Lemoria's slums were rife with shady businesses that thrived under the lax security. One of these businesses was an illegal fighting club, where gladiators fought to the death for a chance to earn some money.
Damian wanted to join this club, despite the risks. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain. He knew it was a matter of life or death, both in the arena and outside of it.
He had taken a job from the black market, a dangerous and secretive place where no one dared to cross the wrong people. Damian hoped he wouldn't end up with a bounty on his head for this.
He approached a man with a notebook in a dark alley. The man was dressed in black, blending in with the shadows.
"Are you one of the gladiators?" the man asked.
Damian nodded. He had changed his appearance to look like a muscular man with scars all over his body. He hoped to intimidate his opponents and impress the spectators.
"Go in. Someone will check you out."
The man opened a door for Damian, leading him to a dimly lit hallway. Another man in black was waiting for him at the end.
"Follow me," he said, handing Damian a piece of paper. "Write your name on it. A fake one, a title."
They didn't care about the fighters' identities or backgrounds. They were disposable and replaceable. Many of them died every time the event took place.
Damian quickly wrote 'Berserker' on the paper. He didn't have time to think of something more creative. He followed the man to a room where other fighters were waiting.
They all eyed him as he entered, sizing him up and gauging his strength. Damian did the same, and found none of them impressive.
A voice called out to him from outside. "You, new guy, come with me."
Damian obeyed, but couldn't help asking, "What about my opponent?"
"Your opponent? You mean those guys in there? You know you'll be fighting beasts here, right?"
Damian didn't know that. He had beaten up some thugs and used his mental powers to extract some information from them. They had told him that the fighters fought each other, not beasts.
Damian was sure they hadn't lied to him. His powers never failed him. They must have changed the rules.
He didn't argue or complain. He knew it was useless. He followed the voice to a round arena with rows of seats and private boxes around it. A large crowd was cheering and betting on the fights.
The arena sank below the stands, surrounded by a wall of stone. A fence of iron bars enclosed it, like a giant prison cell, preventing the gladiators and the beasts from escaping but not blocking the spectators' view.
"You can choose any weapon from here," the man said, gesturing to an array of weapons.
Damian scanned the weapons and saw that they were well-made and sharp. No cheap or rusty blades here. That meant the beasts he would face were formidable!
A normal person would tremble with fear in that place, but Damian was not a normal person. He had participated in many fights and faced powerful demons, so he did not feel intimidated by an arena with stupid beasts.
He felt that the spear would give him the greatest advantage against the creatures. It was a versatile weapon that could adapt to different types of fights.
He picked up the spear that was among the weapons. It was made of a material that resembled steel, but Damian could tell that it was even more durable.
As soon as Damian grabbed the spear, a voice echoed throughout the arena, announcing his fight.
"Our challenger today is the Berserker!!!" the fight announcer shouted.
The spectators did not know Damian. It was his first fight inside the coliseum. But even without a reputation, many cheered and sent their positive vibes to Damian!
"Go get him, kill the beast!" One of them shouted from the stands.
Damian did not care about them. His mind was focused on something else: the giant door on the other side of the arena, which opened soon after, revealing the enemy that Damian would have to face.
A troll! But not just any troll. An adult ice troll that stood about 10 meters tall and wielded a wooden stick that looked more like a tree trunk.
The troll had snow-white skin and a long nose that dripped snot. The only clothing he wore was a loincloth to cover his privates - although his stinky butt was still exposed.
Damian had read some books about creatures, and he was familiar with the ice troll. It was a formidable creature with a remarkable regenerative ability.
He knew it would not be an easy fight, but he felt confident that he could defeat the troll. He activated his Slime Ring, and a black slime coated his spear, enhancing its durability and strength.
"Let the fight begin!" The announcer shouted, stirring up the crowd.
The troll was bound by several ropes, but they were cut as soon as the fight started.
It was a ravenous troll that scanned the arena and spotted a small human on the opposite side. The troll charged at Damian, and the arena shook with each step!
The spectators grew more anxious, eager for an exciting fight before their eyes. Damian, who was watching the troll's movements closely, assumed a battle stance, ready to dodge the impending attack.
The troll swung his wooden stick, trying to smash Damian with it! Damian could feel the force behind the blow, but the speed was not very impressive.
'The demons I faced were much faster,' Damian thought, rolling his body to the side, dodging the attack with ease.
The crowd went wild, amazed by Damian's agile movements.
"Look how fast! Not every fighter could dodge that attack!"
"Right? Most would be quaking with fear by now!"
Damian ignored all the comments, completely focused on his opponent. The troll scratched his head, puzzled. He was sure that his attack would kill the human. They always died.
Damian was standing behind the troll's leg, dodging between his legs. The Achilles heel! A perfect spot to attack him. Damian gripped the spear with both hands, exerting his maximum strength, piercing the troll's skin!
The power of the black slime greatly enhanced the spear's power, enough to penetrate the tough skin of the troll, who howled in pain, shaking his leg, trying to kick or crush Damian.
However, despite the damage inflicted, the regenerative ability of a troll was formidable. Damian, who had leaped back to dodge the troll's stomps, could see the wounds healing before his eyes!
There were two ways to win against a troll: attack him relentlessly until his regenerative ability diminished, reaching a point where he would stop completely, or target the troll's eyes.
Damian chose the eyes! He sprinted towards the troll who was already preparing to use the stick again. The people watching could not fathom what Damian's plan was.
And then, Damian astonished everyone once again. He jumped straight to the troll's eyes! The strength required for such a feat was extraordinary! Few fighters who had ever passed through that coliseum could replicate it.
Holding the spear in his hands, Damian stabbed it directly into the troll's right eye, making him scream in pain, thrashing even more, trying to shake Damian off his face.
Damian would not let that happen, and he still had one more eye to destroy! He would not have time to pull out the spear that was lodged in the troll's eye and use it again, so he decided to strike the other eye of the troll with his brute force!
He unleashed all his strength, which was impressive due to his high attributes and his giant lineage. The punch was so powerful that the troll's left eye burst!
Bits of the eye, blood and some strange liquid splattered everywhere, mostly on Damian, who got all sticky. The audience and the organizers of the event rose from their seats, utterly shocked by the scene they had witnessed!
Damian knew that even though the troll had lost both eyes, becoming an easy prey, he was not dead yet. He jumped again, flying over the troll's head, grabbing onto the back of his neck, and then started to pound the troll's head!
The blows were so strong that they smashed the poor troll's brain, making him unable to stand up, falling on the floor of the arena, shaking it.
No one could believe it, and when the audience realized it, they all cheered and applauded for Damian!
"And the winner is: Berserker!!!" the announcer shouted with more excitement than before.
The same person who had shown Damian the way came to meet him as he left the arena, saying, "the organizer of this great event wants to meet you. Come on, follow me."
That was expected. Damian would have to go there and talk to the organizer to get his money, but maybe there was something else in store for him.
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