Yuri Poatan was a nice and chill guy. He never really was one to hold a grudge for longer than a day, or even any at all. Thanks to his mother and sister, he was for all intents and purposes a fine guy, someone that tried to be better than himself yesterday version, someone that took the things he did and thought what could go different, what could go wrong and what could've been better.

Yuri learned through his mother that there are no absolutes, only relativity is absolute. There are infinite ways to interpret something, just like a statue. You can't really understand what it represents with only one point of view, not even with many in some cases.

What makes a thief? Do the laws favor the people? Is a slave really someone at a total disadvantage being harmed at all times? Are the Nobles, Rich and others in Power really fit for their position? What can a potion really do to someone?

Yuri had these questions in his head. Just like a tough nail to remove, when he set something up to discover he would go through the entire way to get his answer.

That was probably why he got in trouble in the Tribe.

In his early years, Yuri was an adventurous boy, wanting to explore the things the Elders would dismiss and/or ignore. He did it mostly out of his curiosity but also because he really wanted to do something. Most of the day he would be stuck playing sword fight with sticks or working on something a child could do easily, like fishing, foraging and cooking. Thankfully he got some things down, like the day he found a herb that could cure (or at least help the recovering of) cough and sneezes. Fever was also greatly reduced in the late stages of sickness.

Despite this good effort and his altruistic intentions, he was reprimanded by the Elders and his own mother, since this wasn't the “Poatan” way, the Path of Warrior, or something along those lines. But that's not what Yuri wanted to do, he wanted to give solutions to problems that didn't resolve to just violence. If nothing is absolute as he was told since birth, then why this specific part of their Tribe can't change? Why couldn't he think for himself and only follow the traditions over and over again? Why did he need to waste his potential?

Then, the colonization came.

Oh boy.

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“So, how do the fights work?”

Connor’s voice brought back Yuri from his mind. He couldn't tell what face he was doing or what was happening outside of the wagon, aside from it being in movement.

“What gave you the idea I know how gig works?”

“You told me before.”

Oh so he isn't a scatterbrain, good. Yuri was honestly done with the amount of idiots that managed to get in the same cell as him. Well, he doesn't know Connor for long, but for now he has a great first impression. The way he got into great detail about boxing and how it works was great, but it was more of an engraved knowledge than passion for it. Still, he looked troubled most of the time, as if in constant conflict with himself.

Maybe some reassuring could ease his nerves?

“Alright, you got it. Here's the deal with the fights: They hand us a bracket, lay out the matchups, and it's on us to get ready. Your prep? Totally your call. If you want a sparring buddy, it's gotta be another captive. But let's be real, most folks don't go that route 'cause the options are limited to non-fighters. When it's showtime in the arena, we're scrapping till the other guy taps out or goes still. Whether that's by KO or the less pleasant alternative.”

“And you fought before?”, His tone wasn't of mockery, but more of minor surprise.

“Crowd is bothering you? Trust me, when a guy's aiming to break your bones, that's the least of your worries. Fought in the arena, no deaths on my watch. I'm a slave 'cause they're into my warrior lineage.”, Yuri eased the Elf's concerns at the best of his ability.

“Lineage?”

“Totally. Back in the day, my tribe was all about warriors, or so the Elders say. Not that I'm griping about it. The whole colonization thing went down a couple of centuries before I popped into the scene, but hey, genetics do their thing, right?”

Connor gave a “huh” of respect. He sounded like he just learned something new. As for Yuri, he remembered about the colonization again.

At the time, he didn't know why, but the Elders of the Tribe managed to relocate the village way further into the territory, like a great pilgrimage, only without the “coming back” part. Despite his best efforts to help his family not get into slavery, things were not looking good for the aborigine. His sister was sick and the herbs were not only prohibited by the Elders for some asinine reason, but the Colonists were also taxing every valuable they had, be it actual coins or metal, to the more simple stuff, like the herbs he had knowledge of.

Yuri couldn't even use his notebook with lots of information about his experiments with herbs since it was taken from him the moment the Tribe was found. Basically, the strategy of the Colonists was to slowly force everyone into debt so they could enslave the villagers. And the worst part was that it worked.

It worked too well.

