Kairo stepped into the arena, the roar of the crowd crashing over him like thunder.
No way… So one thing is clear. The reason these people are so arrogant is because they're actually geniuses. They'll know I'm weak the moment I lose.
Before putting on the provided armor, he stared at the gleaming plate.
Hmm… Are these people trying to test my bravery?
He glanced once more at the towering opponent. That person isn't that huge because of natural height. According to the book I read, the maximum natural human height is around nine feet—the height of the first human. He's definitely using magic… while I'm not.
His hands began to tremble as the arena crowd chanted and cheered. Kairo clenched his jaw, removed the helmet, and tightened the straps of his armor with steadying breaths.
Hmm… I should have faith in God. I have no other options. They have magic… I'll have faith. Leonhart told me to believe in God while I was being tortured in the cave, and an angel saved me. So… does God really exist? Or am I being manipulated by other creatures?
Kairo exhaled deeply and stepped fully into the arena. His eyes burned with resolve.
"Well then… I will not quiver or hesitate. Even though I'm facing a giant, I—Kairo, the Prince of Harmony—will not bow down. Even if I get ripped apart, I will fight until my last breath."
He focused on his opponent's face. Doesn't he kinda look like a chimpanzee? Uhh—no, I didn't mean it. I'm not arrogant about my looks… Uhh, I'm so sorry.
Wait… am I asking for forgiveness from God? Uhh, I'm an atheist… but still, I've got no choice. Let's do this.
A noblewoman in the stands licked her lips.
"My my… that kid is quite masculine. He isn't even afraid despite all that magic. So brave… but who cares? He will still become my little puppy because of my beauty."
Kairo's gaze snapped toward her. Wait, it's that lady who lured me into that trap. He spat on the ground in her direction.
The woman's face twisted with rage.
"How dare he disrespect me like that?!"
She shot to her feet and screamed, "Kill that child!"
The crowd erupted in a bloodthirsty roar.
The massive general stepped forward, lion skull helmet gleaming, and bellowed,
"Hey there, young buddy! Be ready to die! I will rip you apart!"
Kairo smiled.
In the next instant, he exploded forward. His fist punched straight through the giant's chest with a sickening crunch, ripping out the still-beating heart. The giant's eyes widened in shock. Before he could react, his own powerful punch connected, launching Kairo across the arena. He crashed hard into the stone wall, cracking it, blood spraying from his mouth.
Yet Kairo stood up as if nothing had happened.
Seconds later, the giant remained standing, heart missing, before toppling backward like a felled tree. Dead.
"Winner—Kairo the brat!" the judge announced.
"Hey! I'm not a brat!" Kairo shouted back.
Boos and angry screams exploded from the stands.
"You brat! He wasn't ready!"
"You had to rip him apart slowly! You were supposed to make him suffer and scream!"
Kairo's eyes sharpened with cold fury.
"If anyone is dissatisfied with the fight, just fight me."
A group of ten arrogant warriors immediately leaped down into the arena.
"You guys call yourselves arrogant? What kind of arrogant people bow down to rules?"
Kairo shifted into a battle stance, gripping a long sword.
"You people have chosen your own death."
He dashed forward like a storm.
One man smashed a brutal punch into Kairo's gut.
"There you go! I'll rip your heart out!"
Kairo's blade flashed. He severed the man's head, then his sword arm in one fluid motion. His body began healing rapidly even as blood poured from the wound.
"I am immortal!"
Kairo roared.
"I didn't know that! That's wonderful! Hey, are you guys trying to run away from me? How rude!"
With newfound speed, he chased down the fleeing warriors. His long sword carved through their backs, cutting down three in rapid succession.
A heavy blow struck him from behind.
"Isn't it a good thing you're immortal? It will be even more fun to rip you apart and hear you scream!"
Kairo dodged the next punch, eyes scanning the remaining six men now circling him. In a lightning-fast move, he hurled his sword like a spear. As the man dodged, Kairo tackled him, lifted the warrior overhead, and threw him into the group. While they caught their comrade, Kairo snatched his fallen sword and beheaded all four in a single devastating arc.
Hmm… that was a pretty good tactic.
Only one man remained. He grabbed the giant's massive sword and unleashed a flurry of powerful techniques.
Kairo analyzed every swing, finding the opening in a heartbeat. The man smirked.
"Got you, brat!"
He thrust toward Kairo's still-healing gut.
Kairo caught the blade with his bare hand, blood dripping, then ripped the man's head clean off.
The warrior's eyes widened in his final moment. Why isn't he affected by pain? Is he immune?
Kairo coughed up blood, shoved his organs back inside, and let the familiar green aura heal him once more. He raised his bloodied sword toward the roaring crowd.
"Hey, you arrogant people! Only ten? Bring me a hundred!"
The arena fell into a stunned, heavy silence for a brief moment before exploding into pure chaos.
