The highly anticipated Monster Coliseum, its true form revealed.
A circular arena reminiscent of ancient Rome’s Colosseum.
Although it was built underground and thus smaller in scale, the spectators’ eyes were filled with excitement.
Some of them could not contain their exhilaration, shouting and stomping their feet.
However, in stark contrast to the hot atmosphere in the stands, the waiting room was as cold as ice.
In the waiting room were the participants who were about to compete, all with grim expressions.
The sight of all twenty participants with their heads bowed was reminiscent of prisoners in a jail.
Fear was etched deeply on their faces, their eyes darting around each other filled with suspicion and caution.
And then, with a metallic clang, a small door opened.
It was the armed guards.
“Choose your weapons!”
The guards dropped weapons on the floor with a gruff command.
Twisted swords, rusty spears, cracked bows – none of the weapons were of good quality.
“Choose your weapons as you see fit. Of course, if you wish to die, not choosing is also an option.”
The guard’s cynicism cut through the air.
However, despite being told to choose weapons, no one could easily move.
It was the same for Kale.
He had participated in the coliseum because his debts were to be forgiven, but he had no knowledge of how to choose a weapon.
He had only done odd jobs to earn money for his sister’s medical expenses, and this was far from his experience.
“……”
They only exchanged glances, and no one stepped forward.
A silent passage of time.
As time continued to pass, the fear grew closer.
It was the same for Kale.
‘What if I die here?’
If he died, who would take care of his sick sister?
Negative thoughts arose.
Still, Kale resolutely shook his head.
‘No, let’s not have such weak thoughts. I must survive no matter what!’
As Kale was steeling himself, a man was the first to choose a weapon.
The weapon the man chose was a sword, and he immediately spoke.
“Why do you all look like you’re going to die? Are we here to die? We have to survive and start anew!”
The man raised his sword and introduced himself.
“My name is Bayden. I was once an adventurer with a Silver Badge. Now, as you can see, I’m here because I couldn’t pay off my debts.”
At Bayden’s introduction, people raised their heads.
A ray of hope flickered at the word ‘adventurer.’
Kale also harbored a small expectation.
It felt like there was a chance to survive.
Bayden looked around and continued,
“If you all just do as I say, I’ll let everyone get out of here alive.”
A Silver Rank adventurer.
Actually, Silver Rank was not a very high rank. Nor was it a low rank.
However, most of the participants here had never even held a sword, let alone been adventurers, so they looked up to Bayden.
“Everyone gather around. Let’s make a strategy for survival.”
Bayden naturally became the leader of the group.
It was only then that people began to gather around Bayden.
As if to cast away their fear, they clasped each other’s shoulders.
Kale also moved his feet.
“Everyone listen carefully. First, surviving the monsters is the priority. It’s exactly 15 minutes. To survive during that time, we must stick together. Understand?”
Bayden said, interjecting himself among the participants.
His voice was full of confidence, which made the participants start to trust him.
After all, their opponents were not other humans, but monsters.
“Does anyone here know how to properly handle a bow or a sword?”
Silence fell at Bayden’s question.
Naturally, no one raised their hand.
“Then let’s go with spears and shields. The person in front will block with a shield, and the person behind will stab with a spear. We just have to hold on for 15 minutes. It’s very easy, isn’t it?”
Everyone nodded.
They had absolute faith that, as a former adventurer, he knew better than them.
Following his instructions, they each picked up their weapons.
And just as Kale was about to pick up a shield.
“Hey, you there, kid.”
Bayden called out to Kale.
Startled by his words, Kale looked up.
“You stay out of it. You don’t seem very useful.”
Kale’s heart sank at Bayden’s words.
“I, I will do my best! Please give me a chance!”
“No. If you break through, we could all be in danger.”
Bayden’s refusal was firm.
He was a boy who had not yet reached adulthood.
Kale’s small physique caught his eye.
Would such a boy hold a shield?
It was clear he would be pierced through in an instant.
It was better to not have him there in the first place than to have him break through mid-battle.
Bayden made a cold judgment.
However, Kale was desperate.
“Otherwise, I’ll hold a spear! Please, I beg you!”
Kale knew that if he couldn’t join Bayden’s group, he would die.
Thus, he had to latch onto them.
But Bayden’s gaze was only cold.
“It’s the same even if you hold a spear. So get lost and don’t bother me.”
Bayden had already made his decision.
More importantly, the other participants agreed.
As if trying to curry favor with Bayden, everyone turned their backs on Kale.
“That’s right, what Mr. Bayden says is correct! I don’t want to die because of you!”
“Get lost, you damn bastard!”
