As the trio trudged through the endless expanse of sand, their spirits began to flag. They had been traveling for weeks without any sign of civilization, and their supplies were running dangerously low. Just when they were about to give up hope, they spotted a distant mirage on the horizon.

When they drew closer, the mirage resolved itself into the shape of a big city, rising up from the desert sands like a beacon of hope.

As they entered the city, they were awestruck by the sheer scale of it all. The streets were teeming with people of all races and species, going about their business in a frenetic bustle. The buildings were made of hardened sand and wood, and the streets were paved with some kind of mud bricks.

The trio made their way to the market, where they were amazed by the variety of goods on offer. There were merchants selling everything from exotic spices and rare herbs to advanced technology and magical artifacts. They were able to buy all the supplies they needed and more.

As they explored the city, they began to realize that this was not just a collection of tribes, but a true city, with a functioning centralized government system in place. They were amazed by the sights and sounds and felt a sense of wonder and excitement that they had not felt in a long time. They knew that this city would be the perfect place to rest and resupply before continuing their journey through the desert.

While in a restaurant, enjoying a nice meal and tasting the local cuisine, Zaruya saw a poster about a fighting competition held in the city's fighting arena. Zaruya, itching for a fight, decided to enter the competition.

Excited by the prospect of testing her new arm in battle, Zaruya immediately approached the organizer of the competition and signed up.

The competition was a fierce, yearly held event, with many skilled fighters from all over the desert, but Zaruya was determined to emerge victorious.

Naelina on the other hand, decided to take a break for once, and just focus on meditating and improving her magic. Glasses, like Zaruya, got excited and took on the position of the coach, and started preparing Zaruya for the competition.

The fighting arena was a large, circular structure located in the heart of the desert city. It was built from a combination of stone and metals, with towering walls that loomed high above the sandy ground. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings and murals depicting scenes of great battles and fierce warriors.

The arena itself was a vast open space, with a sandy floor that was carefully groomed and leveled to provide a smooth surface for the competitors to fight on. The seating area was built in a tiered fashion, with a variety of seating options available for the audience, from VIP boxes to general admission seating.

At the center of the arena, there was a raised platform where the competitors would make their entrance and the fights would take place. A large scoreboard was displayed at one end of the arena, displaying the current standings of the competitors and the results of each fight.

At the night of the launch of the competition, the crowds gathered in the fighting arena to hear the announcement and get a glimpse of the participants.

The competition rules were quite simple. The first round is an elimination round, where all the competitors would start with a badge, and they would have to defeat other participants to earn more badges, and with 5 badges you directly qualify to the next round, which made the first round about speed as well as winning. If you win, you get one badge from the loser, and if you lose you give a badge to the winner. In the case of a draw, nothing happens. The first 16 competitors to get 5 badges would then move on to the next round. The second round is a series of 1 on 1 fights in the arena. The fighters would compete in a bracket-style tournament, with the winner of each match moving on to the next round. The undefeated participant at the end of the second round would be declared the winner and receive a large sum of money and rare materials as the prize.

The crowd was seated in tiers around the perimeter, offering a clear view of the action. The atmosphere was electric, with cheers and jeers ringing out as the fighters were announced.

Zaruya was the first to step into the arena, her new robotic arm gleaming in the bright lights. She was up against a robot warrior, a tall, heavily-armed machine with a fierce look in its red eyes. The two fighters approached each other, sizing each other up.

The fight began with a flurry of punches and kicks, as Zaruya and the robot warrior clashed in a blur of movement. Zaruya's new arm proved to be a terrifying weapon, as she delivered powerful strikes that sent the robot warrior reeling. But the robot warrior was not to be underestimated, and it fought back with a relentless barrage of blaster fire and energy beams.

The fight was intense and grueling, but in the end, it was Zaruya who emerged victorious. She landed a critical hit on the robot warrior, disabling it and earning her the first badge. The crowd erupted in cheers, and Zaruya felt a surge of adrenaline as she held up her badge, triumphant.

Three more badges to go, Zaruya was hyped for the next fight which was against a spearman-bot. The next fight was intense, as the spearman-bot was a fearsome opponent. Zaruya had to use all of her skills and her new robotic arm to its full potential if she wanted to defeat him. The spearman-bot was fast and agile, and its spear was a deadly weapon. But Zaruya was able to anticipate its movements, and she was able to dodge and block its attacks with her new arm. She was also able to use her speed and agility to get close to the spearman-bot and deliver powerful strikes with her knife. The fight was a close one, but in the end, Zaruya emerged victorious and claimed her third badge. The crowd cheered as she held up her badge in triumph. This was only the beginning, she knew that the next fight would be even harder, but she was determined to win and get to the next round.

