The Arena (Part 7)

There was little doubt as to what happened. The same power of will that let him stand up time after time ended up backfiring as by managing to keep holding onto a weapon, the unfortunate debtor ended up accidentally impaling himself with that very weapon.

"DEAD!"

"...wh-what…?"

The announcer called out, causing the entire arena to go silent - with the only exception being the gentleman with a cane, who perked up and gasped in disbelief.

"W-wait… if… if the hero won… and the debtor's dead… it means… it means…!"

The man continued muttering louder and louder,r and when the cleaning crew passed the stunned hero to clean up the arena…

"I won? I won! I WON!"

The gentleman with a cane gasped, then cried out, to finally roar, jumping from joy with such gust that his toupee partially detached from his bald head and flopped wildly to the rhythm.

"I WON! AHAHAHAH… ha…?"

"...!"

The man rushed out of his seat and approached the helpful croupier as if he wanted to hug her, but the joyful laughter got stuck in his throat as she pulled away, protectively holding the record book close.

"...I… I need to use the bathroom…"

The formerly joyful man with his face now slightly green held one hand to his stomach and declared in a surprisingly feeble voice, limping down the stands and going towards the designated spot as fast as his legs and cane were allowing him to.

"As for the next fight…!"

Breaking the awkward silence, the announcer raised his voice and began reading out the odds for the next match.

Meanwhile, the man with the cane took out the last bit of his money, the very last small copper coin, and paid it to the guard by the bathroom.

Well, although it was more like an indoor shack, it still could fulfill its purpose.

While it obviously lacked the quality it sure was better than leaving the building and willingly giving up the winning as the rules clearly stated.

The bathroom shack did had a couple of stalls but the man with cane wasn't particularly picky and simply stormed the first one.

He opened the door, tossing the cane to the side and unbuckling his belt on the go when…

*crack*

*ZAP*

"!!!"

A hooded individual already inside crushed a yellow marble that unleashed a paralysis spell that robbed the man of any and all motor functions, turning all of his muscles into basically stone.

The attacker then moved out of the way and grabbed his falling victim, using the momentum to turn him around and seat him, although awkwardly, on the toilet.

"The only reason to sell a paralysis protection charm is to buy one that is a bound item."

The hooded individual declared while moving out of the stall and grabbing the abandoned cane with a rather particular handle.

"..."

For a moment the hooded individual froze up, carefully examining the cane and pressing on the levers and even a hidden button…

"...pffft…! Had me worried there for a second!"

But upon confirming that they were all duds, or rather, purely an odd aesthetic choice, the individual snorted and wagged the cane at its paralyzed owner.

*WHACK*

"!!!"

…the peaceful display didn't last, though, and soon enough, the cane was whistling through the air as the barrage of attacks befell the paralyzed man who couldn't even wheeze properly to display his pain.

His muscles might have been tense as rocks, but that didn't turn them immune to injuries, after all.

"I believe you already figured out that I'm here on behalf of your younger brother."

"...!"

After a couple of minutes of senseless violence, the hooded man lowered the cane and instead leaned in, getting in his victim's blurry line of sigh, and declared with a joyful smile.

"You not only stole but even pawned off your family heirloom… which, understandably, wasn't very well received by the rightful heir and the new head of the family."

"..."

The hooded individual explained patiently, continuing to smile as if in an attempt to reassure the paralyzed man, only that the effect of that facial expression on him was exactly the opposite.

"The plan was to kill you after you lost everything betting in the arena… but surprise, surprise!"

"...!?"

The hooded individual leaned back, spreading his arms as far as the stall allowed him and exclaimed in awestruck voice, causing his victim's eyes to tremble only to widen in confusion.

"Your luck seems to turn around! I was specifically told that if you would somehow still have the heirloom on you, I should only teach you a lesson and send you back. You see, your younger brother might dislike you, but he would only truly hate you if you actually forsake the heirloom your father and all the forefathers treasured so much. Your younger brother is willing to give you one last chance."

"...!"

The eyes of the paralyzed man widened even more as he seemed to realize where the hooded individual was going with the exposition.

"You see, I am not someone keen on killing. Let's say that… After the event is over, you will go right back to the pawnshop and buy back the heirloom. You'll pay me… let's say one small gold coin, and I will swear to my employer that you never sold that precious heirloom of yours and stole it merely because you wanted to keep it to remind you of the honor or whatever…"

"..."

The hooded man leaned to the side, supporting himself on the bloodied cane while greening wildly, while the paralyzed man remained incapable of responding in any meaningful way.