The Last Road Home

Chapter 5

Aren's second match was about to begin. After finishing dinner to restore the energy he had lost during his battle with Grimjaw, he waited outside the arena with Liora hovering beside him. The three golden-haired women who had cared for him earlier had already left, and a massive wooden door stood between him and the crowd waiting on the other side.

“The Ogræking's weak spots are around its neck and beneath its chin,” Liora explained. “But thick muscles protect those areas, so you'll need to hit them with considerable force.”

Aren glanced at his empty hands. “And what about a weapon? Am I supposed to fight another monster with my bare hands?”

“You can claim a weapon from an opponent you've defeated, but Grimjaw didn't carry one. There's nothing for you to collect, so you'll have to manage without it.”

“Damn it.”

Aren had barely survived his first battle, and he wasn't confident that his special trait would save him against a stronger opponent. The lack of a weapon made his situation even worse.

“There's some good news, though,” Liora continued. “Since the Ogræking is an S-rank monster, every successful hit you land on it will increase your strength fivefold instead of doubling it.”

Aren looked at her in surprise. “Five times with every successful hit?”

“Exactly.”

The information gave him some hope. If he could land enough blows without taking a fatal hit himself, his strength could increase dramatically. The challenge was getting close enough to attack without being crushed.

“Is this my final match?” he asked. “If I win, can I finally leave the arena?”

Liora nodded. “Thunderthopia usually holds three matches for its challengers, with an S-rank monster as the final opponent. Win tonight, and your matches will be over. Lose, and you'll die.”

Before Aren could ask anything else, the massive door began to open. Deafening cheers poured through the widening gap, and the noise grew louder as the entrance revealed the brightly lit arena.

“It's time,” Liora said. “Go out there and do your best.”

Aren gave her a brief nod before stepping through the doorway alone. As he walked toward the center of the arena, thousands of spectators came into view, their faces turned toward him.

The Phoenix tears had healed his injuries, but they had done little to ease his nerves. He had arrived in this world only that day, and now he was being forced to fight another monster that could kill him with a single mistake.

Can I really win this one? he wondered.

His gaze moved across the front rows until he noticed two young boys watching him with excited expressions.

“You can definitely win again!” one of them shouted, clenching his fists. “Don't disappoint me!”

Aren smiled at the boy's enthusiasm and clenched his right fist.

“Alright. Let's do this,” he murmured.

As he surveyed the royal section, he noticed a man seated between the two entrances. The man had hazelnut-brown hair, a matching mustache, and a golden crown. Gold stripes decorated his red robe, marking him as someone of considerable importance.

“That must be King Galen of Esteria,” Aren whispered.

A young woman sat beside the king, wearing an elegant white gown. When their eyes met, she quickly looked away, apparently surprised to find him watching her. A moment later, however, she glanced back and offered him a gentle smile.

Aren felt his heart skip a beat. He had spent much of the day surrounded by beautiful women, but that simple gesture affected him in a way he hadn't expected.

Who is she? he wondered, stealing another glance at her.

A loud trumpet interrupted his thoughts. The crowd roared as the wooden doors on the opposite side of the arena began to open.

Aren turned toward the entrance, and his smile disappeared.

Unlike Grimjaw, who had attacked with reckless aggression, the Ogræking emerged at a steady pace. A thick chain hung from one ankle, connecting it to a massive iron ball that scraped noisily across the ground. The monster's enormous frame was covered in thick muscles, and two long tusks protruded from its lower jaw. In one hand, it carried a wooden club large enough to crush a man with a single blow.

Aren swallowed and recalled Liora's advice.

Aim for its neck or beneath its chin. Every successful hit will multiply my strength by five.

He began bouncing lightly on his feet to prepare his muscles for the fight. Several spectators noticed his movements and exchanged puzzled looks.

“What is he doing?” one man asked.

“Who knows? He's about to fight the Ogræking, after all. That's King Galen's personal monster.”

While the spectators whispered, a bald man standing beside the king raised his hand and released a pulse of magic. The chain around the monster's ankle vanished, leaving it free to move.

The Ogræking tightened its grip on the club and fixed its hostile gaze on Aren.

“My name is Ogru,” it announced in a deep, rumbling voice. “Remember it well, because I'll be the creature that kills you.”

Aren stared at it. “You can talk?”

“I said my name is Ogru!” the monster roared.

Aren remembered Liora's explanation that monsters ranked S or higher possessed intelligence and could speak, unlike many weaker creatures. They were also powerful enough to overwhelm opponents who could easily defeat lower-ranked monsters.

And he had to face one without a weapon.

The match began, and Ogru immediately charged.

Aren spread his feet shoulder-width apart and moved his right foot backward, preparing to meet the attack. The monster's heavy steps shook the ground as it closed the distance, raising its club above its head.

Aren waited until Ogru was within reach before springing forward.

“Take this!”

He jumped and drove his right fist into the monster's cheek with all his strength.

BOOOOM!

The impact released a powerful burst of air, sending Ogru stumbling backward. The monster nearly fell, but it planted its club against the ground and used the weapon to steady itself.

A notification appeared before Aren's eyes.

[SUCCESSFUL HIT CONFIRMED.]

[SPECIAL TRAIT ACTIVATED: RETALIATION GROWTH.]

[STRENGTH INCREASED FIVEFOLD.]

A surge of power spread through Aren's body. His muscles tightened, and even his movements felt different. He raised his hands, amazed by the change.

“Wow! I can actually feel how much stronger I've become!”

Ogru was still standing, however, and its expression twisted with rage.

“I'LL KILL YOU!” it bellowed, gripping the club tightly.

Aren raised his fists. Back in his original world, he had played video games in which learning an enemy's attack patterns could mean the difference between victory and defeat. He had no guarantee that the same principle applied here, but watching Ogru carefully was better than attacking blindly.

“Let's see how many hits you can take,” he said with a confident smile.

King Galen leaned forward in his seat, watching the fight with growing excitement.

“Don't lose, Ogru!” he shouted. “You'd better win this match and earn me a fortune!”

Ogru answered by charging again, but instead of swinging its club, it pulled the massive weapon back and hurled it at Aren.

The attack came so quickly that Aren barely had time to react. He bent his knees and launched himself backward, completing a backflip as the club tore through the space where he had been standing.

The weapon crashed into the arena floor with a thunderous impact, scattering dust and fragments of broken stone.

For a moment, the stadium fell quiet. Then the spectators erupted into cheers, impressed by Aren's ability to evade the attack.

Aren landed on his feet and fixed his gaze on Ogru. The monster had lost its weapon, giving him an opportunity to attack, but he knew better than to assume that an S-rank opponent would be easy to defeat without it.

“Alright,” he muttered, lowering himself into an attacking stance. “Let's finish this quickly.”

He pushed off the ground and charged toward Ogru, ready to land his next successful hit.