How? Apparently, the Elders were killed or convinced to join (by force) the Colonists who would tell them their customs and traditions, only to be killed or imprisoned so the Colonists could then work their way into “naturalizing” or “cathesize” the villagers. Yuri was one of the first to be enslaved. He did it for two reasons, one was to give time to his family to escape and the other was so he could finally get away from that place he called home. He wanted to do good, but needed to always be neglected of his passion. And be forced to do things he didn't want to.

Like fighting.

There is a good difference between being good at something and liking doing something. And in Yuri's case, he was very good at fighting. But not because he fought with all his might or because he dedicated himself much more than others… It was simply because he fought dirty. Sure, the Elders frowned upon him, his mother too, but if he was forced to do it, Yuri was going to do his way.

His sister only found all of this very funny. “Don't be good at something you don't like to do” didn't fit Yuri really well, it was more like “You brought me here and I'm going to make every single second as unpleasant as possible”.

Maybe it was thanks to her lil’ sis he got this slang of his.

Why Yuri felt something shake?

“You feeling good, Connor?”

“I'm… not sure.”, He hesitated, but answered.

“Go ahead, spill the beans. We've got all the time in the world here. Anything I can do to lend a hand?”

“No, not really.”, He sounded nervous?

“Chill, no need to stress about the upcoming brawl. They'll cut you some slack and give you a day to prep. Happened to me, at least. And hey, even if you don't know who you're up against, trust that raw power you're packing. You got this! Amp up that confidence!—”

“Please, stop.”, His voice sounded plain, but Yuri knows how Connor acts, this is anything but calmness.

Yuri heard… whimpers?

“Hey, uh… Are you-”

“I'm trying! To calm down!”, Connor shouted in anger.

Yuri took this and said nothing. He knows very well this feeling of frustration. The need to be something you don't want to be. Or at least something you aren't ready to be. The last thing Yuri needs to do is to ask Connor questions. As he said, he is trying to calm down.

“I'll be here if ya’ need me. Well… Can't really leave.”

Connor sighed. He didn't know why, but it seemed regretful. It's fine by him, Yuri lashed out back in the day too. At least he didn't mean it.

They fell in a silence for a few minutes, almost half an hour if Yuri could tell.

“Why?”, Connor asked suddenly.

“What do ya’ mean?”

“Why did you bother to help me? To get acquainted with me?”, He elaborated.

Yuri thought about it for a second, “If we're gonna be stuck together, might as well help you out.”, Yuri shrugged. Not that Connor could see, “What's the deal?”

“You are helping me… Just because it's convenient?” He asked in confused anger.

“Geez, major mix-up here.”, Yuri sighed, “Nah, I ain't helping 'cause it's easy for me. It's just the right move. Can't stand seeing someone in my cell getting beat down 'cause they don't know any better.”

“Huh.”, Connor didn't sound convinced.

“Whoa, what's with the questions? Any beef from before? Come on, we've been hanging for a week. You really think I'm gonna pull a betrayal move or something?”

Yuri asked, somewhat offended at the thought of being a rat. No way! That's the thing he hates the most! Sure, he couldn't outright trust the Elders in his village (for obvious reasons), but that's the same place he learned that not everything is what it looks like. Invaluable lessons have been taught to him so he is not gonna distrust his heritage! But to be called a traitor? Unfathomable.

“Well, I've known a friend for over three years and he betrayed me.”, Connor's voice had a silent bitterness, like just remembering it was painful, “And I got here, this fabulous looking place, after a month of hard work and bonding with the Primates. Granted that not everything was smooth, but in no way I was disposable as they made it appear.”

Yuri's eyes widened slightly at this. This is… rather sad to hear. The man has been betrayed twice now so he definitely has some issues and a lot of baggage to deal with. Trusting someone new that is being “nice” to him will look suspicious, no matter how much Yuri does help him. In the end, he will offer a hand while hiding a knife just in case something doesn't sound right.

The wagon is silent yet again.

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The wagon comes to a halt, as the doors are opened, the light shining so bright that Connor needs to protect his eyes.

