Below, in the pit, G Goblins fought to win the prize money. The two combatants engaged in hand-to-hand combat — brutal, savage, and absolutely mesmerizing. They moved like top-notch mixed martial artists, their techniques blending seamlessly together. Every strike was intelligent. Every dodge was calculated. The beauty of their battle lay in its brutality.
Rocky watched, genuinely amazed. He stood at the edge of the pit, then took a seat on a nearby bench, his eyes never leaving the fighters.
---
The Fighters
Grik: Taller and leaner, with corded muscle visible under green-grey skin. His movements were fluid, economical. He fought like a fencer, using his longer reach to his advantage. His eyes were calculating, darting constantly to find openings in his opponent's defense.
Brog: Shorter, built like a sack of bricks with legs. His body was a mass of knotted muscle and old scars. He was a pure powerhouse — every motion telegraphed raw, destructive force. He breathed like a bellows, his tiny eyes fixed and furious.
---
The tiered seats surrounding the pit were a seething mass of green flesh — a roaring amphitheater carved from dungeon stone. The air thrummed with the clash of coins and guttural chants. Below, in the dirt pit, two figures circled in the torchlight. This was their culture, their entertainment, refined over generations in the dungeon's depths.
---
Phase 1: The Probe – Precision vs. Power
Grik moved first. His stance was long, bladed — a fencer's posture blended with the low center of gravity from Wing Chun and the flowing footwork of Silat. He snapped a teep kick forward, the ball of his foot driving toward Brog's kneecap with surgical intent.
Brog checked it with a sharp rotation of his shin — a Muay Thai defense ingrained through decades of combat.
Crack! The impact echoed like a hammer striking stone.
Grik flowed forward without pause. A jab feint — Brog's hand twitched to parry — then Grik dropped his level, changing levels for a low inside leg kick that chopped into Brog's calf.
Thwump. The sound was wet, sickening.
Brog's base shifted, but he didn't fall. Instead, he stepped into the kick, accepting the sting, and fired a piston-like straight right derived from Western boxing.
Grik swayed his upper body — a textbook shoulder roll made famous by Philadelphia boxers — letting the punch slip past his ear by a hair's breadth.
Brog pressed. He threw a snapping lead uppercut from his hip, a boxer's shovel hook aimed at the floating ribs. Grik's elbow dropped, checking it with a Burmese Lethwei deflection that numbed his entire arm. In the same motion, he shot for a double-leg takedown straight from collegiate wrestling.
His shoulder slammed into Brog's solar plexus.
Brog sprawled, his weight like an avalanche, and wrapped a guillotine choke around Grik's neck — a move perfected in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies worldwide. For a moment, Grik's face purpled, veins bulging on his forehead. Then he postured up, used a wrestler's sit-out to rip the arm free, and exploded backward, coming up in a crouch with sweat dripping from his brow and a red ring circling his throat.
Brog didn't pursue. He reset, breathing like a bellows, his tiny eyes calculating.
Then he attacked.
Not a charge — a shuffle. Brog advanced with short, heavy steps, his guard high, elbows tight — a Soviet-era boxing stance blended with the footwork of a Pankration fighter and the head movement of peek-a-boo boxing.
Grik circled, throwing a snapping side kick to the hip derived from Taekwondo. Brog absorbed it and caught the foot with a Sambo trapping technique, his fingers digging into Grik's Achilles tendon.
Grik hopped, refused to be taken down, and launched a spinning heel kick with his free leg — a Capoeira move called meia lua de compasso. It whistled past Brog's ear, close enough to ruffle his matted hair.
Brog released the foot and answered with a brutal low kick of his own, his shin carving into Grik's inner thigh with the savage efficiency of a Dutch kickboxer.
SLAP! The sound was sickening — a wet crack of flesh meeting flesh.
Grik's leg buckled. He limped sideways, shaking it out, a deep bruise already flowering under his grey-green skin.
