Chapter 13 - Crumbling Boulder

  “Stay out of my way!” Benny roared, thrusting his arms forward as a barrage of jagged rocks surged toward Yumiko. She reacted instantly, rolling to the side just as the stones crashed into the ground where she had stood moments before. Debris exploded outward violently.

  “You won’t even have the honor of fighting him or me!” Benny bellowed, fury dripping from his voice. “You’ll have nothing!” With another guttural yell, he conjured another flurry of stones and hurled them forward with reckless force.

  Yumiko sprinted, wind magic coursing through her limbs, sharpening her movements and enhancing her speed. The rocks slammed into the arena floor behind her, fracturing the ground with resounding cracks. She barely had time to breathe as she dodged each impact, weaving through the relentless assault.

  He’s strong… and his magic is powerful… Yumiko observed, her sharp eyes analyzing his movements as she ran. But he’s not precise, nor is he patient. His attacks were wild, more brute force than strategy. He was trying to crush her through sheer power alone.

  She needed to close the distance or she would be crushed at this rate! Yumiko skidded, turning on her heels and started sprinting towards the large man. Benny’s lips curled into a grin. He welcomed the challenge.

  Lukas tried to stand, but he was still extremely tired. He yelled for her, his voice hoarse with exhaustion. “Stop! Are you crazy?” He could barely lift himself, but he watched, wide-eyed, as she charged in.

  The crowd leaned forward, gripping the edges of their seats in anticipation as Yumiko and Benny were about to clash.

  As Benny swung at her with a sweeping arm, Yumiko ducked low, planting her hands on the arena floor like she was about to launch into a handstand. In a fluid motion, she twisted her body and drove her good leg upward, striking Benny square in the jaw with the bottom of her foot.

  Benny’s head snapped backward, his eyes rolling for a fraction of a second before he stumbled away, dazed.

  In the stands, Mary shot up from her seat, eyes wide with Yumiko’s amazing strike. “No way…!”

  Luchs closed his eyes briefly, a smirk tugging at his lips. “I told you to have more faith in your friend.”

  Back in the arena, Benny swayed, on the verge of toppling over. But just when it seemed he might collapse, his body stiffened, and he let out an earth-shaking roar.

  Like a beast awakened, he summoned a massive boulder with both hands and hurled it at Yumiko.

  She barely had time to react. Still recovering from her last move, she pushed off to dodge—but as she landed, pain shot through her ankle. Her sprained foot buckled, and she let out a sharp cry as her face slammed into the ground, the boulder soaring over her head.

  Another boulder, smaller in size, but much faster, came flying straight at her. She turned just in time to see it, but it was too late—she couldn’t dodge this one. With no other option, she braced herself, raising her arms in defense. The impact was devastating, the force sent her hurtling backward, her body skidding across the ground in a brutal collision.

  In the stands, Remos stood, eyes wide in disbelief. “The Ninja just took a massive hit!” he exclaimed as the crowd erupted in a mix of shock and exhilaration.

  Lukas clenched his fists, fighting against the armor’s pull on his strength. He gritted his teeth, trying—and failing—to push himself up. “Damn it! Get out of here!” he shouted, watching her body finally come to a grinding halt. He prayed that she was okay.

  Mary gripped the handrails in front of her, her knuckles turning white. “Please… Please be okay…” She said, staring at Yumiko’s body as it remained still.

  For a long moment, Yumiko didn’t move. The world seemed to hold its breath. Then, slowly, she stirred. Pushing against the ground, she forced herself back onto her feet, her body trembling from the sheer force of will keeping her upright.

  “She just won’t go down!” Remos hollered, his voice barely rising over the deafening cheers of the crowd.

  Yumiko exhaled sharply, adjusting the straps on her kote. If her armor hadn’t absorbed the brunt of that hit, she might have been out of the competition right then and there. Or worse.

  A lone fighter in the arena spotted an opening and charged straight at Benny.

  Benny’s eyes snapped to the incoming attacker, and his face twisted into a scowl. “I’m tired of you small fries getting in my way!” he roared.

