Chapter 9. Back Alley.
“We should stick around for another three or four days.”
Kang Ji-hyuk tossed the words out of nowhere at his comrades, who were digging into an early dinner. Gid, chomping away at his boiled mutton, grinned wide. Perfect timing, he thought—his cock had been twitching all day anyway.
Kayak looked up and asked why.
“Need to make some money.”
“Money? We’re already broke?”
“Nah, we’ve got some left. But I wanna stock up proper. Not many places to earn coin around here otherwise. Can’t keep hopping cities and grinding requests every time. Got urgent business ahead. Right?”
It made sense, so everyone nodded—except Yael. She knew damn well the boss was scraping cash for her drugs. Sitting there suddenly felt like a bed of nails. But what could she do? Without the stuff, she was nothing.
“Anything we can help with?”
“Nah, you lot rest up and build your stamina. That’s plenty.”
Ji-hyuk pulled a leather pouch from his pocket and slapped five gold coins in front of each of them. “Last job’s pay. Your shares—keep ’em.”
“Thanks, boss. Gonna spend it good.”
Heh heh heh—Gid scooped his up with the smug grin of a fat merchant who’d just fleeced a mark.
Yael couldn’t bring herself to take hers. She slid the coins back to return them, but Ji-hyuk’s hand slapped down mid-slide, blocking her.
“You need it too. Don’t sweat it—just use it.”
“Still…”
“That’s that, and this is this. If you’re stressing over what I should handle as boss, how’s that work? Nah, can’t have that.”
“…Yes, sir.”
“Take it. Spend it smart. Got some free time for once—you’ve earned it after all that grind. Scared to go out alone? Hit the town with Grendal. …That cool, Grendal?”
Grendal nodded like it was no big deal.
Yael’s chest tightened with gratitude. The boss’s kindness hit hard.
“Thank you.”
“You earned every bit.”
Ji-hyuk flashed a grin. Only then did Yael pocket the coins.
With the talk wrapped, Ji-hyuk stood. Everyone looked up at him.
“Might be late tonight, so no trouble till then.”
“Got it, boss.”
He rapped the table lightly with his knuckles and headed out. The sky glowed with a rosy dusk. Birds of some nameless breed flew in formation beneath the crimson clouds. A beautiful evening scene.
Ji-hyuk slipped back into the back alleys. He’d made up his mind, so best to act fast. He headed for the blood arena district.
Nightfall had the alleys crawling with thugs. Not proper gang members—more like their low-rung goons. They made pocket change this way among themselves. They shoved daggers at the lone Ji-hyuk, demanding coin. He dropped them with casual punches and moved on.
Deeper in, the air turned vicious. Nothing like the drug den’s vibe—this place had a different purpose.
Before reaching the arena, a pair blocked him: an orc and a lizardman, both hulking masses of muscle.
“Fuck off, punk.”
“Got business here.”
“Last warning. Scram.”
“Told you—blood arena business. …You guys shake down customers? Lowlife errand boys?”
He could’ve forced his way, but no point pissing off the organization. Better if they stepped aside willingly—like a bitch in heat spreading her legs. Mentioning the arena proved he wasn’t some clueless wanderer. They wouldn’t risk a paying mark, so they cleared the path nice enough.
Ji-hyuk strode in bold as brass. The arena wasn’t topside, of course—that was just camouflage. The real deal lurked underground.
He squeezed past burly guards down the corridor. Security was tight. Before descending, he faced a choice: take a beating and leave, or pay the secrecy fee. Who the fuck came this far to eat fists? He shelled out the fee—five gold coins, entrance basically. No wonder the alley boss’s vault is stacked.
Anyway, he paid up and took the stairs down. Wider than the drug shop’s passage, even decked out fancy. The deeper he went, the thicker the blood reek. The menace hung heavy. His heart pounded. Old memories stirred. A weird thrill.
At the passage end, more organization goons eyed him cold but didn’t block. Then—a vast space unfolded. A whole new world.
Expensive magic orbs studded the ceiling, bathing everything in harsh light. Below, every race swarmed. Brothels, drug dens, bars, blood arena—easy to blow your wad here. Plenty of junkies slumped in corners, twitching. The broke ones. The loaded ones pounded whores—or got pounded.
