"You know what to do," Emmett Lee instructed coolly. "Take him to the Dark Avengers Club. Make sure no one notices."
Dino nodded silently. Without hesitation, he lifted the unconscious Morca and vanished into the night.
---
In a dark and gloomy room where the only source of light came from the white ceiling, an unconscious figure lay sprawled on the cold floor. Morca had been unconscious for nearly three hours, but a sharp, searing pain running through his head jolted him awake. Groaning, he forced his eyes open, adjusting to the dim glow. As his vision cleared, he took in his surroundings, the walls were pitch black, an unsettling contrast to the stark white ceiling and floor, both of which seemed to exude a chilling aura. A shiver ran down his spine.
After a few moments of disorientation, Morca steadied his breath and surveyed the mysterious space he found himself in. The room was small, no more than 2.5 meters across, its confining dimensions resembling a prison cell rather than an ordinary room. The air was thick with an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional faint clanking of metal from somewhere beyond the walls.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed in the distance, growing louder as they approached his 'room.' The distinct, rhythmic sound of chains rubbing against each other accompanied the steps. Then, with a low, metallic creak, a small passageway slid open in front of him. The gap was barely large enough for a person to crawl through, reminiscent of a kennel opening for a captive beast. A deep, authoritative voice resonated through the space, confirming his fears.
"Come out."
Morca tensed, his body instinctively reacting not to fear, but to the sheer force carried in that voice. It wasn't just an order, it was a command imbued with power. Even without being told, he knew the man standing outside wasn't an ordinary captor. The sheer weight of his presence spoke volumes, this was someone of an incredibly high rank, a Saint-ranked powerhouse or even above.
Pushing himself up from the floor, Morca stepped forward hesitantly. As he emerged from the confined space, he took in his new surroundings, a long, sterile passageway lined with small, barred enclosures, each containing grotesque creatures. Some were monstrous, their bloodied forms twitching in restrained fury, while others appeared oddly humanoid but bore disturbing, twisted features. The cages were nothing short of horrific, and compared to them, the sparse room he had woken up in seemed almost luxurious.
His gaze shifted to the two figures standing before him. The man who had spoken was clad in an immaculate purple uniform, though Morca could tell it was no ordinary outfit, it held authority. A sleek black mask obscured his face entirely, leaving no trace of his identity. Beside him stood a woman, similarly dressed in purple, but her mask was silver, adding an almost ethereal air to her presence.
A realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
'This isn't just some random capture. I'm in an organization. But what kind?'
Morca racked his brain for answers. The last thing he clearly remembered was sitting in the small apartment Emmett Lee had rented just minutes.. no, hours ago. And now, he was here, wherever here was, surrounded by enigmatic captors and caged monstrosities.
The masked man broke the silence. "Take him to Ring 004 and have him wear a white mask. Today's game will revolve around him." With that, he turned and walked away, his presence fading into the depths of the corridor.
The young woman beside him turned sharply. "Follow closely behind me," she instructed, her tone sharp and laced with an unspoken threat. "And don't think about trying anything foolish. I promise, you won't leave this place in one piece if you do."
Something in her words caught Morca's attention, you won't leave this place. The phrasing gave him hope. It suggested that escape was possible. Even if slim, it was something to hold on to.
As they continued down the corridor, the distant murmur of voices grew louder. The further they walked, the clearer the sounds became, cheering, laughter, excitement. A sinking feeling settled in his gut.
'Is this some kind of underground arena?'
Before he could fully process the thought, they came to a stop. The silver-masked woman handed him a bundle. "Change into this. You have three minutes. Any delay will result in punishment."
Without a word, Morca took the outfit and stepped into the changing room she gestured toward. When he emerged moments later, he was dressed in a skintight combat suit that hugged his frame, revealing the defined musculature beneath. A white mask now concealed most of his face, except for his striking mismatched eyes, one ink-black, the other a deep crimson. The woman gave him a once-over before nodding approvingly.
She turned and approached the final door at the end of the corridor. As they stepped forward, a green light scanned them, and with a mechanical hiss, the door slid open. Instantly, the noise intensified to an overwhelming roar, an entire crowd's exhilaration flooding the air like an electric charge.
---
In the heart of a grand stadium-sized club hall, powerful figures lounged in luxury. On one side, men in identical red masks sipped fine liquor, their arms draped around elegant female companions. Among them, a lean figure in a red mask spoke up.
"No. 2, who are you betting on in the next match?" one of the men asked.
The lean figure didn't hesitate. His eyes locked onto one of the rings in the center of the hall. "Ring 004," he answered simply.
At the center of the arena, ten battle rings stood, each encased in a transparent black barrier. Within Ring 004, Morca scanned his surroundings, his eyes narrowing at the impenetrable forcefield that confined him. He could feel the stares of the audience, their anticipation thick in the air.
A booming voice echoed through the hall.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the two-day ring battles! Among our ten contestants, we have a fresh face joining us tonight. We call him Crimson-Black for his unique eyes! He is Contestant No. 004 in Ring 004. So, place your bets wisely, will you wager for him or against him? The unknown thrill begins now! Betting closes in one hour!"
The voice faded, and with it, Morca's mind reeled.
'Crimson-Black?' he thought, amused. 'All because of my mismatched eyes? If this were any other situation, I might have liked the nickname… but right now, I'm in the middle of nowhere, being watched by a crowd, forced into some kind of brutal tournament.'
Then, realization struck him like lightning.
'Wait… two-days ring battle… Could it be...?'
The pieces clicked into place. A memory surfaced. The last thing he remembered before waking up here…
A drink. A faint taste of something off.
'He drugged me.'
Morca's lips curled into an amused smirk. There was only one person who would go to such lengths. His bastard of a brother. That devil must be behind this.
If he was here, watching from the crowd, then Morca had a message for him.
'Fine. If you want a show, I'll give you one.'
A slow fire ignited in his veins. His earlier fear dissipated, replaced by a fierce determination.
'This arena, this barrier, it won't hold me. No cage, no organization, no force can keep me bound. Since you put me here, brother, I'll make sure you regret it.'
Morca clenched his fists, his heart pounding in rhythm with the crowd's cheers.
'I'll shake this ring. I'll tear down this barrier. And when I'm done, you'll think twice before pulling something like this again.'
-----
A/N
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