Chapter Two: The Arena of Survival
Ethan sat on the cold metal bench, his fingers tracing the rough fabric of his gray jumpsuit. The dimly lit barracks were filled with the murmurs of the other prisoners, each lost in their own thoughts, some sharpening makeshift weapons, others stretching or meditating. The tension in the air was suffocating. No one knew exactly what awaited them in The Ultimate Battle, but one thing was clear—only the strongest would survive.
A loud buzzer blared overhead, cutting through the uneasy silence. The heavy steel doors groaned open, and a group of armed guards stormed in.
"Move," one of them barked, pointing toward the exit.
Ethan rose, his muscles still sore from his capture. He exchanged a quick glance with a young girl beside him—she couldn't have been older than fourteen, her sharp green eyes filled with fear. Ethan clenched his fists. They're throwing kids into this fight too?
The prisoners marched in a tight formation through a long, sterile hallway until they reached an enormous chamber. The ceiling was high, lined with floodlights that cast harsh shadows across the room. At the center stood Mr. X, his hands clasped behind his back, the same unreadable expression behind his reflective visor.
"Today," Mr. X began, his voice echoing off the steel walls, "you prove your worth."
He gestured toward a massive reinforced door at the far end of the room. It slowly began to rise, revealing a vast arena beyond. The ground was a mix of dirt and concrete, scattered with obstacles—twisted metal beams, concrete slabs, and abandoned machinery. High above, watchtowers lined the perimeter, armed guards stationed at every corner.
Ethan swallowed hard. This wasn't just a fight—it was a warzone.
"You will be divided into teams," Mr. X continued. "Only those who emerge victorious will advance. The rest… well, let's just say failure is not an option."
A murmur rippled through the prisoners. Ethan felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see a tall, muscular man with a jagged scar across his cheek.
"Name's Jax," the man said. "You fight well?"
Ethan hesitated before nodding. "Well enough."
Jax smirked. "Then stick with me. We're gonna need all the help we can get."
Before Ethan could respond, the guards began separating the prisoners into groups. The young girl from earlier was placed on his team, along with Jax and two others—a wiry man with a shaven head and a woman with cybernetic implants along her arms.
The arena gates slammed open.
"Survive," Mr. X commanded.
Then, the chaos began.
From the opposite end of the arena, another team charged forward. Ethan barely had time to react before a massive figure lunged at him, wielding a metal pipe. Instinct took over—he sidestepped, ducked, and drove his fist into the attacker's ribs. The impact sent the man staggering, but it wasn't enough to take him down.
Ethan cursed under his breath. Without his powers, he wasn't as strong as before.
Nearby, Jax was grappling with two opponents, using sheer brute force to hold them off. The young girl was nimble, dodging blows and using her small size to her advantage. But the fight was far from over.
Ethan scanned the battlefield. If they wanted to survive, they needed a strategy.
And fast.