The arena was already loud.
Louder than usual.
Word had spread.
Not just another fight—
Not just another challenger.
A champion fight.
And not against just anyone.
Osric stepped through the narrow entrance.
This time—
people noticed immediately.
The noise didn't stop—
but it changed.
"…That's him."
"The kid from yesterday."
"He's really doing it…"
Eyes followed him.
Not curious anymore.
Not amused.
Watching.
Waiting.
Garrick walked beside him.
Silent.
For once.
The fights were already underway.
Two elite fighters clashed in the pit.
Fast.
Technical.
Clean.
Normally—
this would have been enough to draw all attention.
But not tonight.
Not fully.
Eyes kept drifting.
Toward the entrance.
Toward Osric.
Adam noticed him first.
'…He actually came.'
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Not impressed—
Not dismissive—
Just observing.
'Let's see how far you go.'
Across the arena—
Alice crossed her arms.
Her gaze locked onto Osric.
'You didn't hesitate.'
A faint breath left her.
'Good.'
The fight below ended with a sharp strike.
The loser dropped.
The winner stepped back.
The crowd reacted—
but not like before.
Not fully invested.
They were waiting.
Everyone knew it.
Another fight followed.
Shorter.
More aggressive.
Finished quickly.
Then—
nothing.
The pit emptied.
For a brief moment—
no one stepped in.
A strange silence spread.
Not quiet—
But expectant.
Osric moved.
Without a word—
he walked toward the pit.
Garrick followed.
A few people leaned forward.
"…He's going down already."
"That's Garrick with him."
"So the rumors were true…"
"He's really following him now?"
Garrick ignored them.
Osric didn't react at all.
They reached the edge of the pit.
And then—
it shifted.
Not the noise.
The atmosphere.
Like something heavy had entered the space—
before anyone even saw him.
People near one of the side entrances stepped back.
Not dramatically.
Just enough.
The crowd parted slightly.
Without being told.
Then—
he appeared.
A massive figure stepped into the arena.
Broad.
Thick.
Built like something that shouldn't move as easily as it did.
His head was lowered slightly as he walked.
Scarred skin stretched across his face and neck.
Old wounds layered over older ones.
His jaw was heavy.
Teeth uneven.
A grin already forming—
before anything had even begun.
His eyes—
dark.
Alive.
Wrong.
A few men followed behind him.
Rough.
Confident.
Watching everything.
But they didn't matter.
No one looked at them.
Only him.
"…Piers."
"The Wall…"
"Fuck…"
Even the crowd lowered their voices.
Not out of respect—
Out of instinct.
Piers didn't look at anyone.
Not the crowd.
Not the fighters.
His gaze moved once—
And stopped.
On Osric.
The grin widened.
Slow.
Hungry.
Garrick exhaled quietly.
"…Don't let him get a hold of you."
Osric gave a small nod.
But he didn't move.
Not toward the pit.
Instead—
he turned.
Walked away from it.
The crowd reacted immediately.
"What's he doing?"
"Did he lose his nerve?"
Osric stepped up to the betting table.
Without hesitation—
he dropped a heavy pouch onto the wood.
"Clack."
The sound cut through everything.
The bookmaker froze for a moment.
"…What is it?"
Osric's voice stayed calm.
"I bet twenty silver on my victory."
Silence.
Then—
explosion.
"TWENTY?!"
"Is he insane?!"
"That's suicide!"
Even Garrick's eyes narrowed slightly.
He didn't say anything—
But he understood.
This wasn't confidence.
This was commitment.
Osric's gaze didn't waver.
'System.'
The message was still there.
Unchanging.
Unforgiving.
{ Emergency Trial Active }
Objective: Become a champion in the underground arena.
Time Limit: 21 Hours 46 Minutes.
There was no penalty from the system—
But Osric knew that he wouldn't survive this if he lost.
There was no retreat.
No second attempt.
No survival without victory.
'Then I win.'
The bookmaker swallowed.
Hands slightly tense.
"…Odds are three point eight."
A pause.
Then added:
"…in your favor."
Which meant—
against him.
Almost everyone was betting on Piers.
As expected.
Twenty silver at those odds—
would return seventy-six silver.
A ridiculous amount.
If he lived.
The wooden token was pushed toward him.
Osric picked it up.
Turned.
And walked back toward the pit.
The noise hadn't settled.
If anything—
it had grown louder.
More chaotic.
More unstable.
But beneath it—
something else remained.
Tension.
Expectation.
And now—
doubt.
"Kahahahaha!" A loud laugh cut through the noise of the crowd.
The giant Piers entered the pit.
"This puny brat must be confident. Unfortunately for you, you won't leave this plays alive."
Only now, Osric truly understood the size difference between them.
Osric himself was almost 190 centimetres tall, but Piers towered over him.
'Everything I heard and read about him was true. He almost looks like he was conceived by an ogre.'
This was the first time in a very long time, that Osric felt nervous.
"There have been many idiots who tried to challenge me, but most ended up as bloodied corpses right here in this pit."
Piers then glanced to the side, where Garrick was standing.
'That old fucker is one of the exceptions. I'll definitely kill him one day.'
Garrick clenched his fists. 'Still as scary as ever.'
Piers turned back to Osric.
"Hey brat. If you get on your knees and sweat to obey me, I'll let you live."
"How about it? Am I not benevolent?"
"Kahahahaha!"
Osric's eyes darkened.
His determination intensified.
'I cannot give this monster any chances.'
"No thanks."
"I don't follow Ogres."