"Can I change our contract to 1v1?" Yi glanced toward the counter.

Argo sighed. "Yes… you can…"

Arnold clenched his jaw and said, "Argh…! Fine! I'll sign it."

He punched a thumb on the tablet as it registered his contract, eyes locking on Yi. "To save her no matter what."

Yi nodded.

"Save…? That's an absurd thing to say considering if they do kill someone," Argo said.

"Well, let's just say the kittens turned into lion cubs." Finch lit up a fresh cigarette and blew smoke to the ceiling.

'Show us what you got, boys.'

…..

"Alright… Now you have accepted the terms… I will need to inject this into you." Argo pulled out a mechanical syringe.

"What's in that?" Arnold said.

"Blast mites. If it detects you leaking info to outsiders, It'll explode, starting with your throat."

"The fuck! What if we accidentally leaked it?" Arnold said.

"Not my problem…"

Arnold sighed, extending his arm. "What have we gotten ourselves into…"

Argo pushed the blast mites in then pressed a button on the syringe, its needle retracted and blue light sealed the hole it marked.

"Next…"

Yi stepped in and showed his arm.

Argo shook his head and injected Yi.

"Congrats… for not crying… Head to the waiting room. You'll be called when it's your turn…"

"This way, boys." Finch walked away and they followed.

…..

"I'm surprised there are so many people here," Yi said, dodging people's eyes as they walked through a hallway.

"Everybody needs money, kid. I'm not even surprised anymore."

"Everyone here looks like a jerk though…" Arnold said.

"Oof!" A man, tall and big like a mountain bumped into him as he stumbled to the floor seated.

"Ah… Sorry, I didn't see you."

"It's fine…" Arnold said, getting up until he was dragged by the collar.

"On second thought, I take that back. You're too kind."

"Arnold!" Yi said.

Everyone nearby spectated them.

"Nah, ya just wanna mess around." Arnold smiled.

"Huh? What's with that smile? You wanna piece of me?"

"Hey, white eyes. Can I hit this dude?" Arnold peaked toward Finch.

"Oh, enlighten me."

"What? Do you think you can hurt me?"

"Try me."

"I'm gonna wipe that smirk off your face!" A fist was raised, aiming at Arnold's head.

"Get off him!" Yi said.

"Hargh!-"

Arnold lunged a knee into the big man's testicles. "Urk…!"

Spectators froze as Yi twitched an eye.

"You never fail to disappoint me, blondie…" Finch shook his head with a grin.

Arnold dropped off the man's grip as he scratched his head and beamed.

"-Hurk…!"

"Arnold!"

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A hand grabbed his neck as the grip tightened. "I'll kill you…!"

"Hands off him!" Yi jumped and swung an elbow in the man's ear.

"Argh!" The man released Arnold and covered his ear.

Arnold dropped coughing, gasping for air.

'Now this is interesting,' Finch thought.

"That's it! You're both de!-"

Fragrant vapors floated past his head. Eyes weighted. Light-headed. His body was soft as noodles with his face slammed to the floor.

"You two okay?" said a girl with perfume in hand.

"Wha- what did you do?" Arnold said.

"This? Oh, it's just a sedative. Are you alright though?" She lends out her hand.

He hesitated until he spotted scars all over her body. "...Thanks."

"You're welcome! Name's Anda I'm guessing you're new here?"

"Yeah…" Arnold said.

"Name's Yi. Thanks for saving us."

"Nice name. I saw what you did back there. You have good technique considering your body weight."

"You can just say I'm skinny… I don't mind."

"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean it that way!" Anda shook her hand.

"No, it's fine. I get it."

"Cool, I'll be leaving you guys now. See ya!"

Arnold watched her leave and said, "Who is she?"

"Not a jerk at least." Finch walked away.

Arnold grunted as they followed him.

They stood in front of a door. Finch slipped a card next to it and the door opened.

There's a widescreen TV in front of two long benches at the center with a chamber at the edge.

"Since I'm your recruiter, I'll be sticking with you in your first fight until it is over," Finch said, stepping in.

"So! Who wants to watch some fights?" He snatched a remote next to the TV, turning it on.

"Would you look at that! Anda is in the arena," Finch said.

"Hmm?" Yi and Arnold glanced at the screen as they sat on a bench.

An elegant figure in a cyan suit and night light armor stepped into the arena.

"She's a Morphier?" Arnold said.

"What can that do?" Yi said.

"Morphiers are roles equipped with mechanical beast armor which can switch modes," Arnold said.

"Also the second best role." Finch glanced at Arnold.

"Only in 1v1."

"I knew you'd say that. I'm assuming you are using a weaker role?"

"Marksman."

"Oof… Tough luck."

"Why? Are they weak?" Yi said.

"Nope, not at all." Arnold crossed his arms.

"But they struggle against these roles," Finch said.

"I won't argue on that."

"What about that guy? Yi pointed at a man with a hoodie, flourishing his dagger as he stepped into the arena."

"Obviously an assassin…" Arnold shook his head.

"Ha! He's dead." Finch said.

Yi raised an eyebrow at them as he turned toward the screen.

"A dagger user? This is gonna be a piece of cake!" Anda slammed a fist in her palm.

The announcer raised his mic in a sealed room with a thick glass wall in front and said, "Three! Two! One!"

Anda dashed ahead while extending her claws, beheading the assassin.

His head rolled on the surface with wide eyes as the announcer stood from his seat and said. "Beast Queen won with a two seconds kill record!"

Crowds cheered like crazy. Bombarding the Beast Queen with compliments and flying kisses.

"H-how does she move that fast?" Yi said.

"Agility mode," Arnold said.

"I'm overwhelmed…" Yi rubbed his temples.

Arnold wrapped his arm around Yi's neck. "And that's why I'm here!"

A female voice sounded from a speaker above them. "User RedTarget and BXSkeleton, please head to the multi-teleportation chamber."

"That's your cue. Good luck, boys. I'll be watching you from here."

Both fighters stood, taking scorching steps to their opened chamber.

When Inside, it shuts. A hatch slid aside from above raining nanobots, merging as suits, and types of equipment.

"We… Turned into our character!" Yi moved his hands around his eyes.

Arnold scanned his hand with a red lens on his right eye. "I see… They use nanotech to give us the same equipment as our characters."

The hatch shuts as they flashed to another chamber and opened with a path ahead.

Arnold took a deep breath and said, "You're ready?"

Yi nodded.

Arnold's body then shook. "It's hard to believe we're going to be murderers."

"Yeah…"

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Arnold said.

Yi clenched his jaw and fists. "No! But what are we supposed to do? We can't turn back!"

Arnold turned his head away, silent.

"I know this is not what my mother wants… We might as well just forfeit…"

Yi then slumped to his knees and punched the floor as tears touched his hand. "But I don't want her to die!"

"...Let's go." Arnold turned back to his friend.

"Huh?"

"We're heading to the arena."

"Why?"

Arnold leaned closer, tapped Yi's shoulder, and said, "There is nothing worse than losing our family members."

Those words struck Yi's soul as if a key unlocked a gate to his light.

"So, you're ready?"

Yi stood tall with his eyes penetrating through their path. "I'm ready now."

"Good! Let's fucking go!"