Curses poured out.
Kale clenched his teeth and lowered his head.
As a fellow human, was this acceptable?
A chilling sense of betrayal washed over him.
But there was no other choice.
“……”
Kale clutched only one shield and retreated to a corner.
He tightly gripped the shield as if to hide his trembling hands.
This meager piece of iron was his only hope.
“Please, let a miracle happen…”
A desperate prayer escaped his lips.
The only thing Kale could do was pray to the heavens.
As Kale prayed.
“Everyone, get ready! We’re entering soon!”
The guards burst into the waiting room again.
This time, they entered the waiting room and headed for the large iron door on the opposite side.
The guards began to open the iron door.
Soon, the heavy iron door opened.
At that moment, a thunderous roar shook the waiting room.
“Kill them! Kill them all!”
“Bayden! I bet everything on you today! If you die first, then everyone really dies! Show us the power of an adventurer!”
The mighty cheers and shouts pouring from above greeted them.
Gulp.
The participants walked towards the arena with trembling legs.
What unfolded before them now was the stage of death.
Kale also passed through the iron door slowly at the very end.
He couldn’t help it even if he was afraid.
For his sick sister, he had to endure for 15 minutes no matter what.
“I will definitely survive!”
His grip on the shield tightened.
* * *
– Well, we’ve kept you waiting! We will now begin the long-awaited match!
At the announcer’s words, the crowd became even more fervent.
They shouted out the names of the participants on whom they had placed their bets.
– The rules are simple. Guess the participant who survives until the end while enduring for 15 minutes! Simple, right?
The announcer reiterated the rules once more before the match officially began.
The spectators in the stands had already placed their bets on the participants.
The coliseum staff had distributed booklets containing the participants’ personal information, and based on that, they placed their bets on each participant.
And then, they stared intently at the arena, hoping that the participant they bet on would survive until the end.
Because only then could they earn money at the given odds.
And in this match, the most money was poured into Bayden, the former adventurer.
Conversely, only one person bet on the young boy Kale.
It was Necros.
“Hehehe, the show is finally about to begin!”
Malcolm laughed from a position overlooking the entire arena.
This was a better location than the general seating or VIP boxes, as Malcolm and Necros were seated together.
They had also already placed their bets.
Malcolm had bet on Bayden, the adventurer, while Necros had bet on the boy, Kale.
And shortly thereafter, with the announcer’s shout, the first match began.
The first match was a battle between twenty participants and goblins.
As soon as they entered the arena, the participants began to gather in one place.
Naturally, they lined up with shields and spears, centered around Bayden, the former adventurer.
However, this was excluding Kale.
Kale stood alone in a separate spot, holding his shield.
Malcolm chuckled at Kale’s fearful appearance.
“Oh my, it looks like you’re going to lose all your money? That’s too bad. Hahaha!”
Anyone could see that Kale would be the first to die. Malcolm was absolutely confident.
“You think that brat can survive? Hehehe, you’re completely clueless when it comes to anything other than business!”
In fact, Necros’s business acumen was remarkable.
He procured monsters for his business, and most of the coliseum rules were conceived by Necros, to the point where Malcolm was impressed.
But now, it seemed he had no talent for such things.
To think he would bet on a boy who seemed most likely to die, simply because the odds were high.
‘Stupid bastard, hehe.’
Indeed, the other participants also considered Kale a burden, so they didn’t gather around him. Malcolm scoffed inwardly and focused on the match.
The participants moved skillfully.
Following Bayden’s instructions, those with shields were positioned in the front row, and those with spears were directly behind them.
At the sight, Malcolm was confident that Bayden, on whom he had bet, would survive until the end.
However.
“Huh?”
The situation was strange.
“No! Why aren’t they touching him! He’s alone!”
The goblin swarm remained still and did not charge at the participants.
They weren’t even touching Kale, who was alone, showing no interest in him.
They simply stayed in place and milled around.
Thus, five minutes passed meaninglessly.
There were only 10 minutes left.
And as if by appointment, the goblins finally began to move.
And their destination was Bayden’s group.
The announcer also seemed surprised by the goblins’ unusual behavior.
– No, what is this! It seems that staying clustered together has stimulated the goblins’ attack instincts!
Unfortunately, the participants holding shields and spears had just picked up weapons for the first time today.
Therefore, they were bound to be flustered by the goblins’ peculiar actions.
And that confusion soon led to mistakes.
One of the participants dropped their shield.
The mistake of one person led to the collapse of the entire formation.
Bayden tried to quickly salvage the situation, but the goblins were unusually strong.
