Lawrence… Yaha.
Not Harrow.
I let out a long sigh. "Loosen up a little, that whole move or die thing was just intimidation tactics."
He stayed frozen to the ground.
With a quick exhale I kneeled in front of him. "Look, I'm sorry, okay?"
Leaning in closer a fist came flying towards my face.
I caught it, twisting his wrist as he grimaced in pain.
He went to scream, but using my other hand I covered his mouth.
"Shh."
In a flash his leg exploded from beneath him, slamming into my knee.
My grip loosened a bit, allowing him to break free from my grasp.
Cocking back his fist he punched me in the jaw, running as I jerked from the impact.
I held my cheek.
Lawrence…
He's experienced.
He screamed from the top of his lungs as he ran.
"CHIEF!"
My eyes widened.
**
"He might not have been a good man, but he sure was a strong man."
**
We need to get out of here, now!
Jolting back through the woods I paused, sweat dripping from my forehead.
"T-The hole I made… is gone!?"
Slow, heavy footsteps crunched from behind me.
I reached for my paintbrush.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
My hand froze.
I swallowed, slowly turning my head.
"Don't turn."
My head locked back into place.
This looming dread… I've only felt it once before.
My father.
"A-Are you gonna kill me?"
. . .
"That's for the Master to decide."
The… Master?
**
I slowly opened my eyes, head pounding.
"Ugh…"
Attempting to move my arms the clinks of chains rung from behind me.
Glancing to my left then right I rested my shoulders.
Both of my arms were chained, chains latched to the ceiling.
I was in a small concrete room, iron bars replacing the doors.
"Hey!" I screamed, yanking on my chains.
"HEY!"
"There's no point in yelling. Nobody can hear you down here."
Huh?
"I'm in the cell to your left."
"I don't know what you did to get in here but, just give up."
I leaned closer to the wall. "What's gonna happen to us?"
The man hacked as his chains rang.
"Depends, last guy in here was exiled for over hunting."
"Before that…"
"They executed a guy… right down here they killed the man."
I relaxed my body with a long breath.
"Sy?"
No response.
My paintbrush and clothes are somewhere else…
I glanced down. "I couldn't have even kept my pants?"
The man beside me cackled. "You should be lucky you have yer underwear!"
Looking at my chains once more I yanked them a few times.
These aren't breaking.
"Pretty secure cell for a place like this."
"I expected something worse."
Knowing the Chief.
The man coughed once more. "You really don't know this place huh, this is just level 1."
Level 1?
"How many levels are there?"
"Hmm, 5 if I recall. You seriously don't know this stuff?"
I turned my head. "Nah, I'm not from around here."
The man audibly gasped. "Y-You what!?"
"I said I'm not from around here."
Panic leaked from the man's mouth. "Oh no! I shouldn't be talking to you!"
My eyes narrowed.
"Why not."
The man went silent.
"Why not!"
Damn it!
"Sy!"
Where is he!
Footsteps clicked down the hallway.
Someone's coming.
An old man popped his head from behind the bars.
"We meet again."
I raised an eyebrow. "Again?"
He smiled. "Yes, I'm the one who caught you attempting to escape."
My eyes shifted down. "So… you're the Chief I've heard so much about."
The old man cackled, wiping a tear from his eyes. "The Chief? Heavens no."
"I'm a mere civilian."
I-Impossible!
That aura from before…
Was from an old man!?
The old man fully revealed himself, grinning as he waved. "I'm Elmis… but most call me Grampa Yaha."
Yaha.
I scoffed. "So you're related to the kid who decked me."
He leaned in, face almost touching the bars.
"Did it hurt?"
I licked the inside of my right cheek. "I mean I guess."
He burst into laughter. "Good, good, it would be embarrassing if it didn't."
"I taught that boy everything he knows about fighting."
My face scrunched.
"What is this… why are you so talkative?"
"About that." Grampa Yaha said, twisting his beard.
"The Master wants to have a word with you, he's very intrigued by your appearance here."
I wiggled my arms. "By Master you mean…"
He smirked.
"The Chief."
He tossed my clothes and paintbrush on the ground.
Waving a finger, the chains shattered from my wrists.
With a smile Grampa Yaha turned. "Get dressed… you have a big day ahead of you."
