The sound of the gong echoed, and the entire arena erupted with excitement. Countless spectators in the stands shook their iron rods with enthusiasm, as if even the massive stone structure itself was excited and beyond control.
The first to enter the arena were six young men. They had been selected from the older recruits, and among them was the black-haired boy and Abram.
The announcer briefly introduced the unfamiliar faces, which were of little importance to the audience, before passionately detailing the six massive cages slowly being pushed into the arena, each containing a wild beast.
"That kid looks pretty good, his recovery ability is impressive." Elmo glanced at the six boys below and noticed the black-haired boy, who was staring at a cage beside him. He murmured to himself, recalling the horrific scene he'd witnessed with the wizard the previous day.
"Oh? Is that the one you have your eye on, Elmo?" Duke Filip Murphy, who was sitting closest to Elmo, overheard his mumbling and turned to look.
"Quite a good eye." Duke Filip Murphy chuckled as he watched the black-haired boy defiantly stare at the fierce beast in the cage. "Is this the person Elmo is grooming for the future? For three years from now?"
"Hahaha, not quite, I'm just interested in his dark hair." Elmo replied with a playful grin.
"What's his name?" Melissa asked, intrigued as she focused on the black-haired boy.
"I think it's… K. Actually, no one knows his real name. But whenever he goes berserk, he screams 'Kac' so everyone just calls him K." Elmo explained, his eyes lingering on the expanse of Melissa's exposed, snow-white chest.
K slowly turned his head and scanned the surroundings. Countless spectators were watching him, but he couldn't tell whether they were men or women. People were packed together, shouting wildly, and despite the scorching heat, many were drenched in sweat, yet their faces still wore expressions of madness.
Perhaps those expressions were simply a feeling that K absorbed from the atmosphere, but they successfully stirred up the more frenzied soul within him.
Inside the six cages opposite the boys, six beasts could no longer contain themselves, eager to burst out.
The creatures paced restlessly within their cramped cages, claws scraping the metal floor, their howls echoing.
As the announcer's words ended, another gong sounded, and all six cages opened at once. The beasts, seeing the long-awaited exit, erupted into a frenzy, charging toward the six boys.
"Roar!" One massive beast roared, its lion-like head tossing back as the long fur on its neck gleamed in the sunlight.
"Not bad, very impressive." K slowly walked toward the largest beast, his black eyes meeting its gaze with a bloodthirsty glare full of contempt.
Perhaps sensing something unusual, the beast gradually stopped, hesitating, unwilling to move.
K, showing no patience, shouted and charged forward, wielding a gleaming battle axe.
The massive beast, seeing a figure half its size charging toward it, thought it was time for its meal. Its jaws opened wide and it lunged at K.
"Bang!" The battle axe was swatted away, and the beast staggered back, its massive head disoriented. It fell to the ground, a deep gash running along its right front paw, blood pouring from the wound.
"Quite interesting," K said, looking at his empty hands, feeling a tingling sensation. His eyes gleamed with a terrifying excitement.
Just as K reveled in the moment, another beast leaped toward him.
"Watch out!" Abram shouted, his brow furrowing. He threw his massive two-handed sword at the beast.
"Whoosh—" The sword's sharp blade sliced through the attacking beast's paw, causing it to howl in pain as it fell to the ground.
K snapped back to attention, ignoring the weapons, and charged toward the beast that had just attacked him. "Come on, you beast, come on!" He yelled madly, his eyes wide as he pounced, gripping the beast's throat tightly.
A boy capturing a beast with his bare hands — that was a headline in itself. At least the announcer thought so. With the announcer's smooth words, the atmosphere in the arena surged.
The beasts quickly scattered the six boys. One of them set its sights on Abram, who stood calmly, gently stroking the bone necklace on his chest. His gaze was both devout and fearless as he stared down the beast with exposed fangs, slowly advancing toward him.
The other three boys faced off against separate beasts, while one boy hid behind the nearest weapon rack, holding a collection of knives and daggers.
