Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

The second game seemed to be pretty straightforward but what gathered everyone's attention are the rules for this game. Everyone thought it would be a tournament-tyle fight but it wasn't. I was #7 in the list for Cage 2 and I thought the players #1 and #2 would fight first then it would be followed by #3 and #4. Turns out, whoever wins from the first match will fight #3, then after that, it would be followed by #4, until we reached the last number from that list which is #20. It was downright unfair for the people starting early but a blessing for the people starting late.

Complaints quickly resounded but Mr. Cuervo gave a simple reply:

"Life's unfair and that's the rule for this game. However, listen until the end in how I made it fair as best as I could." he calmly stated.

A lot of people were about to quit the game but it had a few quirks. It's just that people started to complain before all of the rules for this game was announced. It was already considered a fight without weapons but Mr. Cuervo has a few ideas to add.

First, the last person standing at the cage after the list has been gone through is obviously the winner but a prize would still be given to each person who've won at least a single match. Furthermore, the more wins you bag on your turn, the larger the prize you would receive later, even more if you have the highest number of wins and was the last one standing at the end. The prize for the highest number of wins could exceed the prize for the last one standing if the person has won enough matches though they didn't specify by how much.

Second, players could freely switch their number with another player as long as they're in the same cage and both players agree. Forcing another player to switch numbers using violence is grounds for disqualification.

Third, the clothing before entry will be inspected and this time, any sort of footwear is also not allowed the same thing with gloves, helmets, and upper garments. Only shorts or pants will be allowed inside after a thorough checkup.

Fourth, a player is considered out of the match by tapping out, declaring it verbally, getting knocked unconscious, or by a referee's decision. Furthermore, If a player disregarded the referee's ruling in breaking them up to avoid more injury by enforcing this rule, the player would be shot down. In the case of a player dying due to the opponent at the middle of the match, the match will be reviewed and blood will be paid by blood regarding the circumstances.

Fifth and final, All moves are allowed as long as the other opponent is left breathing after the match is concluded.

"He doesn't want to lose customers eh?" I muttered.

"Before the end of the world started, the number of bodies from the games exceeded a hundred. It's always a deathmatch before but in the state the world is, finding new customers would prove to be difficult. It's tamer now actually." Jerry replied.

"How much did he pay before? You said you're a retired sheriff so you must be turning your head every time these games are held, right?" I asked to get a reaction.

"You're a sharp one, eh? I'm from another barangay but the police force here is on my payroll. Well, let's just say that if I didn't do what I did, I wouldn't have the tools and connections to survive this thing. Money gets you a long way even more if you have a lot of them. The only thing wrong about your statement is that I've never turned my head away. I'm always present at these events and I didn't miss a single one of them." Jerry chuckled.

"Well, it's just a figure of speech but I get your point." I replied.

"Oh, is that so? I guess I'm too old to recognize such things." he offered me a smoke but I declined.

"Ilya's fight is starting." Tatiana interjected.

"No zombies this time?" Jared asked.

"The night is young, you'll see a lot more later. They did bring a lot today though." Jerry replied.

Ilya is at an extreme disadvantage from this matchup since he's first and he needs to defeat a lot more people. He has to make the fights end as fast as possible to have the energy for the next one and last until the end. The only good thing that happened for him is that the referee allowed the bandages I've put in earlier.

He already declared that he wanted to fight me in the finals so I think we'll see him fight seriously.

And he did.

The moment the signal was given, Ilya's expression changed. Ilya ran and leaped towards his opponent, delivering a flying right knee to the guy's mouth. A loud crack resounded while several bloody teeth fell off the ground. Ilya grabbed his neck and delivered another knee to his abdomen when the guy reeled in from the pain. The guy's body folded from the impact but another knee was delivered.

And another.

And another.

The guy fell to his side with a bruised torso and a bloody mouth.

"Whew! That was fast bro!" Jared was ecstatic.

"That guy's ribs are definitely in pieces." I muttered.

Cheers resounded all throughout the place since the fight was quickly concluded. It was not only for Ilya's match though.

A huge guy who joined at the last minute just one-shotted another poor soul with a huge slap to the side of his head. His fight ended much faster compared to Ilya and the group cheering for his opponent were in disbelief.

"Now that's another guy to watch out for." I thought to myself.

I'm stealing glances from each cage but Ilya's second match is starting.

"I GIVE UP~ I GIVE UP~" his opponent quickly surrendered before anything happened. He didn't even enter the cage where Ilya's glaring at him viciously.

