Gladiatorial Combat

"Those people used for the warm-up were Rebel Army prisoners?"

Inside the cave, the Gladiators watching the combat zone cried out in shock. Upon hearing this, Oeno rushed to the iron-barred window, gripping the bars with both hands as he looked out at the combat zone.

He had not seen those people while they were still alive. All he saw were fragments scattered across the ground.

Oeno's eyes searched anxiously across the Red Sand covering the combat zone floor. He found a living person buried beneath the fragments, and the tense, grave expression on his face eased somewhat.

The survivor crawled out, and only then did Oeno and the other Gladiators realize that he had lost both legs below the waist.

The survivor wriggled across the ground.

In the Gladiators' eyes, a long red object dragged beneath the survivor's waist.

Seeing that there was still one living person, one of the Servant Knights brought by the Golden Armor Knights moved.

The Servant Knight charged toward the survivor on horseback, leveling his lance.

"Damn it..." The survivor let out a wail. No longer trying to find a weapon, he struggled to turn his body and face the stands.

He drew in a deep breath.

That breath transformed within his furious chest, ultimately becoming a roar that surged from his throat.

"I'll fuck every High-Rider's entire family!"

The next second, the survivor became a corpse hanging from the Servant Knight's lance.

The Servant Knight's modified arm easily held up the lance with the corpse skewered upon it as he rode across the Red Sand.

The corpse hanging from the lance was like a flag, a warning.

The Gladiators witnessed this moment with their own eyes. Some were filled with righteous indignation, some remained indifferent, and some even thought the warm-up had been pretty cool.

The warm-up was over. Now it was the Gladiators' turn to enter the field.

The lights inside the cave began to flicker.

The gate opened.

Rows of Security Automata stood neatly arranged, holding shock batons as they waited for the gate to open completely.

The Gladiators turned and walked outside.

"I think all of us are going to be killed by them." Angron caught up to Oeno and looked at his gloomy face. "What weapons will the Arena give us?"

"We won't all be killed." Oeno gritted his teeth. "They'll keep some of the ones who perform well, and then the slaughter will stop."

Angron nodded lightly.

"The slaughter won't stop," Qin Xa said meaningfully.

The Gladiators left the cave, then, under the supervision and beatings of the Security Automata, were driven like a flock of sheep toward a room along the corridor. It was the armory.

To Angron's great disappointment, there was nothing good in the armory at all, only cold weapons.

The Gladiators were already used to it. They went over and snatched up the weapons they were skilled with and liked.

One weapon was especially popular among the Gladiators here—the Trident.

In the end, all the good weapons were taken. Not even a single shield remained. Only then did Angron hesitantly choose what he considered a fairly useful weapon—a Two-Handed Axe.

Qin Xa picked up a weapon only after Angron did. He casually took a sword.

The sword looked like a dagger in his hand.

After leaving the armory almost at the same time as Qin Xa, Angron kept watching him.

From this person, the Primarch saw a certain quality—modesty.

But he did not know that Qin Xa was not particularly modest. He simply felt that he had no use for a proper weapon.

Together with the other Gladiators, Qin Xa was escorted by the Security Automata to the gate leading into the combat zone.

The gate slowly rose.

Red Sand and swirling dust appeared in view alongside the light.

"Finally! Finally! The main event is about to begin!"

"Let us welcome the arrival of the Gladiators with a round of applause!"

"And the highly anticipated, heavily wagered-on rookie with immense potential, Angronnnnnnnn!"

"..."

Maggot Eye flew above the combat zone, broadcasting the Host's shouts.

Qin Xa stood among the formation of Gladiators and spoke to them.

"Once Maggot Eye finishes that announcement, where he drags out the words like someone pissing on an electric outlet... all of us must gather together."

"I know those Rebel Army prisoners gathered together and got wiped out in an instant, but if we spread out, they'll hunt us down one by one from horseback like prey."

Having said that, Qin Xa began making a more detailed assessment of the enemies they were about to face.

Upon hearing Qin Xa's words, a female Gladiator turned around and asked, "Why should we listen to you? Just because you bastard are big?"

Qin Xa looked toward the voice and discovered that the female Gladiator arguing with him was the one who had previously planned to go gather information with him, but had failed to do so because Caesar's head exploded.

"What is your name, ma'am?" Qin Xa asked politely.

"Kleist," the female Gladiator answered.

"Very well, bitch." Qin Xa looked at Kleist. "If we all survive and win this gladiatorial match, you must kneel before me and thank me, then apologize for your rudeness right now."

At that, Kleist rolled his eyes at Qin Xa and raised his middle finger.

Under the escort of the Security Automata, the Gladiators passed through the gate and entered the combat zone.

Red Sand lay beneath their feet, and night stretched above their heads.

Before them stood the opponents they would face in the coming gladiatorial match.

Qin Xa had not fought in a single gladiatorial match yet, so the Gladiators did not think they should listen to him. But his words reminded them not to make bad choices out of fear.

Choosing to scatter because they feared repeating the Rebel Army prisoners' mistake would indeed prevent the Golden Armor Knights from wiping them out in one strike while riding scorpions, but those who scattered would still be caught and killed one by one.

Now that Angron was here, gathering together and working as one would at least let them die with some dignity. At the very least, it would not look like a hunt.

The Gladiators gathered together and formed a square formation.

Most of these people had experience, so they knew what to do when facing cavalry. Through their actions, they could also influence the others to do the same.

After taking some time to form the square, the Gladiators holding shields raised them and formed a shield wall.

"Use my shield." Oeno looked at Angron beside him in the front row and handed him the shield.

"This thing doesn't look as tough as my body hair." Angron shook his head with a bitter smile, then held the Two-Handed Axe in one hand and prepared for battle.

At that moment, Qin Xa's brows furrowed slightly. He retreated to the very back of the formation, keeping everyone in front of him.

He had to do this for a reason.

He had to leave himself room. If things went badly, he had to make sure he would not engage the charging enemy immediately.

"Is that all?"

Standing at the very front, Kleist held up his shield in one hand while continuing to raise his middle finger at Qin Xa with the other.

"Your courage is inversely proportional to your size."