Slave of Fignters "Champion of the Black Star Part One

After Edmond and Cassandra's brutal battle, the ring mats were stained with blood.

Cleaning robots worked as quickly as possible to scrub the arena spotless so it would be pristine by the time the second match began.

Once they finished, the cleaning robots left the ring, and Avalar stepped into the center of the freshly cleaned arena. As always, with his playful flair, he began introducing the next competitors.

"Well then, Edmond and Cassandra gave us one incredible fight. I've never seen such a bloodbath end with such an unbelievable turnaround. Now the question is-can our next fighters top that?" Turning toward one of the entrance tunnels, Avalar pointed dramatically and continued, "Our first fighter represents **Red Kitchen**. The heaviest competitor in this tournament-and on the entire Second Level. His overwhelming strength and nearly impenetrable armor make him one of the tournament favorites. Give it up for... **Podluben**!"

A gigantic Stahlpod, nearly two meters tall, emerged from the corridor.

The crowd erupted in cheers, with most of the spectators clearly rooting for him.

Podluben himself radiated confidence. The unshakable expression on his face made it obvious that he already considered himself the winner.

Stepping onto the ring, he stopped beside Avalar in the center.

Standing next to Podluben, Avalar looked tiny by comparison. It almost seemed as though the giant could grab him by the scruff of the neck and toss him straight out of the ring.

Still bouncing energetically, Avalar made his way toward the opposite entrance and announced the next fighter.

"And now, our next contestant-the youngest and lightest fighter in this entire tournament! Representing a crew of scrapyard mechanics from the Third Level... welcome... **Blurken**!"

Blurken stepped out of the corridor wearing his usual friendly smile.

He waved enthusiastically to the audience and even showed off a few flashy martial arts moves with his hands and feet.

Unfortunately for him, the crowd wasn't nearly as welcoming.

A chorus of boos immediately echoed through the arena.

Shouts came from every direction.

"Hey, kid! Run back to your mommy!"

"The milk hasn't even dried on your lips yet! What are you doing here?"

"Podluben's gonna kill you! Run while you still can!"

Blurken did his best to ignore the insults, but they still got under his skin.

Silently, he promised himself he'd show them exactly who would be crying for their mommy before this fight was over.

After climbing into the ring, he walked to the center of the arena.

Podluben stood beside him, looking down with open contempt. Every part of his expression said the same thing: he intended to crush this little blue fighter and leave nothing but a puddle behind.

Blurken, meanwhile, stared straight ahead from beneath his brow.

He made it clear that he knew exactly what Podluben was thinking.

The only question was whether Podluben could actually make it happen.

Sensing the tension between them, Avalar grinned.

"Now *this* is what I like to see! The fight hasn't even started, and these two are already trying to destroy each other with their eyes. That's the kind of intensity I love! Well then, let's not keep our fighters waiting any longer..."

He thrust his microphone into the air.

"...Let the second match begin!"

Avalar stepped out of the ring while the referee approached the fighters to explain the rules.

Looking down at the much smaller Blurken, Podluben sneered.

"So then, kid... you might as well start crying now. If you beg nicely, maybe I'll take pity on you and won't leave you crippled."

Blurken didn't even bother looking him in the eyes.

Instead, he calmly stared at Podluben's stomach and replied,

"My eyes are looking here right now. Pretty soon, yours will be too... except you'll be looking down with nothing but despair."

Those words instantly enraged Podluben.

He hadn't expected such arrogance-or such fearlessness-from an opponent so much smaller than himself.

After finishing the rules, the referee stepped outside the ring.

The arena's energy barrier activated around the platform.

A heartbeat later, the gong echoed through the arena, signaling the start of the fight.

Blurken instantly closed the distance to Podluben and unleashed a quick three-hit combination to his stomach. It accomplished absolutely nothing.

Podluben didn't seem to feel a thing. He answered with a wide left swing, but Blurken slipped past the slow, predictable attack with ease.

After dodging, Blurken launched another combination: a right uppercut to the chin, a left knee to the side near the liver, then immediately followed with a straight left low kick to the thigh. But once again, it was useless-Podluben stood there like solid stone.

