Chương 609: 572. Preliminaries XIV

Rook dropped before the imposing figure before him. His four companions were in various states of disarray, while the second oldest member of his group, was currently being choked out by their target, a woman who was definitely their age. Rook gathered whatever strength he could to force himself forward, before sinking his teeth against the woman's leg, but found her thick trousers formed quite the protection against his teeth.

He should have thought twice against trying to jump someone who wore full chain, and carried a blade at her side. While four of them clubbed the woman, their nimblest would try to snatch her purse, and they would flee. Yet, somehow, she had managed to defeat all five of them. The woman's lips curled up into a wry smile, and she began to cackle with laughter at the five of them. Flaming Hyena drew his sword, the faint wisp of smoke floating through the air.

He began to shake slightly, before the sounds of cackling filled the arena. Adam held up Strong Shield, and gripped Wraith tighter.

'Whoa! Damn! Sheesh!' Adam inhaled deeply to try and calm himself from the fright. Flaming Hyena continued to cackle before it turned to howling laughter, and, with his blade drawn, he leapt forward to fight. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 10 (9) Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 15 (5) D20 + 10 = 16 (6) Miss! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 13 (3) D20 + 10 = 17 (7) Miss! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 12 (12) D20 + 10 = 29 (19) Critical hit!

Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 39 (1, 2, 3, 6)(1, 5, 6, 6) 39 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 11 (1) D20 + 10 = 15 (5) Miss! The laughter unnerved Adam, who, while trying to focus himself with his Fighting Spirit, was unable to land a blow as he dodged the flaming blade, and then caught it with his axe, trying to gather himself.

He inhaled deeply and urged himself to act, ducked under a flaming swing, before landing a heavy blow, his divine magic flashing white hot as he forced Flaming Hyena back. Adam had expected a moment of respite after striking his opponent so dearly, but he heard the words to a spell, and watched as the shadow of a flaming sword approached the side of his head. His heart stopped for a moment, and in that split second, as the shaking sword reached towards his neck, he plucked a Threat of Fate.

Omen: 7, 11 -> 7 The thread shot outwards towards the beautiful woman standing but ten steps away from him, the scales within her hands balancing, forcing whatever Fate had in stored to dissipate into the ether. However, the thread darted past her, but froze in the air, as though realising the mistake it had made, before it was swallowing by the scales.

"…" Flaming Hyena's laughter stopped, as his blade vibrated against Adam's pauldron harmlessly.

'What?' He knew, with every fibre of his being, that he had managed to strike Adam's neck. He had called forth his magic, his blade ready to smite, not just with thunder, but with divine magic too, as much damage as he could muster, which would have killed any normal Expert. Adam inhaled. Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 16 (6) D20 + 10 = 16 (6) Miss! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 28 (18) D20 + 10 = 29 (19) Critical hit!

Mana: 20 -> 19 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 29 (1, 2, 3, 4)(1, 1, 3, 5) 29 damage! Health: 78 -> 54 Wraith struck the air as the Aswadian Guardian stepped back, managing to deflect the blow with his flaming sword, while Adam charged towards him, with axe in hand. Adam's axe managed to strike against his opponent's chest, followed moments later by an explosion of sound. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Adam stepped back, feeling the heat against his side, the divine magic, the fire from the sword, and the thunderous force having rocked through his body, causing his side to pulse.

'This guy is no laughing matter.' Flaming Hyena continued to cackle, before he stepped forward to meet Adam again, swinging his blade across his palm, then spinning as he leapt into the fray, swinging his blade sideways. Fighting Spirit: 1 -> 0 Health: 54 -> 59 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 20 (10) D20 + 10 = 28 (18) Hit! 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 19 (1, 4)(2, 3) 19 damage!

Adam focused on the spin of the blade, and though it came diagonally, threatening to strike his knee, Adam leapt up into the air, finding that the blow was a feint, and the sword quickly pointed upwards to skewer him. Adam shifted himself so the shield was below him, sparks flying across the red shield as Adam's axe managed to land against the Aswadian's shoulder, flashing white hot. Adam dropped on top of the Flaming Hyena, whose laughter gave way to silence as he fell unconscious.

'What a scary guy!' Victory! XP Gained: +600 XP: 11 000 -> 11 600 A Guardian quickly tended to the Aswadian as Adam took his lap of victory, showing off the dark mark against his puthral plate from the flaming blade.

