I know I acted brave in the previous chapter, but now that I'm alone, I'm terrified; that juggernaut is going to tear me to shreds. What do I do? I could run with all my might and try to escape, but what if that just pisses him off more? God dammit!
I began to hyperventilate from the agonizing wait. It's very easy to say you can fight a guy like that when your adrenaline is pumping, but in practice, it's going to be suicide. I looked at my hands, still trembling.
—Wait... I forgot something. I have a new skill. That "Critical Hit" thing or whatever it's called —I jumped with joy in the gloom of the cell.
A nervous smile spread across my face. Even if it was such a small possibility, it was something. I wasn't going to go in there totally unarmed.
—Hey, System —no one answered—. I know you're watching me, show yourself.
—As usual, the idiot Samuel talks to himself like a madman.
—I think you're going a bit too far with the insults, huh?
—What the hell do you want? I am eager to see your battle —the System replied with a tone loaded with cynicism.
Since when did the System express itself that way? Wasn't it supposed to be something like a robot? Every day they come up with something new.
—I need to see my skill, the "Critical Hit" —I asked the air. Suddenly, an interface appeared with the usual blue letters.
[User Name: Samuel] [Species: Liva, Stone, and Demonic Liva]
[Stats: Strength: 5 | Jump: 3 | Speed: 6 | Vision: 3 | Smell: 3 | Mana: 0 | Spirit Control: 0 | Weapon Control: 0 | Tool Control: 7] [Note: User stats are quite poor]
[Skills] [1. Finishing Blow: Delivers a critical hit when the enemy is weakened or to finish them off] ]2. Universal Translation] [3. Reincarnation]
I didn't know I had so many things; they had never shown me this panel before. The "Universal Translation" caught my eye. So that's why I can speak with other species as if it were nothing? Also, the third skill is quite curious; I guess if I die, I'll come back as a baby of the same species, just like what happened last time.
Well, the highest stats I have are: Tool Control 7, Speed 6, and Strength 5. How could I take advantage of them? And what exactly does it mean by "tools"?
[The user leveled up that stat through continuous use of his obsidian knife]
That makes sense; so many hours hunting and chopping things served for something. If I get a knife, I might have some advantage, but there's nothing here. There isn't a single weapon; it seems they want to send me to fight with just my fists. Could I ask for one?
—Miss Janeth! —I shouted with all my strength.
At first, no one answered my call. I stepped out of the small room cautiously and, almost immediately, a hair tentacle grabbed me by the foot.
—Do you intend to escape, you little moron? —Janeth made herself present, emerging from the shadows.
—I just wanted to get the attention of such a pretty girl —I said, trying to sound flirtatious to hide my nerves.
—I'm here now. What do you want? —she snapped, ignoring my comment.
—Don't be so bitter... But fine, okay. Could you by any chance lend me a knife for the duel? —I asked.
—Haven't they given you a weapon? —she asked, frowning with genuine concern—. Who dares to shame his majesty's honor in this way? Don't worry, go back to your room. You will have your knife soon.
[User has acquired a new stat] [Bullshitter 1]
She threw me to the floor roughly and walked away quickly, visibly angry.
I went back to the room. After a while, one of them arrived, a low-ranking demon; he left something on the floor and walked away without a word.
—I guess this is my weapon... —I murmured.
The package they had left was wrapped in coarse blankets. When I removed the wrapping, a matte black knife was revealed, dark as the abyss. It was quite large, almost the size of my arm, with an edge that seemed capable of cutting the air.
—Maybe with this, I have a chance —I said, weighing the weapon. It felt balanced, perfect for someone with my skills.
Suddenly, everything in the arena began to get rowdy.
—Welcome everyone, demons and demonesses! I am your host today, Achilles! —a male voice resonated, full of energy.
—Today I come to present to you how a little sack of shit dared to challenge our sovereign to a duel! —Boos erupted everywhere. I was still in that room, squeezing the handle of my new black knife. Someone approached and opened the door, escorting me toward the coliseum entrance.