Podluben answered with a crushing right cross. Blurken dodged again and tried to repeat his combination. But Podluben suddenly redirected his arm toward the spot Blurken had moved into and caught him with a sweeping strike.

Blurken reacted at the very last second and managed to block it, but even then the blow was incredibly powerful. Instead of resisting, he let the impact throw him backward, using the momentum to absorb most of the force and greatly reduce the damage.

Blurken planted his feet against the energy barrier and immediately returned to his fighting stance. He knew that a single clean hit would put him out of action, and the next one would finish the fight. At the same time, his own combinations weren't doing Podluben any noticeable damage.

Podluben then dramatically threw his head back and let out a deafening roar that shook the entire arena and whipped the crowd into an even greater frenzy.

After that, he dropped onto all fours and began scraping the mat with his right hind leg like an enraged bull, building momentum before suddenly charging straight at Blurken.

With a grin, Blurken said,

"Yeah... no strategy whatsoever."

Pushing off the energy barrier, he leaped over Podluben. Blurken was already convinced he had dodged the charge with ease when, out of nowhere, a massive punch slammed into his shoulder from behind.

The hit was so powerful that Blurken was sent flying across the ring, crashing back-first into the energy barrier.

"Whoa!" Avalar exclaimed. "A clever move by Podluben! He must've realized right away that Blurken would try to jump over him, so he slammed on the brakes, waited until his opponent landed behind him, then spun around in an instant and landed the punch!"

Blurken got back to his feet. Podluben no longer looked like some slow, lumbering brute. Outsmarting a faster opponent like that took real skill.

Podluben immediately threw a heavy left hook at Blurken. Blurken dodged, and the fist slammed into the energy barrier. Another punch followed-and missed again. Podluben threw five more punches, pinning Blurken against the barrier, but failed to land a single one.

Then Podluben suddenly fired a right jab straight at Blurken's head. Blurken reacted instantly and prepared to dodge, but the right fist abruptly stopped halfway and snapped back. At that exact moment, Podluben's left fist smashed into Blurken's side.

The blow was so devastating that it shattered several ribs on the right side of his chest.

Blurken coughed up blood from the impact.

But it wasn't over.

Podluben grabbed both of Blurken's legs and slammed him onto the mat. Then he seized one of his legs and started swinging him like a club, smashing him into the floor over and over as he hurled him over his shoulder.

After five brutal slams, Podluben flung Blurken into the ring's energy barrier.

Blurken crashed into it with tremendous force before collapsing onto the mat, completely motionless.

A section of the barrier opened, and the referee stepped into the ring. He gestured for Podluben to move to the opposite side.

Snorting through his nostrils, Podluben turned away and did as instructed.

The referee then began the knockout count. When he reached five, he saw Blurken stir and begin pushing himself up. He didn't make it fully to his feet until the count of nine.

Avalar commented,

"Unbelievable! After taking that kind of punishment, he still found the strength to stand! Does he actually intend to keep fighting? Either he's a complete madman who's had every last bit of sense knocked out of him, or he's got some desperate plan. The only question is whether he'll have enough strength left to pull it off."

Once the referee confirmed that Blurken was standing steadily on his feet, he signaled for the fight to continue and stepped back out of the ring.

Podluben dropped onto all fours again, preparing for another charging attack, and said,

"Kid, you've got guts. Getting back on your feet after that and choosing to keep fighting-that deserves respect. But the smarter choice would've been to surrender and try your luck in the next tournament. Instead, you've crossed the point of no return." Podluben scraped the mat with his right hind leg, preparing to charge. "With this attack, I'll make your guts come pouring out."

With those words, Podluben charged straight at Blurken.

Then Podluben noticed that Blurken was once again bracing his feet against the energy barrier, preparing for another jump. He figured the kid had truly lost his mind. Trying the same jump that had already failed once? Knowing the height and trajectory of Blurken's leap, Podluben was certain he could catch him again with a spinning strike-and this time the hit would be even more precise.

Podluben was just about to slam Blurken into the barrier when Blurken suddenly crouched low and jumped not upward, but downward. Rolling onto his back, he slid beneath Podluben while unleashing a rapid fifteen-strike combination.

