Chapter 47: Arena

Chapter 47: The Arena

Getting flagged early by the ruling officials on Sama Prime wasn't exactly a good or bad thing for Pei Ju.

The city ran as smoothly as it did largely because of the officials' iron-fisted rule.

The Ling family were hardliners within the conservative faction. While other families, fed up with their home planet's awful conditions, pushed to expand outward, the Lings turned inward, pouring everything into preserving the last untouched corner of the star system.

And they'd actually pulled it off. With their roots sunk deep into Sama Prime, their reach kept spreading until, by now, the Ling family had their fingers in every pie across the whole junk star system—food, clothing, housing, transport, and every major entertainment business.

The arena's live-stream platform was also under Ling Holdings.

Hearing that planetary governor Ling Su was really into this round of arena fights in Kenter City, Yatimu Live Broadcasting immediately switched up their streaming game plan and hauled all their top-tier gear over to the Kenter City arena.

This rig, packing the sharpest eagle-eye tech in the whole star system, could catch every tiny movement each fighter made. The second anyone tried some shady cheating move, they'd get hit with a penalty on the spot.

This shift got the Kenter City gladiators all fired up. They couldn't help but wonder—was their lucky break finally coming?

After all, this was one of Sama Prime's biggest entertainment spectacles. The star gladiators in every division racked up huge fanbases, and those fans showed their love with fat tips and heavy support.

Beyond the ship tickets, if they were lucky enough to catch a higher-up's eye, they could get fast-tracked into the military as officers—or, at the very least, land a gig as some corporate bigwig's private bodyguard.

Compared to all that, grabbing a ticket to some brand-new star system and becoming a broke mercenary was the worst option of all.

Right now, the arena's first-stage elimination rounds were at a fever pitch.

After the initial sign-ups and qualifying bouts, each sub-arena had its top ten locked in. Tonight was the last night of the elimination rounds.

To spice things up, they'd be taking on one-on-one challenges from Alphas all over the city.

Unlike the ones who fought every match for the prize money and appearance fees, some fighters held back, saving their strength to make their move on the final day.

By now, they'd gotten a read on the top gladiators' fighting styles from the earlier rounds, so stepping in at this point definitely gave them an edge.

Problem was, the strong Alphas weren't scared of a one-on-one. If you fought early and got knocked off, you could rest up and come back for another shot. But the second you stepped onto that pillar, you were in for a brutal gauntlet—unless you had the raw power and sheer ruthlessness to scare every challenger off and make them think twice about stepping up.

After the first elimination round, the top ten Alphas from each division got a day to rest, then had to fight in pairs until only three were left. Those three would then team up to take on the most ferocious beasts.

Once the beast was down, the top three turned on each other again, and the championship only ended when a single Alpha was left standing in the arena.

This brutal setup tested each Alpha's solo combat skills, but it also forced them to work together when needed—without pulling any dirty tricks. Mess up your rep on a live stream, and you might as well be socially dead.

So the Alpha who clawed through three rounds to take first in their division was guaranteed to have the whole planet watching. The fame and glory that came with it? Way more tempting than some ship ticket.

Every Alpha in that arena was pulling out all the stops to stand out. Their goal wasn't to get out of there—it was to catch the eye of someone with real power.

Show off some serious skill and charisma in the ring, and the money and glory would come rolling in.

Out of all these competitors, the one with the simplest goal was probably Pei Ju.

He'd talked Chen Junjin out of his suicidal plan to compete—after all, as a beta with no spiritual power, the guy would just end up with a busted face, snot running, and tears streaming down.

"If I take the championship, at the post-match banquet, I should get a shot at buying ship tickets off them." Pei Ju was in a solid black combat suit while Xu Shaoen wound bandages around his hands, layer after layer.

This was also an anti-cheat measure—so nobody could sneak in knuckle dusters or any other sharp weapons.

For this elimination round, everyone fought bare-handed.

