The participant waiting area reeked of sweat, fear, and vomit.
In the small, dimly lit bathroom attached to it, the sound of retching echoed off the cracked tiles. A rusty bucket sat on the floor, already half-full. TaiKhan knelt over it, small but muscular frame hunched, short black hair damp with sweat. He coughed violently, wiping strings of vomit from his mouth with the back of his hand.
The image wouldn't leave him — Darien's body convulsing as a tree of thorns and ember burst from inside him, ripping through armor, ribs, and organs in a spray of blood and splintered bone. The man's eye popping out like a burst grape. The heart still beating once on a wooden spike.
TaiKhan's stomach twisted again. He dry-heaved, then forced himself upright, breathing hard.
Maybe there's too much to lose, he thought, eyes stinging. I have no real combat experience. I only want recognition… enough to help my boys someday.
His hands tightened slowly.
But if I don't go… nothing changes.
Renn's tired eyes flashed in his mind. Miko laughing through hunger. Lir pretending he wasn't scared at night when the wind howled through the broken walls. The empty plates. The cold floor. The way they all looked at him like he had the answers.
I'm the only one strong enough to change our lives. If I walk away now… I'm just another coward waiting to starve.
His jaw clenched.
Then what's the point of all this?
He exhaled slowly, the doubt in his chest hardening into something sharper.
He sighed, strapping on his makeshift street armor — old iron gloves, rusty shoulder plates, a worn headband, and a broken spear made of scrap iron and wood. He closed his eyes for a second, thinking of his grandmother.
What would you do in these shoes, Grandma?
He opened his eyes.
"…I already know."
He turned to walk out — and jumped back with a startled yelp.
Golden eyes were staring straight at him.
Indura stood in the doorway, calm and relaxed, a small smile on his face.
"Why are you scared?" Indura asked, tilting his head curiously.
TaiKhan recognized him instantly — the red-haired man from yesterday, the one he had tried to steal from. He forced a nervous smile.
"I'm not scared of anything!"
Indura laughed softly. "You've been vomiting ever since the last match. Are you also going to participate in the Bout?"
Before TaiKhan could answer, the announcer's voice boomed through the entire coliseum, echoing even into the bathroom.
"AND NOW… FOR THE THIRD MATCH OF THE GRAND BOUT!"
The announcer paused dramatically, then continued with theatrical flair.
"From the streets of Crimson Reach… representing… uh… the Shadow Rats…? TRUE TAIKHAN!"
TaiKhan froze.
His heart slammed against his ribs like a war drum. His breath became unstable, his hands shaking as he clutched his broken spear.
It's alright...it's okay...I...I can...do this...?!
He stepped out of the bathroom on unsteady legs, tying his headband tighter, adjusting his rusty shoulder plates, and putting on his iron gloves. His mind raced.
It's too late to run now… but maybe I can still back out? No… no, I can't. This is for my boys. For all of us.
Indura smiled at him as he passed. "Ah...well, it seems the next round is up. I can't miss it."
TaiKhan watched him leave, panic written all over his face. He took one last deep breath, then walked toward the arena entrance.
The moment he stepped out onto the red sand, the entire coliseum went dead silent.
Then it erupted — not in cheers, but in mocking laughter and disbelief.
"Look at that! A little kid!"
"Is this a joke? They sent a street rat to fight?"
"Go home and do your chores, boy! You'll die out there!"
"Isn't that the red-eyed thief?!"
A few voices even sounded pitying.
"He's just a child… this is cruel."
"Poor child. He is fighting for our city... He won't last ten seconds."
In the stands, TaiKhan's gang clutched the railing, faces pale.
Renn whispered, "He's really doing it…"
Back in the VIP box, the three rulers reacted with visible surprise.
Lady Phoenix's amber eyes twitched slightly as she saw a small boy representing her city. A child? Of all the fighters we could send…?!
Lord Kael Voss raised an eyebrow. "Bold choice."
Lord Thorne Varkis grunted. "Foolish. He'll be paste in seconds."
The announcer's voice cut through the mockery with dramatic flair.
"AND HIS OPPONENT… FROM THE SAVAGE WILDS OF STORMCRAG… A BRUTE WHOSE NAME ALONE STRIKES FEAR INTO THE HEARTS OF WARRIORS… THE UNSTOPPABLE SLAUGHTERER… TAHIK THE BRUTE!"
The arena lights dimmed dramatically. Tall flames erupted around the coliseum, casting flickering shadows across the red sand. The floor shifted with a low rumble, parts of the sand hardening into dark, reinforced stone.
