Second Floor (30)

As usual, the creatures were thrashing against each other, hitting the walls and floor with their limbs and letting out ear-piercing howls. Their frenzied movements were causing the walls and floor to shake, and their howls echoed in the confined space,, creating an ear-splitting din.

Despite the chaos, I knew I couldn't fight on an empty stomach, so I scanned the area for a safe spot.

I soon spotted a group of creatures with sharp features. These composed creatures had chiseled muscles and badges of honor in the form of scars on their bodies. They moved with precision and determination, like seasoned warriors who had been through many battles and emerged victorious.

As I walked towards them, I couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

"Rookie, this is the place of the elders. Leave now while we are still kind," a reptile with a light sheen of scales barked at me, his vertical pupils locking onto me.

"Don't be rude, Lin. He could become one of the strongest or die on the battlefield today, so there's no need to be angry," a creature with white fur and a fluffy tail standing next to him chimed in, paying me no attention.

Lin scoffed, "Because he's garbage. I don't want to be around such."

Suddenly, a loud crash from above signaled the start of the meal. I felt someone brush against my tail and before I knew it, I was being carried away by a horde of creatures.

Damn.

Amidst the chaos, I caught a glimpse of Lin and inwardly swore to myself that I would show him who's really garbage.

This time, the meal was different from the last. There was less water and vegetation, but instead, there were green insides of various insects. The disgusting smell made me want to vomit, but I held back and observed the other creatures. I was not the only one who was delighted with this breakfast.

"Food," someone grunted, and immediately started devouring the green intestines and organs of the insects. Others followed suit, tearing into the remains of the meal with wild abandon.

I couldn't help but wonder how long I would have to endure this gruesome cycle.

I picked up a pineal plant and scanned it with the system, revealing its painkilling properties.

As I gathered a handful of the pineal plants, my hands shook slightly with anticipation. I knew the painkilling properties were essential, but the thought of consuming more of the plant made my stomach churn. Nevertheless, I forced myself to chew and swallow as quickly as possible, struggling to push down the tough and bitter leaves.

As I ate, I felt my body react in strange ways, my throat constricting and my eyes watering from the overpowering taste. But despite the discomfort, I persisted, grabbing more and more of the plant until I felt a new sensation. A sudden surge of power coursed through my body, and I felt a new window pop up on the system.

The window that appeared displayed:

[Iron Stomach: raised from initial-yellow to initial-green.]

I couldn't help but wonder if the skill increase was due to the massive amount of pineal plants I had just consumed. But as the system chimed in with its explanation, I realized that this newfound immunity could be a game-changer.

[With this skill maxed out, you'll be able to resist most of the poison used by the System or the Empire.]

The prospect of such immunity was both exhilarating and daunting, as it involved experimenting on myself and surviving the process.

As tempting as it was to experiment, the risk of poisoning myself was too great. I decided to focus on improving my skills through safer means, at least for the time being.

Shaking my head, I realized that breakfast time was over and the doors leading up had opened. We lived on the ground floor, and all the fights took place on higher levels.

I walked towards the doors and stepped through them, feeling a slight resistance as they shifted their direction. I was amazed at how the doors could change the path so quickly.

As I walked down the corridor, I noticed that the floor was made of a smooth, polished material that reflected the dim light coming from the walls. But what really caught my attention were the intricate symbols engraved on the surface. They seemed to be some kind of ancient language, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity as I gazed at them.

I stopped to examine one of the symbols more closely. It looked like a stylized bird with wings outstretched, and it was surrounded by smaller, circular symbols. As I studied it, a memory flashed in my mind - I had seen this symbol before.

Suddenly, I remembered where I had seen it. It was on the door leading to the dining room, the same one that I had entered through earlier that morning. What did these symbols mean, and why were they on the floor leading to the battlefield?

Despite my growing interest I continued walking, passing by more symbols etched onto the floor. Some were abstract, like a series of interconnected lines, while others were more detailed, like a depiction of a cityscape.

I couldn't help but feel like these symbols held some kind of significance, like they were clues to some larger mystery. But with the battle looming ahead, I didn't have time to dwell on it.

The creatures around me dispersed through the tunnels, standing in front of teleportation runes.

As I approached the rune, I noticed that it was glowing with a faint red light. I took a deep breath and stepped onto it, feeling a sudden rush of energy.

Closing my eyes, I felt my cells splitting at lightning speed. The world around me dissolved into a blur of colors, and before I knew it, I was standing in a completely different location.

The ground was still solid, and the lighting was brighter.

As I opened my double eyelids, I faced my opponent stood on the other side, a creature with a pig's snout, two long and sharp fangs, and a soft pink jelly-like body that swayed with its breathing.

"The moment that we have been waiting for. A White Crow against a Pink Heel," the announcer voice boomed across the arena as the timer began its countdown.

[29:59]

As I dodged the pig's charge, I could feel the wind gusting past my skin. The ground shook as the pig slammed into the iron bars, sending reverberations through my body. I could hear the audience gasping and cheering, caught up in the intensity of the moment. The pig's powerful hooves pounded against the metal floor, leaving deep gouges in their wake. I braced myself against the bars, feeling the cold, hard metal pressing against my back.