Xu Shaoen ran through the format: first, eliminations, with each division keeping ten Alphas; then, the survival round, where those ten fought for three spots to take on the beasts; and only after that came the championship match.

They had to prove their individual worth first before earning the right to team up with anyone.

But even while working together, they had to keep an eye on each other, keep the balance of power in check, until someone broke away with total dominance.

Easier said than done.

Xu Shaoen's heart felt heavy.

"These rounds are seriously dangerous."

Pei Ju's target was the post-championship banquet. The organizers would hand out trophies and prize money there, and since the Alphas would still be holding their ship tickets and wouldn't be trading them off right away, that was the fastest window to collect every ticket they needed to get home.

"I've gotta try." Pei Ju gave his hand a squeeze. "I'm not as weak as you think."

Sure, there was a chance he could die in there, but there was also a chance he could win.

If he just stood on the sidelines like a coward, hesitating and waiting around with no hope, he'd end up hating himself.

Pei Ju grabbed a competitor's number tag and walked straight into the arena without looking back.

**

Alphas were born fighting machines. The air was thick with a jumble of pheromones, and the whole arena felt tense and wired.

The second they stepped inside, they could feel the pressure crushing in from every direction.

To show off their strength, the ten defending Alphas let their pheromones rip, ready for whatever challenge came their way.

The strong ones barely got challenged and could just chill on their pillars; the ones with shaky, unstable auras were the weak links, getting ground down by the endless gauntlet until they were too spent to go on and had to slink off in shame.

To Pei Ju, this place felt like Blue Star's octagon cage—raw, bone-crunching, flesh-on-flesh combat that got your blood pumping.

They were caged beasts, but also entertainment—something to be watched and judged.

Pei Ju's arrival got the gladiators on the pillars buzzing with curiosity.

The gladiators eyed the newcomer—some quietly tensing up, others sneering with open contempt.

Another pretty boy clown trying to get famous off his face?

But this wasn't some idol beauty contest—this was a real fight to the death!

Did this guy wander into the wrong building?

The ten Alphas sat up on their pillars, convinced this guy didn't have the balls to actually challenge them.

Probably, like a lot of other Alphas, he'd soak up the atmosphere, do a lap, and then slink off with his tail between his legs.

"He actually showed up." In the big-screen observation room, Ling Su watched with keen interest.

He sized up Pei Ju's frame—nothing crazy, and going by looks alone, not exactly intimidating.

He didn't walk in all tense either—he seemed almost relaxed, even a little carefree, with a lazy smile tugging at his lips. Like a razor-sharp blade still sitting in its sheath.

"Don't you dare disappoint me..." Ling Su sat up straighter, eyes locked on the screen.

This was the last elimination round. Pick your opponent, and it was one-on-one on the stone pillars. Lose by getting knocked off and failing to get back up within twenty seconds.

The ten pillars in the arena were ranked from tallest to shortest, mirroring the strength of the ten Alphas.

Some were grizzled veterans with reputations already set in stone; others were fresh faces who'd blown up during this year's comp. Anyone stepping into the ring on the final day of eliminations knew exactly what they were capable of.

Some of them had even secretly formed alliances, naturally harboring even more hostility toward these reckless unfamiliar challengers.

Pei Ju signed the life-and-death agreement, and after the notary witnessed it and nodded, Pei Ju was free to choose his opponent.

The spotlight fell on Pei Ju, and he couldn't help but squint his eyes.

Behind those dark, gaping camera lenses, there might be many Alphas watching his performance, and even on the capital star hundreds of galaxies away, there was a dedicated channel broadcasting promotional coverage of this competition.

Although the broadcast might be delayed, Pei Ju certainly didn't want to be recorded looking like a swollen, bruised mess with a face like a pig's head.

That would not only make his family worry, but at Dome Military Academy alone, he'd become the school's top meme and rise to fame through meme packs.

