On Top of the Food Chain

Kazuki felt the weight of the impending battle pressing down on him as the cloaked guard approached and escorted him to the fighting ring. He had come up with a plan, but he wasn't quite sure if it would work, nor he was confident in himself if he could make this work, yet this was his only shot at it, considering how insane the fight between Naito and the burly woman was.

The dimly lit hall was filled with the murmur of the crowd, the voices of commentators, and the pulse of loud music, creating a chaotic symphony that only heightened Kazuki's tension. The oppressive darkness was pierced by sporadic spotlights, casting eerie shadows that danced across the faces of the spectators.

As Kazuki walked toward the ring, he was gripped by a whirlwind of emotions—tension, nervousness, and a profound fear. He didn't want to fight, but now his biggest fear was actually surviving the battle. The memory of Naito's brutal fight played in his mind, making his fear for his own life even more palpable.

The crowd was a bizarre mix of humanity. Kazuki spotted people from various backgrounds, half of them not even Japanese. Men and women from different walks of life, some dressed in luxurious attire while others wore ragged clothes, filled the stands. There were old folks with hardened faces, and Kazuki was almost certain he had spotted a child among the throng. The diversity of the crowd added to the surreal and nightmarish quality of the situation.

Each step toward the ring felt heavier than the last. His heart pounded in his chest, and his breath came in shallow gasps. He was acutely aware of the stares from the crowd, each gaze a weight on his already burdened shoulders. The closer he got to the ring, the more the reality of the fight set in.

Kazuki reached the stairs to the ring and began to climb. The guard suddenly stopped him, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Wait, I forgot to give you this," the guard said, taking out Kazuki's ski mask from beneath his cloak and handing it to him.

Kazuki took the mask with trembling hands, the fabric felt rough against his skin. He put it on, the familiar material pressing against his face, offering a small semblance of comfort in the overwhelming chaos. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself for what was to come and stepped into the ring, ready to face his fate.

The memories of Rika and Junpei, which had somehow faded away, surged back into Kazuki's mind with vivid clarity.

In that instant, his resolve to survive strengthened even more. How could he die before uncovering the truth about his parents?

He climbed the stairs and reached the ring.

On the opposite side stood a scrawny little boy, even shorter than Kazuki. The boy looked fragile, almost out of place in this brutal arena.

Kazuki's eyes widened in surprise. 'This is my opponent?' he thought, a mix of disbelief and confusion washing over him.

Just then, a metal dome descended from above, trapping them both inside. The cage clanged shut with a finality that echoed through the hall, signaling that there was no way out until one of them was defeated.

Kazuki looked at the boy and felt the warmth of his Aura in his solar plexus as he slowly guided it.

On the other hand, the boy stared at Kazuki with an unsettling intensity. Dropping down on all fours, his posture and expression transformed him into a feral creature, exuding an animalistic aura. A low growl rumbled from his throat as a yellow glow ignited in his eyes. Then, in a blur of motion, he rushed towards Kazuki on all fours, moving with an alarming and predatory speed.

***

Kazuki stood in the center of the dimly lit arena, the atmosphere heavy with anticipation. The crowd's chants and murmurs, combined with the pulsating music, created a cacophony that resonated through his bones.

He had barely begun learning how to fight, and his body betrayed his lack of experience. Instead of fighting back or evading the incoming attack, he instinctively raised his hands in a feeble defense, closed his eyes, and braced himself.

The strike came swiftly and with force. The fragile-looking boy, who had seemed so unassuming, leaped into the air. His hands were armed with lethal claws, striking Kazuki's face and sending him crashing into the unforgiving metal dome behind him. Pain shot through Kazuki's body, but the adrenaline dulled its edge.

With cold sweat, and trembling body he struggled to his feet, Kazuki's vision cleared, and he saw his opponent crouched on all fours, growling like a feral beast. The boy's eyes glowed with a predatory yellow light, and his nails were sharp and lethal, almost like those of a wild animal. Kazuki touched his face, feeling the sting of the fresh wounds. His palm came away smeared with three parallel lines of blood. His mask had been torn.

Realization dawned on him: this boy wasn't using any mystical claws made of Aura; these were his actual nails. The crowd's roars grew louder, feeding off the brutal display. Kazuki's heart pounded, fear and determination mixing in equal measure.

As his opponent rushed towards him again, Kazuki's mind raced. He couldn't just stand there and take another hit. He had to survive, had to uncover the truth about his parents. He couldn't afford to die here.

The arena felt like a coliseum from another time, where life and death were decided in an instant. The faces in the crowd blurred, their voices a distant echo. Kazuki focused on the boy charging at him, his animalistic movements fast and unpredictable.

Kazuki shifted his stance, readying himself for the next assault. He had to face his fear.

"Fuck you." He murmured to himself, as his eyes began to glow with a bloody crimson hue.

Apart from the external manifestation of Aura, it can also be used to strengthen the body internally, amplifying one's strength. This was what Kazuki was betting on. Each hit he received sent a jolt of pain through his body, but he endured, focusing on the timing he needed to counterattack.

The boy was relentless, landing blow after blow. Due to Kazuki's training, he was able to evade about seventy percent of the attacks yet his body was already covered in wounds and scratches, and sweat dripped from his face. Every time he tried to anticipate his opponent's moves, he found himself a step too slow. The boy's speed and reflexes were impeccable, leaving Kazuki struggling to keep up.

Despite the pain and the relentless onslaught, Kazuki's eyes remained resolute. He refused to let uncertainty creep in. His mind raced, trying to find an opening he was anticipating, an opening that could turn the tide in his favor.

Minutes passed by as he kept getting beaten by the boy, but due to his resilience stemming from being a Ghoul, a half Ghoul, he wasn't dead yet.

Suddenly, just before their next confrontation, the lights went out. The arena was plunged into darkness, the loud music abruptly silencing. It seemed like a power outage, and now the entire place was pitch black. The crowd's murmurs grew louder, filled with confusion and anticipation.

Kazuki quickly let go of the energy accumulating in his solar plexus, and the pain got worse. In the dark, his eyes weren't glowing anymore, unlike his opponent's.

In the darkness, Kazuki could see nothing, but the yellow glow in his opponent's eyes pierced through the black void. It was the only thing visible, a haunting beacon of menace. Kazuki's heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing in the stillness.

The opening, he had found it.

But, just then the boy let out a primal scream, as the glow in his eyes grew even more intense.