The beast loomed at the far end of the arena, its form grotesque and alien. Towering over five meters tall and six meters long, it was a mass of muscle and raw power. Its thick hide glistened with a strange light blue hue, patches of snowy white fur covering its legs and neck like a twisted predator from the frozen wilds.
Its head was unnervingly large, its jaws gaping wide enough to swallow a man whole. Rows of serrated teeth glinted like jagged daggers, coated in thick saliva that dripped to the ground in sizzling pools. Its glowing eyes, a fierce shade of red, fixed on Ravon with an animalistic hunger that sent a shiver down his spine.
Its legs, thick and muscular, ended in sharp claws that dug into the arena floor, each movement making the ground tremble slightly. Despite its size, there was a terrifying speed to the way it shifted, its long, whip-like tail slicing through the air behind it.
Ravon tightened his grip on the sword.
He'd faced countless foes in his time—humans, warriors, armies. But never this. Never something so far removed from anything he had known.
The beast roared, a deafening sound that reverberated through the arena. Ravon didn't hesitate. He sprinted forward, his instincts sharpening as he closed the distance. His eyes stayed locked on the creature, daring it to strike first. The beast obliged, slamming its massive claws into the ground where he had been moments before. Ravon stepped back just in time, feeling the rush of air from the impact.
Using the brief opening, he dashed to the beast's side, his sharp gaze scanning for weak points. Its thick fur and dense muscles protected most of its body, but its underbelly seemed softer, less armored. For a fleeting moment, he considered testing the vulnerability, but the beast shifted, and he saw how swiftly its paws could move, even mid-turn.
It wasn't just its claws he needed to worry about. The hard, bony tip of its tail caught his attention—a weapon in its own right. He couldn't confirm if it was used for attacks, but the possibility lingered in his mind, adding another layer of caution.
Suddenly, the beast lunged.
Its claws sank into the floor, anchoring its massive frame as it propelled itself forward with shocking speed. Ravon barely had time to react. Instinctively, he raised his weapon in front of him, taking the brunt of the impact as blunt force instead of being skewered by its claws. The sheer power of the blow sent him hurtling backward, his body rolling violently across the ground before slamming into the arena wall.
A sharp pain exploded in his chest, and he spat up blood. For a brief moment, darkness encroached on the edges of his vision, and he thought it might be over.
But then his mind snapped back to life, woke by an unshakable fear—the fear of death.
His face was pale, blank, with a trace of dread. The beast began to approach him, its steps slow and deliberate, as if already bored of the fight. It loomed closer, its body language exuding victory.
And then Ravon laughed.
It started as a low chuckle, bubbling up from deep within, until it grew into full, unrestrained laughter. His head tilted back as if he were mocking the very idea of his own defeat.
"You think I'm done?" he muttered through a bloody grin. "Not a chance."
Staggering to his feet, Ravon launched himself forward, his body fueled by a manic determination. The beast swiped at him, but he slipped past its claws, closing the distance. His blade slashed across its arm, cutting a shallow wound that led up to its shoulder. Without hesitation, Ravon drove his sword deep into the beast's flesh and used it to pull himself up onto its back.
The creature snarled, its massive head twisting toward him. Its jaws snapped, teeth gleaming dangerously close. Ravon leapt off just in time, on the right of the beast.
Ravon noticed an opening and so confidence gathered in him.
"Now, I've got y—"
Before Ravon could finish, something struck him with brutal force. Pain exploded across his side as his body was hurled through the air. He didn't see what hit him.
He crashed into the ground, bouncing off the hard surface. Instinctively, his sword slammed into the floor to stop his momentum. The blade dug into the dirt, dragging him to a halt after sliding several meters.
Breathing heavily, he pushed himself to one knee, his mind racing to piece together what had just happened. Then it clicked—the tail. That damn tail had blindsided him.
Gritting his teeth, Ravon glared at the beast, now fully aware of the enemy he faced. His heart pounded in his chest, but his mind was sharp, focused on the fight.
"I'm not fighting a mere human," he muttered under his breath. "But a mighty beast, unknown to my time."
"Tail… claws… teeth… no air time. No more mistakes," Ravon breathed, grounding himself with each phrase. Breathing heavily, Ravon's eyes flicked over the beast once more. A plan began to form in his mind, his gaze narrowing.
"Belly," he whispered, barely audible, as if the word alone held the key to his next move. He pushed himself up, his body still aching, but his focus sharpened. The moment he was fully upright, he yelled, "I'll slice your belly wide open!"
Barely standing, his breath ragged and his vision swimming from the pain, Ravon forced himself to keep moving. Despite the agony, his determination burned hotter than before, driving him forward into the fray.