The clicks of his feet started again, soon fading in the distance.
Rubbing my wrists I walked up to the iron bars, pulling them as they swung open.
Quickly throwing my clothes on I peeked into the cell beside mine, eyes widening.
H-He's dead!?
That old man…
Is not normal.
I walked down the slim corridor, a bright light beaming from its end.
Shielding my eyes I stepped into the light, warmth consuming me as cheers erupted from all around.
My vision cleared.
My jaw dropped.
Looking around what to be thousands of people sat in stands surrounding the area.
I kicked at the ground beneath me.
Sand?
Two dark-skin men exited the opposite side of the arena.
They held thick iron chains.
"I have a feeling you don't wanna know what's attached to those chains."
I turned.
"Sy!"
"Where the hell were you!"
He walked beside me, hands pocketed. "I was busy."
My fingers twitched.
"Busy?"
"BUSY DOING WHAT!"
Sy raised a finger, poking the end of my nose.
"That old fart that knocked you out."
A smug grin crept onto his face.
"We got his gate ability, and this one is a treat."
I slightly bent over, hands on my knees. "I guess we'll have to see then."
A voice rang from the stands. "If you're ready for a fight, make some noise!"
The crowd cheered.
"If you're ready for some blood-shed, let me hear you scream!"
"This isn't any ordinary fight folks, we're blessed to be accompanied by our very own…"
"Chief Samson!"
I swallowed.
With the sun blocking my view, I can only see his silhouette from here.
He looked built, hair stretching to his lower back.
I grinned, extending my fist. "Looks like we have to put on a show, Sy."
Sy smirked, fist bumping mine as he faded.
The announcer continued. "On our left… we have an outsider!"
"Rumors say he broke in and attacked a kid and his cat, good thing Grampa Yaha was there to stop him!"
I scoffed. "Goodness."
"And on our right… the mother beast itself… a grown Queen Hydralox!"
The stadium began to rumble, the sand beneath me dancing with every shake.
The men holding the chains simultaneously threw them, running to ladders as they climbed out of the arena.
Red eyes bounced up and down as they glowed in the dark.
The ceiling of the hall exploded as the Queen Hydralox rammed its head through it.
It shook its body, roaring into the sky as the crowd roared with it.
All those beasts in the forest… Hydralox huh.
And this is the Queen.
The bottom of its jaw dragged along the sand, exposing its black void of a mouth.
Large spikes ran along its back, continuing down its tail.
Even its skin color is different, a striking silver different from the usual dark red.
The Queen Hydralox stood on its stubby hind legs, roaring into the sky once more.
I stepped forward, gripping my paintbrush.
After this is over, I'll finally speak to the Chief.
Slamming onto the ground, sand flew into the air.
What… is it doing?
Through the sand a chain came flying towards me.
I just barely pulled my head back as the chains end sliced the bridge of my nose.
I covered my face. "That's no fair."
The announcer's shout jolted through my ear.
"Our very own Queen has drawn blood!"
The crowd cheered even louder this time.
"Tch, fine then."
I stuck my brush in front of me, turning it upside down as yellow paint dripped from its hairs.
Paint raced across the arena floor, seeping into the ground—becoming the ground.
"Coat Domain."
A little something I learned while training…
Coat Domain.
Spreading a coat of paint in the area allows me to personally control the battlefield.
This arena… belongs to me now.
Yellow bars burst from the ground beneath the Queen Hydralox, imprisoning it.
The announcer continued. "What's this!? It appears the outsider has taken control of the battlefield!"
The Queen Hydralox roared, slamming its body against the bars.
I stepped forward. "It won't be that easy Queen, that's my creativity you're tryna break through."
Raising my brush I sliced it through the air, a yellow streak of paint floating before me.
"Amp…"
"Sketch!"
Amp. It's an upgraded version of multiply.
Not only does my single strike multiply ten fold, it also makes it substantially stronger.
And Sketch…
While my Coat Domain is active, no matter where I attack.
I won't miss.
Blood squirted from The Queen Hydralox's body, thousands of cuts running throughout its legs and torso.
Its vibrant blue blood mixed into the paint.
