Desperate Bloody Battle

He clutched a small coin purse in his hand, looking like he'd had a good haul. However, by the light of the guard's torch, I saw he was covered in blood.

"How are you, Jeram? You look badly injured?"

"This isn't just my blood, it's that beast's blood too!"

Jeram panted, his words filled with immense hatred. I didn't know who the "beast" he spoke of was. Seeing how exhausted he was, I didn't press him.

When dawn broke, I faced my third battle. Eight people stood opposite me, all radiating killing intent.

While defeating three opponents alone was simple, the difficulty of one-on-one combat multiplied with each additional opponent. This fight, I suspected, wouldn't be so easy.

These poor slaves, I didn't know which tribe they belonged to. Most of them were incapable of fighting alone. To make the gladiatorial combat more exciting, or perhaps more bloody, the masters grouped them together to face their enemies.

To put it bluntly, they were mostly sacrifices. It was best if they won, but their loss wouldn't be a great concern. Today's eight were no exception.

Compared to the previous two battles, this one took a lot out of me, and I sustained many wounds. Still, they weren't my match, and I killed one of them not long after.

I didn't want to slaughter them indiscriminately, so after killing one, I stopped attacking, hoping they would surrender and spare their lives. But they didn't stop, fighting me desperately, and eventually, they angered me.

I picked up the fallen warrior's spear and thrust it at them. These men were no match for me with their bare hands; how could they stand against me now that I had a weapon?

Before long, the remaining seven were impaled one by one. I gave each of them a chance to beg for mercy, but they never surrendered. It seemed their masters were very skilled at training them.

I didn't care about their wails or the blood staining the ground. All that mattered to me were the cheers and shouts rising in waves.

So, even in a place like this, there was glory comparable to the battlefield. Oh, no, this was also a battlefield, a small battlefield for each individual, perhaps even more thrilling!

As the guards escorted me back to the stone prison, Jeram started groaning, saying he was dying and needed medicine.

Only then did I see the horrific wounds on his body: claw marks that went bone-deep, flesh missing from his thigh and shoulder.

Weapons couldn't inflict such wounds; only the claws and fangs of a beast could!

The guards paid no mind to his cries, scolding him before leaving. Suddenly, I remembered Jeram's words from yesterday: "This isn't just my blood, it's that beast's blood too."

"Jeram, who was your opponent yesterday?"

"A Northland Giant Wolf."

"Forcing people to fight beasts, how cruel!"

"I am a Berserker from Freljord. They've never treated me like a person..." Jeram began to tell me about his tribe.

He was a member of the Berserker Clan, affiliated with Sejuani's Winter's Claw, a tribe located further south in Freljord.

Years ago, Sejuani had raided the northern reaches of Noxus. Later, Noxus attacked the Winter's Claw in retaliation, and the Berserker Clan bore the brunt of it. Jeram had gone out to find his brother to deal with the enemy, but he was captured and brought here along the way.

"If my brother were here, he would definitely lead us to repel the Noxian army. He's someone who can turn the tide of fate. It's a shame I was captured before I could find him..."

Jeram spoke highly of his brother, recounting many of his heroic deeds with evident admiration. At the same time, I guessed who he was talking about—Olaf!

I didn't have any particular feelings for the hero Olaf, but in this world, hearing a familiar name always brought a sense of comfort. Knowing this, I felt even more favorably towards the talkative giant, Jeram.

"Stop talking for now, rest a bit. I'll call a doctor for you."

"It's no use. They don't care if I live or die."

"Perhaps there's another way!"

I loudly called for the guards and gave them all the silver coins I had saved, begging them to find a doctor.

This tactic worked, and before long, the guards brought a doctor, along with some surprising news: Tahm Kench had invited me to dinner.

I didn't know what scheme he was hatching, but I had no choice but to accept. Led by the guards, I arrived at his residence. Tahm Kench stared at me with a sly grin:

"Sit down, Zhao Xin. Don't be polite, eat your fill first, then we'll talk."

"Let's talk about business first, Lord Kench, or I won't be able to eat comfortably."

"Alright. Making you fight eight people today was a test. As expected, you passed with flying colors. Now, I want to give you an opportunity, a chance to turn your life around. Do you want it?"

Hearing this, I became interested and looked seriously into his eyes. I didn't believe he was acting out of kindness, but I couldn't see any other motive besides greed:

"I am willing to serve you. What do you require of me?"

"I want to see your true strength. So, after your injuries heal, I'll arrange another fight for you. You know, Uzi has already lost two matches, and he's very angry now, desperately demanding another challenge against you. Your bounty is one hundred gold coins. If he loses, he's willing to pay double."

