Sword and Claw

Book One: Chapter 30

Sora, Maxor, and Garan faced each other with deep concerns on their faces. The reptile audience cheered around them, cheering for their blood to spill. Although digital avatars and constructs had no blood, Sora understood what they wanted.

"Do we have to fight each other now?" Maxor asked with a disappointed frown.

Garan held up two golden gauntlets on his arms with spikes on his knuckles. "If we don't fight, they will kill us all."

"Well, I am not dying today." Sora spread her legs out with her hammer raised. "Let's finish this fight!"

Maxor shrugged and pointed his spear at Sora. "So be it. I hate fighting beautiful girls, but I prefer not to die either."

Sora didn't care. In fact, if she could get rid of Maxor, he wouldn't annoy her anymore.

When Sora sprinted, the arena horn blasted across the stadium. Sora stopped before she reached Maxor.

"Stop!" Xian's voice shouted. "Let's make this match more interesting! Unleash the Greaver!"

Quest alert

Xian Sheik decided to send a strong monster to entertain his people. Defeat the monster to end the arena battle.

Reward:

100% EXP

Accept:

Yes/No

Sora selected yes. If she wins, the match will end, and she will reach the next level.

Far at the front, a gate opened as a bridge pushed out beneath the gate, touching the arena platform. After it stopped, a loud roar echoed from the open gate.

Out came a giant crab-like creature with eight long legs, two snapping claws, and one eyeball over its mouth. Its red shell was shaped like a turtle shell with five short spikes on top.

Greaver

Level: 10

HP:100/100

Mob

It crawled down across the bridge and stopped in the middle of the arena. It roared again, making the audience cheer for it.

Sora turned toward Maxor and Garan. "I think we should work together to win this match."

Maxor nodded. "I agree."

Garan rubbed his hands together with a grin. "I enjoy fighting monsters instead of people."

Sora smiled. "Then let's-attack!"

She charged toward the crab creature while raising her hammer up. She reached the creature's leg and swung her hammer into it.

Greaver immune!

What? Sora leaped back before the crab swung its claw toward her. She assumed ordinary weapons couldn't harm it. "Watch out!"

Garan charged toward the Greaver and punched its left long leg.

Greaver immune!

Even the mighty mammoth's fists couldn't hurt the giant crab.

Maxor picked up a bladed boomerang off the ground and tossed it toward the monster. The boomerang blade bounced off the Greaver's forehead.

Greaver immune!

Maxor growled in frustration until Sora sprinted toward him.

"We can't harm it with our weapons!" the fox girl stated.

Maxor glared at her. "I can see that-"

Sora pushed Maxor away before the Greaver's giant claw smacked into her.

Sora

HP: 15

The fox girl flew and rolled across the ground until her body went off the edge. "Nooooooo!"

Maxor reached over the edge and grabbed her left arm. He pulled her up over the edge until she rose on her feet.

"Thanks," she said.

Maxor stared at the creature while it chased Garan. "That thing is a menace! How can we kill it?"

Sora stared at the lava below the arena and back at the Greaver. "I got it! We push it off the edge! The lava will kill it!"

Maxor smiled. "Good thinking girl! We better inform Garan!"

"I'll distract it. You speak to Garan!"

"What?"

Sora raced toward the crab creature as it knocked Garan off his feet. Before the crab raised its over claw Garan to smash him, Sora waved her arms at it. "Hey!"

The Greaver turned toward her attention.

"That's right! Come and get me!" Sora raced toward the edge while the crab monster roared behind her.

She stopped near the edge and turned around. The Greaver was still charging toward her. Behind it, Maxor approached Garan and pulled him up.

No time to wait! Sora stepped off the edge, allowing herself to fall down backward.

But she grabbed onto the edge as the Greaver fell over her. It flew straight into the lava pit and screamed like a crab being boiled alive inside a streaming cooking pot.

Instant kill!

Greaver defeated!

Sora received 10%

Quest completed!

Sora received 100%

Sora leveled up!

All the reptile audiences rose off their seats and cheered for Sora. She almost thought the greenskins wanted to see all the animal slaves kill each other, but it seemed they preferred a good show.

"Behold! The victors!" Xian's voice shouted. "Let's congratulate them on putting an outstanding show for us!"

The audience cheered louder, sending shivers through Sora's skin. Maybe this wasn't what she expected, but at least she survived the arena.

Maxor approached Sora and shook his head. "I thought you would distract it, not defeat it."

Sora laughed. "I changed my mind."

Garan chuckled. "Sometimes changing one's mind can make a lot of differences."

Sora kind of agreed to the mammoth's words.