Chapter 7

One of the two youths stepped forward, shaking visibly. He faced a big red bear in the arena.

The fight was quick and one-sided. The youth didn't stand a chance against the strong bear. He got torn apart, scaring everyone watching.

The next youth, seeing what happened, said he gave up before his turn. People didn't like that.

They made him leave, with Fire Possoms guiding him out.

Then, it was the turn of a scavenger youth. He had to fight a big black wolf. His scavenging skills helped him win, but he got hurt.

When he left, he held his chest and breathed hard.

Next was a little girl. She had to fight a scary giant-horn python. Just as she was about to give up, Saibot stepped in.

"Let's trade," he said suddenly, giving her his stick.

Saibot faced the python confidently, surprising everyone watching.

He stayed calm as the snake came out of its cage. He dodged its attacks and found its weak spots. Slowly, he wore it down.

Finally, Saibot stabbed the python and took out its gallbladder. He ate it, getting stronger.

With one last hit, Saibot beat the python. Everyone was amazed.

As he left, Saibot saw Litcht, who smiled at him knowingly.

"Can I stay with you now?" Saibot asked, presenting the python's corpse as a gift.

Litcht chuckled, accepting the unexpected offering as they departed together, leaving the crowd in an uproar.

The Hayami Continent, like a big chessboard in the sea, was huge. The Truth Mountain Range split it, and in the southwest was a huge forbidden area covering almost 70% of the land. Only the northeast was good for living, with lots of cities.

Scavenger camps, where outlaws lived, were near these forbidden areas.

From a mountaintop, Saibot saw one camp, busy with people cooking and trading, especially in the morning. There were tents on the edge, and further in were sturdier buildings.

Beyond was a dark jungle, misty and hiding dangers.

"How do you feel after seeing it?" asked Captain Litcht from the mountain peak.

"It's like the slums," Saibot answered honestly after thinking for a moment.

Captain Litcht smiled and continued walking without saying anything.

Saibot followed behind him as they descended the mountain, getting closer to the campsite. Along the way, they encountered groups of people entering or leaving the campsite in pairs or threes. They all wore similar deep-gray leather coats.

These people showed reverence towards Captain Litcht and curiosity towards Saibot. This made Saibot even more curious about Captain Litcht's identity.

Eventually, they reached the plain below the mountain and arrived at the scavenger campsite. It was chaotic, with dust, leaves, and garbage scattered everywhere, giving it a grim atmosphere.

As they went deeper into the camp, Saibot saw various types of scavengers, including muscular ones like Bam, skinny and sinister-looking ones, and elderly ones who commanded respect.

Among them were also youths like Saibot, some of whom were disabled. Despite the variety, Saibot sensed spiritual energy emanating from them.

Various activities were happening in the camp, such as trading, sparring, and lounging in the sun. Saibot observed everything with narrowed eyes, noting the layout of the camp in his mind.

They approached a large wooden building at the center of the camp, resembling a colosseum. Saibot noticed rows of chairs surrounding a central arena, where ferocious beasts roared.

A middle-aged man with a three-stroke beard greeted them and asked about Saibot's name. Captain Litcht referred to him as "Kid" and explained that he knew the rules.

The man informed Saibot that he would be participating in the beast fights the next day, much to Saibot's surprise.

Captain Litcht instructed Saibot to follow the man, who led him to a wooden shed where he would stay. Inside, Saibot found four other youths, and they exchanged glances before settling down.

The conversation among the youths revolved around the martial training held regularly in the camp, which involved fighting mutated beasts. Saibot listened quietly, understanding the harsh reality of their lives.

The discussion turned to a calamity that occurred some time ago, and one of the youths asked about the little girl in the shed, who was revealed to be the sole survivor of the calamity.

Saibot observed the girl briefly before returning to meditation, focusing on cultivating his skills to survive in this harsh environment.

The next morning, they were summoned to the Beastfight Arena, where a crowd had gathered to watch the fights. and formulated a plan for the upcoming battle.

His expression didn’t change much, “The space isn’t very large, so it’s unsuitable for kiting. Since there is no cover, it is also unsuitable for hiding.”  Saibot analyzed the arena. 

"The fences are tall, so it's hard to lead danger towards the audience. But there are gates, maybe tunnels," Saibot observed.

"So... I can either use the crowd's noise to scare the beast and strike when I can, but that might make it angry. Or, I finish it quickly for the best chance," he concluded.

Saibot also noticed a middle-aged man in cotton clothes on a tall platform ahead. A group followed him, and he sat in the highest seat, though blurry from the distance. Saibot felt wary, sensing dense spirit energy from him, possibly the camp leader. Seeing the guy with the three-stroke beard reporting to him confirmed it.

As the camp leader sat, the guy on the platform gestured, and a wooden gate at the arena's boundary opened. Ferocious beasts' roars filled the air as scavengers emerged with cages. Inside were two giant wolves, a red-furred bear, and a suffering gibbon. The crowd reacted with fear and excitement.

"Why are there only four creatures?" Saibot asked, scanning the tunnel inside the wooden gate.

"They probably saved the best for last," one scavenger nearby replied.

Then, a gigantic metal cage was brought out, containing a giant horn python, making the crowd gasp.

"Giant-horn python!" someone exclaimed.

The leader nodded. "This time around, the camp leader managed to capture a giant-horn python. But then again, in his eyes, this python can’t be considered valuable at all."

The giant-horn python's appearance caused a stir among the spectators, who knew its reputation for strength and danger.

As the lots were drawn, the last to draw, the little girl, got the giant-horn python. She looked terrified as she held the bamboo slip.

Saibot frowned, realizing he got the smaller wolf. "Looks like I'll have my work cut out for me," he muttered to himself.

They were arranged behind a barricade, awaiting their match as the crowd cheered.