They were on a different level from the goblins he had fought as an adventurer.
Even a goblin in the back fired an arrow.
However, not a single goblin approached Kale, who held his shield with trembling hands.
They didn’t shoot arrows either.
The goblins acted as if nothing existed in that spot.
“……”
As the match took a strange turn, Malcolm’s lips trembled.
If the situation continued like this, Kale would likely be the one to survive in the end.
Was such a thing possible?
‘No, that can’t be right.’
Malcolm was not an idiot.
Who brought the monsters when planning this coliseum?
It was Necros, right in front of him.
‘Could that bastard really control monsters?’
Malcolm’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Necros.
He became curious about the hidden expression behind the white mask.
‘If that’s the case, then I understand why he bet on Kale!’
Malcolm’s expression turned serious.
The match was obvious before it even started.
And indeed, within 15 minutes, the goblin swarm killed all participants except Kale.
Among the dead participants was Bayden, who had received the most bets.
– Ah! As expected, monster behavior is unpredictable! Isn’t this exactly what makes it fun?
After the first match ended, the announcer said in an excited voice.
Soon, the prepared armed guards began to drive the goblin swarm to one side.
Since 15 minutes had passed anyway, Kale was the winner of this match.
The crowd cheered at the unexpected outcome of the match.
They felt the thrill of knowing that the winner could change at any time depending on the monsters’ actions.
Kale returned to the waiting room, receiving the cheers of the crowd.
“Tsk, let’s start the next match quickly!”
Malcolm said with a deeply furrowed brow, waiting for the next match.
There was more than one waiting room.
There were numerous iron doors at various corners of the circular arena.
And all of those iron doors were connected to waiting rooms, where participants preparing for their matches were waiting.
“Did you pick the participant with the highest odds again this time?”
Malcolm’s tone became serious.
For the second match, the participant Necros had chosen also had the highest odds.
The highest odds meant that the participant had a low probability of surviving until the end.
‘If the person he chose wins again this time, there’s something about it. There definitely is!’
Malcolm grew increasingly convinced.
If Necros’s chosen participant won this match as well, he intended to question him.
No, he intended to show him his terrifying side right then and there.
However.
“Uh…?”
As if by fate’s cruel joke, Necros’s choice turned out to be a spectacular miss.
The participant Necros had bet on was instantly devoured by a horde of zombies, meeting a tragic end.
‘What? Was it just a coincidence?’
And Malcolm’s chosen participant also died.
The one who survived until the end in the second match was the participant with the second highest odds.
Necros tilted his head at the outcome of the match, and Malcolm observed him.
‘The first match was just lucky.’
When Necros failed to bet, Malcolm dismissed his suspicions again.
After all, how could he possibly control monsters?
He dismissed this as a mere coincidence.
However, this was Malcolm’s misjudgment.
* * *
Seelia, who was watching the match from the VIP seats, nodded.
“This is the will of the Great One.”
Seelia won a considerable amount of money by correctly predicting the winner of the second match.
If Necros was the guardian of the first layer, then Seelia was the chief administrator of the dungeon.
Seelia’s rank was higher, and she was closer to the Great One.
Naturally, monsters were more inclined to heed Seelia than Necros.
“Who should I put my money on next?”
Seelia hummed, choosing the participants for the next match.
Of course, she didn’t have to think about who to bet on.
Because Seelia’s choice would determine the outcome of the match.
That day, Necros did not bet on the remaining matches and merely watched.
And Malcolm cried out at the fact that there was a spectator who succeeded whenever the odds were high.
* * *
Serinu, an executive of the Underworld Merchant Guild.
As a demon, his appearance was darkness itself.
His black suit and neatly combed black hair perfectly complemented the darkness.
He exuded a cold image with black glasses on his face and black shoes on his feet.
However, Serinu, who always seemed so ruthless, had become troubled lately.
It was due to an auction accident that occurred at a social gathering he had hosted.
He had foolishly provoked a mysterious being and was instead ambushed, losing all his auction items.
As a result, Serinu was severely reprimanded.
“Ugh. Have you still not found anything out about that individual!”
Serinu’s furious voice was directed at his subordinate, but all he received was a disappointing response.
“I apologize. Serinu-nim. We are continuously searching, but we haven’t found any significant traces.”
How much time had he given them, and they still couldn’t find him?
Serinu, who had expected a quick resolution, was only frustrated.
The being who had stolen all the auction items.
He had tried to find information and the whereabouts of that being, but with no clues, it was truly strange.
It was as if they had never existed in the first place.
However, this was a natural outcome.
In fact, that being was currently on Earth, not the El Dorado Continent.
