Next Day.
The underground arena was hidden beneath the east docks, behind a boarded-up warehouse that smelled like old fish and damp wood. The guards at the door looked me up and down, then at the bronze token Lira had given me.
They stepped aside.
"First timer," one muttered. "Better hope you leave in one piece."
The stairs creaked as I descended, the sound of voices and clinking cups growing louder. Then came the roar a deep, vibrating cheer that rattled the walls.
The arena was a sunken pit ringed by stone benches, lit by smoky lanterns. Men and women leaned over the railings, betting slips in hand, cups of wine sloshing as they shouted.
And at the far side, seated in a small balcony, was Lira.
Her silver hair glowed in the lantern light, and beside her sat two other sect disciples. She didn't look at me directly, but I felt her eyes anyway.
Closer to the pit floor, leaning against the railing, was Aria. She caught my gaze, her brows tight.
[System Notification]
Main Quest: Survive the Underground Fight.
Time Limit: Immediate.
Penalty for Death: …Death.
The announcer's voice boomed. "For our next match a newcomer! No rank, no history, no fear!"
A few in the crowd laughed.
"And his opponent… the Butcher of Dockside!"
The man who stepped into the pit was huge. Not tall just big. Thick arms, a neck like a barrel, tattoos wrapping around his chest. His knuckles were raw, and he carried a short iron club.
The crowd roared.
Lilith's voice slid into my mind. He's going to try to end it quick. You can't let him. Let him think you're weak first… then break him.
A bell rang.
The Butcher came at me like a charging bull, his club whistling through the air. I sidestepped, but he was faster than he looked. The edge of the club grazed my ribs, sending a shock of pain through my side.
[System Assistance Available]
Activate Combat Boost Lv.1?
Cost: -5 Core Energy per 30 seconds.
Do it, Lilith purred.
"Activate."
The world sharpened. The Butcher's next swing slowed in my vision just enough for me to duck under it and drive my fist into his ribs. The impact jarred my knuckles, but he grunted and stepped back.
The crowd roared louder now, sensing a real fight.
He charged again, swinging in a wide arc. This time I caught his wrist, twisted, and slammed my knee into his gut.
Pain flared in my side again he'd clipped me with the club even as I hit him.
Blood in my mouth. My heart hammering.
Lilith's voice was colder now. You're matching him… but that's not enough. Break him.
The Butcher snarled, spittle flying. "Lucky hit, boy."
"Not luck," I said, breathing hard. "Just better."
He roared and rushed in again but then I saw her.
In the shadows near the far stairs, a woman stood watching me. She was tall, her black hair braided over one shoulder, and she wore a dark cloak with the hood down. Her eyes were golden — unnaturally so.
She wasn't cheering. She wasn't betting. She was studying.
And when our eyes met, she smiled.
[System Notification]
Potential Ally Detected — Unknown Affiliation.
Warning: Interest Level increasing rapidly.
The Butcher's club came for my head. I ducked at the last second, stepped inside his guard, and slammed my elbow into his jaw. He staggered.
I pressed forward, fists and knees driving him back until his heel caught on the pit wall.
Then I grabbed the front of his shirt and headbutted him. Hard.
He went limp.
The crowd exploded in cheers, coins clinking as bets were settled.
The announcer raised my arm. "Winner Kai!"
Lira was standing now in her balcony, watching with that same dangerous smile. Aria looked relieved but still tense.
The golden-eyed woman? She was gone.
[System Notification]
Quest Complete.
+60 Core Energy.
New Quest: Investigate the Golden-Eyed Woman.
I climbed out of the pit, my ribs aching, blood on my lip. Lira met me at the top of the stairs, her silver hair brushing her cheek as she leaned in.
"Not bad," she murmured. "Maybe you're worth my time after all."
She slipped something into my hand a silver lotus token.
"Be at the Sect gates tomorrow. Trials begin at dawn."
Lilith's voice was almost laughing in my head. You've caught two fish tonight, Kai. Let's see which one bites first.