  He clasped his massive fists together and swung them like a wrecking ball. The crowd gasped in horror as Benny’s devastating blow connected, launching the unfortunate fighter clear off the stage. The man’s body rocketed through the air before crashing into the colosseum walls below with a sickening crunch, shattering stone on impact. Debris exploded outward, sending dust and rubble cascading into the stands. The crowd roared in delight.

  Benny threw his arms up, basking in the moment. “I am the star!” he bellowed, shaking his head from the pain. “I’m the one who deserves the cheers, the chants—not you! Not him!” His furious gaze locked onto Yumiko.

  Without hesitation, he began hurling boulders one after another at her.

  Yumiko barely had time to react before the first massive rock came barreling toward her. She quickly encased herself in wind magic, allowing it to lighten the pressure on her injured foot as she moved. She weaved through the chaos, dodging wildly, but Benny’s relentless assault was unending.

  She needed to close the distance once more.

  More and more boulders slammed into the arena stage, littering the battlefield with stone obstacles. The longer the fight dragged on, the harder it became to maneuver. The crowd struggled to keep up with her speed, their eyes darting back and forth as she danced through the storm of rocks.

  Benny smirked, confidence gleaming in his eyes. “I got you, you rat!”

  With a mighty clap of his hands, the boulders scattered across the stage exploded, sending a shockwave of shattered rock burst outward, pelting everything in its path. Fighters all across the arena were caught in the blast, bodies thrown like ragdolls across the battlefield. Men screamed bloody-murder as they were struck.

  The crowd screamed as fist-sized chunks of stone hurtled toward them—only to shatter harmlessly against the magical barrier that protected the stands. Dust and smoke blanketed the arena floor, obscuring everything from view.

  From the observation deck, the magical board that tracked the number of fighters still standing flickered violently, the numbers dropped drastically. Just before Benny’s attack, it had displayed thirty remaining competitors; now, it showed only seven.

  Remos squinted through the haze, struggling to process what had just happened. “Er… Benny just unleashed a massive attack… I don’t know who’s left at this point… Wait—there! The fighters are emerging from the smoke!”

  Yumiko coughed, struggling to stay upright as the dust settled. Around her, bodies lay strewn across the ground, some motionless, others groaning in pain, blood pooling beneath them. One by one, the dead and injured were teleported from the stage. When she tried to push herself up, a sharp pain shot through her leg. Her breath hitched as she glanced down—her other leg had been struck as well.

  Benny’s laughter rang through the silence. As the smoke fully cleared, he threw his arms into the air once again, basking in the deafening cheers of the crowd.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Up in the stands, Kenwick leaned forward in his seat, watching with an amused smile. “A man who knows how to play the audience…” he mused, stroking his chin “But does he think he has already won?”

  Benny turned back toward the battlefield—and his triumphant grin twisted into a scowl the moment he saw Yumiko still standing.

  His rage boiled over. “How… How are you still alive?!” With a furious roar, he charged.

  Two random fighters, locked in combat nearby, hesitated at the sound of Benny’s stampeding footsteps. They barely had time to turn their heads before he reached them. Without slowing, Benny grabbed them both by the skull and smashed their heads together with bone-crunching force. Their bodies crumpled instantly, vanishing in a flash of teleportation magic as they were forcibly removed from the match.

  The final random fighter stared in horror as Benny continued running towards him.

  The man’s grip on his sword trembled. His shield felt useless in his hands. He swallowed hard, sweat dripping down his face. Then, in a split second, he made his choice. He dropped his weapon and shield. “I yield! I yiel—”

  Benny’s fist slammed into the poor fighter’s stomach. The fighter’s body launched off the stage, slamming into the ground outside the arena with a lifeless thud.

  Yumiko watched in horror as Benny charged like a bull. She tried to stand, but her body refused to move. Panic clawed at her mind as she struggled to push herself off the ground. Her injured legs crumpled under herself.

  “Come on… Move!” she yelled, her voice laced with desperation.

