Capítulo 57: [57] Arena
A monstrous figure stumbled out. It was a man, or at least it used to be. A Raider, turned Zombie. Chained, feral, and horrifyingly relentless. Its eyes held nothing but hunger and rage. The terrifying creature began pacing the pit, its guttural growls resonating through the silence. A chill ran down my spine. I was meant to fight this creature.
A crude cheer erupted from the crowd. They were baying for blood, their humanity forgotten in their thirst for entertainment. Their joy was grotesque, a morbid fascination with the dance of death that was about to unfold.
As the reality of my predicament sank in, I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins. The fear was still there, but it was now a distant hum, drowned out by the instinct to survive. I scanned the pit again, looking for anything that could give me an advantage. There was nothing, just me, the zombie and the baying crowd above.
I glanced at Cassidy and Hazuki, their faces fraught with worry and fear. The raider leader, a brutish man with grime smeared over his face, had his arms slung casually around them. Despite the gag in their mouths, their eyes spoke volumes, shimmering with anger, desperation, and hope. Cassidy's steely gaze met mine, her brow furrowing briefly in a signal I understood. Her gaze then shifted deliberately to the leader, then back to me, conveying a plan without uttering a word.
The raider leader was too busy soaking up the adoration of his men, his laughter boisterous and cruel. He was revelling in his moment of glory, drunk on power and the promise of violence. His grip on Cassidy and Hazuki was possessive, a chilling statement of ownership. But what he saw as trophies of victory, I saw as my companions, my team, my responsibility.
The zombies ignored me, just like in previous instances. The raider leader was dumbstruck, he ran over to the railing and yelled: "No fking way! Why isn't the zombie fking attacking you?"
Before he could say more, Cassidy managed to free herself from the cuffs and kicked the leader into the pit spartan style.
As her boot connected with the leader's back, I saw a split-second of disbelief etch across his face before he tumbled over the railing. The raider leader's powerful physique became insignificant as he plummeted into the pit, his hulking form careening towards me and the zombie. His shocked scream was swallowed by the cheering crowd, their anticipation escalating at this unexpected twist.
I watched as he hit the sand, the impact sending up a cloud of dust that temporarily obscured him. Then, the dust settled, revealing the leader sprawled on his stomach, groaning and clutching his side. He was disoriented, winded, and more importantly, in my domain.
I turned to see Cassidy back on the stage, her cuffs discarded and the look on her face pure determination. She kicked the gun out of a raider's hand and grabbed it mid-air, swiftly swinging around to aim at the nearest threats. A sudden burst of gunfire silenced the raider crowd, their cheers turning into panicked screams. She had turned the tables in our favor.
Next to me in the pit, the leader scrambled to his feet, his gaze wild and frantic. He was no longer the domineering tyrant but a scared man trapped in a hole with a zombie. A troll smile stretched across my face as I backed away, watching as the zombie slowly turned towards the new prey in its vicinity.
I could see the fear creep into the leader's eyes as he registered his impending doom. He darted panicked glances between me and the zombie, his confident demeanor completely shattered. "What the fk is happening?!" He yelled, his voice echoing in the now chaotic tavern.
Meanwhile, the zombie lunged at the leader. His screams echoed through the tavern as he futilely tried to fend off the creature, his powerful punches barely fazing it. The raider crowd was in disarray, their leader's suffering a spectacle they hadn't signed up for.
I turned back to the leader, his terror a stark contrast to his earlier bravado as he struggled against the zombies. "Remember when you said adults take all?" I called out to him, my voice cold, "Seems like your choices have caught up with you."
As the chaos in the tavern escalated, I managed to find footholds and handholds in the pit's rock and brick construction. The rugged surface scraped at my palms and fingers, but I gritted my teeth, pushing the pain aside. I needed to get out of the pit, and I needed to do it fast. Each desperate grasp and climb took me closer to the rim.
Inside the pit, the zombie had the raider leader pinned down, the former tyrant's screams piercing through the chaos. His bravado was replaced with pure terror as he struggled futilely against the mindless creature.
On the tavern floor, Cassidy was a whirlwind of violence. Her fists and feet were lethal weapons, her body a blur of quicksilver. Raiders were sent sprawling to the floor, their own attacks failing as she countered and retaliated with brutal efficiency. Her movements were fluid, a savage dance of combat that held a brutal beauty of its own. She fought with a ferocity that was as stunning as it was terrifying.
Meanwhile, Kaya and Hazuki were running circles around the raiders, still gagged and handcuffed. Despite their restraints, they used their agility and quick thinking to dodge attacks and incite chaos. They darted between tables, ducked under swinging fists, and even tripped raiders in their path. Their ruse was working; the raiders were so focused on capturing them that they barely noticed me climbing out of the pit or Cassidy's assault.
As I hoisted myself over the pit's rim, the cold stone underneath my hands felt like a victory. I took a moment to catch my breath, my eyes scanning the room. Cassidy was still taking down raiders with relentless determination, her strength undeniable. But even she couldn't keep this up forever.
A raider was about to take a shot with Kaya's rifle but I smashed his head with a bottle, knocking the man out.
Grabbing the weapon that slipped out of the man's hands, I sprinted towards Hazuki and Kaya. Their eyes widened in relief as they saw me, their bodies trembling with fatigue and fear. Kaya was panting heavily, her usual stoic demeanor cracked by the intensity of the situation. Hazuki's eyes were wide and scared, her hands clenched into fists.
Without missing a beat, I used the jagged shard of the bottle to cut through the ropes binding them. The coarse fibers gave way under the sharp edge, the ropes falling away from their wrists. Hazuki rubbed at her chafed skin, a shudder running through her body. Kaya, ever the silent warrior, simply nodded at me, her gaze hardened with resolve.
Cassidy, who had been fighting tirelessly, spotted us and a glint of relief flashed across her features. But there was no time for a reunion yet. We still had a tavern full of raiders to deal with.
Handing Kaya her rifle, I could see the fierce determination in her eyes. With her weapon back in her hands, she was a formidable force to reckon with. Hazuki, free of her bonds, quickly found a makeshift weapon - a broken chair leg.
There was a moment of silence, a moment of stalemate. The raiders stared at us, we stared back at the raider.
Then out from a broken radio in the corner, the song Caravan place - Lone digger began to play.
That's when all hell broke lose.
Q: Have you ever heard of the song Caravan place by Lone digger?
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