Three hours after the fight, the pain should have been unbearable.
Every rib in Kane's chest should have screamed, every bruise should have throbbed. Instead, he sat on the edge of the infirmary cot, flexing his fingers and wondering how he was even breathing so easily.
The Quantum chip answered for him.
It pulsed faintly under his skin, a heartbeat not quite his own. Warm currents rippled through his veins, knitting muscle and sealing cuts faster than medicine ever could.
A soft chime flashed across his vision.
[Status Update]
Rank : D
Strength : 5
Vitality : 7 (HP 70)
Intelligence : 5 (EP 50)
Agility : 4
Sense : 4
Skill : Dash (10 EP)
The update lingered for a moment, faint blue light reflecting off the metal walls. Kane exhaled through his teeth.
Dash. The name alone sparked memory—how Sarah had vanished mid-move earlier, how that same burst of speed could decide a fight. His fingers itched to try it again.
The infirmary door slid open with a hydraulic hiss. Sean Morgan stepped in wearing that half-mocking, half-proud grin of his.
"Back on your feet already?"
"Mostly," Kane said, rotating his shoulder. It felt too good, almost unreal. "Guess the chip's doing overtime."
Sean clapped him hard on the back. "Good. Because you're hot property, kid. The floor's still buzzing about your debut."
Kane raised a brow. "You mean another match? Already?"
Sean's grin widened. "What can I say? The crowd's hungry. The show doesn't sleep."
Kane smirked. "Then feed them."
Sean laughed, the sound echoing down the corridor. "That's the spirit."
By the time Kane reached the cage, the arena was chaos again. Smoke, lights, voices—it all hit like static. Two women were already inside, moving so fast their limbs blurred under the floodlights.
One, Kaya, fought like a storm. Neon-green hair flared with every strike. Each punch thudded against her opponent's guard, driving her backward step by step until steel pressed against her spine.
[Impact -6 HP]
[Impact -8 HP]
Sarah spat blood but stayed upright. Her eyes flicked toward her HUD.
[HP 44 / 70]
[EP 35 / 50]
Too much damage, too fast. She'd never last another round trading hits.
Kaya saw the hesitation and moved in for the kill. "This ends now!" she shouted, throwing a hook meant to finish it.
The air shimmered—then Sarah was gone.
A blur.
In less than a breath she reappeared behind Kaya.
[Skill Activated: Dash -10 EP]
A spectral dagger flickered into her grip.
[Skill Activated: Venom Dagger -5 EP]
Before Kaya could turn, steel slid into her side. Poison burned green under her skin.
[Critical Hit -32 HP]
[Status Effect Applied: Venom]
Kaya gasped, knees giving out. Her HUD screamed red warnings before fading to zero.
[HP 0 / 70]
[Status: Downed]
The crowd erupted—half cheers, half outrage. Credits changed hands faster than breath. Kaya collapsed to the mat, eyes wide, vision swimming in color. Sarah simply withdrew the blade; it dissolved into smoke.
She checked her display.
[EP Remaining 20 / 50]
"Fifteen energy points," she murmured. "Worth it."
No bow, no smile. She left the cage as quietly as she had fought.
From the stands, Kane watched every move.
Dash… same as mine.
And that dagger—another layer stacked on top.
If his next opponent had a combo like that, he was in trouble.
The cage was scrubbed, the floor gleaming wet under the lights. The crowd stomped and chanted, waiting. Sean's voice boomed through the speakers.
"For our final match tonight—something special! On my left, the miracle rookie, Kane Bernard!"
The roar was deafening.
"And on my right, the prodigy with three straight wins—Yohan Vlad!"
The noise split down the middle, half cheering Kane's name, half shouting for Yohan. Kane stepped through the gate, still aching but calm. Yohan waited opposite him, tall, composed, eyes cold as glass.
"Declare your stakes," referee David called.
"Two thousand cash," Yohan said.
"Match it," Kane replied.
The holo-screen blinked alive.
[Stakes Confirmed]
Yohan Vlad — $2000
Kane Bernard — $2000
"Fight!"
Kane moved first. Dash lit his veins. The world blurred.
In a heartbeat he was beside Yohan, fist cutting through air—but Yohan's hand caught his leg mid-swing and hurled him into the cage. Metal shrieked.
[Kane HP 59 / 70]
He staggered up, blood running from his nose. He tracked me through Dash… his Sense stat's insane.
Yohan advanced, slow and precise. He feinted left. Kane triggered Dash again—
—and ran straight into a punch waiting for him.
The next hit crashed against his jaw. He rolled across the mat, coughing red.
Half the audience screamed for mercy; the rest wanted blood.
Kane forced himself up. Yohan blurred again, appearing behind him, hand chopping down. Darkness bloomed. Kane hit the floor.
Yohan turned away, victory already claimed—until Kane's boot snapped across his cheek.
[Yohan HP 114 / 120]
The prodigy actually stumbled.
Kane grinned through split lips. "Why end the show early?"
For a second Yohan's perfect calm cracked. Then rage took its place. His next strike landed like a hammer, flinging Kane halfway across the cage.
[Kane HP 18 / 70]
Referee David began counting. "Seven… eight… nine—"
Kane vanished in a flash of blue light.
[EP 20 / 50]
He reappeared on his feet, swaying but upright. The crowd lost its mind, half cheering, half screaming disbelief.
David stepped between them before Yohan could move again. "Match over! Kane can't continue. Winner: Yohan Vlad!"
Chaos followed—shouts, demands, fists pounding railings. David ignored them; too much money depended on keeping the rookie alive.
Yohan said nothing. He simply turned and left, composure regained.
Sean was already climbing through the gate, catching Kane as he collapsed. "Easy, kid. You've done enough for one night."
Half an hour later Kane sat on another cot, body wrapped in fresh bandages. The HUD pulsed weakly in his sight.
[HP 18 / 70]
[EP 15 / 50]
Sean pushed through the door. "Can you walk?"
Kane groaned but stood. "Barely."
"Good enough. Follow me."
The starting room buzzed with tension. Yohan stood motionless near the back. Sarah leaned against the wall, arms crossed. Kaya, newly healed, glared daggers. Two unfamiliar fighters watched in silence.
Sean surveyed them all, that grin still there but edged with something harder.
"Tonight was only the opener," he said. "You six have the crowd's attention now. The organisers are watching. You're moving to the majors—higher stakes, real sponsors, bigger blood money."
The words hit Kane like a physical weight. Hours ago he'd been a broke kid chasing one payday. Now he was trapped in a machine built on violence and numbers.
Sean clapped his hands once. "Three days' rest. Then report back here at five sharp."
He started for the door, then looked back. "Remember—" his grin sharpened, "—the show doesn't wait for anyone."
The door slid shut, leaving the six of them staring at one another under the flickering light, the quiet hum of their Quantum chips the only sound between heartbeats.