Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: First Battle (1)
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"Hoo, hoo...! 100!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Quest: Grateful Bodyweight Workout has been cleared! The next morning.
To prepare for the gladiator match at lunch, I'd finished my strength training early in the morning.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' examines your body from head to toe! ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' shyly smiles! "......"
Our ancestor Elisis seemed reasonably satisfied with my sweat-drenched body.
'More importantly, I need to figure out how to use my abilities...'
I glanced down at my body, feeling the sticky gaze of the golden-haired elf mage.
The ability 'Quartet of the Wind' that Elisis had gifted me.
In the game, acquiring it granted three active abilities and one passive.
But now the game had become reality.
'I need to master using these abilities before the fight starts.'
There was no skill window like in the game, so I had to learn how to use 'Quartet of the Wind' in the real world.
Fortunately, the granted ability could be used as naturally as moving my hands.
⚡ TRAIT ACTIVATED ⚡ Trait 'Quartet of the Wind' Whoooosh—.
"Like this...?"
As I activated the trait, a gentle breeze stirred from my toes to the top of my head.
I could control it as naturally as if it were part of my body.
'In this state, I should be able to use the active skills however I want...'
The ability was easier to handle than expected, boosting my confidence.
At the same time, a reaction came from Elisis, who had been watching me.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' marvels at your talent! From her perspective, it must have looked like I was wielding a newly acquired ability as if it were my own all along.
'Well, it basically was.'
I wondered what reaction she'd have if she knew I was the one who'd controlled her.
Of course, she wouldn't believe it even if I told her.
Anyway.
This wrapped up all the preparation I could do.
'Please... let these abilities be enough to survive...'
This was Parion, the city of gladiators.
Strength determined rank, and its underbelly was filled—as one might expect—with nothing but mongrels.
I'd visited the city a few times in the game.
But I'd never dreamed I'd become a battle slave here.
'...A gladiator match between mongrel slaves probably means a many-against-one fight.'
In this city, gladiator matches were held once a week.
On that one day, VIPs from various countries were invited to watch.
The city essentially ran on their money.
So, mongrel gladiators were nothing more than disposable entertainment.
A powerful gladiator brutally slaughtering mongrels made for a thrilling spectacle.
The crowds went wild for it.
'The other seven here are probably the ones going in with me.'
I looked around at my fellow gladiator inmates inside the cell.
They all wore faces filled with terror and despair.
They probably had no hope of surviving the day.
None of them had any standout traits; they were all just ordinary mongrels.
For reference, another term for mongrel was 'human'.
They looked like normal people to me, not mongrels, which made it all the more uncomfortable.
And then.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The busty beastkin guard sister pounded on the iron bars.
"Time's up! Everyone, get ready!"
At her signal, the faces of the despairing mongrel gladiators darkened even further.
Meanwhile, I forced a smile despite my tension.
'I'll survive this, no matter what.'
I was scared, but there was nothing to fear.
I had weapons now, and these were fights I'd grown tired of in the game.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "“Rooooaaarrr!!!”"
As we left the cell and walked down the corridor to some exit, a thunderous roar assaulted our ears.
That must have been the crowd.
"Pick your weapons. This could be your last fight, so choose carefully."
The beastkin guard sister lined up the mongrel gladiators and displayed the weapons.
They were all worn-out, run-of-the-mill arms.
But they were the only means of protection available to me right now, so I had to choose wisely.
"I-I'll take this one...!"
One mongrel gladiator snatched up a bow and arrows.
'Gotta pick quick.'
Being cautious was good, but I couldn't dawdle.
If I took too long, another gladiator might grab the weapon I wanted.
'This is the one.'
I'd agonized over weapons all last night and settled on my choice.
Fortunately, one matching my criteria was on the rack.
"Hm...? You're picking that?"
"Yes, I'll take this."
"Hah, you plan to swing that? With a mongrel's strength? You'll die like an idiot."
I'd chosen a battle axe.
A massive one where the blade alone was bigger than my head.
The design was crude and shoddy, but it was the largest and most powerful-looking among the displayed weapons.
'It's definitely heavy.'
I lifted the hefty axe with both hands.
With my normal strength, even swinging it would be a struggle.
"Alright, everyone! Time to earn the food your masters fed you!!"
Once everyone had chosen, the beastkin guard sister bellowed like she was pronouncing a death sentence.
At the same time, the iron gate blocking the exit swung open.
"“Uwaaaaaahhh—!!”"
⚙ ARENA ANNOUNCEMENT ⚙ We've kept you waiting! The entertainment gladiator match to give your fervent cheers a brief rest is about to begin! The challengers are eight mongrel gladiators!! "No... no..."
