The crowd roared with laughter, Xin Fu peering down at the short boy. Kuro's straw hat shadowed his face, though the wide grin stretching beneath it was plain to see.
Xin Fu smirked and beckoned the announcer.
"Yes, Sir Xin Fu?"
"I want this boy to participate," he sneered.
"What!? But he's just a kid!" the announcer blurted.
"You say that, knowing who our champion is?" Xin Fu's tone carried a sharp edge.
"That's an exception—"
"Do what I tell you." Xin Fu's glare shut him up immediately.
The crowd rippled with murmurs
.
"What's this guy thinking, throwing a kid into the ring? He'll get stunted growth."
"Yeah… wait, is this illegal? Like… child beating?"
"I don't know, you tell me. We're gambling and selling illegal stuff already—you draw the line at kids getting beat up?"
"Yeah, screw the kid!" one man bellowed. Soon the chant spread like wildfire.
"Beat his ass!
Beat his ass!
Beat his ass!"
Xin Fu watched, satisfied. "See? Give me a show, and they'll swallow it whole."
The announcer returned to the stage, sweating.
"Due to… uh… changes, the Scorpion's advancement will be delayed for a new matchup!" His voice cracked, but he forced on the showman's grin. "And if you wanna see an arrogant little brat get flattened, then tonight is your lucky night!"
The drums pounded again. Coins clattered. Gamblers eyed each other hungrily.
Xin Fu leaned down, his long hair brushing his cheek as he looked at Kuro.
"You…" he began, then brushed it off with a scoff, leaping back to the upper platform. Kuro's glowing eyes narrowed under his hat as he tipped it in silence.
The announcer's voice boomed again. "For this special matchup, I give you—the Crawling Mantis!"
A masked man dropped into the ring, landing on all fours. His expression was blank, insect-like, with eyes too wide and a body hunched in eerie stillness.
He scuttled into position as the announcer sidled up to Kuro.
"So uh… what are you?"
"Huh? Me? I told you already."
"No, like… your alliance."
"Oh, right." Kuro scratched his chin. "How about… Grey Salamander?"
The announcer sighed. "Good enough. And his opponent—the Grey Salamander!!"
The crowd booed mercilessly. Someone threw uncooked corn. Kuro sidestepped every piece without effort, grinning.
"Work on your entrances, kid," the announcer muttered as he slipped out of the ring. "That guy's a psycho. Good luck."
Xin Fu yawned, turning away. "A waste of time. I only set this up for the gamblers' money."
"But Sir Xin Fu, the match hasn't—"
"Begin!"
Bam!
Thud!!
The Crawling Mantis's body slammed into the wall near Xin Fu, leaving a crater.
"Huh?" Xin Fu blinked.
The entire arena froze. Even the announcer's jaw dropped. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple as he scrambled to recover.
"T-that's… a win… for the Grey Salamander..?!"
"What even happened?" someone whispered.
"I don't know. It was too fast."
Kuro hopped excitedly, waving his arms with a bright grin. Xin Fu's eye twitched hard. He yanked the Crawling Mantis out of the wall and muttered, "That damn brat…"
"Quickly, bring back the Scorpion," he ordered.
The announcer bolted off.
Minutes later, whispers filled the stands, gamblers buzzing like flies. The only ones thrilled were the few lunatics who had bet everything on the kid.
"What a show! I'm making bank!"
"Same here!"
Finally, the Scorpion returned, stomping into the ring.
Kuro scratched his head, eyeing the gloves. He chuckled. "That's dirty, you know. But don't worry…" He cracked his knuckles. "I'll make this quick."
The scorpion raised his leg slowly, like a predator showing its fangs. His hands spread to center his balance, his ankles twisted tight to conserve stamina. His chest expanded, head tilted forward, eyes locked on Kuro with venomous patience.
Kuro's gaze flicked over every detail. The angle of the knee. The subtle drag of the heel. The exaggerated chest puff. A stance built on intimidation, not speed. He smirked faintly, the brim of his hat dipping as he pecked it lower over his brow.
With calm precision, he waited. He wanted the weight to drop first—the heavy thud of the scorpion's foot against the ground. The moment it touched, Kuro moved.
He dug the surface of the ring with his right foot, stone and dust breaking apart in a streak. In one fluid sweep, he slid rubble directly beneath the scorpion's descending foot, shifting his own stance in the same motion.
The scorpion's heel landed crooked, ankle jolting as his balance faltered. His eyes widened. His body tried to recover, but his sheer bulk betrayed him, too much weight to shift, too much muscle to realign.
Kuro's lips curved. He had studied fighters like this before: towering frames that looked indomitable, but with stances that left chests open in moments of instability.
He struck without hesitation. A column of earth shot upward with a sharp crack, piercing the air and slamming into the scorpion's exposed stomach.
The impact stole the man's breath. His teeth clenched, a strangled grunt escaping as his massive frame lifted off the ground and hurled backward. He crashed outside the ring with a dull thunder, dust kicking up around him.
For a heartbeat, silence reigned. The air itself felt stunned. A cricket chirped in the distance, louder than the crowd that had been roaring only seconds ago.
Then chaos. Jaws dropped, gamblers who had dared to risk coin on Kuro clutched one another with tearful joy. Others groaned, hands clawing their hair in disbelief.
The announcer fell to his knees, his voice caught somewhere between a scream and a prayer.
Even Xin Fu, who wore his stone-faced composure like armor, betrayed himself. His lips parted. His eyes narrowed then widened again. For once, his mask had cracked, shock spilling through.
Kuro dusted his hands, his smirk returning as if the fight had been nothing but a chore.
"I guess I win again, huh?" he muttered, voice soft yet carrying easily through the stunned silence.