Brog smelled blood. He rushed forward, arms wide to corral in the style of a Sakuraba-era catch wrestler, and unleashed a thundering overhand right.
Grik ducked under it and answered with a jumping switch knee that caught Brog in the sternum — a Muay Thai technique delivered with perfect timing.
THUMP! Brog's breath left him in a grunt, his eyes widening as his diaphragm spasmed. But he wrapped his arms around Grik's planted leg, lifted, and dumped him onto the dirt with a Greco-Roman belly-to-back suplex that shook the ground.
---
Grik's Backstory
Mm is a girl. Grik is her older brother.
Grik and Mm were poor G Goblins.
One day, Mm peeked through the window of a neighboring house. She saw a family eating together — parents and children, laughing, sharing a meal. Her eyes welled with tears.
She turned to Grik, her voice small and broken.
"Kuya... They have food. They have a complete family. We have nothing. I'm so jealous, kuya. If only we weren't poor... maybe Mama and Papa wouldn't have left us."
Grik pulled her into a tight hug, tears streaming down his own face.
"Mm... It's okay. I'm still here. Don't worry. I'll work harder. I'll find a way. We'll eat delicious food too — just like them. I promise."
Mm buried her face in his chest, sobbing.
"Yay... I'll count on you, kuya."
Grik wiped his eyes and forced a smile.
"Come on. Let's buy food. Are you hungry?"
Mm nodded weakly.
"Yes, kuya... I haven't eaten in three days."
Grik's heart clenched.
Three days... If it reaches five days, she'll get sick. I won't let that happen. Even if I have to starve myself.
He took her hand.
"Let's buy food. My princess is hungry."
Mm managed a small smile.
"Yay!"
---
They approached a food stall.
Grik: "Excuse me. I'd like to buy food."
G Goblin Vendor: "Sure. What do you want?"
Grik reached into his pocket and pulled out two coins — his entire savings from cleaning dungeon waste.
"I have two coins. What can I buy with this?"
The vendor laughed.
"Kid, are you joking? Didn't you study? All the food in this dungeon costs 5 coins and up. The cheapest is 5. Leave if you don't have money."
Grik's face fell.
"But—"
The vendor crossed his arms.
"But what?"
Grik hesitated.
"Ah... nothing. Can I... buy leftovers instead? Is that allowed?"
The vendor shrugged.
"Yeah, sure. 2 coins."
Grik's eyes lit up.
Yes! Mm will finally eat! All my suffering working as a dung cleaner was worth it!
He handed over the two coins.
"Here. 2 coins. Please."
The vendor's internal thought:
Idiot. He really didn't study. 2 coins is a lot here. He could buy so much food if he knew. Hahaha. Lucky me.
He grabbed a small piece of spoiled meat and tossed it to Grik.
"Here. One spoiled meat."
Grik's eyes widened.
"Wow! It's so big! Thank you!"
He grabbed it and ran.
The vendor watched him go, then froze.
His internal thought shifted:
...Big? That's tiny. Shit. I think I made a mistake. I scammed that kid. He's probably poor. He doesn't know how the world works. And he was in such a hurry...
He shook his head.
Ah, whatever. I don't care. I have 2 coins now. I can gamble. Hahaha.
But something gnawed at him.
...Why? Why do I feel this way? Ah, shit. I did something wrong. Damn it. I'll give back 1 coin. And I'll give him proper food — worth 1 coin. Ah, shit. I messed up.
---
Grik burst through the door of their small hiding place.
"Mm! I'm back! Come out! I have food!"
Silence.
He searched frantically.
Then he saw it.
Blood.
A trail of blood leading to the corner.
His heart stopped.
He followed it.
Behind a pile of debris, he found Mm — beaten, bruised, bleeding. Three G Goblin girls stood over her, laughing.
Grik's vision went red.
"Hey! Stop that! Mm! Are you okay?!"
Mm looked up at him, her face swollen, one eye nearly shut. But she smiled.