“Alright lads, time to leave. Yuri,”, The keeper (a different one) pointed at the aborigine who gave his attention, “since you won last time, you will have a bigger time to prepare. Three days, take it or leave it. As for you, Knife-Ears, you will have a day. Be grateful you will have time to write your memoirs. That is if you know how to write, hehe!”

They arrived at the arena, which was very similar to one of those old looking rings of boxing. A big stand that circled (or rather, squared) around the place, a small square arena with dirt for the ground where the fight will happen. The outside looks like a different city, with different cultures and all. The air is not seamy at all and the weather was rather pleasant, which Connor was grateful to. Not being covered in sweat is a good reward for his hard work so far.

Forced work, but still.

“Now, you will be transferred to new cells with a big room so you can do your stuff. Just don't break anything and you're good to go. Oh, and yeah you will see each other's fights. Just check the bracket if you're curious.”, The keeper said, pointing to said bracket.

There are some fights here and there, but Connor focuses on his name. Thanks to the Erudite Sense, he could at least understand some of the language here, since the way folk spoke here had the same melodic tunes as his previous life. The bracket was as follows:

Day 1 had a bunch of fights, including his own. He would fight a guy named Henry, someone debuting just as he was going to. Ok, nothing to worry about. If this bracket told anything it was that this is probably the fights no one sees, just like the “Undercard Fights”. Everyone looks forward to the “Main Card” or “Main Event”. Undercards are only seen if the fighter has a very good promoter, a good teacher or something akin to fame previous to the boxing career.

Apparently, Day 3 has the Main Event of the Arena.

Yuri Poatan - Lash Yazoru

Yuri as the main event? Now that's something he didn't expect! He downplayed his own game? He doesn't know if this is humility or deception, but he doesn't care for now. He just needs to keep an eye over his shoulder from now on. He cannot be betrayed thrice in a timespan of four months.

No, thank you.

Both slaves were escorted to their respective rooms. Connor was left first, since his room was nearby while Yuri got to whatever place he was going. The keeper removed the chains of the slave, but not before putting a blade in his neck. Connor sighed and got to his room, trying to not show too much anger.

Looking at his room though, Connor expected some low level equipment. But this? There is almost no equipment here. Not even weights for Bench Press! How the hell is he supposed to prepare? Of anything, the only thing he can do here is improve his fitness, but not much else. It's just a plain room with a window and a dirty training mat. At least the Primates gave him things to do that actually helped him develop his stamina!

“Get to work, Connor. Can't complain all day. What can I do if I don't have equipment?”

Well, if it is to improve stamina, jumping jacks is one good exercise, but it barely requires any effort to do. Endurance won't be improved that much in a single day. As for now he decided to do some stretches, getting his body warmed up for other exercises. He could do burpees, which basically is a combination of jumping racks and push ups. Or even do the previous exercises he did alone before Abe showed up.

Christ, he is going to fight! Not getting fit enough to breathe less erratically in the gym!

The problem is, what could he do? Shadow Boxing is one thing, but he doesn't know how his opponent fights. He could just do punch combinations, but without the striking mitts and someone to help him, it's barely a good idea. He doesn't have a rope to get his tempo and rhythm in a good spot, so there isn't anything really he could do that would improve his-

“Tear up the mat and use it as rope.”

“I am very lucky to have this weird ass thing in my head.”

Following the instructions of the oh so great Erudite Sense, Connor started tearing up the mat and giving a few knots to use it as a rope. That way he could jump rope and get his speed, stamina and tempo up to beat. This is one of the issues dealt with, but there are some more to think about. While jumping rope, the Wood Elf thought of the possibilities of his opponents abilities. It's not just because it's his debut that Connor is going to automatically disregard him.

For two main reasons:

One, Connor was also debuting.

Two, Connor already made this mistake in the past.

It was his first fight alongside Carlos as his “manager”. He got this super easy fight for him against a full nobody, but no one expected the fight to look more like a war. Connor (or in this case, Daniel) barely remembered what the guy did, but it hurt. A lot. He only won because the guy was drunk and tired already.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

Quite the reality check.

As he finished his first exercise, he prepared for the next. Apparently he will need to train the very basics, starting from cardio, stamina and strength, finishing with Shadow Boxing. There isn't much to do to be honest. It's a seat back and he needs to work on the tools available.

