MM - Chapter 103 - UNEXPECTED RESULT

With the conclusion of Celeste's match, an unobtrusive flashing in Raine's interface announced his gold balance jumping by another six thousand. His contract with Talerra automatically completed with the second win, adding to his gains.

These cousins are my adorable little golden geese. The Phoenix Clan isn't even trying, yet it can afford to give away thousands of gold.

Across the arena, Damian ceased his pacing and stared at the glassy sand where Samson's body was moments ago, “Impossible. No, this can't be happening. It's impossible!” His gaze tracked up to Raine, expression dark, “Mark my words, Alaric: you'll pay for this.”

Raine tilted his head, adopting an innocent, thoughtful frown, “I don't understand why you're so upset. I hosted a lesson, and you willingly attended while paying the appropriate course fee. Such an equitable transaction is fairly common, isn't it?”

Talerra snickered, fingers covering her lips, “Master Alaric, you're too much. Damian, you should quit while you're ‘ahead.’” She lowered her hands after making air quotes. The joke didn't go over well with Damian or his fellow disciples. They seethed silently, unwavering and fearless. Raine had seen it a thousand times: the churning desire to fight back with their lives on the line. 

Still a child. Talerra couldn't have given a more rousing speech if she tried. The competition isn't over yet. I hope she's not thinking her third and final win will be easy after motivating them like that. Whatever, the more she struggles, the better it is for me. 

Celeste appeared in a flash of light. Going from sand to solid stone unbalanced her, and she teetered to the side with outstretched arms. The flash of gold around her slender, pale neck was impossible to miss. Raine appeared behind her before she noticed him begin to move. She wasn't the only one to flinch when his hands came down on her shoulders hard enough to send her sprawling. 

Except he wouldn't let her fall. His fingers dug painfully into her muscles. To those observing, it appeared like he was giving her a casual massage. A full fifty percent of his Potency created an overbearing pressure, a not-so-subtle reminder that he could easily snap her neck on a whim. 

He gently caressed the new necklace while leaning down to whisper in her ear, “Good job down there. Care to explain what you got so worked up about before the match? Don't tell me you were planning to blackmail me, then changed your mind at the last second?”

Celeste's spine went stiff, and all thoughts of escape fled in a heartbeat. [Shit! How did he know?] 

“What? N-no, of course not. Although I did make you a lot of gold. Wouldn't it be fair to share a little?”

Raine tutted, his lips close enough to tickle the fine hairs of her ear, “Little girls should be satisfied with the rewards they receive. Wasn't it my training that allowed you to win, my connections that brought us here, and my ten thousand gold, not to mention the equipment, that allowed for the bet in the first place? Really, you should be the one handing this necklace over to me…”

The two-hour guaranteed drop chance ticked away in her HUD, daring her to test him. Celeste panicked, “Wait! No! Please don't take it! I was wrong; I'm sorry.”

Raine leaned back, clearing his throat. “You might be the only person in ZionLine with an item this nice on their second day. To so easily forget those who paved the way for your success…” Raine sighed and released her with a gentle push, sending her stumbling forward. “The only reason I'm letting you keep it is because the effort you put in was barely adequate. Grow complacent or unappreciative again, and your next opportunity will go to Fizgore, Rhino, or Mel.”

Turning, Celeste straightened to her full height and met his stare. She raised her chin defiantly, daring him to follow through with the threat. Raine nodded, satisfied with the drive and competitiveness he saw staring back at him. He turned back to Talerra, who had been observing attentively. With slow, methodical movements, Raine removed his bandit shroud, openly revealing his level. He ignored the gasps around him, pinning Talerra with an easy smile, “So, are you going to let me personally finish this for another three thousand gold?”

“Level twenty-two?!” she squeaked. “How? We haven't even found monsters above level twenty yet.”

Caught off-balance and still managed to dig for information to help her guild. Not such a little girl, after all. 

DoberMan took an unintentional step back, pointing with a shaky finger. “Who cares about his level? Look at how ugly he is! Was his father a dog?”

From across the arena, one of Damian's men howled with mirth, “Only if his mother was a fish!”

A round of laughter brought an abrupt end to Raine's revelation. Celeste, in particular, was choking on her saliva, tears streaming down her cheeks. Talerra had yet to respond and seemed incapable of pulling her eyes away from him.

DoberMan spat on the floor, his disgust of Raine's suggestion clear, “How shameful would it be to win purely with the help of a mercenary? If she doesn't have the courage to face Damian, the elders will never support her.”

Talerra tucked a loose strand of short blonde hair behind an ear, “While I appreciate your offer, Master Alaric, I lack the gold required to obtain your services.”

Raine leaned forward, unashamedly towering over the diminutive girl, “There are other ways to pay than gold.” The onlookers were so stunned by his suggestion that words momentarily escaped them.

