"You survived. That's good."
Xander glanced to his right at the same warrior he had spoken to earlier. "Thanks," he said, his voice barely more than a whisper, too exhausted to say anything more. With that, Xander closed his eyes and drifted into a restless sleep.
An unknown amount of time later, a piercing scream jolted Xander awake. "Please! Don't take me! Choose someone else, please!" a man pleaded as a guard dragged him out of his cell, likely for a brutal battle in the arena.
The warrior beside Xander, noticing he was awake, shook his head in dismay. "It's a shame," he said, his voice tinged with sorrow. "The poor man broke his leg in his last fight, and now they're forcing him to go again. He's guaranteed to die this time."
Xander regarded the man before him with a mixture of pity and resolve. Though the sight was distressing, he reminded himself, 'These aren't real people, just remnants of the tower's trials.'
It was a widely accepted theory that the inhabitants of these trials were echoes of the past, natives who had once lived and died within the tower's walls. The man's gaunt face and pleading eyes bore silent witness to countless forgotten stories.
"Name's Russel. What's yours?" the man inquired, clearly yearning for conversation.
Xander hesitated, uncertainty flickering across his face. Despite his misgivings, he relented. "You can call me Xander," he replied.
Russel's face lit up with a semblance of hope, but Xander kept his distance emotionally, aware that forming bonds here was futile. The tower's trials were cruel, but necessary; a constant reminder that these shades of people were part of the challenge he had to overcome.
"Well, Xander, I heard you're going to be joining the battle royale tomorrow," Russel said, sighing as he shared the grim news.
"Yeah, what of it?" Xander replied, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness.
"Oh, nothing. I'm also one of the poor suckers joining you. We should look out for each other, you know, have each other's backs."
"And why would I trust you?" Xander's eyes narrowed, suspicion lacing his tone.
"Why not? You have no one else you can trust. Might as well give it a shot. It's our best chance for survival. The guard said this battle royale starts with 200 people and continues until only 20 are left. We don't have to kill each other, so why not fight together? We can watch each other's backs."
Xander thought it over, the weight of the man's words sinking in. Finally, he said, "We'll see."
Russel smiled, a knowing look in his eyes. "Good. I know you won't fully trust me, and believe me, I won't fully trust you. But as long as we both keep our word, it's better than nothing."
The two men sat in silence for a while before Xander finally asked, "So, how do you know all this stuff? Why would the guard tell you all this?"
"Well, you're new, so you wouldn't know. But if a guard brings you in and you do well, they get rewarded. It's in their best interest to keep you in shape and well-informed."
"I see… but what about the man before? Why would the guard send his man to die?"
"That guy? The guard was just cutting his losses. No reason to keep him around, feed him, and spend the money to heal him if he has to wait months for the guy to recover."
Xander nodded in understanding. The two went silent once more, the weight of their conversation hanging heavily in the air.
After a stretch of uneasy silence, Russell finally broke it, "Alright, if we're going to be working together, we should share some information."
Xander nodded, "Okay."
With a wry smile, Russell began, "I'll go first. As you can see, I'm a low G-rank, and my trait is E-rank. It's a speed type. My core is about 25% saturated, so I can almost triple my speed by about five times the qi consumption. Not the best, but it helps. I haven't found a good cultivation manual yet, but I have formed my core, so that's pretty much it for me."
"Oh, and I use a sword. What about you?"
Xander paused, considering his words. "Well, as you can see, I'm still dormant, and my core hasn't been formed. I also haven't unlocked my trait; it's still dormant."
Russell frowned slightly. "That's not ideal, but it's fine."
Xander continued, "I can pretty much only use my spear. But my brother taught me how to fight, so I'm pretty good in combat for my age."
Russell's frown deepened. "Like I said, it's fine. I said I'd have your back, and I don't go back on my word." He patted his chest, a gesture of assurance. "You can trust me."
Russell began to meticulously detail the information about each warrior he knew, from their unique traits to their weapons, cultivation manuals, and even which hand was their dominant one.
Xander, with his sharp memory, absorbed the details quickly. Before long, he had a comprehensive understanding of his potential opponents.
The guard that captured Xander soon approached his cell, keys jingling. "Alright, come on, it's time," he said, unlocking the door.
Grabbing Xander's arm, he led him out.
Russell had already been taken away, leaving Xander with a few moments to gather his thoughts and steel himself for the battle ahead.
"Do you have any confidence?" the guard asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Some," Xander replied coldly, his tone as sharp as a blade.
The guard ignored the icy response and smiled. "That's good. If you win this, I'll make sure you get a reward."
***
Xander was once again thrust into the arena, the weight of the moment pressing down on him as he scanned the sea of faces. He spotted Russell amidst the chaos and made his way over, each step purposeful.
Russell's smile was a rare beacon of warmth. "You look much better in the sunlight," he remarked, his voice carrying a hint of relief.
"Thanks," Xander replied, though his eyes were already darting around, assessing the competition.
Russell's demeanor shifted to one of slight concern. "Do you remember who to look out for?" he asked, a nervous edge to his words.
"Yeah, I remember every detail," Xander assured him, his tone steady and confident.
A flicker of surprise crossed Russell's face, but it quickly gave way to a satisfied smile. "Great. Like I said before, I won't fully trust you, and you won't fully trust me, but as long as we keep to our promise, I have faith it will work out."
He extended his hand, and Xander took it, their handshake firm and resolute, a silent pact sealed amidst the tension of the impending battle.
The crowd buzzed with anticipation, energy coursing through the air. The announcer's voice boomed across the arena, capturing the attention of every spectator. "Ladies and gentlemen!" he called, his voice echoing off the high walls. "This is what you have all been waiting for!"
The excitement grew as he continued, "The Battle Royale is one of our greatest events, and here it is once again!"
A roar of approval rose from the stands. The announcer smiled, soaking in the fervor. "This Battle Royale has 203 competitors and will not stop until it drops to 20, so we are in for a treat!" The crowd's cheers intensified, a wave of sound that seemed to shake the very foundation of the arena.
"And as always, in the Battle Royale, anything goes!" he declared, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous light. The audience's cheers of excitement and anticipation erupted.
"Okay, enough of my talk," he said, raising his hand to quiet the crowd. "Let the battle begin!" The arena fell into a momentary hush before exploding into a frenzy of shouts and applause, the competitors readying themselves for the chaos to come.