Following a period of much-needed rest and nourishment of unknown duration, Sig and Alex were now prepared to delve deeper into the uncharted territory ahead of them. In front of them lay only one possible path to follow, with a display above the door indicating the current floor number as [Floor 1-0], which suggested an upward progression through the floors. They had managed to gather some information about the structure of the building, learning that each floor was comprised of three rooms that needed to be successfully completed in order to advance to the next floor.
"Is there really a choice to be made in this situation?" inquired Alex.
Sig nonchalantly shrugged and commented, "It doesn't appear that way. We might as well go inside instead of lingering here without purpose."
As the two men stepped into the room, they were taken aback by what they saw. The space was filled with various individuals, grouped together in pairs. There were a total of four pairs, meaning there were eight people in the room altogether. What was peculiar was that each pair seemed to be keeping to themselves, not mingling with the others.
In the center of the room, there was a large, squared arena made of exquisitely refined stones. It was clear that this was the focal point of the room, and it immediately caught the attention of the two men. Despite the presence of the other individuals in the room, the arena commanded attention and seemed to draw the attention of anyone who entered.
At the time the door had fully closed behind them, a system notification pop-up showing them the goal of the next mission.
-------------------------------
[Floor 1 - 0 ]
[Mission: Win against the arena's Champion!]
[Time limit: None ]
[Reward: 1x Randomized equipment (Magic-Rare Ranking)]
[Failure: Death]
[Personalized Side-Mission: Do not get hit once by the Champion]
[Reward #2: 15x Tokens]
-------------------------------
As the individuals gathered in the room looked around, they couldn't help but wonder who the "Champion" was that had been mentioned. They couldn't see anyone other than the players present. However, all of a sudden, an entity appeared before them, materializing out of invisibility. The figure stood at the center of the arena, radiating an air of mystery and intrigue.
The entity's appearance was striking - they were dressed in a traditional black kimono, with a Rice Hat sitting atop their head, and their face concealed behind the fabric of their clothing. Despite the anonymity, the presence of the entity commanded attention and respect.
The entity carried themselves with a sense of poise and purpose, as evidenced by the katana sword they wore on their waist. As they stood in the center of the arena, their hand hovered over the hilt of the sword, ready to draw it at a moment's notice. The individuals present in the room could not help but be transfixed by the aura of power emanating from the entity.
[Suraisu]
[Randomly choosing the challenger...]
[Player #3 will be transported to the arena]
After the announcement of the challenger was made, a sudden flash of light illuminated the room, signaling the appearance of a man at the farthest corner of the room. Without warning, he was instantaneously teleported inside the arena, where the swordsman was standing.
Confused and disoriented, the bewildered individual looked around in disbelief, trying to make sense of his sudden appearance. "Huh? H- How did I make it in here?" he asked, his voice trembling with fear and uncertainty.
[Match, Start!]
Before he could gather his bearings, the match had already started, and in one swift motion, the swordsman drew his katana and made a deadly strike, slicing through the man's neck with unparalleled precision. The strike was so swift and fast that the victim's head separated from his body in a fraction of a second, leaving the spectators in utter shock and disbelief.
Despite the gruesome nature of the event, the entire incident occurred so quickly that the onlookers barely had time to react. In less than a second, the swordsman had executed the fatal blow, leaving behind a scene of horror. The suddenness of the attack left many struggling to comprehend the events that had just unfolded before their very eyes.
[Suraisu, Win!]
[Randomly choosing the next challenger...]
[Player #6 will be transported to the arena]
The current surroundings provided no respite for the combatants, who were forced to quickly adapt to the ever-changing challenges presented in the arena. Before they could fully process their current situation, the next challenger was transported into the arena, setting off a fresh round of intense combat.
The newly arrived challenger appeared to be prepared for the onslaught of the sword-wielding opponent. He had a shield at the ready, which he deftly employed to block the initial attack from the swordman.
With the signal to begin the match, the challenger braced himself for the swordman's next move. However, he was caught off guard when the swordman charged at full speed towards him and leapt into the air, using the shield as a foothold to vault over his opponent's head. While airborne, the swordman spun around and slashed through his opponent with his katana, slicing him cleanly in half. The force of the attack sent both halves of the defeated opponent hurtling in opposite directions, coming to rest in crumpled heaps on the ground.
Alex's voice quivered as he spoke, fear and disbelief evident in his tone. "S-Sig..." he stammered, his eyes wide with shock.
Sig stood motionless, rooted to the spot, his mind reeling from what he had just witnessed for the second time. He was at a loss for words, unable to even form a response to the terrifying scene before him. His body was frozen in place, his mind struggling to come to terms with the reality of what he had just experienced. Despite the panic rising within him, Sig couldn't seem to make a move, paralyzed by the sheer horror of it all.
The movements of the swordsman were incredibly stealthy, so much so that Sig found it difficult to comprehend what was happening in the arena. The only thing he could make out was the cleaving of a man in half, almost as if he had been sliced out of thin air. Sig felt increasingly uneasy about facing an opponent whose footsteps he couldn't hear. He might have stood a chance if he still had his trusty wooden stick, but unfortunately, he was without it this time. The situation left him feeling entirely blind and vulnerable. The swordsman's silent but deadly approach had caught Sig off guard, and he couldn't predict what his next move would be. It was a daunting prospect for Sig, who was now at a significant disadvantage.
"I'm fucked."