CHAPTER 56: DON’T DIE

The whole place went dead quiet.

Aspen blinked like he had just been slapped by a flying fish.

"...wait, what?"

"I’ve saved your asses twice."

Xenos jabbed a finger at him.

"Did you think I forgot?!"

Aspen’s ears twitched, his tail flicking.

"Wha—now? You’re asking for it now?"

"Yes."

Xenos was dead serious.

"I’m broke, Aspen. Get your Lord to pay up."

The crowd of Disciples shifted awkwardly, unsure if they were supposed to laugh or pretend that this wasn’t happening, the tension of the Colosseum nearly gone.

Xenos didn’t care either way; he just stood there with his hand out.

"Oh my Gods..."

Aspen groaned, dragging a hand down his face.

"We don’t have the money now, Xenos."

Xenos grinned wide, enjoying bullying him.

"Don’t worry."

He slapped Aspen’s shoulder.

"I’ll be merciful; you can pay me after we don’t die in this dungeon."

Then he turned toward another figure.

"Hey, boss."

Arc ignored him, acting as if he didn’t know him.

"Don’t ignore me, boss."

Xenos attempted a puppy face.

"I might cry."

Arc’s jaw twitched.

"You won’t."

"That’s fair..."

Before the next insult could load, a soft, teasing voice purred from beside them.

"Heeeeeeeey~"

A purple-haired Bastet girl stretched lazily, her tail flicking playfully.

"I remember you!"

It was Deianira, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement.

"You’re that strong guy!"

She pointed at him like she’d just found a shiny rock.

"I’m not strong."

Xenos raised his chin slightly.

"You lot are just weak."

That earned a laugh from her.

"Hmm~... You’re not wrong."

She stepped closer.

"But we’re a bit stronger now."

She mimed crushing something in her hand, claws flexing as her tail swished.

"Not sure you have access to that, though, considering your... situaaaaaation~."

Xenos stared at her.

"Our Houses gifted us Runes."

She proudly puffed her chest.

"We’re no weaker than Priests now."

He chuckled.

"Good for you, kitty. Must be nice to have rich parents."

"Oh~ jealous?"

She leaned on him playfully, one hand resting on his shoulder like they’d known each other for years.

"Is that why you rebelled and got yourself a tattoo?"

"Jealous of being spoiled?"

Xenos deadpanned, ignoring the latter part of what she said.

Their quick boost wasn’t something that surprised him; most of those in his batch that were either ’talented’ or of Main or Great Houses likely had boosted themselves quickly over the past week.

What he took so much effort to do was done by them in a mere day and at home.

Still, that didn’t mean that what he did was useless, far from it, and they were going to see the mark of his effort soon; Xenos would make sure of it.

"Good on you, kitty, and no thanks. I like earning my place the old-fashioned way."

That made her laugh even harder, though he continued despite that:

"Now, how about you go back to your little pup? He seems lonely."

"Nooooooo~! I want to talk more!"

For someone who usually couldn’t be bothered to move, she was practically bouncing with energy.

"Lady Deianira..."

Aspen stepped in, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Don’t annoy him, and don’t mention the tattoo; it’s likely personal."

"Oh, come on~..."

She teased.

"I’m just talking."

Arc sighed.

"You call that talking?"

"Better than you pretending to be deaf."

She shot back with a grin, and Xenos whistled low.

"Oof. Your cat’s got claws, boss."

Arc glared.

"She’s not my cat, and I’m not your ’boss.’"

Deianira gasped, mock-offended.

"You wound me, Lord Arc~"

Aspen facepalmed.

"Oh no. Don’t start flirting, please."

Xenos was itching to do the same but managed to stop himself.

"No, let them. I’ll take bets on how long before one of them reddens up."

Deianira looked delighted and giggled away, completely unoffended.

"You’re so blunt~."

Not one bit.

"I like that."

He glanced at her tail brushing against his leg.

"Kitty, personal space."

She just smiled wider.

"Make me."

Arc let out a deep, frustrated sigh.

"Deianira. Please. Stop harassing the lunatic."

