Past Life Hero, ch 39

The restaurant was called The Blue Ox. Max decided that it looked a lot like college hangouts on Earth.  One of the only differences was how instead of TV screens with sports games playing, there were large magic crystals in the corner with some sort of song and dance routines instead.  Max glanced around and was slightly disappointed that there didn't seem to be many people there. He was hoping to find a group of Mystic Spear Path students right away.

Lavinia, is the enforcement spirit still following me?

Doesn’t look like it, she answered.  Stopped before leaving Summoner grounds.

Good.

It might have been an oversight.  Better assume the next time you leave, it might follow.

My thoughts exactly, he sent.

Max was bummed that there were fewer students than he’d been expecting in The Blue Ox.  Making the best of it, he went to the bar, ordered himself a free water, ignored the bartender’s frown of irritation, and then began sauntering around while he sipped.  He made sure that his badge was clearly displayed, showing off that he was a first-year Summoner Academy student. Now that Max understood the system and the Quartet better, he knew exactly what type of person he was looking for.

His greatest concern at this point was that too many people might recognize him.  So far, none had, though.  Maybe nobody expected the infamous first year Summoner trouble maker to be out in the central area again so soon.  He had to figure this was why the enforcement spirit hadn’t been instructed to follow him this far.

Luckily, even though there were only a handful of people in the entire restaurant, he managed to find a mark. In one corner, wearing what was no doubt expensive clothing, was a second-year Elemental Shifter student. Across the table from him was a female Elemental Shifter student who was batting her eyes furiously. The woman was acting far more shy than Max believed she really was.  He’d noticed how she was dressed, her full face of artfully applied makeup on what looked like a midday date, and most importantly, her sharp eyes.

In his ear, he heard Lavinia say, "Good eye. I think this’ll work too."

Max figured that any students in their second year that were messing around in restaurants like this during normal academy hours, especially wearing pricy clothing, were probably exactly the type of people that Prince Regal would be getting along with in his academy. Most importantly, Max suspected they were likely the most easy to antagonize.

He walked up to the table where the two were whispering to each other. The man was obviously trying to impress the girl on what was likely a first or second date based on their body language. Max waited, just standing there in their personal space. The two Elemental Shifter students tried to ignore Max until finally the man, who looked physically human and about twenty-seven, turned with irritation.  "Can I help you?" His eyes flicked up to Max's school badge and he gave a sneer of disdain.

Max said, "Nah, I'm just hanging out. You guys can continue.  Don’t mind me."

The man rolled his eyes, turned back to his companion, and boldly reached across the table for her hand. She made a show of being flustered but seemed to forget three seconds later that she was supposed to be shy about it. Max interrupted again saying, "New date, huh? You guys know each other long?  Doesn’t she already have a boyfriend?  New breakup, maybe?"

The man looked over and said, "Can you please leave while I'm still in a good mood? You're upsetting my lady friend."

Max looked directly at the woman and said, "Am I upsetting you? You are awfully pretty so I don't want to upset you. Not sure about this bozo though." He hooked a thumb at the man.  The woman was completely stunned but after she blinked a few times she chuckled in a way that conspicuously was not very shy sounding at all.

Without missing a beat, Max turned his attention back to the man and said, “Relationships between the different academies are going to be a lot harder right now with the golems around. Is that why you're taking this girl out right now? I mean, I saw you in here like a week ago with another girl and you were all over her." Max let the lies pass his mouth with practice. Even though his life on earth had been stressful, it’d still be relatively peaceful.

However, his climb to power in Albion had been anything but easy, and learning to lie had been one of the skills that he'd mastered at a young age. Although in this case, he figured that his lie might actually be close to a truth when the Elemental Shifter student began to sputter.

The man seemed to abandon the patience act he had been putting on and turned to face Max.  It turned out that the man was maybe an inch or two taller than Max but not as well built. The Elemental Shifter’s crew cut and sunken eyes made him look like some sort of magical stereotypical hitman from movies. "I'm done asking you politely," said the man. "I don't know who you are. I've never seen you before and I'm tired of you telling lies.  Get the fuck out of here, Summoner."

Max ignored the ultimatum and gave the woman sitting down a wink. She laughed and winked back, which only made the man more angry. Max put a hand on the Elemental Shifter man's shoulder. "What's your name, buddy?"

"My name," said the second year through clenched teeth, "is Myeong Chao. From the Ha-Chao family. I suspect you've heard of it."

Max scratched his head like he was thinking and said, "Isn't that the group of people that clean out toilets in houses? Pretty well known. Yeah, that's right."

