The courtyard of Kelo Academy buzzed with tension. The children stood in a ragged semicircle, their eyes darting between the towering instructors and the massive chalk-drawn circle at the center. Kael leaned against a stone pillar, his katana still strapped to his back, its chipped edge catching the faint light. His gaze swept over the crowd, noting the stark divide between the slum rats and the well-dressed nobles.
This is going to be a slaughter, he thought, his lips curling into a grim smirk.
The bulky man, Silo, stepped forward, his voice booming like a war drum.
"Welcome to your first trial. You'll be sorted into tiers based on skill. No weapons. Everything else goes. Understood?"
The children nodded, some eagerly, others with visible dread.
"First match. Klaymut and Dex."
Klaymut, a noble with a confident swagger, stepped into the circle. Across from him stood Dex, a slum kid with trembling hands and a hollow look in his eyes.
"Begin!"
Klaymut lunged immediately, his movements sharp and practiced. Dex stumbled backward, raising his arms in a feeble attempt to block. The noble's fist connected with Dex's jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Pathetic," Klaymut sneered, kicking Dex in the ribs.
The slum kid curled into a ball, trying to protect himself, but Klaymut didn't let up. He grabbed Dex by the collar and slammed him into the ground again.
"Winner: Klaymut"
Silo announced, his tone indifferent.
"Tier 1. Klaymut, Tier 5.Dex."
The nobles cheered while the slum kids exchanged uneasy glances. Kael's grip tightened on the pillar. This is going to be a long day.
"Next. Erynn and Garrick."
Erynn, a noble girl with golden hair tied back in a braid, stepped into the circle. Her opponent, Garrick, was a burly noble with a cocky grin.
"Begin!"
Erynn darted forward, her movements graceful and precise. Garrick swung a heavy fist, but she ducked under it and delivered a sharp kick to his knee. He staggered, and she followed up with a series of quick strikes to his ribs.
Garrick roared, charging at her like a bull. Erynn sidestepped and swept his legs out from under him. He hit the ground hard, and she pinned him with a knee to his back.
"Yield," she said calmly.
"Yield," Garrick grunted, his face red with humiliation.
"Winner: Erynn," Silo declared.
"Tier 1. Erynn, Tier 2.Garrick"
The nobles clapped politely, though some looked uneasy. Kael noted the way Erynn moved—like a predator. She's dangerous.
"Next. Lira and Jax."
Lira, a slender girl with fiery red hair, stepped into the circle. Her opponent, Jax, was a wiry slum kid with a nervous twitch.
"Begin!"
Jax lunged at her, swinging wildly. Lira dodged with ease, her movements fluid and deliberate. She grabbed his arm and twisted, forcing him to his knees.
"Yield," she said softly.
Jax hesitated, then nodded. "Yield."
"Winner: Lira," Silo said.
"Tier 2. Lira, Tier 4.Jax."
The slum kids murmured in approval. Kael watched Lira closely. She's holding back. Why?
Several duels went down almost 200 fights already, with there being 500 children this was taking a long while.
"Next, Cedrick and Kael."
The courtyard was alive with the sounds of grunts, cries, and the occasional cheer as the duels continued. Kael leaned against the stone pillar, his arms crossed, watching the matches with a detached interest. The divide between the nobles and the slum kids was stark, not just in their clothing but in their fighting styles. The nobles moved with precision and grace, their training evident in every strike. The slum kids, on the other hand, fought with raw desperation, their movements unpolished but effective in their own way.
Kael's eyes flicked to Lira, who stood nearby, her fiery red hair catching the sunlight. She had won her match effortlessly, but there was something about her—something she was hiding. He made a mental note to keep an eye on her.
"Next. Cedrick and Kael."
The announcement cut through the noise like a blade. Kael straightened, his expression unreadable as he stepped into the chalk-drawn circle. Across from him stood Cedrick, a tall noble with a smug grin and a confident swagger. His golden hair was neatly combed, and his polished boots gleamed in the sunlight.
"This'll be quick," Cedrick said, cracking his knuckles.
Kael didn't respond. He simply stood there, his stance relaxed but ready, his dark eyes locked on Cedrick's.
"Begin!"
Cedrick lunged forward immediately, his movements sharp and practiced. He aimed a punch at Kael's face, but Kael ducked under it and countered with a swift strike to Cedrick's ribs. The noble grunted but recovered quickly, swinging again.
Kael blocked the blow with his forearm, the impact sending a jolt of pain up his arm. He retaliated with a kick to Cedrick's knee, but the noble sidestepped and delivered a brutal elbow to Kael's temple.
Kael staggered, his vision blurring for a moment. Cedrick pressed the advantage, raining down a series of punches that forced Kael to retreat. The crowd watched in tense silence as the noble dominated the fight, his strikes precise and relentless.
"Stay down, rat."
Cedrick sneered, delivering a powerful kick to Kael's chest that sent him sprawling to the ground.
Kael coughed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He pushed himself to his feet, his movements slow but deliberate. His dark eyes burned with defiance as he wiped the blood away.
"Is that all you've got?"
Kael rasped, his voice low and dangerous.
Cedrick's smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure.
"You're just too stubborn to know when you're beaten."
The noble charged again, aiming a punch at Kael's face. Kael dodged to the side, but Cedrick anticipated the move and grabbed him by the arm, twisting it painfully. Kael gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out as Cedrick forced him to his knees.
"Yield,"
Cedrick demanded, his voice dripping with arrogance.
Kael's response was a guttural growl. With a sudden burst of strength, he twisted his body and sank his teeth into Cedrick's ear.
The noble screamed, a raw, primal sound of pain and shock. Kael bit down harder, his teeth tearing through flesh until the ear came free. He spat it onto the ground, blood dripping from his mouth as he launched himself at Cedrick.
The noble was too stunned to react. Kael's fists rained down on his face, each blow landing with a sickening crunch. Cedrick tried to raise his arms to block, but Kael was relentless, his strikes fueled by a lifetime of rage and desperation.
"Yield!"
Cedrick screamed, his voice muffled by the blood pouring from his nose and mouth.
Kael didn't stop. He couldn't. His vision was a red haze, his body moving on instinct. He struck again and again until Cedrick's body went limp and his screams faded into silence.
The courtyard was eerily quiet, the only sound the ragged breathing of the boy standing over the unconscious noble. Kael straightened, his chest heaving, his face and hands smeared with blood. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his dark eyes scanning the crowd.
The children stared at him in stunned silence, their expressions a mix of awe and horror. Even the instructors looked taken aback, their usual stoic demeanors cracked by the brutality of the fight.
"That's enough," Silo said, stepping forward. His voice was calm, but there was a glint of approval in his eyes.
"Winner: Kael."
The slum kids erupted into cheers, their voices loud and defiant. The nobles, however, remained silent, their faces pale as they looked at the bloodied figure in the circle.
"This," Silo said, turning to address the crowd,
"is the kind of tenacity you'll need to survive. Out there, the Netherspawn won't give you a chance to yield. They'll tear you apart if you show even a hint of weakness. Remember that."
Kael stepped out of the circle, his movements slow and deliberate. He ignored the stares and whispers, his mind already focused on the next challenge.
Lira approached him, her expression unreadable.
"You're full of surprises," she said quietly.
Kael glanced at her, his dark eyes cold and distant.
"Don't get in my way," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
She studied him for a moment, then nodded.
"Noted."