The beast's eyes burned with rage, and Ravon could feel the weight of every moment as he dodged another swipe from its claws. He couldn't keep this up for long. The beast was faster than him, stronger, and every strike felt like it could end the fight.
He darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the creature's jaws as they snapped shut with terrifying force. A flash of his sword—slashing across the creature's thick hide—left only a shallow wound, not enough to slow it down. Another dodge, another cut, but it wasn't enough.
Ravon's body screamed in protest. He could feel his muscles protesting every movement, his breath coming ragged. This wasn't working. He couldn't win this fight by outlasting it. But he didnt't intend to, it was all just preparation.
He spun away from the beast's claws once more, stepping back to create distance. The creature hesitated, its eyes narrowing. Ravon knew this was the moment he needed.
He staggered a step backward, almost as if retreating, but it wasn't a retreat. It was bait. The beast's instincts took over, with a roar, it lunged forward, claws slashing and jaws snapping, closing the distance in an instant.
Ravon's heart pounded in his chest as he pushed himself to the limit, darting backward just as the beast's claws swiped down. It missed—just barely. Ravon dove under the beast, ducking beneath its powerful strike and landing right underneath it. He could see the beast's belly exposed, a vulnerable target.
Ravon's lips curled into a grim smile. "Now."
With the creature momentarily off-balance from its failed leap, he could now deal some serious injuries.
The creature, now airborne, was descending with lethal force. Claws extended, teeth bared, and its monstrous weight bearing down on him, the beast was committed to its final, destructive leap.
Ravon raised his sword, its tip pointed directly upwards, waiting for the perfect moment. The beast's body was still in mid-air, too committed to change course. Its stomach, vulnerable and exposed, was exactly where he needed it.
He gritted his teeth, focusing all his energy into the blade. Ravon thrust his sword upward with all his might, the tip meeting the underside of the creature just as it passed over him.
The beast's own momentum drove it onto the sword, and the massive weight of its body propelled the blade through the beast's soft underbelly. The sword slid smoothly across the creature's entire stomach, a vicious tear splitting open its flesh from end to end. Blood sprayed across the air, soaking Ravon's face as the beast let out a guttural roar.
Ravon, still holding the sword steady, twisted the hilt to widen the gash, and the beast's innards spilled out onto the ground below. The creature's flight continued for a few more moments, but the damage was done. It collapsed, its body unable to maintain the leap, falling to the ground with a deafening crash as it thrashed in its death throes.
The beast's massive form lay twitching, its once menacing roar now reduced to weak gasps. Ravon, his body screaming in pain, took a moment to steady himself. His sword still trembled in his hand, the weight of his victory starting to sink in, though the exhaustion from the battle was far from over.
He looked up at the creature. With a grunt, Ravon gritted his teeth, ignoring the searing pain coursing through his muscles. Every step felt like a battle, but he forced his way forward.
He grabbed hold of the beast's fur-covered neck, using it as leverage to climb. His limbs burned, but his determination kept him going. His fingers dug into the beast's thick hide as he pulled himself up, finally reaching the top of its massive form.
At last, he stood, though barely. He was perched atop the creature's back, his legs shaking beneath him as he stood tall, sword in hand, chest heaving from the strain. The pain was overwhelming, but his heart still raced with victory.
He raised his sword to the sky with a roar of triumph, the beast beneath him twitching its final breaths.
"Another challenge crushed beneath my feet," he grinned, his voice rough.
Ravon's body was still fighting against him, but in this moment, he felt invincible. Even though the battle had taken everything he had, he had won. And he would savor that feeling, standing atop the beast's corpse, as the champion once again.
As Ravon stood victorious atop the fallen beast, its massive body slowly cooling beneath him, the arena fell deathly silent. His chest heaved with each breath, pain coursing through him, but the adrenaline of the fight still buzzed in his veins. The crowd, once silent in awe, began to murmur, their voices rising in a blend of wonder and fear.
But as he stood there, victorious, a voice broke through the silence.
"I hope you are not getting too excited, Champion," the voice called, smooth and calm, yet laced with an edge of amusement. "You just fought an animal."
Ravon's head snapped up, eyes scanning the arena, every muscle in his body on high alert.
Who spoke? Who dared to address him so casually?
He spotted movement from the shadows of the grandstand, a figure stepping into the arena with quiet confidence. The figure wore a dark clothing that blended into the shadows, but there was no mistaking the presence of someone powerful.
The words echoed in Ravon's mind. You just fought an animal.
The stranger's voice had been… in his language. Ravon's pulse quickened. He hadn't expected anyone to speak to him in this language.
"Who are you?" Ravon demanded, his voice low and filled with suspicion. His sword remained in his grip, ready for whatever came next.