The roar of the crowd was deafening, an unrelenting wave of cheers, jeers, and raucous laughter that filled the Red Alley Pit. The atmosphere was electric, but it wasn't just the audience. The air itself seemed alive, vibrating with an unrestrained collision of mana that made the space feel claustrophobic and suffocating. Currents of heat and pressure rolled through the air like distant thunder, amplifying the tension that hung over the pit. Erin pressed a hand to his chest, trying to steady his breath as his heartbeat quickened.
"Is it supposed to feel like this?" Erin muttered, unable to take his eyes off the pit.
Cidrin, his eyes fixed on the competitors, adjusted his glasses. "That's their mana clashing. Raw power is seeping out. It's wild, and it's spilling out of the ring. What you're feeling isn't just in your head—it's real, and it's only going to get worse."
Erin said nothing, but the weight of it—the palpable tension, the looming promise of violence—was like nothing he'd felt before. It gripped his chest with an invisible force, like standing on the edge of a cliff above a roaring storm. The combatants hadn't even exchanged a blow yet, and already the air crackled with impending chaos.
Fenrick stood in the ring like a king surveying his kingdom. Shirtless, his scarred, lean frame glistened under the torches, his jagged dadao resting lazily against his shoulder. Every scar told a story, and his smirk promised he was ready to write another one tonight.
"Alright, listen up, you drunk shits!" Fenrick bellowed, turning in a slow circle to address the crowd. "You're about to watch me beat this fat fuck senseless. I'll even leave enough pieces for souvenirs!"
The pit responded with an eruption of cheers and laughter, the sound crashing over Erin in waves.
Erin grimaced. "Does he always have to rile people up like that?"
"Yes," Cidrin replied dryly. "He thrives on chaos. He's doing it on purpose."
The laughter faded as a new presence entered the ring. Korval stepped in slowly, his hulking frame casting a long shadow over the arena. Sparks of red lightning crackled around his hands, dancing up his muscular arms. His pale eyes, faintly glowing, fixed on Fenrick with the cold indifference of a predator sizing up its prey.
"Big words for a little shit with a scrap blade," Korval said, his voice low and rumbling. Korval's presence sucked the air from the arena, a living storm condensed into human form. The sand crackled underfoot as the red lightning sparking from his massive hands scorched and melted it, leaving blackened glass trails in his wake. His sheer size dwarfed Fenrick, and his cold, pale eyes locked onto his opponent with a predatory calm.
"Well, well," Fenrick said, spinning his blade lazily. "Big, scary, and ugly. You're hitting all the marks, man". He took a few exaggerated steps forward, making sure he was just close enough to antagonize. "Big words? Coming from the bitch who's about to get his big ass beat." He cocked his head. "Relax. I'll leave your teeth. Maybe. No promises, though."
Korval didn't reply. Instead, he lowered his stance, readying himself, his body crackling with energy that bled menace into every inch of his massive frame.
The fight began with a loud signal, Korval wasted no time, closing the distance in a blink. His colossal fist crackling with energy crashed down where Fenrick had been standing a moment ago, leaving a smoking crater in the sand, but Fenrick danced back, his jagged blade trailing sparks as it scraped against the glass patch beneath him.
"Not bad, Big Boy! But if you wanna hit me, you'll have to—"
Korval's follow-up came faster than expected. A sweeping kick took Fenrick off balance, his blade flashing to intercept as Korval's arm came around in a brutal backswing. Sparks flew as lightning met steel, the force of the blow sending Fenrick sliding back across the sand.
Fenrick's first strike—a quick diagonal slash—aimed for Korval's exposed side, but the giant shifted, dodging with surprising precision. Fenrick smirked, letting his momentum carry him into a spinning feint, the blade flicking toward Korval's neck before darting down to rake across his wrist. The jagged edge bit into flesh, drawing blood and a crackling hiss of red lightning from the wound. Korval pulled back, his injured hand twitching.
"He's fast," Erin muttered, gripping the chain links tighter. His voice carried awe, but it was laced with unease.
"First blood!" Fenrick laughed, spinning the dadao in his hand as though it weighed nothing. "Careful, Thunder Boy, or you'll end up all thumbs—oh wait, never mind!"
Korval didn't take the bait. Instead, he stomped the ground, releasing a burst of red lightning that surged through the sand, lighting up the arena with crimson veins that traced the earth's contours turning a patch near Fenrick into gleaming, uneven glass. Fenrick cursed under his breath as his footing shifted. Korval wasted no time, smashing his fist into one of the glass structures, sending a flurry of shards flying.
Fenrick ducked, raising his arms to shield his face. A few shards sliced into his skin, leaving thin trails of blood. "Clever. Ugly, but clever."
