Battle royal: The five champions

The arena fell into a profound silence, a tension so thick you could almost touch it. Suddenly, a deafening roar of cheers erupted from the audience, mingling with the fierce cries of the fighters—no, the gladiators.

One by one, the gladiators sprinted to the sides of the arena, grabbing whatever weapons they could find. It wasn't about preference or choice anymore; it was about survival. The strongest among them seized the best weapons, while the less fortunate were left empty-handed.

Despite the frenzy, there weren't enough weapons for everyone. A significant number of them, including Dan and Naya, were left barehanded.

The slaughter began with a chilling cry. The air filled with the echoes of agony as bodies fell lifelessly to the ground, painting it a gruesome red. The unarmed were easy targets, their vulnerability a beacon for death.

"We need a weapon," Naya said, her voice trembling as she stood behind Dan.

"Mmh… I don't need any," Dan replied, clenching his fists. "My hands are enough."

With that, Dan dashed forward, aiming for a man swinging a knife with deadly precision. The man noticed Dan's approach and prepared to strike. As he swung, Dan leaped, dodging the blade and delivering a powerful kick to the man's face, breaking his nose.

"Here, pick it up and defend yourself," Dan said, kicking the knife toward Naya. She rushed to grab it.

"What about you? Where is your weapon?" Naya asked, concern evident in her eyes.

"Like I said, I don't need one," Dan flashed a confident smile before charging toward his next opponent.

A blush spread across Naya's cheeks, quickly fading as she heard a grating voice behind her.

"Hey there, little miss. Why don't you give me your knife and step aside for a second?" An old man with a lecherous grin approached her.

"Don't come near me, or I'll kill you!" Naya shouted, though her shaking hands betrayed her bravado.

"Give me that knife, you spoiled brat!" The man's patience snapped, and he lunged to take it by force.

Just as he was about to grab her, a blade sliced through him with blinding speed, cutting him in two. A young handsome man, likely in his early twenties, stood behind the fallen man, his expression calm and serene.

"This is no place for a kid. What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm not a kid!" Naya fumed.

"Is that so? Well, then take care of yourself," he said, before continuing his deadly path through the arena.

Naya stood there, stunned, her mouth agape. "He didn't care at all," she thought. Her reverie was shattered by an angry roar. A huge man with a war axe was charging at her, ready to strike.

Terrified, Naya screamed and ducked. She was no fighter; even as a bandit, she was always the decoy.

Suddenly, another man was sent flying by Dan's punch, crashing into the giant just in time to save Naya.

"Hey, you know I gave you that knife for a reason?" Dan said rhetorically, letting out a sigh as he looked at Naya's pitiful state. He walked over and offered his hand. She hesitated before taking it.

"Stay beside me no matter what. Even though you betrayed me once, you're the only one I can trust right now," Dan said, his focus returning to the fight.

Minutes later, the numbers had dwindled significantly. Corpses piled up everywhere, and the ground was slick with blood. It was a gruesome sight. Only six fighters remained, one more to fall before the match concluded. Exhausted, they all wished for the ordeal to end. Dan, despite his relentless fighting, looked ready to collapse.

"Wait here…I will finish this," Dan said to Naya, who was worried but understood that as long as Dan fought, she had a chance to survive.

Dan locked eyes with the handsome man wielding a long sword. The man noticed Dan's approach and prepared for combat. Just as they were about to clash, a voice rang out.

"Halt!"

"The match is concluded," the man announced, pointing to a scary looking man who had driven his blade into another's heart.

"Rejoice and stand proud, for you all are the five champions of this battle!" The crowd erupted in wild cheers.

"It's…it's finally over," Dan huffed before collapsing onto the blood-soaked ground.