Neptune already knew he couldn't win a battle against a Corrupted Creature with three Soul Vessels. But that didn't mean he'd go down without a fight. He simply refused to.
He glared at the Abomination, anger burning in his eyes, and shifted into a fighting stance.
Suddenly, the crowd grew quiet.
Punishment. Punishment. Punishment.
He looked up. That was what they were chanting as the Abomination stopped about ten meters away from him.
The sound rang in his ears, gnawing at his sanity.
Punishment?
Then, the Abomination summoned a heavy war axe, nearly as tall as Neptune. It was double-bladed, silver in color, with cracks running through its surface.
Without warning, it launched at him. The movement was so fast it blurred, giving Neptune almost no time to react.
"So fast!"
The monster appeared before him in an instant, swinging its axe in a wide, horizontal slash aimed at Neptune's head. He ducked at the very last moment—so close he felt strands of his hair being cut away. Without hesitation, he thrust his sword toward its abdomen.
But before the strike could land, the Abomination kicked him square in the face with inhuman speed.
The impact was like being hit by a runaway carriage.
With a sickening crunch, Neptune's nose broke, and he was sent flying across the arena.
He crashed into the rough sand, skidding several meters before stopping. Gritting his teeth, he touched his mangled nose, pain flooding through his skull. As he tried to rise, the familiar chain from before snapped around his neck again.
He was too weak to fight it.
His head spun. His vision blurred.
"It hurts… so much…"
The chain tightened, dragging him helplessly across the sand like a broken doll. The only thing he could hear over the ringing in his ears was the manic chanting of the crowd.
Punishment! Punishment! Punishment!
It echoed inside his skull like a curse, driving him to the edge of madness.
The Abomination hauled him back inside. As the gate slammed shut and darkness swallowed them, the cheers faded into a distant murmur. Neptune was dragged across the cold stone floor and thrown unceremoniously into his cell. The metal door clanged shut, the sound echoing in the silence.
Neptune groaned, forcing himself upright. He sat against the wall, glaring at the girl still leaning against the iron bars of her own cell. The silence between them was suffocating.
Then, she broke it.
"Wow. You won."
Neptune scoffed and muttered in a bitter tone, "Just tell me—what in the name of Corruption is this cursed place?"
"Fine," she said, crossing her arms.
"This place was created by one of the three Archdemons—Nightmare King Gray. He built it for the rich bastards who wanted to watch people like us fight to the death."
Her voice was dark.
An Archdemon.
Neptune swallowed hard. He had only ever heard of them in myths.
Archdemons were Corrupted Creatures with four Soul Vessels, granting them unimaginable strength and terrifying intelligence. They were the most feared breed of Corruption on Earth—capable of commanding armies, devising cunning strategies, and conquering strongholds with ease.
Astariel continued, her tone grim.
"Nobody knows exactly why he created this place. Some say it was for profit. Others say for entertainment… or just for his own bloodlust."
Neptune clenched his fists. He couldn't comprehend it.
"This place is insane! Why are the spectators cheering?! What the hell is wrong with them?!" He slammed his fist against the floor.
"No sane human would enjoy this!"
Astariel sighed. "That's because most of them aren't human. Almost all of them are ghosts… or intelligent Corrupted Creatures. Same goes for most of the fighters in the arena."
Neptune blinked, then pointed at her suspiciously.
"If most of the fighters aren't human… then what the hell are you?"
She stepped closer, leaning down to meet his eyes.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm a vampire."
His blood ran cold. "A… a vampire?!"
She shook her head and sighed.
"Idiot. Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not going to drink your blood or anything. Vampires only need to feed every few weeks—and honestly, most human blood doesn't even taste good."
Neptune froze, words stuck in his throat. He stared at her with a mixture of fear… and something else. Fascination, maybe.
He had read vampire stories before, in novels and old books in his village's library. The newspapers were full of anti-vampire propaganda, painting them as unholy, hideous monsters. Naturally, he was terrified—and he didn't trust her.
He steadied himself, forcing confidence into his voice.
"Fine. But if you ever try, I'll kill you. Got it?"
He tried to sound threatening but failed miserably.
Astariel chuckled, replying in a mocking tone. "Oh really? You're welcome to try."
After a moment of silence, Neptune asked, "So… do you know how to get out of here?"
Astariel shook her head. "There's only one way out. Be the last one standing."
"Th-The last one standing?"
"Yes. If you manage to survive long enough to kill every other fighter, you're granted freedom." She let out a heavy sigh.
"What the hell…?"
It sounded simple—but Neptune knew it was anything but. Impossible, really. He had only one Soul Vessel. If he faced anyone stronger, he'd die instantly.
"There has to be another way!"
"There isn't," Astariel replied flatly. "The Archdemon suppresses our Soul Vessels. No one can escape."
They sat in silence for several minutes. Neptune racked his brain for a solution—but there was none.
None at all.
"Anyway," Astariel suddenly asked, "what's your name?"
"My name is Neptune," he answered quickly.
"Neptune…" she murmured, almost to herself.
"You're the first human I've met here, by the way. There are almost no humans left alive in the Realm of Oblivion."
She was right. The Realm of Oblivion was a death sentence for most humans. It was overrun by monsters and Corrupted Creatures. No human could survive here.
At least… no normal human.
Then, the metal door creaked open.