Hawkers swarmed Ji-hyuk, peddling cheap drugs. All cut-rate shit or scams. No recourse here if you got fleeced—you’d just get mocked harder.
The underground brothels had every species. Even a fairy, eyes fried on dope.
Ji-hyuk had a destination, so he ignored the distractions and beelined for the arena. The faint blood scent thickened to choking.
Raaaaagh—!
Mad screams echoed. Spectators, high as kites, lapped up the gore. Some fucked whores mid-watch. Pure instinct ruled—no reason in sight.
Crowds ignored age, race, class, gender. High-status types who couldn’t risk exposure slunk to VIP rooms for discreet views—and filthy fun inside.
Raaaaaaaagh—!
Cheers exploded. A fighter’s death cranked the frenzy. Murder was routine. Survivors often ended crippled—sold to brothels. Former fans then raped the losers raw. Drugs blurred lines anyway.
Ji-hyuk paused in the stands. Been ages since a blood arena. The stench dragged him back.
…I was a mad bastard then too.
Alley boss back then, he’d fight sometimes. Killed men, fucked women right there. Crowds ate it up.
Nostalgia faded as another neck snapped.
…Arena floor was a mess of blood and filth.
Kuooooooaaargh—!!
Ji-hyuk watched a fighter raise his arms and roar savage.
“Next fighter—!”
They could always drag up more—junkie slaves drowning in debt. Victims, really.
He eyed the prize board. Winner’s pot climbed per kill. Fifty gold base per round. Tips from the crowd extra. Fighters hired tip-runners—couldn’t stoop for coins mid-fight. Tips sometimes matched the pot for good shows. All part of the spectacle.
Ji-hyuk watched one more die, then stood. He headed to the corner counter. Clerk asked his business. Nearby bruisers loomed for rowdies.
“Wanna fight.”
“Fight?”
Clerk scanned him head to toe, skeptical. Human kid suicide mission? No duty to stop him. No pity here. Expecting mercy was like hunting needles in sand. Just don’t get scammed.
No entry fee, at least—why charge volunteers?
No personal info either. Better not to know—for deniability later.
“This way.”
A brute led him to the fighters’ lounge. Decent crowd. Plenty still wobbly on dope.
Door to the arena creaked open. Goon hunting the next meat.
“Next. …Nobody?”
Ji-hyuk volunteered. Rare—most delayed the inevitable.
“Move it.”
Goon thumbed behind him. Ji-hyuk marched stone-faced down the tunnel.
RAAAAAAAAAH—!
Crowd roared deafening for fresh meat. Coins already flying.
Kill him! Fuck that bastard up—!!
An orc a head taller lumbered up, panting, body gore-soaked. Prize board showed two hundred gold stacked. Four kills solo. Raw brute force over junkies, but luck ran dry.
Didn’t know it yet—probably thrilled at the “weak human.”
Kuooooaaargh—!!
Ork roared and lunged. Ji-hyuk clenched his fist. One-shot planned.
Ork swung wild arms. Ji-hyuk dodged back swift, then stomped forward and unleashed.
His fist cratered the orc’s skull—crack!—bursting it. Body flopped. Blood and brains splattered.
Ji-hyuk stared cold at the corpse, shaking gore from his hand.
Mad cheers erupted.
WOAAAAAAAAAH—!!!
Coins rained. Ji-hyuk nodded at a lurking hunchback tip-runner. Hunchback scrambled, scooping filthy cash.
Board updated: fifty gold to Ji-hyuk. They’d skim plenty later, but five wins netted solid coin.
Should’ve done this sooner.
Blood and money stirred him. Buried urges slithered up.
“Next fighter—!!”
No breather—another charged in. Orc again, cocky at the easy human.
Ji-hyuk blitzed. Fist smashed skull before the orc registered.
A—.
Longer hush. Then dam-burst roars.
“Fuuuuck—!!”
“That dog’s on fiiiire—!!!”
“Slaughter ’em all—!!”
Coins poured. Hunchback darted manic—gold mixed in. Crowd was lit.
Next fighter: same—one punch, skull gone. More tips piled.
Ji-hyuk grinned wide, thumbing blood from his cheek. Strangely… fun.