To the world, Kurro was fast becoming a legend of the era; with whom it was said was part god like the gladiators of old. But to Kurro, arena fighting had become somewhat of a distraction in his life, which regularly interfered with his studies. Although the combat played into his racial base instincts for blood lust, he was not one lacking in self discipline. Were it up to him, he would have ended each fight immediately by choking his opponents throats from across the field. But such a victory would prove anticlimactic and confusing for the audiences which filled the grandstands to the brim, paying in ounces of silver for the privilege. So his owner had struck him a deal; he would provide any tome from the great library which Kurro requested, provided he put on a show.

The Gnoll's refusal to use physical weapons, and the enforced restraint on him using the full extent of his arcane abilities before the finale, Kurro was forced to get creative. He took to his opponents with flaming swords, clever illusions and supernatural acrobatics. The crowd knew that he was going to win; they didn't pay to see a contest, they paid to watch a show. Kurro did not fight, so much as toy.

But gradually, that retaliation began to settle on his opponents too. Moreover, the Gnoll's ruthlessness and his incentive for flare had lead to a high mortality rate for his opponents, much higher than any other champions before him. While the money was flowing in like never before, he was fundamentally changing the nature of arena fighting. With those willing to face Kurro thinning, his owner was forced to offer higher and higher match fees to make the prospect more attractive.

It should be said, however, that while Kurro was a frightening opponent, he was no immortal. He was self-trained in the arcane, and while his mastery of magic was refined for a novice, he was fortunate that the magicians guild forebode any student or alumina from participating in contests such as the arena; a prohibition that was enforced ruthlessly. A similar restriction was place upon all active serviced soldiers, so that only the maimed or the elderly were free to walk to turf. Kurro was actually in a bubble when he stepped out onto the arena, as those most likely to defeat him were forbidden to face him. The only opponents who could stand against him, for any price, were the regular battle slaves and any desperate or foolhardy adventurers who got too comfortable fighting bands of Gnolls with their magic trinkets.

By the start of the fourth month, Kurro's owner was hiring those unwilling to fight him to instead go out and capture fierce beasts. Even if it got to the point where no one stood against Kurro, the show must go on. And the novelty of seeing the Gnoll fight a hoard of 9 feet tall Minotaurs may even turn the admission price form ounces of silver to gold.

The only downside though, was that Kurro was still inching higher every week. He was not far off making those minotaurs look normal sized; and if he didn't stop, he would soon be looking down on them. Perhaps, to really impress, they were going to have to think even bigger.