A Second Chance

It's rough...

Something was moving him... though he wasn't being dragged across the ground.

"Take him to chamber twenty."

"Yes sir."

"Make sure he is prepped for testing."

***

Akashi opened his eyes looking at a ceiling. His memory was fuzzy. He turned his head and saw a man with a suit standing next to where he laid.

"Ah, your awake sir."

"Where am I?..."

"Well that's quite the question you got there. Most people ask who I am, but I guess you are wondering where you may be. You are at the Second Chance Battlegrounds.

"Battlegrounds?..."

"Precisely."

"Wheres Ellie?"

"You mean you don't remember?"

"What do you me-"

Then it hit him. He was spending time with Ellie and then she stabbed him, pushed him off the ledge and murdered him.

"How am I alive?"

"Well, you are not alive. That being said, you are not dead either."

"Then why am I here? You said that this is a battleground, but I don't have any combat abilities."

"The ranking system that you are used to will not be subject to evaluation here. In meaning, you can get as strong as you want as long you have the drive to get stronger."

"Then why not let me die? I don't have a will to fight much"

"Then you don't want revenge?"

"Revenge?"

"Quite. If you pass all of our test and trials, you are able to be placed back in the world you came from."

"Then I can go back to my world?"

"Yes, but there are some challenges you must face, and you only have one attempt per challenge."

Akashi sighed and looked at him

"Alright, I will participate in these challenges."

The man nodded and put his hand out

"You made a good choice Akashi. From this moment, I am your host and butler, Kaneki."

Akashi took his hand and shook it

"It's nice knowing that I have somebody here."

"If you can follow me please, I will show you to our weapons room"

Akashi had a hard time getting up but managed to get on his feet. Kaneki walked out the room and down a hallway. The hallway seemed like a royal palaces hall, but it's hard to tell each hall from another. Kaneki smiled at Akashi's confused face.

"That was the face I had when I first came here."

"Your saying that you took part in that challenges then?"

"Quite the conclusion you have come to. Yes, I have participated in these challenges and passed."

"Why did you not go back to the world you came from?"

"I was given two choices, the first one was to return to my old world. The second one was to become a host at this place. My host at the time was old but he was still in service because nobody he had hosted wanted to take his place, so I took his place and he took his leave to rest."

"Ah... that's very considerate of you."

"That was not the only reason, I wanted to see what the old man had to go through. This job does have its benefits though."

They arrived at a wall and Akashi looked around

"This is a dead end, isn't it?"

"Not necessarily."

Kaneki poked the wall and the wall started to move, it come coming apart and a doorway was formed. They both walked in and Kaneki opened his arms.

"Every weapon here is for use. Though you can only get one primary weapon, like a sword, spear or a staff and one knife or shield."

Akashi was astonished. There was so many weapons there. There were swords, spears, staffs, casting books, and bows of all shapes, sizes, and designs. There were also a selection of daggers with many sizes and designs. Though there was one item that had a aura that drew him towards it. It was an irregular shaped sword that seemed like it was drawing him closer. The handle had a skull at the intersection and had a blade that was wavy. The sword was planted into a podium and he touched it. The moment he did, his hand was stuck to it.

He stared at the weapon.

He looked at it once more and saw a note at the podium.

"Only those who have faced death itself are worthy of this sword. Those who have the resolve of the past demon king may gain the abilities of the former lunar. Those who do not meet these requirements will not wield the true power of the sword."

-SHATTERED STAR-

"Nobody has been able to pull out that sword before."

Akashi turned around and the butler was looking at the sword.

"Really?"

"Yes, nobody knows what this first sentence means."

"Can I try to pull it out?"

"Good luck with that-"

He gripped the sword and the sword popped out with ease.

"I got it!"

The butler was shocked... stunned even.

"So he is an irregularity...", the butler had muttered under his breath.

***

"You seem to choose that weapon."

"I can use it?"

"Yes, but nobody has used it before. As such, the operator of these challenges has forbidden the use of this weapon until you reach challenge twenty-five. That is the stage where you can choose to leave the arena and go back to your world, or you can stay and fight to finish the last seventy-five challenges. Are you sure you want to choose that weapon?"

"I don't know why, but it has a drawing aura towards me... Yes, I want this one."

"Alright. Remember, you cannot use that weapon until challenge twenty-five."

Right when Kaneki said that, the sword suddenly turned into black vapor and into nothingness.

Both Kaneki and Akashi looked at each other confused.

"I'll look for it later..."

Akashi acknowledged what he said and Kaneki walked over to the knives section.

"Now for you to choose the knife that you will be using."

Akashi looked at the selection of knives and looked at Kaneki

"Which one would you recommend?"

Kaneki nodded and pointed at a knife with a hole in the middle

"Though it may seem flimsy, it's the most durable and sharpest knife we have here."

"Then I'll take it."

Kaneki gave Akashi the knife and holster for the knife.

"You cannot change your choice at this point, do you accept?"

"Of course. By the way, what are the challenges?"

"The challenges you will be facing are against other people who are going for the same goal as you: To go back to their old world. At the end of each challenge, you will receive a reward if you do manage to win."

Akashi looked at Kaneki

"You said that you passed these challenges, right?"

"Indeed."

"Then I have a request. Can you please teach me how to fight?"

Kaneki looked shocked for a moment, and Akashi saw it.

"Did I say something wrong?"

Kaneki shook his head and regained his posture.

"No... it surprised me that you had asked me to teach you."

"Isn't that normal for you though?"

"No. Usually, challengers will train on their own as we host will watch from the sidelines."

"Then you're able to teach me?"

Kaneki chuckled and nodded.

"I will teach you, but I won't beat around the bush for you, I will train you into the ground."

"I'll be fine with that."

Kaneki nodded

"Then report to me at daybreak, we only have three months to train."

Akashi nodded and Kaneki lead him to his room. It looked like a royal family's bedroom, much better than his noble family's bedroom.

"This will be your room. If you need anything, then just push the red button on your desk and I will come to assist. There is also a designated eating area for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I will show you those tomorrow."

Akashi nodded and smiled

"Thanks."

Kaneki closed the door and frowned.

"He has a long way to go."