Reborn With the Infinite Gods System

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Arena of Blood

Thank you Josh Senpai (mass release 1/8)

After what seemed like hours of trekking through the endless corridors of the spaceship, Axel's team finally arrived at what could only be described as a battlefield. The metallic walls were scarred from past conflicts, and the ground was stained with blood that had long dried.

Fatek soldiers lined the perimeter, but this section of the ship was eerily devoid of life compared to the other areas they had passed.

"What the hell is this?" Axel narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the floor.

Scattered across the ground were body parts—mangled human flesh, torn limbs, and decapitated heads. The stench of death was overpowering, and it was clear that several human hunters had fallen here, their bodies dismantled beyond recognition. Axel's stomach churned, but he remained composed.

The tension among his team was palpable. Even the bravest hunters had fear etched on their faces as they glanced around the grotesque arena.

"Well, isn't this charming?" Loki's voice broke through the silence. His grin widened as he nudged Hera. "Look, they've already done the decorating for us. How thoughtful of them!"

Hera gave him a sideways glance, her face betraying no emotion, but the rest of the group wasn't as calm. Loki's jest, though meant to lighten the mood, only amplified the dread in the air. The remaining hunters exchanged anxious glances, gripping their weapons a little tighter.

Rowin, ever the strategist, kept his gaze sharp as he observed the movements of the Fatek around them. He leaned closer to Axel, speaking just above a whisper. "They're watching us closely. Stay alert. I've been picking up bits of their language… it's not good."

Axel gave a slight nod. "What's the plan?"

"Waiting for the right moment," Rowin murmured. "But keep your guard up. They're about to throw something at us. Something bad."

As if on cue, the Fatek leading them halted abruptly, gesturing for the group to stop in the center of the arena. Without a word, the alien dashed off, leaving them exposed in the middle of the battlefield. Axel's senses tingled with the impending threat.

'This is it. This is where things start to go sideways,' Axel thought, scanning the surroundings with narrowed eyes.

A thunderous voice echoed from the far end of the vast arched chamber. "Humans! I know you must be agitated! But do not be!"

Everyone's attention snapped to the source. Seated atop a massive throne was a Fatek of monstrous size—over eighty feet tall, his bulky frame and menacing presence dominated the room. His muscles rippled beneath his skin, which had the texture of hardened rock, and his eyes glowed with a feral intensity.

'That's him. The boss of this ship,' Axel thought, his heart pounding as he recognized the commander.

"They're saying something about initiating a deal," Rowin whispered into Axel's ear. Axel's brow furrowed. A deal? What kind of deal could they possibly make in a situation like this?

"I will allow you free passage from my ship and back to your planet if you defeat my greatest warrior!" the commander boomed. His voice was deep and commanding, sending shivers down the spines of everyone present. "The same goes for you, humans. Choose your strongest champion to fight against mine!"

Axel's mind raced. 'Just as I thought, he wants to pit his best warrior against one of us. If we win, maybe there's a slim chance we survive, but if we lose… it's death.'

Before Axel could say anything, one of the other hunters, Carlos, stepped forward. The tall, muscular man forced a smile, trying to mask the fear that gripped his heart. "I'll go. I'm an A-rank, after all, and the rest of you are B-ranks. It only makes sense that I take this fight."

Axel crossed his arms, saying nothing. He could sense Carlos's desperation, the thin veneer of confidence cracking under the weight of the situation. Carlos was trying to appear strong for the team, but Axel knew better. This wasn't a situation that called for bravado—it required cunning and calculation.

'He's trying to motivate us. But honestly, it's a fool's errand. If he thinks brute strength alone will win this fight, he's gravely mistaken,' Axel thought, his eyes cold as he watched Carlos approach the center of the arena.

Noel sidled up to Axel. "Why didn't you step up, Boss? I thought you'd be the one to take this fight."

Axel smirked, his gaze fixed on Carlos. "You don't know me well enough, Noel. You've never seen me in a real fight. Why do you think I'd stand a better chance than an A-rank?"

Noel opened his mouth to respond but quickly shut it. Axel had a point. He had never truly witnessed the full extent of Axel's abilities. Still, something about the situation felt off, and Noel couldn't shake the unease creeping into his mind.

"If he loses, we're all dead, aren't we?" Noel muttered.

Axel's grin faded. "Maybe. But if he wins, we'll still have to kill every Fatek in this room to survive. Either way, we're not walking out of here peacefully."

The Fatek commander snapped his fingers, a sharp crack that reverberated throughout the ship. "Now that you've chosen your champion, I will summon mine! Cell IMP, meet your next challenger!"

Carlos clenched his fists, his nerves taut like a wire about to snap. 'I just need to get close. If I can land one good hit, I can turn this around.'

But before he could finish his thought, something appeared—no, materialized—just a few yards in front of him. His breath caught in his throat. A tall, green-skinned alien stood there, its body humanoid but grotesque, with thick, shell-like skin, antennae jutting from its head, and spikes protruding from its forearms. Its eyes glowed red, piercing into Carlos like daggers.

Carlos's heart plummeted. 'He's too fast! I didn't even see him move!'

The alien, Cell, tilted his head slightly, sizing up his opponent with disdain. "This is your champion? Pathetic. What rank is he?"

"A-rank," the Fatek commander responded, his voice dripping with amusement.

Cell's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of interest crossing his face. "A-rank? This should be amusing."

He took a step forward, his every movement deliberate and predatory. "Come at me, human." Stay immersed with m-vl-em-py-r

Carlos was frozen. The confidence he had summoned earlier had evaporated, replaced by a paralyzing fear. His fists trembled as he tried to steady himself, but his body wouldn't obey.

From the sidelines, Axel watched with a mixture of fascination and disappointment. 'So that's Cell. He's strong… fast. This is going to be over before it even begins. But… I want to see just how much of a threat this alien really is before I step in.'

Hera, standing a few feet away, couldn't tear her gaze from Axel. 'He's hungry for a fight. I can see it in his eyes. He wants to test himself against something stronger… that's why Loki is always so drawn to watching him. Or maybe it's because of his connection to the gods…'