My Unique Skill [Gacha] Will Save the World - Episode 73: The Colosseum ①

Episode 73: The Colosseum ①

(Note: Special for this chapter, dialogues through speaker, faraway voice, or telephone are in ‘……’.)

“…No breaks, five consecutive matches?” 

Rindou was stunned by the unexpected challenge. 

Whether breaks are allowed or not would greatly affect not just physical stamina but also mental health. 

If injured, it could affect later matches. And if poisoned, the body would slowly deteriorate. And before they knew it, it could become a fatal wound. 

“Then, please follow me.” 

“Wait a second!” 

Just as the guide was about to lead them outside, Rindou called out. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“That condition for the challenge… is there no way to take breaks?” 

“It’s impossible! This is a condition that cannot be avoided!” 

The guide had been speaking calmly up until then. He suddenly raised his voice as Rindou tried to suggest a change to the conditions. 

“You are nothing more than slaves to follow the conditions we set! You are here just to clear them for our entertainment!” 

The guide moved their face up close to Rindou’s. He continued his tirade. 

“Stop whining and get on the stage already! Understand?” 

After saying that, the guide walked out of the stone-walled room without another word. 

“…What was that about?” 

“It means the conditions can’t be changed.” 

“Well, I don’t think there’s been a case where they were changed before.” 

“I wish they had told us that earlier.” 

Though Rindou felt it might have been better to avoid the unnecessary shouting, he didn’t comment further. He knew that it was partly his own fault for rushing ahead. 

Seeing the guide’s behavior, Rindou and the others quickly left the stone room. They were worried that they might be yelled at again if they wasted time. 

As Kyousuke had mentioned, the path outside was a straight one. They could see a light at the end. 

Just before the exit, the guide stood with a smug grin. 

“Now, please enjoy yourselves to the fullest.” 

With those final words, the guide suddenly vanished. 

“Who was that guide…?” 

Before Rindou could finish the thought, a great cheer came from the exit. 

Since it was the Colosseum, the loud cheering must have been from spectators there to watch the match. 

Rindou felt a bit irritated at the thought of being made into a spectacle but steeled his resolve. He was thinking that if he could face the audience confidently, it wouldn’t matter. 

“The Colosseum tends to have progressively stronger opponents as the challenges go on.” 

“Let’s minimize damage while carefully observing our opponents and winning as we go.” 

“Then we should just go all out from the start.” 

Rindou said this last line, and both Kyousuke and Ayane nodded in agreement. 

‘—Now! Welcome to the Colosseum! Today’s challengers are three people from another world!’ 

A loud announcement from the Colosseum boomed as the audience was hyped up. 

‘The previous challengers were defeated in the third round. But how far will today’s challengers go? Please stay tuned, everyone!’ 

It seemed like other players had attempted the star-6 gate before. But according to the announcement, they lost in the third round and were unable to return to Earth. 

“They really underestimate us.” 

“But from their perspective, they probably think they’re going to win.” 

“In that case, let’s crush their confidence!” 

‘Now, everyone, please watch closely! The challengers are entering!’ 

At this cue, the exit was suddenly lit up with a blinding light. 

At that moment, as Rindou and the others stepped out onto the stage. Instead of cheers, a barrage of insults and curses filled the air. 

“Spill some bl00d today!” 

“Get killed already!” 

“Strip the girl! Gahaha!” 

The audience was seated around the stage in a circle. They were hurling insults from all directions. But Rindou and the others remained unfazed. 

“Well, I figured this would happen.” 

“All the Colosseums at the gates are like this.”

“Even though I expected it, it still leaves a bad taste.”

As they exchanged such comments, three burly men with rippling muscles appeared. They were carrying weapons. They stepped onto the stage from the opposite side of the arena. Their faces bore crude, mocking grins.  

“What’s this? This time, the challengers are a kid, a pretty boy, and a woman?”  

“Let’s have some fun with them, eh?”  

“Let’s humiliate them in front of this huge crowd!”  

The three men was convinced of their victory. They were already fantasizing about how to torment and disgrace their opponents.  

‘Now, everyone, are you ready? The first match—begiiiiins!’  

At the announcer’s call to start the match, Rindou and the others launched into action.  

As they had declared beforehand, they went all out from the start. They were aiming to finish the fight immediately.  

—―Slash!  

‘…Eh?’  

In less than five seconds after the match began, the heads of the three burly men were sent flying. Their bodies collapsed lifelessly to the ground.  

“Pathetic.”  

“The next round will probably put up more of a fight.”  

“Stay focused.”  

‘―The first match is over! The winners are the challengers!!’  

The Colosseum echoed with the announcer’s voice declaring the end of the first match. Rindou’s piercing gaze lingered on the decapitated, headless corpses of their opponents.