45. Arena

"Go for it, big guy!"

"Yeah, kill him!"

"Come on, what're you doing? Move your asses already!"

"How boring! That beggar's definitely gonna die."

"Hahaha, who knows maybe there'll be something fun to watch today."

.

.

.

There was loud commotion to be heard from the crowd sitting in the huge circular arrangement surrounding the magnificent field below. The oppressive crowd cheered with a deafening roar, adding to the tense atmosphere of the battlefield.

Looking around, the entire structure seemed like an ancient piece, made of raw limestone and basic lime and ash concrete. Majestic pillars stood at the edge of the field, surrounding it from all sides.

The intricate metal carvings on the walls and pillars formed a huge contrast with the raw, primitive vibe of the whole structure. It was an odd but dazzling sight.

Sid stood in the middle of the arena, observing the crowd with a stern gaze. 'Damn, why are they all cheering for that guy? Why's no one on my side? Do they really think I'm chopped liver or something?'

[It's most likely because of that. Look at that screen...]

'Huh? What screen... ugh, no wonder everyone's cheering for him.' Sid cursed in his heart, as his gaze swept over a digital board displaying some basic information about the competitors.

Sid: lvl 8 (physical awakened)

Rambo: lvl 8 (physical awakened)

Looking at the information displayed on the board, Sid's eyes involuntarily glanced over at the so-called Rambo, his opponent in the arena.

He was a tall, burly guy with a slightly darker complexion than Sid. It was clear just from looking at his bare upper body that he was someone who worked out like he meant it.

On the other hand, Sid glanced down at his miserable self. The tattered single piece of clothing—well, calling it a rag was much more appropriate. Not to mention his slightly thin build, which didn't match the image of a physical-type awakened at all. 'Hmph, it's just the body. Who cares anyway? It's not like I'm especially thin or anything, I'm just comparatively less well-built. That's all... yeah, that's all!'

[I wonder... why does that sound like a cheap excuse to hide your humiliation?]

'Shut up!'

'In any case, the battle has already started, and he's only punched me once so far. Why isn't this guy moving?'

[Sizing up the enemy, maybe? Don't you want to know as much as you can about your enemy before attacking?]

'Of course not! Who the hell cares about that anyway? If the opponent's weaker, I'll win even if I don't know what he can do, and if they're stronger, I can't beat them even if I know what they're capable of. It's useless to know about your enemy.'

[...]

[Sigh, and here I thought you would definitely be interested in the new function I gained.]

'Ahem... what's the matter? Why do you sound so grumpy? Of course, I'm interested in knowing what the new ability is...'

[Hmph, it's just the useless analysis ability that can give you information about your opponent, but it's useless for you anyway... sigh, guess I should just exchange it for something else.]

'Cough, cough... come on, you know me. I'd never say something like that. It's definitely a precious ability to know about the opponent you're going to face. After all, if you know the opponent's ability and can't beat them, there's always the hope to escape. Not to mention, even if the opponent is weak, knowing their abilities will only make it easier to crush them.'

'Hehehe, it's precious... your ability is definitely precious, don't exchange it for anything else, alright?'

[Well, since you're asking so sincerely, I guess I can let you off the hook this time...]

'So, now can I get the information on that guy?'

[Hmm?]

*Grit, grit...* 'Pl...ease...'

[Sure, sure! Here you go...]

[Name: Rambo (lvl 8)

HP: (200/200)

MP: (50/50)

STR: 23 (+5)

STA: 18 (+2)

DEF: 16 (+3)

AGI: 13

INT: 10

● Talent: None

● Skills:

1. Physical Enhancement (C)

2. Impact Fist (C)

3. Acceleration (D)

4. Minor Recovery (D)

● Resistances:

1. Physical (C)

2. Pain (D)

● Equipment:

1. Reinforced Knuckles (STR+5)

2. Black Belt (STA+2, DEF+3)

● Title: Black Belt Rambo]

Sid looked at the information with a silly expression, making the opponent as well as the audience somewhat confused.

