FSTR - Chapter 48

Chapter Forty Eight - Another Arena Battle!

Vandel approached his possible Bear Blooded future Champion, commanding. "You are to get up to the Battlefield today, it is nothing you can't handle."

"I want my freedom!" Black Arrow insisted, he was bold enough to do so considering that he is much valued here due to his skill.

"You know it well, you can't get it without winning 60 rounds and becoming a Champion." Aiming to convince Black Arrow, with a method which yesterday proved ineffective he added. "You can survive that long, and you can walk out with 70,500 Bronze Coins as an earned total. Rather a lot considering that you came here with nothing."

"I told you that I don't care about Coins." He remained firm with his own point. The amount he could win in a span of two months is considered as 70 Salaries here, yet he is not interested. "I want to get out of this Kingdom."

"If you didn't care about Coins, you wouldn't have been on the borders and you wouldn't have gotten here." Vandel reminded, to cut Black Arrow's claims short.

"But I came here alone, I just wanted to escape Makemis." He made it clear, but would there be any official here who cares?

"Look, you know the rules and you know what to do now once you are behind that door. Put in work, and you'll get out of here in 3 months if not less." After making it clear that he can not have his freedom now, Vandel moved towards other points.

"Last time you've earned the Arena a clean cut of 44 Gold Coins, that is the highest we earned throughout the entire Arena History." Seeing that Black Arrow stopped paying attention a bit, he moved on towards a rather more interesting point. "That audience out there wants you dead, and there are many people betting against your head. Simply said, they still consider you weak and Demonic."

"Story of my life." Black Arrow answered with a whisper, and saw that Vandel is close to bursting in to laughter because of it.

"Don't get dismotivated, their stupidity will make us rich hahahaha!" Vandel broke in to laughter, getting rather happy about another great earning today.

Afterwards he requested, although it can raise Black Arrow's ego. "Try to keep this battle longer please."

...

"Ladies and Gentlemen! We are here today to witness another Battle between Ground Tappers!" The announcer specified, and the crowd kept a rather moderate cheer waiting for the names to be properly announced although they know who it is.

"On the Green Team's side, we have the one the only. Black Arrow!" Afterwards, the crowd went wild and it wasn't for good either. Countless Boos echoed in a thundering tone, truly deafening.

To calm the crowd down, plates were hit with Hammers over and over until the crowd had no time to boo because they had to cover their ears. The booing stopped at the top, and the effect spread like a disease across the lower seated masses.

"While on the Red Team's side we have a man who has been in the Arena for a month now and has won a couple of battles, ladies and gentlemen. Give a warm welcome to... Bane!" The crowd afterwards went wild, with most not really knowing who he is but being happy because he is a Kasteremas. Odd enough, many have beted on him.

"Who will win this glorious battle? The Bear Blood who might have gotten lucky last time? Or our future Champion?!" The Announcer sure knows how to work a crowd, he knows clearly that Black Arrow will win but he has to keep people betting for future battles, the gap ratio between bets is their way of profit.

Loud Cheers and Boos mixed after, most obviously hoping to see the Bear Blooded Warrior dead! To cure their urges of anticipation, the Announcer commanded. "Raise the Gates!"

As the Iron Gates were raised upwards, he saw Bane running like a wild animal towards him. Rather cocky and over confident, thinking that he has a chance.

A bit different from the last opponent, Bane started running towards the side instead of straight forward.

Black Arrow felt intrigued, perhaps this battle might take a bit longer than a few seconds. He walked calmly towards the battle field, trying to observe Bane's battle methods.

Bane isn't screaming although still running like a wild animal, he pulled out his Iron Sword stretching 70 cm long and pointed it forward in aims of slicing Black Arrow.

Taking a quick step forward once Bane got too close, he saw him rush towards the right side a bit dumb founded how Black Arrow got away this fast. Bane even swung his sword, trying to cut him.

