- Oliver -

  "Are you ready to begin the Coliseum?"

  The floating head appeared in the ter of the preparation room.

  "Today will be a little different; each of you will receive a number from oo ten. This will be your entry order into the Coliseum," the judge expined.

  Oliver nodded, waiting for the rest of the expnation.

  "Before entering the arena, you will find a sele of ons. Choose one aer the arena. It's quite simple." The head fshed a broad smile upon finishing the expnation.

  Ping Ping Ping

  Each of the gaus in the room began to beep. On the hologram, Oliver saw that he had received the number 7. It wasn't good, but at least it wasn't terrible.

  One by one, eabatant was allowed to ehose who remained in the preparation room began to move around to lessen their ay. By the time Oliver was allowed to enter, only a few remained.

  Again, the boy found himself in the long corridor leading to the arena, but this time, he noticed some lights halfway down. As he approached, there was a small room with some ons dispyed. There ace for ten ons, but only four were avaible.

  He approached to assess what was avaible: a pair of daggers, a metallic shield, a short sword, and a bow and arrow.

  ‘I don't know how to use any of these,’ Oliver thought.

  He had only trained in hand-to-hand bat since he wouldn't use his Ranger on.

  ‘I could use [Insight]. But do I really want to spend energy like that?’ He tio question his options. ‘Not really, I’ll still o user [Observation] during the fight. I o keep my energy levels high.’

  Oliver had already ruled out the bow and arrow; he'd never used one and didn't want to risk it now. The daggers and the sword were good options, but his eyes were drawn to the shield.

  He lifted it from its stand and saw two straps to fasten it to his arm.

  ‘This gives me ara level of safety in case I fuck up something. Just hope I use my teiques with this,’ Oliver sidered.

  After choosing his on, Oliver resumed walking to the arena. Upon seeing the lights of the Coliseum, his jaw dropped. To him, it was illogical; the arena seemed gigantiething that shouldn't be able to fit oenth floor.

  The ground was covered with sand that spread across the entire arena, and on the sides were seats filled with spectators. But his main surprise was the new hologram that hovered he arena's ceiling: two men side by side, evaluating eaew batant.

  "We have another bataering the area: Oliver Nameless. A student at the Academy is already oenth floor. Impressive, isn't it, Mike?" one of the holograms ented.

  "No doubt. Unfortunately, there isn't any information about his Boon; we couldn't see it being used in previous matches, John," the other hologram replied.

  “We may assume that his boon isn’t reted to battling or that at least it doesn’t have a physical appearance. What do you think, Mike?” The first hologram asked.

  Oliver didn't know what to think of the two holograms enting on his performance. However, now, with his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he could see who eaking. He just didn't reize either of them.

  Mike looked like a former basketball pyer. His cheerful fad broad smile matched his shiny jacket. John, oher hand, looked like a Hollywood actor. However, Oliver was unsure if there were still actors. His unshaven beard and purple bzer seemed meticulously pnned.

  Ding

  | Betting el| [NicoY] Bet 1,000 credits

  Ding

  | [NicoY] Bet 10 Credits - Message: The most watched matches usually have entators. Don't lose your head over the ents, but maybe you hear something that might help you ich.

  Oliver gave a slight nod. By now, he khat responding ointless. tinuing his steps, he went to the seventh position in the arena. Everyone ositioned in a semi-circle, with the judge h at the ter.

  While the st oppos were entering the arena, Oliver began to analyze his progress over the past few days.

  | Status Page| User: Oliver [Nameless]| Level: 3 [Pawn]| Experience: [61/300]|| Stats| Strength: 7 [Pawn]| Agility: 14 [Knight]| stitution: 6 [Pawn]| Energy: 14 [Knight]

  ‘The training had a good effect after all,’ Oliver thought.

  Although it had only been five days, he had learned a lot and gained plenty of experienething he would never have achieved within the Academy.

  | Left Eye of Learning| h Army Style| [10.50%]

  Especially his eique, which has proven valuable i bats.

  ‘Hope this works with a shield,’ Oliver thought as he looked at the object.

  While he was still refleg on the past few days, the st petitor ehe arena—someone Oliver already khe girl with the ivory mask walked to the st spot in the semi-circle.

  "This is our st batant, Mike. We don't have any information on her yet, but rumors are that she is one of the recruits of IWT," John ented, moving his hologram between looking at the girl and his fellow entator.

  "John, you know that IWT doesn't take findialent lightly. No wohey've bee one of the rgest CORPs focused on military defense. So we expect that this girl is capable of pag a punch," Mike responded.

  While the two entators tiheir work, the judge began to speak.

  "I will be the judge of this fight. Basic rules: no prote, and only the armors and oed are allowed. If you faint, are immobilized, or are severely injured, it's an automatic defeat. Fights to the death are not allowed. Uood?" the floating head asked.

  All the batants nodded.

  "Sponsorships may begin at my signal!" The floating head addressed the audience. "3! ... 2! ... 1! Start!"

  Oliver had already observed the people closest to him. His pn was to move away and try to engage in bat with the girl to his left. However, as soon as the starting arm sounded, an explosion hit the ter of the arena.

  Boom

  "Hey! Hey! How about ging the game a bit."

  At the moment of the explosion, Oliver was thrown far from his position, hitting the side of the arena. With the cloud of sand that had risen, he couldn't see who eaking or around him.

  Oliver raised the shield close to his fad strained his eyes to see through the sand. He could make out a silhouette approag; before he could react, he saw an object hitting his shield.

  Turning his head, he saw the spear that had just passed him returning.

  ‘What?!’ the boy thought, not uanding what just happened.

  "Impressive, Mike! With a single move, the ech was altered," Oliver heard the entators discussing.

  "Without a doubt, John. Helen has always known how to use her Boon in some new way. She fired a high-pressure air bst at the arena itself, f her oppos to separate and creating a cloud of sand."

  Although the situation gradually became clearer, Oliver was still overwhelmed by the cloud and the spear being thrown. He couldn't see his oppo and their on. The boy only saw blurs of the spear hitting his shield and, as if by magic, quickly returo the one who threw it.

  Ting

  Once again, Oliver mao dodge the spear by luck. The sand still blocked most of his vision, but finally, he could make out the silhouette of the person attag him.

  ‘Now it's my turn,’ Oliver thought.

  With the shield in hand, he advaoward the silhouette ahead. Expeg the spear to be thrown, but the impaever came. In front of him stood a man, almost his height but more muscur. In one hand was the spear that had been thrown.

  "I was waiting for you. It wouldn't be fair to win just by throwing this spear," the man said.

  "Really? I would have accepted a victory anyway," Oliver said, somewhat embarrassed.

  He advanced without giving the oppo space, looking for an opening to attack. But the man repared; he extehe spear using both hands, ensuring Oliver couldn't get close.

  "John, it seems that now the cloud has settled, everyone has found their oppos," Mike said.

  "Yes, Mike. Two who are already fag off are Adrian and Oliver. Isn't Adrian also from some CORP?" John asked.

  "Maybe, but he's not on the official payroll of any of them," Mike replied.

  "Hmm, money uhe table. Do you know what that looks like to me? Merary. They're not easy to face," John ented.

  "They could have said something that helped me!" Oliver spoke angrily.

  "John! John! What's happening oher side of the arena? What are they doing?" Mike excimed.

  "I have no idea, Mike, but it seems to be arick up the twins' sleeves," John replied.

  As Oliver dodged a thrust, he noticed what the entators were talking about. Looking up, he saw a giant green oving in his dire.

  "Fuck! Another cloud?!" Oliver said as he tried to run away.

  GCLopes