Silas and Diog barely had time to recover before the staff member appeared again, clipboard in hand and an expression of practiced indifference. “Times up. Your turn again. You'll be headed to Gate 4.”
Silas nodded.
Diog, still looking worn out, pushed himself up onto his feet. His wounds were healing fast, thanks to the salve and the natural healing ability of his body.
Silas ran a hand over Diog’s fur, feeling the subtle tremor of lingering pain under his touch.
“You sure you’re good for this?” he asked quietly.
Diog growled low, eyes fierce. It wasn’t a question, it was a challenge, and Diog’s answer was clear. No surrender. No backing down.
“Good. Let’s finish what we started.”
Diog wasn't going to back down, not after their first victory.
“Alright, buddy. Let’s go show them what we can do.”
Silas led Diog back out into the arena’s hallways. The noise of the crowd grew as elsewhere battles against monsters were cheered on.
They turned a corner, and Gate 4 loomed ahead, flanked by two heavily armored guards.
One of them nodded curtly at Silas, then gestured toward the gate.
“Your opponent is already inside. You’ll be fighting a summoner this time, old man named Heron. Careful, he’s dangerous.”
“Tricky how?” Silas asked, his voice steady despite the sudden rush of nerves.
The guard shrugged. “Corrosive Slug. It secretes a highly potent acid that can melt through just about anything—armor, weapons, flesh, you name it. That slime isn't just corrosive; it's practically a death sentence if it touches you.”
The guard smirked. “Don’t get hit. Even a drop can cripple.”
Silas glanced down at Diog, who met his gaze with a knowing look.
“We’ll be fine,” he muttered, more to himself than to the guard. Then, he took a deep breath and stepped through the gate.
----------------------------------------
The crowd went quiet as they entered the arena.
Silas scanned the far side, and there he was, an old man standing with the casual ease of someone who had fought in far too many battles. His long, silver hair flowed down his back, and a thin, almost easy smile across his wrinkled face. He wore a robe adorned with arcane symbols.
And beside him…
Silas frowned.
It was a Corrosive Slug, a creature as grotesque as it was dangerous. Nearly twice Diog’s size, its bulbous, mucus-covered body quivered as it undulated across the ground. Its skin was a sickly green, glistening with a sheen of acidic slime that hissed and bubbled wherever it touched. The air around it warped slightly, a faint, acidic smell carrying all the way to Silas.
The slug’s eyes, small, beady, and pitch black, were set deep in its swollen head, and as Silas watched, its mouth opened in a wet, gurgling grin, revealing rows of needle-like teeth.
A thin line of drool dripped from its mouth, sizzling as it hit the sand.
Silas felt Diog tense beside him. "Stay sharp," he whispered, his eyes fixed on the creature. "Speed is everything. Don’t let it touch you."
The old man inclined his head, a lazy smile never faltering. "A young tamer and his pup. Such promise. Such fire. But promise alone won't save you."
He raised a hand, and the slug let out a gurgling hiss, the air around it shimmering with heat.
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The announcer's voice echoed: "BEGIN!"
The slug lunged forward, massive bulk surging faster than expected.
"Move, Diog!" Silas shouted.
Diog shot to the side, paws skimming the sand, just as the slug smashed down where he had been. The ground hissed and steamed as acid ate through it like nothing.
"Watch your footing!" Silas called out, eyes widening at the searing sand. If that hit Diog...
Diog darted around, quick as a shadow, but Heron's smile only widened.
"Running won't help, boy." His voice was calm. "Acid Spray."
The slug reared up, maw gaping to reveal the death underneath. A gurgling sound echoed before it spat a wide arc of green liquid.
"Dodge!" Silas yelled.
Diog leapt sideways, narrowly avoiding the acidic spray, but droplets splattered near his paws, smoke rising as sand bubbled.
"Keep moving!" Silas yelled as he palmed his hands into a fist.
They couldn’t afford even one mistake.
Heron raised his hand again, the slug shifting to block Diog's path. "Acid Burst."
The slug convulsed—
Boom!
A wave of acid exploded outward. Diog ump back, but a splash caught his flank. He twisted mid-air, a pained yelp escaping as the acid sizzled against his fur, burning through.
"Diog!" Panic clawed at Silas’ throat. Diog landed awkwardly, legs shaking, but didn’t falter.
