Gods of Arena
Timeless Redemption

"Crane? What if it stops on you again?"

"Come on, Kang. Let's hope that doesn't happen", Romeo replied.

"I know but what if it happens?"

Crane smiled at the screen. The beep had slowed down and his face was sitting just right down the row. "So what happens if it stops on me?", He asked. "I'm very much ready for a fight. I'll make sure I get redeemed, this time" Kang stared confusedly, taking frequent glances at Romeo's fixed frown. "What's the secret? You look like you have god on your side"

"Have you met God?"

"Uhn?", the two chorused, glancing at each other again.

"Well, you just did", Crane said and stepped back. "I didn't just meet god. I became god"

"What was that about?", Kang asked, as he walked into the room. He was still perplexed. It was written all over his face. Romeo cared less. He sat down slowly, staring at Crane who laid back on the bed comfortably. "What was what about?"

"The beep stopped on your face. You are up against a mid-tier. It's a brutal mid-tier"

"What's his name and what's his ability?", Crane asked and sat up.

"He's Leon. I have no idea what he can do yet", Kang replied. "I don't understand. Do you have a Shin Zhu now?"

Crane's face slowly shaped into a smile. "What do you think?"

Is that a yes? Kang stared at him for a few seconds wondering what the smile actually meant. "You discovered your Shin Zhu? That's amazing. What is it? What can you do?"

"Can't tell you", he fell back on his bed and faced the wall. "But you'll see❞

"You want to sleep now?"

"Yea. I need a lot of sleep before the fight..... See you tomorrow. Do you need me for something?"

"No. Not at all. You won't take the pill first?"

"The last time I did, a motherfucker tore my stomach open"

"He's dead now.... And trust me, his murder was a lot worse than yours"

Crane yawned. "Don't make me laugh, Kang. You weren't even there to watch me fight. I'm still pissed about that"

"I'm so sorry. I got nervous"

"I know about Todd's murder", Crane replied. "I know who killed him and I know Dan was framed for it"

"Uh?", Kang muttered, raising a brow. There was a number of specifics in that statement. There was no way Crane just figured that out in less than twenty-four hours. He hadn't even spoken to anyone except Kang and Romeo. "How do you know that? Where have you been?"

"I can't explain it yet, Kang. Just let me...", he yawned loudly again. "Let me sleep now"

"Will you, at least, tell me who killed Todd? Dan is in trouble for it and trouble might not be far from him if he's not vindicated soon", Kang said and laid back too. "He told me he had to escape to get back here. Now, he can't even leave his room. We have to get his food for him. I wonder what he'll do if he needs to use the toilet in the day.... Crane? You asleep already?"

****

The lights would be out in a few minutes. Kang stepped out of the room with two bottles in hand. He rushed towards the staircase. "Kang! Wait up", Romeo called, running towards him. "What's up with Crane? What do you think?" "I'm still pretty confused. I'm not sure if that is the same Crane but I think he has a Shin Zhu now"

"You think? He hasn't told you anything about it?"

"No but he is pretty confident. That only happens when you have something to rely on", Kang said. "I used the last pills in my last fight on the Arena"

"You have the stunners in place?"

"I don't really think he wants our help, Romeo"

"Yes but, just in case, we should be ready to give help when he needs it"

"Alright. I still have the stunners", Kang said, glancing down the hall. "He won't let us use it though"

"Well, we are not going to listen to him if he says that", Romeo replied. "He managed to return to us, somehow, after dying in front of everyone. I believe he must have seen things out there" "Things like what?"

"Things like a way out of here. This place is hell, Kang. We only get closer to death.... I believe he must have found something. It will probably help us out of this place"

"Alright.", Kang exhaled. His eyes fell on Leon. "That's Leon. Isn't it? What is his Shin Zhu?"

"I think he shoots some kind of blasts; real powerful ones, I think", Romeo said, as his eyes met with Leon's. "What are you staring at?!"

Leon smiled and walked into his room. "That's one hell of a confident smile", Kang muttered. "I bet he's relaxed to fight Crane, after watching the fight with Todd"

"Or he believes in his strength enough", Romeo replied. "Where were you off to?"

"I wanted to fill these bottles with water before the lights go off".

The lights went off immediately, as though they were waiting for him to mention it. "Oops. Looks like that's a good night to you", Romeo muttered and turned, walking away slowly in the thick darkness. Kang stood still in a. He heard a loud clatter, as Romeo collided with something. "Oh. Fuck"

"Careful there. I forgot to bring my torch", Kang took a step forward. He was in front of the staircase already. He traced the next step with a raised foot and moved up slowly. "Fuck. This place is horrible"

He raised his arm, holding onto the railings, as he almost slipped off the stairs. He pulled himself up to the top and moved slowly like a blind man without a walking stick. A light flashed at him and he straightened up, swiftly, covering his face with an arm from the bright ray. He raised a bottle. "I'm just here to get water"

Ana chuckled. "Come on. It's me", she muttered. "Come on"

Kang walked over to her. "Ana... what are you doing here?"

"I saw you coming up the stairs so I came over", she replied, smiling. "Crane is back"

"This is not a trick?"