Trapped by his gaze, Talerra focused solely on his eyes as if her life depended on it. She broke first, looking away after accidentally peeking at the rest of his face, “Whatever you're thinking, you should forget about it. There are some things in this world that are truly impossible.”

Good. Who would have thought this randomized face would be so handy? I want the Phoenix Clan interested in me, not 'interested' in me.

[Then why did you say it that way!] Celeste fumed but wisely kept her mouth shut.

Raine banished the misunderstanding with a snort, “Your guild owes me a favor already. I doubt there will be a day when I can't find a use for a little extra... phoenix power? That sounded better in my head.”

Talerra was the only one polite enough to chuckle, “An exchange of labor is acceptable. Very well. If the worst comes to pass and we reach the final round, I shall be in your care once more. As it is, DoberMan is correct. I have no choice but to face him.”

Raine nodded, having said all that was necessary. He was content to wait quietly until the end. He sat next to Mel, who had yet to recover from discovering the identity of the competition's host. After receiving confident encouragement from her allies, Talerra lifted her hand to gather Arya's attention. With a nod, she vanished into the arena.

Damian joined her on the sands, his jowls drawn back in a vicious snarl, “I hope you enjoyed the fleeting moment of victory. It'll be the last you ever taste. I should thank Alaric. Failing after he gave you a glimmer of hope will only steepen your suffering.” He approached with graceful steps, unsheathing a golden-hued sword and shield. The rest of his gear was Lustrous Blue. It wasn't a complete set like Raine's, but its value easily eclipsed ten thousand gold.

[Mystic Warrior: Level 18 (HP 1080/1080)]

Talerra had also spared no expense preparing for their duel. The large two-handed battleaxe she drew released a similar Marvelous Gold glow that matched her boots and gloves. She smirked, settling into a high stance, “How do you not grow tired of your own voice? Listening to your ceaseless whining is the greatest misfortune for those forced to endure your presence.”

[Vanguard Warrior: Level 17 (HP 1030/1030)]

Arya raised her arms high, “Our esteemed patriarch has changed the rules for your duel. No items will be allowed. This shall be a test of your martial skills alone, for without personal power, there can be no patriarch.” The moment her hands fell, the cousins charged, releasing sprays of sand.

Neither wasted Discipline on a skill. Brilliantly glistening axe and sword met in a cascade of sparks. Damian fell back half a step, marking Talerra as the superior regarding Potency. He spun fluidly with the excess force, bringing his shield between them to perfectly deflect her follow-up kick. Damian again used the force of her blow to speed his movements. With a rotation of his chest and shoulders, his sword thrust forward in a lightning-quick stab. Talerra sucked air through her teeth as pain lanced through her shoulder. [-63]

While hurt, her movements were unhindered. She took a deep step forward, her axe cleaving through the air. It left an orange afterimage in its wake. Shield Breaker met Parry, and Talerra was pushed backward as the force of her blow was randomly redirected. Thanks to her low stance, she managed to maintain her footing and merely slid through the sand. Damian didn't miss the chance to unleash a flurry of cuts and stabs. The shaft of her greataxe was a blur, deftly deflecting him.

He took a half-step back to regroup, and Talerra pushed into the gap with another mighty swing, falling into his trap. Hidden behind his shield, she missed the glow that enveloped his sword. When he swept the barrier to the side to block her axe, his sword Blitzed forward in three rapid slashes. Talerra was hit once before managing to trigger Lunge. [-59]

She flew to the side. The instant her foot touched the ground, her momentum reversed as Concussive Charge pulled her right back into the action. Her axe came in fast and hard. Damian met the attack with his shield, activating Misdirection. [-26] The added force from her skill's charge blasted up and behind him, released in a massive gust of air. Damian's stance didn't budge a millimeter. A vicious grin split his face as his sword dug deeply into her gut. [Critical hit! -119]

Damian pressed the attack again, forcing her to defend from awkward angles with her much heavier weapon, “I'm not warmed up yet, and you're already losing this badly? Pitiful.” Talerra worked her way to the right, forcing him to swing around his large kite shield and significantly slowing his offense. The instant Shield Breaker was off cooldown, her greataxe slammed into the barrier, sending him reeling. [-97]

She spun, axe whipping around in a quick follow-up, but Damian was no longer there. The instant her eyes left him, he used Raine’s sidestep. Coming in low, ninety degrees away from where she expected, Damian smashed his shield up and into the butt of her axe, upending her balance. She was wide open for the Blitz that he unleashed into her side. Parry pulled her weapon back into position, but sheer bad luck sent the force straight down, and his sword slammed onto her boot, allowing the next two stabs of his skill to reach her as well. [-54] [-55] [-58]

Damian leaped back, his sword wet with her blood, “Just because we can't use our superior techniques doesn't mean we can't use the ones your pet foolishly handed us on a silver platter. Wait. Don't tell me you didn't even think to steal them since he's your 'ally.' Ha! That weakness is exactly why you'll never win against me.”

