At Kaiser’s declaration of challenge against a Silver Rank—the crowd went wild. They shouted and cheered. They were excited about the idea of it happening.
The coliseum is a massive circular structure, and it has six floors. The 2nd up to the 4th floor are reserved for fighter slaves—Copper to Gold Rank—going up.
=====
2nd: Copper
3rd: Silver
4th: Gold
=====
The middle of the coliseum is the big open arena... And every floor has a room where gladiators can go and watch the ongoing fights.
And in one of those spectating rooms reserved for fighters on the 3rd floor—
"..."
Edmar stood in silence, looking down at the arena.
He witnessed everything that had happened. From the start of Kaiser and Lagoras’ match—till the moment he was called out and challenged.
"HAHAHAHA—! That kid is funny."
A man behind him then suddenly laughed and said that, pertaining to Kaiser.
Edmar looked back at him with a frown. And seeing that...
"What? Do you want to fight, mister rising star?"
The man with the wild beard and bulging muscles covered in tattoos asked that in a threatening tone.
"..."
Edmar didn’t answer and just stared at him with a blank face.
Then after a while...
"Hah, coward!"
The man just left after saying that. He was purposely trying to get Edmar to attack him.
For what, you ask? Well, it’s so that he could have a valid reason to fight him, and kill him... The man would just say that Edmar attacked him first.
"..."
But Edmar knew what he was planning, so he remained calm and cool-headed.
Anyway, after the man left—he just brought his attention back to Kaiser in the arena. He saw him walking back to the waiting room.
Here’s the thing about him...
Edmar is being called a rising star because he dominated the Copper Rank and defeated a Silver Rank gladiator in only three months.
It was in his 6th fight that he became Silver Rank himself. And that’s where he learned about the organizations.
A lot of groups reached out to him and tried to recruit him because of his potential and performance, but he refused all of the invitations... In the end, he decided to make one himself!
Why? Because he doesn’t like working under someone!
And now, it’s been three months since then. He had won 13 fights now, and his group slowly grew!
He has about a dozen Copper Rank fighters under him, and a couple of Silver Ranks. Though, his group was still nothing compared to the older organizations.
But because he was slowly building up his influence... The others saw Edmar as a threat. And they started to keep him in check.
They harassed him and the members of his group, finding a way to slowly chip their power. And in just a month—two Silver Rank members died from them, and it was recorded as accidents or aggression of their member first.
Then today, just now... His recruiter in the Copper Rank was killed too in a match against Kaiser.
"..."
Edmar remained silent and motionless.
Then while watching Kaiser walking casually, and thinking of the man who mocked him earlier—
’These fuckers really think I’m a pushover...’
He grumbled that in his head.
Fwip—
His hands clenched tightly to fists in anger.
And slowly opening his mouth—
"Just watch... I’ll fucking put you all in your places."
He muttered that in pure anger.
*****
(Kaiser’s POV)
After my fight with Lagoras, I retrieved my javelin and short sword back. I didn’t strap back the javelin on my back—it was still covered in blood.
Fwish~
I kept swinging it here and there to fling off the blood. And as I was doing that—
Tap—
I arrived back at the waiting room.
"..."
There, I saw Damian looking at me with awe. His eyes solely focused on me, mouth hung open.
"Meh."
I just shrugged my shoulders and ignored him. Then, I sat down beside him.
I’m pretty tired because of the fight.
And out of nowhere—
"You were so cool!"
Damian beside me suddenly exclaimed that. I turned to him with a smug expression on my face.
"I know."
Then I casually said that.
I thought he would be annoyed, but he just ignored my words and opened his mouth again.
"I want to be able to fight as well as you."
"..."
I was speechless when I heard that from him.
"Huh..."
This guy really idolizes me for some reason. He’s been like this since when we first got here—he followed me like a puppy.
But now, he’s just full-on wanting to be more like me.
Is he going through puberty or something?
’You picked the wrong person to be your role model, kid.’
