The five-minute break passed in a whirlwind of activity. The crowd swelled with frenzied excitement, voices overlapping as bets were placed and theories debated. The underground arena's gambling interface became a flurry of movement, as eager fingers danced across screens, sealing wagers in real-time.
Rion leaned back against his seat, his phone in hand as he connected to the arena's internal network under the urging of Vance. He immediately encountered a sophisticated gambling interface that allowed him to make a bet on the match ahead.
The design was sleek and intuitive, yet intricate enough to offer a staggering number of options. A standard bet on victory was just the surface; gamblers could wager on details such as the minimum number of landed strikes, how long the fight would last, or even the manner in which it would end—knockout, surrender, or, in the rarest cases, death.
Vance nudged him with an elbow. "Go on, place a bet. Lead us on the path to easy money."
"Easy?" Rion raised a brow, his gaze flicking toward the pit where the White Bear's massive form loomed. The beast was still restrained, its handlers gripping its chains with white-knuckled intensity. It let out a deep, guttural growl, the sound reverberating through the arena floor like a distant earthquake.
"Bone Queen's tough, sure," Vance continued, tilting his head toward her side of the arena. "But strength beats durability. The bear's got that in spades. Mutated beasts don't hold back, and if it gets its jaws around her, that's it. We might as well burn money if we bet on her."
Rion hummed noncommittally, but he wasn't convinced.
If the fight was truly as one-sided as it seemed, why had the arena organizers set it up? As Vance had informed him, the underground circuit thrived on uncertainty, on matches that could go either way. A complete curb-stomp battle would be bad for business. That meant there was more to Bone Queen than what was publicly known.
His eyes narrowed as he studied her from a distance. She stood still, her arms at her sides, utterly unfazed by the hulking beast preparing to be unleashed. Her breathing was slow, controlled—not the stance of someone facing certain defeat. There was confidence there. Not arrogance. Confidence.
Then he turned his focus to the White Bear. Its thick, matted fur concealed its true form, but the deeper he looked, the more details stood out. Old scars crisscrossed its hide, a history of battles fought and survived. But that was just it—survived. Not a single fresh wound. That meant it had either been healing incredibly fast… or it hadn't been challenged in a long time.
That was a problem.
Fighters who never struggled became complacent. Mutated beasts, no matter how strong, still had instincts—patterns of behavior that could be read and exploited. Bone Queen had likely studied its movements. If she had a way to counteract its raw power, then this battle was not nearly as lopsided as it seemed.
Rion smirked and placed his bet—500 kila on the Late-stage adept. Of course, with his current account balance, this amount of money hardly mattered to him. Besides, he was only placing a bet for fun.
The greatest reward was to witness the upcoming battle and refine his combat strategies.
Vance peered over at his screen and let out a bark of laughter. "Seriously? You really think she's gonna pull this off?"
Rion only gave a small shrug. "Just a feeling."
"Alright then." he replied as he also placed 1000 kila on Bone Queen.
Across the arena, the final betting seconds ticked down. Speculation ran rampant, voices rising as gamblers made their last-minute decisions. Some played it safe, choosing the White Bear. Others, bolder or simply drawn to the higher payout, took their chances on Bone Queen.
Then, with ten seconds left, the entire arena fell silent as Bone Queen finally moved.
A sickening crackling sound filled the air, sharp and unnatural, like bones grinding against one another. Jagged white protrusions sprouted from her shoulders, her arms, her back—spines of ivory, twisting and stretching outward, like a grotesque second skin. The crowd let out a collective murmur as her transformation accelerated. Bone plates grew over her body in seamless layers, interlocking to form a fearsome armor that encased her entire body.
Her face was the last to change. A skeletal mask slid over her features, hollow-eyed and grinning. The grin was permanent, carved into the bone itself, but the intensity in her eyes was anything but lifeless.
Rion's fingers tapped idly against his armrest as he observed her. "Interesting…"
Vance exhaled through his nose. "She looks scary as hell, I'll give her that. But it won't matter if she can't crack that thing's hide."