The man brushed Max's hand off of his shoulder and slammed the table with his open hand.  "How dare you speak ill of my family!  You…insect!”

Could this guy get any more stereotypical? Asked Lavinia mentally.

Max had to stifle a snort.  Yeah, it’s pretty ridiculous, but I think he was getting close to getting laid, and now he knows it ain’t gonna happen.  And the food here probably ain’t cheap, either.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down!” said Max out loud.  He held up his hands.  “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you. I’d give you some money for compensation, but I don’t think I actually have very much." Max rubbed the back of his neck like he was flustered and thinking, then out of his money bag he took out twenty mana units. He said, "I'm sorry I only have twenty units as inheritance, and I don’t think it’s very much.  It’s the best my family could do, to make sure I got some in the Quartet, though.  But my mom told me that Summoners are the best. She also said I can fight good so I should be able to protect it.  Just being friendly, though.  And I'm just glad to be here.  I guess I was just too excited.  Sorry to bother you."

Then he suddenly took hold of the attractive woman's hand and sketched an elegant bow, bringing the back of her hands to his lips. He glanced up, gave her a saucy smile, and said, "Charmed, though. Perhaps I just couldn’t help myself when seeing such a beautiful lady sitting with an…inelegant man.  I’ve heard rumors he had a tiny penis, too.  Shame. Goodbye, you two. It was a pleasure."

Wow.  You are really good at this.  I’m kind of impressed in a disturbed way, sent Lavinia.

He turned to leave.  The man sputtered and shouted, "Stop!"

Max turned and raised his eyebrow. He said, "Have you changed your mind? Can I spend time with you two, now?  If there’s a nightcap, I only want it with her, though. You look like you smell like old cheese if you take your clothes off and I don’t swing that way, either.”

“Ha Cha Wong snarled, "You annoying son of a bitch.  I demand a duel. You only have twenty mana units? That's fine, I'll bet you fifty mana units that I win. Do you accept?"

This guy is not very smart, is he? Sent Lavinia.

Maybe not, but I think by this point it’s also safe to assume he doesn’t know much about why the changes in the Quartet have happened, too.  Could be some greed mixed in.  After all, I’m a Summoner with 20 mana units he thinks he can easily take from me.  If he does, maybe he thinks he could salvage this date, too.  Could be part of this guy’s apparent rage is phoney.  Doesn’t matter, though.

Now was the next step of the plan.  Max has thought about how to explain away the fact he had a sword, and the obvious way was to basically lie that he was a lifer, albeit one without too much means.  After all, his fake background couldn’t be deep enough to actually cause a hothead to second guess being aggressive.  This next part was going to take some decent acting.  He’d need to mix some arrogance with humility, oversharing, babbling, a bit of timidity covered by fake bravado, and still continue being annoying.

Max scrunched up his face and pretended to think about the matter for an extended and uncomfortable period of time. Finally, he said, "A duel?  No, I don't think so. I mean, I only have twenty units. What happens if I lose them? After all, you're a second year hanging out with this pretty lady." Max shifted his attention to the woman again and said, "I'm at the Summoner Academy. If you want to come see me, call me." He wasn't sure if the woman came from a civilization where the request would even make any sense, but she laughed all the same. Of course, his date laughing at Max’s antics just pissed off Myeong Chao even more.

"Fine, you won't risk it? Cowardly. Fine." The other man opened his money bag and took out a fistful of mana units.  They kept coming.  He slammed a pile on the table.  “Five hundred mana units against your measly twenty!  If you don't accept now, you're just admitting that I'm the better man and you are a coward." He smiled smugly.  “Your whore mother was a fool to give you any money, much less to trust you could keep it!”

He really went there, huh? Asked Lavinia.  The fact you lied about everything just makes it funny.

This time Max didn't hesitate to reply. "Done. I’ve never dueled before, but let’s go outside first, okay? I don't think they want us to mess this place up." He gestured around at the restaurant.

A system message popped up in Max’s vision, with the particulars of the proposed duel as well as where it would take place.

The second-year Elemental Shifter student blinked, obviously confused by how the tone of the confrontation had changed. It was possible he also still might not have expected Max to accept.  Meanwhile, the other few patrons in the restaurant, as well as the employees, were all watching with undisguised interest. After a slight hesitation, the confused Elemental Shifter student said, "I accept," and followed Max outside.

The system message flashed in Max’s vision, waiting for him to designate the dueling area.

Max led Myeong Chao into an alley, and was amused that the man's date had not followed them.  Lavina commented on it too.  It looks like the woman is a coward.

