[1% LIFESTEAL] Chapter 173 - Elites

It was like the whole world came to a stop. Freddy recognized the man. Despite all the stuff the century of solitude made him forget, he hadn’t forgotten the features of this man. And now, he was here. Matt Canstone stood there, keeping his gaze met with Freddy’s. 

Panic nearly overwhelmed him. 

She found me, he thought, the inside of his mind a warzone of worst-case scenarios.

His relationship with Madame was one of those things he tried to avoid thinking about.

Did she sell him out? Did she bring him to that party knowing he’d be kidnapped? If not, why didn’t she save him? Did she even try to? 

But worst was the cynical voice in the back of his mind that always expected cruelty from anyone with power over him—technically, by being kidnapped, he had violated their contract. To him, it wasn’t even a question of whether it was realistic for her to argue this or not. He was still afraid that she would. She had the power to. She had the power to, even if he actually hadn’t.

“… Mr. Cliff?” the adjudicator’s concerned voice broke him out of his thoughts.

“Oh, sorry,” he rushed. 

“Geez, talk about embarrassing,” a woman’s sing-song voice echoed through the room. “I get that you’re impressed, but at least try not to gawk like a peasant.”

Freddy looked over to the woman who said that, only to once again find himself frozen. 

The people who had arrived… were flashy, to say the least. Flashy actually didn’t cut it. They looked like they were straight out of a movie, and it was a movie with an extremely handsome cast and a brilliant character designer. 

Other than Matt Canstone, who was a three-star, they were all peak two-stars, just as Freddy himself. 

Freddy had no doubt that any of these people could move on to the third star if they wished.

Each of the four other people standing there had a distinctive and eye-catching look, with a physical beauty to match or even transcend their get-ups.

The first from the left was a tall man with purple hair and dazzling green eyes. He was wearing green and brown, with a number of strange pieces of wooden adornments, starting with earrings crafted of interconnected wooden cubes, a long leaf necklace, several wooden rings, and what appeared to be a jacket of living wood. His shirt was a stark green, and upon a closer look, it appeared to be woven out of living moss of some sort. 

Beside him stood a shy and apprehensive woman, standing barely tall enough to reach the tall man’s waist. Her long hair tied into a ponytail was a brilliant and warm shade of chrome, with eyes of the same color. She wore a puffy robe of beige with complex golden embroidery, almost resembling a bishop of sorts. She was nervously twirling her fingers trying not to meet Freddy’s eyes. 

To her left was a tall, muscular woman covered in numerous faint scars. Her hair was a fiery shade of blonde cropped into a pixie cut, and her eyes were a plain brown. She wore a white tank top and blue jeans, with a tool belt with a number of bladed weapons attached to it. For someone this rich to not bother removing scars, she was either leaving them there as a statement, or they had something to do with her talent. Or perhaps she’d just been struck by something too stubborn to remove without an exorbitant amount of supreme-quality healing.

And finally, the one who made the sarcastic comment. She was a woman of average height, with skin pale as bone and literally everything else a distractingly dark shade of black. Her hair was literally a billowing shadow, clearly the product of a talent, and her clothing was comprised of a sweater but a shade brighter than the night sky and pants so black it was impossible to determine the material they were crafted from. 

As he met her gaze, despite her being a bit shorter than him, she still managed to look down her nose at him while giving him a mocking, ugly grin that rested somewhere between a grimace and a snarl, with just enough cruel joy dancing through her eyes that she didn’t look like she literally wanted to bite him.

It was at that moment that he returned back to reality. With one final glance at Matt, who gave him a brief nod, Freddy realized that the man was hardly the only problem he had to face. 

The people standing before him were all exceptional individuals with incredible backgrounds. They all likely came from factions at least as powerful as the former Kraven Clan, and they had come here with the explicit purpose of seeing what he was made of. 

Oh, and two of these three women were apparently here to court him? He didn’t know whether that meant they were here to literally try to marry him, but he knew that he was extremely intimidated. The only one of the three who didn’t intimidate him was the short girl with the priest-like robes, but she looked young. Very young. Like 15 or 16. 

Meaning that the two the adjudicator had warned him about were the scarred woman that looked at him like he was a worm she could stomp under her foot, and Miss Darkness, who clearly had a higher opinion of dogshit resting beside the road than she did of Freddy. 

The first impression he made was gawking like a moron. And then the second thing he did was gawk like a moron again, just personalized for everyone else. 

Wonderful. He was off to a truly wonderful start. 

While he was barely resisting the urge to throw Matt over his shoulder and run out to have a private chat with him, his instincts warned him that doing anything else to offend these people was stupid and that he would regret it. 

He coughed as he finally tore his gaze away and gestured to the adjudicator. 

Freddy’s gesture was absolutely vague but roughly indicated that the man should take over. 

It was an offer that the adjudicator grasped at as desperately as a starving man grasping at bread. “Welcome!” he said with his arms spread. “I thank you all for taking the time to come meet us. And, of course, as a representative of her majesty, the empress and the province Northern Belt, I give you my deepest thanks for the help you and your family offered during these trying times.” The man bowed to them in thanks. 

