Chrysalis

Like I said, the Folk seem like they’re down to fight at pretty much the drop of a hat. Before ten minutes have passed, I find myself in an arena, surrounded by hundreds of spectators, while the dog-kin is stretching and taking some practice swings of his blade.

[How many of these arenas do you have?] I ask, a little bewildered.

[A lot,] he says. [We hone our skills in battle constantly against each other, and then against the Dungeon. Sometimes there are demonstrations where captured monsters are brought in so our warriors can test themselves against them. Most of these people probably assume that is the case here.]

He waves to the crowd and they cheer.

I wave to them with an antenna and get no response. Rude.

[Alright, what are the rules?]

[Fight, but don’t kill.]

[... That’s it?]

[That’s it. Use your full strength, because I will be using mine.]

So saying, he takes a firm grip of his sword and lowers himself into a grounded stance. The atmosphere becomes serious in an instant. A hush descends upon the crowd, as the audience holds their breath, waiting for the moment the battle begins.

biggest ego in the world, but

not? It would be seriously embarrassing if I were to lose in an instant to some trick I didn’t see coming, so I decide to brace myself, spin up my mind constructs

slight shift of my opponent's foot is all the warning

FAST!

CLANG!

my position, angling my head to the side just in time for the blade, which would have punctured my eye,

missed, my opponent is still quick to react, pushing off my thorax with both feet to create some distance before he readies himself again. Not

Whoa!

CLANG!

flying high into the air. This time, I’m not going to let him reset himself so easily. I lash out with my mandibles, not using Void Chomp, because… I don’t want to

of my mandibles in mid air, using the force of the blow

a little

try it again. And again. And another five times after that. I don’t manage to land a hit. Even though the spell itself is invisible, he somehow knows it’s coming, but I’m not allowing him the time to set his feet for one of those

frustrated, and lashes out with a powerful swing. Unlike the other times, he activates a Skill. A wave

guy has a high level sword Skill. Of course, my reactions are on point and I angle my carapace perfectly. When the light hits, I feel the impact through my whole body, but my

Gweheheheh.

Not even remotely enough! The crowd gasps as one, shocked that the mighty cut wasn’t enough to

each of them sending an arc of sword-light flying at me. A roar of approval bursts from the crowd, but it soon quietens as I roll deftly out of the way. Well, I say deft. The ground literally rumbles when I roll now,

take this a little bit