Eroge? Bad Ends? Betrayal? I'm Just Here to Suplex Monsters through Buildings.

Armbars are awesome (5.2).

…

Eat a lot.

Sleep a lot.

Train a lot.

You can do plenty of all three in a dingy apartment in a bad neighborhood, but having an actual facility dedicated to training increased efficiency by a lot.

For food the Hiyo Clan had multiple cafeterias ready to always provide food in large quantities at reasonable quality. Flavor was on the lighter side, and there really wasn’t much that had any chew, but that was the point. It was fuel to be consumed in large quantities and fuel the body. Even though I craved very rare meat and could consume it, gulping down protein shakes by the gallon was far more effective at stymying my hunger.

I was able to feel full for the first time since my attempt to blow myself up thanks to all the protein shakes I downed.

Then, there’s sleeping in a place that I knew was secure. I slept with one eye open at Helena’s place and kept watch. Not to mention I either slept on a chair or in a cot. I was able to rest, but not really slumber. After getting a bath and chugging down almost four gallons of protein shakes, I went to sleep and zonked out for an entire 24 hours. When I woke up, I was hungry as hell, but the tiredness that I’d been pushing away for months was gone when I did.

If there was anything that I missed about my childhood in this world, it was sleeping at night knowing that I didn’t have to worry about getting my throat slit or waking up in chains.

Finally, there was the training center built to churn out super ninjas that can be deployed in large numbers to seal away eldritch gods.

100-pound plates were the lightest available, and they went up to two hundred and fifty. A full stack was eight on each side, so the expected max limit for the average ninja graduate was 4000 pounds, or two tons. Training in the facility was meant to be done with internal energy coursing through the body, and for most ninja it became inadequate a semester or two before their graduation.

Even though more than a few of them fall towards various bad ends, they were still superhuman hunters that can kick heads off trolls, not die when punched by the likes of vampires, and move so fast they’re blurs to the untrained. That’s before customized tools, mantras that buffed physical performance, seals on prepared tags that gave them a magical arsenal that needed no prep time, and finally magical weapons and armor. The average ninja ends there, but those with bloodlines or ancestral contracts could have even more incredible powers at their disposal or massively overpowered spirits.

So, naturally, the Hiyo Clan’s Academy was the prime place for me to be during my formative years.

But as much as I just wanted to stay, I didn’t like leaving jobs half done.

So, after some rest and recuperation, I left the academy in pursuit of Daichi into Neo San Kyoto’s underbelly.

…

Neo San Kyoto, Underside 4, 5AM PST.

…

When they said underground city, they meant it.

The under-city was a massive cavern with a concrete dome supported by metal ribs. They were like massive grasping claws that loomed over the city. Most of the buildings were embedded onto the walls and made of scrap, like prefabricated buildings made to fit however possible and stacked on top of each other. It was an outer ring where people who had to live and work in the undercity lived with their own small economy. The center of the dome was surrounded by tall walls with automated guns and sentries, while everything inside was situated around a glittering spire that went up to the center of the dome.

Surrounding that spire were pleasure palaces, casino resorts, and arenas for bloodsport and other kinds of ‘sport.’ The corporate drones and middle managers went to the red-light district for business and pleasure. The real elites had entire underground resorts dedicated to their enjoyment of violence and pleasure. Monsters were kept around as pets after cybernetic augmentations, cyborg battle dolls were common sights and engaged each other in duels in the airspace for their master’s pleasure, and people were carried around on palanquins by genetically engineered slaves rather than riding around in cars.

Holographic advertisements were splattered across the dome’s surface. Most were lurid and debased. Advertisements for ‘ranch’ shows were there one moment, and the next there was a sight of slaves desperately fighting in the arena for their freedom, wearing nothing more than chains and leather. Brothels advertised fresh deliveries with their ‘purity’ intact for their first buyer of the night with their ages advertised with glee. Everything past the wall where the downtrodden worked and elites played was high-tech and ostentatious. They even had trees growing underground, and those who could afford visors could see a blue sky instead of concrete and ads.