Instead, he shook himself, turning his ice inwards, frost spreading across his side, freezing the acid before it could dig deeper.
Heron’s chuckle interrupted the moment. "One touch. That’s all it takes, maybe the next one your dog won't be so lucky."
Silas gritted his teeth.
Defense wasn’t enough. The slug moved in bursts of speed, but each attack came with a momentary lag, a brief second as its bulk shifted, its weight slowing it down.
"Diog," Silas called softly, his mind latching onto an idea. "Wait for it to move. Then go for the eyes."
Diog’s ears twitched, a growl of understanding rumbling deep in his chest.
Heron gestured, a smirk on his lips. "Finish it, Glutton."
The slug lunged again, a wave of flesh and acid. Diog held his ground, eyes locked onto the quivering mass. Then—
"Now!" Silas shouted.
Diog surged forward, ducking under the slug’s outstretched bulk, his fur barely grazing the slimy surface. He sprang upwards, jaws closing around one of its tiny, dark eyes.
A wet, sickening pop followed. The slug shrieked, thrashing wildly, but Diog held on, teeth buried in the creature's eye socket.
"Get clear!" Silas yelled.
Diog wrenched free, black ichor spraying. The slug reared back, its remaining eye rolling in confusion and pain.
"Good boy," Silas muttered, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "Keep up the pressure."
Diog darted in again, jaws glowing faintly blue.
"Frost Fang!"
His teeth sank into the slug’s other eye, frost spreading from the bite. The slug let out a high-pitched shriek, its body convulsing, frost creeping across its slime-covered skin.
"Yes!" Silas pumped his fist. "Keep going going!"
Heron’s smile never wavered. "Fighting spirit alone isn’t enough. Acid Pulse."
The slug tensed—
Boom!
A shockwave of acid burst from its core, slamming into Diog. He yelped, his body skidding across the sand, acid burning through his fur.
"Diog!" Silas screamed, voice cracking.
But Diog didn’t stay down. He growled, forcing himself up, legs trembling, eyes blazing with determination. He staggered forward, refusing to give in, freezing the acid still clinging to his fur.
Heron’s smile faltered. "Why won’t you just—"
"Diog," Silas whispered, voice hoarse. "End it. Frost Fang."
Diog’s jaws glowed a brilliant blue, brighter than before. He lunged, a blur of motion. The slug recoiled, but too slow. Diog’s teeth found its throat.
A blinding flash of blue erupted, frost spreading rapidly, encasing the creature in ice. The slug let out a final, gurgling shriek. The frost clawed up its body, the green of its slimy skin turning a ghostly white, cracks forming along its surface as the temperature plummeted.
The slug writhed, its massive bulk thrashing, but the ice spread relentlessly.
Its body convulsed, each movement slower than the last, until it was barely twitching. Frost coated its eyes, its maw, sealing away the acidic drool that had once dripped freely.
Its final death throes were pitiful, a slow collapse as the ice encased it completely. The once quivering mass was now a solid statue of cold, unmoving ice.
Silas watched as the creature's last sounds faded into silence. The arena was just as quiet as the frost spread one final inch and the slug went utterly still. Then, the ice groaned and the slug's form cracked, splintering in several places.
Thin fractures formed, spiderwebbing across its frozen body before it shattered.
The slug exploded into a cloud of icy shards, fragments of its body scattering across the sand.
The sound of the ice breaking was the finale.
Silas stared, breath caught in his chest. "We... we did it."
The crowd erupted, into cheers, but Silas barely heard. He ran to Diog, dropping to his knees.
"You’re amazing," he whispered, voice thick. "You did it, buddy."
Diog let out a weak bark, his body trembling from exhaustion and cold.
"Winner: Silas Beckham and Diog!" the announcer’s voice boomed.
But Silas didn’t care about the victory. He scooped Diog into his arms, and carried him out of the arena
"We did it," he murmured. "We really did."
----------------------------------------
System Notification:
Battle 2 of 5 Cleared - E Ranked Hexgear Cup - Victor: Diog vs. Corrosive Slug
Diog Status Update:
* Experience Gained: 75
* Current Experience: 90/200
* Significant injuries sustained. Severe acid damage with extensive frostbite and burns present. Immediate restoration recommended
Stats Adjusted:
* Endurance: +1
* Strength: +1