Pei Ju scanned the arena: some were on high alert, their tense expressions unchanged despite being unable to gauge his strength; others glared with provocation, nostrils flaring in excitement; and naturally, some looked on with disdain, eyes raised haughtily, not sparing him a single glance.

Pei Ju had also studied the popularity of these gladiators. He didn't want to pick a brooding powerhouse hiding his true strength right off the bat, since many Alphas excelled at feigning weakness to ambush the unwary.

Among them, the most arrogant and aggressive one clearly had a simple mind with no hidden tricks. Pei Ju silently apologized in his heart, his mental power coalescing into a wind blade, and in a few steps he arrived at the stone platform where that one stood.

"Please go easy on me." Pei Ju curled his lips into a smile.

"Tch! You dare pick me?!"

Seemingly not expecting Pei Ju to skip the easy targets and challenge him head-on, the muscular brute widened his eyes in fury, as if some pretty boy had just disrespected him to his face: "Open your damn eyes! I'm ranked third!"

Third place was exactly the one he wanted.

Pei Ju didn't let the cursing get to him. He was here to fight, not to trade insults.

Perhaps because Pei Ju's expression was too calm, showing no sign of being provoked, the big man stopped wasting words and unleashed his mental pressure directly.

The temperature in the arena shot up a few degrees, and the phantom of a fierce tiger appeared behind him, its roar shaking the very heavens.

"A fire-type mental power!"

Depending on their mental landscape, every Alpha had a preferred mental attribute.

This Alpha's mental power was as bold and explosive as his personality.

Even the sealed-off arena felt the temperature climb, so you can imagine how scorching it was around Pei Ju.

But his expression didn't change, calm and composed, as a rippling black shadow enveloped him, seemingly unaffected in the slightest.

Seeing that his mental pressure had no effect, the Alpha swung his fist and charged forward, aiming to land a heavy blow.

However, Pei Ju's footwork was agile, dodging and weaving around the stone pillar as if he were walking a dog.

"Brother Pei's so awesome!" Xiaojin cheered from the audience, but Xu Shaoen's expression was dead serious.

He knew Pei Ju was in good shape and his mental power had recently improved, but real combat was different from theory—one wrong move could cost him dearly.

He clenched his fists, staring unblinkingly at the arena, scared Pei Ju might fall off the platform.

Ling Su, watching from the big screen, was focused on something else.

To an S-class Alpha, an A-class Alpha's attacks were like slow motion; he could spot the flaws and counterattacks at a glance.

But what he didn't expect was that Pei Ju seemed just as relaxed. The opponent had been charging at him for so long and still hadn't even grazed his clothes.

He was quick to react, swift in movement, and precise in judgment. Most importantly, his breathing stayed perfectly even, and under the high-precision cameras, he even seemed to be controlling his expressions...

Not a bad Alpha, actually.

Ling Su leaned back in his chair and sipped his red wine.

But even for a decent Alpha, pairing him with that Omega was a bit much.

One of the big screens quietly locked onto Xu Shaoen. This camera had been filming the audience, but when it shifted to Xu Shaoen, he signaled for it to stop and zoom in for a close-up.

Compared to surveillance footage, the eagle-eye screen made Xu Shaoen's beauty even more striking.

His brows were furrowed tight, clearly focused on the Alpha on stage, looking deeply worried.

His amber eyes shimmered like a sunlit lake, mesmerizing to behold.

Such a beautiful face—one that all the Omegas in the White Tower put together couldn't match.

Ling Su couldn't help but be dazzled, his heart aching with Xu Shaoen's worry and rejoicing in his joy.

Suddenly, that delicate face broke into a radiant smile as he stood up with the surrounding audience, cheering toward the arena.

Ling Su snapped back to reality.

Oh, so Pei Ju had won that match.

**

Pei Ju didn't want to get tangled up with the big guy. The competition was long, and he couldn't show all his cards early on.

