Rico stood in place, refusing to move even an inch closer. He tried his best to tilt his head for a better view of what lay ahead, but… he couldn't see anything.
Once the door fully opened, a silver veil acted as a barrier, obscuring his view. It shimmered with sparkling lights, spiraling slowly across its surface.
Curious, Rico reached out and touched it.
The moment his fingers made contact, they disappeared beyond the veil. He quickly pulled his hand back, a reflex kicking in — just in case something tried to grab him and drag him inside.
'I've seen these before… like in those movies. Looks like some kind of portal.'
Rico placed his hands on top of his head, his gaze drifting as his brows weighed down slightly.
"Man… what am I even doing? Why am I even here…? Am I really about to walk into a place where something's already planning to make me dinner?"
He stepped back from the door and returned to the one he came through. Turning, he pressed his back against it and slowly slid down, sitting there for a moment.
"I've been so caught up in everything happening so fast that I didn't even realize I've been trying to survive… but why?"
He paused, exhaling deeply before giving his head a quick shake, as if trying to clear his thoughts.
'Why do I keep going? Why am I so compelled to move forward? Is there something at the end of all this waiting for me?'
He sat there, thinking, his gaze fixed on the floor. Then, a slight grin crept onto his face, and he lifted his eyes toward the door ahead.
"I may not know where I am, or what I'm even doing here… but— I've come this far. No point in stopping now."
With that, Rico pushed himself to his feet, shoulders squared, fists clenched.
"Okay, Turantulala — or whatever your name is. I may be a lot of things, but I assure you… I am not that tasty."
A brief hesitation followed, then he stepped toward the doorway. Closing his eyes, Rico pressed his face through the veil—his body following right after. The moment he passed through—
The arena erupted.
The sheer size of the arena made him look like an ant. It rose around him like a colossal bowl carved from stone, stretching upward like a man-made mountain. Endless rows of seats circled the vast arena floor, tier upon tier climbing higher and higher.
At the center lay the fighting pit — a wide oval of golden sand, raked smooth. Scattered across it were broken armor plates, discarded weapons, and fragments of human bones.
At the far end, directly across from where Rico stood, loomed a massive gate — nearly twenty feet tall. It was lined with iron bars so thick a grown man couldn't wrap his hands around them.
As Rico took in the arena in all its glory, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. Still… he couldn't shake the question of what kind of creature was locked behind that gate.
The arena, which had been roaring with noise just moments ago, suddenly fell silent. Thousands of spectators stood in place, watching him. Waiting.
Rico took notice of this as he continued to scan the area. Then, a particular section caught Rico's attention. The people seated there looked different — more refined, more composed — like they held some kind of high status.
And among them—
He spotted a familiar face. Rico froze in place, expression and all.
"Is that… granny? But when did she get up there… and how?"
She noticed his gaze and gave him a small, quiet nod. Rico returned it... a slight grin catching his face.
'What a strange lady,' he thought — before being interrupted.
"There he is, everyone. The man of the hour."
A charismatic voice echoed from speakers scattered around the arena.
"Does he have what it takes to overcome the Beast of Sloth? Will he ascend and become the next Apostle of the New Moon? Well… I won't keep you guessing any longer."
'Apostle of the New Moon? What is that...?'
As those words rang out, a bright light appeared before Rico, splitting into three smaller ones. They hovered in place, each taking on the silhouette of a weapon. As the light stabilized, their full forms became visible.
These weren't like any weapons he had seen before. Not even close.
The first was a pair of short axes, intricately designed. The hafts appeared to be made of obsidian, laced with faint silver veins that pulsed slowly — like a heartbeat running through them.
The blades curved like crescent moons, giving off a soft silver glow. Along the spine of each axe were small jagged protrusions, resembling the teeth of a shark.
Rico was completely taken in by the design as he circled them, inspecting closely.
'This looks like it could work… I mean, two is usually better than one.' he thought as he zoomed in on the axes.
He had already set his sights on them — but decided to check the other two weapons, just to be fair.
The next weapon was a sleek looking sword that, to him, just wasn't all that impressive.
Its design resembled a katana, wrapped in a swirling shadow that spiraled along the blade. The metal itself was dark, almost unnatural, and it looked sharp enough to cut through light.
Still—
Rico wasn't impressed.
"Pffft… seems too complicated. That blade's almost as tall as me — and a sword like that takes discipline and training."
But as he dismissed it, his attention was suddenly pulled toward the third weapon.
An orb.
It hovered in the air gracefully, about the size of a small soccer ball. It pulsed with a steady rhythm, releasing a low hum that sounded almost like a quiet melody.