He struck Podluben's neck, torso, and groin. Because there was so little space between Podluben's body and the floor, he couldn't swing with full force, so after each strike he drove his elbow into the mat, using the impact against the floor to generate momentum for the next blow.

Sliding out from beneath Podluben, Blurken immediately sprang back to his feet and returned to his fighting stance.

Podluben came to an abrupt stop at the barrier, bracing himself with one hand while clutching his groin with the other. The sudden pain doubled him over, nearly forcing him into a squat as he turned to face Blurken.

For the first time, their eyes met at the same level.

Smiling, Blurken said,

"I told you our eyes would end up on the same level."

At that moment, Podluben realized he had just been thoroughly humiliated in front of the entire arena.

His anger overwhelmed the pain. Straightening up with a roar, he charged at Blurken again.

"You said I'd be looking at you in despair. But all you've done is awaken my rage!"

With that, he lunged once more.

As he closed in, Podluben threw a powerful right punch. Blurken smoothly slipped to his opponent's right side and jabbed his fingers into the exposed armpit.

Podluben instinctively doubled over to the right. The pain was so sharp it felt as though it pierced straight into the core of his body. Even so, he continued attacking with short hooks and jabs, making sure to keep Blurken directly in front of him and deny him any chance to circle around his flanks.

No matter how hard Podluben tried to land a hit, Blurken kept slipping past every single attack.

Then a crushing left hook came within inches of Blurken's face. Slightly ducking, Blurken redirected the punch upward with the wrist of his left hand, guiding it off its path. As soon as the blow was fully deflected, he instantly closed the distance and drove the knuckles of his right hand straight into Podluben's Adam's apple.

Podluben staggered backward, clutching his throat. Suddenly, every breath became a struggle.

While Podluben fought to catch his breath, Blurken seized the opportunity and drove a powerful knee straight into his chin.

The impact snapped Podluben's head backward.

In the very next instant, Blurken leaped into the air and drove a straight left kick into Podluben's chest, then immediately followed with a right kick directly into his left eye. Planting his foot against Podluben's face, he forcefully pushed off, driving the eye even deeper into its socket.

Podluben let out a scream of agony and instinctively straightened up, launching Blurken slightly higher than he had intended.

As Blurken descended, he performed a forward flip and finished the combination with a devastating right elbow strike straight between Podluben's eyes.

Podluben arched backward into a bridge before crashing heavily onto the mat.

A section of the energy barrier opened, and the referee rushed over to the fallen Podluben and began the knockout count.

On the count of five, Podluben began to stir. By seven he was pushing himself up, and by nine he was fully back on his feet. He was furious. He couldn't believe that some scrawny little punk had actually knocked him to the mat.

"Can you continue the fight?" the referee asked Podluben.

Instead of answering, Podluben shoved the referee aside, hurling the poor man into the barrier, then charged at Blurken with a furious roar.

Podluben unleashed a relentless barrage of blows at his opponent.

But Blurken dodged every attack with ease and even carried on a calm conversation while fighting.

"You're strong, and that scaled armor really does make you look like an impregnable fortress. But your fighting style is far too straightforward. I've already figured out all your moves."

After another attack from Podluben, Blurken slipped to his opponent's right side and struck him in the liver. Then he quickly darted toward the edge of the ring and kicked Podluben's left leg directly behind the knee.

The strike forced Podluben down onto his left knee. Expecting Blurken to continue circling behind him, he threw a wide backward swing.

He hit nothing.

Blurken was already on his right side. Leaping forward, he drove his knee into Podluben's lower jaw, then immediately followed with two quick strikes to the exposed side of his neck.

Podluben coughed violently and staggered backward. Blurken circled to his right again and kicked the outside of Podluben's right knee, forcing the joint inward.

Podluben clenched his teeth in pain. Losing his balance, he dropped onto the mat.

Staying on Podluben's right side, Blurken landed several powerful left hooks to his lower jaw before hopping back, giving his opponent room to stand.

Podluben rose to his feet. Breathing had become difficult. The blows to his Adam's apple had left him with the feeling of a lump lodged in his throat, making every breath painful. The repeated strikes to his jaw had blurred his vision, making it much harder to keep his bearings.