Freddy saw what he was doing, and then, for a moment, he looked like he was about to follow in the man’s footsteps, but an amused chuckle by the shadow lady made him give up. 

The adjudicator raised himself. “Now, allow me to accomodate you.” The man clapped his hands, and a moment later, a horde of servants walked in, and before Freddy could blink thrice, they set up a large dining table, which they seemingly pulled out of their ass, and then rapidly filled it up with all sorts of hot dishes and appetizers. 

The small girl in the robes smiled and then muttered at what was practically a whisper. “Thank you for your hospitality.” Then, she headed for the table. 

“I thank you for your welcome,” the tall man said with a brief nod as he also sat down. 

“Thanks,” the scarred woman said as she followed. 

The woman in black said nothing as she took a seat, kicked her feet up on the table, swung an arm over the chair, and started picking her nails. 

Matt Canstone was the last to move. He briefly walked past Freddy and offered him a handshake. “Long time no see… Mr… Cliff.”

Freddy winced at the ripple that coursed through the room. Everyone, including the adjudicator, perked up at Matt’s introduction. The fact that Freddy knew one of the people here was definitely not someone any of them would have expected, but that didn’t explain the sudden reaction. 

Madame Narcisse Morleppe was a prominent figure, but she wasn’t someone major factions would care much about. 

To Freddy, when he met her she might as well have been a demigod. But now, given the reading he’d done on the topic, he had a much clearer perspective on what kind of figure she was in the empire at large.

She used to be a prominent fighter who went by the moniker of Scorched Fleshmancer. She was also among the oldest people in the empire, having been 11 when the Rift arrived. But she had retired from the life of fighting. She wasn’t the head of some major faction.

Sure, she was a Lord, but that was only in the title. Other than a handful of small towns, she had no notable fiefs. 

For the most part, she could almost be seen as semi-retired. She had reached a comfortable level of power and then pivoted into doing something she enjoyed.

From what he had read, he had thought that she wouldn’t be anything special from the perspectives of major factions. But clearly, given the reactions around the room, he had been wrong. Dead wrong.

Freddy, seeing his chance, decided to use this to his advantage. He shook Matt’s hand and gave him a beaming smile. “It has been a while, Mr. Canstone. How is Madame doing?”

That made everyone perk up a bit more. 

Matt, for his part, gave him a knowing smirk. “She is positively thriving, Sir.” The man gave him a wink.

That took a lot of the tension out of Freddy’s shoulders. He was still skeptical and curious, but the worst-case scenarios were falling to the back of his mind as he gave the man a more genuine smile. “I’m glad to hear that.”

Matt quirked an eyebrow. “It seems that you do not know?” 

“Know what… exactly?” Freddy inquired cautiously. 

“Oh… Well, I suppose you would have been quite busy with your personal affairs,” Matt said. “My Lady got herself a new job in a simulated arena in Starhold.”

“A simulated arena?” Freddy asked with a pleasant nod, pretending he had any idea what the man was talking about. “I apologize if I’m wrong, but with her talents, I’m guessing she is a commentator?”

“Orchestrator,” the man corrected. “But yes. She is at the head of every broadcasted fight.”

“That is so her…” Freddy said and then resisted wincing at the awkward comment he just made. “Well then, I guess we should get seated. I wouldn’t want to keep the others waiting.”

“Of course. We’ll have plenty of time to catch up later,” the man said as he walked past him and got seated. 

The table was massive. With seven people seated, there was enough space that it didn’t feel like he was sitting quite next to someone, but he was still a bit nervous when he realized that the only free spot remaining was between the woman in dark and scarface. 

Sighing, he resigned himself to his fate as he got seated.

The adjudicator gestured at the table. “The food is getting cold. Let us eat and drink before we start any conversations.”

“Amen,” Freddy said as his hand reached for the nearest bottle of whiskey. 

For about fifteen painfully awkward minutes, Freddy, Matt Canstone, and the adjudicator ate and drank while the other four sat waiting. The only time any of them ever reached for anything was when the guy wearing living wood poured himself a glass of water. 

Why they didn’t eat, Freddy had no clue. The food was excellent. He highly doubted these people had a reason to fear being poisoned. Maybe this wasn’t fancy enough or whatever. Maybe it was just pride. 

And no matter what happened during his talk with Matt, the man had earned Freddy’s respect by eating with them. 

“Can we finally get started?” the woman in black asked sarcastically. “Or should we spit roast another pig or two?”

“Apologies for the delay, Young Mistress,” the adjudicator folded like a wet napkin. “We can proceed.” The man proceeded to get up. He adjusted his collar and gave them all a glance. “You’ve all been briefed on what’s going to happen. In this room stand the most valuable defenders we have on our side.”

The black-clad woman shot Freddy a skeptical look. For what it was worth, all of her peers did the same thing. 

