After Rai left—
"…"
I had nothing else to do but wait for him to come back.
So, in the meantime—
'Let's go to Brock.'
I made up my mind.
Tap- tap- tap—
I turned around and started walking toward him.
He was standing near the center of the wide-open area, chatting with two other men who looked like walking tanks—built like bears, with wild beards that probably hadn't seen a comb in years.
Just then—
"Ah!"
Brock spotted me approaching.
And with that ever-present, dumb grin of his face—
"Hey, kid!"
He shouted, waving at me like we were childhood friends meeting after ten years.
The area that we were in was spacious, but it's not big.
And so, with his voice booming across this large cell—
"...?"
"Huh...?"
"Hmm, who's that?"
Everyone turned toward me.
And just like that, I became the center of attention.
'Ugh... that loud old brute...!'
I cursed him mentally as I felt everyone's eyes sticking to me.
They were whispering among themselves—voices too low to catch, but tone sharp enough to tell me they were talking about me.
I mean, I get it—
I'm new here. And more than that, I'm a damn kid.
Of course I'd draw attention.
But this awkward atmosphere could've been avoided if not for Brock's loud mouth!
'I just hope I don't get in any more trouble .'
I sighed internally and kept walking.
And not long—
Tap—
I reached Brock and his group.
"Hello."
I simply greeted, keeping my tone neutral.
"..."
"..."
The two men just stared at me.
Not a single word.
Then, ignoring the awkward silence—
"Guys, this is young Kaiser!"
Brock exclaimed that, patting me in the back.
His hand is really heavy, it hurts.
"That wild story I was just telling you? It's about him. Hahaha!"
Brock said and laughed.
"..."
I didn't react.
Just kept a poker face.
I tried not to frown or show how tense I actually was.
I was nervous under the heavy pressure of the two men beside Brock.
I can tell they're strong without seeing them fight of whatsoever.
I just instinctively feel it.
Anyway, after that—
"I'm Khan."
The man to Brock's right spoke first, his voice deep and grounded.
"Heard you punched the slave owner at that shop you came from. Good job, kid."
He looked to be in his forties—gruff, but not unfriendly. He offered his hand after speaking.
"Thanks."
I replied shortly and shook his hand.
Then after that—
"I'm Jin."
The other one spoke, a crooked smile on his lips.
"We also heard you pissed off the boss. Haha, I'm surprised you're still breathing… Though maybe not for long, huh? Two days and counting."
He laughed, clearly amused.
'Bruh...'
I deadpanned internally while shaking his hand.
Jin looked to be around the same age as Khan, maybe early forties as well.
I'm quite sure he wasn't trying to intimidate me with his words earlier. He's just stupidly carefree and unfiltered.
He probably didn't even realize yet that he just told me that he's expecting me to die in two days.
...
...
...
*****
The next hour passed with Brock, Khan, and Jin taking turns throwing advice my way.
They talked about the fighting cells—how the place worked, the different types of fighters, and the inner politics.
There were clear hierarchies even within the gladiators. Some ruled through strength, others through fear or sheer seniority. Knowing who to avoid was half the game.
Then came the talk about battle points. Apparently, while everyone started with five, how you used them could make or break you.
Spend it all on weapons, and you might go hungry. Spend it all on food, and you might die weaponless in the pit.
The coliseum was next—how the matches were structured, how often fights were scheduled, how the betting worked. Brock explained how the crowd could sway the odds, how nobles liked to sponsor certain fighters, and how popularity could keep you alive longer than skill ever could.
I stayed quiet, listening to their words carefully.
Soaking in every detail and information that I can.
I was learning more in this one hour than I had since arriving here.
But then, at that moment—
"I-I'm back!"
A familiar voice rang out.
Fwish—
I immediately turned toward it.
And there—
I saw Rai.
"Haaa… Haaaa… haaaa..."
He was panting hard, sweat dripping from his forehead.
He must've sprinted all the way here.
And from the look on his face—
He had something with him.
"Erm, excuse me for a bit."
I said, turning to Brock and the others.
"Sure, go on."
Brock replied casually.
Khan and Jin simply nodded.
Then, without hesitation—
Tap- tap- tap—
I made my way toward the metal-bar gate—toward Rai.
Tap—
I stopped in front of him.
And before I could even get a word out—
"I got you a weapon!"
Rai blurted that out with a proud smile on his face, his chest slightly puffed.
"...!"
I blinked in surprise, not expecting him to look that happy about helping me.
But I smiled back, genuinely.
"Let me see it."
I said.
Without another word—
Fwip—
Rai swung something off his back—wrapped in a stained, ragged cloth, held together with thin rope.
"Here."
He passed it through the bars with both hands.
"Thanks."
I muttered as I took it carefully.
And after taking it from his hands—
"..."
I looked down at the object in my hands.
'What did he even pick?'
I wondered, my curiosity flaring.
No use wasting time—
Fwoosh~
I pulled the cloth away in one swift motion.
And underneath—
There it was.
It was a...
A short sword.
The blade was about two feet long, forged from dull-gray steel. It wasn't polished or pristine—it had a few nicks and scratches near the edges—but it looked solid, well-balanced.
Its single-edged design gave it a simple yet practical look, perfect for slashing and thrusting in close combat.
The hilt was wrapped in dark leather strips, worn from use but still offering a firm grip.
There was no fancy crossguard, just a flat iron bar to stop the blade from slipping. The handle was slightly chipped, but it held the weight of the sword evenly.
It wasn't beautiful.
But it was reliable.
And more importantly—
"It's perfect for me."
I mumbled under my breath.
My lips tugging up into a smirk.