566. Preliminaries VIII

566. Preliminaries VIII

Victory!

XP Gained: +400

XP: 10 200 -> 10 600

‘If he had tried to attack me, I would have had to Onward Soar,’ Adam thought. ‘If I had lost so much gold because he wanted to take a cheap shot, I’d have to stop holding back against everyone.’

‘What a crazy bastard,’ Layla thought from the top of the central octagon, magically hidden from sight. ‘His party alone managed to shift the odds back to favour them.’ Betting more than a thousand gold was something Layla saw from the wealthiest of nobles and merchants, those within the central octagon beneath her, and typically only for the fights in the older ranges, those full of Masters, Grandmasters, and Paragons.

“Should we refuse his bets?” a senior worker asked.

“No. If he wishes to bet all that money, then he’ll have to accept losing all of it when he makes the wrong bet. If he keeps making the right bets each time, we won’t act.” Layla wondered if the nobles were going to kick up a fuss after losing such a great bet.

Under her, the greatest nobles and merchants were snacking on various fruits, sipping fine wines, and drinking the most delicious teas.

“How fortunate,” Duchess Eastsea said, beaming towards the beautiful Half Elf. “I’m sure the odds of the bet were greater then two to one.”

Kira smiled towards the Duchess, leaning back in her plush chair. “I should bet on my own kind, at least.” She had bet on Adam out of courtesy, and for the sake of betting. She hadn’t bet on Adam previously, when he had faced Blade, but this time she had decided to throw a fair sum of gold on the Half Elf, who was currently undefeated.

The Duchess had already motioned for one of her guards to find out more about Adam. She would need to keep an eye on him, the young man who had beaten two of the favourites to win the segment. She did not recognise the armour as one which was traded through the regions, though it hadn’t taken long to recall the Iyr’s special alloy known as puthral.

“You did not use Wraith?” Jurot asked. He was certain that Adam could have used a greater smite, as well as whatever Wraith could do, in order to completely defeat his opponent.

“I can’t show you up the day after you do something cool,” Adam replied. “Even if I do want to one shot some great prodigy, I don’t want to take away anything from you.”

“Many will know your name now. You defeated a prodigy of the Three Hundred Blades.”

Adam smirked. “Good.”

“The bets will no longer pay as well.”

Adam frowned. “Damn.”

“Tomorrow, the fights will take a pause, and we can rest,” Jurot said. “The small fights will begin.”

“Small fights?”

“Fights which are not official by the eyes of the arena,” Jurot explained. “Many warriors who could not join the tournament will fight. There are some warriors from the tournament that participate too.”

Adam slowly nodded his head. “Can we bet?”

“Yes.”

Adam smiled, slowly nodding his head.

Omen: 7, 19

Adam smiled, slowly nodding his head.

There were more commoners on the first floor of the arena now, with the arena selling places within the first floor to those who weren’t merchants or adventurers this day. Adam and his group arrived before noon in order to watch some of the fights.

‘Should I fight too? I want to make some money so...’

“Hey, are you Adam?” an Aswadian man asked. He was in his late twenties or early thirties, and wore studded leather, with a round disc of painted metal against his chest. At his side were a pair of scimitars.

“That I am.”

“Hari,” the Aswadian said, extending a hand.

Adam shook Hari’s forearm. “How can I help you?”

“I thought you looked pretty good at fighting. Thought I’d try to have a go myself. I’m pretty well known back home for being a decent warrior. I’m a little older than you, but I’m sure you don’t mind that, right?”

Defence: 24

Such a Defence was only rivalled by the toughest of creatures, and as Jurot had said once before, even the great Urkina, a Dragon Turtle, would envy the Half Elf.

‘Curses upon your father and his father before him!’ Hari thought, unable to penetrate Adam’s armour.

Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1

Attack - Battleaxe

D20 + 8 = 11 (3)

D20 + 8 = 15 (7)

Miss!

Attack - Battleaxe

D20 + 8 = 11 (3)

D20 + 8 = 27 (19)

Critical hit!

Mana: 19 -> 18

Ability: Divine Smite

2D6 + 2D3 + 4D6 + 7 = 37 (3, 4)(3, 3)(1, 4, 6, 6)

37 damage!

Adam inhaled deeply, watching as Hari stepped back, putting some distance between them. Adam stepped forward, and Hari dashed towards the Half Elf, one scimitar aiming to block Adam’s axe, and the other aiming for Adam’s neck.

Unfortunately for the Aswadian, Adam pulled up his shield just in time, before forcing his way through the scimitar, almost breaking the steel, before managing to contact the Aswadian’s chest, the metal disc denting as the divine magic flashed.

“Argh!” the Aswadian cried, before crumpling to the ground, his eyes white as he fell unconscious.

“Good fight,” Adam said, placing Strong Shield away. He looked to the worker. “Are you going to deal with him?”

“Yes.”

“Good stuff.” Adam half saluted the worker, before heading out. ‘That was easy.’

Victory!

XP Gained: +400

XP: 10 600 -> 11 000

‘Was he really worth so much XP?’ Adam thought, almost walking into someone. Adam tensed up, before noting the lithe Kitool at his side. “What’s with you Iyrmen and always sneaking up to me?”

“It was a good fight,” Kitool said.

“Yeah, it was,” Adam replied. “What are you doing here?”

“I did not want you to get into trouble.”

“You can trust me alone, Kitool.” Adam chuckled. He stopped chuckling noting Kitool’s silence. “I can’t believe you’ve done this. I’ll have you know, I’m very good at keeping out of trouble when I want to.”

The group watched the fights, and as late afternoon approached, the group made their way out of the arena.

“Vonda, would you come with me to the market?” Adam asked.

Vonda smiled. “Of course.”

Adam explored the market with Vonda in order to find a particular set of items. Upon finding them, Adam spent his gold, and placed them into his bank.

‘Did I charge Phantom last night? I think so...’

Omen: 11, 15

In the morning, the group approached the arena, which was bustling with greater life. ‘Whoa. It’s so much louder now.’

“You there, halt at once!”

Adam stopped, narrowing his eyes. ‘It can’t be.’ He stared at the guard pointing at him. She wore breastplate with the markings of the city guard, and she held the hilt of her blade with one hand.

“Yes?” Adam replied, growing tense.

“You’re under arrest for suspicion of murder.”

Adam blinked. “You what?”

Try not to get into trouble challenge!!! (IMPOSSIBLE EDITION)!!!