It was time. The combat was about to begin. Trying to convince myself I’d make it was my number one priority. Even if It was indeed pointless. Well, I thought so at first.

As I made my way to the gate that separates the catacombs from the stage where the combat would be held, a young man with an eye patch called me.

“Hey. Good luck out there. Fortunately for you, this month’s champion doesn’t have any weapons apart from his wooden sword. Doesn’t kill, but will definitely hurt. One more thing. When you kill someone, you get their equipment. Bring me that wooden sword, and we might just be able to strike a deal. In here, we trade whatever we can get our things on. You know how it is. Good luck.” He said before patting me on the back and pushing me forward as the gate finally rose.

It’s time then. Now, think. If it’s just a wooden sword, then I should be able to handle it, unless the opponent is a huge mass of muscle. Let’s hope that’s not the case.

As soon as the gate had finished rising, two guards had come for me, each grabbing one of my arms, without saying a word.

As soon as they passed the gate once more, they threw me into the ground. This was unmistakably the arena grounds. It was time then.

I decided to look around, to take in my surroundings. That’s when I noticed it. Full House.

Everyone was up cheering, waiting for blood to start spilling. Geez, the other guy didn’t even enter the stage yet.

Suddenly, as I looked around, I saw them, crying. My family… They probably got in debt just to see my final moments. No. These aren’t my final moments. I must prevail. For them, for me, and… for Sophia. I promised her after all, I couldn’t lose here, could I?

That’s when it happened. The other gate finally opened. And what I saw shocked me. A Tall man, though slightly shorter than myself, with a good build, wielding an iron sword. What happened to the wooden sword? Don’t tell me… They gave him an iron sword to improve his chances of winning. All to see my blood spilled.

I took a glance to the top of the seats and I saw her. The Lady of the Fluglal Household herself. Lady Elaine. Mark my words, if someday I walk out of here... Heads will roll. But never mind that for now, to even be able to escape, I’d have to win this match first. That’s when I decided to ask.

“Don’t I get a Weapon?” I shouted, loud for the whole arena to hear my outcry. Whatever my destiny may be, I shall die on my feet, holding a weapon, I shall not die on my knees. This is how I got used to thinking, after all, if I can’t convince anyone else that I’m going to win this fight, I’ll have to at least convince myself.

My Question was suddenly answered with a wooden sword landing right next to me, thrown from the seats upstairs. Great, a wooden sword. Just what I needed. His iron sword didn’t look too sharp. Maybe I’d be able to block attacks from that sword with wood? Won’t risk it.

Suddenly, the lord of Fluglal stood up and rose his hands. Damn, the guy’s even fatter than his wife. Damn, guess being ugly, fat and loving to eat other people’s food just runs in the blood.

The man grabbed his daughter and made her take a step forward. Standing next to her, the man spoke.

“Today, the man that is to marry my daughter shall fight the slave you see before you. So dishonorable, that even asks for a weapon…” The whole stadium bursts into laughter.

“FUCK OFF! WHY DON’T YOU COME DOWN HERE AND FIGHT ME!” I Shouted. Even though challenging someone to a duel of honor was something that you could do, challenging a lord of a household was a bad idea. Lords have the choice to make someone fight in their stead, or even calling the best royal knights in the kingdom to fight you.

But it seems like I’ll be fighting the one who is to become the next lord of the Fluglal Canton. Fine by me.

“Are you challenging me for a duel of honor?” He asked, in a loud voice that could be heard in the whole stadium.

“There’s no need to go so far! Just come down here! We’ll take a crack at it!” I Said, in a somewhat low voice, thinking about it, I’d imagine not even my opponent being able to listen to what I had just said.

The Lord ignored me, and proceeded.

“Now, Sir Michel! FINISH THAT SUPOR FOR EVERYONE TO SEE!” He shouted, demanding blood. Wow, even more primal than I had first imagined.

He bowed to the whole public. And while he had his back turned, I decided to start running.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

He probably heard my footsteps, as when I got close, he did a full spin, making me jump back, almost severing me in two.

“A wound on the back is a swordsman’s greatest shame.” He said, loud enough for the whole stadium to hear.

“I’m not a swordsman, or a knight for that matter. I’m just someone who is eager to live. And for that, your head will need to be on the chopping block.

Tell me; is your story ready for another act? Or will it finish today?” I asked, trying to confuse my opponent.

“Unfortunately, I have no clue of what you’re talking about. But I’ll make sure your story ends today.” He said before holding his iron sword with two hands and trying a large swing, I took a step back and held high my wooden sword, using it to block his slash, a wooden sword which surprisingly parried his attack.

With the recoil from hitting the wooden sword, I charged into him with a full body impact, taking him down.

