The crowd was still cheering from Ren's victory over TechnoPork. Seth clapped as Ren took his seat beside him in the competitor's bleachers, a bit tired but still smiling. Ren patted Seth on the back. "You're up soon. Nervous?"
Seth gave a small nod, trying to shake off the feeling in his stomach. But before his name was called, the lights of the arena dimmed slowly. A quiet buzz fell over the audience.
Then, one spotlight turned on.
It shone down on a lone figure walking into the middle of the arena. He wore a dark, simple robe. His face was calm, unreadable. The crowd grew silent, then exploded with cheers.
The announcer's voice rang through the arena: "Ladies and gentlemen, before the next match begins, we bring you something special — a demonstration from the strongest fighter in the pit. The one who holds a bounty of one hundred million Zenites for anyone who can defeat him. The Phantom Blade himself... HALICAL GRINDER!"
Ren leaned closer to Seth. "That's him... the guy everyone talks about. But no one's ever seen his full power."
Seth watched as a new challenger entered the arena. This one had spinning blades attached to his arms. He looked dangerous. But Halical didn't even flinch.
The bell rang.
The man with spinning blades charged forward. Sparks flew as he attacked. But Halical moved swiftly, drawing a katana from his back. The blade glowed red, vibrating with high frequency. In one movement, Halical blocked and slashed. The spinning blades flew off into the air. Then, with calm precision, Halical made a clean cut across the opponent's chest. The man fell, gasping.
The crowd roared.
But Halical just stood there, sheathing his sword.
The announcer spoke again. "Once more, Halical proves why no one dares challenge him. Calm, clean... deadly. But make no mistake — Halical only kills those he must."
Far away from the bright lights and roaring crowds of the arena, Halical's story began in a quiet mountain village. It was a peaceful place, full of small homes, forests, and clear rivers. The people there were part of the Haguruma Clan — a secretive ninja clan known for their skill and discipline.
Halical never knew his parents. They had died on a mission when he was just a baby. He was raised by his grandfather, the leader of the village. His grandfather was quiet and strict. He rarely smiled and often gave Halical tough lessons.
"Strength is not a gift," he would say. "It is something you earn."
From the time Halical could walk, he was trained. He learned how to climb trees without making a sound. He learned how to throw blades. He even learned how to fight wild animals. Not to kill them, but to learn from them.
His grandfather once dropped him into a lion's den.
Halical had to survive the night.
At first, the lions roared and chased him. But Halical stayed still, quiet, and learned their ways. By morning, the lions were resting beside him. From that day, wild animals no longer feared him. Some even became his friends.
Halical was rebellious. He didn't like being told what to do. But he respected his grandfather. Still, they often clashed during training. If Halical talked back, his grandfather would smack him on the head. Not out of anger, but discipline.
One day, while training in the forest, his grandfather stopped. He looked toward the village, eyes narrowing.
"Stay here," he told Halical. "Keep training. I'll be back."
Then he vanished.
Halical continued training, but something felt wrong.
Back in the village, things were not quiet. A group of scavengers had invaded. They were strange — half-human, half-machine. Their bodies were full of cybernetic parts: metal arms, glowing eyes, mechanical claws.
They had come for a blade. A powerful weapon the Haguruma Clan had hidden for generations. It was called the Silent Fang, a katana said to be sharper than any other blade. It could cut through steel, even energy fields.
The clan warriors fought hard. But the scavengers had tricks. They used poison darts, smoke bombs, and dirty tactics. The scavenger leader stood in the center of the village. He was tall, fully cybernetic. His body was metal from head to toe, and his voice echoed with static.
Then Halical's grandfather arrived.
He saw the destruction and grew furious. With speed like lightning, he tore through the scavenger forces. He didn't speak. He just moved — fast, sharp, and deadly. One by one, the scavengers fell.
But then the poison darts hit him. He staggered.
The scavenger leader stepped forward.
"You're strong," the leader said. "But you're old."
They fought — metal against flesh. The ground shook with each blow. Halical's grandfather held his own, but the poison slowed him down. Realizing he couldn't win, he created a crater in the ground, stirring up dust.
In the confusion, he escaped.
He grabbed the Silent Fang from its hiding place and made his way to Halical.
A Final Goodbye
Halical saw his grandfather stumble out of the forest, blood covering his clothes. Halical rushed to him.
"What happened?" Halical asked.
No answer.
His grandfather handed him a small bag and a long object wrapped in cloth.
"Take this," he said. "Run. Don't come back. Not yet."
Then, using one last bit of strength, the old man whistled. A giant eagle — one of Halical's animal friends — flew down.
"Go," the old man said.
Halical climbed onto the eagle. As they flew, he looked down.
He saw his grandfather collapse.
He saw the scavenger leader walk up.
He saw the man punch through his grandfather's chest and rip out his heart.
Halical screamed.
Tears streamed down his face. That image burned into his memory forever.
From that moment, Halical swore never to be weak again. Never to watch someone he loved die while he stood by, helpless.
He trained harder. Traveled far. Fought beasts, soldiers, and machines. The Silent Fang became part of him. He became a warrior feared across Elaris.
But Halical didn't want fame. He didn't want praise.
He wanted strength. He wanted to be ready.
For the day he would find that scavenger leader again.
And end what had started.
Back in the arena, the crowd still cheered for Halical. But he ignored them. His eyes scanned the crowd.
He wasn't there to impress anyone.
He was waiting.
Waiting for someone strong enough.
Someone worth fighting.