Mikey's eyes widened as the Blood Bear tore forward, its massive frame shaking the arena floor with every thunderous stride. His breath seized in his chest, his arms trembling against the weight of the rifle, and above in the stands the members of Savior all leaned forward at once, anticipation and dread painted across their faces. Up on the podium, Isaak remained silent, stone-like, but the man at his side—the same announcer who had narrated when Mikey first stepped into the arena—lifted his mic with almost gleeful energy.
"And we're off, folks!"
The Blood Bear roared, a guttural, mangled sound that rattled the dome's steel beams. Its hulking body launched upward in a sudden leap, claws spread wide, teeth bared. The monster fell toward Mikey like a collapsing building. He rolled just in time, the sniper clattering against the floor as survival instincts shoved all thought of marksmanship aside. The bear slammed down with a deafening thud. The stage shuddered beneath the weight, the place where Mikey had been standing now cratered inward, the steel and concrete bent and broke like foil.
Scrambling to his feet, Mikey's frantic eyes darted to the cage the bear had broken free from.
'I gotta create space… anything to slow this thing down.'
He sprinted, boots ringing against the floor, weaving around debris. The Blood Bear's head snapped toward him instantly, nostrils flaring as it caught the scent smeared across Mikey's body from the foul liquid he had been forced to pour on himself. Its lips curled into a snarl, saliva hanging in thick ropes from its fangs. With terrifying speed it barreled after him, each pounding step shaking the arena like an earthquake.
Mikey skidded behind the bent metal cage frame, heart thundering, forcing his hands steady as he racked the rifle's bolt. He pressed the scope to his eye, his breaths ragged, trying to center his target through the quake of adrenaline. Up above, the announcer rose to his feet, practically shouting into the microphone:
"For those wondering—this Blood Bear can reach speeds of thirty miles an hour!"
Gasps rippled through the crowd, children clutching at their parents, defectors shifting uneasily in their seats, whispers cutting across the silence. In the Savior section, Luce's nails dug into Bobo's sleeve, her voice breaking.
"Dammit, he's too slow! He won't line up the shot in time—"
"Shut up!" Bobo barked, though his own eyes betrayed nothing but terror.
The Blood Bear's massive body slammed into the twisted cage, sending the entire frame cartwheeling high into the air. Steel shrieked as it tore loose and crashed back down in a shower of sparks. The arena devolved into chaos—people shouting, standing, clutching at the railing. Yet in the eye of that storm, Mikey remained crouched, breathing sharply through his teeth, his finger tightening against the trigger.
'Steady… steady…'
The bear lunged, all fury and red eyes and gnashing teeth. Mikey's finger pulled.
BANG!
The sniper cracked like thunder, the bullet tearing across the dome and striking dead center between the Blood Bear's eyes. The beast's body froze midair, its massive limbs locking up before it collapsed, crashing into the floor with a weighty finality. Dust and smoke plumed upward from the impact.
Mikey rolled to the side, his chest heaving, before scrambling upright. The monster lay sprawled, unmoving, a wide hole gaping in its skull. The crowd erupted, a roar of cheers, applause, and whistles that shook the stands as people jumped to their feet. The release of tension sent the dome into hysteria. Mikey, lungs burning, couldn't help himself—his lips split into a manic grin, and laughter burst out of him, unrestrained and wild.
"Yes! Yes!!!"
He raised the rifle high, swinging it in the air like a trophy, his voice breaking with elation.
"Yeah! Eat that, you cheating assholes! Woooo!"
He spun, waving at the stands, drinking in the noise like victory itself, until he found his friends. He expected to see their smiles, to hear their cheers—but the Savior squad was silent. Ryosuke stood rigid, Luce's mouth hung open, Bobo's eyes were wide, and not one of them moved. The cheers from the crowd faltered, voices trailing into an uneasy hush. Mikey's laugh caught in his throat. He blinked, his grin fading as confusion swelled in his chest.
"Yeah… yeah… wait. What are you guys—"
He turned slowly and saw The Blood Bear twitch. At first it was subtle—just a small jerk of the paw. But then a ripple coursed through its body, its mangled muscles tensing as if waking from a dream. The announcer's chipper voice boomed again, cutting the silence like a knife:
"Oh, and I should also mention, folks—the Blood Bear is infamous for its incredible durability!"
A shiver ran across the dome. Mikey staggered backward, his mouth falling open, his rifle shaking in his grip.
"No… no way…"
The monster's bulk heaved upward, rising onto its limbs with a guttural groan. The hole in its skull was still there, smoking faintly, yet it stood as though Mikey's perfect shot had been nothing but an inconvenience. The beast gave its head a violent shake, as if clearing away dizziness. Its ears twitched, nostrils flaring wide. Then its lips peeled back to reveal blood-slick fangs. Its red eyes snapped open again, burning brighter than before.