'Is this it? Isn't he a bit too weak for lvl 8?'

[Nope, you're just too strong for your level. This is a normal lvl 8 warrior.]

"Don't get distracted during our battle. Do you take me as nothing? Ahhhhh..." Rambo shouted at the top of his lungs, flaring up at Sid's lack of attention to the battle, taking it as disrespect toward him as an opponent.

Well, he wasn't completely wrong. After looking at the information, Sid really didn't take him seriously. But how can one so easily accept being looked down upon? In his rage, Rambo pushed off the ground, flying out in a straight line, closing in on Sid with his punch at the ready.

With a swoosh, his fist passed through the air, appearing before Sid's face. The punch landed square on his face, sending him flying back in a spiral.

"Yeah! Now go for the kill, big guy!"

"Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!"

"Finish that beggar off!"

Sid touched his slightly swollen cheeks, after fixing his dislocated jaw. Although his wounds could have already healed, he suppressed his healing to a bare minimum, causing them to look much more severe than they actually were. After all, showing all your cards in your first battle was not a smart choice.

'Dammit! To think I was this careless!' Sid glared at Rambo unkindly. Just now, he was caught off guard by the sudden outburst of the opponent, resulting in the hit to the face. Even though the mistake was his own, he still had to find an outlet for his bursting anger. Naturally, he didn't take kindly to the unfriendly gesture of the opponent.

"F*ck you!" Sid grumbled slightly, getting up from the ground, as his gaze scanned across the entire arena. 'Those f*ckers cheering for this loser. I wonder how they'll feel after I kill him.'

"What was that, kid? I'll kill you..." Rambo too was quite angry with Sid's actions. Naturally, no one was on good terms. He launched out once again, closing in on Sid at extreme speed, once again arousing the enthusiasm of the crowd.

"Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill...." The cheers rang out like crazy, making the hype climb to the top in an instant. Everyone looked at the arena with bated breath, waiting for the results. Though most people had already guessed that Sid would lose miserably, after all, he hadn't even attacked once during the entire match.

Amidst the chaos, the fist approached Sid's face once again, as the vicious knuckles threatened to smash through his eyes this time.

*Swoosh...* With the sound of air being torn apart, the punch passed through thin air, as Sid tilted his head with brutal precision, dodging at the last moment. "It's my move now!" Sid whispered in a low voice, sending a shiver down Rambo's spine, making him gulp nervously.

Sid's body moved with unprecedented speed. He grabbed Rambo's neck with one hand while supporting the other on his shoulder. Both of Sid's legs left the ground as his body twisted with unexpected flexibility. His legs wrapped around Rambo's neck, locking it between them. With a swift motion, Sid recoiled his body back to its original position.

*Crack, crack...*

A sickening sound of twisting bones breaking filled the air. The entire sequence unfolded in an instant, leaving the audience frozen in shock and horror. Rambo's body crumpled to the ground with a dull thud, his neck twisted at an extreme angle, motionless.

The shocked murmurs rang out through the audience, no one willing to believe what they just saw.

"Dammit! What the hell happened?"

"It was so fast, I couldn't see at all."

"Who the hell is this kid? So strong!"

"F*ck! My bet money."

"Ahhh, I suffered a great loss today."

The judge too was left shocked. Then regaining his composure, he ran over to the battlefield, checking Rambo's body. Finally, he heaved a sigh of relief, "There's still slight life fluctuations left in him. The opponent is not dead but is unable to continue fighting. Winner, Sid!"

"Ohhhh! F*cking awsome!"

"So cool, kid. I'll follow your matches from now on."

"Awesome! Is this the birth of a new monster rookie?"

"Tomorrow, I'll bet on this guy for sure!"

With the winner announced, the audience buzzed in excitement once again, not caring about the dying Rambo anymore. Sid could only look at all this helplessly and curse in his heart, 'Damn these people! Life's like nothing but entertainment to them. If not for many people betting on Rambo instead of me, the commotion would've been much greater. Sigh... is this the life of the rich?'