?"Hey, Wren. When you challenged me earlier, I actually thought you were going to show me something impressive," the grey-haired giant taunts, his heavy boots crunching against the stone as he slowly steps closer. "So why are you turning out to be weaker than a damn ant?"
?Wren freezes, his mind spinning as the words sink in.
?Wait... me? Challenged him? No way—I just got here! How the hell does this guy even know my name?
?While he stands there completely paralyzed by confusion, a roaring wave of sound suddenly pierces through his ears, washing away the ringing in his head.
?"HUDSON! HUDSON! HUDSON!"
?The deafening chants of a roaring crowd echo all around them, bouncing off high stone walls.
?It takes Wren only a second to connect the pieces. The massive crowd, the roaring voices, the vicious blows—the giant standing right in front of him isn’t just some random attacker.
?His name is Hudson.
?Wren snaps his gaze around, finally taking in his surroundings. They aren’t in the open wilderness of Norhera at all. They are trapped inside a massive, iron-barred cage built like a brutal fighting arena, surrounded by a bloodthirsty crowd of spectators cheering at the top of their lungs.
?"I’m putting fifty black token down on Hudson! He’s going to crush this punk in three hits!"
?"I’ll take that bet! Put one brown token on the kid lasting more than ten seconds!"
?"One brown token?! Are you out of your mind? Everyone knows Hudson is going to slaughter him, but betting a whole brown token on this weakling—?"
?Wren stares at the chaotic scene, his heart hammering against his ribs in sheer disbelief.
?I never in a million years imagined I’d get dumped straight into a prison death match the second I stepped into Norhera...
?Just as his thoughts race to find a way out, Hudson’s booming voice cuts cleanly through the roar of the crowd.
?"Hey, kid. I’ll give you a sporting chance," Hudson sneers, cracking his massive knuckles as he towers over Wren. "Take three punches from me. If you manage to stay standing after all three, I’ll surrender and let you walk away."
?The giant leans down, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
?"What’s the matter? Are you scared already?"
[Ding!]
[Emergency Quest Activated!]
[Quest: Survive Hudson’s Three Punches]
[Description: Your opponent, Hudson, has challenged you to withstand three punches. Prove that you’re more than a helpless weakling.]
[Objectives:
•Survive three punches from Hudson.
•Remain conscious until the challenge ends.]
[Rewards:
•Experience Points: 100
•Skill Upgrade Opportunity: Hellfire Manipulation]
[Penalty for Failure: Death.]
Wren’s golden eyes widen in shock as a sudden, glowing system window flashes into existence right in front of his face.
?He hasn’t even been in this new world for a full minute, yet here he is, standing right on the edge of death.
?What am I supposed to do? Think, Wren, think!
?Back when he was studying the secret archives of the Extenguard family, he had memorized countless accounts of where the Arga Express dropped off new arrivals. Some were thrown into dark beast-infested caves, others into scorching deserts, deep underwater trenches, or suffocating forests.
?He had prepared himself for monsters, harsh climates, and wild beasts.
?But a brutal prison arena? This completely shattered every expectation he had.
?While Wren’s mind races to find a way out, Hudson grows impatient with the silence. Seeing that the kid isn’t answering, the massive giant snorts in disgust and lunges forward.
?Before Wren can even react, Hudson’s thick fingers close tightly around his collar. With a single effortless motion, the giant hovers him straight up off the ground with one hand, choking off his air supply as the crowd roars with bloodlust.
?"Hey, kid. I am talking to you," Hudson growled, tightening his grip.
?Wren struggled to breathe, his feet kicking uselessly in the air as the giant brought his scarred face uncomfortably close.
?"Are you going to accept my challenge, or do you want me to just break your ribs right now?"
?Wren darted a quick, desperate glance toward the thick iron bars surrounding the arena. Beyond them, hundreds of bloodthirsty spectators leaned over the railings, their eyes gleaming with anticipation, eagerly waiting for flesh to tear and blood to spill.
?There was no obvious escape route. No hidden exit.
?And judging by the sheer, terrifying force with which Hudson had tossed him around earlier, trying to fight the giant back with his bare hands right now would be absolute suicide.
?Three punches...
?He had barely survived the first one without losing consciousness. Taking two more direct hits from a monster of this size might actually kill him.
?But...
?A spark of calculation flickered through his pain-fogged mind. Survival in this brutal new world wasn’t handed out for free. If he could somehow endure this madness, the potential rewards or the survival threshold might just give him the opening he desperately needed.
?It was a terrible, reckless gamble.
?Unfortunately... Wren thought bitterly, I have never been a particularly lucky bastard.
?He swallowed the hot metallic taste of blood pooling in his mouth, forced his trembling limbs to steady, and looked straight up into Hudson’s heavy, mocking eyes.
?"Fine."
?The surrounding crowd quieted down for a split second, surprised by the kid’s nerve.
?Then, Wren added, his voice low and steady despite the pain, "But if I survive all three... you better keep your damn promise and surrender."
?Hudson stared down at him in genuine disbelief before throwing his head back and bursting into thunderous, booming laughter.
?"HAHAHA! Look at this little rat! He actually thinks he can survive my punches!"
?The packed spectators erupted right along with him, howling with cruel amusement at the sheer audacity of the bruised newcomer.
?Snorting in amusement, Hudson carelessly tossed Wren away like a broken toy. Wren hit the stone floor hard, tumbling across the dirt before coming to a stop as Hudson stepped back, raising his massive fists into a combat stance.
?"All right, brat. Let’s see how long that useless confidence lasts."
?Wren slowly pushed himself up from the ground, his arms shaking from the strain.
?His entire body screamed in agony. His head was still ringing with a deafening pitch, and the heavy, metallic taste of blood lingered harshly on his tongue.
?Get up, he told himself, gritting his teeth so hard his jaw ached. This is just the beginning.