The guard followed the boy's finger until his eyes landed on the corpse.
His voice was cold as he asked the teen.
"Who?"
The boy pointed with his trembling finger at me as he continued.
"W-we were just having some fun… playing around… right, guys?"
He glanced at the others.
They nodded weakly, still shaken by the corpse before them.
"Then he ambushed us... attacked our friend from behind and killed him."
The boy straightened slightly, confidence swallowing fear.
"He killed someone. That's against the rules. He needs to be punished."
The others quickly joined in.
"Yes! That murderer said he would kill me next!"
"That's right! He's a psychopath!"
"Help us, Sir Guard!"
The guard stared at them for a moment before shifting his gaze to the girl on the floor. He must have noticed the bruises forming around her arms and her red eyes.
A moment passed before he turned toward me, voice cold.
"Killing another slave outside the arena is prohibited and punishable. Why did you do it?"
I met his eyes.
"They assaulted the girl while I was asleep."
One of the boys tried to interrupt.
"No! He—"
"Silence."
The guard shut him down instantly and turned back to me.
"Continue."
"I woke up and stopped it."
The guard nodded slowly, irritation flickering in his gaze at my brief statement.
He was about to speak again when footsteps approached.
Step.
Step.
Two more guards arrived at the cell.
They saw the smashed head on the floor and immediately shifted their hands to their swords. But didn't unsheathe them as they saw the guard standing amongst us and instead asked.
"What happened here?"
The guard in front of us turned toward them.
"It's alright. Keep watch over the slaves for a moment while I contact the headguard."
He stepped out of the cell, hand already reaching into his pocket.
The other guards entered and barked orders.
"Everybody stand in front of your beds and wait! Don't do anything stupid or you'll lose a hand!"
I stepped away from the corpse and walked back to my bed.
The other teens stepped back as well and waited in front of their beds with trembling hands. Clearly scared of what would happen next.
The girl moved at last, staggering up before walking toward her bed with unsteady steps.
Step.
She stopped opposite me.
Her eyes shifted, glancing at me, her lips parted.
"Thank you."
I gave her a small nod before turning my gaze back to the corridor where the guard had disappeared.
The two guards inside the cell still had their hands on the hilts of their swords, unwilling to relax as they stared at the corpse on the floor.
"His entire head was smashed in."
"Disgusting."
One of them gave the body a small kick before looking back at us, watching for the slightest movement, ready to strike.
Several minutes passed before the guard returned.
Step.
Stopping at the doorway, he spoke to the other guards.
"Take all the boys to the arena. The girl stays."
He paused and glanced at the corpse in the middle of the cell before continuing.
"I'll get someone to clean this up."
The two guards moved immediately, grabbing the nearest teens by their shoulders and shoving them forward.
"You heard him. Move!"
One of the teens spoke up again.
"No! I swear we—"
"Aghh!"
A fist cut him off.
"Shut up!"
"When we say move, you move!"
I didn't resist and simply followed behind the others.
A guard grabbed my shoulder, glanced behind me, then shoved me forward.
"Last one!"
We walked through the corridor in a single line.
One guard led the way. Behind him were the six teens. And I walked at the back, with the second guard behind me.
As we moved through the corridor, I could hear the boy's whimpering. The guards' punches had hurt more than they expected.
The guards stopped us as we reached the metal gate and stepped back while we waited.
I guessed that the guard had contacted John.
He was responsible for the fights, they must have already decided what to do.
Looking to my left, I saw the six boys waiting with trembling hands.
The smiles they had worn as they pinned the girl down were gone.
Now there was only fear.
Fear of what waited behind the gate.
Thud.
The metal gate groaned open, making my gaze shift forward.
Step.
I stepped forward and walked into the arena as the gate opened fully.
Step.
It didn't matter what they had planned.
Step.
I had already decided it back inside the cell.
Step.
When the guard stopped me from smashing the two boys into the floor.
Step.
Whatever happens—
Step.
I will kill them.
Step.
I walked along the weapon rack, letting my fingers brush over the weapons until I found my sword. Wrapping my fingers around the grip, I pulled it free.
Shing.
The blade hummed faintly as if greeting me.
I placed it over my shoulder, turned, and walked toward the center of the arena. My head turned as I walked, glancing back at the teens.
They stood in a daze near the weapon rack before hesitantly choosing their weapons.
Step.
I reached the center and shifted my gaze toward the podium.
John was already there, waiting.
It took a moment for the others to arrive.
They stood together, a few paces away from me.
Now that everyone was here, it would begin.
And as if he had heard my thoughts, John spread his arms toward the crowd.
"My dear guests. Today we have a special fight once again!"
The crowd roared at his revelation.
But all I felt was irritation.
Because he hadn't greeted us.
It wasn't that I wanted his greeting.
But it was strange that he didn't do it.
Every fight in this arena had always begun the same way.
John would appear or was already there.
Then—
He would bow to us as a greeting.
But now he hadn't.
That was what irritated me.
For an entire year, he had performed that gesture in every single fight.
And now, suddenly—
He didn't.