DAKU
"Give us blood! Give us blood! Give us blood!"
Those were the chants of the people seeking entertainment in this coveted arena. There was no doubt that these people found pleasure in the pain and suffering of others.
Blood-thirsty gladiators would most likely get hyped by these words. It was their call for bloodshed and torture.
But not for me. I didn't get excited or get motivated by them. It haunted me. The thought of murdering someone for the sake of amusement was not something that I would like to do. But just like what I said back in Jihar's shop, we had no choice.
The worn-out wooden door before me was what only separated me from the arena beyond it. And soon it would open as a sign for me that the battle would soon commence.
"We are again at the end of the season!" the host announced. It has started. "Hundreds of brave fighters fought their way toward victory, but only two remain. And we are all gathered here to witness the peak of their potential in order to be hailed as the 'God of the Arena'!"
The enthusiasm in the host's voice erupted into an audience scream of excitement.
"Let's not waste time and begin the duel! On our right is Jihar's new champion! Let's all welcome, Daku!"
The moment the host uttered my name, the wooden door in front of me swung open outward for me to pass through. The light from the arena almost blinded me, but my eyes were quick to adjust to it.
I wasted no time and stepped out of the waiting area into the arena. I heard no cheers nor screams of excitement. It was not surprising. It was their first time seeing me.
"Yo, what?!" shouted a familiar voice. Even his laugh was so familiar that it triggered hatred within me. "You're the Healer, right?"
It was him. Kiero.
After saying those words, murmurs of noise ricocheted off the arena walls. All of them talked about me as a Healer. They were looking down on me just because of my class.
"A healer?" the host repeated. "Uh-oh! Looks like Jihar picked the wrong guy for this match!"
The whole arena was filled with laughter and mockery. Some were even booing while others were wishing me to die already.
I didn't care what they were saying about me. I didn't care if they wanted me dead or wanted me to surrender. They could look down on me and throw me their worst words of insults. I didn't care. Because I knew what I came here for. I came here to win...for Kana.
"Okay, that's enough laughter. We're not even starting yet, we are already entertained. Are you sure you want to do this, Daku?" the host asked, but I gave him no response. I knew better than to talk back to a barking dog. "I'll take that as a yes. Let's just bring him out already...THE MASKED BLADE!"
I could tell that this Masked-Blade guy was a well-known fighter because of how loud the audience had become. They screamed so hard that I winced in such intensity.
A wooden door, the same as the one before me earlier, opened at the opposite end of the arena. Emerged from it was a man in a fancy outfit. A kind of clothing that you would expect to see less in a place like this.
And I was right about him wearing a mask, just like what his name suggested. It was a plain black mask painted in white paint resembling a wolf's face. The sheathed sword on his hips entailed that he was a swordsman.
"Since Daku here is a newbie, here are the rules. You're free to use any means to defeat your opponent, and the victor is decided if the opposing party surrenders, is incapacitated, or is dead. Am I clear?" I just nodded. "Well then, let's star—"
The host was cut off when the Masked Blade stretched his left hand outward, a sign of silence.
"I've heard earlier that my enemy is a Healer, am I right?" he asked.
"Y-Yes, you're right."
"And we all know that Healers are not meant to fight. They're weak and delicate, am I right?" The audience roared in agreement. "So wouldn't it be a shame for a fighter like me to fight a weakling like him, am I right?"
Another cry of affirmation.
"It would hurt my ego if I fought a Healer like you. I deserved a worthy opponent. Someone who can actually challenge me. Someone who can entertain me. But you are not that someone. And I won't gonna waste my time on you. Go home and maybe heal someone if you can find one."
"Are you scared?" I taunted him.
I couldn't afford to waste this opportunity. I needed this fight. I wanted him to fight. Jahir made it clear earlier: "No fight means no winner. No winner means no gate passes."
"What did you just say?"
"I'm asking if you're scared!"
The Masked Blade giggled until it became a laugh. The spectators joined him as well.
"Me? Scared of a weak Healer like you?"
"Then why don't you fight me? It would be a waste if you're not giving it a try. You might not know what I'm capable of?"
"I know what you're capable of, idiot. You're nothing but a waste. Nobody wants a healer like you. Nobody wants you."
"Stop blabbering and fight me already, scaredy-cat."
Come on! Just come at me already! I'm itching to end this!
"You really want a fight?" The Masked Blade pulled out his sword and pointed it at me. That's it. Give me the fight I want. "I'll give you a fight. I hope you said your prayers alread—"
"You don't know how to shut up, do you?" I whispered as I moved myself near him using Haste. He was caught off guard by my swiftness, hence his widened eyes.
