I still need to figure out whether Zagressa is using this activity as a way to punish us—or if it's just regular punishment with no deeper meaning.
After talking a bit more with Little Bear and Snap, we agreed that I was going about things all wrong for a new fighter.
Pesculo wanted to play the long game—make me fight until I gained a reputation before earning territory. They told me fighters like that are called stray fighters.
Instead, I should've started by claiming my own territory, like any other newbie with no help.
At first, I thought that approach was too slow for what I wanted—to fight Snap—but they told me it could actually be faster if used correctly.
By gaining and defending my own territory, I'd have the chance to learn from people on a similar level.
Around Snap, there should only be his allies—or those who want to beat him.
I instantly understood: I had to ally myself with the people who wanted to beat Snap.
Thanks to his popularity, he has a lot of rivals—people who've fought him countless times.
What surprised me most was that Snap himself told me a good place to start my own territory.
Everyone who wants to challenge Snap gathers on the southern part of his territory.
Little Bear, however, thought it'd be better to start by earning a territory instead of just looking for allies against Snap.
Anyway, Snap's date arrived, and Little Bear and I had to leave.
---
"You still need to find your own fighting style. I can't help much with that—I'm not a trainer. I'm just another casual fighter here."
"No problem, Little Bear. You've already helped me a lot."
---
My very own fighting style...
I hadn't really thought about it until tonight. I always relied on traps and tricks to win—catching opponents off guard.
---
This isn't my space.
The game never went into much detail on these illegal fighting pits. Fighting with no magic and no weapons is something [Dragon's Roar] just never did.
No mechanics to exploit. No lore I can use to my advantage. I truly have to rely on myself.
"I gotta start somewhere, at least."
Going for intel on Snap's weaknesses sounds nice, but it's kind of useless if I think about it.
Snap's probably already used to people who know his weaknesses—meaning he knows how to cover them.
So, I'll follow Little Bear's advice and earn my own space.
But I need to start somewhere useful.
"And what's better than earning territory in the very place that wants to see Snap fall?"
He promised me a fight, but I also need to get better.
The best way to improve right now is by fighting Snap's opponents.
Besides a few small differences, Snap and I have similar fighting styles—fast, evasive, always dodging.
By facing Snap's opponents, I can understand their general strategy—how they try to beat him—without actually allying with them.
I can also get closer to Snap's power level by experiencing what he goes through when fighting them.
Tonight, there are only five of Snap's usual rivals.
"How do I establish a territory, though?"
I... forgot to ask that important detail.
I guess I'll follow everyone else's footsteps and draw a small area on the ground.
As soon as I marked off my little space, some spectators stopped and whispered among themselves.
"I guess I can only wait for my next opponent..."
I crossed my arms and waited in my small area. My legs were still tired from earlier fights, and I could feel bruises forming on my face.
"Those'll hurt tomorrow."
The smell of sweat, the dusty air, the sight of the spectators walking past me—all signs of how much more I have to do.
"I wonder how Cecil is doing right now. I hope he waits for me if he's already finished."
As I stood lost in thought, my first opponent approached.
"What's this I see? Fresh meat for me to step on." The man licked his lips and stepped roughly into my territory.
That doesn't work. You wouldn't step on meat—you'd eat it. Then again, telling a fifteen-year-old you'll eat him isn't a great look either.
"Don't you need to save your energy to challenge Snap?" I asked the man as he got closer.
"Snap? I don't care about that cocky bastard. I have other people to beat."
Not what I wanted—but I guess I've gotta start somewhere.
"Are you a stray fighter?"
"Ya bet I am!"
So, no territory to be gained from this match.
"Then let's start."
He didn't even give me a second to get ready—he threw a wild punch at my face.
I managed to lean back just before it connected.
I needed to focus. He led with a right punch. His stance had his left side forward, right side back.
The man—with goat horns—kept bouncing side to side, feinting quick jabs with his left.
"What's wrong? Tiny space to fight in—you can't be that passive!"
Playing passively is exactly what I need.
The horned guy lunged with an explosive leap.
I'd forgotten who I was, and where I was.
I didn't get here by finding a true, honest-to-God fighting style. I took advantage of the system. I used my knowledge to search for new ways to win.
This situation is just like a challenge run in [Dragon's Roar]—trying to find that secret ending.
These restrictions mean nothing. There's always a way to adapt, a mechanic to exploit. And in an illegal, underground fighting arena?
Everything goes—as long as no weapons are used.
I may not have magic. I can't blind my opponents. I can't keep my distance and strike from safety.
But there are other methods.
I reached into my pocket. My answer to this place, these fights, is to fight like I always have.
"[Pocket Sand.]"
I threw sand from the arena—collected in my pocket—into his face.
Thanks to his leap and attack windup, he couldn't defend himself. The dust hit his eyes.
But that wasn't enough to stop him. He still followed through on the attack, aiming where I had been.
"Hurkh!" I felt the punch across my whole face. The impact was softened by his flinch from the sand, but it still made me stumble back.
He tried wiping his eyes—leaving his guard wide open.
"Agh! You shitty—"
I cut him off with a punch to the gut. Then another to the ribs. Finally, I grabbed his horns and jumped.
I drove my knee upward and yanked his head down.
Through my knee, I felt the crack of his now-broken nose.
As I landed back on the ground, I saw the blood pouring.
"Aagh!" He stumbled back, clutching his face.
My mind exploded with plans.
Tackle him? No—don't repeat past mistakes. Another punch? A kick?
As much as I love planning, this wasn't the time.
I ran toward him, lowered my upper body, and spread my arms.
As soon as my shoulder hit his torso, I wrapped my arms around him—tight and full of strength.
Thanks to his injuries, his balance was off—I threw him to the ground.
Dust kicked up as our bodies hit the dirt.
Now was my chance.
With him on the ground, I climbed on top.
I grabbed more sand and shoved it into his mouth.
He tried fighting back, but I rained punches on him—leaving him no time to react.
He raised his arms to block, tried grabbing mine.
That's when I knew I had to change tactics before he adapted.
I scrambled off him and stood.
As he tried to recover, I planted one foot beside him, pulled my other leg back.
My muscles screamed, burning with effort. I braced myself and inhaled.
Whump!
His head bounced off my foot. His body followed the motion, collapsing.
He hit the ground with a bounce.
He didn't move.
For a moment, I worried he might not be breathing.
But then the cheers from the small crowd around me drowned out everything else.
What I can only assume are his fans, picked him up, carrying him outside my territory.
"Can't believe Devil Time got beat up by a kid!"
"Throwing sand at his opponent? Hilarious!"
"That is something we don't see very often"
"I'll stay here to see his next fight!"
Now that my opponent's fans left, I could not call the group surrounding my territory a crowd, they were a simple group of four friends.
"Hey kid! Devil Time's rival will be coming for you at any moment!"
With a laugh, they all stayed on the perimeter of my area.
"Tell him to come! I'm open to fight anyone as long as they agree to my rules" I claimed with a smile to the group of friends, earning a surprised laugh from them.
No one cared that I used cheap, dirty tactics to win.
That only makes me want to push the boundaries of what's accepted here.
"I won't be the only one with restrictions" I muttered under my breath as I sat on the sand.
Now the wait for my next opponent begins.