No, she’s smart, thought back Max. Probably unethical, at least by my standards, but clever.  If she wasn't actually interested in this tool and was just looking for a free meal or gifts, that kind of thing could just as easily come from me as from him. And if I win, I'd be five hundred mana stones richer.  She might also assume I wouldn't be used to that amount of money and would no doubt have no problem treating a very attractive second-year woman to some drinks.

Do you always think like this? Asked Lavinia.

It’s not really that complicated.  You just never really left your research while you were alive, right?  Never really went outside.

Are you calling me a nerd? Lavinia’s mental voice was flat.

Yup! Send Max cheerily.

Max squared off against the man in the alley and then finally hit accept on the system window. The other man did too, and Max saw the same kind of prompt that he'd seen when he dueled Prince Regal. The countdown started.  When it hit zero, Myeong Chao’s arm turned into flame from the elbow to his fingertips.  His other arm changed into ice all the way from his shoulder.  He grinned and said, “I am manifesting two limbs and two different elements.  You are defeated.  There is no hope for you.  Do not blame me, you started this.  But I admit, I'm going to enjoy–"

Max cut him off mid-taunt, springing forward.  His mana-infused sword described a glittering arc heading directly for the other man's neck. Max's opponent didn't even get a chance to defend himself before the sword bit flesh.  The diagonal, downward slash cut all the way through Myeong Chao’s neck, through his chest, and into his heart. Max kicked the man off of his blade before he could launch any counter-attacks but it was unnecessary. All the energy had gone out of the Elemental Shifter and the curious transformation of his arms began to flicker.

All Myeong Chao could do while his transformation faded was open and close his mouth like a fish, staring at Max in confusion. A few moments later the body began to vanish and Max got a system message.

You have won your duel against Myeong Chao. Five hundred mana units awarded.

Max dismissed the prompt and grinned. The handful of people watching the duel from the street vanished.  Lavinia whispered in his ear, "Your name was listed on the duel window for sure. I guess it’s true that not everybody in the Quartet knows your name yet, huh? Otherwise, this guy might have had a different reaction."

"Yeah, but let's hope at least some people know it," he muttered out loud. “I need to move quick before word of this duel spreads much.  Probably actually lucky that so few people were at this restaurant or watched just now.”

He left the alley and headed for a different restaurant similar to the one he'd just been at.  This was also a place he'd been told was a popular hangout for first and second years. Configured almost the same exact way as the last one, this restaurant was called the Magic Tap. The main difference was the type of food offered.

Max walked in and saw there were a few more people at this restaurant than the last one. But even better, there was a table to one side with exactly the type of people he was searching for.  Dressed well, subtle arrogant auras, they had to be lifers.  They hadn't noticed him yet, so he walked directly up to the table and said, "Hi, friends. What are we having today?"  He used his most innocent, friendly, confident, and guileless voice.

The three Mystic Spear Path students glanced up. And luckily, at least one of them recognized him. The long-haired, grizzled man's jaw dropped and he shouted, "You! It's the guy!"

Max scratched his head and said, "What guy? Oh, were you one of the people I killed in your academy? Darn." He made a sarcastic gesture of snapping his fingers in consternation. The three Mystic Spearpath students stood as one.  All of their spears leaning against the wall sprung forward by themselves, practically teleporting into their hands.

Max waved his finger saying, "Uh-uh-uh, violence in the restaurant is prohibited." He pointed behind him at the very stern looking bartender giving an obvious warning with her eyes. She pointed at the glowing, “No violence allowed” sign on the wall.

This was another thing Max had found out, that the local bars and restaurants, in addition to their system-granted protections, often also employed at least one very strong person to help deal with issues that might crop up between students.

Then Max said, "Look fellas, I'm just trying to say hello. After all, I know Mystic Spear Path students are not overly blessed with brains and I feel sorry for you guys. Not only that, it's hard, all of you growing up in pig pens, not knowing who your fathers are. So, I just thought I'd offer some condolences." Then he made kissy faces at all three of them before sauntering over to a table and making a show of ordering some snacks.

S-rank annoying.  Truly formidable, whispered Lavinia mentally.

Max wasn't quite willing to turn his back to the three enemies, but he acted like he was ignoring them off to his side the entire time he ate his food.  When he was done, he paid with a flourish using a mana unit. Loudly he said, "I don't care how much the food costs. After all, I stole all this shit from some stupid Mystic Spear Path, weak, inbred idiots." He laughed loudly and at this point even the others around the restaurant were looking at him somewhat nervously, glancing between him and the group of three fuming Mystic Spear Path men. Two of them were second years and one was a first year.