"What a fantastic blade it was!" Adam shouted.

"I'm sure it was made by the such a great enchanter! I'm sure it was well worth the price too!" Adam waved his axe through the air.

"It was no match for my axe, though!" The crowd continued to cheer and shout, while the thundering of hooves began to echo across the arena as a dozen mounted knights began to ride into the arena through the main gates, circling around the area, even weaving through themselves around Adam, as he quickly retreated away from the creatures and to the wall.

"Oof!" Adam grunted as he bumped into a guard.

"Sorry about that."

"Come with me," the arena guard said.

'What did I do this time?'

"You again," the arena owner said, with an accusatory tone.

"Take a seat." Adam glanced to Flaming Hyena, who sat with his helmet at his feet, and the magical blade at his side. Adam sat beside him, noting the two Guardians who had flanked the arena owner previously, as well as the two guards behind him and the opponent he had just beaten, and was no doubt at only one Health.

"We have some suspicions that there may have been some funny business," Layla said.

"There was a blow which should have cut your head nearly clean off, and yet he merely rested his sword against your shoulder."

"Oh, that," Adam said, slowly nodding his head.

"That's just one of my abilities."

"One of your abilities?"

"Yeah, my magic." Adam smiled innocently.

"What kind of magic was it?" Flaming Hyena asked.

"The ability to see into the future, and react accordingly?" Adam replied, as though he was uncertain.

"I shifted Fate to assisted me."

"You don't look like a Diviner."

"I don't look like I can beat you either, but here we are." Flaming Hyena nodded. Adam could see Flaming Hyena's face more clearly now. The Aswadian was a handsome fellow, save for the numerous cuts across his face and his neck.

'Damn.'

"Staring is rude," Flaming Hyena said.

"Sorry." Adam looked away towards the arena owner, and after seeing the piercings, he looked at the desk between them.

"We will confirm such matters through magic again," she said.

"Do not resist."

"Sure." Adam felt the invasive magic run through him, feeling a slight tingle in his brain and his throat.

"Did you cheat?"

"No," the pair replied.

"Did you fight with all you could?" Layla asked, wanting to be thorough with her investigation.

"Yes," Flaming Hyena said.

"…" Adam cleared his throat.

"I mean… I haven't used something during the entire tournament to its full extent."

"What is it?"

"My brother's shield has yet to roar, and I have something similar which I haven't decided to use yet," Adam admitted.

"So you have been holding back?" Flaming Hyena asked.

"Yes."

"In all your fights?"

"Yes." The Aswadian blinked.

"You may leave, Rook," Layla said. Rook, the man known as Flaming Hyena, picked up his helmet, and stepped away.

'He held back? Even against me? What a crazy Half Elf.' Rook was in the top ten, and his strength was pretty close with the top three strongest slated to win, from the pair of nobles who were favourites to win, to Blade. He was only slightly weaker than even his leader, who would have stepped down, not to win, for the sake of the nobles. Layla stared at Adam.

'In all my time, have I seen anyone as monstrous as him at his age? There's his brother too, the damn Iyrman, and those other three Iyrmen.' She thought of the Devilkin Iyrman, who would have been able to place if she had plate mail.

"You know," Adam began, clearing his throat, glancing between the guards.

"If you're planning on…" Adam paused.

'No, I shouldn't say it so openly.'

"I'm sure my brother is waiting for me." The threat hung in the air for a short while.

"Who are you?" Layla asked. Adam could still feel the tingle in his mind and his throat.

"I'm Adam."

"What are you?" Adam thought for a short moment how to respond. He reached up to his amulet, feeling the ridges of the gem, tracing the symbol.

"One could say I'm favoured by Lord Sozain." Layla narrowed her eyes slightly.

"I have heard the Iyr is chosen by Death."

"So he said."

"Who?"

"Lord Sozain."

"He has said so?"

"Yes."

"To you?"

"That's right." Layla remained silent for a long while. All his words were no doubt thinly veiled threats towards her. Then she saw the realisation on Adam's face, and he squirmed before them before coughing into his fist awkwardly.

"I just realised it sounded like I kept threatening you," Adam said, glancing to the side awkwardly.

"I didn't mean to after the first one."

'What a crazy bastard!'