"Save me..."
The announcer's voice booming through the arena made my fellow gladiators start weeping.
Not one stepped forward.
But.
Clack, clack!
Guards at our rear aimed spears at us.
Don't go, and die now.
So, I was the first to step forward.
"“Uwaaaaaahhh!!!”"
The crowd's cheers grew even louder as we mongrel gladiators entered the arena with me in the lead.
It was a savage roar anticipating slaughter.
⚙ ARENA ANNOUNCEMENT ⚙ And today's champion facing the challengers is!! None other than!! The quarter dwarf born to a half-dwarf mother and an ogre father!! Head Collector Barkain—!! "“Oooooohhh!!!”"
Head Collector, huh.
What a brutal nickname.
Thud, thud, thud.
With the announcer's introduction, our opponent made his entrance.
'A quarter dwarf...?'
A quarter dwarf mix with dwarf blood, not quite at the mongrel level yet.
But the one who appeared was far too massive for a dwarf.
"Uahaha! Which of you bastards will adorn my necklace today!!"
A hulking, hairy brute who looked at least two—no, three—meters tall stepped out.
He carried a war hammer over his shoulder, dozens of fresh heads from past opponents dangling from his neck.
He licked his lips at us.
'A foe combining dwarf ferocity with ogre physique...'
I gripped my battle axe tighter, flashing a rotten grin.
"Eek...!"
"W-Wrong...! We're dead...! All of us...!!"
My fellow gladiators lost all will to fight at the sight of Barkain.
Well, who could blame them with that size and those grisly trophies?
⚙ ARENA ANNOUNCEMENT ⚙ Let the event match begin!! How many mongrels will survive!! Bwooooo—!!
The horn signaling the start of the match echoed through the arena.
And then.
"Uahahaha—!!!"
Kabooom—!!!
Splat.
"......"
"Huh...?"
"Wh-What...?"
Before we knew it, one of my fellow gladiators had been smashed to pulp by Barkain's hammer as he charged toward us.
"You there..."
Barkain shook off his hammer casually, like he'd stepped on a boiled potato, and fixed me with a ferocious grin.
"Reacted to my hammer, did you?"
"......No, I didn't even notice you coming."
"Hahaha! Got a fun one today!!"
"Are you ignoring what I said?"
Of all the luck, right after the match started, this beast locked onto me.
⚡ TRAIT ACTIVATED ⚡ Trait 'Quartet of the Wind' "Haha... heh heh heh..."
I forced a laugh and gripped my massive axe tight.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hm..."
Right after the match began.
Karga, the half-werewolf guard overseeing the eight mongrels, indifferently eyed the one that had burst apart.
'Total wipeout again today.'
Expecting the usual, Karga felt no anticipation, merely waiting for her shift to end.
They were mongrels, after all.
Trash bearing the thinnest blood of the great ancestors.
Offspring from indiscriminate breeding without any standards.
No one in the arena—not Karga, not anyone—held any expectations for these mongrels with their muddled bloodlines.
"Kill 'em—!!"
"Barkain!! I bet on not a single one surviving!!"
"I say five minutes!! Finish 'em in five!!"
The audience was simply excited to see how quickly the quarter dwarf Barkain would slaughter the mongrels.
'Ah, that one's done for too.'
Then Karga spotted one mongrel.
The gladiator slave who'd been diligently training as she'd ordered since yesterday.
He'd just locked eyes with Barkain, fresh off killing one.
Chosen as Barkain's prey.
'Should've picked a shield and spear.'
Tsk.
Karga unconsciously clicked her tongue at the mongrel's folly.
Barkain was a quarter gladiator with monstrous strength and speed, exceptional even among his kind.
Facing him with a massive axe that was hard to swing was like a rabbit entering a tiger's den in shackles.
'Had a decent face too. ...What an idiot.'
As Karga prepared to witness the foolish mongrel's end.
Slash.
"......Huh?"
A short, crisp sound rang out.
Silence fell over the arena for a moment.
And what broke it.
"G-Gaaaahhh—!!!"
Was Barkain's scream, his left wrist severed.
⚙ ARENA ANNOUNCEMENT ⚙ H-He-He—!!! S-Sliced it off—!!! "He... swung that thing...?"
An uncanny motion no one could have predicted.
Like a leaf in the air swaying naturally with a swinging club.
Number 17 dodged Barkain's hammer and cleanly severed his left hand.
"Hoo... doable."
"G-Gaaahhh...!! You mongrel scum...!! How dare yoooou!!!"
Thud.
Number 17, having lopped off Barkain's left arm, effortlessly slung the massive axe over his shoulder and flashed a bright smile.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' cheers for you!