"This isn't about being a hero. Fuck heroes. Heroes get eaten alive. This is about becoming a damn predator. The kind that beasts fear. The kind that humanity needs"
A predator, huh?
Its been a few hours since the entire broadcast thing with the man named Eida Kisaragi and all the 8 of us were assigned to separate rooms to spend rest of our time in.
I glanced at the table. There it was a flask with a freaky little glowing green seed floating inside, like it'd been plucked straight out of some mad scientist's fever dream.
What did he say it was, Ego seeds?
*
—What y'all will have to do now, is to get rid of this sack of flesh on your body and remodel the entire structure of your body. Each of you will be assigned a room, it will have all the accessories you need to move forward with this project—
"Even if you say so, how are we going to fight those monsters 3x our size? I cannot imagine that happening, not for now." Amamiya asked after listening to the entire broadcast silently.
Eita's laughter crackled over the speakers, sharp and mean, like he was enjoying our confusion a little too much.
—First smart question all day! You're right, none of you can take 'em now. That's why I gave you a cheat code. Check your rooms. There's a little something called Ego Seeds. Take one, and trust me, you'll get the picture—
Sounds like opium, alright.
*
"Cheat code, my ass," I muttered, picking up the container. The pill stared back at me, like it knew I was already overthinking. "Guess I just down it, huh? Nothing to it?"
I twisted the cap open and let the seed roll into my palm.
"Here goes nothing," I grumbled, popping it into my mouth and chasing it down with a swig of water. No taste. No immediate side effects.
"...That's it?" I said to no one, feeling cheated. For all the buildup, it seemed anti-climactic.
That was my first mistake.
It started subtle. A tightness in my chest, like I had inhaled poison.
cough…cough
"Shit—" I gasped, clutching at my throat. My veins lit up like someone was injecting some chemical directly into my bloodstream.
I looked down at my hands. My veins were bulging out, pulsing, snaking under my skin like they were alive. My whole body felt like a volcano ready to blow. My muscles started to swell, skin stretching so tight I thought I'd split open any second.
"Fuuuck—!" I doubled over. My stomach twisting itself into a knot so bad I thought it was gonna turn inside out. Bones cracked, popping like someone was snapping twigs. Spine arched involuntarily, and I swore I felt it stretch.
Every nerve of mine was on fire, like some devil had crawled inside and was clawing its way through me. My jaw clenched so hard my teeth felt like they'd shatter.
And then, just when I thought I couldn't take any more, it stopped.
I fell to the floor, drenched in sweat. My body felt like it had been put through a meat grinder and stitched back together by a drunk surgeon.
Even though my body was in pain, I felt refreshed and a smile appeared on my face, "What the hell was that?", I exclaimed.
I stood up, looking at myself in the mirror.
My frame was broader, muscles more defined, like I'd spent a decade on steroids. My skin was smooth, scars gone, even the little imperfections wiped clean.
It was still me. But it wasn't.
Is this what he was talking about? So all the others must have gotten buffed up as well.
—Time's up, you pieces of trash. Get dressed up with the outfit provided to you, and reach the main hall—
Its about time. If I think about it, this is the second chance in my life. I would have been dead by now, if it was not for that invitation notification. I have many questions regarding the entirety of this situation, but its better for me to adapt rather than fall behind.
We gathered into the main hall and to my surprise, not all of them had changes similar to me.
"Ouh wooo, Ryo-chan, you look healthy." Aisaka shouted as he looked at me, entering the main hall.
He didn't look much different than before, rather, others were the exact same as before.
"Look at his hair, fufu~" It was a female voice. It was hard to discern at first but looking at the bonkers she has carrying, it gave it away in the new uniform.
We have been provided with custom black skin-fit uniform from top to bottom, probably to make everyone of the same kind, "Trash are trash, who cares if its a banana peel or a can" was probably what Eida thought when he decided on it.
Personally I don't mind it since it explores the various curves of human anatomy, easily visible on that girl.
"You wanna go one on one, bitch?" The guy with the red mohawk said while bumping his fists. Apparently his mohawk was taller than before and the color looked fiercer too.
"Stop talking to me, filth. You should be on your knees begging me to rub my foot all over that disgusting face of yours. Isn't that right, Jin?!" She said with cold eyes and then happily ran off to a tall figure to grab his hands.
"What????!" The mohawk's temper was visibly evident looking at the variable changes in his hair, as if someone added more flame to his hair.
"Stop it, Rize." The man let out a sigh. He had a great condensed body and fringed black hair with a light beard. All in all, he looked as manly as they come.
He continued while looking at the other side, "Let her off this time, kid. She acts like that coz she got no friends."
"Huh? Tell her to apologize to me, or to keep that shit of a mouth closed forever." The mohawk guy said.
