Start with a Hammer, End with Five Beast Husbands

Enter the Underground Arena

I had just slipped my head out from behind a heap of derelict gear, trying to get a read on the situation—

Boom.

The dull, thunderous impact nearly knocked my heart out of my chest.

I snapped my head up—and saw Caedmon drop straight down from a craft dozens of meters above, landing with terrifying precision less than twenty meters from me, a violent plume of dust erupting on impact.

Was he insane?!

His combat boots struck the scrap metal with sharp, ringing clangs, one step at a time.

He was coming straight for me.

Through the haze of dust, his gaze cut through like a hawk locking onto its prey, pinning me in place.

My body reacted faster than my mind—I turned and ran.

Behind me, his footsteps accelerated instantly, the pressure spiking in an instant. With long strides, he closed the distance at a visible pace.

I could practically feel him right behind me—his presence, almost brushing against my back.

My mind even filled in the next frame on its own: a white-gloved hand reaching out, about to grab the back of my collar.

My scalp prickled.

I ran like my life depended on it.

At this rate, I’d be caught for sure.

As I sprinted, I scanned my surroundings—then spotted a precarious mound of junk nearby, piled high with discarded tires, scrap metal, and rocks.

An opportunity.

I veered sharply and slammed into one of its key supports—

Crash—!

The entire heap lost its balance and collapsed, cascading toward him in a roaring avalanche.

I knew it wouldn’t hurt him—but if it bought me even a second, it was worth it.

Sure enough, his path was blocked; he had to detour.

I seized those few seconds to widen the gap again.

But I also knew this couldn’t last.

In stamina and speed, I was completely outmatched.

Just then, movement flickered at my flank.

I turned my head—and saw a squad of soldiers sweeping in from the side, clearly moving to box me in.

I was finished.

I clenched my teeth and pulled out my last trump card from my bag.

—my “ultimate weapon.”

A round, chubby thing that looked like a metal can.

I hurled it straight toward the direction Caedmon was charging from.

In that instant, he almost instinctively twisted his body to dodge, his movement clean and sharp—clearly treating it like an explosive.

The next second—

“Pfft.”

No explosion.

The “can” burst open midair, spewing out an absurdly thick cloud of pink smoke.

In an instant, the entire area was dyed into something like a bizarre dreamscape.

This was a “visual interference bomb” I had cobbled together a few days ago out of discarded paint and an empty smoke shell when I was bored—originally meant for pranks or as a backup escape tool.

I hadn’t expected it to come in handy today.

The smoke spread instantly, wiping visibility to zero.

I didn’t hesitate for even a second—I turned and darted into a narrower, more convoluted alleyway beside me, weaving left and right, relying purely on instinct to navigate.

By the time my steps slowed, I realized something was wrong.

This place—I’d never been here before.

The air was no longer just rotten; it was mixed with machine oil, blood, and an indescribable sense of excitement. From ahead came faint noise—like a crowd struggling to suppress its roars, surging outward in waves.

Keeping close to the wall, I cautiously edged forward a few steps.

A half-open metal door appeared before me, with peeling paint sprayed across it—

“Iron Pit Arena.”

Above the entrance hung a flickering neon sign, its wiring clearly faulty, blinking on and off as it barely formed a sentence:

“Bet your life. Win your money.”

… Straight to the point.

I stood at the doorway, narrowing my eyes. From inside came waves of increasingly frenzied cheers, mixed with dull, heavy thuds—like fists slamming into flesh.

An underground arena.

The typical kind—where only fists and money matter.

I instinctively felt my pocket. Flat as could be.

Before I found a way to leave Null Terra, I needed money. And I also needed a place to lie low for a while—and gather information.

A place like this, full of all kinds of people, was perfect for disappearing.

Someone like Caedmon would probably first think of sealing exits and controlling transport routes—but he likely wouldn’t expect me to walk straight into a place like this.

A woman, voluntarily entering an underground arena? No matter how you looked at it, it didn’t make sense.

I took a deep breath and pulled my hood lower, covering most of my face. Then I stepped forward and walked into the elevator.

The elevator kept descending for an absurdly long time. I counted silently—at least twenty seconds—before it finally opened with a “ding.”

Definitely underground.

The moment the doors opened, a wave of air mixed with sweat and the smell of blood hit me head-on. The space before me was far larger than I’d imagined—corridors stretched in all directions, twisting and turning like a massive maze, impossible to tell where any path led.

I pushed forward with the crowd.

After about five minutes, a thunderous roar of cheers suddenly exploded in my ears.

The view ahead opened up.

It was a massive sunken arena, ridiculously large—about the size of more than a dozen basketball courts. The surrounding stands were packed with spectators, lights glaring, noise deafening.

I froze for a moment.

Were there so many people in Null Terra?

My gaze shifted toward the center—On the platform, two people. One standing. One lying down.

Massive holographic screens hung all around, magnifying the scene with crystal clarity, practically shoving it into everyone’s face.