I’ve never seen a place more deserving of being burned down to the ground.

Anyway, I was helping Kine track our target down, and I easily found out that she wasn’t kidding about hunting down demons before.

“So, I went through most of the outer ring and smelled demons here and here.” The upper half of the outer ring was the closest to the arena where Daichi was making his play. He was getting renown by fighting in the arena and recruiting people in the outer ring. The outer ring was basically ruled by armed gangs of humans and monsters who leveraged everything from power exoskeletons to magic to rule over petty fiefdoms. The outer ring had no official government, and their water and power came from the resort itself. Around a million people lived in the outer ring, and the warlords produced what the elites wanted: flesh. For labor and for pleasure. “Whoever this Daichi is, I think he’s got a body double or at least some decoys.”

“It is standard procedure for long-term habitation of a region to have multiple safe houses with one’s inner energy signature. The best way to overcome it is to locate safehouses and neutralize them while springing an ambush.” Asakura replied. We were in the shadows of one of the massive metal arms holding up the dome above the city. A few monsters made their lair up here, but they were easily dispatched by the three of us. Helena and Leona were on the ground securing us a base of operations and extra safehouses. “However, we must make him flee to them to ambush him. The best way to do that is to rout him from the arena.”

“Or, we could kill him there.” I pointed out, and Asakura shook his head. “What? You don’t think you can manage it?”

“He is a coward at heart. I knew his measure when I first killed him and when we last met. Even with all his newfound power, he ran in my presence with fear in his eyes. If I appear there in the arena, he will run, and he will run out of this place completely, evading any of his safehouses and abandoning his newfound riches.” Ordinarily, I’d applaud someone having the sense to just run away from someone as powerful as Asakura. But this was a traitor and someone who wanted to sell their childhood friend off as an untouched product. Guys like Daichi were annoying pests at best. “However, Kay, you already intended to visit the arena, correct? You can go as a gladiator, rise through the ranks, and declare your affiliation prior to your match with him. He will run.”

“I want to do that, yeah, but why not just infiltrate during a match and kill the guy and escape? What’s the issue with causing some havoc in that eyesore?” Kine gave a snort but agreed with a nod, while Asakura shook her head and crossed her arms. “Are you serious? Is there some sort of treaty keeping you guys from attacking this place?”

“There is. A temporary peace treaty for another five years. Fifty years ago, they and the other underground cities sued for peace, and the clans accepted it. We took wealth and forced rules upon them. The wealth was used to advance weapons, armor, and magic beyond their ability to replicate.” Asakura explained, but she didn’t look at all pleased with the idea. “As for rules, they can no longer commune with outer gods, demons, and fae, or transgress upon the sanctity of the soul, but human lives and flesh they still use as they wish.”

“Any reason why you didn’t just kill them all and take their money anyway?”

“Over half of the active ninja in North America were dead or injured. Any further fighting would have compromised our ability to counter threats to the entire human race.”

“Ah. Fair.” Can’t really fault them for taking the money and putting those rules down when they’ve got other responsibilities. Not to mention they were already half down on manpower. Not only that, but back then there were a lot fewer ninja around, too. They were more potent, but having more supersoldiers that can tear through armies on their own and sneak into anywhere is always better. “So, he’s here because he knows we can’t just go in there and kill everyone between us and him. Since he’s a rogue fighting for their entertainment, he’s under their protection until he’s out of the walls.”

Still, though, the single male member of the team is fighting in the arena while the rest of the female group traverses the slums for information? You may as well slap a corruption status screen on all four of my teammates that’ll progress with every win and loss that I take. This whole scenario stank of NTR bullshit, even though I really wanted to go and fight in the arena. As competent as my current allies were, this reality was just too shitty for me to ignore.