But if he looked weak and easy to bully in the first round, even if he won by luck, more and more challengers would come after him, trying to knock him off the platform.

So, picking this tough-looking hard nut was Pei Ju's battle strategy. He hoped this match would send a warning to future challengers.

Of course, he hadn't expected this Alpha to have such a filthy mouth.

"You little bitch, with your soft, pretty skin, daring to provoke me in the arena? Dodge? Dodge again? You bastard!"

Pei Ju ducked to avoid the sneak attack, and the mental power he'd been holding back quickly condensed into a blade, slashing straight at the big man.

The opponent's fiery, scorching fist missed again. Every time he cursed, Pei Ju's mental blade carved off a piece of his muscle. In just a few strikes, his once-bulging muscles were sliced to ribbons, dripping with blood.

"Now your skin's a lot softer than mine," Pei Ju said, carving countless wounds into him like a sculptor, while he himself stayed spotless, not a trace of distress.

The big man's name was Batna. He was considered top-tier among A-class Alphas, having holed up in the lower city to chase greater glory. Being played with by Pei Ju infuriated him.

"You wanna climb up by stepping on me? Dream on!" Seeing Pei Ju's still-calm, composed face, the man's expression twisted in rage, his emotions running high as he cursed loudly and lunged at Pei Ju.

Every punch aimed at Pei Ju's vital points—his face or below the belt—trying to destroy the very thing this kid used to charm Omegas.

He knew with his ass-brain that Pei Ju had definitely coasted on his looks in life, and that was what Batna hated most.

Pei Ju sensed his malice. Having watched long enough, he stopped holding back. In a flash, he dodged the man's attack, grabbed him by the back of the neck, and landed a heavy punch to his side.

Pei Ju moved like lightning, and the big man, already bleeding heavily, staggered under the blow, nearly tumbling off the high platform.

The crowd erupted in uproar.

Everyone knew A-class Alphas had rock-solid lower bodies, and this one specialized in physical training. Many challengers had worn themselves out trying to budge him, so how could one punch from Pei Ju make him look so fragile?

Batna didn't fall right away. Unwilling to give up, he leaped back up, but before he could even steady himself, Pei Ju flashed in front of him, facing him head-on.

He threw relentless punches and kicks—every blow landing hard, every kick whistling through the air. The combination of physical prowess and mental invasion left the towering Batna utterly helpless, reduced to shielding his face with his hands, while the muscles hit by his fists and feet visibly swelled and bruised.

“Incredible!”

Everyone stood up, and the arena erupted in chaos.

What Bartna loved most was beating challenger Alphas to a pulp; he wouldn't even throw them off the platform—instead, he'd torment them until they couldn't take it and begged for mercy on their knees, then laugh heartily and kick them off. Who had ever seen him looking this pathetic?

A lot of Alphas had long hated Bartna's style, but given how strong he was, they didn't dare mess with him.

Now, seeing him beaten so badly, looking like a bloody mess, they felt a quiet sense of satisfaction.

But when they looked at Pei Ju, still calm and almost lazy-looking, a chill ran down their spines.

To beat Bartna without a scratch—was this new guy some kind of monster?

The gladiators who'd ignored him before now tensed up, all business, and the arena went dead silent, broken only by Bartna's grunts and pained cries.

“Stop, stop! I surrender!” As Bartna hit the ground, everyone's attention snapped back to the Alpha in black.

Seeing the big guy's sorry state, they knew Pei Ju hadn't pulled any punches—and that he wasn't as gentle and kind as he looked.

The last flicker of spiritual flame reluctantly licked at his clothes, but the eerie cold mist surged up and mercilessly snuffed it out.

In that moment, every spectator remembered his name: Pei Ju.

==========Author's Note:==========

Isn't Brother Pei handsome, isn't he handsome!!! Thanks for the nutrient solution, guys! I want a lively comment section, hehe, everyone, please comment more!

20 little red envelopes will be given out randomly!