Come with me," Riku said, turning on his heel. "There's a place you need to see."
Shiro followed him through the streets, confused but curious. The city was quieter at this hour. After a few minutes, they arrived at a massive open arena. The ground was covered in sand, and wooden training dummies lined the edges. Fighters of all levels were scattered around—some practicing their strikes, others locked in battle while a crowd cheered around them.
"This is the training arena," Riku said. "Anyone can fight here. If you win against stronger opponents, you move up in rank. The more you fight, the stronger you get. And the fights aren't just for fun—people bet money, and even the kingdom's elite fighters show up sometimes."
Shiro glanced around. The place was alive with energy. He had never seen so many people in one place, all focused on one thing—getting stronger. But something else caught his attention.
"Wait," Shiro said, turning to Riku. "You said people bet money?"
Riku nodded. "Yeah. The higher your rank, the more money you make. The top fighters here live like kings."
Shiro thought for a moment. He had no real home, no money, no future. If fighting could give him a way to survive, he had to take the chance.
A deep voice cut through the air.
"Who's this? A newbie?"
Scar-faced man stood before them, arms crossed. His sharp eyes studied Shiro, unimpressed.
Riku smirked. "I found a strong one."
The trainer said. "you sure?."
Shiro frowned. He wasn't sure if Riku was serious or just messing with him.
Then, from behind, laughter echoed.
"Well, well, fresh meat."
Shiro turned. A tall fighter with a confident smirk stood with his gang. His arms were thick with muscle, and his presence alone was enough to make some fighters step aside.
"You look lost, kid," the man said, cracking his knuckles. "How about we make things interesting? Fight me. We'll bet some money."
Shiro hesitated. Was he really ready for this? He barely understood what was happening.
Before he could answer, Riku stepped forward. "We accept."
Shiro's eyes widened. "Wait!"
Riku ignored him, tossing a small bag of coins onto the ground. The fighter grinned, placing his own bag beside it.
"Tomorrow night," the man said. "Try to keep up."
Shiro felt the weight of everyone's eyes on him. This was real.
Riku handed him some money. "Take this. Get some food, rest up. Just do what I say."
Shiro hesitated, gripping the coins. "Why are you helping me?"
Riku shrugged. "Because I can see it. You don't even know what you are yet."
Shiro wasn't sure what that meant, but there was no turning back now.
---
That night, he lay on the old wooden floor of the small room he had found. He couldn't sleep. His mind kept replaying everything—Riku's words, the fight tomorrow, the way those men had looked at him.
Could he really do this?
Morning came and went. The sun dipped below the horizon, and before he knew it, night had arrived.
Shiro made his way back to the arena, his heart pounding. A huge crowd had gathered. This was bigger than he expected.
Riku met him at the entrance. "You ready?"
Shiro took a deep breath. "Not really."
Riku smirked. "Too late now."
The trainer stepped forward. "The fight begins now!"
The tall fighter stepped into the ring, cracking his neck. His eyes were filled with confidence. He had done this a hundred times before.
Shiro, on the other hand, had never fought like this. He clenched his fists, trying to steady himself.
The man lunged forward, throwing a punch with insane speed.
Shiro's body moved before his mind could react. His hand caught the punch mid-air.
The fighter's smirk disappeared. He tried to free his arm—but he couldn't. Shiro's grip was like iron.
The crowd fell silent.
The fighter's face twisted in shock. "What the hell—?"
Shiro didn't wait. His free hand curled into a fist, and before the man could react—
Boom!
A single punch to the stomach.
The fighter's body lifted off the ground for a second before crashing down, motionless.
Silence.
Then—
"WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!"
The entire arena erupted.
"Did you see that?!"
"He took him down in one hit!"
"No way… who is this guy?!"
The trainer's eyes widened in disbelief. "I've never seen strength like this..." he said quietly. Even Riku, who had been confident from the start, couldn't hide his surprise. This was beyond what he had expected.
Shiro stood there, his heart still racing. He couldn't believe what had just happened. One punch. That was all it took. The arena was silent, the crowd staring at him in disbelief.
The scar-faced trainer stepped forward, his voice barely above a whisper. "The fight is over. Winner: Shiro." He motioned to the fighters who had been betting. "The money goes to him."
Shiro's mind was still in a daze. His fist still tingled from the power he had unleashed. He had never experienced anything like this before. He had always known he was strong, but this—this was something else. It felt like something inside him had just clicked.