The arena lights shifted, the pit darkening for a brief moment before refocusing on the combatants. The handlers hurriedly let go of the chains binding the White Bear and left the stage.
The announcer's voice rang out, the final signal.
{Ladies and gentlemen... BEGIN!}
Bone Queen moved first.
«Swoosh!»
A single step, and then she vanished in a blur.
[Weightless Steps]
She reappeared in front of the White Bear, closing the gap in an instant. A knee drove upward, aimed at its jaw, but the beast instinctively reacted, twisting its head just enough to avoid a clean hit. Still, the impact sent a tremor through its body, forcing it back a step.
The crowd erupted.
But before Bone Queen could retreat, the White Bear countered.
Its paw came in a sweeping arc, faster than anything its size should be capable of. She barely managed to raise her arms in defense as it struck. The impact was thunderous. She flew backward, skidding across the pit floor, her armored feet carving twin trails in the dirt before she dug in and stopped herself.
The audience sucked in a collective breath.
"She actually survived that?" someone muttered.
Rion's eyes narrowed. "She blocked it, but that kind of power isn't something you just brush off."
Sure enough, a spiderweb of fractures ran along the bone plating on her forearms. The sheer force behind the bear's swipe had nearly shattered her armor in one blow.
But she only grinned beneath her mask.
«Kacha... Kacha»
With a deep breath, she clenched her fists and her bone armor began to repair itself. The fractures sealed, the armor strengthening further. Then she initiated another attack run.
Her right arm snapped forward, the bone armor along her forearm extending mid-motion. A sharpened edge formed along the ridge, turning it into a natural blade. She slashed upward, aiming for the beast's exposed underbelly.
A dull scraping sound echoed as her strike connected—but instead of cutting deep, it barely left a mark. The thick hide absorbed the force, only a shallow scratch marring its surface.
The audience gasped.
Vance let out a low whistle. "Told you. That thing's a damn tank."
But Rion wasn't watching the surface wound. He was watching her reaction.
The Bone Queen didn't seem surprised. In fact, she was already moving again, her expression unreadable behind the mask. She pivoted, twisting around the beast's side, her hands shifting. The bone plates along her knuckles lengthened, turning into jagged spikes.
She struck again—this time at the joints.
Her fist hammered into the White Bear's hind leg, targeting the connective tissue beneath the fur. The beast snarled, jerking away, its movement just a fraction slower than before.
"She's taking it apart," he murmured.
Vance blinked. "Huh?"
"She's not aiming to kill it outright." Rion's smirk returned, his gaze locked onto the fight. "She's dismantling it piece by piece."
Vance's expression shifted, his amusement replaced by something closer to genuine intrigue.
In the pit below, the White Bear's black eyes glinted as it charged at the prey before it.
The ground shook beneath its weight, each step tearing into the dirt. It came in low this time, attempting to gore her with its thick skull.
Bone Queen stomped her foot, activating a defensive origin technique in an instant. Her skeletal armor thickened further, her muscles hardening as if she had turned to living rock.
When the White Bear collided with her, she didn't budge.
Instead, she grabbed it.
[Giant Grip!]
Her hands locked onto the beast's shoulders, her enhanced grip digging deep. The bear roared, thrashing, trying to shake her off.
But she wasn't done.
With a sharp exhale, she pivoted, twisting with the full force of her body-and lifted the bear off the ground.
The crowd lost their minds.
"No way-"
"She's throwing that thing?!"
And then, with a guttural shout, she slammed the White Bear into the pit floor.
The impact sent a wave of dust and debris outward.
The entire underground arena rumbled.
The White Bear thrashed, stunned but far from defeated. It rolled onto its feet, its movements wilder now. Blood seeped from its side where her grip had crushed into its flesh.
It charged again, but this time, it moved erratically, feinting before lunging low. It clamped its jaws onto her leg.
Her armor held, but the pressure sent spikes of
pain shooting up her limb. With a grunt, she drove her armored fists down onto its skull in a flurry of punches until it released her.
