"Did he die yesterday?"
"Insane!"
"Did he just speak to the Third?"
"Is he possessed or something?"
"Did he hit his head and die?"
"I'm pretty sure he's a ghoul. Those are all like that."
"That's kinda mean, Greg."
The voices of the people soon filled the colosseum. The different conversations became louder with every passing minute. Not only were the spectators stunned, but also in the arena and the area surrounding the pit of beasts, the individual fighters stopped to stare in awe and disbelief.
In the first row, the four silhouettes were just as astonished as the rest. They never dared to directly provoke the man because they knew how strong he was. Even a lion would know when to avoid danger.
Still on the floor, the beautiful golden-haired woman couldn't help but open her mouth in disbelief.
'Did he really die yesterday?! How could he be so fearless!'
She, more than anyone else, knew how brutal was the master she served against her will. There were only so few people stronger than him, yet that fighter was acting as if he was one of them.
'That explains why he challenged the pit by himself. He's an idiot.'
She almost felt pity for his ignorance.
The monkey and cat masks, as well as the most faraway silhouette, looked straight to the man in the green mask and then back at the fighter in the pit, speechless. Were they dreaming? Did someone address the third most powerful fighter in the ranks as if to pick a fight?
At that moment, the monkey got closer to the Third and put a hand on his shoulder, then…
"Pffffft!"
They started laughing. The woman in the cat mask, in particular, threw herself to the floor and held what seemed to be her stomach with both of her hands.
"A raisin! Kukukukukukuku."
"Pfffft- He looks more like a rotten banana peel if you ask me!"
"How did he know you stink?" Said the man in the monkey mask. "I guess the smell traveled all the way there!"
The elven woman stared at her master, afraid. She tried to signal for the others to stop laughing but they ignored her, as always. At that point, she could even see her master trembling and closing his fist.
'Stop! No! He's gonna hit me again if you keep laughing!' She thought to herself, desperate.
"Ahem!"
Just then, the silhouette in the green mask cleared his throat. It wasn't loud, but it caused the silhouettes in the first row to go silent, as well as the whole colosseum.
The three people went back to their seats and stopped laughing. They knew that their background and status could get them only so far, if they kept laughing things wouldn't look good for the next fighters they were to sponsor.
The elf kneeled again. She stared at the floor, not wishing to provoke his anger any further. But, he couldn't help but look up a moment later.
'I wonder if he's strong enough to back up his behavior. What if he's a hidden monster?'
She was about to get beaten up by her master seconds before, and when no one helped her, the stranger's crazy intervention saved her, so she wanted to know why exactly the man caught the attention of the Third so fearlessly.
But, there was nothing to see.
Perse's clothes were muddy and dirty, his hair was tangled, and he was still limping from his previous fall.
In the distance, his figure looked like an oversized rat provoking a falcon. It was far from heroic, and she could only sigh in disappointment.
'A madman, definitely.'
At that moment, the green silhouette signaled for the servants to bring Perse closer to the first row, to which they responded accordingly.
In a second, Oz and Set restrained Perse and took him in front of the first row, directly under the watch of the four silhouettes. Feeling the intervention of the colosseum, the window up in the sky changed again.
[GENERAL INFORMATION:
A [[F I G H T E R]] HAS CHALLENGED THE PIT OF BEASTS.
THIS EVENT IS ON HOLD.]
"Are you speaking to me?" He asked, his voice traveling amidst the silence.
Perse, still held tightly by the twins, inhaled deeply before continuing.
"Is there another bastard as ugly as you around?" He said.
Among the steps, a sound of wheeze came out of everyone's mouths, including the people in the marble seats of the front row. Perse could feel their thoughts as if they were his own.
'I don't wanna do this either! Just let me go home already!' He thought. 'The skull didn't warn me about this! Maybe I should just say I'm sorry?'
Before he was too far away and his eyes were too tired to observe thoroughly. After watching his life pass before his eyes, he felt way more prepared to die. Still, the reason why he no longer had the resolve to attempt what the skull told him was that now he could see the first row more clearly.
Behind the marble handrail, looking at him down from above, Perse saw a robbed figure at least 3 meters taller than him with an aura so powerful it reminded him of a wild beast.
'Should I take it back now? I know he's dead but maybe he doesn't like to kill? '
Perse took another breath of air, the movement of his chest going up and down didn't escape the eyes behind the green mask, "what is your name?" Asked the man.
"Perse."
"Which master do you serve?"
"I- I don't know."
"You don't know?" He said, raising his chin. Behind him, the man in the monkey's mask leaned forward imperceptibly.
"How did you come here?"
"The-" Perse stopped himself, he didn't know if it was a good idea to mention the notification, he decided to twist the truth a bit, "I was invited."
"Who invited you?" The confusion in Perse's face must have been visible, as the Third kept making questions non-stop, "Which door did you come from? What is your level? Who trained you?"
"I don't… know-"
"Is there something you do know, Peer-say?" The silhouette said, mockingly. A murmur of laughter traveled through the crowd, but although the elven woman snickered, neither of the other three masked people in the first row laughed.
He wanted to correct the pronunciation of his name, but all the words got stuck in his tongue.
Once again, he could hear the hissing of a snake snickering behind him. This time, however, he also heard the voice of the younger twin call out to him.
"Tell him your master was recognized by Olympia." He said, "he will think you are strong."
As he considered whether to believe him or not, Set's voice joined the feverish chill in Perse's arms a second later.
"Listen to him," the voice said, "we know better."
'Is he ordering me or helping me?' Perse wanted to know why they would do such a thing, but he couldn't look at the white-haired twin because Set was golding the back of his head, preventing him from taking his eyes off the green silhouette.
'Will this really be okay?'
"I- Ahem," Perse cleared his throat before making a decision. He spoke in a calm and smug voice, "my master was recognized by Olympia."
Once again, the crowd responded to his statement through their reactions. This time it was the man in the monkey mask who spoke to him, without getting up from his seat.
"Are you aware of what you're saying?"
'Not at all!' He thought.
"Yes!" Murmured Oz.
"Of course!" Said Perse.
The Third raised a hand to signal the monkey to keep his mouth shut, his eyes never leaving Perse's face. He looked straight at his eyes and wondered why they looked so familiar.
"And," Perse continued, "I also know that you are a fine gambler."
"And how do you know that?"
"One recognizes another."
"Interesting," he said, "are you trying to bet with me?"
"I am, and if I win, you will take me to whatever place I ask."
"Are you asking for something after insulting me?"
"I- Don't worry, I have something worth your time!" Perse said,
"First, allow these guys to let me move so I can show you!"
With a look of skepticism, the Third nodded at the twins, unable to escape the feeling of morbid curiosity after hearing the word "bet".
"Very well."
He felt the force restraining him go away and stumbled two steps forward, trying to regain his balance.
"Lovely, thank you, ahem," Perse put his hand on the back pocket of his jeans and felt the cold stone against his hand, "behold!"
"A rare treasure with the ability to change fate itself!"
He took the stone out of his pocket and held it up in the air. A glass-like blue rock as small as a fingernail rested in his palm.
"This!"
"..."
"..."
"..."