Riku stepped closer, his smirk wider than before. "You're incredible," he said, looking Shiro up and down with a new kind of respect. "Your strength... It's on a level that matches the nobles and royals, maybe even higher."
Shiro turned to him, his voice filled with confusion. "You're really right. I don't know how to explain it. But when I fight... it's like my body just knows what to do. Every move, every strike. It's like I'm in control of everything around me."
Riku's eyes gleamed. "I've seen fighters with power before, but this... this is something different. You've just taken down one of the strongest guys here in the arena with a single punch. And now, word's gonna spread. There's a good chance a noble fighter will come to challenge you."
Shiro nodded slowly. He was still trying to wrap his mind around everything. "I see. I am strong, but... I've never fought a noble before. Would they really be that much stronger?"
Riku smiled, though it was tinged with a hint of seriousness. "A royal fighter can beat someone like that without even breaking a sweat. They're on another level. They have skills, techniques, and strength that you can't even imagine yet."
Shiro scratched the back of his head, feeling a little uneasy. "Then I guess it's gonna be pretty hard for me to fight someone like that."
Just as Shiro finished speaking, Riku's eyes sparkled with a new idea. "Actually, Shiro... How about we have a sparring match? I want to see your strength for myself. As a fighter, I can tell you're different from anyone I've met."
Shiro raised an eyebrow. "You want to spar with me?"
"Yeah," Riku said, stepping into the small training arena that was set up just a few feet away. "Let's see what you can really do."
Shiro didn't hesitate. He stepped forward and took his position, his eyes focused and serious. Riku, who had clearly been a strong fighter in his own right, was ready. He threw the first punch, quick and powerful, aiming straight for Shiro's face.
But Shiro was faster.
He dodged the punch with ease, his body moving as if he had been training for years. Riku attacked again, throwing a series of punches and kicks. But Shiro didn't get hit. He avoided every attack, his body reacting faster than his mind could process. It was as if his body already knew Riku's next move before it even happened.
Riku was starting to feel the frustration. He was strong, but Shiro was on another level. Every time he attacked, Shiro dodged it effortlessly. Riku was being outclassed, and it was only making him more determined to land a hit.
"Come on, Shiro!" Riku called out, grinning despite the challenge. "Give me something to work with!"
Shiro smirked. "I think you've had enough for now."
Without warning, Shiro stepped forward and, with a single light punch, knocked Riku to the ground. Riku's eyes widened in surprise as he lay there, staring up at the sky, trying to comprehend what had just happened.
The trainer, who had been watching from the side, rushed forward. "Enough! Enough!" he shouted. "You're on another level, kid!"
Riku slowly stood up, wiping the dirt from his clothes. His face was a mix of shock and respect. "I can't believe it," he muttered. "You're not just strong. You're something else entirely."
Shiro stood still, unsure of what to make of the situation. The trainer looked at him, his eyes narrowed. "You have a power that most people can't even dream of. But be careful, Shiro. There are people out there who are on a level you can't even comprehend."
Shiro blinked, feeling the weight of the trainer's words. "What do you mean?"
Riku stepped forward, giving Shiro a small grin. "There's more to this world than what you've seen here. There are fighters, warriors, and even nobles whose strength will make what you just did look like nothing."
Shiro clenched his fists, the excitement of his victory starting to fade as reality set in. "I'll be ready for them."
The trainer nodded slowly. "You'd better be. Now, take the money. You earned it fair and square." He handed Shiro the bag of coins that had been bet on the fight.
Riku smiled at Shiro. "Meet me here later tonight. We'll talk more. But for now, you've earned yourself some rest."
Shiro took the bag, feeling the weight of it in his hand. It wasn't much, but it was enough to help him get by. His life had been hard, but now it seemed like he had a chance.
He nodded at Riku. "Thanks. I'll be here later."
The two of them parted ways, heading to their separate homes. Shiro couldn't shake the feeling that his life was about to change in ways he couldn't even imagine. The fight was just the beginning.
As Shiro lay on the hard floor of his small room, the weight of everything he had just experienced pressed down on him. He had never imagined he would end up in a place like this, let alone defeat someone in a fight like that. But now, he had money, a purpose, and a whole new world of challenges ahead of him.
The question was, could he survive in this world? Could he handle the strength he had unlocked inside himself?
And what would happen when the nobles, the royals, and the true masters of power came to find him?
Shiro didn't know the answers. But he was ready to find out.
…