Blood splashed onto Rin's cold eyes as he looked without mercy. Cries were heard from the man who's neck he was holding. The man's scream and screeches as he struggle were a pain in the ear.
Crowds watched in fear and coldness. Even they were effected by Rin's killing intent. Some noticed that if this kid was inside the cage. Everyone could only get silent, speechless.
Rin threw another punch ending the cries of the pitiful man who tried to escape from Rin's clutches.
Elihim looked from the farthest seat from the cage and looked down upon the situation with emotionless eyes, "That was fast. I thought it'll take long before he'll kill somebody."
…..
As always, Rin went straight to the building where the Colden Cage Arena was at through his memory at exactly 9:00 in the evening.
As he enter, the lady looked at him with kindness and with respect. Even when she's only there all the time, she definitely held networks that will inform her about the most bizarre news and Rin was happened to be in there.
It is not like this lady was someone special but she is still a worker there and is aware of the Hidden World.
The last time they saw each other was that Rin chose to offend an official. The lady thought that he was already finished when he did that but it sure was a gladly surprise when she knew what happened. Respect formed inside of her and held Rin higher.
Rin, who was wearing an outfit the same as time with the hoodie and the facemask, entered the Level 2 Room again.
When he entered, he immediately noticed Elihim who glanced at him at the same time he entered. He also noticed the crowds were not that many if compared to yesterday. It was fewer and made the stadium less noisy.
He sat beside his master and asked, "Master, am I still far away from the Second Stage of Focus."
Elihim then observed him silently and furrowed his eyebrows. Rin was confused by his masters reaction but then, Elihim suddenly smiled and said, "No spoilers.", he laughed and looked back at the cage on the center of the stadium amidst the encircling stairs of seats.
Rin frowned, he really wanted to know what progress he was currently at. How much did he improve from last night's "workout". Did it helped a lot or does he have a long way before he could reach the next Stage of Focus?
"Watch there because you're next.", Elihim pointed at the cage where two men where brawling out while their bodies lit faint blue.
When Rin saw that, he was both relief and disappointment. Both inside the cage were at the First Stage of Focus. He doesn't want a torturous fight but he also doesn't want a boring match where he wouldn't improve.
While he was thinking, surprisingly, the match ended below.
The loser was thrown out of the cage while the winner was waving his fist, declaring his victory on the crowd which they responded with a cheer.
The winner kept asking for a challenger since he can still keep up. Many stood up from their seat and raced to the cage. The winner was only a tired First Stage of Focus Practitioner, it was a perfect opponent for those who are only starting.
"Ah!", Rin abruptly stood up. He didn't even think of others who also wants to fight.
"Haha, don't worry.", Elihim lightly pushed his back.
Those who were racing to each other down the stairs were surprised when someone was already at the gate of the cage. Where did this man come from? Nobody noticed him climb up the stadium. It was very surprising since there were more than hundred pairs of eyes watching the race of the challengers but nobody noticed this young man but when they realized what this man was wearing.
"Ah! It's him!", someone shouted. Others followed and murmuring started on the seats. Those who weren't able to witness last night's fights was unable to comprehend what was happening. Why were they surprised by this young man who was wearing a facemask? Based on what they heard, it was just last night that such incident happened.
The murmurings faded but the excitement stirred inside the audience that those who knows Rin's name shouted it in synchronize. This kid was beaten until "death" last night and while nobody knows why the Fourth Stage of Focus Practitioner who was the bodyguard of an official, Mr. Tong, 0suddenly died. In the back of their heads, they thought that Rin was responsible for it.
Last night, they couldn't shout as much as this because of fear but since Mr. Tong wasn't there that night, they shouted as much as they can.
Rin stepped into the cage and was surprised when his name was chanted in unison.
"Rin! Rin! Rin!"
He didn't know how to react to this and at the same time he realized what he had done. He actually gave his real and full name before he fought Dragger back then. That was very stupid of him. He looked at his master for help.
When Elihim noticed Rin, he waved his hand with a smile, saying that there is no need to worry. Rin could not hear what Elihim said but he could understand it even from afar.
The winner from the last fight was surprised as Rin was. He was the one who won the fight earlier but why the challenger was the one being cheered on and with enthusiasm on top of that.
Amidst the cheering crowd, those who couldn't relate was in a sour mood and tried to ask what was happening.
"Who is this kid? Why is he being cheered on?", a male teen with a scarf around his face said bitterly.
Rin didn't know how to properly respond to this sort of situation just waved and smiled like what he saw when he looked at his master even if his smile was covered by a facemask.
The crowd laughed and cheered in a even higher pitched which faded when the administrator who was unseen acknowledged the challenger and started the match by ringing the bell.
The winner from before was a bit afraid if whether this kid was at the Second Stage of Focus or higher based on the reaction of the crowds.
Rin stayed on the other side of the cage, far and opposite of his opponent, with his stance while waiting for his opponent's first move.
Rin's opponent took a stance like a boxer but with one fist further forward and one of the feet further backward while jumping. He clicked his tongue and chose to attack first and rushed forward to Rin as his body glowed faint blue.
Rin was already in his immature form too. Seeing this, the opponent's confidence rose while thinking that this kid must be just a favored rookie.
When he was in front of Rin, he abruptly stopped from running and lifted his left foot.
Rin used both hands to cover his side where the opponent's left foot was directed at.
A smile then emerged from the opponent's face and immediately put down his left foot and quickly kicked his right. A fake...
It was one of the basics but it got Rin and hit his back since he was prepared to defend from the left foot.
"Ah.."
The opponent's smile widened when his kick was solidly hit. He was anxious for a moment but now, he knew that this kid wasn't that much. He then tried to retreat first but only then he realized that he couldn't pull his right foot. It was actually caught by Rin's hand and didn't directly hit.
'He's much much slower than the bodyguard.', Rin thought as he tightened his grip.
'Oh shit-', the man frightfully thought before he was thrown away when Rin used two hands.
While the man was mid-air, he used Natural Energy to control his body better and to avoid falling miserably. When he was about to land, his eyes teared when he saw Rin on his trajectory.
"Argh!!", the man spat out saliva and a bit of blood when his back landed on Rin's knee instead of the ground and was again sent flying, but this time, he immediately fell on the ground.
He curled on the ground from the pain of his back while tapping the ground, surrendering.
The bell rang and the cheers came back.
"Rin! Rin! Rin!"
This kid didn't disappoint them and made them watch an spectacular match.
Rin was embarrassed by this treatment and just tried to breath in and out deeply, trying to relax after using Natural Energy twice in a row. He just always closed his eyes when he used Natural Energy so no one noticed. He only used this when he needed to like using his hand to block, he closed his eyes, or knee the opponent, he just closed his eyes.
"You're pretty arrogant for a kid, ey!?", a male teen with a scarf around his face entered the cage while glaring at Rin, "I should put you in your place."
'Arrogant? When? Is that another crackhead?', Rin thought with concern.