Arganthes: The Capital of Dungeons 27 Chapter 16: The Tournament of Beginning - Part IV - A Horrific Realization

The Announcer eagerly slammed the gong signaling the start of the match. From all angles contestants rushed towards the center of the arena, fighting one another making many flies into the air as their fists collided with one another.

Geo jumped into the air slapping his fists onto the ground creating stone pillars from the impact. Instantly throwing out four contestants with one intense strike.

He quickly made his way towards the center of the arena as that was the place everyone would be most save.

On its way there his path collided with Draven. Wanting to keep the best for last, he decided not to attack right from the start, as they turned their respective ways. A huge bald boatman charged in on them wanting to take the best spot for himself.

Draven jumped over him wanting to avoid unnecessary conflict, but the Boarman struck towards him with his fist, wanting to grab him out of the air. Draven saw the gigantic fist coming and twisted his body around avoiding it in midair.

Landing with a curling motion he swiped the Boarman off his feet with a quick low kick. Not wanting to waste more time he left the Boarman laying on the ground as he headed straight for the outer part of the arena.

Geo not wanting to waste much energy for the upcoming struggles decided to make a stationary place of stone plates. Allowing him to collect his thoughts.

I, on the other hand, didn't know what the hell was happening... all of a sudden it was chaos as the now 996 remaining contestants launched at each other with their souls burning brightly.

Groups of people were fighting as I tried to stay away and come up with a plan. "How to increase my chance of survival?"

Thinking about that I came up with an idea, I had allies! At least, Yami would be one of my allies... right?

"It's best to regroup and acquire allies to secure the survival through this round, but how? It seems I have to find out along the way."

Knowing Yami could communicate through thought with me, even allowing herself to be summoned through my shadow. I tried calling out to her.

"Yami! Yami, are you there?"

Nothing...

Focussing on my surroundings to try and pinpoint where she might be I made my way towards the center. When suddenly a man ambushed me,

as he tried to attack from behind I felt his killing intent creep up on me, allowing me to dodge his attack.

Looking up to identify the attacker I noticed the man was short and chubby, frustrated his attack didn't connect he tried to attack me one again.

As I now saw the man coming I blocked his fist and threw him on his back. Startled the man stood up in the last attempt to throw himself at me. Now with both arms stretching towards me, he left himself completely open.

Hoping to grab me, he jumped towards me. Seeing as the man was really slow I countered him with a full-on blow to the liver, making him stagger and finally collapse to the ground.

I quickly made my way closer to the center hoping to find Yami. When she called back to me soon after.

"Master, you called for Yami? Where are you?"

Overjoyed I quickly responded to her call.

"Are you okay? I think it's best to re-group and make our group as big as possible, let me know when you are in range to be summoned from my shadow, as it seems we are too far apart as of now. I'm heading towards the center of the arena, the huge dome around us should give away where it is. Meet me there."

"Yami will do her best master, please be save!!"

Determined to meet up with her master, Yami looked up, quickly finding where she needed to go as made lightning struck the ceiling of the dome. She headed to the appointed area. Activating her elemental magic lighting sparked all around her increasing her speed as she quickly headed towards the destination.

Closing in on the open space she got halted by a small group, a group of men, who targeted beastfolk. On the ground several beasts could be seen, knocked unconscious as they proudly grinned, closing in on Yami. They seemed like people with high status, aristocrats maybe? Why did they target beastfolk so specifically?

One of the men dressed in light armor spoke with a sarcastic tone. "Little one, come along as we will provide you with a home."

Yami annoyed by their actions frowned upon them.

"Me? Follow you? You must be kidding... Master is way better than you guys, just look at how you're treating other beastfolk. Let me guess, they didn't want to follow you either? You're just some punks who think they are better than us... so no thank you..."

The man who acted as the group's leader couldn't handle the way Yami talked to them, getting triggered by her, he lost his cool.

"You should have listened when you had the chance... we will beat you down, just like the rest... you filthy beastfolk, always thinking you're better than us...

but, think again... we will show you how capable we of the Ryuga clan are!"