Serinu, unaware of this fact, could only be frustrated.
Perhaps the Arch Lich, who was with that being, might know something?
Just as he harbored such hope and tried to approach the Arch Lich, another incident occurred.
It was the appearance of a catastrophe.
It was unprecedented for a star to fall not in the Demonic Realm, but in a human kingdom.
As a result, the Underworld Merchant Guild was currently in chaos.
A 7-star catastrophe had been born, yet the Underworld Merchant Guild knew nothing about it.
The Underworld Merchant Guild utilized all its connections and information.
They even made contact with humans to gather as much information as possible.
Based on the information obtained, it was said that the Queen of the Sail Kingdom had annihilated the 7-star catastrophe.
However, Serinu knew that this statement was unbelievable.
“Sigh… a catastrophe is not something that can be easily destroyed.”
The catastrophe that Serinu knew of was not an entity that could be easily annihilated.
A catastrophe annihilated by mere human hands?
If that were the case, there were two possibilities.
Either it wasn’t a 7-star catastrophe after all, or it had temporarily hidden itself for some reason.
However, he couldn’t be sure of either.
He was simply busy dealing with the unfolding events.
“Find the catastrophe quickly! We must escort it first, no matter what. If we miss this chance, everyone will lose their heads!”
At Serinu’s shout, the subordinate demons went out.
After ordering his subordinate, Serinu sighed and sat down on his chair.
“Sigh, it’s as if someone is controlling the information.”
The reputation of demons was at stake.
Had there ever been a time when the Underworld Merchant Guild was this powerless?
No. The Underworld Merchant Guild had always been the strongest collective.
However, the recent events gave him a strong sense that the guild could not control them.
“It all started with the Succubus Dungeon.”
Serinu reviewed the situation from the beginning.
The first event was the Succubus Dungeon.
This dungeon was a newly created, nascent dungeon.
However, for a new dungeon, it had a lot of money, which piqued his interest.
“But it turned out the owner of the dungeon was an Arch Lich.”
It was unlikely that a Succubus was the owner of the dungeon.
Serinu’s reasoning was sound.
Currently, among succubi, there was no one higher than the Succubus Queen.
Therefore, it was more logical to assume that a 5-star Arch Lich was the owner of the dungeon, not a mere succubus.
“And the being who was with that Arch Lich is missing…”
What in the world was happening…
Serinu’s head began to ache.
“And a 7-star catastrophe was born, as well.”
Were all of these mere coincidences?
Serinu’s brow furrowed subtly.
“It’s the end times, the end times.”
Perhaps the being who stole all the auction items was related to the 7-star catastrophe?
Serinu shook his head at such an absurd thought.
If so, the world would surely be going mad.
However, Serinu was not one to stand idly by.
No matter what anyone said, he was an executive of the Underworld Merchant Guild.
He aimed for a higher position than his current one, so he had to achieve something.
To do that, he could not afford any more mistakes.
“Still, this time, I guess I have to be satisfied with taking over the Vampire’s dungeon.”
Baalcherit, the 5-star Vampire.
She had drastically lost her influence due to the ruthless attack of the White Church.
She had borrowed a huge amount of funds from the guild to defend against the church, but with the loss of her influence, she was unable to repay the money.
However, the guild was a ruthless place.
Even if the monster was of high rank, the debt had to be collected.
Serinu threatened Baalcherit and forcibly took over the management rights of the dungeon.
Of course, since the funds Baalcherit had borrowed were not small, handing over the management rights of the dungeon alone was not enough to repay the entire debt.
In other words, Baalcherit was bound to the guild along with the dungeon.
And Serinu intended to engage in further business using such Baalcherit.
As a 5-star entity, her usefulness was great.
“Shall I try to turn humans into vampires this time?”
Wouldn’t it be possible to attack humans using Baalcherit?
Or, Baalcherit had the blood of the vampire royalty.
Using her to control all vampires under the guild also seemed like a good method.
‘There are so many options.’
Having a high rank meant such things.
Therefore, Serinu was also very interested in the 7-star catastrophe.
Of course, for now, he intended to focus on Baalcherit.
“Yes, if this goes well, I can make up for my past mistakes.”
If he could do that, he might be able to look towards the top again.
Just as he was having happy thoughts.
A subordinate demon ran urgently towards Serinu.
“Se, Serinu-nim!”
“What is it?”
Could it be that something else had gone wrong?
He prayed it wasn’t, but the words that came out of his subordinate’s mouth were shocking.
“It’s a big problem! Baalcherit has… escaped!”
“Shit.”
Nothing was going right.
