-Aftermath-

  He limped toward the fighter’s alcove, where a wooden bench and a bucket of murky water waited. The hyena-man pushed through the throng, clutching his bulging coin pouch like a holy relic.

  “You actually won,” the hyena rasped, ears twitching between disbelief and greed.

  Sen didn’t answer. He fished a red vial from his sack, uncorked it with his teeth, and downed the contents in one swallow.

  Fire erupted in his veins.

  Tendons knit back together, fractures mending in jagged bursts. Not true healing—just pain receptors forced into overdrive, accelerating recovery at a cost.

  (Hurts like hell.)

  He gritted his teeth until the worst passed, exhaling sharply. The pain dulled to a throbbing ache, but his mobility returned. Enough.

  The bookkeeper’s voice cut through the noise.

  “Winner’s choice.” The old man’s pen hovered. “Take your winnings and leave… or continue. Two more fights. Double the purse each time.”

  Sen didn’t hesitate. “Continue.”

  “You insane?” the hyena hissed. “You can barely stand!”

  Sen didn’t look at him. “Bet again.”

  The hyena’s ears fttened. “On what? You’re half-dead!”

  Sen finally turned, blood still trickling from his split lip. His voice was quiet. “You trusted me once. Do it again.”

  The hyena’s jaw worked. Then, with a snarl, he turned to the bookkeeper and pced a heavy pouch of coins on the table. “All of it. On him.”

  The crowd roared as the next fighter stepped into the pit.

  -Second Fight: The Human-

  A man stood across from Sen, wiry and unassuming—no beast-blood, no cws. Just calloused fists and eyes that tracked movement like a hawk.

  (Perception fighter.)

  The gong sounded.

  The human didn’t rush. He circled, reading Sen’s weight shifts, the hitch in his breath. Every twitch analyzed.

  Sen feinted left.

  The human didn’t bite.

  (Fast reactions. Faster than the lion.)

  Sen adjusted, favoring his healing side. A mistake.

  The human lunged—not at Sen, but at where he’d be. A fist snapped toward his temple.

  Sen barely jerked back in time.

  (Predicts movement.)

  He exhaled, resetting. No wasted motion. No telegraphing.

  The human’s brow furrowed.

  Sen struck.

  A straight punch—too slow to nd, but the human dodged exactly as pnned. Into Sen’s waiting knee.

  *CRACK.*

  Ribs gave way. The human staggered, but his hands came up, guarding his jaw.

  (Still reading me.)

  Sen switched tactics.

  No patterns. No rhythm. Just chaos—a Muay Thai elbow morphing into a drunken stumble, a Kyokushin kick aborted mid-motion into a grappling hook.

  His opponent’s eyes widened.

  For the first time, he hesitated.

  Sen’s fist buried itself in his gut.

  -Third Fight: The Boar-

  No time to rest. The boar hybrid was already charging, tusks gleaming, a living battering ram.

  Sen sidestepped, but the boar pivoted, a shoulder smming into him.

  His healing ribs screamed. The boar didn’t let up—a headbutt grazed Sen’s chin, snapping his head back.

  Blood filled his mouth.

  (No finesse. Just brute force.)

  Sen grinned.

  He let the boar charge again—then dropped at the st second, driving an uppercut into the beast’s exposed throat.

  The boar gagged, stumbling. Sen followed with a Bajiquan elbow to the spine.

  *THUD.*

  The beast colpsed, wheezing.

  Silence.

  Then—

  "Winner… Sen."

  The hyena howled, clutching a pouch now overflowing with gold.

  The crowd’s roar faded into murmurs as Sen wiped his knuckles on his trousers, the boar’s groans still echoing in the pit. The hyena-man shoved through the throng, clutching a bulging coin pouch, his muzzle split in a disbelieving grin.

  “Three fights. Three wins.” The hyena shook the pouch, yellow coins clinking inside. “Do you know how much this is?!”

  Sen ignored him, snatching his share, a pouch of coins from the hyena’s trembling cws and starting counting—total 40 yellow coins. Enough to st weeks and gather information. It was all worth it. But for now He needed a long rest. A meal. A bath. He would decide his next move ter.

  As Sen approached the bookkeeper, the old man slid a cloth bag across the counter—16 yellow coins. “You have drawn attention, fighting three in a row. Bad kind of attention.”

  Sen tucked the coins away. “Not your problem.”

  As he turned to leave, the hyena scrambled after him. "Wait! Where are you—?"

  "A high-css inn." Sen didn’t break his pace. "Private room. Bath. Hot meal."

  The hyena's ears twitched. "That’ll cost you 20 reds just for the room. Another 20 for—"

  "Lead the way." Sen cut him off, fingers brushing the coins tucked into his pocket. "Now."