The two men behind the leader wearing heavier armor stepped in front of him. Their armor was played. The scale on the top scale made them ready for any punch that could be thrown at them.

Black and red, true to their family emblem. As their backs showed the crest. Three flames turned in a circular motion spinning around what seemed like a dragon skull.

The two men simultaneously attacked Yami. With a punch each. Thinking they hit her, they lowered their guard looking to the ground. But nothing was there...

It seemed they hit nothing but air.

Confused they tried to find their target. Yami had jumped into the air dodging their strike, turning around she used the momentum to increase the strength of the impact. When their leader suddenly warned them.

"You fools!! Look up... Up!!"

The two men looked up confused by the situation, and surely before they could react Yami struck the two of their heads together making them collapse on the ground.

Frustrated their leader struggled to maintain his position.

"Damnit!! you idiots!! Don't just bring shame to our names!! I always have to do these things myself..."

The leader took on his battle position as he rushed towards her in a blind rage. Trying to fend off his frustration he punched and punched, hitting nothing but air. He tried kicking in full motion but even that missed.

Yami easily dodged all of his weak and slow attacks with her lightning enhancement. Finally countering his kick with a punch straight to the chin. Making him fall to the ground. Mad, their leader summoned flames as they began swirling around him. The fire scorched the plains beneath his hands and feet, slowly making him rise from the ground.

"Now you have done it... I wanted to let you go with just a pummeling, but it appears you need more to spice thingsss up..."

Their leader's eyes began glowing as the scales began growing our of his skin... his teeth slowly turned into fangs as two horns formed on his head.

"Don't sssay I didn't warn you, child... because today you will become one with these flames!"

The man had turned into what seemed like a hybrid between a lizard man and a Salamander. His tail had a fire burning like the blue ocean as his scales emitted small tiny blue flames. The scales, on the other hand, were scorched completely black giving off an eerie feeling.

Its eyes glowed black as the night, with a small hint of blue. When he spoke flames escaped his mouth giving off a sizzling sound. Fear slowly crept into her entire being,

making it unable to move. Frozen in place, she tried her best, but could not find the strength to move out of the way. When the creature began talking once more...

"It'sss time to sssay goodbye..."

The creature then opened his mouth shooting out a huge stream of fire towards Yami. Unable to react she prepared for the worst. Looking away she had a final thought.

"This can't be it... is this how I go? Will I ever be able to see master again? Who will take care of him when I'm gone? No... this can't be how my life ends..."

As the flames closed in at a rapid speed, she unconsciously used the last of her energy to surge lightning through her veins. In that split second as pain shot through her entire being,

it enabled her to move once again as she jumped out of the way of the flames, instantly moving behind the creature.

Her static electricity helped her move at speeds she didn't even know existed, yet she never tried using it as a weapon, up until now... she only enhanced her movement with them. Yes, to increase her speed and prowess, but never before the electricity itself.

Now... a thought sprung up from inside of her brain making her move towards the creature without a second thought. Then... when her hand almost hit it the creature retaliated. Attacking her with his tail.

Quickly she moved out of the way and tried attacking the creature with pure lightning once more. She enveloped her entire hand with lightning as she moved below the creature to spring up and grab his head by the chin.

The moment she touched his face the creature got electrocuted by an insanely huge amount. Making him fall on the ground like a ragdoll. Just then the announcer called out a number.

"#2613 unconscious out of the match."

The fight was finally over... as she realized something horrifying about her newfound powers... she too collapsed to the ground as that last struggle to survive cost her all the energy she had left in her body.

Just before losing consciousness she could have sworn someone stood up from outside the bushes... Friend or foe? She wasn't able to move yet staying conscious through it all. The shade moved closer, checking for survivors when it stumbled upon Yami...

The shade took shape of a human being, a girl to be more precise, she had wild bright red hair that pointed towards all sides, her eyes, brown like the sand found in desserts, yet straight forward and mysterious.

She was wearing concealing clothes to not be spotted insight. The final thought before the lost consciousness was that she had a rather nice body, it rivaled to that of her own.

The woman closed in, picking Yami from the ground as she took her to a secure and safe place. There... two others were present, who could they be?

Chapter end