Sword and Claw

Book One: Chapter 28

Sora and the other slaves stood inside a chamber behind bars in the arena. Outside they could hear the audience cheering loudly, cheering for death. Somehow it made Sora's fur crawled.

"Greetings, my clan!" Xian's voice shouted. "Welcome to the Inferno Cauldron! This evening, we got fresh blood to spill in the arena! The rules are simple. Our captives must grab weapons from the center and fight to the death for ten minutes. The match immediately ends if one gladiator survives. If the timer ends, all surviving captives will stop fighting to fight another day."

Sora spotted the weapons laying at the center of the arena. Swords, axes, spears, bows, maces, daggers, and shields. They were too far for Sora to identify. Any of them could be strong and weak.

The best option was to run as fast as she could before the NPCs grab one and strike her before she has time to fight back. But if they all gang up on her, it would be all over.

Sora stared at her opponents. Most of them were smiling at her with evil grins, and Sora knew what was going on inside their heads.

In their eyes, Sora was an easy prey among the hungry beasts. Once the chamber gate opens, all of them will attack her without mercy. What hope would she have against them?

Maxor and Garan were the only ones who weren't staring at her. The wolf has his eyes on the weapons while the mammoth sat behind the group, with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

She knew Maxor looked determined to grab a specific, and Garan seemed he was meditating. But the other NPCs were Sora's bigger concerns.

"Let the carnage begin!" Xian shouted.

After a horn blew, the gate opened, revealing a stone platform surrounded by lava. Everyone charged out across a bridge toward the arena platform. Sora sprinted, but somebody tripped her and she fell to the ground outside.

Sora watched all the male gladiators reached for the weapons on the platform. Determination grew in her eyes.

I will not be a helpless girl! She rose and dashed toward the center of the arena. But she stopped when the gladiators turned toward her.

"Get the girl!" one of them shouted.

Sora's mouth dropped.

This is unfair!

Before all the gladiators reached her, Maxor landed in front of Sora, facing the attackers with two daggers.

The gladiators stopped, leaving a trail of dust behind them.

"Why are you in our way?" a rat gladiator asked.

"We know it isn't nice to gang up on a poor defenseless girl," said Maxor. "You fellows should be ashamed of yourselves."

Sora glared at Maxor.

I'm not helpless!

"The female is ours!" a gray badger shouted.

"We don't own anyone here! The Greenskins own us!"

"But they said we can do whatever we want!" a weasel shouted.

"And I am doing what I want to do!"

All the gladiators growled.

"Get them all!" the rat shouted.

Maxor handed Sora one of his daggers. "Take this. It is enough for now."

Sora stared at the dagger in her hand.

Golden Dagger ATP+5

The weapon only upgraded Sora's attack power to 10. It might not look enough, but Sora's Rage ability can add more attack points. "Thanks-"

Maxor charged toward the gladiators with one dagger before Sora could finish. He jumped into the rampaging gladiator crowd and slashed the first opponent. The rest ganged up on him, tossing and swinging their weapons around him.

They fought so fast, a dust cloud rose over them, clouding their battle.

Geez, what a nice NPC.

When Sora turned around, a tall, muscular bull approached her, holding a two-handed hammer. He has two armor plates on his shoulders and short leather pants.

Bolsit

Bull

Barbarian

Male

Level: 5

HP:50/50

NPC

Sora felt her cheeks puffed until she burst out laughing.

The gladiator bull glared at her. "What's so funny?"

Sora pointed her finger at him. "Your name sounds like bullshit!"

The bull widened his eyes. "What?"

"Bullshit! Get it? Bolsit sounds like bullshit! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! The game designers are creative!"

The bull's face turned red. "So you think you are a funny girl, huh?"

He raised his hammer up. "You will not be funny after I smash your head!"

The bull charged as he swung his hammer down.

Sora leaped from the hammer to dodge the bull's attack. Since the bull was the weakest among the NPCs, Sora will focus on him. Defeating higher levels should help her level up faster.

Bolsit turned as he swung his hammer again.

Sora leaped over the hammer and dashed toward her opponent. She kneeled behind him and swung her bushy tail.

As her tail slapped across the bull's legs, he fell backward onto the ground.

"Yes!" Sora jumped onto the bull's torso and held up her dagger. "Time for stabby stabby!"

Suddenly, Bolsit held up the stick of his hammer and blocked Sora's attack.

Sora widened her eyes. "What?"

The bull pushed Sora off and rose. "A girl will not defeat me!"

Sora stood up on all fours. "Sorry, but I am not here to die."

She dashed straight toward the bull as Bolsit swung his hammer again.

Sora leaped over the hammer and landed on top of the bull. "I better do this quick!"

She stabbed his chest multiple times until his health reached to 0.

Bolsit

HP:0

The bull collapsed to the ground and vanished after Sora jumped off him.

Bolsit defeated!

Sora earned 5%

"Yes!" Sora dropped the dragger and picked up the hammer.

Long warhammer ATP+10

Her attack power went up to 15, which brought a smile to her face. "Time to do more killing!"

To her left, the rat charged toward her, holding up an ax. Sora faced them, holding up the hammer. "Here comes my next victim!"