"Well that's something to scare people away." Jerry chuckled.

"The display earlier was something else too." I added.

The next person was quickly called over and this time, his physique is more developed compared to other players. He walked inside the cage and the signal was given.

The two madly dashed to meet at the center and a huge right hook was coming for Ilya's face.

Ilya dodged it by letting it slip on the side of his head before sending a punch to his throat. A cut was made near Ilya's eye but his opponent was worse off. The guy immediately choked before a right elbow coming from above smashed his nose in. A left middle kick to his torso followed then a right front kick was aimed towards his left shin.

A fluid combination assaulted the guy but Ilya decided to finish off with a headbutt.

He aimed for the guy's bleeding nose before turning around to send a spinning right elbow and a right axe kick. It all connected to the guy's face and Ilya just put pressure on his bleeding cut to try and stop the bleeding.

The referee decided that the match was already over since the guy's head got juggled too much and was unable to continue.

I was enjoying the matches but a nervous guy approached me.

"Hey! You're #7 right?! I-I'm #4 from Cage 2, can you s-switch with m-me?! I can't beat the #2 and the #3 guy but I have a chance for the #8 at least." he pleaded.

"So you're saying I'll go down eh? Is that what you meant?" I replied, smiling.

"C'mon! You'd be tired before you reach me if we traded places! I need to bag a win at least!" he negotiated.

"What would you give me then? So far, I've got nothing to lose." I shrugged my shoulders.

"W-what do you need?" he replied.

"What do you have?" I chuckled.

"I… I have tickets for the brothel!" he exclaimed.

"Nope, already have a dozen of them, next? Hurry or else the match at our cage will end." I waved my tickets around his face.

"How big are the prizes really? He's this desperate just to score one win?" I thought to myself.

"My..." he hesitated for a moment but he ran back to his spot and came back with a butterfly knife and a pack of cigarettes.

I had a smile on my face and accepted his gifts then we informed the announcer that we switched numbers. Little did he know that I would've switched with him without the incentives.

The guy I'm fighting next is #3 and the damage he took from his previous fight was negligible. I was soon called inside the cage and I just had a cocky smile to try to annoy him. He's about the same height as me and the tattoos on his body tells me that he was in and out of prison. The teardrop below the eye, the webs on his elbows, and even an 'ACAB' sign is on his chest. He has sweat all over his body and he keeps on shaking his hands and showing his teeth as if he's excited about fighting me.

His earlier opponent was dragged outside with an unrecognizable face since he pummeled him after taking him down. Rains of elbows and fists assaulted his opponent and he was stopped by the referee after gouging his opponent's eye out.

"C'mon ref! Start it!" he shouted.

"What? Too excited to get fucked in the ass? Say your prayers at least." I chuckled.

"FUCK YOU, PRETTY BOY! I'M THE ONE FUCKING YOU AFTER I'M DONE! REF! START IT! REF!" he was pissed.

The announcer was still introducing us to the crowd while I'm still trying my best to tick him off.

The moment the signal was given, his stance was really low as he dove in head first. His hands were spread apart and it seemed that he's trying to lunge and take me down.

I made him notice me moving my right leg backwards, trying to receive his dash, hands spread apart, for a knee strike to his head. He grew weary mid-dash but he continued dashing with a hidden smirk on his face.

We're only a foot away and I baited him. I juked my body as if I'm about to time my knee with his head and he fell for it.

He stopped at the last second before swaying backward, revealing his torso.

My foot was already up so I stepped forward, stomping hard on his left foot.

He threw a right punch but I caught it with my left arm. My left arm wrapped around his right arm while forcing it to bend upwards in the opposite direction from his elbow. He tried to punch me with his left fist but I grabbed at his trapezius muscles hard to bend his arm further. His elbow is starting to bend in the opposite direction while his wrist is tucked in my armpit getting pushed downward. I could feel his arm giving out as his face turned red from the pain.

I was waiting for him to give up but he suddenly spat on my face. I can't wipe his spit off this moment and he started to curse his way out.

"You think this shit hurts?! Fucking do something better before I decided to fuck your bitch after fucking you up! She's the brunette in the truck right?! I'll fuck her up real good!" he spat out with gritted teeth.

The temperature dropped a few degrees as fear appeared on his eyes. I smiled and wiped my face with my free hand and I decided to break his arm. I immediately applied force against his arm and it snapped like a twig. The snapping sound it made was abhorrent to anyone that heard it. The shrill cry he produced after that almost drowned out the music that was blasting out loud.

"What did you say again?" I said as I stared him down.