Korval stormed forward again, his reach and size giving him an advantage in close quarters. His attacks were relentless, and his strategy was clear—overwhelm, crush, dominate. He struck like a wrecking ball, each blow hammering down with earth-shaking force. Fenrick weaved through the onslaught like a snake, slashing at Korval's arms and legs wherever he could find an opening. His blade sang through the air, clashing violently with Korval's fists, each impact throwing sparks across the ring. He twisted to evade a hammer-like swing, slipping behind Korval's arm and lashing out with his blade in one fluid motion. This time, he aimed for Korval's thigh, a precise and deliberate strike. The blade struck true, carving a shallow gash across muscle. For every clever strike Fenrick landed—a slash at Korval's thigh, a slice across his ribs—the giant retaliated with twice the ferocity. A sudden burst of electricity caught Fenrick mid-dodge, arcing across his body and forcing a guttural cry of pain from his lips as he staggered.
"He's got the upper hand," Cidrin said, his analytical tone almost too calm for the carnage unfolding below. "Fenrick's quick, but Korval's overwhelming power make him hard to counter."
Korval roared, catching Fenrick's ankle mid-leap. "Got you, pup."
Before Fenrick could react, Korval hurled him like a ragdoll into a glass-encrusted patch of sand. Fenrick hit the ground with a sharp crack, the breath knocked from his lungs.
"Okay," Fenrick rasped as he pushed himself up, shaking glass fragments from his hair. "You got good hands for an oversized meathead."
The two fighters clashed again, each testing the other. Fenrick feinted high and then drove low, his blade aiming for Korval's ribs, but Korval shifted his weight, deflecting the blow with a lightning-covered forearm. Sparks flew as blade met mana, the collision lighting up the ring.
Then came Fenrick's counter. In one swift motion, he turned his attack into a sweeping cut for Korval's fingers. Two digits flew, severed cleanly, and blood sprayed onto the sand.
Korval grunted in pain, electricity surging wildly around his injured hand. His expression darkened, and he swung out wildly with his uninjured arm, forcing Fenrick to roll backward.
"He's too unpredictable," Cidrin muttered, watching intently. "Korval isn't going to last if he can't match Fenrick's creativity."
Erin's grip on the chain fence tightened. "He's not just unpredictable. He's… having fun."
Fenrick lunged again, pressing his advantage, but Korval stomped hard on the ground, igniting more sand into glass. Using his massive strength, Korval smashed another glass column, sending a cloud of deadly shards flying. Fenrick covered his head but still took several deep cuts to his arms and torso. Korval used this opportunity to his advantage, smashing his elbow into Fenrick's chest. The smaller fighter stumbled, and before he could recover, Korval seized him in a bearhug.
The pit went silent as Korval's massive arms squeezed Fenrick's torso, cracking ribs like dry branches. Fenrick's face contorted with pain as red lightning surged through his body, leaving blackened scorch marks on his skin.
"Crushed and fried," Korval growled. "Stay down, pup."
Fenrick's scream was raw, feral, but beneath the agony was something else—a maniacal, bloodthirsty laugh. Then, he acted. His head snapped forward like a striking predator, his teeth sinking into the exposed flesh of Korval's neck. Blood spurted as Korval howled, releasing his grip to clutch at the wound.
"Holy shit!" Erin exclaimed, eyes wide.
Fenrick spat blood, his grin smeared crimson. "Didn't see that coming, huh fatass?"
Korval's rage exploded. He swung wildly, but Fenrick was ready now, his wild nature fully unleashed. He rolled under the blow, slashing at Korval's wrist to weaken his grip further. Lightning exploded in all directions as Korval staggered, his mana destabilizing from the pain.
Fenrick didn't let up. His strikes came faster, stronger, each one marked by an almost animalistic fury. "What was all that talk? I'm fuckin' you up!" he roared, leaping onto Korval's back and driving his blade into the man's shoulder, twisting it savagely. Korval flailed, but his strength was waning. Fenrick's teeth-baring grin and blood-spattered form were more beast than man now, and the crowd was whipped into a frenzy.
For the finishing blow, Fenrick crouched low, dragging his dadao through the sand. The blade crackled with his mana as he poured it all into one devastating move.
"I'm gonna put you down!" Fenrick roared, launching forward in a wild arc. The jagged blade, glowing faintly with raw energy, carved through Korval's exposed chest in a sweeping strike. Korval staggered, his knees giving way. Blood gushed from his side as he dropped to the sand with a heavy thud.
The pit fell into a stunned silence for a beat, the air thick with the tang of blood and burnt ozone. Fenrick stood tall over his fallen opponent, his lean frame heaving with exertion, his dadao propped lazily on his shoulder. His eyes, sharp and wild, scanned the roaring crowd before settling on the twitching form of Korval beneath him. With a smirk curling his bloodied lips, Fenrick leaned down slightly, his voice cutting through the chaos like a dagger..
"Now that's a fucking fight!" he shouted, the pit roaring with approval.
"Guess the storm's over" Cidrin muttered, turning away from the pit
Erin could only stare, the image of Fenrick's savage energy burned into his mind.