A day later, the riot was over. And Daisy stood with the gladiators in a line, waiting to get food in the cafeteria. She reached the front, and the server gave her a food tray.

"Thank you," Daisy said.

Daisy walked off with her food, but one of the gladiators blocked her path. He signaled her to give him her food, and she quickly complied, knowing he would harm her if she didn’t. As the gladiator left, Daisy dropped into a corner, crying! With no food, no allies, and trapped in a place seemingly made to its finest details to break her physically and mentally, she was nearing the end of her rope! She didn’t even have the strength for another prayer.

However, Everton, eating close by, saw how miserable Daisy was. He tried not to look, but her cries drew him back. Everton tried to dull his compassion, but something about the young woman, alone and in so much pain, moved the heart the man thought died at least a century ago. So, he soon looked at the gladiator, who took Daisy's food and marched over to him with a deep sigh.

"I will say it once! Please give the human back her food," Everton said.

"Or what?"

Everton hastily punched the gladiator in the mouth, unconscious! The tray flew from his hands to the ceiling as he fell. But before the food could hit the ground, Everton caught it. With the food in hand, Everton walked over to Daisy, throwing the tray."Catch!" And Daisy stopped crying as she grabbed the food barely in time.

"I thought you said you didn't have any pity left?"

"I changed my mind. And if you know what's good for you, you will consume that food before it changes again!"

With Everton's warning, Daisy devoured her food like a wild animal! But quickly, another gladiator approached Everton with a smug smile.

"Seems like you've gone soft, Everton! Looking after the new blood, and she's a human too!"

"I don't need to explain myself. Especially not to you!"

"So the mighty warrior has a soft spot. I never thought I would see a Nemesis be like that! Aren't you so-called superior beings supposed to be cruel?"

"Watch your mouth, brat! I'm still tough enough to deal with you like the last time we fought. And the time before that, and the time before that!"

"Old man, I believe things change!"

The gladiator quickly threw a punch, but Everton effortlessly caught it, tossing him at the far wall! But two more gladiators saw this as an opportunity to strike at Everton with tyloblades. Everton punched one out, but the other managed to cut across his chest with his blade. However, Everton retaliated, punching him in the face, unconscious, before dropping to his knees.

As the gladiators in the room saw Everton weakened, they didn't waste a second, dogpiling him! With all their might, the gladiators beat Everton mercilessly with the accumulated hatred of the Nemesis empire, but Daisy ran to his aid. However, she quickly got swatted aside like a bug as she tried to fight. But Everton burst out of the dogpile using all his strength with a mighty roar, sending bodies flying over the room!

Some gladiators quickly rose, preparing to attack Everton again. But as they limped to him, Daisy blocked their path, readying to aid Everton. However, guards entered the room, and as everyone saw them, they lost their fighting spirit, raising their arms in surrender.

"Men, get these animals back in their cages!"

Everton dropped to the floor again, unconscious, and Daisy looked at him in horror!

A few minutes later, Daisy walked with a half-conscious Everton as the guards led him to his cell. The guards tossed him into his bed and tried to drag Daisy back to her cell, but she broke loose.

"I won't leave him alone like this!"

One of the guards prepared to attack Daisy, but his comrade stopped him.

"Let her be. It would be a waste if she got injured without someone paying to see!"

The guards left Daisy in Everton's cell, and as they locked the door, she found one of his weapons, a battle axe, lying on the floor. Her hands trembled with the weapon as she stood to guard over Everton, seeing gladiators pass by his cell with murderous glares. But Everton soon awakened with a shocked look as he saw his protector.

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"W-what are you doing?"

"I figured someone needed to stand guard while you rested!"

"Child, you should know kindness like yours is a blessing for others but a curse to yourself!"

Daisy grew a big smile."I can't help it! Pa did too good with us!"

"Look, I don't need a nurse or a protector. Just hand me that water bottle on the shelf!"

Everton pointed to a bottle on his shelf, and Daisy hurried over to it. As she reached the bottle, she spotted a sewing kit with a small torn-up cushion in it. But she quickly grabbed the bottle and handed it over to Everton.

"Mr. Nemesis-"

"My name is Everton Blak," Everton interrupted.

"Okay, Everton-"

Everton fell asleep as he took one drink of his water. And as Daisy saw this, she looked at the shelf where the cushion was. Later, Everton awakened and saw Daisy working in a corner.

"Child, what are you doing over there?"

"You're awake!” Daisy looked closely at Everton’s chest.”And that big cut on your chest closed up already!"

