person with one punch.

If you're surrounded by regular troops, you'll end up in jail.

"Hey~~"

"I will be free once I defeat you!"

The superhuman grinned, revealing a mouthful of black and yellow teeth.

The boy in front of him, dressed in an ancient costume, was about the same strength as him, but his skills were very clumsy; with just a little more effort, he could knock him to his knees: according to the agreement, he would be free!
"Huff, huff, huff,"

Ali, the boy with a blank expression, remained silent.
He didn't consider himself a smart person, and in the small group he mostly played the role of 'thug'; since his brother Amir told him to beat this person, he would do as he was told.

The next second, the superhuman with clasped fists pounced forward, raising his right fist and slamming it down from above with a whoosh.

Faced with this punch, young Ali did not dodge, but instead raised his fist to meet it.

Bang! !

The extraordinary prisoner was tall, strong, and muscular.

The punch came crashing down from above, like a giant iron hammer striking a felt mat; even if the metal below was a red-hot mass of steel, it would still send sparks flying.

Sure enough, after taking the punch head-on, Ali staggered back two steps, leaving messy footprints in the sand.

The extraordinary prisoner, seizing the opportunity, immediately gave chase.

Bang bang bang bang bang! ! !
Fists rained down like raindrops, each impact accompanied by a dull thud; the boy had to raise his arms to block in front of him and stagger backward.

If such a punch were to land on an ordinary person, it would be enough to kill them!

The battle before them, filled with muscles, power, blood, and rage, made even the young men and women in black robes in the stands tense, shouting their support at the top of their lungs.
"Hold on, Ali!"

"Don't lose to him, you're the strongest!!"

Meanwhile, the extraordinary soldier on the other side remained expressionless, but inwardly he was disdainful.

Too rough.
He doesn't even know military boxing; he's completely untrained.

Under the watchful eyes of the contrasting crowd, the extraordinary prisoner had already pinned Ali to the edge of the arena.

"Whoohoo-"

Such an outburst left even the extraordinary prisoner panting heavily.

He was already in prison, and with his injuries, he wasn't in good condition. After that outburst, his meager spiritual energy was completely depleted.

That damned noble young master, why won't he admit defeat?
Just as this extraordinary prisoner was cursing inwardly and getting distracted, his vision blurred and his waist tightened.

Ali lunged forward and grabbed the superhuman prisoner by the waist, his arms already wrapped around the prisoner's waist. As he charged forward, he pushed the prisoner backward.

Bang!
The superhuman prisoner, who lost his balance, was thrown onto the sand by the boy Ali.

Before he could get up, a figure straddled him, and then fists rained down on him.

Bang bang bang bang——

Ali, pinned beneath his opponent, relentlessly rained down punches, just like in a street brawl: through Amir's brother's 'sacrificial ritual,' he too had become a superhuman. Even his wild, unrestrained punches were superhuman-level!
The fight between the two was utterly devoid of any entertainment value; it was nothing but raw violence and bloodshed.

until:

"I surrender! I surrender!!"

The prisoner, whose face was covered in blood after being beaten by Ali and who was unable to turn the tables, finally couldn't take it anymore.

He had originally predicted that he would only need a few punches and kicks to make this young master dressed in 'ancient style' beg for mercy.

But the opponent was like a stoic wolf, remaining silent no matter how much he attacked; now he had even gained the upper hand, the "riding position," and continuing would only result in him getting beaten up. If all else failed, he might as well go back to jail.

Unfortunately, what this prisoner didn't know was:
"The battle is over,"

Besides the young men and women in black robes on one side and the military superhumans on the other, there was another person in the stands.

That is Amir, the mastermind behind this 'dark gladiatorial combat'!
"The winner is Ali."

As Ali, a boy with blood streaming from his hands, rose to his feet, Amir continued to announce:

"Loser, hand over your card!"

?

"Since there isn't one, then fill the void with your soul."

As Amir coldly pronounced his sentence, a massive stone tablet flew over and pointed at the bewildered superhuman prisoner.

"Ahhhhhh~~!!!"

The prisoner, who had just sat up, suddenly collapsed, struggling painfully in the yellow sand, curled up like a shrimp thrown into a frying pan.

Amidst heart-wrenching screams, a humanoid phantom with arms outstretched was ripped from his body; like a fish pulled from the water by a hook, it plunged into the massive stone slab.

Immediately afterward, an image gradually emerged on the stone slab: disheveled hair, body wrapped in blood-soaked bandages, assuming a fighting stance.
Who else could it be but that extraordinary prisoner on the ground?!
The prisoner on the ground was now only convulsing unconsciously.

