"Well good luck!" Standing up and walking out of the room, Maddie left before Mark was able to ask any questions about the rule. His mind was racing, trying to comprehend what he had just heard.
'If I get killed I lose? Do they not have any thing that can prevent death in these fights? Is that why everyone was telling me not to look for the fights?' These questions were bouncing around his head, causing him to hold his head in distress.
Before he could really think about these questions, a voice rung out over the intercom.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the main event is about to start. Can the participants please make your way to the main stage."
Hearing the announcement calling for him, Mark got up and walked out of the room. The path to the main arena was a straight path and only took a few seconds to finish.
After arriving at the arena the crowd went wild with excitement. Cheers and screams could be heard all around, as if their favourite sport teams just walked out onto the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank you for your patience. Tonight we have a riveting fight for you between a desperate and broke kid looking to get himself killed, and a thief who was caught in the act. Who will come out on top between these 2 newbies? Will either of them lose their lives? Let's find out!"
The announcer started riling up the crowd, hoping to cause the room to shake. The crowd was what made this place come to life, if they weren't fired up, no one was fired up.
"Coming onto the arena first is the desperate kid, Mark Spain!"
After his name was announced, the crowd roared once again. Whistles could be heard throughout the crowd and people began clapping, encouraging the new competitor.
In the far back side of the crowd people could be seen placing bets on the match.
"Who do you think's gonna win?"
"The kid don't stand a chance, look at 'im, not a muscle on his body."
"Well I doubt the thief could do much better, he got caught after all so he can't be that good."
Cutting the bet discussions off, the announcer continued talking.
"And coming in right now is the failed thief, Jeff Graham!"
Walking onto the stage this time was a man clothed in tatters. He looked like he had been severely beaten, with swelling and bruises everywhere on his body.
The crowd didn't make a sound as they saw this shell of a man walk onto the stage. His cold, dead eyes looked as if they were sucking the colour from the world around him.
"Is that even a person? It looks more like a zombie."
"Looks like he was one of Dante's, he is the only one who beats them up this badly."
Across from Jeff, Mark couldn't help but stare at him with wide eyes. He recognised the man standing in front of him.
'He was the guy who tried to steal from Dante. Why is he here?'
"Competitors, prepare to rumble!"
The announcer pulled Mark out of his daze, he didn't have time to worry about why he was here. All Mark needed to do was win this fight.
"3!"
"2!"
"1!"
"Fight!"
Upon hearing the start signal, Jeff rushed forward at Mark, catching him off guard. Mark barely managed to dodge the first attack by rolling on the ground and was quickly assaulted by Jeff's fist while he was still recovering from his roll.
"Oh! Jeff manages to get a solid hit in the chest!"
The announcer had switched over to commentating the events of the match, instead of standing there and looking pretty.
Dante could be seen in the crowd with a frown on his face. He knew what happened when he put people in the rings after their punishments, they became mindless beings that only want to kill. Seeing the kid that helped him being beaten up by one of his products left a bitter taste in his mouth.
'Damn it kid, You should have never gone searching for this place, now look what's happening.'
Mark was pushed back 10 feet before coming to a stop.
[Damage has been received, increasing EXP by 50.]
[Total EXP: 50/1600]
'Fine, you like surprises, I can give you some surprises.'
"Sacrifice Strength."
[Left hand phalanges bones chosen as sacrifice.]
[Breaking these bones will result in an increase of: +22 strength]
[Damage done by this skill will not grant any EXP.]
[Do you wish to proceed?]
[Yes/No]
"Yes."
*CRACK*
[Current Strength: 36+5]
"Ladies and gentlemen, I do not know if I am the only one seeing this, but Mark's fingers seem to be broken!"
After hearing the loud crack sound, many people were left wondering what had caused it. They all believed it had been Mark's ribs, but after the announcer stated it was his fingers everyone was in shock. What happened that made his fingers break?
After the crowd was shocked by Mark's fingers breaking, they did not expect to see him run forward as if nothing had happened.
Jeff, seeing his prey run towards him, also charged him head on. He reeled back his fist in an attempt to knock Mark down. Mark followed suit, raising his own fist.
As they met in the middle, their fists collided. What happened next, no one was expecting. Mark, after being pushed back by Jeff before, had suddenly pushed him back 20 feet. Jeff was currently standing on the edge of the arena, trying to save himself from falling off.
"I don't believe it! Mark has pushed Jeff to the edge of the arena!"
The crowd was silent, they had never seen someone push someone back 20 feet. They were still recovering from the shock when Mark rushed forward and pulled back his fist once more.
Jeff, unbalanced, couldn't react in time to stop himself from going over the edge of the arena.
"And Jeff has been push out of bounds! Mark Spain wins!"