  The hyena exhaled sharply but nodded, weaving through the market's jostling crowds. Sen kept his head low, avoiding the watchful eyes of the guards near the pza.

  "Here." The hyena stopped before a three-story building with tticed windows, the scent of cedar and steamed fish wafting through its open doors.

  “You’re really done? No more fights?” he asked, voice tight, his muzzle working as though he wanted to say more but couldn’t find the words.

  Sen paused for moment then side turned his head. “I fight when I want to. Not for your entertainment.”

  “And… the winnings? What’s next?”

  “Meet me here in two days.” Sen’s tone brooked no argument. “Don’t be te.”

  The hyena opened his muzzle, thought better of it, and vanished into the dusk.

  With that Sen continued his way to the entrance of the inn.

  -The Inn-

  Inside the inn, oil mps cast warm light over polished wooden floors and sliding paper doors. A prim nakai in indigo kosode robes bowed as Sen entered.

  “Two yellows,” she said, eyeing Sen’s bloodied clothes with mild distaste. “Includes bath, two meals, and a private room.”

  Sen then handed her two yellow coins. “Room. Now.”

  Her demeanor shifted instantly. “Of course, tono-sama. This way.”

  Sen followed the nakai through the inn’s dimly lit hallways, his body still sore from the brutal fights. His chest ached with every step, but the vial had done its job—just enough to keep him moving, for now.

  The scent of steamed fish and fresh rice filled the air, mingling with the faint odor of incense. He ignored the luxurious surroundings, focusing instead on the promise of rest and a hot meal. His stomach growled, but it wasn’t hunger he felt most strongly—it was exhaustion.

  The room the nakai led him to was simple but clean. The walls were adorned with soft, muted tapestries depicting mountain ndscapes, and the floor was smooth wood, polished and warm beneath his feet.

  A low, tatami-covered bed y in the corner, with a small table by the window. The scent of fresh linens and cedarwood hit him as he stepped inside.

  He barely spared the nakai a gnce as she pced the room key on the table. “Your bath is prepared, tono-sama. Should you require anything else, please do not hesitate to ask.”

  Sen nodded sharply, too tired to respond with anything more than a grunt. She lingered, waiting for some sign that he needed more, but Sen had already turned his attention to the bath.

  With a flick of his wrist, he waved the nakai away and limped toward the bath. He was greeted by the steam rising from a wooden tub, its surface shimmering under the soft light.

  The water was a deep, inviting brown—a mixture of herbs and oils meant to rex the muscles. It looked like heaven after the grueling fights.

  He didn’t waste time.

  Stripping off his bloodied, torn clothes, he sank into the warm water with a groan of relief. His muscles rexed immediately, and the pain in his body seemed to dissipate into the water.

  He leaned back, letting the heat soak into his bones, closing his eyes. For a brief moment, everything was quiet.

  But only for a moment.

  His mind wandered back to the fights. The hyena-man had been eager for him to continue, but Sen wasn’t a fool. He knew that the attention he’d garnered wasn’t the good kind. And he didn’t need more trouble—he had enough of that on his pte already.

  The fights were over, but the real work had only just begun.

  When the water began to cool, he reluctantly climbed out of the tub, skin flushed and rexed. He wrapped himself in a thick towel and made his way back to the room, his body still throbbing in pces.

  The nakai had left, and the room was quiet, save for the crackling of the fire in the corner.

  Sen didn’t bother with the bed immediately. Instead, he sat at the small table and pulled out the pouch of coins from his pocket, spilling them onto the table. 54 yellow coins, or 540 reds.

  Not a bad haul, considering the hell he’d been through. The room wasn’t free, and the meals wouldn’t be either, but it was enough for a few days. Enough to get what he needed, and maybe more.

  A soft knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He grunted, rubbing a hand over his face, and rose to answer it. The nakai stood there, holding a tray of food—steamed fish, rice, and a fragrant soup, all neatly arranged.

  “Your meal, tono-sama,” she said with a polite bow.

  Sen nodded and took the tray, setting it on the table. The smell of the food was intoxicating after the long day. Without ceremony, he dug in, his hunger outweighing any sembnce of table manners. He ate quickly, savoring each bite, until the food was gone.

  With his stomach settled he leaned back, rubbing his belly, and thought about his next move.

  He needed information, and he needed to rest. The battles weren’t over, but for now, he could afford a little time to think. To pn. The hyena-man would come back in two days, eager for more of Sen’s “luck,” but that was a bridge he would cross when the time came. Right now, he was content to y low.

  The bed called to him, the soft bedding more inviting than ever. With a sigh, Sen climbed into the bed, pulling the bnkets up around his shoulders. The room was quiet, the only sound the faint rustle of wind outside the window.

  As he fell asleep, a smile crept onto his face. He may be a misfit in this odd world, but in the pit, he ruled like a king.

  For now, that was enough.