*BAM*

“Wake up scrub!”

*BAM,BAM*

Not the pleasant alarm that I’ve grown used to for the past few months, though I do admit the words used are marginally more polite than that jailer.

I hoisted myself off the sheets I had spread across the floor to escape the heat of the early summer and made my way to the door.

“Kitling?”

“It’s probably the trainer, you girls play nice and I’ll be back later.”

“Nnnn……”

Alephi was the most alert of the three….. I really need to figure out what to do with them.

“Yes?”

I swung open the door. It’s amazing how much killing kids improves your treatment in this place, the asshole actually didn’t come barging in!

…….fuck, I thought about it………..

“Oh! So the little lordling graces me with his presence.”

“Yes Sir!”

Fuck, I’m cranky this morning aren’t I? As I tense for a slap or some other form of physical abuse, it never comes. Instead I’m createdgreeted with a flat look that speaks volumes of what the old man before me thinks of my wit.

“Get moving, we have much to do.”

I’m still amazed they treat us like this, I mean really. If you woke up as a six year old like this on Earth he’d be scared out of his wits. Then again the other, actual, children in the room seem much more mentally mature than expected.

*SNAP, SNAP*

“Oi, I ain’t got all day. Get a move on.”

Drat, I keep going off on these tangents!

I wordlessly nod my head and leave with a quick backwards glance and smile to Alephi who is worriedly watching from where she and Marin had been sleeping. Yuli hadn’t even woken up.

Several minutes passed before I found myself alone with the old man in what appeared to be a training courtyard on the outskirts of the south side of the Arena.

“So, a six year old won this year. Furthermore I heard you killed hundreds!”

I remained silent, the guilt choking my throat.

“Hmmm…..you remember bits of it don’t you?”

I gazed up sharply at his words as our eyes met. Something was off…….this man seemed to………think?

It’s odd thinking like that, but so far many people seemed to be acting off base instincts as if I and those around me weren’t worth their time.

“No matter. This at least shows me where to start with a scrub like you.”

He stroked the short and well-oiled grey beard that jutted out from his chin and sharpened to a fine point.

“You’ll start by killing this.”

*SNAP*

With a snap and a point, a servant rushed to his side carrying a small cage. Within it was………

“A monkey!?”

“hohoho yes. Damn thing was expensive with their increasing popularity…..but I don’t train weaklings.”

“Huh?”

“If you can’t at least kill this creature you won’t be able to kill gladiators.”

He turned to walk away. Though, he seemed to have sensed my various misgivings about killing the monkey. He paused for a moment before glancing back at me.

“Also, should you be incapable of killing it, you will be immediately cast into the arena without having received any training.”

He slowly paced back into the shade of the hallways around the courtyard. The servant left as well after unlocking the cage door.

Now that I look at it more closely, rather than monkey I should say baboon. The massive fangs coming from the extended snout were unmistakable. On the whole it was grey in color with dusty yellow streaks running along its pelt. Is that supposed to be some kind of camouflage?

“RRaaawwwhhoooO!”

The hoarse cry sounded much like what the baboons of earth sounded like.

Must be posturing. That is a common trait amongst primates, we make ourselves appear vicious without having to fight.

It’s annoying. However…….do I have the will to kill it?

If I don’t, I’ll still end up having to kill to survive in the arena. However the people there will be skilled, unlike this baboon. So in a way this is killing to survive as well.

“Better get moving scrub. It’ll escape soon.”

“Huh?”

I looked back up………the little bastard was scarpering!

There’s no time to think deeply about this. I’ve killed people, I will kill more. I am blessed with almost the same absurd strength of the beast race and whatever Grand Archive is…. despite it appearing dormant, though mental magic has no effect on me.

……..However, I don’t currently have the strength to forcibly oppose an entire city.

Therefore, this is the best choice. I must kill this creature and continue living. Eventually I’ll have the power necessary to break free!

*Psssshhhoommm!*

“Hhoo?”

I heard an oddly amused sound of surprise from the old man as I covered the distance between myself and the baboon. Due to the vast difference between my strength and weight a single bound was enough to catch up to the little primate.

Ha, funnily enough I guess I’m no longer one myself.

“Ha!”

I punch as hard as I can. With this, its spine should be broken.

*ting!*

“Eh?”

“Mrruuukkaaahhhh!”

The baboon screamed in rage and pain as it was pressed into the ground by the attack. The opposing force of the collision caused me to fly back a bit before I landed lightly on the ground.

“OOOWWW!”

I looked at my hand, the knuckles had been bloodied and they didn’t move very well. Most likely they were micro-fractured, if I left them alone they’d heal in a few weeks.

“The fuck was that!?”

“Gggrrhhh.”

The baboon now turned to face me again. The dusty yellow streaks flashed slightly along its pelt.

Magic?

If I applied my old world’s logic on the subject, that would be some kind of body strengthening magic. However, I doubt I can completely apply my old world’s logic to this one based on what just happened. Though it’s safe to say either its skin or fur or both were hardened to reduce the force of the impact…

“Phew, at least it’s only that bad.”

My claws will be useless here and I’d prefer to protect my hands from that skin…..

“Concussion it is.”

I lower myself and unsheathe my claws. The baboon is more vigilant now and is trying to make itself appear large and terrifying.

Idiot primate, that won’t work.

*Psshh!*

I dash forward again, this time though I’m fully lateral. Thanks to this body I’ve become much more coordinated!

