Chapter 95: A strange interaction.

Chapter 95: A strange interaction.

I sat down next to Cerion in the contestants booth, avoiding eye contact with the other contestants, who were eyeing me with a variety of attitudes. Arcellus had looked calm, but oddly determined. Karon, on the other hand, was probably calculating how to best me, if it came down to it.

Finally seated, Cerion turned to me.

John was stronger than I had expected. Did you know that guy would be so unexpectedly strong? he asked somewhat teasingly.

I endeavored not to think too deeply about my disadvantage at the start of the previous match and ignored his jest in favor of spectating the bout that was about to begin.Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience

The nimble assassin X would be facing a girl called Reana, the one that used wood mana paired with a melee combat style. The battle could go either way, I supposed, but if I had to set the odds myself, Id set them in favor of X, simply because I knew what he was capable of. He had put all of his efforts into speed and deadliness, making him a supremely difficult opponent if you didnt have the skills to counter him.

Looking at them both squaring off in the arena made me reassess my opinion a little, though.

Reana was a brown haired, fit girl, if her muscled physique was anything to go by. She entered the arena with a confident gait and waved at the crowd with both hands, jumping up and down in excitement, looking like a kid in a candy store. Strangely, she reminded me of someone, but I couldnt remember who, for the life of me.

X, on the other hand, still looked like he did the first time I saw him, though his features had changed a little, as if he was a different person now. He still looked like a random middle aged guy that had gotten lost and somehow ended up in the middle of the arena, mind you, but his cheekbones were a little more pronounced, his body type now lanky, rather than the average build he had had earlier.

Is he a shapeshifter? I murmured to Cerion.

There are skills for that, no doubt he whispered back conspiratorially. If hes meant to be an assassin for the mercenary guild

I quickly shushed him, since the match was about to begin. X and Reana unsheathed their weapons. X dual wielded two vicious serrated daggers, while Reana wielded a wooden sword and shield that both looked pristine. They took their stances and the announcer started the countdown.

X and Reana, are you both ready?! 3 2 1 Start!

The match began, and both moved with great speed, simultaneously. X practically disappeared from sight, while Reana dug her sword into the earth. Innumerable tree roots sprung forth from the earth, turning the battlefield into a dense tangle of tree sized thorny vines, each as thick as an oak tree besides.

I picked up on a light groan somewhere, and saw a small splatter of blood appear on one of the dagger-like thorns. Apparently, Reana had noticed that occur even before I did, because when I turned around to look at her, she was already rushing across the arena, jumping from vine to vine. Right as she got there, her shield rapidly expanded around her, just barely fast enough to guard her against an incoming flash of light that left a deep groove in the wood regardless. For a moment, X appeared, now fully covered in strange green and brown robes that matched the coloration of the vibes around him.

Strangely, his feet seemed to be fine, his posture perfectly balanced. Then, I noticed a small bandage covering a wound on his side, clearly left there on purpose. X had meant to draw Reana in by acting like he was wounded by her vines.

Just as quickly as he appeared, X disappeared, causing Reana to huff angrily, before healing her damaged shield and placing it on the ground. Then, she went to stand on top of it. The audience watched in shocked silence as her shield grew into some kind of amalgamous mass of wood, connected to all the vines in the arena. They started to twist, turn and grow, turning the arena into a writhing mass. The whole spectacle might have been unsettling for the average capital citizen, but I found it fascinating. The fact that she remained in control of such a large volume of wood showed that she had either tremendous control over her element or a tremendous amount of mana. Seeing her wild nature, I settled on the latter, because she only escalated from there.

X refused to stand by and watch, so he decided to create an onslaught of attacks. For a while, Reana was in serious trouble, attacks coming from every angle. Somehow, X still found stable footing within the mess that Reana had created. I had to give it to him, X wasnt dramatic, but he was skilled.

Several wounds started to appear on Reanas body, causing her to bleed onto her creation which responded by becoming even more frantic. I was sure that if the organizers didnt keep a shield between the spectators and the arena, the stands would have long since fallen apart. Well, that was true for my match as well, but still

Finally, Reana seemed ready to unleash what she had been gearing up to do since she dropped her shield a while ago. All of a sudden, she rose into the air, the mass of wood below her carrying her into the sky. The roots below dug themselves out of the ground and gathered near the center of the arena, where they melded into one another to form a humanoid-looking giant.

Its shining green eyes and bulky body made it look quite menacing. The giant tentacles that sprouted from its back and formed a deep-green crown only further exacerbated this feature.

are you feeling after that brutal victory?

prepared for the quarter-finals

scared of your next opponent

Hearing that last comment caused me to grin, happy that, if not my innocence, at least my strength was being recognised.

I heard a girl, Reana, supposedly, protested their questions and asked to be let through. After a while, I decided to do something uncharacteristic, since I felt a little pity for her situation. If not for my notoriety, I might have been swarmed by reporters as well, after all.

I headed into the mass of people and shoved the reporters out of the way forcefully, enjoying every complaint and glare I got along the way.

When I got to the center, I grabbed hold of the girl at the center and pulled her along as I ran back out, throwing people out of the way as I passed.

Who the hell

You should show some respect

Wisely, I ignored their complaints and led the girl to a corridor that was sectioned off for some privacy.

After we both calmed down, the girl regarded me with an easy smile and readjusted her hair.

Thanks for the help back there. I had no idea you could just stumble through em like that Whats your name, mysterious savior? she asked.

I took off my mask to show her my identity, though it had an adverse effect. Instead of thanking me, her smile faltered when she saw my face, her glare turning deadly.

Whoa there, our match hasnt started yet, lady. Keep the animosity for that time I joked awkwardly, trying to lift the tension.

Unfortunately, she wasnt impressed by my efforts and continued to glare, before she spoke quietly.

...You really dont remember me, do you?

This time, it was my turn to be stunned. Strangely, I felt the need to apologize, even though I hadnt done anything.

Im sorry? You seem vaguely familiar, but I dont know from where Should I know you, or something? I asked, bewildered.

At first she seemed stunned by something I had said, but then her glare returned.

You really havent changed. she said, almost sadly, before turning around with a huff and storming away.

By the end of that little interaction, I was left confused and angry. I felt a headache coming on, which got even worse when I considered what the girl had said. Had I known her at one point? Did I meet her in Reito, maybe? Even worse than all that, I still hadnt found any good food