Using my fist covered in healing magic, I punched him in the face, threw him, and hit the arena's wall. The impact was so strong that the area was covered in a cloud of dust.
The whole arena fell silent. No one made a noise as they were all astonished about what happened. I bet some of them had their mouths opened but mostly shocked eyes.
"Wha—What just happened?" the host questioned in utter disbelief. "Did that Healer just pack a punch that strong?"
"He's probably cheating!"
"Cheater!"
"Trickster!"
The once quiet room was once again filled with voices of accusations and mockery. But I ignored them and just focused my eyes on the location where my enemy was.
"Y-You!" The dust finally subsided and revealed the Masked Blade struggling to stand on both feet, even with the sword as his support. "You dare hit me, The Masked Blade! You're gonna regret this!"
His body glowed green, an indication of healing magic in effect. Not long after, he regained his strength and was back to his usual self. Now that he knew what I was capable of, he'd gonna take me seriously.
"You better be ready," he prayed.
"I'm not you," I mocked.
He swiftly launched himself at me using Haste and tried to wound me. But I was so good at evading that not a single one of his attacks landed or touched me.
Every time he missed I could see his face twitching in frustration. It was a matter of time before he would lose his temper. And a frustrated mind is a double-edged sword.
"Are you just gonna dodge and not fight back?" he asked.
Well, if he was asking for it.
After he swung his sword at me and perfectly evaded it, I lowered my body and aimed for his abdomen. The impact of my reinforced fist made him cough up blood, and he once again lost his composure.
I kicked both of his feet, lost him his footing, and before he hit the ground, I clasped both of my reinforced hands and slammed them hard on his chest. The force was so intense that it created a crater beneath his unconscious body.
"You asked for it," I muttered as I stared at him.
"I-I can't believe it! The Masked Blade, who is undefeated fifty times, lost to a Healer! This is history! WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!"
"What's The Masked Blade doing?" someone in the crowd asked.
I looked at the Masked Blade's body and watched it as it jerked frantically as if it were being electrocuted. Purple veins were evident on his neck and portions of his face.
All of a sudden, his eyes bolted open, and I shivered in pure horror. It was completely black.
I jumped out of shock when his head tilted in my direction. I knew something bad was going to happen, and I needed to distance myself, but my body was still in a state of shock. It wouldn't move.
Strangely, something or someone tackled me and brought me away from the Masked Blade. When we halted, I found out that it was Kenshi.
"This is bad, Daku," Kenshi mumbled. "He's one of them!"
Confused by his words, I asked him, "What do you mean?"
"Remember the enemy we fought that killed Miss Hanaka? He turned into something like that after devouring a black orb! I don't know what that orb was, but it strengthens them and grants them more power!" Kenshi narrated.
I couldn't remember the transformation of our enemy before, but I could recall how Kenshi killed him. And he was right, the Masked Blade had the same purple veins and pitch-black eyes as the ones in the enemy whom we fought back at Gieya Village.
"So, what's the plan?"
"I'd say we run, but we can't let him go on a rampage. He'd kill everyone in this room, and that includes Jahir. If he gets killed, we'd lose our chance to save Kana."
"So, you're saying that we should fight him?"
"This is an arena after all."
"But how are you going to defeat him? You can't use magic here with all these witnesses. They'll know you reawakened."
"Then let's stick with the conventional: you heal, I attack," Kenshi suggested, and I agreed.
Kenshi immediately used Vigor on himself while I supported him with Haste. Now, his strength and speed were boosted.
"Here he comes!" I warned, alerting Kenshi.
The Masked Blade stoically attacked Kenshi. He delivered his attack without any emotion at all. It was as if Kenshi was fighting a dummy.
The two took turns delivering and dodging an attack. They'd been doing this for quite some time now, and if this continues, Kenshi would be at a disadvantage. Once he gets tired, it will be his end.
But Kenshi couldn't seem to find an opening. I could see that he was struggling to lay a hit. His complexion was a bit off as well, telling me that anytime now, he'd lose his rhythm.
Luckily, the enemy lost his footing when he stepped on the uneven part of the arena where the crater was. Kenshi grabbed this as an opportunity to strike, and in just one swift movement of his sword, he decapitated the Masked Blade.
I immediately ran toward Kenshi and healed him to recover the energy he consumed. While doing it, I turned my head to see the lifeless body of my enemy. Even in his death, the transformation remained.
For any reason, I found myself walking towards the corpse. I placed my right hand on the head and my left on the torso before sending healing magic to them. As the magic spread, the head and the body released a pitch-black smoke. That was when I realized that I was purifying them of impurities.
"I never knew you could do that," Kenshi commented.
"I never knew as well," I replied.
It looked like there was more to a Healer than meets the eye.