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“Fucking hell, that was awful.”, Connor commented on his training.

No need to explain why.

He checked the bracket. His fight was going to be the sixth one. A bunch of fights would happen and he could (apparently) watch them without trouble. Why? He had no idea, but it's something else aside from constantly hard labor. There is something magical and biological about fighting. Everyone, from the most secluded places to the most extravagant locations, will watch two people beat each other up.

Even people that didn't know how fighting worked liked the idea of punches being thrown in all possible ways, outsmarting the strategy of the opponent, taking them by surprise or even having a great fight with no previous study, which is basically what will happen here today. The stands are slowly being filled with various people, the usual suspects filling the majority of the stands while some VIP stands had the most prestigious folk sitting there.

Just like any other arena, ever.

The first fight was slow paced and with no salt to it. Connor barely kept his eyes on the fight since it was so boring to watch. They were apparently not even fighters, but the bracket needs to be filled with something. The small crowd that watched didn't even celebrate the winner's victory. A shame, but expected.

The second fight was somewhat better, with at least one highlight. A big and nasty punch to the jaw, sending the poor guy to the ground. The battle was finished quickly since one of them had some experience with fighting. The crowd wasn't that great at cheering the fighters, but it wasn't an awkward experience. It was… passable.

The third fight was way better, with actual thinking of both contestants. A well timed block, a well delivered body blow and a great sweep was all the small crowd needed after those two lackluster fights. It was impressive seeing how the combat evolved with each subsequent duel, which made Connor think. What was the number of his fight again?

Can't worry about that. Time to mentally prepare.

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“That's enough for today!”, Yuri said as he finished with the sandbag.

Wiping the sweat off his face, he felt satisfied with how the training got up until now. His training partner helped him to the best of his ability, looking for ways to make a good impression so the slave could actually do some easy job instead of burning his back in the sun. Y'know, the basics of vagabondage.

Onto more important things, Yuri felt curious about how the fights of Day 1 are going. He knows he missed the majority, but maybe he can find Connor since his fight was the last one on the bracket. Fights are selected by skill, so the further you got on the bracket, the tougher it would get. As of now, Yuri has 5 fights in total, all of them with a win by knockout, making him one of the few favorites of the bracket.

Slaves that got into this position could ask for a few things, like training equipment, training partners, food, women and even if they fought against a champion, their freedom. Although partial freedom, since he would need to fulfill a contract to actually get his full freedom. This is one of the very few ways to get out of slavery that did work.

Can't really escape slavery with that damn Rune in his neck.

“I hope I was useful in some way.”, The partner said tiredly.

“No sweat, dude! You nailed it, did your thing like a champ. Can't ask for more than that!”, Yuri gave a big thumbs up and a cheerful smile.

“Alright, that means the guy gets a few hours of rest before going back to being another slave. Maybe tomorrow he can work for you if you want, Yuri.”, The keeper said as he took care of the slave.

“Nah, that's fine. He'll be drained if I do.”

“So, wanna watch the fights?”

“Yup.”

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In the stands reserved for the few members of the Elite Class, Richardson was carefully watching the fights that took place. He was standing beside his boss, Gazeff Walton, the headmaster of the Walton Family.

The Walton's are usually the people who take care of the entertainment on Eldora, but this was an invitation that they received. If any of their fighters were good enough in these brackets, they would be scouted towards new territory, new heights, which meant that the Family would make a LOT of profit.

That is if they win.

“This is to be expected, Mr. Gazeff. The only real prospect here is the Woof Elf.”, Richardson explained in a very polite manner.

“I am aware, but it still looks disappointing how the slave's performance was. Really underwhelming. I hope this Elf of yours knows how to fight. We need to have one of them scouted or lose our influence over Eldora.”, Gazeff’s tone of voice was a mix of frustration, hope and desperation.

Richardson received a letter from Koloss, an Empire from the far east of the west side of the continent. The empire is a great customer of the Slave Market thanks to their plan of “revolutionizing the industry of science” or something like that. If they somehow succeed in their pursuit, that's money for Eldora, but if not thanks to another Kingdom… then they will have to switch to another customer. Simple as that.

