The Arena Of Rejects.
A cold, desolate place. It's only used for the enjoyment of the higher-ups. In this world of dog-eat-dog, the weak have no place. This is where those with no talent and those deemed a waste of space go.
They're sent here for amusement, and one must fight their way out, hailing themselves the champion of the rejects to escape from this hell. In the circular stone arena stood two men, one of whom was shaking, yet he maintained a calm face. The other's face and body both screamed in nervousness.
This was Lazarus. A man who was prominently hailed, "The Weakest". Born with no powerful gene talent, or from a good family, people started not even to see him as a human. From a young age, this weighed hard on him, sending him into spirals of cold, lonely, sleepless nights.
Nobody cared for him, and nobody cared to even bother with him.
Around the rim of the stone arena, laughs sounded. Cocky, ridiculing, mirthful laughs.
"How many seconds do you think before he drops like a bug?"
"My money's on 2. He always blacks out by then."
"You mean Lazarus the cripple? I'm surprised he's still alive."
Across from Lazarus stood his peer. But just because he was his peer didn't mean they were on good terms. Those in the arena of rejects didn't bother to make friends, because they all knew they were just tools for the amusement of others, and had to do what it takes to survive.
The strong liked seeing those weaker than them, those that they deemed ants, battling it out. It didn't take long before the male before Lazarus would rush forward, sending Lazarus flying backward onto the cold arena stone.
"Agh!"
He looked up, seeing a fist right above his eye, before it smashed into his face.
..
"Gah, I knew I shouldn't have bet on the black sheep."
"Haha! What were you expecting? He is called "The Weakest", after all."
How did Lazarus get here? Not even he knows that much.
He was busy trying to earn some quick money, doing the chores of those who asked of him. When suddenly, he was knocked out cold and woke up in the chambers of ruin. And for the last week or so, this is where he's been, slaving and battling away, earning more bad rep than he already had.
Genes.
The weapon and ability factor with which one is born and manifests at the ripe age of 12.
They're sorted into rankings.
Cripple. (Cursed-Gene)
Ashen. (Early)
Mortal. (Low-Rank)
Sprout. (Early-Mid Rank)
Fragmented. (Low-Mid Rank)
Vibrant. (High-Mid Rank)
Seed. (Peak-Mid Rank)
Copper. (Early-High Rank)
Iron. (Low-High Rank)
Gold. (Mid-High Rank)
Diamond. (Peak-High Rank)
Crimson. (Early-Rare Rank)
Stem. (Low-Rare Rank)
Shining. (Mid-Rare Rank)
Bountiful. (High-Rare Rank)
Tempest. (Peak-Rare Rank)
We would be here all day naming them, but currently, in Iron City, the strongest man only rests with a Tempest rank gene. One cannot change their gene and is stuck with what they get, but a person can get stronger with their gene.
Currently, Lazarus is...crippled. He doesn't even have an Ashen rank gene, one that's not even powerful, but isn't bad either (since it's dormant).
After suffering another defeat at the arena, he was forced to sweep and clean up the remaining blood and whatnot. He had no say in it, and by now, he had lost so much and been the one to clean the arena so many times that he was used to it.
He then heard the sound of the chambers' creaky and iron-lined doors screech open and slam shut. Turning, his gaze met two people's. The broom in his hands dropped, rolling as it reached the cold stone beneath him. His face became contorted into confusion, anger, and discomfort.
Lazarus seemed to have forgotten that he indeed did have someone. His lover, Lara. Well, they weren't official, but Lara swore her love to him on multiple occasions and always flirted whenever she got the chance. Then, earlier that week, she became distant, and that just so happened to have been the same week he got snatched to the arena to become a pig in a pen.
"L-Lara...why are you?" Lazarus's gaze landed on her hands that were tightly knitted around the young master of the Jin Clan.
"Oh, this?...what else does it seem like? I'm his." She replied, a hint of amusement and mirth in her tone of voice.
"But...what about-"
"About what?" she cut Lazarus off. "-About us? No way in hell would I be caught dead with a cripple like you. Number one, I did it for fun. And number two, I did it because young master Jin asked me to."
Lazarus turned to see Jin about to break out into laughter, before swallowing it and going back to his composed emotion.
Young master Jin is a genius of utmost supremacy. The Jin clan currently rules a portion of Iron-City. They have near permanent access to a "Primordial Beast Vein," the portal to the world of 'Powers and Beasts,' and from this "world" is where we used the gathered materials and information to advance in our own.
The reason this matters is that only those with 'The Echo Seal' can adventure into the Primordial Beast Vein, yet they can do it because they are the Jin clan.
But, besides that, Lazarus looked on with uncertainty and fear, immense confusion etched onto his face.
And young master Jin, the city genius with a Gold Gene, dared to laugh.
"That's right. It was me, Lazarus. And just in case you didn't know...it was also me that put you in this place."
Anger filled Lazarus, rising from deep within and daring to erupt; and it did.
Lazarus stomped his feet on the ground with his quick gait. His fist cocked back and a look of contorted anger on his face.
"You bastard!"
But that face of anger soon bent into one of pain and blankness. A fist met his abdomen, leaving a hole in his stomach and crimson guts all over.
Lazarus lay on his back, so damn angry, so damn confused...and most of all so damn sad.
'I was cursed. And even still, I wanted to live a decent life, at least. But no, I lay here...dying a dog's death.'
Lazarus refused, but to no avail.
In a weak, drifting voice, Lazarus asked: "Why...?"
Still with his arm raked around Lara, young master Jin told him, "Hm...just because," and with his words, came a merciless, ear-to-ear grin of no reason.
'H-His reason for this...is "Just because" ?'
Lazarus couldn't understand this reason, but he didn't have long to think about it, because soon his consciousness would fully fade.
[DING!]
[HOST HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED]
[The weakest talent capable of hosting infinite power has been found.]
[Welcome to the Transcendent Gene System.]
[Defeat powerful enemies. Absorb their strongest genes. Evolve beyond limits. Ascend to supremacy.]
The light faded from his already dead eyes, and when he opened them once more, they were rejuvenated with a hopeful light.
--