The adjudicator clearly noticed their skepticism and gestured at Freddy. “I will admit that I do not know Mr. Cliff’s full background”—he punctuated his words with a glance at Matt—”but I can tell you that he is certainly not from a major faction. I’ve personally watched him fight, and he follows a highly unorthodox style, one wrought of raw talent and dedication. Do not underestimate him. With the right support, I am certain he can become a true powerhouse in the future.

“Now, with that out of the way, I think it would be best for everyone to introduce themselves. I’ll start. You all already know that I am an adjudicator. As per the law, I am not allowed to share my true name. You can all simply refer to me as Adjudicator. Or Judge, if that’s more to your liking. I have been posted in the Northern Belt for about twenty years already, as a penalty for my rather poor performance at my previous post. My term was supposed to end in about five years, but should this go poorly, I might be in for an early relocation. 

“While I won’t be participating in most of the fights, I will still be telling you about my powers so you know what to expect should I be required to step in. I am a practitioner of the death affinity, with an essence-manipulation talent that allows me to crystallize miasma. I do not dabble in necromancy. I prefer fighting at range, but I am more than capable of holding my own in close combat. 

“As for my weapon”—he pulled out of a rusty old shovel from his storage ring—”it is a unique cursed item that drastically reduces the cost of my abilities. Should I ever be in a dire situation, I have a spirit ability that gives me a major speed burst at the cost of setting me back by a whole star. I have never had to use it, and I hope that doesn’t change any time soon.”

Freddy was quite shocked. He hadn’t expected the man to openly spill everything about his powers like that. Sure, he could still be keeping a secret or two, but he had said a lot more than Freddy expected to hear. 

“If you all don’t mind,” Matt said with a raised hand. “I’d like to go next. My name is Matt Canstone and I work as a servant for Lady Narcisse Morleppe. I have the shadow affinity, as well as a talent that allows me to morph my body into shadow. I can use it even in broad daylight, but I’m significantly faster and stealthier in the dark. 

“My primary fighting style is that of an assassin, and I am not very confident in my ranged abilities. As for a weapon, I use a regular cursed dagger with enhanced sharpness. I also have a spirit ability for dire situations, one that allows me to trade my life for a temporary boost in power. That would be all for me.”

By the end of Matt’s introduction, Freddy’s shock had already worn off. He was so used to paranoid clutching of his secrets that he’d completely forgotten what was happening. 

Of course they needed to share their abilities. They would be fighting alongside each other, and it was possible that they’d be pushed to their limits. 

It was likely that nobody would share any extreme weaknesses, and he doubted everyone would spill all their secrets. 

Still, whether they said it now or not, they would be using their powers to fight the horde of monsters. It was better to share now so that they could plan how they would fight.

The next person to raise their hand was the short woman in the beige robes. “Hello everyone…” she said barely louder than a whisper. “I’m Peri Ostrevald. I am primarily a caster. I have the fire affinity as well as a unique soulfire affinity.”

That got a few appreciative nods. Unique affinities were rare and powerful. 

She continued, “Soulfire acts as regular fire for the most part, but I can tether fire abilities to any soulfire spells I cast. When I strike any creature, they will become a proxy. When they die, their remaining essence and aura will be converted into fuel for whatever ability I tethered to the soulfire spell. For example, if I tether an explosion, the corpses will explode. Unfortunately, I can’t cause a chain reaction, but my soulfire is powerful in long fights and against many opponents.

“That being said, while I’m primarily a caster, I am highly confident in my close-combat prowess.” She pulled out a bladestaff out of her ring. “I have two unique cursed items. My robes, which negate incoming damage, and my bladestaff, which has two functions. It increases the power of any fire spells I cast, and I can also use my fire essence to extend the blade.” 

She demonstrated the second function by imbuing the staff with essence. A shimmering, transparent extension appeared on top of the blade, but it didn’t look like fire essence. It was too... ghastly. “Yes, that’s soulfire essence,” she clarified. “And yes, I can tether a spell to it. This is usually where my talent comes in. My talent is Elemental Soul, which allows me to summon fire elementals. If applied to this soulfire essence blade, it allows me to raise a whole army of powerful fire elementals for free, given I can kill enough monsters.

“I have only one spirit ability, and it takes away my ability to move from where I’m standing in turn for enhancing my physical power across the board. That is all for me.”

The people seated there seemed impressed, but for the most part, nobody acted particularly shocked. 

Except for Freddy. 

It took everything in his power not to openly gape at what this woman just shared. 

What the actual fuck?

He thought his Blood Sacrifice was something special. He had actually believed his abilities were absurd. Compared to this girl? He was a damn chump. In fact, he suddenly felt stupid for even thinking anyone would care about Blood Sacrifice or his perished water affinity.

And the people around him didn’t even seem that impressed. In fact, the woman in black sneered at the young girl, clearly confident that she was more powerful. 

Suddenly, the thoughts of Madame and Matt and even the damn monster horde completely left his head as he felt very, very out of his depth. 

He absolutely couldn’t afford to offend any of them.