Tahik did not walk in.
He descended from above.
A massive seven-foot figure dropped from the sky like a falling boulder, landing in the center of the arena with a thunderous BOOM that cracked the stone beneath his feet and sent a visible shockwave outward.
He was a High Orc — thick gray-green skin, heavily muscled, with jagged tusks protruding from his lower jaw. Heavy shoulder plates and multiple belts strapped with weapons adorned his body. In one hand, he carried a huge, brutal sword; in the other, a massive war hammer. His face was calm, almost expressionless, but his presence was terrifying — a living storm of restrained violence.
The crowd erupted in a mix of cheers and gasps. Many recognized him immediately.
"TAHIK! The runner-up from five years ago!"
"That kid is facing Tahik?! This match is already decided!"
TaiKhan stood on the red sand, legs shaking, staring up at the towering orc who looked down at him like he was nothing more than an insect.
His boys in the stands clutched each other's hands, faces pale with fear.
Miko looked terrified. "That's Tahik he's facing… we're watching our leader die today."
Indura watched from the waiting area, a small, curious smile on his face.
"I see now. That fear from earlier...it seems it's his turn," he murmured.
The announcer's voice boomed with dark excitement.
"TAHIK THE BRUTE — A MONSTER WHO HAS CRUSHED COUNTLESS OPPONENTS WITH NOTHING BUT RAW POWER AND RAGE! WILL THE LITTLE STREET RAT SURVIVE EVEN ONE MINUTE? OR WILL THIS BE THE SHORTEST MATCH IN GRAND BOUT HISTORY?!"
The arena trembled with anticipation.
"Tahik... He respects warriors… but doesn't play games."
TaiKhan stood on the red sand of the arena, legs shaking so badly he was sure the whole crowd could see it.
From down here, the stands looked endless — a roaring wall of thousands of faces staring down at him. The noise was deafening, pressing in from all sides. His fake smile felt glued to his face, tight and trembling at the corners.
There are so many people… he thought, heart hammering. They're all watching me. I feel so small right now.
Tahik stood opposite him, towering and calm. The massive High Orc looked down at the boy with surprisingly gentle eyes, his jagged tusks and scarred face softening just a fraction.
"You're a brave one, little warrior," Tahik said, his deep voice surprisingly kind. "Most boys your age would have run the moment they saw the arena. Standing here takes heart."
TaiKhan blinked, the fake smile faltering for a second. He hadn't expected the giant orc to sound… nice.
Tahik continued, voice steady and warm, like an old mentor speaking to a student.
"Fear is normal. It keeps you alive. But courage isn't the absence of fear — it's standing anyway. You've already won something just by stepping onto this sand. Remember that."
He lowered his weapons slightly, the huge sword and hammer resting at his sides.
"I'll make sure not to hurt you too badly, small one. You're still young. I'd hate for you to have nightmares because of me."
TaiKhan stared up at the orc, his shaking legs slowly steadying. The kind words sank in, cutting through the panic.
He's… not looking down on me. He's actually being nice. A big, scary orc… giving me advice?
A small spark of real courage flickered in his chest. His faint red eyes gained a bit more focus. He straightened his posture, gripping his broken spear a little tighter.
"Thank you," TaiKhan said quietly, voice still shaky but sincere. "I… I won't run."
Tahik's stern face broke into a proud, gentle smile.
"Good. That's the spirit of a true warrior. Now… let's give them a fight worth remembering."
The boy nodded, morale slowly returning.
For the first time since stepping onto the sand, TaiKhan didn't feel completely alone.
The crowd watched in stunned silence, the unexpected kindness between the massive brute and the small street kid hanging in the air like something sacred.
The announcer's voice thundered across the coliseum.
"FIGHTERS READY… BEGIN!"
The bell rang.
TaiKhan gripped his broken spear tightly, feet digging deep into the red sand. With a burst of raw speed, he launched forward, circling Tahik like a red-eyed blur.
The crowd leaned forward, some confused, others stunned.
"Look at that speed! A kid that small shouldn't move like that!"
"Maybe he can actually hold on…"
"No way. That's Tahik the Brute. One hit and the boy's done."
TaiKhan kept circling, faster and faster, kicking up a whirlwind of sand that spun around the massive orc. I'll finish this quickly, he thought, heart pounding with adrenaline. Just one good hit to the head and he's out cold.
He stepped inside the whirlwind, spear thrusting toward Tahik's head with everything he had.