Taking quick steps backwards, Black Arrow pulled out his own sword and aimed towards Bane. Aimed...? Confusing isn't it? Well not really.

With all his might, he tossed it towards Bane although it did not head at a horizontal way but spun instead. No matter, it isn't supposed to cause damage.

At any case, throwing away the only weapon is a terrible idea. But here, he just needs a distraction, because Bane runs too fast, he wanted to buy himself a few seconds in aims of making this battle last longer.

Bane raised his sword upwards, and held of the spiraling sword although it almost sliced his fingers off. Thinking, "Fool, you are as good as dead now."

But when he took a peek at Black Arrow, he noticed how he is repeatedly tapping the ground with his right foot. Seeing it as no threat, he charged towards Black Arrow with his sword pointed narrowly.

A couple of meters before they could have met with each other, Black Arrow slammed his left foot forward and the earth started ripping in front of him, with a zig zag like movement.

Bane lost his footing and fell through the earth all the way to the middle, unable to pop out of it. And the earth ripped forwards for 15 meters! Black Arrow for sure reached towards his utmost limit.

Looking towards his enemy, with a bit of disappointment due to the fact of how easily they can be tricked even though this warrior shows good potential. Black Arrow decided to proceed with the other move.

This next power move, simple and deadly at the same time. He squatted enough to touch the ground with his hands, slapping both sides of the crack after.

Once counting up to 5, with no aims of counting to 15 since it would take too much time and it would not be necessary to kill the opponent, he went ahead and unleashed the finishing move. Which is to hit the ground with both of his fists!

Once he did so, both sides of the zig zagging crack moved closer towards each other in a blink of an eye. As for Bane... the shocking sudden pain has put knocked him out, death will follow after for sure because no healer can help him.

His hips are crushed, spine too, and the legs are just crumbled. At least he isn't howling in pain. Last thing he would want to hear is his victim howling, adding more trauma to himself in the future.

The Announcer shouted. "Ladies and Gentlemen, looks like Black Arrow got lucky for the second time. He managed to kill Bane, so much for him becoming a Champion."

As for Black Arrow, he just casually walked towards the door he came out of with his yellow streamers blowing behind him, representing his team and ignoring the roaring crowd.

...

"There was a huge audience this time, a couple hundred people were left outside." Arena Master Fin specified, happy of the results although the Coins haven't been successfully counted yet.

"Yes, a lot of merchants have visited us along with the richer. They want to see such battles as a way of luxury." Arena Master Vandel specified.

"Some morons even paid up to 70 Silver Coins to have private seats, or to sit along with the richer." Arena Master John told, rather humble himself he feels disgusted with how the richer spend coins, although he is one of the richer himself.

"How much have you managed to count already?" Arena Master Fin asked one of the coin counters.

"So far we managed to count up to 68 Gold Coins." The Counter specified, a great number although yet not as much as yesterday's battle. "But not to worry, there are over 30 more sacks to count!"

"At this rate we could be breaking over 100 Gold Coins!" Arena Master Fin cheered, and tried to figure out how people were dumb enough to bet against Black Arrow the second time, creating such a large ratio gap.

"A lot of people came here voting against him once the Zamerians were attacked." Vandel specified, proud of his future champion.

"More gold for us then. Hehehehe."

...

"You did great today, Black Arrow." Arena Master Vandel congratulated, with a leather sack carrying 300 Bronze Coins on his hand.

"Do you want the coins... last time you didn't want them." Vandel asked, not knowing how to approach this man.

"I don't want them, but I certainly won't let them go to waste." He specified, as he raised his hand up to catch the bag. Afterwards he tossed it towards another Bear Blooded team mate.

"I can work with that." Vandel expressed, and informed. "You earned us 92 Gold Coins today. It is fair to say that you broke another record."

"Great." Black Arrow answered sarcastically, not opening the topic of freedom again because he knew where it would lead.

"Good. Tomorrow you have another battle, I don't think that you will need preparation. He is just another Ground Tapper."