The Blood Bear roared, the sound tore through the dome, ear-splitting, rattling teeth in their sockets, sending children screaming and grown men clutching their heads. The dome itself seemed to vibrate with its fury. Mikey froze, his body locked in place, his mind unraveling. His heart slammed against his ribs like it wanted out.
'I hit it… I hit it dead on. I killed it. I know I did. How the hell is it still alive?'
The Blood Bear hunched low, muscles coiling like steel cables, ready to strike again. Mikey stood, staring down a nightmare that refused to die. The creature growled, low and guttural, before unleashing another roar that shook the dome to its foundations. Then it moved—blindingly fast. The announcer hadn't been exaggerating. By the time Mikey even thought about sidestepping, the beast was already upon him. He tucked his shoulder, tried to fold into a roll to escape, but his body jolted to a stop.
The Blood Bear's jaws had clamped onto his leg.
'Fuck—'
The fangs didn't close fully, his shin wedged in the narrow gap along the side of the monster's mouth, but the teeth still raked deep enough to tear through skin and some muscle. Hot blood immediately seeped down his cargo pants.
"AHHHH!" Mikey's scream tore from his throat.
The beast reared its massive head back and flung him like a ragdoll. He slammed into the ground with brutal force, the air blasted from his lungs in a single desperate cry. The bear didn't stop. It whipped him down again, bones rattling, pain cracking up his spine, and then a third time, the impact so violent it rang in his skull like a bell. Luce recoiled, burying her face into her hands while Amelia turned away with tears welling, Tobi leaned back trying to squeeze his eyes shut, his whole body trembling. Bobo and Ryosuke shot up from their seats, faces twisted with rage, ready to vault into the arena—but before they could act, they both froze. The cold press of gun barrels touched the backs of their heads.
"Sit," one of the soldiers said, his voice flat, expression grim.
"Sorry, we've been instructed to make sure you don't intervene," another soldier said. "It ain't personal..."
Both Ryosuke and Bobo turned just enough to see more soldiers in the row, weapons now trained not just on them, but on Luce, Amelia, and Tobi as well. The unspoken message was clear—move, and the rest of their squad would die. Bobo's fists shook, every instinct screaming to break the man's arm and jump down into the pit, but his eyes darted to Luce, then to Amelia, and finally to Tobi. He gritted his teeth and sank back into his chair.
"Dammit… not personal my ass..." he muttered, venom burning in his throat.
Below, the Blood Bear whipped Mikey skyward. He barely managed to keep hold of the sniper as his body spiraled through the air, before crashing back-first into the twisted remains of the cage. The steel groaned beneath him as he hit, the sound mixing with his own ragged coughs. Dust scattered across the floor as he collapsed on all fours, trembling, every breath shallow and broken. His shin and calf burned, a slick crimson soaking through the torn fabric of his pants. The pain throbbed deep, each pulse in his leg a knife-twist. He blinked hard, his vision shaking, his spine screaming with every small movement.
"Shit… shit…" His voice was a hoarse rasp, more air than sound.
The dome rattled again. Thundering footsteps bore down on him, each one so heavy it seemed to crush the oxygen from the room. He forced his head up and his stomach dropped—the Blood Bear was already on him, its bulk blotting out the arena lights as it lunged.
There was no time to reload, no time to aim. Instinct drove his arms. Mikey gripped the sniper at both ends, holding it lengthwise across his body like a shield. He pressed his back against the cage, elbows locked, teeth bared, as the monster's shadow fell over him. The jaws snapped down with terrifying force.
The rifle wedged between them with a shriek of metal, the beast's fangs grinding against the weapon's frame. The stench of its breath washed over him, hot, rancid, thick with rot. Mikey gagged as spittle rained down across his face. His muscles screamed, tendons straining, as he forced every ounce of strength into his arms. The weight was crushing—every push from the beast drove the rifle closer to his nose, his elbows buckling inch by inch.
Above, the crowd screamed in panic, the sound cascading through the dome like a storm. Parents pulled their children close, defectors shouted for him to give up, gamblers chanted for blood. Savior sat frozen, forced to watch their comrade teeter on the edge of death. Mikey's vision blurred, his teeth grinding as the rifle bowed under the impossible pressure. His arms shook violently, his body pressed into the cold steel behind him. He could feel the snap of defeat just seconds away, the inevitable crush of fangs breaking through.
'If my grip slips… if I let go… I'm done. I'm dead.'
The Blood Bear snarled, its red eyes locked on his, pushing harder, hungrier, stronger. And Mikey held on with everything he had, the thin line between life and death creaking in his hands.