"Success?"

Amir, who was hosting the 'Dark Gladiator' for the first time, couldn't help but murmur to himself.

Can a person also be sealed away as a 'monster card'?

"certainly,"

The next instant, his voice suddenly became calm, indifferent, and aloof.

“Dark gladiatorial combat is an extension of the concept of ‘cards’ and a sacrificial act to please the gods.”

no doubt,

This is Imhotep, the 'High Priest' inside him.

"Good job,"

Imhotep, who was controlling Amir's body, glanced at the stone slab that was shrinking and flying into the boy Ali's hand and nodded slightly.

As for the extraordinary prisoner who was dragged away by the soldiers, he was nothing more than a dead dog.

"All things have a spirit,"

"The soul is not a single entity; it is composed of many parts."

In a good mood, Imhotep took the initiative to explain.
In ancient Egyptian mythology, the core of the soul consists of the 'B' and 'Ka'.

Ba: represents the free soul and the embodiment of personality; Ka: represents the energy of life and the eternal bond.

Only when 'Ba' and 'Ka' are fused together and then injected into the body can one become a complete person: if the body is made into a mummy, one can even achieve immortality in this way.

If Scorpion were here, he would surely agree with this 'timeless art'.

It's just his puppet technology!

"The so-called card symbolizes vitality, creativity and continuity, and can be seen as the 'spark of life'."

"And the essence of Dark Gladiators is to plunder the opponent's 'cards'!"

Once the extraordinary prisoner concedes defeat, his 'card' will be stripped from him and sealed in a stone slab, becoming the victor's spoils, subject to the rules.

"That is to say—"

Amir glanced down at the enormous slate he was holding, and his pupils contracted.

"That's right, these are all my old 'trophies'!"

The so-called 'tomb-guarding clan' was all defeated by Imhotep three thousand years ago, and his soul 'cards' were stolen by him.

“Not all ‘cards’ are like this. The strong can strip away and seal their ‘knowledge’ into cards; if they are gods, they can even seal the power of divine beasts or even their own power into cards for priests to use.”

This is the power of the ancient Egyptian priesthood.

Simply obtain a 'card' from a superior or a deity, and you can immediately unleash formidable combat power!
Of course, the essence of this method is ultimately to rely on the strong; with just a thought from the gods, these 'cards' can be taken back, instantly returning them to their original form.

“Amazing~~”

"This is a 'Summoning Card'? Can I take a look?"

On the other side, as young Ali walked back to the stands, he was immediately surrounded by those boys and girls in black robes. Not only had he won the battle, but he had also won his spoils: cards depicting extraordinary prisoners.

In the future, when this young Ali fights against others, he can directly take out this stone card and summon the 'Extraordinary Prisoner' to fight for him.

Although this 'extraordinary prisoner' isn't that strong, he's still a fighting force.

Moreover, they are combat units that are fearless and without complaint.

? !
Hearing the words coming from the other side,
The government's special forces soldiers who came to watch all had tense expressions.

They actually have this ability?
The loser loses a part of their soul, while the winner gains the power of their opponent to use at their disposal. It is indeed filled with the cruel slavery style of ancient Egypt!

Dark gladiatorial combat, truly deserving of its name.

“You are very talented, Amir.”

Imhotep had witnessed everything Amir had done during this time and recognized his talent.

"Serve me, become my priest, and you will gain unimaginable power, power above all others!"

"Your Mightiness,"

Amir lowered his head.

"From the moment you saved me, my life belongs to you."

If it weren't for the high priest's intervention, he would have died inside that pyramid.

Both emotionally and rationally, he should be grateful to the other party and follow them: besides, in this extraordinary era, who wouldn't want to have power?
Only power can protect what you love and obtain everything you desire.

"I swear in the name of the guardian of the jackal's head, the lord of the scales, and the guide of the underworld—"

“I will obey your command until the next cycle of life; if I break this covenant, may my ‘ba’ be lost in the undercurrents of Duyat, and my ‘ka’ be exhausted in the grave of no sacrifice.”

When he worked as a guide before, Amir learned a lot about ancient Egypt; recently, he has been cramming on a large number of ancient texts: this is his character—he wants to do everything to the best of his ability. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been chosen by those white people as their guide and translator.

They would not be favored by Imhotep: becoming a priest under this high priest was a coveted position even three thousand years ago!
"Okay, not bad!"

Amidst a satisfied laugh, the boy's words shifted.

"I have learned about this era. Now, it is time to offer sacrifices for my beloved!"

? !
(End of this chapter)