Hell, with how fucked this world was, I almost thought that whether I win or lose wouldn’t matter. But it would, because losing and leading to corruption gains being ‘my fault’ would be part of the appeal. In this messed-up reality, the chance for something bad to not occur existed to make something bad occurring better.

Hope was just another spice to make the degeneracy better.

Man, I just wanted to blow the sparkling, shiny den of debauchery up, rather than wait five years.

“Alright, then. I’ll do it. Help me scout out for outlying pit fights in the outer ring. I’ll rise through the ranks and get in the arena. The faster, the better. Blitz through everything and get a hundred wins in a week or something.” If I was going to play by this universe’s rules, I was going to do so violently. “Don’t bother scouting. We’ll stay together, and you guys support me through things. Kill people who try to sabotage me, arrange fights, and make sure I’m ready for the next fight, while also setting up the trap.”

Asakura raised an eyebrow, but she nodded eventually.

“I’m surprised. I thought you would say your lack of affiliation would make it so that you could attack the pleasure resort as you wished.” I’d considered that, but it’d be spitting on a treaty and peace thousands of incredible people died for. Besides, five years wasn’t that long in the grand scheme of things. War will arrive in due time, and I’ll make sure that the fight is finished. Everything these deluded rich bastards have to their name will fall into the hands of the ninja clans. I’ll take my dues, naturally. “But the plan you propose is just as audacious. Are you sure that you can defeat everything between yourself and Daichi with just your bare hands?”

I raised an eyebrow at her, while Kine tilted her head questioningly.

“I’ve only ever seen Kay fight with his bare hands, though?”

Asakura looked at me with surprise at that.

The source of the confusion was obvious. Around her I judiciously used Hiyo Kunai, while around Kine I fought with my bare hands.

“I made do with limited resources, and I needed to understand my new body.” I told her, and she nodded in understanding. “Let’s go and get started. The longer I stay here, the longer I want to see it all blown up.”

With that, we started our descent.

Hm.

I wonder how fast I can go through all the lower ranks of the arena.

A week, maybe?

…

Interlude: Asakura Hiyo, the Fiery Blade

…

If my venerated ancestor were present, she’d be laughing.

Keita, now Kay, unarmored and unarmed, coursed like a thunderbolt through the outer ring’s various venues.

Across the outer ring there were acknowledged fighting arenas with stables of fighters. They took in those from the favelas and used everything from magic to cybernetic implants to embolden them. Some even took in only monsters. All the arenas were watched by the central arena for new talents, as the various groups fought and clashed with one another in the ring whilst gangs fiercely protected them outside.

Creating contenders brought sponsors and funds to their territory.

Champions elevated entire communities with better guns, security, and luxuries.

Kay tore through everything like a thunderbolt.

A troll that was half machine was kicked through a wall in an instant and died.

An assassin pumped full of exotic stimulants and ready to explode to pull off a draw had her head torn off mid-clash.

A seasoned warrior covered in scars lasted the longest whilst displaying keen martial arts skills, until Kay simply broke his limbs and defeated him.

Wearing nothing but some shorts, he entered fighting pits and left their champion before running to the next. He ate on the way, while we scrambled to prepare flights for him and little else.

The gangs could only watch, barely able to react, as their fighting pits were demolished before they could respond.

Then, after he warmed up and as he reached the stronger arenas, he started practicing more basic moves, and that was when I realized what he meant by needing to understand his new strength.

A subtle heel kick meant to knock out a target broke through his opponent’s neck.

A palm strike meant to make an opponent fly broke through his foe’s ribs and crushed the lungs and heart.

A simple elbow strike to the side blew out his opponent’s organs as pureed viscera came out the other side.

He engaged in grappling against pneumatic fists, and they broke in his grip.

He spent a whole match simply dodging his opponent and succeeded.

He spent another match enduring every blow sent his way and wasn’t even bruised.

My venerated ancestor was correct.

He did indeed rise as a dragon.

And, without a doubt, the world will do its utmost to clip his wings before he can rise high enough to do with his power what he wished.