Proud to be a Sheep

Act II: Chapter 10

"UNBELIEVABLE! UNDEFEATED. UNSTOPPABLE. UNMATCHED! IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE A REMARKABLE BATCH THIS TIME AROUND! GIVE IT UP FOR YOUR WINNER, EIIIIIIIIINARRRRRRRRRR! "

The crowd’s cheers and roars were loud enough to make my ears ring, especially my left ear, which sometimes muffles out noises that are way too loud. I once had fears of it being a sign of going deaf, but I soon stopped caring about it.

Each of Einar’s wins was very convincing. It was either a quick and decisive match, or a complete beatdown. The crowd adored him. And why wouldn’t they? Some people seem to think it was Einar’s physical strength that was carrying him, or his artifact. Like a cheat code in human form. But Einar wasn’t just strong; he was smart. Too smart. He could sniff out weaknesses like a bloodhound with a nose for insecurity. 

It wasn’t just his artifact that made him unbeatable—it was that uncanny instinct of his. Be it a weak spot or a flaw in the power of his opponent, he can find it very quickly, and act accordingly. He also never hesitated to go right for those spots and take the killing blow, no matter how much pain his enemy cried out. He’s like me, but better.

Well, better than me without the drug, but with the drug? I guess we’ll see.

“NEXT UP! A MATCH BETWEEN THE TACTITIAN AND THE BERSERKER! THE ARTIST AND THE BEAST! THE FLICKERING, QUICK THINKING, BLOOD DRAWING, ETSUKO NNNNNOOKORIIIIIIIIIIIII!”

Yep, that’s me. You’re probably wondering how I ended up in this situation. Artist by passion, fighter by unfortunate circumstance. The announcer sure made me sound cool, though. A small victory.

I walked out the gates, revealing myself as I walked to the stage’s center. The people’s cries and cheers were loud, but it wasn’t out of support for me. They wanted to see the fight. They wanted to see me pull off another stupid trick to beat the guy I was facing. It was the tavern all over again.

“AND NOW, THE BEAST WILL FEAST! HIS HORNS WILL PIERCE THROUGH NOT ONLY THE HEARTS OF THE AUDIENCE, BUT ALSO HIS ENEMIES AS HE HUNTS DOWN HIS MEAL. GIVE IT UP FOR THE FIGHTING. CHARGING. RAGING. TANK. TAAIIIIIGAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Taiga walked out his gate, his muscular body shining underneath the sun’s glow, along with the horns hanging from his head. Like a devil, I thought. No, I don’t see malice in his eyes, more so… confidence. Wearing a smile, most likely formed through the crowd’s cheers, which I also received, but his was different. The cheers. They were… a warm, affectionate wave, full of admiration and love. Smiles and shining eyes filled the space, each sound a heartfelt tribute. It was more than celebration—it was a genuine connection, as if their collective energy lifted the person up. The atmosphere made me feel like a villain, kinda made me second-guess my life choices.

The Minotaur beast walking out his cave approached me, looking down at me with a smile revealing his razor-sharp teeth. This man was no devil, he was a beast, a pet. And the people owned him. “Ya’ ready?” He asked, leaning in close, and wow, his breath—notes of death and bad decisions.

“As ready as I can be, I guess..” I didn’t expect him to ask me a question, he looked too eager to fight to even care about anything else. But maybe that’s exactly what led him to ask me that question. His face stands inches away, his face a rugged map of scars. His brow is furrowed, casting shadows over his eyes, burning with feral, animalistic rage. The lines etched into his face seemed like they came from torture. Was he a slave, like Tan and Echo? His jaw is clenched tight, lips pulled back in a slight snarl. He doesn’t seem too old, maybe in his late teens or early twenties. I can feel the heat of his breath, as if he's a predator about to strike. His presence is overwhelming, the very essence of a dangerous and unstoppable force. 

Lucky for me, I can’t get overwhelmed.