With a smirk I wiped the bridge of my nose, sprinkling droplets of my own blood into the mixture.
The paint beneath us began to bubble.
Yellow, blue, and red all merged with each other, becoming a murky brownish black.
I stabbed my paintbrush into the sky.
Watch me, Chief!
"Convene!"
The paint sprung from the ground, flying to my hand as it wrapped around my wrist.
More paint gathered, quickly consuming my brush as it grew higher and higher, forming into a sword.
The last drop of paint sunk into my hand.
My vusk doesn't just allow me to have paint creativity…
I can absorb colors!
Any color I absorb can be mixed with my base color yellow, becoming something completely new!
In this case…
Free from its prison, the Queen Hydralox charged forward.
I grit my teeth.
"Subtractive Color Mix: Blade!"
In one motion I dropped my arm, the sword of paint carving down as it cut the Queen Hydralox in two.
Everything went silent.
Damn, did I go overboard?
The announcer stuttered. "W-WE HAVE A WINNER!"
The crowd erupted.
"A show of complete dominance from the outsider!"
I couldn't help but smile.
That was easy…
Maybe a little too easy.
Have I really gotten that strong?
The Chief stood from his seat, turning as he began to leave.
No.
I opened my mouth.
"WAIT!"
A soundwave blasted through the crowd leading towards the Chief.
Bodies flew across the stands.
The announcer shouted in his megaphone. "THE OUTSIDER IS RAMPAGING THROUGH THE STANDS! EVERYONE RUN!"
What…
What's happening!?
The soundwave burrowed through wooden chairs and stairs.
It's gonna hit the Chief!
The Chief raised his right hand.
Time froze.
Then rewound.
Both chairs and stairs were rebuilt, sliding back into place.
People levitated back to their seats.
My mouth opened.
The soundwave pressed against my lips as I felt it go back into my mouth and down my throat.
I dropped to my knees, hunched over coughing into the sand.
Grampa Yaha stood in the stands, hands behind his back.
His eyes narrowed.
"You just got even more interesting, outsider."
Sy sat on my back with a sigh.
"I copied that old farts gate ability just for you to waste it."
His gate ability… I had forgotten.
Sy jumped up. "The old fart can manipulate sound."
I attempted to talk, but only wheezes came out.
The Chief began to leave.
Damn it!
Raising my paintbrush I aimed at his back.
My hands trembled, eyes watery.
Fear wouldn't allow me to strike.
I dropped my arm.
Continuing to cough, two men grabbed my arms, the sound of chains clicking stinging in my ear.
Gritting my teeth I kicked one man's knee in, his leg instantly snapping.
I rolled onto my back, slipping the chains beneath my butt and legs.
Standing straight I wrapped the chains around the other man's neck.
The Chief paused, slightly turning.
I tightened my grip.
Even without saying anything.
He understood.
Walking down the stairs he gathered his hair, clipping it into a ponytail.
He stood on the edge of the stands, leaning over the rail.
"You want to talk, don't you? Well I do too."
"Come by my office after this is cleaned up, Sir. Elmis will personally escort you."
"Now, please release him."
I released my grip.
Stepping backwards I raised my chained hands in the air, slamming them against my knee as they snapped at the links.
"Chai… me… gain…"
"Kill… uo!"
The Chief flinched.
I walked back into the hall, opening the iron bars as I slammed them behind me.
Rubbing my throat I leaned against the wall, sliding to a sit.
Sy leaned against the right wall, hands locked behind his head.
"What got you all murdery?"
I looked at Sy with a smile.
"Uo… ont ike chai, ight?"
Sy lowered his gaze.
"Pfft."
Hm?
"You sound like an ultra idiot! Ya know that!?"
There it is.
There's that laugh.
Grampa Yaha cleared his throat.
My eyes darted to the iron bars.
"How—"
"I've been here for quite a minute."
For a moment he looked confused.
He saw me talking to myself.
He shook his head. "It seems your voice is coming back."
I nodded.
He swung the iron bars open, shutting them as he stepped inside.
"I have some questions if you don't mind."
I nodded once more.
He leaned in, hand on beard.
"How did you make that soundwave?"
He grinned, holding out his hand as a whizz rang from his palm.
"That's my thing, and I've never been a fan of sharing."