Then Max blew their table a kiss before leaving the restaurant. There was a cacophony of footsteps and shouting as the Spear students tried to pay their bill all at once and follow Max. They probably assumed that he'd be running away as fast as he could. However, Max planted himself in front of a nearby alley and buffed his nails on his shirt, acting like he was bored.

Then, as soon as the Mystic Spearpath students came running out of the restaurant, he gave his best surprised pikachu face performance before darting down the alley. All three hotheads followed him.

Max stopped at an intersection of the alley.  Heading further down, it narrowed before reaching the back of a store or a house. He turned and acted panicked, saying, "Hey guys, it was just a joke, okay?"

All three of the spear men continued to advance.  The long-haired member of the trio grimly announced, "Yes, and you deserve everything you get, you trash.  Shitter.  You won’t get any help or be able to use any tricks, here."  One of the others threw a rock, which Max easily avoided.

Oh wow, they think you cheated when you killed Spear Path students before, said Lavinia.  The copium is strong.  I like that word, copium.

Max ignored the ghost and grinned as a system message popped up.

You are being attacked.

"Good enough for me," he muttered. But just to be safe, he drew his sword and kept backing up until the three assailants had walked past the point he'd been at before. The youngest member apparently couldn't take the frustration and threw his spear. Max easily parried.  Almost immediately, the thrower gestured and a new identical looking spear appeared in his hand.

"It's on now," said Max. He drew his sword and sprang forward.

The short haired second year thrust at Max with such speed and power, its parried tip cratered the brick wall and kicked up a cloud of dust. Max let his sword slide down the length of the spear, chopping off the young-looking second year's hands. The would-be murderer looked comically surprised before Max deftly reversed his strike, looping the sword to retain its momentum, pivoting, and cutting out the man’s throat.

Then Max kicked his dying opponent with all of his strength, sending him down the alley and tangling him with the dark-skinned first year. The long-haired man yelled and unleashed a blistering series of jabs at Max who avoided or parried them as he gave ground. Then, the long-haired man made his move.  With superhuman speed and grace, he jumped up, kicking off of the wall of the alley, sailing overhead for a downward stab. Max pirouetted around the thrust and with the grace of decades of practice threw his sword upwards right into the chest of his attacker.

He continued his spin and grabbed the hilt of his sword the moment the man came down.  Max jerked his weapon out with a spray of arterial blood. Leaving nothing to chance, he hopped forward, knocking a weak spear thrust out of the way, and cleaved his blade into the already stricken man's skull.

Without hesitation, Max turned, running full tilt to the dark-skinned Mystic Spearpath student who was still struggling to get back up.  Max sailed forward in the air, all of his body weight behind the strike as he kicked the remaining spear man in the face with bone-shattering force. The man's head snapped back so hard it hit the pavement and bounced up.

Max came down with his full weight behind the hilt of his sword to the man's forehead.  There was a sick crunch.  To continue being thorough, Max grabbed the man’s bloody hair, took a step back and drove the point of his sword up through the man's chin and into his brain. He kicked the body off of his weapon.

Then he stood back warily, sword at the ready, watching the alley, but nobody else was following. This time there hadn’t even been any onlookers that he’d seen.  But he figured others’ curiosity might overcome their fear if he didn’t move his ass.  He’d likely have an audience soon.

So wasting no time, he went to each body, killed in self-defense, and began to methodically taking each man’s weapons, money, and clothing. The moment he grabbed their money bag, it disappeared.  All three dead enemies had at least a knife in addition to their spear. He wasn't sure how the one man had conjured another spear, and he could only find the one. The spear that had been thrown was nowhere to be seen.

A system message popped up:

"Congratulations on defending your life. You have been awarded a total of one thousand four hundred and thirty-six spirit stones from your attackers."

How much did you get?" asked Lavinia.

“Almost one thousand five hundred," said Max out loud. He bundled up the clothing as best he could and said, "You know, I got pretty lucky that the person that killed me at the Mystic Spear Path Academy destroyed my entire body, huh?”

Yup.  Maybe something to keep in mind in the future, too.  As she spoke, the bodies in the alley began to disperse.

Max was amused that the system in the Quartet kept attacker bodies around longer, basically letting a survivor loot an attacker more easily, all of which to theoretically discourage non-duel violence.  Max had used it to his benefit this time, though.

But he felt like time was working against him if he was going to make it out of the central area alive with all of the money he’d made.  Being rich would be less of a win if he had to spend another week or more dead.

“Let's get the hell out of here."