Night had fallen over the city, but tonight was different.
A storm was brewing.
Ochieng sat alone in a rundown tavern, a steaming cup of tea in his hands.
The whispers of the tournament had spread like wildfire.
Every noble, every young master—everyone now knew his name.
But power invited danger.
And danger… was already lurking in the shadows.
--
A woman approached his table, her red dress clinging to her curves.
Her eyes shimmered like liquid gold.
"Mind if I sit?" she asked.
Ochieng didn't reply.
The woman smiled, sliding into the seat across from him.
"You're quite the sensation, beggar."
Ochieng remained silent.
She leaned in, her scent a mix of jasmine and poison.
"Tell me… have you ever been hunted?"
Ochieng's fingers tightened around his cup.
"Hunted?" he murmured.
The woman's smile deepened.
"You hurt some powerful people today. And powerful people… don't like to be embarrassed."
She traced a finger along the table.
"The Second Prince won't let this go. His pride is shattered. His men are already searching for you."
Ochieng smirked.
"Let them come."
The woman laughed softly. "You're confident. I like that."
She reached into her sleeve and slid a black envelope across the table.
"An invitation."
Ochieng flicked it open.
His eyes darkened.
"Midnight Tournament – Only the Strongest Shall Survive."
Beneath the elegant calligraphy, a single warning:
"Losers don't leave alive."
--
At midnight, Ochieng stood at the entrance of the underground arena.
The smell of blood and sweat clung to the air.
Hundreds of masked figures filled the stands—nobles, criminals, and martial masters hungry for blood.
In the center, a cage loomed.
Inside?
Seven opponents.
Each one a ruthless killer.
Each one handpicked to destroy him.
A voice boomed overhead.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The mysterious beggar has arrived!"
The crowd roared.
Bets were placed. Gold exchanged hands.
They expected a massacre.
Ochieng… was outnumbered.
Outmatched.
Outclassed.
Or so they thought.
---
The gong sounded.
The first assassin lunged—a flash of silver.
Ochieng sidestepped, twisting his fingers—SNAP!
The man's arm shattered.
Screams.
The second attacker swung a massive hammer—BOOM!
Ochieng ducked, his palm flicking forward—CRACK!
The man's knee bent the wrong way.
More screams.
The crowd stared in horror.
This… wasn't a fight.
This was a slaughter.
---
Five opponents remained.
They hesitated.
Fear in their eyes.
Ochieng cracked his neck.
"Done already?"
The third man snarled, rushing forward—his fists glowing with flaming energy.
Martial Arts Master – 3 Star!
The crowd gasped.
This man had killed hundreds.
But Ochieng—
Ochieng merely smiled.
The moment the man's fist swung—Ochieng caught it.
BOOM!
The air shattered.
The assassin's bones exploded like glass.
He collapsed, coughing blood.
The arena fell silent.
The final four assassins—
Turned and ran.
---
Ochieng stood alone in the ring.
The announcer stammered, trying to salvage the situation.
"A-Amazing! The beggar has… w-won?"
Silence.
Then—
A single voice shouted.
"MONSTER!"
Then another.
"DEVIL!"
The crowd erupted in fear.
Even the most hardened warriors saw the truth.
Ochieng was no ordinary fighter.
He was something else.
Something… terrifying.
---
As Ochieng left the arena, the woman in red was waiting.
Her smile had changed.
No longer playful.
Now?
Respect.
"You're not what I expected."
Ochieng wiped blood from his sleeve.
"I get that a lot."
She stepped closer.
"The people in power will fear you now."
Ochieng smirked.
"Good."
She handed him another note.
"Then let's see how you handle… The Royal Challenge."
Ochieng took the note, his eyes narrowing.
A new game had begun.
And this time…
The stakes were higher than ever.
---
Ochieng could feel hundreds of eyes watching him as he left the underground arena.
Fear.
It clung to the air like a thick fog.
Some warriors looked away as he passed. Others whispered, their voices barely above a breath.
"He's not human…"
"No ordinary man fights like that…"
Ochieng's lips curled into a faint smirk.
This was only the beginning.
The invitation in his hand felt heavier than it should.
The Royal Challenge.
He had heard the name before.
It wasn't just a tournament.
It was a battleground for kings.
---
The woman in red walked beside him, her steps silent as a cat's.
"You intrigue me," she murmured.
Ochieng didn't reply.
"Tell me…" She turned her golden gaze on him. "What do you desire?"
Ochieng kept walking.
Desire?
He had buried those long ago.
His past… his family… his revenge…
Everything had led him to this moment.
The woman sighed. "You're not very talkative, are you?"
Ochieng glanced at her.
"Talking won't keep me alive."
She laughed softly. "Fair enough."
Then, she stopped.
"We're here."
Ochieng lifted his gaze.
A massive estate loomed before them.
Red lanterns lined the gates. Guards in golden robes stood like statues.
This…
This was no ordinary home.
This was the residence of the Royal Clan's Inner Circle.
The woman leaned in.
"Welcome to the battlefield."
---
Ochieng stepped through the gates.
Inside, warriors from all over the empire had gathered.
Young masters. Assassins. Martial arts geniuses.
They whispered as he passed.
"The beggar?"
"He doesn't belong here."
"What a joke! A street rat in the Royal Challenge?"
Ochieng ignored them.
Mockery was nothing new.
At the center of the grand hall stood a tall figure.
His robe was embroidered with golden dragons. His aura was crushing.
This was Prince Xian.
The Second Prince.
The very man Ochieng had humiliated before.
Prince Xian's eyes darkened when he saw him.
"So, the beggar has arrived."
Ochieng remained silent.
The prince smiled.
"You humiliated me before. But here, in my domain…"
His voice grew sharp.
"You will bow."
The hall fell silent.
All eyes turned to Ochieng.
Would he kneel?
Would he submit?
Ochieng… smirked.
Then, in one swift motion—
He stepped forward.
Faster than anyone could react, his hand shot out.
And—
BOOM!
The prince was sent flying.
---
The room exploded into chaos.
Guards rushed forward. Swords unsheathed.
But Ochieng stood unmoved.
His voice was calm.
"I bow to no one."
The prince groaned from the floor, blood dripping from his mouth.
He stared up at Ochieng in horror.
This was no ordinary man.
This was a monster.
The woman in red smiled from the sidelines.
She whispered under her breath.
"Interesting."
The tournament had just begun.
And Ochieng…
Had already won.
---