THE ELIMINATION ARENA ( One Hundred Enter. One Survives)

The King of Rats

The valley floor was a slaughterhouse.

Bodies everywhere. Blood soaking into sand. The fighting had died down. Only twelve players remained near the exit gate. Exhausted. Wounded. Watching each other like wolves.

"Now?" Jax asked.

"Now."

They descended from the watchtower. Quiet and careful. Daniel followed, gripping his pipe tight.

A large man stood at the center of the remaining group. Bald. Scarred face. Built like a tank. He shouted orders at others like he owned them.

[PLAYER 12: ROMAN VOLKOV]

[FORMER UNDERGROUND FIGHTER]

[KILLS: 11]

[THREAT LEVEL: HIGH]

"That's Roman," Jax muttered. "Heard about him. Calls himself the King. Built a crew by breaking skulls."

Roman spotted them approaching. His lips curled into a sneer.

"Well, well. Look what crawled out." He stepped forward, arms spread wide. "The famous Player 77. The military boy with the fancy sponsor gifts."

Kade said nothing. Just walked closer.

"You deaf, boy? I'm talking to you." Roman spat on the ground. "Victor Kane's little pet. Think you're special because some rich bastard sends you toys?"

"I think you talk too much."

Roman's crew laughed nervously. Their boss didn't.

"Funny guy." Roman cracked his knuckles. "You know what I think? I think you're nothing without your gifts. Strip away that fancy vest and pretty knife, and you're just another scared little man."

"Then come find out."

The air changed. Roman's smile faltered for a split second. Then returned, wider.

"Boys, hold his friends. This one's mine."

Four men moved toward Jax and Daniel. Jax raised his pistol.

"Touch us and I start shooting."

They stopped.

Roman circled Kade slowly. "No weapons. No help. Just you and me. Let's see what Victor Kane's favorite is really made of."

Kade handed his knife to Daniel. Removed the tactical vest. Stood in just his torn shirt and pants.

"Whenever you're ready, King."

Roman charged.

Fast for a big man. Fist like a sledgehammer aimed at Kade's skull.

Kade sidestepped. Let the punch sail past. Drove his elbow into Roman's ribs.

The big man grunted. Swung again. Wild and Angry.

Kade ducked. Countered with two quick jabs to the face. Roman's nose crunched. Blood spilled.

"That's all you got?" Kade asked calmly.

Roman roared. Tackled him. They hit the ground hard. Roman on top, raining down punches.

Kade covered up. Took two hits. Then trapped Roman's arm and twisted. The big man howled as his elbow bent the wrong way.

Kade rolled free. Stood. Roman struggled up, one arm hanging useless.

"You broke my arm!"

"I'm just getting started."

Roman lunged again. Desperate now. Sloppy.

Kade caught his good arm. Twisted. Swept his legs. Roman crashed face-first into the dirt.

Kade dropped his knee onto Roman's spine. Grabbed his hair. Pulled his head back.

"You wanted to know what I'm made of?" Kade whispered in his ear. "I'm made of every fight I survive. Every brother I lost in war. Every night I spent bleeding from scraps while my sister struggled in a hospital bed."

He slammed Roman's face into the ground. Once ,Twice.

"You're nothing. A loud mouth with a glass jaw. A king of rats."

Roman gurgled. Teeth scattered in the dirt.

"Please... please stop..."

Kade leaned closer. "Say it louder. Let your crew hear."

"I give up! I surrender!"

Kade released him. Looked at Roman's crew.

"Your king is done. Does anyone else want to test me?"

Silence. Eyes down. Fear radiating from every one of them.

"That's what I thought."

Jax whistled low. "Damn, Rivers."

Daniel stared with wide eyes. "You destroyed him."

Kade retrieved his knife and vest. His knuckles were bloody. It didn't matter. Pain was just a booster for him.

[DOMINANCE ESTABLISHED]

[REPUTATION INCREASED]

[PLAYERS REMAINING: 75/100]

Roman crawled away, broken and bleeding. His crew didn't help him. They just watched. The strong followed strength. And Roman wasn't strong anymore.

One of the crew members stepped forward. Young and fully nervous.

"We don't want trouble. Can we... can we just use the exit?"

Kade nodded. "Go."

They fled through the gate. One by one. Didn't look back.

Soon only Kade, Jax, Daniel, and the broken Roman remained.

"What about him?" Daniel asked.

Roman whimpered on the ground. Pathetic. The mighty king reduced to a bleeding mess.

"Leave him." Kade walked toward the gate. "Let him crawl to the exit. Or die in the dirt. His choice."

"You're not going to kill him?"

"Death is mercy. He doesn't deserve mercy."

They stepped through the gate. Blue light embraced them.

[SECTOR 5 COMPLETE]

[PROCEEDING TO SECTOR 6]

[ZONE 1 PROGRESS: 60%]

[PLAYERS REMAINING: 74/100]

The light faded. New terrain appeared. Darker and colder this time ,Storm clouds gathering above.

Daniel walked beside Kade. "Back there... you scared me."

"Good."

"I mean it really scares me. Like you enjoyed it."

Kade stopped. I looked at the kid.

"I didn't enjoy it. But I didn't hate it either." He held Daniel's gaze. "This game wants to turn us into monsters. The trick is controlling the monster. Using it. Not letting it use you."

"How do you know the difference?"

Kade thought of Maya. Her smile. Her innocent belief that her brother was a hero.

"Because I still have something worth fighting for."

Daniel nodded slowly. "Your sister."

"Yeah. My sister."

They kept walking. Jax caught up, slapping Kade's shoulder.

"That was the most brutal beatdown I've ever seen. Roman will never cope with that nightmare."

"He won't live much longer anyway. Someone will finish him."

The storm clouds rolled closer. Thunder rumbled. The wasteland was changing again.

But Kade felt something different now. Stronger. Clearer.

Twenty-nine players died. Seventy-one remained.

And every single one of them would learn the same lesson Roman just did.

Kade Rivers wasn't prey.He was the predator.