A month has gone since I resigned. For the past month I've been doing everything in my power to find out more about that lady.
Going through city after city just to find more clues about her, yet I've found little to nothing.
There's got to be a clue somewhere.
I continued to dig deeper into my search until, not long after, I was introduced to this underground fight tournament.
It was held in secret, and the purpose?
A qualification for a certain evil organisation...
At first, hearing this didn't spark any interest in me. I was even about to leave, until that individual showed me something that caught my attention. The organisation's symbol.
Back went I got a glimps of her she had a ring on her middle finger with surtain symbol.
The organisation symbol was the same as the one I saw on that lady's finger.
It was dark that night, and I was only able to catch a glimpse of the ring's design when she turned around and the light from the burning building flash on it just for a moment.
After careful consideration of his current situation, he make his decision.
"Fine, you got me… Since you provided this information, I would guess you'd be able to put me into this underground tournament."
The informant broke into laugher hearing my words. Catching his breath as he speak
"That place isn't suited for a powerless person."
Well, his words weren't wrong. With this kind of organisation, it would tend to attract troublesome people... Not that I cared much.
The informant, seeing the seriousness on his face, turned still.
"… If you don't value your life, that's fine. I can put you on the list… But the participants aren't the only thing that mat-"
Abruptly, before he could finish his sentence, a bag full of coins was thrown onto his table.
"That won't be a problem."
The informant's shocked expression turned into a smile as he dragged the bag into his arms.
"Oh well, whatever you say, dear customer... The tournament will be held two days from now after midnight, under the Great Cri Bridge. I'll meet you there. With this money, I'll enter you as a participant—plus the working fee. Don't be late."
After hearing all he had to say, I left the tavern.
Sigh. "Looks like this is my only chance to find what I'm looking for."
Walking into the busy street, he wondered what kind of weapon he should use.
Two days later, midnight.
The city wasn't as quiet as one might expect. In fact, it was still crowded even at this hour. Using this to my advantage, it was easier to get to where I wanted to go without being caught by the guards.
Checking the area for any patrols, I quickly made my way under the bridge. In the shade, the informant was already there.
He spoke first.
"You weren't late… What a surprise."
I gave no answer.
"… Going straight to business huh?... Come, follow me."
He pushed a single brick on the wall, and suddenly, the stone beside us began to contract and split apart. A hidden passageway formed, leading down into the depths.
I followed him, and the entrance closed behind us on its own.
As we descended deeper, the informant spoke.
"I picked a name for you in the tournament since you didn't provide me with anything… You'll go by the name Mori."
Unfazed by the name, I only gave a small nod, and we continued walking down the stairs.
The familiar sound of shouting and cheering closed in.
By the time we reached the bottom, we were hit with the deafening roar of the crowd.
A massive underground arena stretched before us, with countless spectators watching a match between two fighters.
As we made our way through the crowd, I watched the match unfold.
One fighter conjured flames in the palm of his hand, throwing them toward his opponent. Caught by surprise, the opponent was unable to react in time, and the fire struck him directly...leaving nothing behind but blackened remains.
The informant let out a small laugh.
"That's the kind of opponent you'll be facing… you still got time to back down."
But I left him without a respons.
Seconds later, we reached the side of the arena.
The informant spoke to who looked to be the event organiser.
As they conversed, I turned my gaze toward the other participants.
They all carried a serious, murderous intend while some looking outright terrifying. And from the looks of it, they all possessed some kind of power.
In this world, humans have two kinds of power. Magic or Curses.
The two can be similar or different depending on how they're used, but as far as I know, they're the only types of power humans can wield.
Lost in thought, I was snapped back to reality when the informant returned.
"... Your turn… Try your best to survive."
He patted my shoulder before leaving.
I took a deep breath and began taking off my upper clothes. I didn't want them to get dirty.
The event organiser gave me the signal, and before long, I was standing in the middle of the arena, shirtless.
The crowd fell silent.
I expected this reaction since I was new to this kind of place. But then, here came my opponent.
Each step he took shook the arena.
The once-silent crowd erupted into waves of cheers.
With a massive battle axe in hand, he made his way in front of me.
I muttered to myself.
"This won't end nicely, will it…? Well, it's about time I let myself loose for once."
Bringing my arms up, I took my stance.
The crowd roared even louder.
My opponent readied his axe and the match begin.