"So, without our consent, you put us each into a gladiatorial fight, against the fake heroes party that we defeated six weeks ago?" Nicko asked Harrian

"Why!"

The party were now talking above the gladiator circle, where the king would've watched.

"It was either that, or their team goes on a rampage, I believe that there are other people with [Hero] as their job,"

"But why put me first,"

"[Tank] which is you, [Archer] which is Kaloko and then [Rogue] which is Atogin, according to our abilities, he'll face me last,"

"But didn't they have a mage girl last time?"

"They did... but I think they might've… killed her to gain that power," Harrian put his hands down and clenched them. Right after, Nicko put his right hand on Harrians right shoulder and replied.

"I swear upon [The god of the earth], that I will return alive, no matter how many wounds I might have, to everyone here."

They looked at the stadium and saw that Aelor and his group were now creating a scene in the ring, raising their hands, waiting for the battle to begin. Both of the groups then saw each other and their eyes locked, Aelor's gaze being the deadliest of them.

A cough from behind Harrian caught his attention, he looked back and saw that the king was sitting on his throne. Within the king's hand, there was an orb, he looked at it and wondered what it was. Soon afterwards, the king spoke.

"Greetings everyone, my name is George Roam Kilvian, and welcome to today's matches," The crowd began to cheer. Harrian then realized that it was an orb that transmitted sounds, like a microphone to a speaker. "Today we have a unique event, a tournament of the hero's party, against some fakers that have grown to powerful,"

The crowd began to cheer and boo, the group looked around the colosseum and saw that it was full, exactly what Aelor wanted. Everything was fine until Nicko was picked up by a circle of wind and gently floated down into the colosseum.

Almost all of Aelors team were flung to a gate that connected to the colosseum, other than one. The [Half-Giant] that Nicko faced off last time had grown another head, his body all bulging with muscles, all he had on was just a short shirt made of fur and his eyes were pure black like Aelor's.

"May the contestants begin the fight." The king's voice echoed throughout the second before the crowd erupted.

Nicko cracked his fists before going into the first attack. He jumped forward and punched him right in the face, creating a small shockwave in the process. The used to be [Half-Giant], looked at him, with a face of anger, he swiped his hand and sent Nicko rolling across the colosseum.

"Nicko!" Kaloko yelled.

"Don't be worried, I trained him, he can handle it," A large white bear demihuman with fur covering every part of his body, put his right arm on Kaloko's left shoulder.

"You're a" Kaloko looked up at the bear.

"An advanced demihuman evolved three times more than you're owl friend over there," He pointed at Atogin.

"You're a [Polar bear],"

"I was once one, but now I'm an [Glacial Polar Bear],"

"But, what about Nicko? He's down on the ground,"

"And as I said, he can handle it. A [Dark-Giant's] strength isn't compared to mine."

The group watched him, Nicko got back up, now with a smile on his face. He put out his hand and made a gesture telling the [Dark Giant] to bring it. Now angry, the giant began to run towards him, trying to punch Nicko but missing each one.

Nicko's strategy was trying to tire the [Dark Giant] out after the giant began to tire a bit, Nicko went in for the attack. Each time the [Dark Giant] swung his massive hands, Nicko changed his scales to [Iron] on his fist and began to hit hard around the [Dark Giant's] ribs and face.

Each hit the crowd cheered, and each hit the giant became worse. Nicko was able to get more and more hits in, one, then two, then three. Although it happened much slower, Nicko's scales began to turn back to normal, but he knew that his victory was in sight, except it wasn't.

In the shadows of the entrance, Aelor raised his left hand and a mysterious force began to flow to the colosseum, seventy-two people within the colosseum did the same thing, standing up and holding out their left hand.

All of the mysterious force began to disappear into the [Dark Giant]. His body began to grow again, his black hair grew longer, and purple veins began to bulge throughout his body. Nicko began to slow down, hoping for the [Dark Giant] to surrender, but it wasn't the case.

The [Dark Giant] picked Nicko up by the throat and lifted him into the air. Nicko looked at him again and noticed the size difference as well as something else. The pure black eyes now had a purple iris, as well as around his eyes were bulging as well.

Nicko was beginning to struggle, the [Dark Giant] wasn't trying to kill Nicko, he was just watching Nicko begin to suffer by crushing his voice box. After a while of utter silence throughout the crowd, the [Dark Giant] began to say something.

"Any last words, [Dragon]?" The [Dark Giant] yelled in a deep voice.

"You'll eat shit, whilst I eat you!"

Nicko used his hands to escape the [Dark Giant's] grasp, whilst biting him, making blood support everywhere. The [Dark Giant] became so angry that instead of killing Nicko, he picked him up with his non-injured hand and threw him. Nico skidded on the ground before colliding with a wall, creating a cloud of dust.

Kaloko yelled again, but the [Glacial polar bear] demihuman was telling her not to worry.