I thought to myself before opening my mouth and speaking.
"Every time we’re in the training ground, let’s have a spar. Experience will help you get better."
"Got it!"
Damian excitedly exclaimed.
I just ignored him and looked back at the arena to wait for the main match to start.
"I’m not going to hold back anymore though."
"Wha—"
I added. And before Damian could even respond—
"AND NOW, FOR THE FINAL MATCH—!!!"
The announcer’s voice echoed throughout the coliseum again.
’Damn, that’s loud. I know they don’t have microphone-level technology in this world yet... Is he using an artifact, skill, or magic?’
I asked in my head.
...
...
...
Moving on, the main event was prepared not long after my fight.
It was a match between two Copper Rank gladiators who both have ten wins under them, and whoever wins—will be promoted to Silver Rank.
The crowd was really excited and loud, probably because of my fight earlier too.
And soon, without further ado—
"BEGIN!!!"
The announcer started their match.
Both of the fighters had a blade in their main hand and a shield in the other. I don’t know what type of swords they got though. I’m not really knowledgeable about weapons, and it’s my first time seeing swords shaped like theirs.
Their shields though are almost identical—it was similar to what Lagoras had.
C L A N G—!!!
Each clash of their weapons resonated all over the place. It was loud—indicating how strong they were.
Their attacks were fast, and their exchanges were high level.
"..."
I watched intently, my eyes squinting to focus.
"...?"
Damian tilted his head—he can’t catch up with what’s happening.
I can’t help him too, as if I lose focus, I probably would miss a lot of things.
’I wish those three old men were here to explain things much clearer.’
I thought, frowning.
"..."
Then after a short pause...
’I can’t win against any of those two.’
I realized that, looking at the two fighters in the arena exchanging attacks and defenses.
They’re about as strong as Viktor—probably even more...
’So that’s the level you need to get to step into the Silver Rank.’
I lightly nodded my head, and with that in mind—
"I need to train like crazy for my next fight."
I muttered that.
"Huh? Did you say something?"
Damian asked beside me. I just ignored him.
"Hey, Kaiser."
"Hey."
"Hey."
"Hey."
"He—"
"SHUT UP, I’M TRYING TO FOCUS!!!"
I exclaimed. He’s annoying as fuck... Looks like the stupid Damian is back.
’Ugh, I liked it more when he was quiet.’
*****
The final match lasted for more than half an hour... It was crazy.
"..."
Kaiser remained silent the whole time, focused on the fight. Damian tried his best to learn something from it too.
And in the end—a guy named Otep won. Though, during the fight... he lost his left forearm, all below his elbow.
"That’s tragic."
Damian said. It will be hard for people who lost a limb to survive this place, and knowing that too—
"Yeah, real unlucky."
Kaiser muttered.
Then after that, he stood up and started gathering his things.
"Let’s go back to the Copper place now."
"Okay."
Damian replied without hesitation. All he has is his gloves, so he just waited for Kaiser.
But then, as he was watching him get his short sword and javelin...
"Huh?"
He noticed something.
"Hm? What?"
Kaiser turned to him, slightly tilting his head.
Damian raised his hand.
"Your shield... It’s broken."
Then he muttered, pointing at Kaiser’s buckler that was still strapped on his left forearm.
"What?"
Kaiser looked down at it, and sure enough... He saw the wood part of his buckler with large cracks, then the metal sheet in the middle had a hole too.
"..."
He became silent.
’This thing saved my life a bunch of times... It blocked a lot of attacks for me.’
He thought.
"I guess it reached its limit earlier."
He didn’t even notice that it broke.
He was feeling kind of sad, really...
’I can’t believe I’m having some kind of emotional attachment to a small buckler.’
Kaiser laughed a little.
"Thanks."
He then whispered as he took off his small shield from his forearm.
And with a smile on his face—
"What a coincidence... This is the last match I’ll be using this buckler along with the short sword anyway."
He said that.