After all the seats had been filled, and the spectators were seated and silent, the doors to the Cube closed. The lights dimmed until only the ring and Dennis, standing in the middle of it, were visible.
Dennis felt daunted at having the spotlight and the gazes of all the residents directed at him. But suppressed his nerves with a deep breath and spoke into the mic while stretching out his other hand and slowly turning around to face everyone in the crowd.
"Welcome! To the Grand Opening of the Cube! Vanitapolis' very own Battle Arena! To celebrate this joyous occasion, we have prepared a special battle."
The crowd was already getting restless, so Dennis didn't have any plans of holding a speech. But he added a theatrical pause before he continued speaking.
"On the blue side! Three challengers brought together by a shared wish to gain wealth and fame!"
Following Dennis' words, the three guys who failed to complete the daily quota left one of the locker rooms and walked toward the ring under the excited cheering of the crowd. They had gotten boxing shorts to replace their ordinary clothes. Their bodies were on display, and they felt a little insecure under the pressure of the spectators' looks. But they didn't have a choice.
They knew better than anyone that they didn't come seeking wealth and glory. They had simply failed in the task assigned to them and were receiving the punishment. Although, the promise of rewards if they were to win wasn't false. Artholomew, one of Micah's direct subordinates, had promised them a three days reprieve from the daily quota.
So, even if they were reluctant, the three challengers stepped into the ring with expressions of resolve. And when they did, they followed Dennis' whispered order to wave to the crowd and stir them up even further.
"Remember how I said it was a special battle?"
"'YEAH!'"
The crowd's excited shout shook the building in response to Dennis' question. He had only asked it as a way to spread some enthusiasm and hadn't expected such an enthusiastic response. But he was satisfied and had a broad smile as he continued.
"This battle will be a three-on-one! But it's no fun if it's just a one-sided beatdown, right?!"
The crowd cheered expectantly.
"That's why! The challenger is no ordinary human! Strengthened beyond the realm of an average man. The second-in-command of a notorious group in town! A stubborn man who refuses to yield no matter what!"
Dennis considered adding a few more lines, but the crowd was already bursting with anticipation, so he stopped there.
"The current designated champion of Cube Battle Arena, Chris!"
The crowd burst out in another bout of excited cheering, even if not everyone knew who Chris was.
The blonde, well-trained but slightly haggard man left the red-painted corridor and walked toward the ring in an outfit similar to the three challengers' boxer shorts but red instead of blue.
Chris' cold glare swept across the crowd as he walked and stepped into the ring.
"Then, once again. In the blue corner, the three challengers fighting for wealth and glory! And in the red corner. The champion fighting to defend his title!"
Dennis made his way to the edge of the ring.
"To celebrate the Grand Opening of the Cube, let the first battle begin. A no-holds-barred, no-rules fight to the death!"
"Wai-"
One of the challengers tried to speak up. It was the first time they heard of it being a battle to the death. But Dennis and the crowd ignored the distressed challengers.
"Now. Kill!"
A bell rang and announced the start of the battle.
The three challengers timidly turned to face Chris, who stared at them coldly. They hadn't planned on trying to flee while walking to or stepping up onto the ring since Artholomew had warned them about what would happen if they tried. However, as Chris stared them down while slowly beginning to walk toward them, the idea of escape popped into the challengers' heads.
One of them even turned around and was about to reach for the rope to jump out when his gaze coincidentally met with Micah's, who looked down at the ring from the booth. The challenger didn't even notice Rego and Tineya standing next to Micah since Micah's gaze forced him to look down.
Micah's gaze reminded the challenger of the threats Artholomew had levied on them before the fight. Dying once, even if in public in a battle against Chris, would surely be better than dying several times while enduring pain.
The challengers exchanged glances. They were three, and Chris was only one. They had an advantage in numbers. If they worked together, it should be fine, right?
"Okay, let's do this."
"Yeah."
"I'll follow you two."
The three challengers hadn't known each other before, but their sense of camaraderie rose in the face of the threat that was Chris.
The three challengers spread out in a triangle formation and encircled Chris. Fear and caution were still evident on their faces. It felt a little strange, considering they were the ones with the numerical advantage. And since Chris looked completely undaunted, it was as if the positions had somehow been reversed.
But as members of the various groups of thugs in Vanitapolis, the three challengers knew at least a little about Chris, who had been second-ranked in Artholomew's group. But what little they knew was more than enough to tell them that ordinary people wouldn't stand a chance against him.
So, even if the numerical advantage, they still approached Chris with great caution.
Chris still looked undaunted as the three challengers crept closer with hands reached out as if they were going to grab him. Chris looked around and kept an eye on each of the challengers. He might not look scared, but he knew how easy it was to turn a battle around, so he didn't let down his guard for even a moment. Micah had taught him what could happen if he did, after all.