"I’m not harassing him; I’m, uh... studying him, yes!"

Aspen crossed his arms with an exaggerated sigh.

"Lord, don’t engage them. That’s what he wants."

Xenos mimicked Dei’s offense.

"I didn’t even say anything."

"Exactly."

Aspen shot back, uncaring for it.

"That’s the problem. You don’t have to."

Deianira snorted.

"Oh, come on, you two act like he’s dangerous."

""He is dangerous!""

Arc and Aspen said that at the same time.

Xenos grinned.

"You’re both just mad I make things more interesting."

"Interesting?"

Arc whooshed his fluffy tail.

"You went up against ten Pythons alone while you were a Seeker!"

Xenos shrugged.

"I had to."

"You didn’t have to do anything; you could’ve trusted us more!"

The tall man chuckled, finding the wolf-boy’s words... interesting.

"Oh, is that what bothers you?"

Aspen looked down, fearing for Xenos’s life.

"He’s going to kill him."

Deianira purred.

"Calm down, Arcy, we can’t have you die before the game even starts."

Arc glared at her but said nothing, barely able to calm himself.

Aspen, meanwhile, looked away to stop himself from laughing.

"Gods save me."

Deianira giggled again, pressing into Xenos’s side.

"See? He gets it."

"Yeah."

Xenos patted her head.

"But if you keep leaning on me, I will throw you."

He could almost hear Eris nod after he said that.

Something that made Deianira’s ears twitch.

She’d taken that as a challenge.

"Oh? Promise?"

Arc almost choked.

"Deianira!"

Aspen turned to him, exasperated.

"My Lord, please control this Lady!"

Deianira bared her fangs playfully.

"Careful, puppy, or I’ll scratch."

Aspen growled, his tail puffing up.

"Try it."

"Oh, I will."

"Don’t make me separate you two."

Arc muttered, rubbing his forehead.

"I’m surrounded by idiots."

Xenos nodded solemnly.

"Agreed."

Arc shot him a look.

"You’re part of the problem!"

"Correction."

Xenos proudly pointed at himself.

"I am the problem."

That earned a few laughs from nearby Disciples who had been eavesdropping.

Even Deianira snorted, her tail flicking in amusement.

"See, childhood friend~? He’s got charm."

Arc turned away from her.

"He’s got damage in his brain."

Aspen, ever the reluctant calm man of the group, sighed.

"Let’s move on and just focus on not dying."

Meanwhile, from a distance, Gaia stood by the edge of the crowd, watching them.

Her usual shy expression was gone, replaced by quiet irritation, making her tap her finger against her arm repeatedly.

"Why is he talking to her?"

Beside her, Ariadne stood straight, eyes fixed on Xenos too, but with an entirely different kind of focus.

A business-minded interest.

One was too shy to involve herself, and the other too proud to mess around.

Something that Gaia noticed and frowned at.

"Don’t even think about it."

Ariadne looked away.

"I wasn’t."

"You were."

"...maybe."

They both went silent again, pretending not to care while very clearly caring way too much.

Around them, in the Colosseum stands, the noise of the crowd swelled until it was thunder.

Chants, laughter, and excitement all mixed together into a roar in their ears.

Xenos scanned through the voices, searching for one in particular:

And sure enough, he found it.

"Don’t embarrass us too much, TRASH!"

He turned his head towards the upper stands.

’Ah.’

There they were.

His oh-so-lovely family.

Here to watch him die.

Xenos’s smile turned faint.

’How nice indeed.’

By the time he thought that, the reason for the loud cheers made itself known.

Lothar had raised his staff, making the Arcane beneath their feet flare alive in blinding light.

"Everyone, get into position."

The entire Colosseum seemed to vibrate as the circle activated and the Disciples sat.

"Let the Game begin!"

Xenos, the first on the ground, glanced around one last time.

At Arc’s focused glare, Aspen’s tense posture, and Deianira’s smirk.

Though for a shorter moment, his eyes also met Gaia and Ariadne.

’Don’t die.’

He closed his eyes.

Light swallowed him whole.

And his first Colesseum Game began.