Chapter 12

Standing inside the underground arena Ryuu immedetialy started analyzing his surroundings after all you never know if you have to haul a*s or not.

The first thing he noticed was that the dirt on the ground contained a lot of, what seemed to be, teeth, bone shards and fingernails. The walls also had dark red, nearly black colored patches.

Either the arena doubles as a torture room or the people here are much more unhinged than he anticipated. Either way, he'd make the best out of this experience.

While Ryuu was busy analyzing his surroundings, people starting coming into the aren. Apperantly, many have heard about the new rookie coming and wanted to either watch him get completely annhiliated or try their luck gambling.

Ryuu just stood there with a bored look on his face. The people around him misinterpreted this as him being paralyzed because of fear and started jeering at him. When his opponent came in people started to slowly but surely shut up.

After everyone went completely silent another person joined Ryuu in the arena. He had the appearance of a bald and neckless bear. Though despite his ridiculous looks there was no denying that his body packed some serious muscle power.

From what Ryuu could tell he was a solid mid level devil of the mid rank. With renewed excitement Ryuu waited for the refree to do his thing.

When the buff looking skinhead saw Ryuu's appearance he started grinning in contempt and sneer at him. Suddenly Ryuu found that his face looked a lot more punchable.

It didn't help his case that Ryuu had long since decided to go all out. After all the point of these matches would first be to understand where his limits in real combat lay.

He needed these bunch of useless thugs to understand: He wasn't easy prey to pick on, he was a predator.

The refree finally came in and looked at Ryuu for a moment. After shaking his head with an expression that seemed to say 'what a pity' he began explaining the rules or there lack of.

"There are no restrictions on how you fight, try not to kill each other the clean up afterwards is always a pain," he said plainly. "Are you two ready?" Receiving a nod from both sides he said, "Begin."

Ryuu stood there quietly waiting for the shithead to make a move. This was a test after all. He needed data to assess his situation.

The skinhead snickered thinking that the brat in front of him is quite funny for even bothering to come. There he was, standing completely paralyzed in fear. An easy prey to take care of. Not that he minds it after all, free money is good money.

Despite his thoughts and arrogant behavior, the bald devil-bear decided to be benevolent and knock the youngling out as fast as he can.

He rushed right at him with his right fist aiming at Ryuu's stomach. The goal was to make him vomit and pass out, loot him and enjoy the rest of the day.

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'He's really stupid isn't he? You have to be a supreme idiot to just jump straight at an unknown opponent like that', is what Ryuu thought when he saw the walking meatball coming at him.

Seeing as this idiot didn't take him seriously he decided to humilate him. He waited until the very last moment before making a move himself.

When the skinhead took the swing Ryuu just took a step to his left and grabbed his arm. He used the fatty's momentum against him by tripping him from the front he followed up by him janking on his arm in a way that made him flip upside down and crash right onto his back, all in one fluid motion.

What followed was a very ungraceful landing of the walking sack of meat. Upon crashing back first into the ground he let a pained groan escape from his mouth.

Although he didn't suffer much damage, the pain and humilation were rather sever. Ryuu just continued staring with his bored expression while the crowd went silent.

'Just what happened', was the question they've all been asking themselves. Looking at it in slow motion it wasn't all that impressive.

What made this so scary was how effortlessly the brat did it. 'We might need to reassess him', was what the fighters thought at this moment.

While the crowd was in deep thought the groaning skinhead finally lifted himself from the ground. His face was completley red and veins could be seen on his forhead and the leftovers of his neck.

"Now you've f*cking done it, brat," he groweled in anger. But all he got was a disinterested 'aha' from Ryuu making him flare up even more and that was what Ryuu desired.

At this point the refree couldn't help himself but sigh in sorrow. Unlike the other's he had seen it all. What just happened was probably everything the brat could muster up in real battle.

'Just to show off he provoked this monster', he thought to himself. 'Poor bastard is gonna suffer'. But what happened next left his jaw unable to close.

The bear-devil gave a mighty roar and charged once again. This time his speed, power and precision amplified. Many gasped, after all it looked like the skinhead was gonna tear the young man into pieces.

Shortly after they too were left completely dumbfounded. They saw the young man dodging everything his opponent could muster up. It looked like he was practically prediting every move of the bear-like devil.

He of course realised this too and it did nothing more than flare his anger even more. He continued roaring and trashing around with even greater fervor. This continued for some more minutes until they heard Ryuu saying, "alright, enough."

His sweating and panting opponent started to grin, "are you finally going to accept your death little guy. Good good since you've decided to offer yourself up I'll be killing you quickyl!"

Ryuu looked at him like he was a deadman without him even realising it. In his thoughts he has long since been picturing how he'd go to a bar and brothel once he tore this brat a new one.

What happened next was something everyone participating in todays' even would never forget. Ryuu seemed to have disappeared from where he stood. He reappeared in front of the bears face and swung his fist.

Without being able to resist the skinheads' head popped like a balloon, blood shooting everywhere leaving everyone stunned. It wasn't until the first few couldn't hold it anymore and started vommiting that these people came back to their senses.

Ryuu ignored them and just silently stared at the gaping refree. He felt a shiver running down his spine and quickly announced Ryuu's win before fleeing as if his life depended on it. Many spectators following him as fast as possible.

This left Ryuu cold, he just went up and straight to the receptionist desk to claim his rewards. Afterwards people watched his fading back as he started to walk into the crowd outside.

Everyone sighed in relief, 'thank god this little devil is gone now'. What they failed to notice is that Ryuu took another ticket with him, meaning he'd be back.