With relative ease I grab onto the ground with my claws and rotate the lower part of my body forward. With a push off the ground I vault over the baboon.

“Gotchya!”

I reach for its tail after landing, however it was quicker than I expected. It wheels about and bares its canines at me.

“oohAAH!”

“Grrraawww!!”

I growl in return before charging in again, let’s see if it’s hard on its face!

I extend my claws and rake them along the left side of its face. The baboon releases a pained howl in return before cuffing me on the side of the head!

“Gaahh!”

I’m flung across the courtyard for several feet before coming to a stop. Dazedly I hear its aggressive howls sound out as it nears.

“Urrkk.”

I slowly push myself into a crouching position, wincing from the pain in my head. Thankfully it had missed my ear so I could still hear just fine. If I had been human, that blow would probably have boxed my ear out of commission. As it were, I could hear it bounding across the hard packed dirt towards me. I slowly raised my head and, despite wincing at the pain, was able to make out its figure.

“UuRAWHHhh!”

It was on top of me! It widened its mouth, revealing its massive canines as it screamed directly at my face. It’s warm, noxious breath wafted over me, making my lip involuntarily curl in disgust.

“SHUT UP!”

With a roar I grasp at its neck! My claws are stopped by the hardened fur.

…..However……

“I knew it!”

There’s the adrenaline!

“Crush!”

I roar as I exert the full extent of the gripping force my hand can generate! The creature’s ability to resist my punch from earlier but not the scratch across its face confirmed everything. This baboon-like creature is able to harden its fur! But, the skin underneath is unable to. Even if the scratch could be discounted as a fluke due to the un-anticipated nature of the attack, the ability for it to move while under reinforcement shows that the skin would be unable to harden as well!

“Grraaoorrr—cchh! Kggurrgee!”

“Tch!”

The baboon’s roar cuts off as I increase the pressure on its neck, the hardened fur gives an odd resistance but I can still choke it! It pounds at my back and attempts to cave in my stomach with its feet. We are both just trying to survive at this point!

This child’s body is such a disadvantage! If I had a bigger body I could stun it by beating its head off the ground, but as it stands I can only crush its windpipe! I can feel the jugular vein throb as it still desperately attempts to pump blood to the brain. Its neck muscles bunch in knots as it resists the force of my grip!

“AAARRRRGGHHH!!”

“Kraow—hruuurrrkk!”

I continue to compress and compress. This thing must die.

It’s either me or it.

My future and their future rests on me gaining the ability to truly fight.

I need to become a killer.

It’s the only way!

‘Can you truly do it?’

……shut up! Of course I can! I must.

‘At the cost of what you once were?’

…….We aren’t Thomas anymore.

‘……Then who are we?’

That…….We’ll have to see…..but one thing is for sure!

‘What?’

Thomas died, died protecting Julie, protecting someone he cared about. If this is what comes after that death……then I think we must live with that as a guide.

‘…………’

It is our origin, but from here on out, we……no…….

I

‘I’

Exist!

‘Exist!’

“I WILL LIVE!”

“hwweeze”

The fists pounding on my back faded away. A dull ache on my stomach was all that was left of the incessant kicking.

I plopped back onto my butt and looked towards the old man.

“It’s…..gah……dead.”

The damage it did to my stomach made it difficult to breathe. I truly wonder how its ability worked……..

“Hmm, one point for effort.”

“Eh—hurk—guffaw!”

I fell into a coughing fit.

“You used only brute strength to kill it. What’s more, you severely damaged yourself in the process.”

I felt something warm on the hand that had been covering my face, it smelled of iron.

“Urrgghh.”

“Injuries to oneself are no good.”

The old man was suddenly in front of me…….when did he get there?

“However, you were able to kill it.”

His hand reached down, I tensed up involuntarily. It hesitated for a second then…..

*Toongg*

“ow!”

He flicked me! What’s more it made a weird hollow sound!

“Be present tomorrow in this courtyard by the time the sun first reaches the western wall. I won’t pick you up like some child like I did today. You are now a scrub, NOT a child.”

I looked up at him……it seemed he was expecting something……..oh…yeah.

“Yes.”

His eyebrow raised slightly.

“—sir.”

His expression scrunched in what seemed to possibly be confusion but then it seemed he dismissed whatever he was thinking about. Without any further words he strode off.

The servant that had brought the baboon out stepped forward.

“I will be leading you back to your quarters.”

“Ah…um ok.”

I glanced back at the carcass of the baboon.

“Is it alright if I come back for that?”

The servant’s mouth twisted in disgust. Fuck you too.

“You may do as you wish.”

With that he turned around and walked back through the long corridors of the Arena complex towards where the gladiatorial quarters were. Along the way I had plenty of time to think as I observed the turns we took and any landmarks so I could make my way back.

It was unpleasant.

I had to confront the fact that I had once again killed. While I may have made my resolution while choking the life out of that baboon…….it didn’t make it any easier to accept.

Eventually we reached the corridor where I and the girls resided. Without a word the servant strode off after pausing slightly to indicate that this was where I stopped following him. I’d give this zero stars for the service and a horrible Google review!

I shuffled down the corridor, pondering over why the old man had given me the rest of the day off and his odd reaction at the end.

That was until it hit me…….

“Ah…..he must’ve been expecting me to call him master.”

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After a long winters hibernation I have returned! I also came up with a direction for the current few chapters that will connect it to the big events I want to write in the future! You all haven't seen the last of me!