The Chimera was a beast of instinct, honed by nature's relentless cruelty. It had survived in the wilds long before it was captured and placed in this artificial colosseum. Now, it faced something unfamiliar—not just another desperate competitor or a mindless monster, but a man who did not flinch in its presence.
Kalem stood still, the weight of his experimental spear resting against his palm. The air between them was thick with tension, as if the battlefield itself held its breath.
The Chimera circled, muscles rippling beneath its thick hide, its three heads moving independently.
The lion's head locked its gaze on Kalem, lips curled back to reveal razor-sharp fangs.
The goat's head twisted at an unnatural angle, its cold black eyes studying the human with eerie detachment.
The serpent's head, attached to its tail, flickered its forked tongue, tasting the air for signs of weakness.
Kalem smirked. "You're smarter than you look."
Slowly, Kalem shifted his grip on the spear, tightening his stance. He was not here to overpower the beast—he was here to test his weapons.
The Chimera tensed. It knew what was coming.
Kalem took a step forward, then another—before thrusting the spear outward in a quick feint.
The Chimera reacted immediately. The lion's head snapped backward, retreating just slightly, cautious of the gleaming weapon in his hands. The goat's head turned in another direction, while the serpent tail coiled in anticipation.
It was wary.
Perfect.
At the same time Kalem retracted his spear, his other hand moved.
With a flick of his wrist, he released a small blade from his sleeve—a compact, enchanted dagger lined with experimental runes.
The blade did not fly in a straight line.
Instead, it zigzagged wildly through the air, moving in a chaotic, unpredictable pattern as if it had a mind of its own.
The serpent's head reacted first, lunging to intercept the strange flying object. Its fangs snapped shut—too slow.
The enchanted dagger suddenly jerked left, then right, twisting unnaturally before embedding itself into the snake's scales with a dull thunk.
The serpent screeched, writhing violently as arcane energy crackled along its body.
Kalem watched carefully. "Interesting. The enchantment is… unstable."
The dagger pulsed. Then, with a sudden burst, the runes flared bright, and the energy stored within the blade dispersed, sending a controlled shockwave rippling along the Chimera's tail.
The beast snarled in anger rather than pain. It was tough, no doubt about that. But Kalem hadn't expected to kill it so easily—that wasn't the goal.
He needed more data.
Up in the noble seating area, Lyra leaned forward, her hands tightening against the edge of her seat. The illusionary projection floating before the audience shifted to focus on Kalem's duel with the Chimera, magnifying the scene for all to see.
The nobles around her murmured in surprise.
"He's fighting a Chimera alone?"
"Who is that? One of the lesser nobles' sons?"
"No insignia… possibly a commoner?"
Lyra barely heard them.
Her eyes remained locked on Kalem, watching his movements.
Unlike the other competitors, who either fought chaotically or relied on brute strength, Kalem was experimenting. Testing.
He wasn't just fighting the Chimera—he was studying it.
That worried her.
Because she knew how his mind worked. If he was taking this much time to analyze, it meant he wasn't just looking for a way to win—he was looking for ways to break the system.
And if he found one, this round would not go the way the academy expected.
The Chimera Strikes Back
Down in the arena, the Chimera roared, finally shifting from caution to outright aggression.
The lion's head surged forward, claws extended, aiming to maul Kalem in a single swipe.
Kalem twisted his body, dodging the first strike by inches. But the Chimera wasn't done.
The goat's head suddenly lunged sideways, attempting to ram him with the force of a battering ram.
Kalem barely had time to react—he ducked low, planting the shaft of his spear into the ground for support as the massive beast barreled past him.
The sheer force of the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the dirt, kicking up dust and debris.
Kalem rolled to his feet, heart pounding. "Alright. You're done waiting. Let's see what else you've got."
The Chimera turned, eyes blazing with fury.
And this time—it charged for real.
A Deadly Test
Kalem knew he wouldn't be able to match the Chimera's raw strength.
Instead, he reached into his crate once more.
Inside lay another prototype—a pair of enchanted bolas, lined with energy-conducting wire designed to bind and redirect movement.
The problem?
They had never been tested on something this… large.
"Only one way to find out."
As the Chimera closed the distance, Kalem swung the bolas, sending them spiraling through the air.
The weighted orbs whipped outward, spinning as they arced toward the Chimera's front legs—but the beast was faster than expected.
The lion's head reacted instinctively, jaws snapping down—crushing one of the bolas mid-air.
The second bola wrapped around its leg, but without the full weight of the pair, the effect was weakened.
The Chimera barely stumbled before recovering.
Kalem's mind raced. "Okay. That was half a success."
The Chimera pounced.
Too fast. Too strong.
Kalem made a split-second decision. He dropped low, sliding beneath the beast as its claws tore through the air where he had just stood.
The moment his back hit the dirt, he grabbed a small, round object from his belt.
A shock sphere.
He jammed it against the Chimera's underbelly—and activated it.
A burst of concussive force exploded from the device, sending the beast staggering sideways in surprise.
Kalem rolled to safety, panting.
He wasn't done yet.
But for now, he had the advantage.
The Chimera growled, shaking off the effects, eyes filled with newfound wariness.
Kalem smirked, gripping his spear once more.
"Round two?"