"I asked a question!"

"Oh, sorry, I was fixing that cute little pillow you had on your shelf!"

"What?"

Everton hurried over to Daisy and grabbed the cushion out of her hand. And as he saw that she had fully repaired it, he shed tears.

"The cushion and the sewing kit were gifts from my wife to my daughter. They were the only things I was able to grab before the empire threw me in here before they killed my child Evelyn!"

A look of shock and horror swept across Daisy's face as tears flowed down her eyes. "They can be that cruel even to their own? Everton, I am so sorry for touching those without permission! It's not the same. But I know what it’s like to lose someone!"

"You do?"

"The worst day of my life! When My pa died in an accident on our farm when I was six!"

With a deep breath, Everton kindly rubbed Daisy's head, making her blush with embarrassment.

"You're in luck, child! I've decided to help!"

"H-help how?"

"I'll teach you all I know about combat. The knowledge will be invaluable the next time my colleagues become lively. Or when they inevitably ask you to fight in a match!"

"Thank you, but one thing. Please don't expect me to kill anyone while I'm here!"

"Then please don't expect to live a long life!"

"I'm serious!” Daisy angrily stomped her foot. “I won’t take the gift of life from someone in this sick game!"

"Fine, I'll do my best regardless!” Everton looked at Daisy perplexed.”What’s your name, girl?”

"Daisy David!”

Daisy initiated a pinky promise, and as Everton saw it, he released a groan but joined in to seal the deal.

The next day, in the blazing sun, Daisy did push-ups on the Colosseum field under Everton's supervision. He instructed her to complete twenty. It was an exercise to strengthen her muscles. But she struggled as each took a herculean effort in the searing heat. However, as Daisy dropped to the ground, exhausted, Everton's cold stare forced her to start again. And she let out a scream of both motivation and excruciating pain!

Daisy ran around the Colosseum field with Everton through bitter cold and snow a month later. This time, the exercise was to enhance stamina and endurance. But as she ran with Everton, like on Earth, the cold air pained her lungs more and more, and she collapsed! As Everton noticed this, a look of horror escaped his face, but running to aid her, she struggled back to her feet. Daisy started running again.” Not this time!” turning his fear into pride and amazement.

The months raced by increasingly faster as Everton intensified Daisy’s training. He gradually added more to her routine of strength and endurance exercises. But finally, he deemed her ready for martial arts. In the blazing sun, Daisy stood with Everton. She swiftly performed fighting techniques one after another in the searing heat. As she finished her demonstration, Everton kindly rubbed her head. No longer a weak civilian, but a warrior, at last!

Later the next day, spectators filled the Colosseum as the sky downpoured a tsunami. On the field, Everton stood with Daisy as she chose a circular shield from the weapons pile.

"Remember your basics, child!"

"I will, teacher!"

Daisy hugged Everton goodbye and hurried to face her opponent. But as Daisy left, he grew a worried expression, wondering if he prepared her enough.

Soon, Daisy stood to face her opponent, a muscular grey alien, in the heavy rain. The crowd went dead silent, seeing the competitors ready for combat. But as a referee signaled to start, the roars began a new as the gladiator struck first!

Shield met blades in a battle at blurring speed! The gladiator struck with his tyloblades with increasing fury. As they cut through the air, Daisy blocked each with her shield, alternating from her head and body, matching his bloodlust with the will to survive. But an attack broke past her defenses, cutting her side. However, Daisy headbutted him back.

Daisy rushed to retaliate, readying to bash her opponent with her shield. But as she got close, he grabbed her arm, tossing her aside and taking her weapon. The gladiator threw it away from Daisy and charged at her for the kill!

"Make haste, child! Remember the close-quarters technique I taught you," Everton shouted with desperation.

Daisy heard Everton as the gladiator pounced on her with his blades. Like a Ballerina, she danced around his strikes, narrowly dodging several fatal blows. And broke through his defenses, kicking him in the face!

Daisy swiftly dashed for her shield on the ground. She got it as the gladiator tossed one of his blades at her. But she deflected it with her weapon.

Daisy again dashed towards her opponent. He retaliated, trying to slash her with his remaining blade. But she ducked under the attack, punching him in the stomach.

With her opponent disoriented, Daisy unleashed a storm of blows to his face and body! Finally, with a mighty scream, she landed one final punch in his face, sending him crashing down unconscious! And the spectators went wild seeing her victory. But Everton dropped to the ground with immense relief.