The room was... quiet. Too quiet.
I blinked a few times as the morning light slipped through the curtains. No shouting. No teasing. No sarcastic remarks from the bed next to mine.
I sat up and looked around. Empty.
Ciny's already gone? I swung my legs out of bed, still rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and made my way to the door.
Just as I grabbed the doorknob— WHAM!
—"Guh—!"
The door slammed into my face with the force of a charging boar. I staggered backward, nearly falling.
And there she was.
Ciny, standing in the doorway, mouth stuffed with bread, crumbs dancing off her lips as she grinned at me.
—"HEY JOHN, YOU'RE UP? THEY HAVE A FREE CAFETERIA FOR COMPETITORS!"
She glanced into the room and blinked.
—"You're still sleeping standing up?"
I glared at her from the floor, nose throbbing.
—"Good morning to you too... Thanks for waiting."
—"Should've woken up earlier!" she laughed, grabbing my arm and yanking me to my feet. "C'mon, Stallion, I'll explain how this place works on the way."
—"Can you stop calling me that...?"
—"Would you rather I call you sweetheart?"
My face flushed red.
—"W-what?!"
She burst out laughing so hard she nearly choked on her bread.
I sighed. The day had barely started and I already regretted waking up.
As we walked through the enormous halls of the arena complex, Ciny began explaining everything like a seasoned pro.
—"So, we get free rooms, free training facilities, free food... but there's a catch."
—"There's always a catch." I frowned.
—"We have to participate in at least one battle per day. Arena rules."
—"At least we're not required to kill anyone, right?"
—"Not required, no. But lose three times in a row..." She pointed down a hallway where a man in glittering diamond-tier armor was kicking a chained slave. "...you get demoted to the Losers' Bracket. Lose again there, and you're enslaved by a diamond-tier fighter."
I stopped in my tracks.
—"That's messed up!"
I instinctively took a step toward them, but Ciny grabbed my wrist firmly.
—"Don't. This isn't the underground anymore. Most of these people have real combat experience. War veterans. Assassins. If you get involved without strength, you'll end up worse than that guy."
—"...Still, it's sickening."
—"It is," she said softly. "But for now, play the game. Survive. Smile."
She flashed me a grin.
—"You're still getting free food and the company of a beautiful lady."
That did get a chuckle out of me.
The cafeteria was... disappointing.
I had imagined golden roast meats, towers of desserts, fountains of mana-charged wine.
What I got was boiled beans and rice.
—"Really? I thought you said we'd be eating like kings." I frowned at my plate.
—"Hey, we're bronze rank. The higher your rank, the better your lifestyle. Want steak and wine? Climb the ladder."
She winked, already halfway through her meal.
—"Fair enough. So what's the plan after this?"
—"We both need to do our daily fights. But we'll go at different times to avoid accidentally getting matched against each other."
—"How are the matches organized?"
—"You're always matched against someone of your rank. Unless..."
She leaned in, smirking.
—"You want to fast-track it and challenge a diamond-tier fighter."
—"God no! I barely have real experience."
—"Exactly. So we'll fight, then train the rest of the day. I'm going to make you sweat harder than last night."
She said it loudly. Too loudly.
I almost dropped my spoon.
—"Keep your voice down, will you?!"
She just laughed, all smug and innocent.
We finished eating and made our way to the arena registration booth. The scent of blood, metal, and crackling mana filled the air. Tension hung over the place like a fog.
I stepped forward to register while Ciny leaned casually against the wall behind me.
—"Alright, Stallion. I'll be right here. Go make me proud."
—"Thanks... I guess."
I turned to the attendant, trying to hide the rising heat in my cheeks.
One battle a day.
That's all it takes to stay free.
But I had a feeling... this place wouldn't make anything easy.