"Kuya... I'm okay. It's nothing. Don't worry about me. Did you... buy food?"
Grik's hands shook with rage.
"Yes, Mm. I did."
---
The G Goblin Classmates
Girl 1 laughed cruelly.
"Hahaha! So dramatic! It's just a few scratches!"
Girl 2 nodded.
"Yeah, besh! Olol!"
Girl 3 stepped forward, sneering.
"What? You want to fight? If you lay a finger on me, I'll tell my daddy. He's the G Goblin Mayor."
Grik's fists clenched. His whole body trembled.
But he didn't move.
I can't fight back. I have no money. If I do anything, I'll go to jail. I can't afford that. Mm needs me.
Girl 3 smirked.
"That's what I thought. Hampas lupa."
---
The vendor from earlier had arrived — intending to return the coin and give proper food. But when he saw Grik, frozen, being bullied by the rich G Goblin girls, he stopped.
He watched from the shadows.
And his internal thought was filled with shame:
Shit... What have I done? I'm worse than a top-notch scammer.
---
Mm cried, grabbing Grik's sleeve.
"Kuya... Help me. Let's leave. Please."
Grik's voice was low, dangerous.
"What did my sister do to deserve this?"
Mm sobbed.
"Kuya... Enough. Let's go. Don't you love me?"
The rich girls laughed.
Girl 1: "Grabbing drama. Ang laswa tignan. Mga pulobi talaga."
Girl 2: "Oo nga, besh. Hampas lupa. Hahaha."
Girl 3: "You want to know why we're doing this? Because your sister is a show-off at school. Everyone likes her. Even my crush likes her. So we did this. To make her face ugly."
Girl 2: "Oo, sis! Tama ka! Hampas lupa! Hahaha!"
Girl 3: "I want to beat her more. I'm so jealous! She's so smart! She always wins quizzes! Perfect in math! Ah, shit! I want to take her brain and put it in my head!"
Girl 1: "Tama na yata, sis. Ang pangit na nilang tignan. Hampas lupa. Ang babaho."
Girl 2: "Oo nga, besh. Next time na lang. Hahaha."
Girl 3: "Be thankful my friends are nice. Next time, we'll beat you again."
Grik's voice cracked.
"Please... Don't be like this. We'll leave. We'll move somewhere else. Mm won't go to school here anymore. Just... please don't hurt her."
The girls laughed.
Grik's sister looked up at him, her voice steady despite everything.
"Kuya... Actually, I don't pay for school. I'm a scholar. So let's just leave. Please."
Girl 1 rolled her eyes.
"Tanga. She thinks her allowance pays for school. Olol."
Girl 2 nodded.
"Oo nga. And you know what, sis? Mm's allowance is 1 coin. I can't believe it. Where does she get that? Stealing? Begging?"
Girl 3 smirked.
"Maybe both. Magnanakaw x nanglilimos. Your sister steals attention too — from my crush."
Mm bit her lip, fighting back tears.
"Kuya... I'm a good girl. I didn't cry. Let's leave. Let's eat."
Grik's voice was hollow.
"Mm... Wait here. I need to talk to them."
Girl 3 sighed dramatically.
"You know what? Just leave this city. So I don't have to see your sister's face again."
Grik nodded slowly.
"We'll leave. We won't come back. Just... please don't hurt her again."
Girl 3 smiled.
"Sure. But if I ever see your sister's face again — anywhere — I'll beat her. Whether you like it or not. Hahaha. I'm not afraid of you. You're just poor. Your parents abandoned you."
Grik's internal thought burned with pain and rage.
Her words cut so deep. They insulted my work — called me a thief, a beggar. But I worked honestly. I cleaned dung. And now they bring my parents into this? If we were rich... none of this would be happening.
He turned away.
"Fine. We'll leave. We won't come back."
Mm's internal thought was simple, pure:
Yay... We'll eat now.
The rich girls laughed as they walked away.