—With you... Samuel! —the voice announced.
I stepped into the arena, waving a hand, trying to keep my composure. The silence was deathly for a second; they didn't even bother to boo me.
—Did that dwarf really challenge the King? —someone shouted from the crowd. Immediately, the stands erupted in collective laughter.
"If they only knew I'm here against my will," I thought as I positioned myself in the center, feeling tiny under the shadow of the structure.
—And on the other side, we have our handsome, amazing, powerful, and unrivaled... Zoran! The First Demon King!
The audience went wild. The thunder of applause and screams was deafening, but the guy was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, a brutal impact shook the center of the ring; something had fallen from the sky like a meteor. When the dust cleared, there stood my opponent, imposing and lethal.
—With all that said... let the fight for the throne begin!
Damn, it was already happening. I had to be strong and keep my composure, even though inside I just wanted to run away. How the hell did I get into this?
I took a deep breath and stood on guard, adopting a defensive posture with the knife. It was something I had learned in my short days in the army, before they kicked me out after two months.
Zoran wielded his colossal axe and, with a speed that defied his size, lunged at me. In a blink, he was already on top of me. As best as I could, I dodged the slash by jumping to the side, passing under the radius of his weapon.
—You're pretty good. My last opponent died because he shit himself out of pure fear —the sovereign commented with a fierce smile.
—It's just that you're quite imposing —I replied, trying to catch my breath.
He lunged again, this time releasing an upward strike from below. I dodged it too, but this time the edge passed so close it left a bloody scratch on my cheek.
"If I just keep dodging, I'm going to end up dead from exhaustion. I have to weaken him somehow to use my skill... How about I give him a kick in the balls?" It was the only thing that occurred to me in the middle of the panic.
But how do I get there? This guy has a perfect defense.
The giant raised his weapon and threw it at me with brute force; I barely managed to dodge it by a miracle. When I turned to look for him, he was gone. I only felt huge hands squeeze my legs and violently slam me against the ground. He repeated the process three more times, as if I were a toy, and then threw me to the floor like trash.
—Did you die that fast already? —the juggernaut asked, letting out a laugh.
I could barely move and my vision was blurring; I was about to lose consciousness.
—It seems we already have a winner! —Achilles announced—. Or maybe not... wait!
In a burst of pure will, I stood up as best as I could, staggering.
—I'm not going to lose! —I shouted, spitting a mouthful of blood.
—Wow! He's the first creature to withstand such a crushing punishment from our sovereign! —shouted the presenter, enthusiastic about the carnage.
—I like your grit, kid, but... —Zoran appeared in front of me in a blink. Before I could react, his fist already impacted my nose—. You are no match for me.
The blow sent me flying through the air. I crashed back-first against the coliseum wall with a metallic thud. The world fragmented into a thousand white lights before an absolute silence swallowed the screams of the arena. The darkness didn't come softly; it hit me like a lead curtain.
—Samuel... Samuel... Wake up —a voice in the distance was calling me—. Wake up... Don't die, please.
A sudden chill ran down my spine and I came to with a violent gasp, as if my lungs had forgotten how to let air in. The ceiling wasn't the coliseum sky, but dark, damp stone. I looked around and I was in a... bed? Where the hell was I? For a moment, I thought I had died again. My body ached as if all my bones were crushed; well, realistically, maybe they were.
I tried to sit up, but a female voice screamed from across the room.
—Don't you even think about moving! —It wasn't a voice I knew—. If you move now, you're going to die for real.
A green-skinned old woman, about seven feet tall, with horns on her head and silver hair, entered where I was. She looked imposing, but her eyes showed a certain kindness.
—Sometimes Zoran is too much of a brute —the old woman commented as she checked some jars.
—Where am I? Why... why am I still alive? —I asked in distress, feeling the world spinning.
—Relax, I saved you. I am the King's healer.
I couldn't ask anything else. The darkness claimed me again, and I fainted once more.