Novels2Search

Chapter 10

In the Arena, time morphed into an endless cycle of battles, recovery, and resilience. Days blended seamlessly into weeks, and weeks into months, as Phoenix acclimated to her harsh new existence, forced to fight relentlessly for her life in the treacherous arena while the oppressive shackles stifled her growth. The cold metal binding her wrist served as a constant reminder of her status as a Culled, yet it ignited a fierce determination within her to become stronger.

Phoenix did not fight solely for her own survival but also for Becca, who had transformed into her ally and confidante during their harrowing time in the dungeon. After the healer’s visit, Becca gradually regained her strength, and together they strategized, exchanging vital knowledge about the System and its myriad mechanics. With each passing day, their bond deepened, forged in the fires of shared suffering and an unwavering resolve to endure.

The arena evolved into a brutal stage where Phoenix sharpened her skills. She faced a diverse array of opponents: seasoned fighters, powerful mages, and even fearsome creatures that lurked in the depths of the Shadow Woods. Each encounter tested her spirit, pushing her limits and compelling her to adapt to the relentless challenges. Despite the shackles that prevented her from collecting essence, she managed to learn new skills and refine her instincts through sheer determination. Under the table level gains were also made with Bento taking off her bracer once a week.

Over the course of four months, Phoenix fought in the arena nearly every day, achieving victory after victory. The crowd began to recognize her as a formidable contender, her reputation spreading like wildfire throughout Volska. With each triumph, she felt the weight of her actions pressing upon her, but she channeled that energy into honing her abilities even further. Whispers of her prowess reached the ears of the powerful, drawing both admiration and scrutiny.

Becca had become a close friend and an infinite source of wisdom on the new planet she had been dropped on. Days were spent talking about a plethora of topics ranging from the history of the planet to the best way to win and take down new opponents. Since being trapped, Phoenix had noticed a change in Becca, a new light beginning to burn in her eyes. She was no longer the broken girl Phoenix had seen when she was thrown into the cell - Becca’s eyes shined brighter, a new fire lit within.

Phoenix’s days became a blur of combat and recovery. One fateful evening, after a particularly grueling battle against a fire mage, Phoenix found herself back in her cell, exhausted yet exhilarated. She sat beside Becca, who had just completed her own fight that day.

“Do you think we’ll ever break free from this place?” Becca asked, her voice barely a whisper, laced with uncertainty.

“I have to believe that we will,” Phoenix responded, determination threading through her words. “ I’m at Essence 19 now, and I can feel the density of the pure essence building, maybe when I can catch up to you, we might stand a chance.”

She had leveled Howl of the Alpha to IV using it to stun her opponents at critical moments, and her Brawling and Stealth skills advanced to IV and V respectively, enabling her to move with silence and strike with deadly precision. She had found a bottleneck at level V on the Stealth skill, no matter how much she used it, it refused to level. Becca didn’t have any answers to why it wouldn’t level either. The System’s snide comments had slowly faded away, now just leveling her skills as what she considered normal. Part of her missed them, but the new hardened part of her could care less.

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She had, however, refrained from adding anymore skills to her repertoire. She was still learning the finer nuances of having skills muchless using and learning them in the heat of the battle. While she had gotten quiet adept in the last four months, she also didn’t want to have too many to hone while her life was on the line.

She pulled up her stat sheet.

Phoenix

Chimera (F)

Essence 11 -> 19

Core: N/A

Vitality: 18 -> 23

Strength: 14 - > 19

Dexterity: 10 -> 14

Agility: 10 -> 14

Endurance: 5 -> 11

Wisdom: 4 -> 6

Perception: 1 -> 6

Willpower: 0.5 -> 2.5

Skills

Stealth IV (Common) -> Stealth V (Common)

Climbing III (Common)

Analyze I (Common)

Bludgeoning III (Common)

Spear Wielding III (Common)

Short Knives II (Uncommon)

Berserker I (Uncommon) -> Beserker IV (Uncommon)

Brawling I (Common) -> Brawling IV (Common)

Hand to Hand Combat II (Common)

Mimic I (Ancient)

Howl of the Alpha IV (Legendary)

Passive Skills

Poison Resistance I (Uncommon, Passive)

Night Vision I (Common, Passive)

Enhanced Hearing I (Common, Passive)

The toll of the arena weighed heavily on her psyche. Night after night, she lay awake, haunted by the faces of those she had defeated. Each death was a stark reminder of the brutal reality they were entangled in. How many lives would she have to extinguish before she could secure her own safety?

As the fourth month drew to a close, Bento pulled Phoenix aside one evening before she could be brought back to her cell, following her latest victory. “You’ve proven yourself time and again, and I believe it’s time we delve deeper into your potential,” he said, a glimmer of intrigue dancing in his eyes. “There’s talk of placing you in higher-stakes matches, in an arena even bigger than this. You could be quite the asset.”

“What’s in it for me?” Phoenix replied, her tone steady and unwavering. She had learned to navigate this treacherous game, extracting value from Bento whenever possible.

Bento leaned closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. “I am willing to convince Hunter to not only let me bring Becca along, but if you do well in the tournament I will buy her from him. I see her potential, it’s going to waste under him…Just continue your winning streak. Prove your worth, and I’ll see what can be arranged. But if you falter… Well, let’s just say the consequences would be severe.”

“Why would you offer such a thing? You don’t care about anything but yourself.” All Phoenix wanted to do was spit in his face, but she had played it that way before, and all it ended was with her being tied to a post and lashed as an example.

“She would make me even more money with the way she fights and wins, and let’s also say, if you lose, Becca won’t make it to sunrise the next day either. Both your lives are solely in your hands, and I find desperation to be the best motivator.”

The weight of his words settled heavily in her stomach. The stakes were rising, and the pressure was mounting. The arena had transformed yet again, and she was ensnared in its vicious cycle. Fuck me, how do I always end up in these situations?

After returning to her cell, she turned to Becca, who was regarding her with concern. “What did he say?”

“He’s taking me to a bigger arena in another city, you’re coming with us,” Phoenix replied, the gravity of the situation heavy on her shoulders. “If I can win, he’ll buy you from Hunter.”