The third fight was intense and brutal. Zaruya's opponent was a demon cyborg, a being that had fused both demon and robotic parts together to create a monstrous body. The demon cyborg was massive, towering over Zaruya and dwarfing her in size. Its body was covered in thick armor plates, and it had large, razor-sharp claws that glinted in the arena's lights.

As the fight began, the demon cyborg charged at Zaruya, its clawed hands reaching out to grab her. Zaruya was quick on her feet, dodging the cyborg's attacks and keeping her distance. She knew that getting too close to the demon cyborg would mean certain death.

The demon cyborg was relentless, its roars filling the arena as it persistently attacked Zaruya. But Zaruya wasn't fazed, she used her new robotic arm to her advantage. She was able to use it to block the cyborg's attacks and strike back with her own.

The fight was long and taxing, but in the end, Zaruya, who had more stamina, emerged victorious. She had managed to defeat the demon cyborg, earning herself another badge and moving one step closer to the finals. The crowd roared with approval, impressed by Zaruya's skill and determination.

As she walked away from the arena, her body sore and bruised, Zaruya couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. She had faced a formidable opponent and emerged victorious.

The fourth fight was a fierce and intense battle. Zaruya's opponent was a cyborg elf, who was tall and slender, with long, pointy ears. She had a sleek and sophisticated look, with a body made of metal and wires. Her eyes glowed with a fierce intelligence, and her movements were quick and precise.

Zaruya knew she was in for a tough fight. She never fought against a cyborg elf before, and she heard that they were some of the most skilled fighters in the arena. She also knew that she had to be careful, as the elf's cybernetic enhancements gave her an advantage in speed and strength.

The fight began, and Zaruya immediately went on the offensive. She swung her robotic arm with all her might, but the elf was able to dodge and deflect her attacks with ease. The elf was quick, and her movements were graceful and fluid. She was able to land a few strikes on Zaruya.

As Zaruya and her opponent clashed in the ring, their weapons ringing out against each other, the crowd roared with excitement. "You're good," the cyborg said, panting heavily. "But you're not good enough to beat me."

"We'll see about that," Zaruya replied, her own breath coming in ragged gasps. "I've fought tougher opponents than you."

The two fighters continued to battle, each one trying to gain the upper hand. Sweat poured down their faces as they exchanged blows, their weapons clashing against each other in a symphony of violence. "You're strong," said the robot-elf, her voice tinged with respect. "But you're not as fast as me."

"That's where you're wrong," Zaruya replied, her eyes flashing with determination. "

Finally, after a long and grueling fight, the judges declared the match a tie. Both fighters were bruised and exhausted, but both had given it their all. "You fought well," the cyborg said, offering Zaruya a hand to help her to her feet. "I'm Eira, and you are?" "Call me Zaru," she replied, taking Eira's hand. "Nice to meet you."

The two women smiled at each other, united by their shared love of combat and the adrenaline of battle.

After a day of rest, Zaruya went to her final fight in the first round to get her fifth badge. The 5th fight was a fierce battle, with Zaruya facing off against a scavenger bot. The bot was tall and lanky, with multiple arms and a large claw attached to its head. It seemed to be made entirely of scrap metal and wires, and it was clear that it was built with the intention of scavenging and dismantling other robots.

Zaruya, however, was not intimidated by the bot's appearance. She had trained hard with her new robotic arm, and she was confident in her abilities. As the fight began, she quickly assessed her opponent's strengths and weaknesses. The bot's multiple arms gave it a wide range of movement, but they also made it slow and unwieldy.

Zaruya used her agility and speed to her advantage, darting in and out of the bot's reach. She used her knife to strike at the bot's weak points, taking out its sensors and disabling its arms one by one. The bot tried to fight back with its claw, but Zaruya was able to dodge it easily.

As the fight went on, Zaruya continued to wear down the bot. Finally, with one swift strike, she delivered the final blow and the bot fell to the ground, defeated. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, and Zaruya emerged victorious, having won her fifth badge and qualifying for the next round of the competition.