Chapter 7
Five minutes. A mere blink in the grand scheme of time, yet in the brutal reality of Luminary's game, it had already claimed two lives. The God of Games sat upon his luminous throne in the white room, his serene gaze flitting across countless unseen screens, each displaying a different perspective of the unfolding chaos on the island. He watched as the remaining sixty-eight players navigated the treacherous terrain, some with cautious apprehension, others with a grim determination.
He observed Shoji Hisao, clutching his stomach in the alleyway, the small flames around him diligently working to mend his wound. He noted the raw fear mixed with a burgeoning resolve in the boy's eyes.
His attention then shifted to the newly formed alliance between Nyx Umbra and Reyn Ashwood, the shadowy figure and the dark magic prodigy already moving with a coordinated purpose through the ruins.
A faint smile touched Luminary's lips as he absorbed the initial movements and confrontations. "Such… eagerness," he murmured to the empty white room. "At this pace, my little game will conclude swiftly. My prediction… approximately seven days until only one remains."
He leaned back on his throne, his gaze unwavering, a silent puppet master orchestrating a deadly ballet across a miniature world. The stage was set, the players were moving, and the countdown had begun.
The scene on the island shifted to a small, dilapidated town square. Overturned market stalls and shattered shop windows littered the area, the silence punctuated by the sounds of grunts and the scraping of metal on stone. Kuragari Ankoku, surprisingly agile despite the crude weapon in his hand – a bent and sharpened metal fork he had scavenged – was locked in combat with another player.
His opponent, a muscular man with close-cropped hair, stood empty-handed but radiated an intense confidence. This was Kenji Brawler, and despite lacking a conventional weapon, his words were filled with unwavering conviction.
"You think that little fork can stop me?" Kenji taunted, his voice booming through the deserted square. "You don't seem to understand my power. It works by experience. Every fight, every struggle, makes me stronger. The longer this goes on, the more you're digging your own grave."
Kuragari dodged a wild haymaker, the wind from Kenji's fist ruffling his buzz cut. He flicked the fork menacingly. "And you don't seem to understand mine either, muscle-head. I can wield any weapon I pick up. No special requirements, no fancy training needed. This pointy thing is all I need to carve you up."
Kenji laughed, a deep, rumbling sound. "Experience trumps rusty forks any day! Come on, show me what you've got! Every hit you land just makes me tougher!" He lunged forward, throwing a series of powerful punches and kicks, his movements surprisingly fast for his bulky frame.
Kuragari, relying on his agility, danced around Kenji's attacks, occasionally jabbing with the fork, trying to find an opening in his opponent's relentless assault. The clash of their contrasting abilities – Kuragari's adaptability versus Kenji's escalating strength – filled the desolate town square.
Kuragari, relying on speed, darted towards Kenji, the sharpened fork held ready. Kenji, anticipating the attack, threw a powerful punch. Kuragari, with a surprising burst of agility, backflipped over the incoming fist, the wind from the blow ruffling his hair.
Before Kenji could recover his stance, Kuragari lunged, the fork aimed with deadly precision. The makeshift weapon plunged into Kenji's neck.
The moment the fork pierced his skin, strange, glowing texts flickered into existence around Kenji's body. "100 Exp." Kuragari's eyes widened in surprise, a flicker of understanding crossing his face. He realized then that Kenji's power wasn't just about enduring hits; it was about gaining experience and, presumably, becoming stronger as he did. He would need to overwhelm him quickly.
As Kuragari prepared to disengage, Kenji, despite the fork lodged in his neck, swung his fist with surprising speed and force. The blow connected squarely with Kuragari's face, sending him flying backwards. He landed hard, the impact jarring his teeth, the taste of blood filling his mouth. The punch had been brutal, far stronger than any Kenji had thrown before. The "experience" power was clearly taking effect rapidly.
Kuragari, his head reeling from the powerful punch, quickly scanned his surroundings. His eyes landed on a discarded length of rope lying near a shattered market stall. He snatched it up, a strange sensation washing over him – an almost immediate understanding of how to wield it effectively. Beside the rope lay a rusty metal pipe, which he also grabbed. His mind raced; a direct confrontation seemed increasingly unwise against Kenji's rapidly growing strength. He needed a different approach, something decisive.
Kenji lumbered towards him, another powerful punch aimed at his head. Kuragari reacted quickly, raising the metal pipe to block the blow. The impact shattered the pipe in half, the force of Kenji's punch astonishing. But the brief block gave Kuragari the opening he needed.
With a swift, practiced motion that belied his lack of prior experience, Kuragari whipped the rope around Kenji's neck. He pulled with all his might, using Kenji's momentum to stumble him towards the edge of a nearby cliff that overlooked the town. The "150 Exp" text flickered around Kenji as the rope tightened.
Kuragari tried to hoist Kenji over the edge, hoping to hang him, but Kenji, even with the rope digging into his neck, was still fighting with surprising strength. In a desperate move, Kenji reached up and, with a grunt of effort, severed the rope with his bare hands.
Kenji plummeted over the thirty-meter drop. A moment of silence hung in the air. Kuragari watched, expecting the telltale announcement of elimination. But it didn't come. Instead, larger, glowing texts appeared around the falling figure: "500 Exp."
Kuragari stared down at the chasm, a look of disbelief and exasperation on his face. "I'm not dealing with this anymore," he muttered, turning his back on the cliff and walking away, leaving the seemingly unkillable Kenji to his fate.