Suddenly a foreboding cracking sounded next to Tepmodus. The short haired prisoner stood up with a smile on his face.
"Haha, seems it's playtime today."
Hitting his palm with his fist, the man's momentum steadily rose.
"Who was it that said I was beaten by girls? Dare to say it again?"
At the other end of the room two brawny men with a lightning bolt tattooed to their faces stood up.
"It was us. Got a problem with that?"
"Ha! Blue Thunder Gang? Who gave you the guts? Everyone knows you would be nothing without your leader!"
"Yeah? Let me show you!"
With those words all hell suddenly broke lose. One of the Blue Thunder Gang members stepped on the table, which alarmingly bent under his weight. With a heavy push, he jumped across the room.
Tepo's eyes shot wide open. This was the first time he saw someone erupt with so much power. Luckily, the man next to him didn't want to appear weak. Instead of waiting for his opponent he took the initiative. With a loud shout he dashed forward.
The next moment a loud rumble echoed in the cave. A lightning-fast kick and a heavy punch met. With an unpleasant sound both fighters' bones creaked.
Cheerful shouts erupted. The other prisoner jumped up, pouring oil into the fire.
"Is this all you got, b*stard?"
"I'm just getting started, sissy!"
Mocking each other the warriors indulged in the only fun activity they knew, fighting. No one used any spells or core abilities. It was just flesh against flesh. With inhuman physical power the two men threw punches and kicks.
Suddenly a heavy impact sounded. The fighters strongly pushed each other, both landing on other tables. Angry shouts sounded out.
"Idiot, watch who you're messing with!"
"You 'eeking trouble wih me?!"
Immediately a few other criminals joined the fight. A chaotic free for all began. Broken noses and bloody backs soon adorned the criminals' bodies. But no one thought about stopping. The fight only grew more out of control each second.
Tepo was shocked. He stayed at the side, watching the mad warriors. He realized that he would find it difficult to block even a single fist. But since the situation had already evolved so far, how could he stay out of it?
A shorter man suddenly appeared in front of him. His eye was bloody, one of his arms badly bruised. He was obviously among the weaker warriors. But he still posed a huge threat to Tepo.
"Hey, you! I haven't seen your face around before! Newcomer?"
Realizing that the prisoner would never approach him for a nice chat, Tepo reacted quickly. He jumped to the side just as the man raised his fist.
Tepo focused. There was no way out. Although the former soldier had already realized that he needed some combat training, he didn't want to face the potentially deadly kind directly.
Banning all the nonsense from his mind, Tepo's leg whipped through the air. He tried not to think too much and let his muscle memory take over.
Tepo's opponent was caught off guard bis the young man's decisiveness. He defended hastily, as a leg heavily hit his side.
The small man frowned slightly at the lack of power behind this kick. He quickly took a step forwards, swinging his fist again.
Breathing rapidly, Tepo felt the danger radiating from this fist. However, now wasn't the time to cower. His own arm shot forward.
Tepo's hand shook as he pushed the incoming attack to the side. Despite hitting a good spot, the difference in strength was apparent.
By now the young man had already realized that the fighting techniques in his new life were more advanced. Compared to his old one, which were more suitable to slay hordes of mindless creatures, his new ones were made to fight humans.
Thus, Tepo tried to adapt quickly.
A palm attack shot out immediately.
The prisoner blocked with his own arm. Tepo's wrist bent dangerously. He hastily took a step back. The prisoner's other hand reached for Tepo's arm. The young man turned his upper body.
Using this momentum, his knee aimed for the prisoner's private parts. Tepo wasn't afraid of playing dirty. Only victory was important. In his old life the number of traps they used against the outsiders were uncountable.
"F*ck. Are you even a man?!", cursed the prisoner angrily. He rose his own leg hastily.
Tepo didn't stop his attack. He only put even more weight into it.
"Damn!"
With an angry scream the prisoner blocked Tepo's knee. But he lost his balance while doing so.
Tepo's eyes lit up. He saw his chance.
But then! Just as he took a swing with his arm, his instincts suddenly screamed danger. Without seeing the threat, Tepo hastily pulled his arms before his head. And it was not a second too late.
"Ahh!", growled Tepo as a fist crashed into his forearms. The momentum pushed him backwards, flinging him against the wall.
"You! Newcomer, how dare you hurt my brother?"
Tepo's head spun. Among the angry shouts in the cave, he only barely made out the voice of his new assailant. Suddenly another punch hit his guts. Tepo's already broken ribs stabbed into his organs. His eyes bulged as he slid down the wall.
Before him, a prisoner watched him with bewilderment. How could a warrior go down after two hits? In those prison fights it was the unwritten rule not to cause heavy injuries. In the end the prisoners should still be able to unite against the wardens.
As if on cue, suddenly multiple walls around them turned translucent.
Angry orders echoed through the room as dozens of wardens poured in.
"You scum! We look away for one second and you break out in violence!"
"Uncivilized criminals!"
"Just wait for your punishment!"
"Stand down! All of you!"
Suddenly the prisoners stood together, defending against the wardens. Alas, they stood no chance at all. The wardens had all kinds of dull weapons in their hands. They also didn't hesitate to use their spells.
His vison blurry, Tepo saw all kinds of phenomena. It seemed lighting was the favorite of many wardens, as bolts of lightning shot through the air, electrocuting the criminals. Some of the wardens combined their spells as streams of water pushed the prisoners to the ground before lighting paralyzed their bodies.
Nearby, Tepo watched a warden laugh happily as one of the metal benches pushed the prisoners in front of him away. Others preferred to fight in close range, delighted in the feeling of their clubs hitting flesh.
Only a few seconds after the wardens arrived, most of the prisoners were already knocked out. The few who remained knew that their resistance was futile, so they raised their arms and gave up. Still, the wardens didn't seem to be satisfied and delivered a few more punches for good measure.
The prisoners laid on the ground with injuries all over their bodies. Those still conscious gritted their teeth, swearing revenge, but they only served as the warden's amusement. These criminals first needed to stay alive before planning revenge.
Exchanging ugly jokes, the wardens walked among the prisoners, seemingly searching for something.
At the cave's center a rough looking, muscular man in a fancy uniform scanned the cave with his eyes. He cleaned his bloody hand on a criminal's clothes as his head suddenly turned towards a weak noise.
Tepo was lying on the ground, wheezing. His eyes barely remained open, his head pulsed, threatening to explode. Blood gathered under his skin. It has been a long time since the former investigator had been this close to death.
Dark thoughts occupied his mind. He cursed the mayor who had brought him in this situation. Cursed his own helplessness. Once more he felt a thirst for power. The strong were heroes in this world. They were in control. Although the city operated on law, it only bound the weak.
Was I too delusional? I set gods as my goal, but I can't even defeat the lowest of prisoners. How could I protect anything?
From now on I need to advance steadily. My first target will be defeating the mayor. At least, if I get out of here alive.
Tepo chuckled dryly from his own thoughts. Immediately multiple gazes fell on him. The chief warden's eyes lit up.
"That's him! The director wants to see him."
"Sir, he doesn't look to be in good condition."
"It's ok. Bring him to a medic first. Let him recuperate for a few hours."
"Yes, sir!"
After this short exchange, Tepo sensed in confusion how a few wardens surrounded him. They grabbed his body, before picking him up. Although they tried to be careful, pain still shot through Tepo's body. His head sagged backwards, letting out a suffering groan.
Only halve awake the young man realized that the wardens left the cave with him, bringing him to another room. As he finally felt a comfortable bed under his body, Tepo fell asleep.