“Over here,” sounded out a raspy voice.
Raja Kint walked over to the ugly man and placed his spear up.
“Follow me, this will be your new home for the foreseeable future.” The ugly man glanced at Raja Kint's face and smirked. “With an expression like this, I’m more confident in your survival here.”
Raja Kint followed the man through dimly lit halls. Traveling stairs that lead down. A stench of rotting flesh and moldy water assaulted Raja Kint's nose causing his nose to scrunch up.
Soon they reached the bottom and the ugly man opened a gate. He motioned for Raja Kint to walk through. “You’ll figure out how to live on your own here. Now go in so I can go to sleep.”
Raja Kint walked through the gate.
“BAM!”
Raja Kint glanced behind him toward the ugly man now behind the gate with killing intent.
“It seems fresh meat has arrived!”
“Is it a female, oh how I long for some fresh women?”
Raja Kint watched as ten men entered his sight. The ten men wore expressions of disappointment and eight of them turned around.
“It’s just a boy this time dammit.”
“The gods are tempting me to try a boy. How can I fall so low to try a boy.” The man who spoke last glanced back at Raja Kint before turning the corner.
Raja Kint made a mental note that the man was at the fifth inner ki. He turned his attention toward the two men who stayed behind. One has short hair and the other has long hair.
The short-haired man says, “Nice eyes but you need to be able to conceal the coldness.”
The long-haired man says, “I’ll show you where the boys sleep. Over there you can protect yourself against any with vile desires.”
Raja Kint’s eyes lost some of the coldness. Causing a hint of admiration on the short-haired man’s face.
“It’s not often people listen to me but I’ve been here for a while. Maybe if you’re still alive after some time I can put in a word for you with the old man.” The short-haired man turned to leave.
The long-haired man turned to walk and Raja Kint followed. As they walked Raja Kint asked. “How do I get out of here? And who is the strongest in charge of this whole coliseum setup?”
The man replied, “If you want to get out then reach the ninth inner ki. That is the only method to escape. The strongest person running this coliseum is the leader whose an eighth inner ki."
Raja Kint fell silent while thinking about how he would break out. After a short while they reached a corridor and the man stopped. “Kid, what age are you?”
“I’m nine.”
The man looked at Raja Kint a bit more and spoke. “This hall is where the kids stay. The doors have M and F engraved on them to represent the gender in charge.
Raja Kint nodded his head, expressed his “thanks” and walked down the hall.
The man looked at Raja Kint a bit longer before leaving.
Once the man left Raja Kint felt around his clothes and felt the ring and pouch were still there. This was the biggest relief to him. Therefore he was happy that he went the extra distance to hide them.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
He walked to the third door down on the left with an M engraved on it. He opened the door to see a few boys sleeping on the floor. Closing the door he walked over to an open area and silently took out a low-grade ki stone for cultivation.
The entire night was spent cultivating. When the stone ran out he quietly continued to cultivate a bit longer before resting.
“A big rat snuck into our room last night.”
Raja Kint opened his eyes to see a beady-eyed kid glaring at him. He then saw a kid with green eyes stopping the beady-eyed kid from doing anything.
The last kid was lying against the wall. When he noticed Raja Kint woke up he walked over and said. “You should see that you’re causing quite the commotion. We’re gonna have to show you to our leader now.”
The green-eyed boy directed his vision to Raja Kint. the beady-eyed boy became silent at this moment with a hint of expectation in his eyes.
Raja Kint felt that there was a consequence to saying no. The strongest in this room besides him was only at the third inner ki. The other two are at the second inner ki.
Raja Kint says, “I’m not going anywhere I don’t want to go. Just tell me where to go eat and I'll stay out of your business.”
The beady-eyed kid turned toward the door. When Raja Kint saw this he moved at full speed. Nobody in the room could keep track of him as he stood in front of the door.
The beady-eyed kid opened his mouth in shock. “How the fuck did you move so fast?”
Raja Kint walked over to the kid. Raja Kint met with some resistance but with the difference in strength, technique and ki type Raja Kint grabbed the boy by his neck and slammed him into the ground.
Ever since the fight with the pig last night, Raja Kint realized that his nature ki was already affecting him. The effects so far seem to make him better overall in physicality than those of the same stage.
Raja Kint released the boy and looked at the other two. While the kid was coughing and gasping for air. The green-eyed boy says, “If you’re hungry then follow me.”
“I’ll follow too,” says the last kid. Who has a scar over his right eyebrow.
The three soon entered a cafeteria, with an already long line they had no choice but to stand and wait.
Raja Kint said, “What leader was he talking about and how strong is he?”
The green-eyed kid replied, “He’s the leader of the kids, 17 years old and at the fifth inner ki.”
“He’s the strongest?”
“Among kids he is. The strongest overall is an older man in the eighth inner ki. He also supposedly has strong martial arts. From what I know he’s been the leader for about a year. But everyone respects him highly. Other groups have formed up. Even among us of the younger generation.”
Raja Kint couldn’t help but wonder if he could beat a fifth inner ki one-on-one. Back in the alley he was in a four vs. one situation and had panicked. Allowing himself to be caught off guard by a staff swing. But now after experiencing it, and the subtle mindset shifts… would it be different?
After all, not only was his ki legendary among all of history and potentially the only one of its kind in history. He also has the teachings passed down from elite warriors of the realms.
Raja Kint didn’t believe that he couldn’t win a one-on-one with anyone two stages higher and potentially three stages higher.
The scarred kid says, “You know since you didn’t kill him he’s going to cause trouble for you. He’s always looking for a way to suck up to people. The two of us are fine since he won’t shit where he sleeps. But a newcomer like you can be forced away from our room.
Raja Kint sneered, “I’d like to see these kids force me to do anything.”
Raja Kint suddenly thought of something. “Is it possible to meet the old man in this prison?”
The green-eyed boy looked at Raja Kint like an idiot. “Don’t call him that or you’ll have us beaten before we eat. You have to call him Leader Icurio. And to meet him. You would have to become a leader yourself and then have your group recognized. Only then do you have a slight chance at meeting Leader Icurio.”
“There isn’t a way to meet besides becoming a leader?”
“There is but you have to prove your strength somehow. No matter how strong you are you won’t be beating him,” replied the scarred kid.
They picked up a tray of food and sat on the floor. Raja Kint looked at his food and asked, “What is this?”
“Leftovers from up above and those animals we kill are sent down here for us. Down here we kill to eat and eat what’s left,” replied the scarred kid.
Raja Kint mentally prepared himself as he ate the meat. It wasn’t the best or worst-tasting food he ever had. But the meat had picked up the smell from down in these corridors. Raja Kint forced himself not to throw up. As he chewed, more of the scent from these corridors soon filled his mouth.
The green-eyed kid laughed. “Don’t worry you’ll get used to it. All our food picks up the rancid smell from down here. After all the beasts live below too and probably in worse conditions than us.”