Even so, Podluben kept advancing despite the pain. He spread his arms wide-not to punch Blurken, but to grab him. He had realized he couldn't keep up with such a fast opponent, so his only chance was to catch him and overpower him with brute strength.

Blurken immediately understood what Podluben was trying to do and decided to take a gamble.

He charged straight at Podluben himself. Just as Podluben tried to close his arms around him, Blurken smoothly slipped underneath them. Sliding between Podluben's legs, he drove his fist upward with all his strength into his groin.

Podluben grabbed himself and let out a high-pitched yelp before collapsing onto his knees.

Blurken settled into his stance, then performed a backward flip, soaring over Podluben. He landed directly in front of him and drove a powerful knee into his chin.

Podluben's head snapped backward, followed by the rest of his body. He folded up like a collapsing chair, landed on top of his own legs, and remained there unconscious.

The energy barrier was deactivated once again, and a different referee entered the ring-the first one was still being carried away after Podluben had thrown him into the barrier.

The new referee cautiously approached the unconscious fighter and began the knockout count.

Podluben didn't start coming around until the count of eight. By then, there was no longer enough time for him to stand. When the count ended, he was fully conscious, but he was still lying on the mat.

The referee raised both arms above Podluben, crossed them into an X, then sharply spread them apart.

"Knockout!"

He then walked over to Blurken and raised his hand, declaring him the winner.

The arena erupted with deafening cheers.

It was a complete shock. A small, seemingly fragile young fighter had defeated Podluben-the man almost everyone had expected to win the entire tournament. Those who had placed large bets on Podluben's victory were especially furious.

"What an unbelievable upset!" Avalar shouted, trying to make himself heard over the roaring crowd. "Podluben, famous for his nearly indestructible armor, has been defeated by an opponent almost half his size! Blurken has just proven, right here before our eyes, that size doesn't always decide the outcome of a battle. You all saw his flawless technique and incredible speed. That young man has clearly devoted half his life to mastering his craft."

Podluben slowly climbed to his feet. He wobbled at first, but once he regained his balance, he began walking toward Blurken.

Everyone expected the giant to demand a rematch or throw a fit. Even Blurken became cautious, assuming the big brute was about to cause a scene.

Instead, Podluben simply extended his right hand.

Blurken looked surprised for a brief moment, but he quickly understood. Despite his hot temper, Podluben had accepted his defeat with dignity. He no longer saw Blurken as a kid who happened to be shorter than him, but as a warrior who had surpassed him in both skill and mastery.

Blurken smiled and firmly shook his hand.

"Now *that's* what I call true sportsmanship!" Avalar said. "No pointless insults, no screaming curses at each other-just mutual respect. If everyone handled defeat like that, the world would be a much kinder place. And with that, we say goodbye to Podluben. He put on one hell of a performance today. As for Blurken, we'll see him again in a fight against Edmond... assuming Edmond is able to continue the tournament. Though, honestly, I wouldn't bet on it."

-------------------

Squid turned off the holographic screen, clasped his hands together, and said,

"Well then... that was an unexpected ending. A kid who looked weak took down a giant by relying on speed and tactics, and he walked away with barely any injuries. Our blockhead would've tried to match Podluben in raw strength until he'd broken every bone in his body, and only then, maybe, would he have used his trump card to snatch a victory."

"Our Edmond is the perfect example of *courage mixed with stupidity*," Tork said with a smirk. "A fight against Podluben would've suited him. Their styles are similar, and Edmond would've had a real chance of winning. But against Blurken... I think it's a whole different story."

"A completely different story," Squid agreed. "With his straightforward fighting style, Edmond wouldn't land a single clean hit on Blurken, even if he activated his Power Pulse."

"We're sitting here talking about *what ifs*," Emali interrupted, "while Edmond is lying in a coma. We'll probably never find out how that fight would've really gone."

Squid nodded.

"That's true. Most likely we'll have to withdraw from the tournament. It's disappointing, but there's nothing we can do about it."

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

The team tensed up, and Squid called out,

"Who is it?"

"It's me, from the medical ward. Mr. Kalav, the doctor who examined your fighter," a voice replied from the other side. "I'm here about Edmond."

Squid cracked the door open.

"What's the news? Hopefully nothing bad?"

