August stood in the center of the arena, the faint hum of the system in his ear the only sound accompanying his pounding heart. His chest heaved as he tried to steady his breath, his body covered in grime, sweat, and the blood of the mutated zombie that now lay at his feet. It had been an intense battle, one that had pushed him to his limits. But somehow, he had survived. Somehow, the system had guided him through it, unlocking new abilities along the way.
The crowd, which had been roaring only moments before, was now eerily silent. The silence felt suffocating, pressing in from all sides as August stood, his bloodied weapon still clutched in his hand. The mutated zombie's twitching body was all that remained of the monstrous opponent he'd just fought.
The system's voice crackled in his ear.
“Mission complete: Mutated Zombie defeated.”
August’s fingers clenched around the makeshift weapon, his pulse racing. He glanced down at the creature’s body, its grotesque form already beginning to decay, as if the fight had stripped it of any last semblance of humanity. The arena had always been a place of violence, a place where men and monsters fought for sport, but this had been different. This wasn’t about glory—it was about survival.
“New skill unlocked: Enhanced Agility.”
The words hung in his mind, like a beacon of possibility. Enhanced Agility? The idea of moving faster, dodging more deftly—it was a blessing, and he could already feel the change coursing through him. His muscles, tense from the brutal fight, seemed to relax for a moment, and his senses sharpened, heightened. The world around him slowed down as if he could suddenly perceive every detail more vividly—the slight rustle of wind in the arena, the distant murmur of soldiers along the walls, the subtle shift in the atmosphere that indicated something was about to change.
But as the cheers of the crowd began to swell, August’s gaze was drawn to the edge of the arena. A figure emerged from the shadows, walking toward him with slow, deliberate steps. The crowd's reaction shifted; the roar turned to a mixture of hushed whispers and anticipatory murmurs.
Commander Rivas.
The commander was a tall man, his posture stiff and military, as if every movement had been carefully calculated. His uniform was immaculate, with polished brass buttons and a dark, weathered jacket that spoke of someone who had lived through countless battles. His eyes were cold, calculating, and there was something in the way he regarded August—a mix of respect and suspicion.
August had seen the way Rivas had watched him from the stands earlier, analyzing, weighing his every move. The system had marked Rivas as a potential threat to him, but August couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this man than met the eye. There had been a sharpness in his gaze, a certain wariness, like Rivas knew exactly what the system was capable of.
“Well done,” Rivas said, his voice carrying across the arena with the authority of someone used to being obeyed. “You’ve passed the first test.”
August clenched his teeth, trying not to show how much the commander’s presence unnerved him. He hadn’t expected Rivas to be the one to speak to him directly, but there was no mistaking the power the commander held in this place.
“Test?” August’s voice was hoarse, but he steadied it with effort. “I didn’t ask for any of this. I’m just trying to survive.”
Rivas didn’t flinch at his tone. He continued walking toward August, his boots thudding heavily against the cracked concrete. “Survival is a test in and of itself, August. The world outside these walls is no longer the same. We’re all being tested in ways we never expected.”
August narrowed his eyes, taking a cautious step back, feeling the weight of his new abilities. He wasn’t sure if Rivas was trying to manipulate him or if there was a genuine threat behind his words, but he wasn’t about to trust him—at least, not yet.
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The system’s voice cut through his thoughts, a sharp warning.
“Betrayal detected in the Coliseum.”
August’s heart skipped a beat as the system’s words echoed in his mind. Betrayal? Who could possibly betray him here? Everyone in the Coliseum was trapped—survival was the only priority. But the words lingered, and his instincts screamed that he couldn’t let his guard down.
Rivas stopped just a few paces away, a dark smile playing on his lips. “You’ve done well, but this is just the beginning. The world is full of dangers, and not all of them are as obvious as the creatures you’ve fought today.” His eyes flicked to the mutated zombie lying lifeless on the arena floor, and the smile faded into something more calculating. “You’ve earned a bit of a reprieve. But you’re still in my arena, August. And here, everyone has their role to play.”
August stiffened. His fingers twitched, ready for anything, the system pulsing at his wrist like a constant reminder of the strange new power he had.
Rivas tilted his head, eyes narrowing as if he had just come to a decision. “I’m offering you something. Join me. Join the soldiers, and you’ll get more than just safety. You’ll have resources. Power. We can rebuild this city, rebuild this world.” His voice dropped lower, like a snake whispering its promise. “But I need people like you. People with the system. People who can fight.”
For a moment, August was silent, torn between his instinct to trust no one and the undeniable allure of the commander’s words. It was tempting—so tempting. To have a place of power, to be part of something larger than himself in a world that was breaking apart. But deep down, August knew that trusting Rivas could be a mistake. The commander had already shown his hand. He wasn’t someone who would hesitate to eliminate any threats, and the system on August’s wrist was exactly that: a threat.
“No,” August finally said, his voice firm. “I didn’t ask for your offer. I’m not interested in your power.”
Rivas’s eyes flashed with something unreadable, a flicker of irritation before it vanished behind his cold exterior. He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he nodded toward the stands, where a row of soldiers were positioned, weapons at the ready. The atmosphere shifted, tension building as the realization settled in that August’s response had consequences.
“You’re making a mistake, August,” Rivas said, his voice quiet, but with a deadly edge. “You’ve just crossed me, and I’m not the kind of man who lets threats go unanswered.”
Suddenly, the ground shook beneath August’s feet, and he stumbled slightly, his senses screaming that something was wrong. The system flashed warnings, but he barely had time to process them before the gates on the far side of the arena burst open with a deafening roar.
From the darkness beyond the gates emerged something far worse than the mutated zombie he’d fought earlier.
Another creature.
It was large, much larger than the first, its form twisted beyond recognition. The legs were elongated and misshapen, its arms dragging against the ground like a predator preparing to pounce. The creature’s eyes were black pools of pure rage, and its mouth was a jagged mess of sharp, gnashing teeth. But what made it truly horrifying was its mutation—its entire body was covered in spikes and armor-like plating, making it nearly invulnerable to anything short of the strongest of weapons.
The crowd erupted into chaos. Some cheered, others screamed in fear. But August’s eyes locked on the new enemy as the system provided him with crucial data.
“Boss fight detected. Level: High-tier mutated zombie. Combat strategy: Evade, strike weak points.”
The creature advanced, its body shifting like a shadow, its movements eerily silent for something so massive. The system flashed at the corner of his vision.
“Unlocking skill: Enhanced Agility. Speed: +40%. Reflexes: +30%. Movement enhanced.”
The surge of power was almost immediate. August could feel his body moving faster, his muscles responding with a new fluidity. He was no longer just reacting to the situation—he was in control, and for the first time since he’d arrived in this nightmare, he felt a glimmer of hope.
Rivas, however, was watching him closely. He had seen this before. He had no intention of letting August succeed. The moment August stepped forward to face the creature, Rivas gave a signal, and the soldiers aimed their guns at him.
“You may be able to defeat it,” Rivas said, his voice almost a whisper. “But I won’t let you live long enough to see the next fight.”
As August lunged toward the mutated creature, a gunshot rang out from behind him, and a sharp pain exploded in his shoulder. He stumbled, his vision blurring as the creature charged, its monstrous form closing in on him.