While he was down, I decided to try to kick his hand, to make him drop the iron sword, a kick which unfortunately went too late, as he was already getting up, fortunately for me, I hit him right in the shoulder, prohibiting him from more reckless slashes like the last one.

And he must have been injured by my full body impact. I still stood slightly taller than him, and much more muscle due to working in the fields every day, my constitution was nothing to look down on.

Not being able to move his sword like before, he decided to take a defensive stance. As I suspected, my full body charge did wreck him up a bit. Jackpot.

As he moved forward for a downward slash, stopping midway, putting his left hand on his right shoulder due to the pain.

“Done Already?” I asked. Even though if it came down to it, he could probably beat me in a fist fight, due to the fact that I never had much training, destroying his morale was much more effective.

“No, I WON’T LOSE TO TRASH LIKE YOU!” He shouted, for the whole stadium to listen.

At that moment, I just my rage take over.

I quickly moved forward and gave him a piece of my right hook, to teach him manners.

On the way however, I dropped my wooden sword, just like he had dropped his iron one. This had turned into a fist fight.

Unfortunately for him, he could only use his left hand. Damn, my kick must have really hurt for him not to be even able to move his right arm correctly.

He took a couple of steps backwards, as if moving towards the iron sword without me noticing.

As soon as I noticed, I charged against him once more, throwing him into the ground.

I quickly hit him with a couple of kicks while he was on the ground, picking up his iron sword and throwing it closer to my wooden sword that was on the ground. I wanted to make everyone watch as I pummeled this guy to death.

“What is it princess? Is there a problem?” I Asked, as his eyes were filled with anger. He quickly Charged towards me, throwing me onto the ground and landing on top of me, before starting to punch me in the face, until I finally grabbed his left hand, as he was still not using his right one.

I pushed back my right arm before allowing my right hook to kiss his face. He fell to the ground once more. Damn, those punches had hurt. But still, even though it did hurt, I could still move everything.

He got up and moved towards me, trying to hit me with a quick combo of left and right hooks, throwing himself to the ground right after he missed both attacks, hand on his shoulder. Damn, now I’m convinced that something’s broken. And if it wasn’t before, after these reckless movements, it was now.

I moved towards him, kicking him in the face. I didn’t want him just to die. I wanted to humiliate him. To make him suffer as much as I could. He was another one of those who just ate the work of those who starved. Another man the world would do well without. Easy.

He couldn’t stand up anymore, so I sat on top of him, punching him repeatedly. 17 years of Rage in these punches. 17 years of starvation, of disease and extreme poverty, all of it caused by that man who in that chair stood. The Lord of the Fluglal Canton.

And in the middle of all that, I just kept punching him. Nothing else popped into my mind. All that there was in the middle of the arena was the rage I had being all discharged into that man. Blame whomever made him a highborn.

Blood was already dripping from his nose and mouth, and his face covered in it. I grabbed him by the collar, before giving him one last punch and getting up. Walking towards the Iron sword that on the ground lain.

I grabbed the iron sword and approached him. The crowd was all on its feet, ready to go frantic over the blood that was about to spilled.

I grabbed him by the hair, pushing back his head and allowing the edge of my blade to lay itself on his neck.

“NOW! DAUGHTER OF THE LORD OF FLUGLAL! IS THIS MAN TO BECOME YOUR HUSBAND?” I shouted, looking for another form of humiliation.

“STOP! I DEMAND IT!” She shouted. Great, seems like I struck a nerve.

“KNEEL THEN. AND LIKE THE DOG YOU ARE, LICK THE GROUND, AND APOLOGISE. ASK FOR FORGIVENESS, AND I SHALL LET HIM GO!” I answered, loud enough for the whole stadium to hear.

She hesitated for a moment before answering.

“NO! YOU SHALL KNEEL!” She shouted.

OH well, seems like I won’t get my fun out of this..

“Any Last words?” I asked him.

“LADY ELINCIA! I LOVE YOU!” He shouted.

“SIR MICH…” Her shout was interrupted by the crowd’s delight.

A Head was rolling on the ground. I had just beheaded a man. And if wasn’t on the Fluglal household’s shit list, I was now.

For one last moment of glory, I grabbed the head from the hair, and held it high, allowing the whole crowd to cheer. At that moment, I felt… invincible. As if no one could touch me.

I turned around towards the south end of the arena, where I saw my family, with an air of disapproval. What did they want me to do? Die here?

As the cheers died, and the Lord got up from his throne, hugging his crying daughter, I picked up the wooden sword as well, they were now both my property. Making a deal inside didn’t seem like a bad thing to do.

The gates opened. I walked back into the catacombs, wondering what would come next.