Another Stupid Isekai

I waited, looking at the entrance on his side of the sandpit like there was nothing else in the world. The lights dancing around the stage from time to time reached this part of the arena, so I could actually see something. He wasn\'t showing up, but the theme also still was being blasted. I could hear faint cheers sometimes, making it through the noise of the music.

This meant he was still making it through his pathway among the stands. There was no need to rash so he was obviously taking his time. For me, it felt like torture. I wanted the anxiety to be gone, so I could allow my mind some peace. I wanted my mind to switch into battle mode, where all the unnecessary stuff around me would be gone. I wanted to enter the zone, and I was very impatient to get it.

The reality didn\'t give a shit about my wishes, though, so I had to wait in this state of unbelievable frustration. It was driving me crazy.

But then I noticed movement in the darkness since the lights were mostly turned off, only going crazy around the stage. He was slowly drifting towards me. A familiar physique, four black eyes with golden pupils, and deep dark-green skin.

His clothing was different from the usual robes worn by Calludins. He had a sleeveless, black toga, revealing his small, yet muscular and veiny arms with barely visible tattoos of strange shapes.

And then there was also this smirk of confidence on his face. A smirk that gave me chills.

Suddenly the music stopped, and the whole arena become briefly dark before lights turned on above us, illuminating the whole sandpit.

The barrier above was changing the coloration to slightly blue, which gave this cold feeling that only enforced the chills.

The path behind him got blocked just when the loud voice of some alien got blasted across the arena. It obviously was the announcer finalizing the introduction of us, gladiators. I even heard my name \'Peter\'.

- Rise your hands - said Druoag.

I did just that, and for a short moment, the loud voice of the announcer was completely blocked by loud cheers from the stands. He didn\'t stop his speech, though, and clearly switched to the Calludin. I heard his name, Sevva, being mentioned, and then another loud batch of cheers cut the announcer off.

- Ok, now focus - said Druoag. - As soon as you hear the noise announcing the start of the fight, you need to attack, but for now, remain relaxed. We don\'t want him to see through our moves.

- Ok.

The alien said a few more words, finalizing his introduction, and then the whole arena became quiet. Completely, utterly quiet. There was no sound coming from anywhere. This lasted for maybe a dozen seconds before a loud noise shook the arena.

I immediately jumped forward, closing the distance in splits of a second, and raising my arm with pudao ready to strike, but he dodged by yanking himself out of that space using his psychic powers and simultaneously threw the sand at me, stopping me from following him. I had to cover my eyes to not damage my vision. As he landed, hovering slightly above the ground, he lifted me up before I managed to make a second move, and then slammed me on the ground.

With a herculean effort, I managed to turn in the air and land on my legs, but the pressure made me crouch.

Then his grin got wider, and he immediately blasted me across the arena. I hit the barrier, and immediately got grabbed again by his psychic powers, and threw to the other side. I turned my body to land on my feet, and slit on the curved surface. I couldn\'t run on it, because there was no friction, and that bastard knew it very well.

He easily got a hold of me again and slammed me on the sand. I bounced off the ground like a ping-pong ball and was then sent straight up, to crash with the barrier above.

- Endure - said Druoag. - You can\'t do much now, so focus on minimalizing the damage. Look for a way to land on the ground, and then use your speed, to avoid getting caught again, and somehow close the distance to strike him.

I didn\'t respond to his words since my plate was already full of struggling in a duel where I was almost completely controlled by my opponent, and all my focus was concentrated on minimalizing the damage, so I didn\'t really need him to tell me what I already know, but it was kinda reassuring to know he is in my corner.

- Just remember, he can\'t continue this forever. He will get tired eventually.

For Druoag it was easy to say. Doing it was quite the opposite when he was smashing me left and right, not even allowed to catch a breath. I tried my best to turn and twist. Land on my legs whenever it was possible.

I couldn\'t let go of my weapon, because he would use it against me, but it was very annoying to hold it.

A few times he tried to yank it out of my grasp, but he failed, as I kept holding onto it firmly. At some point, he clearly got enough of playing with me, and froze me in the midair, then moved his hands like he was twisting a wet towel. I immediately felt it, as my body was put under immense pressure, which was stretching my muscles painfully.

I gritted my teeth, and did the best I could to fight with him, to not let him just do whatever he wanted with my body. It was less entertaining, as I was just frozen in midair in a silent show of strength.

Then he screamed into his lungs, and the pressure even increased, squeezing the air of my lungs.. I would probably scream out of pain, but there was just nothing to carry the voice out from my vocal cords.