For a brief moment, time seemed to slow.
Tahik turned. His calm eyes locked onto the boy.
He smiled.
Taikhan's eyes widened in horror, then tried to change course...but it was too late.
Tahik swung his massive hammer in a wide, deliberate arc — slow enough for TaiKhan to see every brutal detail: the spiked head gleaming, the muscles in Tahik's arm flexing like steel cables, the air itself warping from the sheer force.
CRACK.
The hammer slammed into TaiKhan's side with sickening impact.
The boy's body folded instantly. Bones snapped audibly. He was launched like a ragdoll, crashing against the mana barrier in a burst of wind and dust. The barrier flared bright, absorbing the force as TaiKhan dropped limply onto the sand, spear clattering beside him.
The entire arena went deathly silent.
Then the crowd erupted — a mix of gasps, horrified murmurs, and scattered cheers from those who had expected exactly this.
"Oh...my...!"
"He's only...a kid!"
Tahik lowered his hammer, expression calm but not cruel.
"Did you actually think I wouldn't hurt you, little one?" he said quietly. "This isn't your fight."
TaiKhan coughed hard, blood flecking the sand.
The crowd's reaction shifted again — some booing Tahik for ending it so quickly, others shouting at TaiKhan to stay down before he got killed.
In the stands, TaiKhan's boys were on their feet, faces pale with fear.
"No… TaiKhan!"
"Please… Please!"
Indura watched from the waiting area, golden eyes calm but focused.
"He's fast," he murmured to Shadow. "But that was expected." Hmm... Am I feeling bad for the child?! Ah, what has become of my heart?!
The announcer's voice cut through the noise, laced with dark excitement.
"AND JUST LIKE THAT — A DEVASTATING FIRST STRIKE FROM TAHIK THE BRUTE! WILL THE LITTLE BOY GET UP, OR IS THIS ALREADY OVER?!"
TaiKhan gritted his teeth, forcing himself to one knee despite the pain screaming through his body.
He lost balance and fell on the red sand, pain exploding through his left side like fire.
He tried to push himself up again, but his left arm buckled under him, swollen and useless from the hammer's impact. A wet cough escaped his lips, blood flecking the sand.
The arena had gone eerily silent. Thousands of eyes watched the small boy struggling to rise.
Tahik stood a short distance away, massive hammer resting on his shoulder, his calm gray-green face showing no cruelty — only quiet honesty.
"Stay down, little one," Tahik said, voice deep and steady, carrying across the silent coliseum. "This match means everything to me. Unlike you, I grew up in the wilds, fighting stronger beasts and stronger orcs to survive another day. I learned early that mercy can get you killed. I won't hold back just because you're a small boy. You wouldn't want me to break you."
TaiKhan's breath came in short, painful gasps. His mind raced.
He's right… I should surrender. I'm just a kid. One more hit like that, and I'm done. My boys… they'll understand, right? They wouldn't want me to die here…
But then he thought of their faces — Renn's worried eyes, Miko's loud encouragement, Lir's quiet prayers. The safehouse with its broken table and pile of scraps. The promise he had made to change their lives.
Confusion and fear twisted inside him.
But if I quit now… what was all of this for? I'm the only one strong enough to do something. I can't let them down… but I'm scared. I'm really scared.
He forced himself up with his right arm, legs shaking, left arm hanging swollen and limp at his side. His faint red eyes burned with stubborn determination.
Tahik watched him rise, a faint nod of respect in his expression.
"Brave. Foolish… but brave."
The crowd remained deathly quiet, the earlier mockery replaced by uneasy tension.
The announcer's voice cut through the silence, almost hushed.
"THE BOY… IS STILL STANDING. THIS IS NOT OVER YET!"
TaiKhan moved first, trying to use his speed.
He darted low and fast, aiming for a street trick he had used a hundred times — a feint to the left, then a quick thrust with his broken spear toward Tahik's knee, hoping to unbalance the giant.
Tahik saw it coming.
He didn't even swing the hammer. He stepped forward and drove his massive fist downward in a casual, almost bored counter.
The punch caught TaiKhan square in the shoulder.
CRUNCH.
The impact lifted the boy off his feet and slammed him back into the sand. Pain flared through his already injured side as he tumbled, coughing more blood.
The crowd winced collectively.
Tahik shook his head slowly.
"Speed is useless if you telegraph your moves, little one. You're fast… but you're still thinking like a street thief."
TaiKhan forced himself up again, right arm trembling, left arm hanging uselessly. I...I can still try...