  She tried to summon wind magic beneath her, but fear dulled her focus. Her breaths came fast and shallow as Benny closed the distance and was a mere ten feet away. With no other choice, she turned sharply, thrusting her arm forward and pouring what little magic she had left into one final attack.

  A powerful gust of wind erupted from her palm, howling toward Benny with enough force to send the crowd clutching their hats and food. But Benny was ready. He conjured a massive boulder in front of him, using it as a shield to absorb the brunt of the blast. Despite the force of her magic, he barely faltered, his boots grinding against the stone stage as he barely lost ground. He fought against the torrent of wind, step by step, like an unstoppable force.

  “I will kill you!” He yelled, over the flow of wind, hardly moving.

  Yumiko gritted her teeth, pouring every last shred of energy into her attack. Her vision blurred, her limbs trembled, and her head throbbed as her magic reserves neared depletion.

  “Come… ON!” she screamed, but the dizziness overtook her. The gale lost strength. Her power was gone.

  Benny’s grin stretched wide as he dropped the boulder with a heavy thud and stepped out from behind it.

  “Looks like you’ve run out of tricks,” he sneered. “And you can’t even stand.”

  Yumiko gasped for air, her body weak and trembling on the arena floor. She frantically searched her surroundings for anything—anything—that could give her an edge. But there was nothing. No weapon, no terrain to exploit, no chance to escape.

  Benny loomed over her, extending a massive hand. “Lucky for you… I’ll make this quick.”

  Yumiko recoiled, bracing herself—then a blur of motion flashed past Benny’s head.

  CRACK!

  A powerful kick struck Benny square in the face, sending him flying backward. The impact echoed through the arena as he skidded across the stone.

  Yumiko’s eyes shot open. Standing before her, armor still smoking, was Lukas. His back lurched as he breathed heavily, his body radiating heat like an ember on the verge of burning out. Yet he had made it—just in time.

  Benny groaned on the ground but wasn’t down yet.

  “Damn… he’s tenacious,” Lukas muttered, his entire body screaming in agony.

  Yumiko stared up at him, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. “Why did you help me?” she asked, trying to keep her identity concealed. “You didn’t have to do tha—” Her words caught in her throat as Lukas knelt beside her, his expression oddly calm despite the exhaustion in his eyes. “What are you looking at?”

  Before she could react, he scooped her up in his arms.

  “What are you doing? Let go of me!” she protested, squirming weakly, but her body was too battered, too drained to escape.

  Lukas held her steady. “I don’t have much left in me,” he admitted, his voice quiet yet firm. “But I can at least do this. You’ve bought me valuable time. I won’t let it go to waste.”

  From the stands, Remos squinted in confusion. “It appears… The Golden Warrior is picking up the Ninja… What is he planning?”

  The crowd murmured, their voices hushed with anticipation as they watched the scene unfold.

  “Put me down,” Yumiko snapped, her frustration mounting. “I said let go! I will defeat you here and now if you don’t release me!”

  Lukas looked straight on, his gaze forwards as he continued carrying her in his arms. “Just like your brother, you both insist on involving yourselves in others' problems. Let me handle this. Snow is my friend—my problem.”

  Yumiko’s breath hitched. From the cradle of his arms, she looked up at him, her heart pounding against her ribs. “You… knew?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Shame weighed on her as she averted her gaze.

  Lukas let out a small, knowing exhale. “You stand out with that eastern armor of yours… And your magic was another dead giveaway.”

  Yumiko stayed silent, but the unease inside her only deepened. She tried to fight the feeling inside, trying to quell the anxiety that she was feeling, or she thought she was feeling. This emotion felt different. It was sharper, lingering in a way that made her stomach tighten whenever she looked at him.

  “Please… Let me continue… I have a feeling that you will not come out of this,” she murmured. “At this rate… nothing good will come of it. Let me help. We can get Snow back together. You don’t have to suffer alone.”

  Lukas carried her across the stage with slow, deliberate steps, bringing her back toward the stone steps at the arena’s edge. Gently, he lowered her down.

  “That’s why I’m going to make this quick,” he said, straightening up. His tone was steady, resolute. “I told you before—I’m not going to die.”