"Kac!" K shouted, leaping high into the air, narrowly avoiding the beast's claws aimed at his chest. As he landed, he stomped down heavily on the beast's back, causing it to screech in pain and jump around wildly.
K seized the moment, jumping onto the beast's back and fiercely choking its throat.
K's strength was so great that even the beast couldn't endure it. It bucked and crashed into the nearby walls, but no matter what it did, it couldn't shake him off. As its throat constricted, it began to weaken, struggling for air.
Seizing the opportunity, K landed a few powerful punches on the beast's rough skin, then quickly rolled off and grabbed the fallen axe. With one swift swing, he decapitated the beast.
Meanwhile, the giant beast that had first confronted K was slowly getting back up, despite its disoriented steps. Its eyes burned with even more savage killing intent as it turned toward Abram.
Abram, a member of the Himmler race, believed in the strength of his gods—beings with human bodies, eagle heads, tiger claws, and lion legs. He was unwavering in his devotion to the gods, believing that true power came from their unshakable worship.
As the beast charged toward him, Abram slowly lowered his necklace and met its gaze with the kind of courage that even made the beast tremble.
Without a word, Abram charged forward. The beast leaped at him, its sharp claws glinting with a deadly coldness. Abram continued to charge, lowering his head at the last moment to dodge the attack, then grabbed the beast's front paw with one hand and its neck with the other. With a push, he threw the over-2-ton beast as if it were a soccer ball.
"Boom, crack!" The sound of breaking bones echoed as the beast crumpled to the ground. It was impossible for it to survive.
"Good move!" K chuckled as he watched the massive beast slowly rise from the ground. He swung his axe in a crescent arc, the blade glinting in the sunlight as it neared the beast's head. Just as it was about to strike, the beast suddenly collapsed, its legs giving way as it fell to the ground. A dagger had pierced its eye, embedding itself deep.
K glanced coldly at the boy hiding behind the weapon rack in the corner. His name was Rook, a sneaky and underhanded person whom K despised.
Though frustrated, K knew now wasn't the time to settle scores. He shot a fiery glare at Rook, grabbed his axe, and stormed off toward another beast.
Tori and Becky were twin brothers. Tori, the older sibling, was stronger, while Becky, the younger, was more agile. The two shared a telepathic-like bond, making them an extraordinary team. The two beasts before them were effortlessly toyed with.
In contrast, Bill faced a much tougher challenge. While one beast didn't pose a real threat, killing it was going to take more time and effort than his current strength allowed.
"Whoosh!" A light sound rang through the air as Bill's keen ears detected something off. He immediately jumped backward.
A dagger slid through the dirt, grazing the beast's paw, and it howled in pain.
Seizing the moment, Bill didn't retreat but pressed forward, swinging his heavy sword down into the beast's chest. Blood splattered everywhere, some even splashing across his face.
Wiping the blood from his face, Bill turned toward Rook, who was hiding by the weapon rack. He gave a grateful smile. Though he didn't care much for Rook's underhanded tactics, he appreciated the help.
On the other side, the battle was even fiercer. K charged between Tori and Becky, his massive axe flashing in the sunlight. With a wild shout, it seemed as if he had split the earth itself.
"Kac!"
The sound was like the call of death, followed by blood and flying limbs.
The arena was in a frenzy, with cheers and screams of excitement filling the air. K, picking up a fistful of blood-soaked dirt, wore an expression of unbridled madness in his eyes.
"This effect… I'm not sure if it's his own charm or if the object's power is amplifying it," the wizard mused, gazing at the crystal ball in her hands. Nearby, an odd oval-shaped object was surrounded by blood-red light, flickering in rhythm with the beat of a human heart, inciting an uncontrollable urge.
"Now's not the time for reflection, hehehe, work time. A crimson world, passionate years, floating on the road to the afterlife, laden with anger and madness, longing for the mortal realm…" The wizard began chanting a spell, the blood-red glow around the object intensifying, slowly levitating.