The naive Will

"Grandmother, do all the people here suffer from some sort of disease?" Will whispered to the old woman.

"Ah, yes. The world is in such turmoil right now, and there are also monsters roaming about. The people here have all suddenly contracted a strange illness. They cough incessantly, and vomit horrible things. Their appearance is truly terrifying," the old woman replied, her voice filled with dread.

"Then... haven't they thought of seeing a doctor?" Will continued to ask.

"See a doctor? As I mentioned before, the times are too chaotic. Most of us here fled due to the war, so we have no money for medical treatment," the old woman said quietly, leaning close to Will's ear.

"How pitiful," Will sighed.

"Ah, we've arrived. Come, young man, come to my house and have a cup of tea. Thank you for bringing me out of the forest," the old woman said as she reached her doorstep, her face breaking into a warm smile.

"Ah, yes. Thank you," Will replied, feeling a little fatigued but accepting her invitation. Together, they entered the old woman's home.

Most of the houses here were clustered together, but the old woman's house stood apart, isolated near the "wall" surrounding the village.

"Ah, young man, please have a seat. I'll go prepare some tea," the old woman said, gesturing toward a wooden chair by the table. She then walked over to the small stove to heat the water.

Will looked around as he sat in the chair. To him, this was the most dilapidated home he had ever seen. The house was incredibly simple—there were no separate rooms. A dining table, a small stove, and two beds all filled the same space, making the place feel cramped. The door was shabby, merely a worn wooden plank, and the cracks between the planks allowed anyone outside to peer inside.

"Grandmother, it seems your child hasn't returned yet. Did he say what he was going to do?" Will asked, looking at the old woman who was waiting for the water to heat.

"No, he only said he was trying to find a way to make money. He claimed he had found a good way to earn some," the old woman replied seriously.

"I just hope he doesn't get into any trouble," she added, her eyes glistening with tears as her voice faltered with sorrow.

"Ah, he will be fine," Will said, trying to comfort her, though he secretly feared the worst. It was far too late for him not to have returned.

"Ah, thank you. Here, the tea is ready. Drink slowly," the old woman said with a gentle smile as she placed a cup of hot tea in front of Will.

"Ah, thank you," Will responded politely.

Will picked up the cup, blowing on the steam rising from it, and then sipped it slowly, one small mouthful at a time. He felt a surge of happiness in his chest. This was the first time he had ventured far from his parents. Although the place he found himself in now was far from ideal, he felt an immense sense of accomplishment. He had finally broken free of his parents' shelter and was living independently. As he drank, he imagined his future life—he pictured himself conquering mighty demons, saving villages or even entire nations, and perhaps, a grateful king might offer him his daughter's hand in marriage. The more he imagined, the more he smiled, and with a final gulp, he finished the tea in one go.

"Well, I... should be going..." Will said, standing up and preparing to leave. But suddenly, he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him, his body grew weak, and his vision blurred. He swayed for a moment before collapsing to the ground.

At that moment, four people burst through the door, their expressions fierce, each carrying a weapon. They wore black clothing.

"Is this him?" one of the taller men asked, looking at the old woman. She nodded fearfully.

"He seems fine, and his body is strong," the tall man said as he approached Will's unconscious form. He kicked Will lightly to confirm he was out cold.

"Alright, let's go," the tall man instructed the others. The three men quickly bent down, lifted Will, and began carrying him out.

"Wait! What about my son? You promised that if I found someone to replace my child, you would let him go!" The old woman rushed to the tall man's side, grabbing his arm and pleading.

"Enough of that! Don't talk so much!" The man flung his arm, tossing the old woman to the ground.

"Let's go!" he ordered, and with that, he and the others quickly left the house with the unconscious Will, leaving the old woman alone, crying in agony.

The next morning.

"Kill them! Kill them! Kill them..." The air was filled with loud, chaotic shouting. Will slowly began to stir, the noise disturbing his sleep.

"Where... where am I?" Will sat up, his vision still blurry from just waking.

"Ah, you're finally awake," a voice said. Will turned to see a young woman about his age. She had striking crimson hair and wore a set of brown leather clothing that gave her a rugged appearance. She was sitting in a chair nearby, her legs propped up on the table as she read a book.

"Who are you? Where is this place?" Will asked, confused and looking around.

"This place? Ah, it seems you were also brought here," the woman said, lowering her legs from the table and walking over to Will. She gently placed her hand on his cheek.

"Ah?!" Will gasped, startled by her sudden touch. Before he could react, she moved her hand from his cheek to his chin and suddenly yanked his head back sharply.

"Ahh!" Will cried out in pain.

"Take a look for yourself," the woman said coldly.

Will, still disoriented, looked up. The dimly lit room made it hard to see clearly, but eventually, he saw what was hanging from the ceiling. Dozens of skulls were suspended by ropes, their hollow eyes staring down at him. It was a gruesome and unsettling sight.

"Ah! Ahhh!" Will screamed in terror, unable to comprehend the horror before him. He had never seen anything like this in his life.

"Who's making all that noise? Can't anyone sleep in peace?" A grumpy voice called from across the room. Will turned to see an older man with graying hair and beard, rubbing his eyes as he slowly stood from a chair. He appeared to be a hunter, dressed in fur and animal skins.

"Ah, so our new recruit has woken up," the hunter said, eyeing Will with a mix of curiosity and indifference.

"New... recruit?" Will's face twisted in confusion.

"Yes," the hunter said, walking closer.

"Where... exactly is this place?" Will asked, his eyes wide with fear as he glanced between the hunter and the red-haired woman.

"This place? This is the Bonecrush Arena," the hunter replied.

Just then, the sound of frantic shouts echoed from outside the room. "Kill them!"