The two combatants separated, both panting and bleeding.
"That's bad," Vance cursed. "The bear will outlast her at this rate. If she doesn't finish it soon, she's done for."
The fight dragged on, Bone Queen's movements growing slower as both mental and physical fatigue set in. Her armor was cracked and bloodied, and her breathing was clearly labored. The bear, too, was showing signs of wear. Its movements were sluggish, and its roars had lost some of their ferocity. Blood dripped from its wounds, pooling beneath its massive frame.
They separated once more, both panting heavily. Bone Queen almost lost her balance but managed to stabilize herself in time. She knew she couldn't afford to drag this fight out any longer. Her origin energy reserves was dwindling and she was much more closer to exhaustion than the beast.
She exhaled deeply, rolling her shoulders, her skeletal armor clicking as it shifted, adjusting to her movements as if it were an obedient puppy. With a sharp crack, the thick bone plating along her hands extended, the edges tapering into wickedly sharp claws, glistening under the arena lights.
The White Bear snorted, shaking its massive head. Despite its wounds and the punishment it had taken, its black eyes gleamed with undeterred ferocity. It wasn't afraid. It was a beast that only knew hunger, and destruction.
A deep growl rumbled from its throat, and then it moved.
But Bone Queen was faster.
Once again, her movements were a blur as she surged forward, her feet barely touching the ground. The beast's paw lashed out, a strike with the force to crumple steel, but she ducked low, her entire body coiling before she launched upward.
Her claws slashed across its thick, matted throat.
This time, she didn't just scratch it, her attack bit deep.
A spray of blood burst forth, hot and thick, painting the pit floor in a crimson arc. The White Bear let out a gurgling, strangled roar, its body swaying as the wound gaped open. Its breaths became ragged, air whistling through the gash as it tried to draw in oxygen.
But Bone Queen wasn't done.
With the precision of a predator, she lunged onto its back, her claws digging deep into its hide, anchoring herself in place. The beast reared up, thrashing violently, its massive form bucking in an attempt to dislodge her.
It slammed its body against the pit walls.
It rolled, kicking up dirt and debris, trying to crush her beneath its weight.
But she didn't let go of her grip. Every muscle in her body burned, her bones ached from the repeated impacts, but she ignored the pain.
[COMBO STAR!], she yelled at the top of her lungs and raised her bone-plated claws in a swiping pose.
Then—she struck.
«SHRIIIP!»
The first blow tore through the beast's hide.
«SPLATTER!»
The second blow sent a fresh burst of blood cascading over the arena floor.
The White Bear made a few more erratic movements, its once-unshakable frame now trembling as the relentlessly fighter above him delivered blow after blow onto its body.
The crowd was screaming, voices blending into an incoherent roar of excitement, disbelief, and bloodthirsty anticipation.
Rion leaned forward, gripping the edge of his seat, eyes locked on the unfolding carnage.
Vance let out a low whistle. "She's really doing it..."
Bone Queen reared back, inhaling sharply before plunging her claws into the base of the White Bear's skull.
She twisted. Hard!
The sound that followed was not meant for human ears. A grotesque crunch, and then silence.
The beast let out a final, rattling breath.
Then it collapsed.
The entire underground arena froze.
For a heartbeat, there was nothing-no movement, no sound. Just the image of Bone Queen standing atop the lifeless body of the once-unstoppable White Bear, her skeletal armor cracked, her form drenched in blood.
Then-
«AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!»
A deafening wave of noise crashed through the arena. Cheers, screams, gasps of pure disbelief. The betting interface flickered, numbers recalculating as the impossible outcome solidified into reality.
Bone Queen slowly straightened, exhaling as she stepped off the bear's corpse. She reached up, her fingers brushing over the cracked surface of her skeletal mask. It had taken a beating, but it was still intact-just like her.
She lifted her fist into the air.
The arena exploded in response, voices rising in a chaotic, frenzied roar.