The Fighting Pit roared like a living, breathing beast. Crystal-lights flickered overhead, casting an eerie blue-green glow across the packed arena.
Bodies pressed against each other, a sea of sweating, betting, screaming humanity—and something more. Mechanical forms mixed with human, some sporting augmentations that gleamed under the harsh lighting.
"SLIMY'S gonna crush this newbie!" a burly man with metallic implants shouted, slamming his drink down. "Did you see what he did to HammerLock? Turned that bastard into literal scrap!"
Another patron, a woman with intricate tribal tattoos running down her cybernetic arm, laughed. "Newbie's got something to prove. First match in Area 52 ain't no joke. These newcomers always think they can make a statement."
"Statement?" The first man scoffed. "Slimy's eaten 'statements' for breakfast. Three major wins this month. Butcher, HammerLock, and that Draco—all demolished!"