From Survivor to Vanisher

The crowd's cheers from Aditya's last victory still echoed in his ears as he walked through the dimly lit tunnels of the arena. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood and the sweat of desperation. Fighters and handlers looked at him with a mix of respect, fear, and annoyance.

"Silent Poison, huh?" muttered one grizzled warrior leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over a heavily scarred chest. "You're making quite the name for yourself."

Aditya stopped and turned, tilting his head as though pondering the man's words. "I didn't pick the name, you know. Blame the announcer. I suggested 'Handsome Wonder,' but nobody listens to me."

The warrior snorted, his lips curling into a wry smile. "Handsome, huh? With that mask on, you could be hiding a face only a mother could love."

Aditya tapped the side of his mask. "Or maybe I'm hiding the kind of face that would make the gods jealous. Gotta keep the balance, you know? Wouldn't want to cause unnecessary envy."

The warrior chuckled, shaking his head. "You're a strange one, Silent Poison. But you've got guts. Just don't let it get to your head. The arena has a way of humbling even the best.

The arena master, a burly man with a scar running down his face and an intimidating air of authority, approached Aditya as he entered the preparation chamber.

"Silent Poison," the arena master said, his voice gruff, "your last fight caused quite a stir. We've got a special match lined up for you."

Aditya raised an eyebrow beneath his mask. "Special? I hope that means extra pay."

The arena master snorted. "It means extra risk. Three fighters. The Crimson Crows. Convicted murderers from a notorious gang."

Aditya crossed his arms. "Let me guess—this isn't optional?"

The arena master nodded. "We need a crowd-puller, and your last fight skyrocketed our ticket sales. Besides, you'll be handsomely rewarded if you survive."

Aditya sighed theatrically. "Ah, yes, because nothing says 'thank you' like dangling a man in front of three killers. What's the reward?"

"Fifty celestial gold coins and a rare beast bag," the arena master replied.

Aditya's eyes gleamed at the mention of the beast bag. "Rare, you say? Fine. I'll fight your Crimson Crows. But if I die, I'm haunting you."

The arena master grinned. "Deal."

Rules of the Match

As Aditya prepared for the fight, an official approached to explain the rules.

"Three opponents, one after the other," the official began.

Aditya interrupted, holding up a finger. "Wait, one after the other? Not all at once? Oh, how generous."

The official's expression didn't change. "The fight ends only when all three are incapacitated. No leaving the arena, no external weapons, and no mercy."

Aditya tilted his head. "Define 'external weapons.' Does poison count?"

The official hesitated. "Poison is allowed. It's part of your skillset."

Aditya clapped his hands together. "Wonderful. Let's get this circus started."

The Fight

The gates creaked open, revealing the sunlit arena. The crowd roared as Aditya stepped onto the bloodstained sand. Across from him stood the Crimson Crows, their expressions ranging from smug to predatory.

"Three against one," Aditya muttered. "This seems fair—for me."

The first opponent, a wiry man with a chain weapon, stepped forward. He swung the chain in wide, intimidating arcs, the spiked ends whistling through the air.

Aditya yawned. "Is this supposed to scare me? I've seen scarier laundry."

The chain wielder roared, charging at Aditya. The fight began with brutal efficiency as Aditya used his agility and wit to outmaneuver his opponent, delivering a series of strikes that left the man writhing in pain.

The second opponent, armed with daggers, proved more challenging but fell victim to Aditya's clever use of poison. The crowd gasped as the man convulsed and collapsed, foam frothing from his mouth.

The final opponent, a hulking brute with a war hammer, was blinded by sand and felled with precise strikes.

Aditya stood victorious, his masked face turned toward the roaring crowd

The arena thrummed with life, the air electric with anticipation. The crowd had come for blood, and the announcer's booming voice promised a spectacle to remember.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Witness the debut of the mysterious Silent Poison! Pitted against not one, not two, but three Balance Seekers!"

Gasps rippled through the audience. Balance Seekers were legendary fighters, their strength leagues above ordinary warriors. Even skilled Limit Practitioners avoided fighting a Balance Seeker head-on. But to take on three at once?

Aditya, under his mask, smirked. "Balance Seekers, huh? Let's see if their balance tips in my favor."

The First Fight

The first gate opened, revealing a towering man with rippling muscles and fists wrapped in chains. His aura was palpable, like a hurricane compressed into human form.

The crowd murmured in awe. "That's Gorath! A Balance Seeker who crushed a Limit Practitioner with his bare hands!"