"I would die rather than apologizing to you, limp bastard." Rize replied with her tongue out in an attempt to tease him.
"Aight bet."
Jin looked like a teacher trying to solve skirmishes between his students but fails to do so.
Others were sitting around, waiting for the next announcement to be made.
"What do you think about this situation we are in, Aisaka?" I asked in curiosity.
"Hmm? I don't think much. As long as I get to throw some kicks and punches is all I need. Isn't that the same for you, Ryo-chan?" He answered.
"Haah…Of course not…forget I ever asked that."
It was a wrong question to the wrong person. Amamiya was not with us but talking to another guy nearby.
—I see, you all have started to adjust to your new life, guinea pigs—
And here he is.
—Honestly, I am surprised. I thought, half of you would be dead corpse after taking the Ego Seed but here you are, looking all fresh and fine. I applaud you for that—
He said while clapping frequently.
So wait, we could have died because of that? What the fuck?
—As I had mentioned, forget about your comfort zones, this is just the starting line. Now that you all have your limiters removed, we will start with our very first training regime: The Arena Of Gluttony—
There were some confused faces while other looked excited. Me? Meh.
—Rules of the Arena are simple—
The screen turns into a holographic explanation video showing us full visualization of the first task.
—Each of you will step into the arena: a rotating, unpredictable battlefield. You'll fight. And when I say fight, I don't mean that half-assed playground scuffle you had with your neighbor over a candy bar. I mean fight. Tear. Smash. Break. There are no weapons, no tools, just your fists, your wits, and that weak-ass ego you've got in your chest—
—The question is, what happens to the loser?! They don't just lose. They bleed out their Ego Fragments(the essence of who they are)and guess what happens to it?—
—The winner absorbs it. All of it. The strength, the fear, the memories… everything that made the loser worth something. And with every fragment you consume, you grow stronger. But… there's a catch—
At this point, we were all getting more and more confused but one thing was clear, its a battle none could afford to lose. It was very evident on everyone's faces.
Eida crouched down, on eye level with one of the more nervous participants and tilted his head sideways.
—Too much, too fast? Your mind crumbles like a cookie under a sledgehammer. You lose yourself and let's just say… you don't want to be around when that happens. Seen it before—ain't pretty—
What does he mean by that?
—Now, what does this mean for you little fish swimming in the shark tank? It means you've got a choice. Fight strategically. Pick your battles. Or throw yourself at every opponent like a rabid dog and hope you don't break. Either way, you decide how far you're willing to push. And trust me, the timid ones? They'll get eaten first—
—We will be listing out the way this battle is going to take place in a moment but before that, I would like to say one last line. By the end of this, none of you are walking out as the same person who walked in. Welcome to the food chain—
[Round 1: Survival of the Fittest]
Each participant is paired randomly for 1v1 battles.
The winners absorb a portion of their opponent's Ego Fragments.
Ranking Calculation: Based on damage dealt, Ego Fragment absorption, and survival time.
[Pairings]
Ryouma Saionji vs. Taiga Akabane
Jin Shigure vs. Aisaka Ren
Amamiya Shion vs. Haruto Kishinuma
Rize Kurogami vs. Kaede Arashiya
"This is gonna be intense!" Aisaka exclaimed in a low, intense tone. His aura seemed to change as he looked at Jin.
Jin let out a deep breath, his expression becoming more serious as he locked eyes with Aisaka.
So my first opponent is this guy with a bright red mohawk. What terrible luck for my first match.
He smirked at me, his fiery hair standing tall as he sized me up.
"Ugh, so uncomfortable," I thought to myself.
Amamiya was matched up with a player he had been chatting with earlier, a coincidence perhaps.
"Well, let's make the best of it, Haruto," Amamiya said.
"Mhm...mhm," Haruto mumbled shyly from behind his fox mask.
"Hmph. Can you even stand straight? You should probably drop out before the match starts," Rize taunted, eyeing the pale boy in front of her. He was the same person who got into an argument with Mr. Mohawk earlier.
"Aye-Aye," he replied nonchalantly, yawning as he continued playing on his portable console.
—Ryouma Saionji. Taega Akabane. You both have been assigned the cage of Beezlebub! Transporting in 3…2…1…—
The announcer declared, her words echoing off the walls.
As if on cue, we were transported away in a flash of light, our bodies breaking apart into pixels and disappearing from the main hall. It was a surreal experience, but one that we had to become accustomed to in this new world of ours.
To me, it felt like I was being pulled apart piece by piece, my body breaking down and reforming in a new location. But despite its flimsy appearance, this virtual reality was very much real - and it would determine our fate.
But I didn't mind. Because when all of this was over, I would finally be able to see my parents again. And that thought alone gives me the strength to give my all in this battle and kick them all.
*
"Holy shi-"