Wanting or not, Koloss is a big stage for them to perform. If they get at least one big victory here, they can go to the coliseum, an even bigger stage where they can, for free, promote their slave development in order to get more and more profit.

“Don't worry about it, boss. Connor can take a punch as well as deliver a stunning blow.”, Richardson reaffirmed with confidence.

“Good. This will make me one of the most prestigious men in Eldora, as well as rich!”, The man's ambition started to rise.

“Yes. You.”

----------------------------------------

Connor prepared himself in the back stage. As promised, the only thing they would use were the shorts they have. Or in Connor's case, pants, which meant bare-knuckle fighting.

The put it simple, bare-knuckle fighting is a type of fight that doesn't use any protective gear whatsoever, barely covering the knuckles with some poor rags that had the displesure of being used. Connor knew how the majority of the fights go since they are very popular in internet. The fighters are usually amateurs or beginners who think they have a chance in professional fighting because they beat up the school bully once.

Cuts and bruises are a lot more common than knockouts in these fights, since the bones cut the skin very frequently. The majority of the fights are stopped by doctors, but as he witnessed, this isn't the case here. Fights are only stopped if one fighter isn't moving and there isn't rounds or anything like that. As soon as it started, if will finish when only one remains standing. Quite brutal in Connor's opinion.

Then again, this is a medieval era. Stuff like this is bound to happen.

“And now, for the last debut here, we have a new face, even for the debut Day! This time ladies and gentlemen, we welcome here on this Arena, the very first Wood Elf!”, The announcer shouted in fake excitement, just like every poorly paid person.

“A Wood Elf?”

“They managed to capture one?”

“Eldora knows their game to bring one of them.”

“Weren't they hunted and massacred?”

“Apparently there are still a few alive.”

These comments didn't have good signs. Was it really rare to see an Elf? Or in this case the Wood variant?

“And for his opponents, a being that transcends the idea of what a person is! One that requested especifically this very fight! The one who was anticipating this moment for a long time… Henry Zagul, The Lacerta!”

“Wait, what?”

Connor looked at who his opponent was and he couldn't tell if it was a coincidence or a joke. It was that lizard man who tried to intimidate him before! Why? And if the announcer is to be believed, he asked for this fight. How did he knew he was going to fight here? How did he even asked that in the first place?

This is way too confusing to Connor.

“Alright, step up on the Arena.”, The announcer said and both slaves got up, “So, the rules are very simple, the person who doesn't move for 10 seconds is considered defeated. Just avoid attacks to the groin. Simple, right?”

Connor has a slight sense that this happened before.

“I'm gonna enjoy beating the shit out of you.”, The now identified Henry said with a twisted smile.

“You need to chill.”, Connor commented.

If it was to Henry or to himself, he couldn't say.

----------------------------------------

“Looks like the fight is about to start.”, Yuri comments.

“Oh, Yuri. Didn't notice you there.”, Richardson said in small surprise.

“Hello.”

“Salutations, Yuri.”, Gazeff said, still looking at the Arena.

“What are your thoughts on the fight, Yuri?”

“Hmm.”, Yuri pondered with a hand to his chin, “Tough call, man. Fight could go anywhere. I kinda get how Connor rolls, but Gecko's a mystery to me. Outcome's up in the air, but it's gonna be wild, especially with Connor's crazy endurance.”

“Endurance?”, Gazeff asks in curiosity.

“Totally, dude. Connor spilled that he can soak up hits for a bit. Maybe helped him hang in there with you, Richardson. But against Henry? Not sure it's a game-changer.”, Yuri said in a analytical tone.

“And why is that?”, Richardson said, doubting Yuri's judgement.

“Well, it's basic logic. Damage is damage, no matter how tough you are. But what really messes with my head is something you guys will only grasp when the fight kicks off.”, Yuri finished with a shrug.

----------------------------------------

“Fight!”

Henry dashed forward, throwing fast-paced punches, faster than Connor could have predicted, but he managed to block the majority of them. The crowd immediately got fired up seeing the speed and power behind the attacks, surpassing whatever expectations they had previously established.