Gorath cracked his knuckles. "You should've stayed home, kid."

Aditya tilted his head. "Home? Never heard of it. Is that where you learned to accessorize with chains? Bold choice."

Gorath roared and charged, the ground quaking beneath his steps. His chained fists swung like wrecking balls, and the air itself seemed to shatter with each blow.

Aditya ducked, rolled, and sidestepped, his movements fluid and precise.

"You're fast," Gorath growled. "But can you handle this?"

He slammed his fists into the ground, sending a shockwave through the arena. Aditya leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the explosion of debris.

As he landed, Aditya pulled out a small vial and hurled it at Gorath's feet. The vial shattered, releasing a cloud of green mist.

"What's this?" Gorath demanded, coughing as the mist enveloped him.

"Just a little something I call 'Venomous Whispers,'" Aditya said. "It slows your reflexes and makes your muscles feel like jelly."

Gorath charged again, but his movements were sluggish, his punches easy to dodge. Aditya stepped in close, delivering a precise strike to the man's solar plexus.

Gorath collapsed, gasping for air. Aditya knelt beside him, his voice a whisper. "A true Balance Seeker? You're not even a proper warm-up."

The crowd erupted in cheers as Aditya stood, brushing the dust off his clothes.

The Second Fight

The second gate opened, and a woman stepped out. Her twin blades gleamed, and her aura was sharp enough to cut through steel.

"That's Nyssa the Blade Dancer!" someone in the crowd exclaimed. "She's taken down entire squads single-handedly!"

Aditya clapped slowly. "Twin blades. Fancy. Planning to juggle them, or do you just like symmetry?"

Nyssa didn't respond. She moved like a shadow, her blades slicing through the air in deadly arcs. Aditya barely dodged, the blades grazing his mask.

"Feisty," Aditya said, flipping backward to create distance.

Nyssa lunged, her blades weaving a deadly pattern. Aditya countered with precise movements, his fingers flicking small needles tipped with poison.

Nyssa blocked the needles with her blades, her movements flawless. But Aditya noticed the slight tremor in her arms.

"Feeling the burn already?" he asked. "That's 'Silent Sting.' Slows your blood flow and weakens your grip."

Nyssa gritted her teeth and attacked again, but her strikes lacked their earlier ferocity. Aditya sidestepped, grabbed her wrist, and disarmed her with a twist.

He held her blades for a moment, admiring them. "Nice craftsmanship. Too bad you won't be using them anymore."

With a flick of his wrist, he sent the blades flying, embedding them in the arena wall. He then delivered a swift kick to Nyssa's chest, sending her sprawling.

The crowd roared as Nyssa lay defeated.

The Final Fight

The third gate opened, and a massive man wielding a war hammer stepped out. His aura was suffocating, and the crowd fell silent.

"That's Krel the Mountain!" someone whispered. "He's a Balance Seeker at the peak of his realm!"

Aditya tilted his head. "A hammer? Really? You must be compensating for something."

Krel roared, his hammer smashing into the ground and sending a shockwave through the arena. Aditya barely avoided it, the force knocking him off balance.

"Not bad," Aditya said, steadying himself.

Krel swung again, the hammer moving with terrifying speed. Aditya dodged, but the hammer's edge grazed his arm, drawing blood.

"Ouch," Aditya said, inspecting the wound. "You actually nicked me. Congratulations."

Krel charged, his hammer raised high. Aditya waited until the last possible moment before sidestepping and smashing a vial against Krel's armor.

The liquid inside hissed and bubbled, eating through the metal like acid.

"What the—" Krel began, but Aditya silenced him with a kick to the chest.

As Krel stumbled back, Aditya pulled out a small vial of powder and flung it into the air. The powder ignited, creating a blinding flash of light.

When the light faded, Krel was on his knees, his hammer discarded. Aditya stood over him, holding a vial of dark liquid.

"This is 'Black Widow's Kiss,'" Aditya said. "A single drop can paralyze a dragon. Care to find out what it does to you?"

Krel shook his head, his face pale.

Aditya smiled beneath his mask. "Good choice."

He turned to the crowd, raising his arms in victory. The arena erupted in cheers, chanting his name.

The crowd erupted in cheers as Aditya raised his hand in triumph. The arena master approached, a rare smile on his face.

"Silent Poison," he said, "you've outdone yourself."

Aditya shrugged. "What can I say? Killing is an art. I just happen to be a master."

He pocketed his winnings and the beast bag, already planning his next move.

"Now," he muttered to himself, "let's see what other adventures this brutal life has in store."