"How do you mean? I thought you'd be happy to see him again"

"No, I'm just confused... I don't know who or what to trust. Considering the lots of things we've done, it makes me imagine how brutal it'll be if you betray us"

"I will never betray you. I thought we were over this"

"You are still a Larger Figure, Ana... and I am still condemned to die on the arena"

"What do you expect me to do about that?!", she retorted, almost loudly. Her face had turned red. She took a step back, staring at the ground. "It's alright. This was a mistake"

Kang nodded and walked to the tap. She stood there, helping him with the light, as he filled the two bottles with water. "Thank you for the light, anyway"

She nodded and walked away.

****

'It's Leon on the field again. The mid-tier with a god-level blast at the tips of his fingers goes against Crane. Crane has had a miraculous comeback after being gutted out in front of everyone'

Kang could almost hear the murmurings of the Gamblers from where he sat. Each of them had his mouth in another's ears. They probably believed King was being dubious for keeping the fighters alive after showing a fake execution to them... or they believed the fights were planned.

"We should let the fight last a while before using the stunners", Romeo whispered in Kang's ear.

"I hope we don't have to use it. He said he would win the fight in less than ten minutes" "Uh?"

"We had a bet on it"

'No one understands how the little Crane has returned but he is back with the same confidence!'

The gate opened and Crane jogged down to the middle of the field where Leon was waiting.

'Crane remains a low-tier as his Shin Zhu is still unknown to us. Stake your bets on who wins this fight. Sit back and enjoy the fight'

"Hi, Leon"

Leon pushed his hands forward. A blue ray shot out of his palms, throwing Crane up in the air. He landed on his back and rolled back on a knee. "Whoa", he muttered and shook his head. "I saw that coming. Didn't think it'd be so fast" "You're strong. That would knock out a regular", Leon said and clenched his fist. A blue aura swirled around his wrist, growing consistently as he walked around Crane.

Crane held his sword, firmly. "You know what I like about cocky people? It's fun to kick their asses"

Leon threw his arm at Crane, shooting another powerful wave at him. Crane bent his head backwards, with his sword pointed up. The wave hit the sword and he swung the sword at Leon, throwing back a lighter wave. Leon drifted backwards, as the wave hit him. He shook his head and smiled. "Is that all you-?"

Crane had jumped at him already, kicking him in the head, and throwing him back on the ground. Leon rolled back on his feet. His eyes opened wide, as he cleaned the bit of blood off his lip. He didn't see that coming. He threw a wave at Crane, quickly. The wave hit the wall. Crane had moved away, swiftly, like he wasn't even standing there. Leon turned and threw another wave but Crane had dashed from the spot again. The speed was unimaginable and, if he continued, no attack would get to him. Leon turned round and round, shooting his waves sporadically. All he saw were images of Crane which disappeared immediately after he shot his waves. "What?!", he howled, maniacally. "Aargh!"

Leon dipped his hand in his robe quickly and pulled out the golden bracelet, wearing it on his wrist quickly. He clenched his fist and activated the gun, laughing evilly. "Where did you get that?", Crane asked.

Leon glanced up at the Gamblers. He could see the amazement in their eyes. If he finally won the fight, the Larger Figures would definitely not take it easy on him for stealing the gold strap. He shot at Crane. Crane disappeared, quickly. "What?", Leon muttered and turned, slowly. Crane was already behind him, laughing mischievously.

"Surrender, Leon".

"Fuck you!", Leon howled and pointed the gun at Crane again. Crane raised a finger, swiftly. Leon jerked back, as the gun emitted sparking sounds and hot embers. He couldn't pull the trigger. "What are you doing?.... What are you doing?!!" The gun exploded in his hand and the bracelet fell off his wrist immediately. He staggered back, holding his wrist and groaning in pain. "Surrender, Leon", Crane said again. "It's the last warning"

"You are so dead", Leon said and pushed his two hands at the ground, shooting a wave down. The wave hit the ground, shooting him up into the air. He shot multiple waves at Crane and Crane kept moving around. Leon was about to drop to the ground. Crane appeared in front of him, raising an hand with only his index finger and his middle finger raised, making Leon hang in the air.

Crane walked around, looking up at everyone. He could sense the astonishment on all the faces above him. His confidence was finally justified. With his kind of ability, he could stay undefeated forever. He picked up his sword and walked over to Leon's hanging body.

"is he doing that?", Romeo asked, staring widely. His fixed frowny face clouded whatever emotion he had on his face.

"Looks like it”, Kang replied, staring down at Crane on the Arena. He hadn't imagined that. He didn't even think that kind of Shin Zhu was possible. Stopping the gun from shooting was definitely a way of manipulating technology.

Crane raised his sword up in the air and closed his eyes. "The god of Shin Zhu demands a sacrifice", he muttered and brought down the sword, cutting off Leon's head. Blood splashed over his face, as Leon's head rolled on the floor. "And his will is done"

Leon's body dropped on the ground with a loud thud, as Crane stabbed his sword into the ground. He straightened and looked up at the Gamblers. King stood up from his seat, staring down at Crane with widely open eyes. Their eyes met and Crane could read the expressions from King's face.

There was confusion and amazement. There was also rejection.... And fear.