I closed my fingers around the token, feeling the weight of it.
Somewhere out there, the golden-eyed woman was still watching.
And I had the feeling she'd find me before I found her.
The moon hung low over the harbor, its reflection trembling on the dark water. The underground fight was over, but my ribs still throbbed like someone was driving nails into them with every breath.
The warehouse's noise had faded to a dull memory by the time I reached my small inn room. I closed the door, leaned against it, and let out a slow breath.
Lilith's voice purred in my mind. You fought well, Kai… but you bleed like a human.
"Thanks for the reminder," I muttered, peeling off my shirt. The bruises spreading across my ribs were ugly purple and angry.
I sat on the bed and pulled out the silver lotus token Lira had given me. Smooth. Cold. Heavy.
A soft knock.
I turned my head toward the door. "Who—"
"It's me."
Aria's voice.
I opened the door, and she stepped in without waiting for an invitation. Her hair was loose, falling over her shoulders in waves. She carried a small bundle wrapped in cloth.
"You're hurt," she said flatly, eyes scanning the bruises before I could even make an excuse.
"It's nothing—"
She dropped the bundle onto the table and started unwrapping it. Bandages, a small jar of herbal salve, and a strip of clean cloth.
"Sit," she ordered.
I sat.
She dipped her fingers into the salve and pressed it gently against my ribs. I hissed at the cold.
"Stop squirming," she muttered, but there was the faintest twitch at the corner of her lips.
"Why are you helping me?" I asked, trying to read her expression.
"Because you're reckless," she said. "And because if you die before tomorrow, I'll never hear the end of it from the Sect."
Her fingers worked in slow, careful circles. I caught the scent of her clean soap, a hint of lavender.
"You know," I said, smirking, "you could at least pretend this is because you care."
Her hand paused. She looked me in the eye for a long moment, then pressed the cloth harder against my side.
"Don't push it."
Still… she didn't move away.
We were close enough that the heat from her skin brushed mine. I realized how quiet the room was just the faint creak of the bedframe and our breathing.
Lilith's voice whispered in my mind. She's testing you, Kai…
"Done," Aria said finally, tying the last knot in the bandage. She stepped back but not before her fingers brushed my skin just a second too long.
She picked up the empty cloth and turned toward the table. "Get some rest. Tomorrow won't be easy."
I almost asked her to stay. Almost.
But then another sound.
A faint creak, from the window.
I turned my head just in time to see her the golden-eyed woman from the fight. She stood in the open window frame as if she belonged there, cloak brushing her legs, a faint smirk playing on her lips.
"How did you—" I started.
She raised a finger to her lips.
Her eyes flicked to Aria, then back to me. "You're making friends in dangerous places, Kai."
Aria's hand went to the hilt of her dagger. "Who are you?"
The woman ignored her. "You did well in the pit… but tomorrow will be different. Some fights you can't win by brute strength."
Her voice was low, almost melodic.
"And some enemies," she added, "can't be killed at all."
Lilith stirred in my mind, her tone suddenly sharp. She knows about me.
Before I could press her, the woman stepped forward, brushed past me and slipped something into my pocket.
A small, black feather.
Then she vaulted back through the window and was gone, swallowed by the night.
Aria stared after her. "What was that about?"
"I… don't know," I said truthfully.
But I could feel Lilith's unease. And that was enough to tell me this wasn't random.
The rest of the night passed without sleep.
When dawn came, I was already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed, turning the black feather over in my hand.
A knock at the door this time louder.
I opened it to find Lira leaning casually against the frame, silver hair catching the morning light.
"Ready for the Trials?" she asked, eyes glinting.
Behind her, the streets were already filling with other hopefuls, all heading toward the Sect gates.
I slipped the feather into my pouch, grabbed the lotus token, and stepped outside.
Lilith's voice coiled through my thoughts. Be careful, Kai. Today, your real story begins.
And deep down, I knew she was right.