Varen City was loud in all the wrong ways.
Steam hissed from pipes that didn't connect to anything, street vendors shouted in five languages, and neon relic signs flickered like they were arguing with the sun.
Rynn stood at the city gate with a bag that used to be brown and a wallet that used to have money.
The guard scanned his ID chip lazily and waved him through without even looking up.
He'd seen big cities before.
But this one moved.
Buildings leaned on each other like drunk giants, trains howled overhead, and holograms of past champions glimmered across glass towers — faces of Seekers who'd lived fast and died on schedule.
Rynn grinned. "Finally, a place as insane as me."
---
The Arena District
He followed the noise east until the streets narrowed into chaos.
Relic posters layered the walls like graffiti.
> VAREN ARENA – BLOOD, HONOR, CASH!
Fight your reflection. Prove your worth.
The air smelled like metal, sweat, and fried something. Probably not food.
He stopped outside a circular building made of old steel plates stacked on each other like armor.
The Arena.
Rynn stared up at it — and then someone bumped into him hard enough to nearly knock him over.
"Watch it, rookie," a voice said.
---
Eren
He turned and saw a boy his age — fifteen maybe — tall, lean, wearing a dark half-zip jacket and a short navy cloak that fluttered just enough to look cool without trying.
His pale hair was a mess in that "effortlessly perfect" way, and his eyes were gray-green, sharp but amused.
"Sorry," Rynn said. "Didn't mean to block your fashion show."
Eren smirked. "It's not a fashion show. It's survival. Looking decent helps people underestimate you."
Rynn blinked. "That's… weirdly smart."
"Welcome to Varen City," Eren said. "You new?"
"Yeah. Broke, hungry, and stupid enough to think this place has job openings."
"Perfect résumé," Eren said. "You'll fit right in."
He motioned toward the arena entrance. "Come on. I'll show you how the system works before it eats you alive."
---
Inside the Arena
The lobby was packed with fighters, gamblers, and scavengers.
Screens lined the walls, showing replays of fights from the night before — bursts of color, fists, relic energy, and cheering crowds.
Eren led him through it like he'd been born here.
"The Arena's run by a group called the Ringmasters. Officially, it's entertainment. Unofficially, it's how the Guild launders its dirty relic money."
"Sounds fair," Rynn said. "Who do I talk to about losing quickly but getting paid?"
"Talk to Lira. Desk up front. Orange hair, zero patience. Tell her you're a freelancer and that Kain sent you."
Rynn froze. "Wait. Kain?"
Eren nodded. "You know him?"
"Met him once. Didn't think he was real."
Eren smirked. "That's what everyone says."
---
The Registration Desk
The woman behind the desk looked up from a relic tablet as they approached.
"New fighter?" she asked flatly.
"Yeah," Rynn said. "Kain sent me."
That earned him a raised eyebrow.
"Ah. So you're the charity case."
Rynn blinked. "That's… probably accurate."
She tossed him a card — black metal with a single silver line across it.
> Fighter ID: 1137 – Rookie Tier. No Sponsorship. Payout on Win Only.
He stared at it. "So if I lose—"
"You eat dust."
Eren patted his shoulder. "Welcome to the business."
---
The Underground
They walked down a stairway that spiraled into the ground.
The roar of the crowd grew louder with every step until it hit like a wall.
The fighting pit was massive — a circular stage surrounded by reinforced glass and neon lights, relic symbols pulsing along the walls like veins.
Rynn could feel the Mirra energy humming.
It made his fingertips tingle.
Eren leaned over the railing. "Most fights here are low-tier — hand-to-hand, light relics only. You win, you climb. You lose, you pay the hospital bill."
Rynn smirked. "Motivating."
Eren nodded. "You planning to join tonight?"
Rynn looked down at the ring. Two fighters moved like shadows, sparks of light flashing with every hit. The crowd roared with every punch.
He took a breath.
"Yeah. Why wait to get humiliated twice?"
Eren laughed. "You'll do fine. Just remember — never fight the mirror."
Rynn frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Eren didn't answer.
He just smiled — the kind of smile that said you'll find out soon enough.
---
End of Chapter 7
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