Victor and the Vanquished

Viktor stood up as quickly as possible, but the moment he was on his feet, he stumbled slightly.

"My balance….... I have to avoid his hits."

He was about to step on a fruit but managed to sidestep just in time.

Zelen closed in with perfect balance—a right hook, then a left. Viktor swayed back, dodging both punches by a hair's breadth. Zelen suddenly spun and launched a kick at Viktor's chest. Viktor quickly raised both palms, deflecting the kick upward toward the sky.

The impact made him stumble. He nearly stepped on another fruit but used his foot to push himself forward, closing the distance between them and entering Zelen's blind spot.

Zelen retaliated fast—a knee strike to the gut, a palm thrust to the chin, and a roundhouse kick aimed at his neck.

"Shit." Sebastian squeezed his eyes shut, unable to watch the beating.

"No....… I still think he can pull this off," Nitin murmured.

Sebastian hesitated before opening his eyes again. His forehead dripped with sweat as he watched Viktor deflect the roundhouse kick with his hands.

"In terms of raw strength and skill, Viktor doesn't stand a chance," Ethan muttered, biting his nails.

"You're right, but I.....…" Nitin paced restlessly, his skin crawling with nervous energy.

Viktor dropped to his knees, steadying himself in a clear spot where no fruits lay scattered. Zelen smirked, seizing the opportunity to end it.

"That's it. This will finish you for good." He rushed in, aiming a brutal punch at Viktor's trembling right thigh.

But Viktor smiled.

Lowering his stance slightly, he wrapped his arms around Zelen's neck in a tight guillotine choke.

"You bastard....… You really fell for it." Viktor tightened his grip, sprawling back to secure the hold. "Let's see how you beg with that foul tongue of yours."

"Let go, you son of a bitch!" Zelen clawed at the ground, his nails digging into the soil, dirt collecting beneath them. The redness in his face deepened, turning blotchy.

"No….... I don't want to....." Zelen gasped, his legs thrashing as he panted for air.

"Come on, don't act like that. Beg like a puppy." Viktor's voice was laced with exhaustion and fury. "If they let me kill you, I'd strangle you with my own hands."

Ethan, Sebastian, and Nitin could barely stay still. The crowd roared in excitement—some urging Viktor to hold on, others begging Zelen not to give up.

The referee, unfazed by the struggle, watched with delighted fascination.

"Hahaha…... I don't….... I don't....…!" Zelen's voice cracked as his palm weakly tapped the ground. Tears rolled down his face, dampening the grass beneath him.

"Yes! The winner has been decided!" the referee declared, stepping into the ring.

Sebastian let out a victorious scream, grabbing both Nitin and Ethan into a crushing hug.

"You idiot! I can't breathe!" Nitin gasped, tapping furiously at Sebastian's elbow.

Viktor collapsed onto the grass, taking deep, shuddering breaths. "Finally....… Haaa…... Haaa… You see, Mr. Mogambo? I won...… You're watching, right?"

Nitin, Sebastian, and Ethan rushed into the ring, helping Tomasz, Matteo, and Viktor to their feet. Together, they carried them away from the ring and through the roaring crowd.

"Look at those bastards. Even after using cheap tricks, they could barely win," someone scoffed.

"All they know is how to run their mouths," another laughed.

"Hey, don't blame them. What else do you expect? Dogs only know how to bark." A man spat on the ground near Zelen.

Zelen slowly lifted his head, his gaze venomous like a snake's. The three men taunting him stiffened, their breath catching in their throats as his presence sent a chill down their spines.

Then, two legs approached him. Zelen's glare softened as he looked up.

"I'm not going to say anything….... but if you ever want to read something, try this." Shin placed a book in front of him and walked away.

The cover depicted a standing humanoid lizard beneath a bright, glowing moon.

From behind a tree, Miles watched, smiling to himself.

Present:

"So, you're saying we've been chosen for a mission?" Livio clenched his fists.

"That's right. The whole squad. You're the only supporting member—no healer again. We'll be led by a higher-up," Nitin said, rubbing his temples as he sat on his bed.

"Fine, I'll go with you guys. Ethan and Oliver aren't coming?" Livio sat beside him.

"They have a different mission. Nothing we can do about it." Nitin sighed. "We don't even know what our task is yet, but we have to leave the kingdom early the morning after tomorrow. We've already asked Eero's bakery to pack some food for us ahead of time."

"Alright, fine by me." Livio got up and left for his room.

Outside the army palace, Luka was still chasing Tomasz and Viktor. The two sprinted toward a waterfall where a group of soldiers sat drinking beer, enjoying the cool night air.

Nearby, Shin crouched, secretly gathering small explosive fruits the size of nuts. He glanced around, clearly looking for someone.

Miles and Williams were among the drinking soldiers when Tomasz and Viktor dashed past. As Viktor ran, he accidentally kicked over Shin's bucket of fruits.

"Sorry, I didn't see it," Viktor said, crouching to help gather them.

Shin's face turned pale. "Please…... don't tell anyone. I'll give you guys half of them."

"It's fine, we won't say anything," Tomasz assured him, picking up some fruits. "Why are you collecting so many of these anyway?"

Shin hesitated before muttering, "For a prank. The small ones aren't that strong."

"Please don't tell anyone. Here, you can have some." Shin handed them ten fruits each.

Hearing Luka's enraged screams getting closer, Tomasz and Viktor exchanged glances, scooped up the fruits, and took off running again.

"You bastards! Face me like men!" Luka bellowed, panting as he closed the distance.

"Here, taste this!" Viktor spun mid-run and hurled a fruit at Luka's foot.

Blinded by anger, Luka didn't see it coming. The fruit exploded on impact, sending him stumbling forward. He tumbled hard, momentum carrying him across the ground.

At a distance, Zelen was still practicing. Each punch he threw was ruthless, sweat flying off his body.

Nearby, Nitwit sat under a floating lamp , reading the book given to Zelen by Shin. But the sudden explosion snapped them both out of their focus.

The sound was too familiar...Zelen's crushing defeat replayed in his mind. The noise drew him in like a moth to a flame.

Meanwhile, above the waterfall, deep inside the king's palace…....

"What?! That bastard… he went into the Dungeon of Sacrifice alone?" Valens slammed his fist against his chair.

"Yes, my lord," Gregor answered, kneeling before him.

"Track him down!" Valens stood abruptly, his fury barely contained.

Gregor pulled out a book-shaped leaf, pressing his fingers against it. A screen projected from the leaf, displaying a list of names. He quickly typed something into the search bar.

"My king….... he's not answering." Sweat formed on Gregor's brow.

Valens exhaled sharply, gripping the armrest of his chair. "Find that bastard. Now."

Gregor's fingers trembled as he continued searching.

"How dare he....…" Valens muttered, breathing heavily. "He went into the forbidden dungeon without my permission."

His grip tightened.

This would not go unpunished.