Kairo absorbed the power of the fallen general and the ten warriors in one surging wave.
Strength flooded his body as fresh energy coursed through his veins.
A spectator in the stands muttered in disbelief,
"No way… Even after having his internal organs pulled out, he still suppressed the pain and cut the guy down. This fight is too brutal."
All across the arena, men erupted into loud cheers for Kairo.
Kairo stood tall in the center of the blood-soaked ring. His internal organs were still partially exposed, glistening under the arena lights, but the familiar green aura slowly knitted them back into place. His face remained twisted in agony.
This pain is nothing in front of that cruel torture I faced as a child… but still—
A deep grunt escaped his throat. The burning sensation felt like his guts were being ripped out again and again.
Kairo exhaled sharply, forcing his body to move. He walked over to the invigilator, blood still dripping from his wounds.
"Who am I gonna fight next?"
The King gave a subtle nod from his high seat. The invigilator caught the gesture and smirked inwardly. Ohh… now I get it. The King wants him dead. That's pretty interesting.
The invigilator signaled the commentator, who raised his voice dramatically.
"Now allow me to introduce our next general! The man who has killed thousands of armies single-handedly! The one-man army! DarkSon the Great!"
Yeah, I don't wanna get called racist because of the joke I am thinking right now… I'm trying to ignore that.
Kairo stepped forward with a mocking grin.
"Hey, didn't your father have any other cool name to suggest?"
DarkSon roared and charged like a black blur.
Kairo barely dodged the first strike, the wind from the punch slicing past his face. He's too fast! I'm only alive because of Kai's brutal training!
The next punch connected dead center on Kairo's face. A sickening crack echoed through the arena as his neck snapped violently to the side. Kairo screamed in agony, collapsing to one knee.
The crowd exploded with bloodthirsty cheers.
"Yeah! He deserves it!"
DarkSon walked closer, laughing maniacally as he looked down at Kairo's twisted jaw and broken neck.
"What's wrong with you? It was just a normal punch. Don't act like you're dead. You're not that weak."
His laughter grew louder as he realized the extent of the damage.
"Ohh… it seems like you really are weak."
The monstrous general loomed over Kairo, eyes gleaming with sadistic delight.
Kairo's broken neck suddenly twisted back into place with a sickening crack as DarkSon grabbed his head and forcefully realigned it. The giant then shoved Kairo's dislocated jaw back with a casual thumb.
"Hey, immortal kid. Stop crying."
DarkSon sneered, looming over him.
"Crying kids annoy me very much."
Kairo nodded weakly, still trembling from the pain.
DarkSon threw his head back and laughed uncontrollably. The rest of the arena joined in, their mocking voices echoing through the stands.
"What happened, kid?"
"Being weak and trying to act arrogant? Now look at you!"
"Uhh, these 180-year-old kids acting all tough… it's making me laugh!"
Kairo's eyes sharpened. He gripped his sword tighter and rose to his feet.
DarkSon attacked with flawless, overwhelming technique—each swing backed by absolute strength and perfected patterns. Kairo analyzed every strike in real time, his mind racing even through the agony.
Uhh… thanks to my memory, I can read his sword patterns. I just need to hold him off a little longer.
DarkSon feinted with the same attack, then suddenly hurled a hidden dagger. It sank deep into Kairo's left eye.
Kairo screamed in pain. DarkSon's laughter boomed across the arena.
Gritting his teeth, Kairo ripped the dagger out. He poured every ounce of energy into the wound. The eye healed instantly, but his neck and jaw remained only partially recovered. Dizziness washed over him—he should have been dead already.
DarkSon stepped forward with a cruel grin.
"Now, as per the rules… let me rip you apart."
He grabbed Kairo's legs and began to pull. In the next heartbeat, DarkSon's right hand fell to the ground with a wet thud.
"HOW DARE YOU!"
DarkSon roared in fury, clutching the bleeding stump. He tore off part of his shirt and hastily wrapped it around the wound.
Hmm… I call this the angelic effect.
Unseen by most, a magician in the stands secretly healed DarkSon's arm. The giant flexed his newly restored hand and smirked, thinking Kairo hadn't noticed.
But Kairo had.
DarkSon swung with the regenerated arm. Kairo dodged like he had read the future, then countered with surgical precision. His blade sliced through the arm again—not completely, but like a professional butcher, leaving bone exposed. He followed up with a devastating punch that shattered the bone.
DarkSon attacked once more in rage. Kairo slipped through the strike effortlessly, as if the giant's movements were an open book. With a roar, he smashed his fist into DarkSon's face. The jaw broke with a loud crack, and the giant's neck twisted at an unnatural angle.
Kairo stood over the fallen general, breathing heavily, blood dripping from his lips. A wild, exhausted laugh escaped him as he roared:
"You are not immortal, Son!"
The arena fell into a stunned, heavy silence.