Even though Aka had recovered from the brutal fight the previous day and got up healed, he didn't fight anymore or train in the arena. He simply went back to his room, but he was alone there too — 29 wasn't with him this time. Aka wasn't tired or injured physically anymore, but his mind was still exhausted from the pain of the fight, so he just went to bed and lay down.
When he woke up, he saw 29 beside him. Without disturbing her, he quietly got out of bed and went to the training grounds to work out. When he first entered the hall there were only a few people, but by the time he finished his training the crowd had gathered again, and Aka joined them.
In a way he never expected, almost everyone was congratulating him for yesterday's fight. They hadn't seen such a fierce battle in a long time, and that fight had excited everyone.
Aka faced the winner of the previous match in the arena and finished him quickly with a simple kick to the head. Once he was left alone on the field, he geared up and waited for his opponent. Number 32 stepped forward, but he had no equipment; he simply entered the arena, congratulated Aka for yesterday's fight, and left.
While Aka was waiting for another opponent, one of the strongest in the group appeared before him — Number 44. Aka recognized him immediately, because he had once been defeated by 44 before.
Number 44 looked physically perfect. If they could see his stats, it wouldn't be surprising if all of them were at least ten. Like Aka, he used gloves, but unlike Aka's, his gloves weren't spiked — they were flat, metallic, and clearly very heavy.
Aka wasn't going to drop his guard against 44, so he didn't make the first move and waited for him to advance. Before getting closer, 44 also congratulated him for yesterday's fight, and then he stepped in to engage Aka.
Aka didn't retreat, but he didn't rush forward either. When 44 finally closed the distance, he threw a punch, but stopped it halfway and instead swept Aka's leg. Aka could have avoided the punch, but he hadn't expected the sweep and crashed hard to the ground.
44 began slamming punches down onto Aka, but Aka blocked and guarded himself. Since 44's gloves weren't spiked, Aka only took blunt damage, which he could endure. At one point, 44 leaned forward a bit too much, and Aka used the chance to push him with his leg, making 44 fall toward him while Aka pressed the spikes of his glove right into his stomach.
44 had never seen a move like that before, except for when Aka had done something similar to 29. He wasn't used to such a tactic and had never expected it. The spikes of Aka's glove slipped through the gap in his light armor and pierced into his abdomen. Aka quickly threw him off to the side, and when 44 tried to get up and escape, Aka used his signature move — driving the spikes into both knees — and knocked him down again. This time, Aka mounted him and punched him mercilessly. 44 was experienced and his gloves were thick, so he blocked many of the blows, but when Aka noticed this, he suddenly got off him. Before 44 could fully stand up, he only managed to dodge sideways, and Aka shoved him hard onto his back and began kicking the same wounded spot on his stomach.
44 punched Aka's legs whenever he had the chance, but Aka didn't falter and kept kicking every weak point he could find. Eventually 44 fainted from pain or blood loss, but Aka kept kicking him a while longer just to be sure. Then the group carried 44 out of the arena, and the Healer immediately began treating him.
By now, Aka clearly looked like one of the strongest members of the group, and his fighting style was savage at its peak.
When Aka was alone in the arena again, he began checking himself. His legs had taken a lot of damage, but aside from that his body wasn't too bad. While he was inspecting his injuries, his next opponent appeared.
It was 29, the one who slept beside him every night. Aka didn't want this and asked her to leave, but when she refused, he tried to leave himself. The crowd shoved him back and insulted him, forcing him to stay in the arena. Aka was strong on his own, yes, but not strong enough to defeat dozens of people or command them.
He accepted his fate and faced 29. The only thing he could do was either knock her out as painlessly as possible or let her knock him out as quickly as possible. He chose the second, walked up to her, and threw weak, slow punches.
When 29 realized what he was doing, she exploded with rage and began shouting at him."WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU WORTHLESS FOOL?""I'm sorry. I can't make you suffer like that, 29," Aka said."DO YOU THINK I'M NOT WORTH FIGHTING? WHO ARE YOU? YOU ONLY JUST GOT HERE, 47, AND YOU'RE AFRAID OF HURTING ME? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?""I'm sorry, 29. I really can't do this to you.""If you don't fight seriously, I'll kill you, Aka.""I really can't. I'm sorry, 29. I just can't."
The Healer came from behind and told Aka that his test this week was to fight 29. But that didn't change his mind. He had never failed before, but even one failure felt more acceptable than harming 29.
By now 29 was trembling with fury, and she told him that if he didn't fight, he would become a stranger to her. Insults rained down on Aka from all around the group. Only minutes ago they respected him, but now, just because he didn't want to hurt someone, they had turned their backs on him.
Aka still couldn't understand why everyone was taking this so seriously. Then 29 calmed herself and spoke to him seriously. "Aka, maybe you don't realize it, but no one has fought the way you do in a long time. We all want to grow stronger no matter what. Didn't you want that too? Then why won't you try to understand us?"
Finally, Aka understood. People had never truly respected him — what they respected was that he always did everything he could. Now they were insulting him because he wasn't giving his all and was even insulting his opponent by holding back.
Realizing this, Aka apologized to 29 with a regretful expression and raised his guard. 29 didn't hesitate. She lunged straight at him, fainted a punch, and with the dagger in her hand slashed deeply across his legs. Aka dropped to his knees, and she immediately followed up with a full-force kick to his head. While he lay on the ground, she used his own signature move — stabbing her dagger into both of his knees, one after the other — and then stepped back with the weapon still in her hand.
Aka had never expected a single mistake to cost him so much damage. But what shocked him even more was how strong 29 truly was when she got serious. He barely managed to stand up, and when he looked into her eyes, she stared back like a rabid dog.
Aka was finally completely serious, but he wasn't sure if that would change anything while she stood in front of him. He was using all his strength just to remain standing, yet 29 showed him no mercy.
She rushed in again. Just as she reached him, she switched the dagger from her right hand to her left, punched with her free hand, and in the same motion stabbed him through a gap in his armor just above his stomach. Then she withdrew again.
Aka couldn't make sense of the situation anymore, because 29 was unlike anyone he had ever faced. She might have been stronger than all of them combined, and she wasn't in her normal state — she was furious and deadly serious.
So Aka decided the only way to redeem himself was to give everything he had and gamble it all again. He collapsed to his knees as if he couldn't stand any longer and watched 29 charge toward him. But when she lifted one leg to kick, he suddenly lunged at her grounded leg, dodging the kick and pulling her down. While he had the chance, he slammed two or three punches with his spiked gloves into her abdomen, but he had grown very weak and the blows weren't very effective. 29 still took damage, but she was in much better shape and her clear mind allowed her to react instantly.
She twisted her body, found her angle, and threw her dagger into the unarmored area a few centimeters above Aka's heart. The pain overwhelmed him and he truly blacked out. But 29 didn't stop. After pulling the dagger free, she continued punching Aka while he lay unconscious. When she finished, the others dumped his body roughly aside with displeased faces, and the Healer restored him.
29 stayed in the arena and waited for her next opponent. Number 19, a heavily armored and very muscular fighter, stepped forward. Even though 29 was badly wounded, she could no longer see her injuries. All she wanted was someone to unleash her anger upon.
If you've read or taken a look, thank you so much. If you have any thoughts — good or bad — please leave a comment. I'll probably see and reply right away. Thanks again, and I wish you a great day.