I walked on the dark street alone, keeping a steady pace.

Not that the darkness or the possibility of being attacked scared me, but well, I couldn’t be late to my deathmatch, could I?

That was just rude.

Fortunately, I entered the arena just in time.

"Make your bets! Everyone, make your bets now" Screamed the dealer of the place.

I walked to the center of it, ignoring everyone. They knew who I was, from the last time I had fought here. My name was on the list of the schedule fights from this afternoon, so they let me pass without a problem. A big man was standing there, holding a butcher knife on his hand.

Patrick Gonzalez, the system told me. I knew his age and how many fights he had had so far.

He had collected 8 souls. Eight times he had fought, and eight times he had murdered someone. Two less times than what I had done.

Someone had been fighting a little more than what was necessary, then. Bloodthirsty bastard.

If anyone tried to start a duel with him now, the system would block it. A fight at a time, as says the rules. And his fight was already arranged.

His death was already waiting.

He tried to look frightening. He had painted his face a red color to look like blood. He was wearing a thick leather jacket, with white skulls on the shoulders. That may have looked frightening in another person, but on him, it looked a little silly. Like someone who was trying too much to prove something. It made me want to laugh.

I, on the other hand, was wearing a really simple outfit. The coat that my father gave me for my fifteenth birthday. My favorite pair of jeans. An old pair of sneakers. Simple things, none intended to intimidate.

Well, it was true that all of them were with some splashes of blood and some tears on the fabric, but it wasn’t my fault that my clothes would often get dirty. It was too much trouble to keep cleaning them over and over again. Intimidation wasn't my intention.

Even though the steel bat that I carried around was pretty intimidating.

I just wanted to get over with it, honestly.

"Last chance guys, place your bets now"

I looked straight into his eyes, and he gave me a twisted smile.

So forced. So desperate.

Did he know how much like a fool he looked? Probably he didn’t. Those things can be hard to notice in ourselves.

I guess he would die never knowing it.

Are you ready to start?

The System asked inside my head. After all this time, it didn’t feel weird anymore having this voice inside my head. A voice that feeds me information and answers to my thoughts, sometimes even before I can form them. Crazy how we can get used to something as weird as that. Makes me wonder what else humanity could get used to, given time. Probably everything. The existence of this freaking arena is proof enough of that.

I gave my confirmation.

His smile cracked for a second, when he felt my confirmation vibrating though his body. The audience also felt it. The air got tense. The fight would start soon, and they all knew it.

He stared at me, trying to analyze the situation. Had he made a mistake? Had he just accepted the invitation for his grave?

I saw the doubt on his face. The moment where he considered that, maybe, he wouldn’t be able to deal with me.

He sent his confirmation anyway.

I charged at the same moment.

Again, he hesitated. It was clear that he was used to fighting opponents that feared him, that waited for him to come.

But all my fears were long gone. They had become reality and devoured me when all of this started. My worst nightmares, turned truth in front of my eyes.

Still, I was fighting. Not entirely, but I had survived. I was alive.

Now, I feared no one.

So I charged the instant the fight started, hoping to end it quickly. But his reflexes were good, and he moved in time to dodge my blow aimed at his head. He wouldn't have survived this long if it was that easy to take him down. He’d been in life or death situations before and had gotten out in one piece. He could keep his cool.

Besides, there were all the boosts the System were giving him.

I tried again, but to no good. He managed to dodge my second, third and fourth blow. Regaining his footing, he moved precisely, careful with his guard, reacting at the same time I moved.

He tried to cut me with his big knife, but I jumped away, took my distance and started circling him. He kept following me with his eyes while I walked around him, turning his body, trying some slashes here and there, but in vain.

I was also fast and cunning. I’d fought against bigger foes and crushed them all. And the System was also boosting my movements. Didn't matter how much he tried, he couldn’t get to me.

But his hits were faster than I expected. Simply dodging and waiting for an opportunity wouldn't be enough. There was no guarantee that he would get tired first, even with his size. And I wasn’t the type to bet my destiny on luck or uncertain factors

I wouldn’t let someone else decide how my life ends.

I threw myself at him.

He panicked at my sudden attack but he stabbed at my heart even so. I ducked low, but couldn’t really get out of the way from it, and felt his cold blade piercing my left shoulder.

Sometimes it was necessary to make sacrifices to reach your goals. In this case, it was worth getting cut to get closer to him. Just some drops of blood in exchange for a better chance of hitting his. All worth it. I barely felt the pain.

I rolled and got up beside him, spinning and striking with all my momentum on his left ribs.

He let go of an animal howl, and tried to cut me with his knife again. This time I dodged it, and on his next try I hit him on his hand with all my strength.

I heard bones cracking.

With pitiful eyes, he followed his knife as it goes flying across the arena, way below his reach.

That was a mistake. Before he could turn his head and look back at me, I was already hitting him again.

Blood and teeth flew this time, and my opponent fall on the floor. He is screaming desperately now, but his shouts are muffed by the ones from the crowd:

"Finish this fucker” “Yeah, Kill him" "Open his skull" “Break more bones”

Fuck the crowd.

At moments like this, I feel the urge to kill them all.

I looked at my adversary, on the place he fell on the ground.

He was trying to get up, but he could only use one hand. He was trying to speak, but his jaw wasn't moving. He was trying to flee away, to survive.

Unfortunately, there can only be one survivor.

And I didn't want to die.

So I struck him again on his face, making his nose bent awkwardly to the left and knocking him on his back.

But he still wasn’t dead. Not after having consumed eight souls, as I knew he had.

Unfortunately for him, that just meant he would suffer longer.

I hit him again, breaking two ribs.

I hit him again, fracturing his hip.

I hit him again, smashing his shoulder.

He shrieked the whole time, until he stopped making sounds.

The System let me know when it was over. It also healed me completely, making me more rested that I was before the fight started. I felt freshly new.

Even though I had just taken one more life.

The cheers, encouragements and curses kept coming from the audience long after the duel was over. It had been a short one, but it had been enough to entertain them for some moments. Soon enough another duel would start, anyway. There was always another duel.

Plenty of opportunities to get off watching people kill themselves.

It’s disgusting. Loathsome. But I know the truth.

It makes them forget that, next time, they may be the one bleeding on the floor.

Next time, it may be their bones breaking for the amusement of others. They need it so they don’t go crazy. If they face reality too close, their minds will break.

Cowards and fools.

I left the arena, not sparing a second glance at the others.

For now, I was done.

But in ten days, I would come back. And again, I would rip the smile off someone’s face while people laugh and watch.

I had no choice, after all.