But Connor wasn't going to just take punches. As soon as the gecko stopped attacking to catch his breath, he delivered a powerful body blow to his stomach, emptying whatever air Henry had in his lungs. Taking advantage of the momentum, Connor gave a nasty right uppercut followed by a left hook that sent the lizard far away of the center.

Henry spits a bit of blood (that is purple?) and gets up, hands raised.

This time, Connor took the initiative, jabbing the gecko's defense while looking for an opening. With a more powerful Jab, Connor took the opening to throw a Straight, but was met with a stupid realization. When the guard was broken, Henry leaned backwards, going way back than someone would, but he didn't hit the ground. As the straight punch went to hit nothing, the lizard weaved to the side and kneed the Elf's gut, following a combo of two punches and one final good kick to the face.

“Fucking hell… I hate kicks…”, Connor said as he tried to get up.

“Oh, it's not the worst that is going to happen with you, you leech!”

“What the-”

Connor rolled forward, dodging an elbow that came to his back. He didn't know what the guy was talking about but he didn't need to listen. He needed to fight. But how did he manage to dodge that attack? How did he bent that much? No time to think. Need to focus.

Henry followed suit with a barrage of his nails, trying to scratch the Elf in any way possible. Connor knew that this is no way a legal move, but he doubted that anyone would stop the fight. The crowd roared in excitement as the fight continued. If the customers are finding this to be the most enjoyable thing of today, why would the referees do something to stop it? It was the same thing as the illegal fights in Terri's bar, just more lethal.

Connor blocked the attacks but got cut regardless of his efforts. Just like Abe taught him, it's almost impossible to not get cut if your opponent has some kind of blade. This made him angry at his own inability to retaliate, to riposte this flurry of blows and Henry was very happy for this outcome, striking with an overflowing killing intent.

----------------------------------------

“That's weird.”, Yuri mused aloud.

“Oh? Something caught your interest, Yuri?”, Gazeff asked. Even if Yuri was a slave he has valuable insight in various topics.

Which gave him a more privileged position.

“The brawl's decent, but Connor's dealin' with it weird. He just keeps blockin', never throws a counter, dodge, or even a fake. It's kinda off, you know?”, Despite the lack of formality, his voice was serious.

“Now that you mention it, yes. Even with me he never tried to dodge my kicks. He only took them…”, Richardson also mused, wondering why the Elf fought like that.

“And not just that, but did you guys catch how he's totally caught off guard by kicks? Like, his reaction is practically non-existent.”

“His temper is also volatile. He's losing composure.”, Gazeff completed Yuri's analysis.

----------------------------------------

“Take this, Elf!”

Henry spun around himself and whipped his tail to strike Connor's ribs. The attack had so much power that the Elf was sliding all the way to the other corner of the Arena! He had to admit that this Elf was tough. He knows how to strike hard and when to land his punches. He never kicked, which gave him a small advantage, but even with the way the fight was going there was just a small detail that has been bugging his mind this entire time.

“How does this guy keep on his feet?!?”

He was cut, punched, kicked, whipped and all the more since the start of this fight, but how did he not faint? How durable is he? That pissed Henry off, not only his people were a bunch of lowlifes, but now this guy just refuses to be put in his place?! What the hell!?

“Why won't you die?!”

Connor's face slowly raised, meeting his own eyes.

That stare…

“I… can't… Not now…”

Henry scoffed, “You can't?! That should be your payback! Your kind took away everything you want! You expect others to do stuff because you can't do it yourself! Others will give you their treasures, their love and their knowledge, only for you parasites to never value them and throw that away! I will not forget or forgive that! Ever!”

Crunch

Connor punched with a powerful haymaker sending Henry to the ground and bouncing off it.

“Shut. The fuck. Up! You don't know me, you stupid lizard!”, Connor shouted so loud even the VIP stands heard it.

Henry slowly raised, his legs trembling a bit, “Hit a nerve, didn't I?”

“I don't even know what the fuck you're talking about! Fucking hell!”

The crowd that fell silent for a brief moment roared, thrilled to see such a turnabout!

“The fight that so far has been in favor of the Lacerta took a drastic change with a powerful blow of the Wood Elf! As they say, never talk when your opponent is still on his feet!”, The announcer described the recent event to those who (for some reason) didn't look at the fight.