"What's in it for me?"

"If you win this fight, I'll give you freedom!"

My heart stirred at this. Freedom? Wasn't that exactly what I needed right now? Just as I was about to thank him, he spoke again:

"Don't misunderstand. This freedom refers to freedom within the arena. Meaning, you won't have to return to that dark stone prison anymore. Besides the arena, there's also a training ground here where my loyal servants live. You can train with them, and you don't have to worry about food."

This catfish monster was truly calculating. I knew he wouldn't let me off easily. So, it was just a change of living quarters. But that was fine too; at least it would be more comfortable, and I could spar with others to hone my skills.

When I returned, I told Jeram everything that had happened. He looked a little sad: "Finally, I met someone I could talk to, and now you're leaving so soon. But congratulations, this is a rare and good opportunity."

"Don't worry, brother. If I can get close to him, I can gain his trust, and then I'll plead on your behalf. But until then, you must survive!"

Although we hadn't known each other long, I had a very good impression of Jeram, especially since he was Olaf's brother. It was hard to say if we'd meet again in the future.

After my injuries healed, I impatiently asked the guard to relay a message to Tam. Soon, I received a reply: I could fight that afternoon.

This time, Uzi brought ten people with him. They felt significantly different from the others. These individuals wore animal hides, and their exposed skin was covered in various tattoos. Their eyes were like those of ferocious beasts, and the steel knives in their hands gleamed.

Tam shouted loudly from the high platform: "For this battle, Lord Uzi's 'Ten-Man Squad' will challenge Zhao Xin! You know, the Ten-Man Squad is Lord Uzi's trump card, invincible, and no one dares to accept their challenge. But today, my warrior Zhao Xin has volunteered to accept the challenge! Let us cheer for the victor! The match begins!"

As Tam gave the order, the Ten-Man Squad lunged forward together. Their speed was so great that I found it difficult to cope. I quickly ran to the wall, ensuring my back wouldn't be attacked.

This time, I wasn't unarmed. I had been issued a steel spear. However, facing their strange moves, I still found it hard to parry. Soon, my waist was grazed.

"Kill him! Kill them! Guts spewing, brains exploding!" the crowd on the stands shrieked hysterically.

The Ten-Man Squad's coordination was incredibly tacit. They always managed to neutralize my attacks and take the opportunity to cut me.

At first, they only grazed my skin. As the fight deepened, deeper wounds began to appear on my body. Even worse, they were already close to surrounding me.

Facing such an orderly assault, rash action would only lead to more wounds. And once this encirclement was formed, it would be difficult for me to win. I had to calm down and think of a solution!

At this moment, I remembered the swordsmanship Fiora had taught me. I used to think it was all show, but now I realized there were many exquisite aspects to it.

Although I held a steel spear, the techniques were universal. And in this situation, a long spear was actually more advantageous.

With this thought, I unleashed Laurent's Rapier Technique. My fierce attacks suddenly became unpredictable. The Ten-Man Squad was somewhat taken aback and immediately reduced their offense, strengthening their defense. I finally had a moment to catch my breath.

But the good times didn't last long. Once they adapted to the rapier technique, my situation became difficult again, and my wounds continued to increase. However, after fighting for so long, I no longer felt pain. My mind was entirely focused on how to win!

Eventually, they outflanked me, forming an encirclement. Watching them close in, I felt a sense of despair. It seemed I had no choice but to go all out!

I still had a trump card I hadn't revealed, though I wasn't sure if it would work!

They continuously tightened the encirclement, getting closer and closer to each other. Too many people in too close proximity would only restrict their own movements. All I needed to do was find their weak point and strike with all my might to take down one person, which would disrupt their formation.

At this moment, I noticed the person to my front left. He was relatively tall. Such individuals often possessed ample strength but lacked agility. Rather than choosing someone with less strength but more flexibility, it was better to target this big guy. My mind was made up; I decided to break through with him!

I thrust my spear forward. As expected, the person behind me immediately attacked, intending to neutralize my assault as before.

But this time, I didn't stop. I suddenly leaped up. Since I was already covered in wounds, I didn't care about getting a few more, as long as I avoided vital spots!

This move caught everyone off guard. However, the big guy wasn't flustered and chose to face my challenge head-on. This was exactly what I wanted!

When his steel knife swung down, I unleashed my trump card: I applied Laurent's Mind Blade to my steel spear, parrying his attack at an incredible angle, and then pierced his throat!