Chapter 15: Underground Fights and Royal Hints
The bass thrummed, shaking the very foundations of the dilapidated warehouse. The air was thick with the smell of sweat, blood, and something distinctly animalistic. Adam grimaced. "You know, Ciri, I always thought underground fight clubs were just for, like, sadomasochists and people who really liked breaking bones. Turns out, it's Wesen. Fighting each other. For sport. Because, of course, it is. Humanity always finds a way to commercialize violence, even among monsters."
[ Wesen Subculture Detected: Underground Combat Tournament. Threat Level: Moderate. ]
[ New Wesen Types Discovered: [Various Wesen]. Information added to Library. ]
They were tracking a murder investigation that led Nick and Hank to this underground Wesen fight club. Creatures of all shapes and sizes, woged into their monstrous forms, were tearing each other apart for the entertainment of a bloodthirsty crowd.
"Honestly, this is just pathetic," Ciri scoffed, her eyes narrowed in disgust. "They call this fighting? It's a brawl. No honor, no skill. Just brute force. It is a waste of energy."
"Agreed," Adam said, though a mischievous glint entered his eye. "But it's also a prime opportunity for some XP. And a chance to see some new Wesen types. It's like a Wesen bingo card, but with more blood and less prizes. Unless the prize is survival. Then, I guess, that's a pretty good prize." He paused, then muttered, "Too bad I don't have System coins to place bets. Missed opportunity."
Their investigation, a grim trail of missing persons and whispers in the criminal underworld, led them to this hidden arena. Nick and Hank were already on the scene, looking bewildered by the sheer brutality of the fights. Renard, too, was there, observing from the shadows, his presence hinting at a deeper, more sinister involvement.
"Alright, Ciri," Adam whispered, "here's the plan. We shut this down. No more fights. No more senseless violence. And then, acid. Lots of acid. For anyone who resists. Because, frankly, this is just depressing."
They moved into the fray, a blur of motion. Adam, using his Witcher durability, shrugged off a blow from an enraged Blutbad that would have sent a normal human flying. He then popped a Thunderbolt potion. His eyes, for a terrifying moment, turned completely black, reflecting the dim arena lights like twin pools of obsidian. He moved with enhanced speed and strength, delivering brutal, non-lethal strikes that incapacitated the Wesen fighters.
A powerful Wesen, a particularly aggressive Klaustreich (cat-like Wesen), lunged at Adam, its claws extended. It was used to dominating, to tearing its opponents apart. But as its eyes met Adam's, a primal, instinctive fear flared in its chest. This was not a Grimm. This was something else. Something ancient and terrifying. Something that looked like a human, but whose eyes were the void itself. The primal fear was overwhelming. It whimpered, its woge flickering, and it stumbled back, paralyzed by terror.
Ciri, meanwhile, was a force of nature, her silver sword a blur, disarming and subduing the more aggressive Wesen with lethal precision. She moved with a grim determination, her disdain for their actions evident in every fluid movement.
"Well, that was… efficient," Adam panted, his eyes flickering back to normal. "Nothing like a good old-fashioned fight club to get the blood pumping. And speaking of blood, let's make sure there's none left after we're done." He then produced the Acid of Dissolution. "Alright, clean-up crew. Let's make these guys disappear. Poof! No evidence, no fuss. Just like magic."
[ Kill Count: 5 Wesen. Level Up! Current Level: 5. Kills to Level 6: 32. ]
"Boom! Level 5!" Adam exclaimed, pumping his fist. "This is like a season finale, but with more dissolving. And speaking of dissolving, you know, this whole 'underground fight club' thing? It's fascinating. People will do anything for entertainment. Even watch monsters beat each other up. It's like reality TV, but with actual consequences. And frankly, it's a lot less messy than actual combat. Though, I do enjoy the occasional brawl."
Ciri, who was already meticulously wiping her sword clean, looked at him, a faint, almost imperceptible shake of her head. "You are… strangely amused by such things."
"It's my brand, Ciri. Embrace the chaos. And the economics. Now, let's go check on those kids. And then, maybe a celebratory pizza. Or, you know, a very large, very strong drink."
Nick, meanwhile, was horrified by the discovery of the fight club. He'd seen a lot in his career, but this was a new level of depravity. He was grateful for the mysterious intervention that had saved the innocent, but he was also deeply unnerved by the brutality and efficiency of the vigilantes. They were effective, yes, but their methods were… extreme. He still had no idea who they were, but he knew one thing: they were a force to be reckoned with. For better or worse. And he had a feeling his world was about to get a whole lot more complicated.
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