[A few seconds after Jake's loss.]
It was such a heartbreaking loss that even the other side of the crowd didn't raise their voice until it was a moment to celebrate Last Coin's win.
As the cheers of mages and other players washed through him, Last Coin fell onto his rear and deeply inhaled. His mana was really low, and it would have been different had it not been for the items increasing his mana pool.
His intelligence stats were also very high because of his time spent in the alchemy shop.
'I won...' Last Coin said... 'This win feels... so great.'
Recalling Jake's excited face as he exchanged moves with him, Last Coin believed that Jake didn't hold a grudge against him. Instead, he hoped that Jake would be open to becoming friends with him and that they could exchange a few pointers and fight once again.
Just like SWalker, Last Coin wanted to become friends with Jake, whose archery had won his appreciation.
A colossal shadow enveloped the young mage, then.
It was Viktor.
"Here's your reward," he said, throwing a pouch of gold coins. It was so stuffed and thick that anyone could tell it was worth a lot. It hefted so much on Last Coin's palm.
"Thank you," Last Coin said.
A second later, Randal appeared beside them.
He laughed aloud. "Haha! This duel has proved that magic is superior to all! Regardless of how many tricks you come up with, magic alone is enough to trample over them!" The handprint on his cheek waned as he shouted those words. "That Archer was nothing to write home about!"
It took much of Viktor's will to hold back from slapping this man twice.
In fact, Viktor's brakes broke.
He raised his hand, only to be stopped by a voice beside him.
"Take that back!" Last Coin shouted, his face contorted and red. For a person with little social experience and contact with others, talking back to the instructor was beyond his comfort zone.
That said, he couldn't stand still and listen to Randal's disparaging comments of Archer.
"Last Coin?" Randal faced the young mage with disbelief written all over his face. He thought Last Coin would have sided with him. After all, Viktor had publicly slapped him! It'd have been the perfect moment to gain his favor, yet Last Coin stood beside Viktor.
His expression was of an utter indignation.
Even Viktor gazed at Last Coin with bewildered countenance.
Last Coin pierced the mage instructor with a glare. "I haven't fought someone like Archer before. He was nothing short of amazing. I know how difficult it is to wield magic. Just because we receive and use a skill through a system, it doesn't mean our skills are perfect. On top of using various skills and movement skills, his archery form was cool and handsome!
Nothing like me, who stands like a plain mannequin with an orb in hand! He practiced a lot of stuff and came here to prove his archery! I respect him from the bottom of my heart! Even if we don't become friends, I'll consider him my rival!"
The crowd applauded as Last Coin's statement swept through everyone at the scene.
It was so embarrassing that Last Coin looked down and bit his lips. He was so red that he was now like a ripe tomato about to ripple to trickle down its juices.
He was so cute that a few female healers who wanted to become closer to Jake gave up on the archer and walked closer to Last Coin to get onto his better side.
Teasing him was amusing, to say the least.
Viktor smirked. "Last Coin, right? I'll mention your name to a certain someone once she visits me."
"I can't set the drunk old man free onto the streets," Ingrid added.
Viktor harrumphed, "You wouldn't wait for me if it was just him. Besides, he's sane even if drunk."
Aaron nodded. "We might have another tsundere in our team!"
Viktor and Ingrid scowled at the old man for using this slang.
Ignoring him, Ingrid passed Viktor the camera. It had recorded Jake's duels and even the crowd's reaction.
Of course, it wasn't professionally recorded, but Ingrid, an archer herself, knew how to highlight Jake's archery and moves. It could have been said that she had made up for bad shots with her experience.
Viktor took it and safely stored it in his inventory.
Jake told him that he'd record his battles and use it to monetize them back in his world.
People liked entertainment, and tournaments were often held before monsters, dungeons, and players arrived so Viktor could understand Jake's intent.
As he held the camera, Viktor suddenly raised his eyes and seriously looked at Ingrid.
He asked. "What's the next level of your training regime with Jake?"
Ingrid tilted her little head, "You want to steal my job?"
"You don't have as much time as we do to sacrifice solely to him. If you're worried about your job, you should do things differently, don't you think?" Viktor replied with a question.
Ingrid sneered. "Look at you, so eager to teach him. How long did it take... a few months of self-training, duels against strong players who have been taught by instructors... and even Minerva and Alice's teachings for you to open your eyes? You did nothing so far, so get off your high horse and speak nicer to me. Don't teach me the ropes since I'm far ahead of you in this area."
Aaron went 'hoho' under his nose. This woman really knew how to talk.
Viktor's smile didn't fade, however.
He nodded. "Calculate the exchange of money between our worlds and make a contract. I'll pay you enough in Jake's place so that we can help him improve."
That genuine response caught Ingrid off-guard.
"You seem to believe... once again," she said before asking. "What do you think of his archery?"
Viktor arched his head back and looked at the cloudy skies, "It's stupid."
Aaron laughed aloud.
Ingrid faintly smiled.
"It's so stupid, yet it makes me smile so much. It puts so much hope and excitement into me that I want to see what else he will come up with. I want to see how far I can help him. That's what Viktor feels. The Imperial part of me will try to convert those feelings into a torch to guide Asta Bow House back on the right tracks," Viktor said.
Ingrid took a moment to respond to his words.
She said, "Remember that he's still a kid. You should catch him when he enters this world."
"What do you mean by that?" Viktor asked.
"Those battles weren't just for his sake," Ingrid replied.
That much was enough for Viktor and Aaron to understand her words.