I moved to the side, narrowly avoiding another charge from the pig. It continued to thrash about, its massive bulk causing the iron bars to shudder and groan under the strain.

As the pig reared back for another attack, I took a deep breath and braced myself. I knew that I needed to time my movements just right if I was going to take down this beast.

With lightning-fast reflexes, I darted to the side as the pig charged towards me once again. Its hooves slammed into the iron floor, sending sparks flying in all directions.

I spun around and lashed out with my tail, sending a flurry of bones hurtling towards the creature. But the pig was too fast, dodging the majority of the attack and only sustaining a few minor scratches.

The pig charged towards me again, but this time, I met the enemy with a neutral face, grabbed its fangs, and hurled the creature into the iron bars before finally kicking it next to its short tail.

My footprint was left with shallow scratches on the pig's buttock, and the crowd burst into laughter.

The pink pig turned redder than fried bacon with embarrassment.

Roaring, my enemy stood on two hooves and spoke in a harsh voice:

"You're fucked, my friend."

The pig's voice was deep and rough, with a thick accent that I couldn't quite place. He had a large that rippled with each movement, and his skin was a pale shade of pink that contrasted sharply with his beady black eyes and sharp, pointed fangs.

Having stunned me with his statements, the pig sucked air into his enormous lungs and roared with renewed vigor. The sound wave twisted the iron bars that surrounded us, causing them to creak and groan under the force of the sound.

I tried to shield my ears from the deafening noise, but it was no use. The sound was so loud that it felt like my eardrums were about to burst. As the sound began to fade, I felt a sharp pain in my head and my ears started to bleed.

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, the damage is 25 health points out of 170.]

As I staggered back, my legs felt weak and unsteady beneath me. The force of the pig's roare was staggering, and I struggled to keep my footing.

The roar of the crowd was deafening, their shouts and cheers mixing together in a chaotic chorus. I could hear individual voices calling out, urging the pig to finish me off, and others cheering me on, encouraging me to fight back.

In the midst of the chaos, I felt a moment of clarity. I knew that I had to keep moving, keep fighting, or I would be crushed beneath the pig's relentless assault.

With a surge of energy, I lunged forward, dodging one of the pig's massive blows and ducking beneath his guard. I felt his hooves scrape against my shoulder as I slipped past him, but I didn't stop to look back.

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, the damage is 5 health points.]

Instead, I ran straight at the iron bars that surrounded us, leaping into the air and grabbing onto the cold metal with both hands. I swung myself around, using my momentum to propel me forward and behind the pig.

The pig turned around just in time to see me coming at him, and he tried to dodge out of the way. But it was too late. I grabbed onto his body with both hands, summoning two bones and plunging them into his yellow pupils.

Warm blood sprayed my face as I continued to press harder and harder, digging my fingers deep into the pig's flesh. I could feel his muscles convulsing as he tried to fight back, but I held on tight, determined to win this fight.

Finally, I felt the sharp pain of one of the pig's fangs piercing my skin, almost entering my stomach. I spat out blood and felt a rush of pain as the damage window appeared.

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, the damage is 17 health points.]

But I didn't let the pain slow me down. With a burst of strength, I pulled my body away from the pig's fang and quickly pivoted, delivering a powerful kick to the side of its head.

The pig's head jolted to the side, and it let out a deafening squeal, slamming against the iron bars with a sickening thud. His jelly-like body shook for a moment and then went still.

The audience erupted into applause, cheering and shouting my name as the announcer declared me the winner.

"The White Crow's battle was truly exhilarating, and once again, he emerged victorious, taking down his opponent in a fierce display of skill. With this win, he has now triumphed in three out of his four battles, cementing his status as a rising star of the 1 level. Let us welcome him with a thunderous round of applause!"

As I stood there, trying to catch my breath and recover from the previous fight, the next portal opened above me. I could feel the wound on my stomach slowly healing, as a crust began to form around the edges. Glancing at the timer, I saw that it was already showing 30:00 again.

The announcer's voice boomed through the Arena, "Who will be the next challenger? Will it be a cricket wielding teleportation magic, or..." His voice trailed off, heightening the anticipation of the crowd.

Suddenly, there was a deafening crash as something massive fell to the floor, breaking through the metal surface. I cautiously approached the hole, peering down to catch a glimpse of my next opponent. My gaze fell upon the rough, uneven surface of what appeared to be a giant stone.

The announcer's voice echoed once again, "It's a Stone Golem!"

The crowd roared with excitement, their voices echoing through the arena. I could feel their energy and enthusiasm, and it was contagious. The thought of making such a formidable opponent sent shivers down my spine, but I refused to show any sign of fear. I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm and focused, despite my racing heart.

For now, observing the creature from a distance seemed like the safest option.

The excited murmur of the crowd and the ridicule of the announcer intensified the anticipation, straining my nerves even more.

The seconds felt like an eternity as I scanned the area, trying to anticipate my enemy's moves.

Suddenly I felt a sudden movement beneath me. Before I could react, I saw a small rock shoot out of the hole in the Arena floor and hit the grate near my neck.

I launched needle bones towards my opponent, hoping to catch them off guard. The projectiles flew through the air, glinting in the dim light, and landed with a satisfying thud.