“My legs… Shit, my movement won't be the same. If I want to have a chance of winning I'll need to play his game of sole punches. Thankfully he doesn't do anything besides blocking.”

“Doesn't matter, Elf. Let's finish this!”

Henry got forward, but far slower than he anticipated, while Connor never lost his speed. Henry tried to punch him from distance but a simple step to the side was enough for the Elf to block the attack and use his straight to hit him in the nose. He continued to attack, giving a sequence of punches that Henry had a hard time dodging. A Jab, a Cross, an uppercut, a haymaker, a body blow… He could barely keep up with the speed of the attacks, not to mention the raw power behind them. The Elf isn't pulling his punches.

But that's not a problem.

With a quick step forward, Connor took an opening and punched the gecko on the face, but Henry never stopped. Continuing his movement, he forced the punch to go backwards, creating the perfect opportunity to strike him in the same ribs his tail landed previously. With all his might, Henry used the last bit of strength he had to punch that part. It was damaged, he could see the skin turning purple, that had to be the perfect place to end this fight and win!

He landed the punch, using the tip of his tail to increase the lunge forward, maximizing the power behind it, launching as fast as he possibly could. The Elf went flying, hitting the wall of the Arena as Henry himself hit the ground, being drained of energy. He was already panting thanks to the previous damage, but his job was done, he did what he needed to do. Yes… There was a sharp pain in his head, but that's fine. He was satisfied.

He looks up…

No.

No no no.

How?

Why is he still on his feet?

Connor walked towards Henry, clenching his fist. And just like that, all when black.

----------------------------------------

“No way!”, Yuri said, still in utter disbelief.

“Richardson, you may have found the most insane fighter to date. Just what the hell was that?”, Gazeff said, losing a bit of his formality.

“Sir, I have no idea.”, He truly didn't.

Did Yuri's eyes deceive him? Because that's what it felt like. Either Connor is way tougher than he lets on or he is just batshit insane to do that. The stands were in complete ecstasy, chanting the name “Connor” in the craziest fight this Arena has seen on Day 1. And Yuri couldn't blame them, even for him this fight was anything, except boring.

Then again, seeing how Connor fights, he can see a bunch of flaws, not only the ones he mentioned to Richardson and Gazeff, but also a lot of other advantages he could've used and didn't. It wasn't inexperience, but a lack of other things. He did say he had a teacher and not a coach, so this is probably the main reason.

“Boss, I'm leaving now.”

“I'll go with you. Lord Gazeff, if you allow me…”, Richardson gave a slight bow.

“Huh? Oh, yes. We'll talk later.”, He said, still mesmerized by what transpired.

Richardson and Yuri got walking, talking about the fight. It was impressive how Connor fought, but they had some things to tell each other.

“From what I've seen, he is a brute diamond. He can go way further in his skills, but he needs someone to help him with that.”, Richardson commented as he waved to some commoners.

“Yeah, I hear you. But I can't see Connor taking coaching from a stranger, and even if it's someone he knows, I bet he wouldn't be cool with it.”

“And why's that?”

“Look… it's a bit fuzzy, but I've picked up on something. Connor's been burned in the trust department, more than once. If he's got trust issues, that's gonna throw a major wrench in whatever you're cookin' up for him, boss.”, Yuri briefly hesitated, so he said it in a vague way.

“That's not a problem. Easily fixable, barely an inconvenience.”, Richardson said with a smile. And not a good one.

“Boss, what if I give it a shot and talk to him? If I can sway him, we might just be able to turn him into an asset.”, He lied. He wouldn't make Connor a tool, but the guy needs to cheer up in some way. What if he… “Oh, a lamp just went off in my head!”

“You have an idea?”

“So, for the Shadehill gig on the Main Continent, what if I take him along and school him in some non-punchy skills? Could be a game-changer.”, Yuri said enthusiastically.

“Hmm. That can work… But how?”

“Don't stress about the details, I got it covered!”, A big thumbs up raised with a big smile to accompany.

“Very well, I'll allow it. But only after his next bout.”, Richardson sighed in amusement.

Well, now to prepare for his own fight it seems.