The guard stepped forward.
To the middle of the arena.
His voice echoed across the entire coliseum.
Clear.
Commanding.
"In this tournament, sixteen fighters will compete."
"And the winner will receive a cash prize and a reward that could help with the tower climb."
Ash narrowed his eyes.
"Similar to the tickets that we received in the floor four."
The guard continued.
"The first round will consist of eight matches."
"Winners will advance to the second round."
"Then four matches."
"Then two."
"And finally…"
A breath.
"One last fight to determine the champion."
Silence settled briefly.
Then—
"The order of matches will be determined randomly."
A faint hum filled the air.
"In the center of the coliseum, a hologram will display two names before each fight."
"When your name appears…"
"You will have five minutes to enter the arena."
A pause.
"If you fail to appear within that time…"
"You will be disqualified."
"The match will automatically end once someone…"
"…surrenders…"
"…lose consciousness…"
"…or die."
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
The guard continued.
"This system ensures fairness."
"No match is rigged."
"No outcome is predetermined."
Another pause.
Then—
"And as many of you already know…"
"This world is an entertainment..."
"For your old world."
His voice lowered slightly.
"So civilians from your old world..."
"Will be making wagers."
Quiet whispers spread.
"Betting odds will be assigned before each match."
"Those odds will be based on your performance across the last ten floors…"
"Your creature…"
"Your abilities…"
"And your overall reputation."
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Then—
"Prepare yourselves."
"The tournament will begin shortly."
The guard stepped back.
His voice echoed across the arena.
"…Now."
A pause.
"The first match will be decided."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Then—
At the center of the coliseum—
A hologram ignited.
Light burst into the air.
Dozens of names appeared—
Spinning.
Shifting.
Faster.
And faster.
Names blurred together.
Impossible to follow.
The crowd grew louder.
Restless.
Waiting.
Then—
Suddenly—
The spinning stopped.
Two names burned brightly at the center of the projection.
The guard spoke.
Clear.
Loud.
"…Match One."
A short pause.
"…Kongu."
Another beat.
"…Versus."
Silence stretched.
"…Byte."
While they both walked toward the arena, the guard continued.
"Bets are already being placed."
From the eastern gate—
Heavy footsteps echoed across the stone.
Kongu entered the arena.
Tall.
Broad-shouldered.
Dark-skinned.
His build was massive—like solid iron wrapped in muscle.
He wore a dark uniform, tight across his arms and chest.
A badge rested over his heart.
The word ENFORCER stitched across his chest.
His fists remained clenched.
Calm.
Disciplined.
Dangerous.
Not reckless.
Not emotional.
Controlled power.
Like a man used to enforcing order through strength.
From the western gate—
Light footsteps followed.
Soft.
Carefree.
Byte stepped into the arena.
Her long pink hair swayed gently behind her.
Loose.
Unrestrained.
Her red dress flowed against her tanned skin.
Completely different from the armored fighters around her.
A playful smile rested on her face.
One eye closed—
Winking.
Like this was all just a game.
Not fear.
Not tension.
Just amusement.
And somehow—
That made her feel even more dangerous.
Ash watched carefully.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…She seems different from the others."
Ravok crossed his arms.
Studying the arena.
"…I could say the same about him."
A short pause.
"…He looks strong."
Ash tilted his head slightly.
"…Is that some kind of uniform?"
Ravok nodded once.
"…Looks like it."
Both fighters stopped at opposite ends of the arena.
Silence settled across the battlefield.
Heavy.
Still.
The guard announced.
"The bets have been placed."
Then—
At the center of the coliseum.
The hologram ignited again.
Victory Probability:
Kongu — 61%
Byte — 39%
And right after.
CLANG—
The bell rang.
© 2025 Moku. All rights reserved. The Tower of the Animal Kingdom is an original work by Moku. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.