  His confident expression sent another wave of unease through her. Yumiko tried to push it down, but the moment her eyes landed on him, the feeling surged back tenfold. She wanted to believe him. She really did. But the way his voice wavered, the exhaustion behind his forced smirk—it clawed at her, twisting something deep in her gut.

  “Stay there,” Lukas said calmly before walking away.

  Yumiko sat upright, watching as her friend strode back toward the center of the stage, her heart still beating quickly. Flashes of her dream raced through her mind. “Wait… Please…” She begged, feeling her voice choke up.

  Remos nearly jumped from his seat, his excitement spilling over the arena. “It’s down to two fighters!” he bellowed.

  Across the battlefield, Benny stirred. He groaned as he pushed himself off the ground, his face swollen and bruised from Lukas’ previous kick. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes still burned with ferocity.

  Lukas, too, was struggling. His body trembled from exhaustion, the toll of the battle evident in every shaky breath. Still, he stood firm, his focus locked on his opponent.

  For a brief moment, his gaze flickered toward Snow, who watched from behind the bars of her cage. She stood stiffly, ears pinned back, her eyes unblinking as she observed him. Lukas gave her a small nod before returning his attention to Benny.

  Benny wiped the blood from his lip and sneered. “You think this will go the way you want it to?”

  Lukas met his gaze, unwavering. “Do you?”

  A guttural growl escaped Benny as he lunged forward, his arms swinging up in an attempt to overpower him. Lukas mirrored the motion, charging straight at him. Their hands clasped together in a brutal lock, their strength colliding with a force so intense that a shockwave rippled outward. The arena trembled under the impact.

  Remos was on his feet. “It’s down to hand-to-hand combat! The two warriors are locked in a battle of sheer strength, trying to force one another out of the ring!”

  Benny’s smirk widened. “That armor might have given you some strength,” he sneered, straining against Lukas, “but I’m the strongest!”

  He let out a roar and shoved forwards, slowly pushing Lukas towards the edge of the arena. Lukas gritted his teeth, his feet scraping against the stone as he slid backward, inch by inch, toward the platform’s edge.

  Yumiko’s fingers curled into the fabric of her clothes, her breath coming faster as she watched Lukas struggle.

  Benny laughed, his voice echoing over the arena. “That’s it! Just a little more!” he taunted, eyes wild with triumph.

  Lukas’ back teetered dangerously close to the edge, inching closer and closer. The crowd leaned in. The battle’s climax was seconds away.

  Lukas held on, his muscles straining as he braced himself against Benny’s overwhelming strength. His vision blurred at the edges, but he could still make out Yumiko watching from the sidelines, her eyes wide with worry. Behind her, Snow stood tense in her cage, silently watching. He could feel all eyes on him.

  A small smirk crept onto Lukas’ face. “You’re right…” he admitted through gritted teeth. “You are stronger than me…”

  Benny’s grin widened, his confidence swelling. Lukas suddenly loosened his grip, letting the man push forward. “But you’re not as crafty!”

  With a sharp yell, Lukas lunged forward, wrapping his arms tightly around his opponent’s torso.

  Before Benny could react, Lukas twisted his body and hurled himself backward, channeling every last ounce of strength he had left. Benny’s feet left the ground in an instant, his body yanked into the air in a helpless arc. He thrashed, kicking wildly, but gravity had already decided his fate.

  The impact was devastating. Lukas drove Benny’s skull into the arena’s edge with a bone-rattling suplex, the stone beneath them trembling from the force. Benny’s limbs went limp on impact, his body rolling lifelessly before slumping off the platform and crashing onto the dirt below.

  For a moment, silence.

  Then the arena exploded into chaos—cheers, shouts, the roar of the crowd shaking the air like a thunderstorm.

  From beneath her mask, Yumiko let out a breath of relief, a smile breaking through. “Gods… He did it.. He really did it! Lukas!!” she called, trying to push herself up—but her legs refused to move just yet.

  Lukas lay on his back for a moment, chest rising and falling with labored breaths. It was over. He had won.