A faint dark-blue glow surrounded its outer layer, while a brighter pulse flickered within.
Rico slowly approached it, eyes fixed, unblinking.
Then—
He turned away.
"Yeah… what am I supposed to do with that thing? Throw it?" He scoffed.
"Nah, I'll take the axe."
But as Rico turned and reached out to take the axe —
Time froze around him. The noise from the crowd became muffled until it completely faded into the background. His vision became completely tunneled and all he could see was the Orb before him.
For some reason, he became acutely aware of his heartbeat. It thudded loudly in his ears, each beat heavier than the last.
Then —
The orb's hum grew deeper, heavier — like something awakening from within.
Its pulse flared with unnatural intensity, and with each beat, waves of light surged outward, distorting the air as shadow and radiance bled together.
Suddenly, he could hear it. Feel it. See it. The orb pulsed in perfect sync with his heart.
Without any explanation, it began to drift closer… and closer…
Rico slowly raised his hand subconsciously and reached for it.
The moment it touched his palm —
A surge of energy rushed through his body. It was sharp and sudden, like the adrenaline of being chased… or the rush of a first kiss.
The faint purple ring around his iris began to spin — like the hands of a clock — glowing brighter with each rotation. Then the glow spread, filling his eyes completely, casting off a mesmerizing light.
"What… is this sensation…?"
'My body feels heavier… but lighter at the same time. It's like my lungs have expanded — like I can finally breathe.'
Then, out of nowhere, a screen appeared in front of him.
[Weapon selection complete: The Moon's Shadow has successfully bonded with you.]
[Weapon Level: One]
[Forms Available: Two]
[Passive: Active]
Rico stared at the display, quickly scanning the information shown. Then, without warning, it vanished.
Time then slowly resumed around him, and the other two weapons disappeared as if they had never been there.
'The Moon's Shadow… that's a strange name. What does this thing even do? And it's only level one…'
A slight frown crept onto his face.
The orb pulsed once more, almost in response, then drifted from his grip and floated calmly beside him. Rico turned to look at it.
And just like that —
A quiet calm settled over him.
The way it hovered there, pulsing softly… almost like it was alive. It didn't feel like a weapon. It felt like a companion — something that chose to stay by his side.
Rico gave the orb a small nod, a faint smile forming. The orb responded with a different pulse — subtle, but distinct. Like it understood. Like it acknowledged him.
The announcer's voice cut through the moment, nearly startling him.
"See for yourself! The challenger has chosen his weapon — and now, it's time to feed our champion!"
With a thunderous crash, the iron gate slammed into the ground, the impact reverberating through the arena. A brief silence followed.
The ground began to tremble. Heavy steps echoed as the beast emerged.
The first thing Rico saw were two glowing eyes, blazing like a furnace in the dark. The crowd erupted into a frantic cheer, and the atmosphere grew heavy, pressing down on him like gravity itself had turned against him.
As the creature drew closer, its form became clearer.
It was massive, easily over twelve feet tall at the shoulders.
It was low to the ground — Its body covered in thick, armor-like plates — like a gigantic snapping turtle. The plates overlapped like stone shields, forming what looked like an unbreakable shell.
Its head was small compared to its body, tucked between its armored shoulders for protection. Its beak resembled that of a snapping turtle — but sharper, and seemingly forged from steel.
From the sheer weight behind each step, the beast had to be at least fifteen tons. Its dull amber eyes burned with intensity, locked onto Rico as it advanced.
A deep, low rumble escaped it, like boulders grinding down a mountainside. It was followed by a deafening roar — similar to that of a T-Rex — that sent shockwaves through the arena.
Rico looked up as the creature's massive body blotted out the sun, casting a towering shadow over him.
"What in the Jurassic world is this thing?"
Rico shook his head, keeping his gaze fixed on the creature, stepping back instinctively.
Then he glanced at the orb hovering beside him, still pulsing steadily — as if it were ready. Suddenly, it began to spin on its axis. A bright, shadowy light engulfed it.
The light shifted, twisting and contracting, forming into a new shape — like the weapon was undergoing a transformation. As it continued to shift, Rico's eyes flickered with a faint glow, a streak of blue vapor trailing from his body toward the orb.
After a few more seconds, the transformation came to a stop. In its place hovered a different silhouette, shrouded in dark, shadowy energy. Slowly, it descended toward Rico— and he reached out to take it.
[Weapon Form Change Successful]
[Shield Form Active: Shadow's Anchor]
The display from earlier appeared again, flashing brightly.
Rico turned and glanced toward the beast, which was already staring at him with complete indifference.