"Ho-ho-ho, my friend, you wound me," Kalav said with a smile. "Quite the opposite. The news is excellent. Your Edmond has woken up!"

The whole team exchanged astonished looks.

"And that's not all," Kalav continued. "He asked for something to eat and even got up to go to the restroom himself. Well... with a little assistance. It's nothing short of a medical miracle."

Squid asked,

"Can we see him?"

"Of course!" Kalav replied. "I think seeing all of you will make him feel even better."

Without wasting another second, Squid, Tork, and Emali headed for the medical ward.

However, when they arrived, Edmond was nowhere to be found. Not in his room, and not in the restroom.

Kalav exclaimed,

"Where's the patient?! Where did he go?"

The medical orderly who had been watching Edmond answered in a trembling voice,

"H-he... when he came out of the restroom, he walked the opposite way instead of returning to his room. I tried to stop him. I grabbed his arm and tried to pull him back..." He swallowed nervously. "But he didn't budge an inch. If anything, he almost dragged *me* along with him. I let go immediately. I had a feeling that if I kept trying to hold him back, he'd just kill me."

"Which way did he go?" Tork asked.

"Toward the corridor... then upstairs," the orderly replied.

Squid covered his face with one hand, rubbed the bridge of his nose, and let out a long sigh.

"Well... I guess he's completely recovered. Which, from a medical standpoint, should be impossible. But the facts speak for themselves."

"Ugh... Well then, let's go find him before he does something incredibly stupid again," Emali said, quickly heading in the direction the orderly had pointed.

Without saying a word, Squid and Tork followed after her.

-------------------

Meanwhile, having recovered, Edmond found an exit leading to the roof of the building, hoping to take a walk and get some fresh air. Although, considering that the air was constantly recycled by massive generators that allowed people to survive on the asteroid, calling it *fresh* was a bit of a stretch.

As he wandered across the rooftop, Edmond spotted a young man standing at the very edge, crying.

Edmond immediately got the feeling that this was about to end in suicide, so he decided to save the poor guy.

"Hey! What are you doing up there?" Edmond called out. "Isn't it dangerous standing that close to the edge?"

The young man turned around. His tear-stained face made it obvious that he belonged to the Serokas race. He looked utterly hopeless.

"What do you care about my safety?" the young man replied between sobs. "Just leave me alone."

"Leave you alone?" Edmond repeated. "So what exactly are you doing out here?"

"None of your business," the young man snapped, turning his gaze back toward the drop.

Edmond cautiously moved closer, ready to grab him the instant he tried to jump.

"Whatever happened, it isn't worth this," Edmond said. "You only get one life. Mistakes can always be fixed."

"Have you ever loved someone with all your heart?" the young man asked.

Scratching the back of his head, Edmond answered,

"Well... only my mother. No one else. If you're asking whether I've ever been in love... honestly, I've never had time for that. And I probably won't for a long while."

"Exactly..." the young man said, his voice shaking as he sobbed again. "You've never been through it, so you can't understand me or my pain. I would've done anything for him. I was always there for him. I sacrificed everything for him. And when I finally worked up the courage to confess my feelings... he rejected me."

The young man completely broke down, covering his face with his hands.

Edmond was a little confused that he had said **"him"** instead of **"her."** He assumed the guy had simply misspoken because he was so emotional.

Stepping closer, Edmond gently put an arm around his shoulders and carefully switched places with him so that he himself was standing closer to the edge, reducing the risk that the young man might jump.

"Come on, man," Edmond said. "You're gonna throw your life away over some girl? You'll find someone else who'll appreciate you for who you are. Just keep living, enjoy your life, and forget about her."

The young man lifted his head, looked Edmond straight in the eyes, and quietly said,

"I told you... **him.** He's a guy."

Edmond instantly let go of him.

"Wait... a **guy?!**"

Only then did it finally sink in that the young man hadn't misspoken at all. He really was in love with another man.

Caught completely off guard, Edmond instinctively staggered backward, forgetting that **he** was now standing right on the edge of the roof. His foot found nothing but empty air, and he toppled over the side, managing only one horrified scream before disappearing from sight.

"FAAAAAAAAG-!!"