"Hampas lupa! Hahaha! They can't even fight back! They're scared of us! Because they're poor! Mga pulobi talaga!"
---
Grik and Mm found a hiding place nearby — a small cave hidden behind thick vines. They sat down, and Grik brought out the spoiled meat.
Mm's eyes lit up.
"Yay! We're going to eat!"
Grik handed her the meat.
"Here, Mm. Eat. Look how big it is."
Mm took it, then paused.
"Kuya... Aren't you going to eat?"
Grik forced a smile.
"Ah... I already ate, Mm. I ate mine earlier. Sorry, kuya couldn't wait."
Mm studied him for a moment, then smiled.
"It's okay, kuya. I know you haven't eaten in a long time. Maybe... 12 days? I know you're hungry. You just couldn't control yourself and ate yours earlier, right? Hahaha. Am I right?"
Grik's heart shattered.
She knows. 12 days. She knows I haven't eaten. Please don't cry. Please don't cry.
But the tears came anyway.
"Y-yeah, Mm. You're right. I ate mine earlier. I was so hungry. So you eat, okay? And when you go to your new school... don't show off your talents. Don't let them get jealous."
Mm nodded firmly.
"Roger that, sir! Kuya... why are you crying? You should be happy. We both ate."
Grik wiped his eyes.
"It's nothing, Mm. Tears of joy. Hahaha."
---
Back to the G Goblin Girl
Girl 3 stormed into the Mayor's office, tears streaming down her face.
"Papa! I'm angry!"
Mayor G Goblin looked up from his paperwork, alarmed.
"Why, princess? What's wrong? Did someone hurt you? Tell Daddy — I'll take care of it."
Girl 3 pouted.
"Daddy, I'm angry because my crush likes someone else!"
Mayor G Goblin raised an eyebrow.
"Ah... I see. So, princess — what's your crush's name? And who does he like?"
Girl 3 sniffled.
"My crush's name is Qwertyrocky. And he likes Mm — a G Goblin girl my age. She's prettier than me. That's why I'm angry!"
Mayor G Goblin leaned back, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"Princess... Don't say that. No one is more beautiful than my baby."
Girl 3 blushed.
"Daddy... Flatterer."
The security guard standing nearby rolled his eyes internally.
Damn spoiled brat. So annoying. I want to slap her.
Mayor G Goblin smiled warmly.
"So, my beloved princess — what can Daddy do for you? Tell me your wish. Nothing more, nothing less."
Girl 3 pointed at the security guard.
"Daddy... My wish is... I want to beat up your security guard!"
The security guard's internal thought screamed:
OH SHIT! Here we go again! My body's going to hurt! Damn you, Princess Bayot! Spoiled brat!
Mayor G Goblin nodded solemnly.
"The princess has spoken. She wishes to beat my security guard. So... what should we do?"
The security guard hung his head.
"I will let Princess Bayot beat me."
Bayot — 3 years old, full transgender woman, already confident and fierce — pumped her tiny fist.
"Oh yeah! Let's go!"
The security guard's internal thought:
Shit...
After the beating, Bayot left, satisfied.
Mayor G Goblin waved.
"Bye bye, princess!"
Bayot grinned over her shoulder.
"Shot up, slave! Hahahaha!"
Mayor G Goblin watched her go, his internal thought conflicted.
Spoiled brat. Be thankful I promised your mother I'd never hit you. Ah... so annoying.
---
Mayor G Goblin's Curiosity
He leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled.
Qwertyrocky... and Mm. Interesting.
His eyes narrowed.
Who are these children? And why does my daughter like this Qwertyrocky?
He made a decision.
"Guards."
Two G Goblin soldiers stepped forward.
"Yes, Mayor?"
"Find me information on two individuals. Qwertyrocky and Mm. I want to know everything — where they live, who they are, and most importantly..."
He paused, a slow smile spreading across his face.
"How attractive they really are."
The guards saluted.
"Yes, Mayor!"
---
[END OF CHAPTER 7]