From up high, Raine masked his cringe by tightening his lips. The fact that Talerra couldn't beat Damian while he was running his mouth non-stop was telling. Needing a distraction, he motioned for Celeste to come closer, “Why is she losing?”

The cousins continued trading blows, the clangs of battle a soothing backdrop to Celeste's sensual voice, “They aren't making the most of their attributes while limiting themselves to how they fight in reality. Also, she got dragged into his pace. She should have gone all out from the start and traded blows. She's faster and stronger but isn't utilizing either.”

“Good. Melbelle?”

She cleared her throat after being put on the spot, “Uhm. It doesn't look like she's using Connection, only Discipline to speed up her regular movements. Though, it's the same for him. I... no wonder you were so confident we could win.”

Raine nodded, “It's good enough that you see the differences between us and them. Remember, these two are the pride of the Phoenix Clan, yet working together, they would fail to beat either of you. If you want it to stay that way, continue to take your training seriously.”

They fell silent, lost in the new appreciation they were gaining for Raine's methods. Hearing his thoughts and lectures was one thing; seeing the actual efficacy of his style in comparison to two renowned geniuses was another thing entirely.

Talerra was on her last legs. Cuts covered her body, and with health below ten percent, she no longer had access to all her attributes. Slowed and gasping for breath, she looked up at her cousin with hate-filled eyes.

Halfway through the fight, Talerra realized she wouldn't win the way she was going and went all out. Damian nursed a few nasty wounds from her efforts. A golden glow swept across his body as Greater Mend restored half his missing health. Malicious satisfaction oozed from every step he took as he circled her, “I’ll tell you why you lost. It’s because you’re inferior to me in every way. It twists my guts that even now, you’re permitted to call yourself a Tafell. That dead whore should have done us all a favor and killed herself before allowing you to crawl out of her filthy womb.”

“Raargh!” Talerra’s scream came from the heart as she threw herself at him, axe high.

His grin grew twice as wide, madness filling every corner of his face. He quickly sidestepped and kicked Talerra from behind, sending her back to the sand. [-1] She tried to roll to her feet, but he used another of Raine’s techniques, shuffle-stepping and kicking her again. [-1]

“This is the best! I never would have guessed today was the day I get to discover how long it takes to kick a worthless bitch to death!”

Talerra didn't give up. She kept trying to rise to her knees and bring her weapon around. Not only was she slower and weaker, but Damian was a peak class four martial. There was no escape from his relentless kicks. Jeers, boos, and more profane taunts came from the core disciples on the other side of the arena.

Damian was loudest of all, “You should have abandoned the worthless tools slowing you down. Thanks to my extra level, I have three attributes beyond the threshold! You never stood a chance, worm!”

Raine tuned them all out, his stomach twisted in knots. He was done when a tear leaked from Mel, glistening as it trailed down her cheek. “Enough!” Raine’s shout pulled the attention of Arya, who was watching the one-sided beating with a stone face. She opened her mouth, but Raine wasn’t about to let her interrupt, “Talerra, there’s a suicide option in the menu.”

“You stay out of this, you filthy fucking mongrel!” Damian bellowed, his kicks flying several times faster than before. Talerra curled into a ball, scanning for the way out she hadn't realized was there. “No! Don't you dare take the coward's pill!” The last he saw of her was a bloodstained grin before she vanished in a spray of lights, leaving behind a Lustrous Blue breastplate.

Damian's furious scream lasted until Talerra respawned, now level sixteen. She was understandably silent, though managed to send Raine an appreciative nod before taking a nearby seat with ramrod-straight posture.

Damian was back in the stands. His eyes never left Talerra as he clapped a hulking young man on the back, “Donny. Tie up the score. You know what to do.”

They shared an evil smile, then directed the same viciousness toward Talerra’s remaining contenders. With a deep nod, Donny vanished. FierceFire and DoberMan also turned to Talerra, the same question on both lips. 

“Send me next. After... that, I really need to hit something,” DoberMan was red-faced, his breaths short and fast.

FierceFire nodded her assent; a tilt of Talerra’s chin sent DoberMan into the arena. Arya wasn't about to have a repeat of the same disgraceful showing, “If either of you thinks of taking this competition with less than your utmost sincerity, expect a visit from me later.” Both men blanched, nodding their understanding. When she lowered her hand, they charged with furious battle cries.

They tore across the sand, barreling at each other with wild abandon. Then, three meters apart, they both slammed their heels into the sand and screeched to a halt. Standing close, they threw their arms around each other in a welcoming hug. 

Talerra’s jaw fell open in disbelief, unable to process what was happening. With a huge, goofy grin, DoberMan looked up at Raine, “Thanks for the tip, Alaric. I wasn’t looking forward to letting myself be stabbed to death.” With a wink and cheerful wave, he finalized his betrayal by vanishing in a shower of light particles. All the while, Damian’s laughter filled the arena.