The roar of the crowd exploded after the steel gates parted.
Nikolai stepped into the pit, a hood covering his face and shoulders loose and steady. The stench of last night's blood lingered, churning in the sand beneath his boots. Tonight, the crowd's anticipation felt odd. A little harsh, like a sharp blade that expected him to fall.
He scanned the walls, searching each seat, trying to find the trace of the danger that made his skin crawl, but the bright lights blinded his vision.
Tsk...
Whatever, I'll just focus then.
Across the pit, his opponent emerged. Not a beast. Not a hulking brute like Honey Bear. An old man. Thin, wiry. His body was wrapped in a dark cloth that clung to muscles like a taut rope. With cracked, pale skin and sharp eyes like knives, he faced Nikolai in silence.
The arena announcer's voice cut through the noise.