Inside the smoke, Nicko was still alive, and he swallowed something that was in his mouth. Soon after, a small status screen appeared in front of him.

[New materials ingested]

[Ability [Glutton] Activated]

[Please wait…]

[You have gained the ability [Martial Arts]]

[Please choose what [Martial Art] this ability will be assigned to]

"Well isn't that easy?" Nicko talked to himself before muttering the rest of the words.

Meanwhile, where the rest of the group was, Kaloko was beginning to lose patience.

"Did he lose, you were his teacher, DID HE LOSE!?" Kaloko yelled the giant [Bear] demihuman.

"Just call me Sivent, but now that [Dark Giant] has only been fighting Nicko whilst he's not at his true potential,"

"What do you mean?"

"Did you not think that I didn't train him for six weeks, watch,"

Everyone focused their attention on the dust cloud and watched it settle. Nicko was still in the wall, still unconscious, eyes closed, his marking underneath his eyes was beginning to fade. After the markings disappeared, Nicko opened his eyes, to reveal something different.

His iris changed from an amber to a bright red. His hair grew and scales began to expand throughout his body. Nicko's teeth became yellow and his jaw now stood out more, the small stumps on his forehead began to grow into small horns.

Nicko's body also grew an extra head, making him seem even more deadly. His veins also became visible, they began to pulse red which made it even more obvious with his tan skin.

"[Draconic rage], an ability all [Dragon-like] beings have, it's a boost to their overall stats, but it only lasts for a short time," Sivent explained.

"So Nicko's on a timer?" Atogin asked.

"Correct."

"How long could Nicko go before he can't fight anymore since that ability activated?"

"My guess is two minutes, but I believe that's all the time he needs."

Nicko punched his fists together, using [Scale change] in that small moment. Nicko's hands and arms up to his elbow began to turn into a molten look, his scales grew in size and became black, revealing little cracks of skin between each one.

Sivent saw what Nicko was doing and slammed his right hand into the stone handrail, leaving a fist marking engraved into it.

"Dammit! Why!" Sivent yelled. "Why in all the rare metals he had eaten, why did he have to choose the most dangerous!"

"What's wrong with the metal Nicko's scales have changed into?" Harrian walked up to Sivent.

"It's a metal known as [Molte], a dangerous weapon, any blade made of it will always create heat, no matter how cold it is,"

"I don't see why that is so bad, Nicko could probably use that to apply some third-degree burns to the [Dark Giant],"

"It's fine as a weapon, but deadly to the flesh. If Nicko doesn't defeat that [Dark Giant], his arms will receive horrible scorch marks and damage, not even that of a [Elixir] the king would use wouldn't heal it. Nicko might never move his hands again if he doesn't win this fight!"

The group now all hoped that Nicko would finish the fight even quicker now. The [Dragon kin] began to smile and jump on the spot, protecting his head with his arms. The group realized what he was doing so they decided to calm down.

The [Dark Giant] was charging at Nicko, ready to throw the final punch. Nicko braced himself throwing some air punches before dodging the punch, jabbing the [Dark Giant] in the jaw twice before changing to the uppercut.

Sivent used his other hand to slam into the handrail and gripped it there.

"How! How just now he learned [Martial Arts]!" Sivent yelled, even capturing the attention of the king.

"Nicko's unique ability, [Glutton], anything he eats he will gain a new ability from it or make one level up, but only once for each monster," Kaloko explained.

"But even in all my years, I have never seen a stance like that, he's even jumping on the spot for some reason,"

"It's called the [Swarmer Style] from a martial art called [Boxing], an ancient battle technique from a place far away from here,"

Sivent calmed down. "I don't know anything about this new [Martial Art], so let's see how he uses it."

Nicko was now hooking the [Dark Giant] in the chest, now leaving black scorch marks, some parts now showing muscle and bones. The [Dark Giant] was still attacking, but now every time he moved, the pain would flow through him.

Nicko's arms began to smoke, telling everyone that the damage from the [Motle] metal, although he wasn't slowing due to it, instead he used it to his advantage. Nicko's fists began to turn a bright red, with only them smoking now.

Nicko then uppercut the [Dark Giant] sending himself a metre in the air. His right hand then turned into a fist that was on fire. He punched the [Dark Giant] so hard into the face, that the sound from his fist could be heard throughout the stadium.

The giant fell onto the rock hard floor, his right cheek now scorched with a forever reminder on Nicko. Nicko's [Molte] hands were now pitch black, and his [Draconic Anger] had just run out.

He put his right foot on the [Dark Giant's] chest and smiled. Nicko then put his left hand into a fist and put it high in the air, making the entire colosseum cheer. The King saw that and got that sound orb and spoke into it.

"I hereby declare the [Dragon Kin] known as Nicko Jern the victor in this colosseum duel!"

After those words were heard through the entire colosseum, Nicko passed out onto the [Dark Giant], with a grin on his face.