He tried to launch himself forward, but his body gave out, pain and exhaustion already caught up.
The crowd watched in tense silence, the earlier laughter long gone.
TaiKhan lay on his back, staring up at the red sky, a deep throb pulsing behind his left eye.
A fragment of a memory flickered — blurred images, voices, something ancient and heavy — then vanished like smoke.
Tahik stood away from him, hammer resting on his shoulder, calm gray-green eyes watching the boy with quiet respect.
He's definitely holding back, TaiKhan thought, chest tight. I stood no chance from the beginning. This guy...is a monster. I'm sorry, boys...it seemed that I lied.
He let out a weak chuckle, blood spraying from his mouth.
"You were right," he rasped, forcing himself to speak. "Your victory is clear."
He turned his head slowly toward the stands, searching for his boys. When he found them, he sighed, the sound wet and pained.
"There was once a time," he continued, voice trembling but steady, "when I went fishing...with my grandmother by the river. She told me that...when I reached a certain age...I would be able to destroy a mountain...with one punch."
Tahik looked down at the small boy, tusks shifting as he frowned.
"That's ridiculous. Telling a child such a lie…"
TaiKhan chuckled again, more blood bubbling from his lips.
"It sounds like a lie, doesn't it? Even I doubted it. But growing up… I realized something."
Tahik examined him more closely, waiting.
"If it were a lie," TaiKhan said, eyes meeting the orc's, "your first attack would have killed me."
Tahik froze.
Now that I think about it… that strike should have ended him. No normal human child survives that.
He smiled faintly, almost gently.
"Just what kind of boy are you?"
TaiKhan coughed, more blood spraying.
"Even I'm still trying...to figure that out."
Tahik laughed — a low, rumbling sound — then darted forward with surprising speed for his size.
His fists came down like falling boulders.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Each punch slammed TaiKhan into the ground, shaking the arena floor. The crowd watched in horrified silence as the boy's body jerked with every impact, sand exploding around him.
Tahik kept striking, voice steady but firm.
"I do not hate you, but it doesn't matter what you are. In the end… you're just a boy."
TaiKhan felt every blow crush deeper — ribs cracking, vision blurring, pain swallowing him whole.
This is it… I'm dying.
His eyes fluttered shut.
The world went silent.
For a heartbeat… nothing.
Then another heartbeat.
Then more.
Tahik raised his fist for the finishing blow, muscles bulging as he brought it down with all his might.
BOOM.
A violent burst of wind and dust erupted from the point of impact, exploding outward like a small bomb and covering the arena in a thick cloud.
The crowd fell into a confused murmur.
"What happened? I can't see anything!"
"Is the boy dead?"
Indura rose slowly from his seat, a wide, genuine grin spreading across his face. His golden eyes glowed faintly with mana as he stared through the dust.
Now this...yes...this is it.
In the VIP box, Lady Phoenix clenched the armrest of her seat so hard it cracked. A small, intrigued smile touched her lips.
That boy… he isn't normal...where did he come from?!
The dust slowly cleared.
The crowd rose to their feet, straining to see.
Tahik leaned heavily against the mana barrier, face bleeding from a fresh cut, his right arm twisted at an unnatural angle, breath ragged and labored.
Then the crowd turned.
On the other side of the arena, red glowing eyes pierced through the settling dust.
TaiKhan stood.
Not steady, not strong, but still standing.
The air around him felt… heavier. Like something unseen had taken a breath.
His body was wrecked — bruised, bloodied, left arm hanging uselessly at his side, legs barely holding his weight. His chest rose and fell unevenly, every breath looking like it cost him something.
And yet, he didn't fall.
The red glow in his eyes wasn't the same.
It wasn't just determination anymore. It was heavier. Quieter. Dangerous.
Tahik pushed himself off the barrier, taking a slow step forward, eyes narrowing as he stared at the boy.
What just happened…? That last strike should have crushed him completely.
His gaze sharpened.
No… not just that. That presence… it changed.
His sword, still strapped to his back, had shattered from the earlier impact, fragments scattered across the sand. He didn't even look at it.
His focus stayed locked on TaiKhan.
The entire coliseum held its breath. No cheers. No whispers. Just thousands of people watching something they didn't understand.
The boy who should have been broken was still on his feet...yet different — wrong.
The red glow in TaiKhan's eyes flickered once. Then steadied.
And for the first time since the match began, Tahik took him seriously.
The fight was no longer one-sided.
And it was far from over.