Book 3 Chapter 26: See you in the Pit

Book 3 Chapter 26: See you in the Pit

The Chief left for a time after that, allowing another hour gap between challenges. I watched briefly while the meat that he and I collected was butchered and cooked, though obviously the human was left out of that process. It was a waste, but Id already toed the line with my comments about meat earlier, so I thought it prudent to keep that opinion to myself. I moved back to the tree where Id been routinely napping, and sat down.

Before I could truly settle, Angela and Leandros approached me. I flicked the brim of my hat back off my eyes. What?

Leandros here has been doing some digging around about the Chief, and he felt it necessary to hide behind my skirts to bring the info to you.

I raised my eyebrow at Leandros.

He grimaced. I just thought it may make sense for both of you to hear it at once.

Angela shook her head. His background doesn't matter to me. Donny here crushes him in the pit, then we can move on.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

I stayed quiet. It seemed Angelas confidence in me had grown a bit since the last challenge, or she was just that much more confident in my ability to fight over my ability to eat. I couldnt blame her, though the two activities had been pretty intermingled for me in the past.

I just felt it may help to know more about him. Even if he joins us, the knowledge could have value.

Fine, Ive gotten a good four-ish hours of sleep in the last two weeks. I can probably skip the nap. Shoot.

Leandros swallowed. Well, the majority of the Kaijin Ive spoken with say that he came out of nowhere. He met with a few Elders in one of the most distant villages first, then slowly made his way down, village by village, winning them over to his banner until he controlled nearly all of them. By uniting so many smaller villages and communities, he was actually able to drain support from the Khans ex-wife and become the largest player among the Kaijin. Without her, the Khan lost his main support in these tribes.

I thought the Khan basically controlled all of this? I asked, gesturing to everything.

He did as much as one can control all these groups, but their fickle, and not used to taking orders beyond their chiefs and elders. This is basically an entirely new faction at this point.

I sighed. Do we know where he came from?

The best guess anyone has, is that hes from some isolated Kaijin shack in the middle of nowhere. Built himself up from nothing, and came into the first village with nothing, but immense strength, and a plan.

I picked at my teeth, feeling them itch. It sounds like Angelas right. Ill just have to crush him in the Pit and move on. Ill leave dealing with anything beyond that to the Khan. I pulled the brim of my hat down. Wake me when its time to fight.

I felt my brain rattling in my skull, and smiled as I wiped the majority of the mud from my eyes. I let red bleed into my vision, adrenaline flooding my veins as my adaptive empowerment kicked in. I was the one to charge this time.

I aimed a low tackle at his legs. He attempted to leap out of my reach, but I grabbed his ankle and brought him to the ground with a wet splash of mud. I moved to leap onto him, but he rolled out of the way, bringing himself to his feet so that he could kick at my ribs as I landed. I caught his leg and attempted to pull him closer. He brought an elbow down on the top of my shoulder, and I slammed back into the ground. I sent a flurry of punches his way. He raised his guard, blocking the majority of them, then let out a roar, and threw me off of him with enough force to slam me into the wall of the pit.

He stood back up and started approaching me, but I launched myself from the wall, slamming my shoulder into him and launching him into the wall opposite. He was dazed, and I ran to the wall and began raining blows onto him. Alternating between his face, gut, and kidneys. He wasnt able to guard the attacks, and I alternated whenever he attempted to block my blows.

He managed to strike me in the chest, and chain together a long enough series of hits to push me back into the center of the pit. He held out his right hand, and I watched as the flesh of it rippled and changed, the tips of his fingers becoming points, and a blade of bone emerged from the edge of his hand along his pinky.

I had wondered what advantage hed had under his sleeves. Hed built one into all of the other challenges, and I didnt think he was stupid enough to think raw strength would be enough in this one.

He began slashing at me, forcing me back as I was unable to dodge his knife-fingered blows. He knocked me further and further back until I was against the wall, then he drove his hand through my gut, forcing me to cough blood.

He leaned in close. You tapping out? Theres a chance you could survive this.

I started laughing, blood spittle landing on his face as I did so. I began to concentrate, drawing all the radiation from the air around us, and even Bastien himself, concentrating intense heat where his hand was stabbed into me.

He cried out and pulled his hand from my gut as it started to singe and burn from the heat.

I could see my skin start to glow. I threw out a kick at his chest and heard a sickening crack. The wound in my gut started to stitch itself back together even as I got close. I kept laughing the whole time.

Louloup-garou, he muttered as he backed away from me.

Come on! Tell me youre not done? Heal from the broken ribs, start moving at enhanced speed, blast me with radiation! Dont tell me this is all you have? I could hear the desperation in my voice as I spoke. Id hoped he was closer to what I was, closer to the First, that I wasnt alone at this peak.

He didnt answer, just continuing to back away, a hand raising to his chest.

I felt my smile dip, saw the fearful looks from the crowd, and fought to calm myself down. It looked like Bastien wasnt quite up to the challenge Id hoped he was. I took two quick steps toward him, and punched him once in the side of the head, feeling disappointment as I held the full force of the blow back.

He wobbled, and fell backward, muttering and disoriented.

I let the glow fade from me, along with what was left of my smile, and the red that had encroached on my vision. Id say we could call this one.