Chương 145: Chess

"I think this is some kind of strategy game?" Trevaldo said, sharing a glance with his bond. Garvo nodded as he studied the board. The chess pieces were life-sized. Pawns stood roughly six feet tall, while the rook, knight, bishop, and king rose closer to eight. The queen towered over them all, easily nine feet or more. No one seemed to be paying Joe any attention as they examined the unfamiliar setup, and he chose to stay quiet. He did not want them knowing he recognized the game for one simple reason.

He was terrible at chess. Or at least he had been the last time he played, when he was around ten years old. As a kid, he had always gravitated toward physical sports. He never truly excelled, but he was decent at most of what he tried. That changed when he discovered dance. Suddenly, he was the best in his year, maybe even his entire school. Rose and Corel stepped forward to inspect the board more closely. Corel glanced back at him and hesitated. Joe raised a hand to soothe her worries.

"I'm okay. Go have a look. I'll sit this one out," he said, remaining within earshot at the edge of the clearing. That earned him a few looks from Symphony and Rose, but Corel leaned in and whispered something to Rose, which took her attention away from him. Symphony soon lost interest also. Trevaldo reached the board first, stepping up beside the back row of pieces. That movement triggered the game. High above the white board, a massive torso began to form in the air.

The figure shimmered as it took shape, then descended to settle on the far side of the clearing. Two enormous, muscular arms fully manifested, floating beside the rest of the body. The torso itself was composed of clouds and glittering mana. A face emerged last. It was alien and unsettling. Two pitch-black orbs served as eyes, set above a thin slit of a mouth. There was no nose, no ears, no hair. Just a smooth, bald head perched atop a torso that ended at the chest, with nothing below. One of the giant arms moved.

A pawn slid forward a single space, and the game began.

"Excellent! It truly is a game!" Trevaldo announced as he stepped past the black pieces toward the centre of the board. He studied the figure's opening move, then waved a hand. A black pawn advanced one square in response. An echoing zoop accompanied the motion, and the floating arm shifted to make its second move.

"So the infantry can move forward," Trevaldo mused.

"I wonder if they can move any other way."

"We should wait to see if the opponent does so before testing," one of the robotic pair suggested.

"Excellent," Trevaldo agreed. The giant figure completed its second move, advancing another pawn by one space. Trevaldo mirrored it again, playing cautiously as he tried to understand the rules. Joe's thoughts were still dulled by exhaustion. He wanted to focus on more urgent matters, like the growing crack in his bottleneck, but first he sent a pulse to Corel.

'Suggest that pawns may be able to capture diagonally.' Corel glanced his way.

'Do you know this game?'

'It is called chess.' She nodded and leaned in to whisper to Rose. Under Rose's encouragement, Corel voiced the idea.

"That sounds plausible," Trevaldo said thoughtfully as he wandered between the towering pieces. The rest of the group watched from the side, leaving Joe free to circle along the treeline until he ended up behind them, still keeping the board in view. For several turns, the floating figure moved only pawns. Then one white pawn stepped into a black's path. Trevaldo seized the opportunity to test Corel's suggestion, capturing it in a diagonal motion.

The white piece vanished and reappeared just behind the board, marking its removal.

"Excellent. Erm.. I have forgotten your name," Trevaldo said, turning to Corel.

"Corel Relashra," she replied, lifting her chin and forcing confidence into her voice. Trevaldo nodded, and the game continued. Joe watched a few more moves as the floating figure finally brought out a bishop, then a knight. Confusion rippled through the group as the pieces moved in ways entirely unlike the pawns. Joe quickly sent Corel a pulse explaining the movement of the back row pieces.

'Why not just let them know you can play the game?' Corel asked.

'Because I suck at chess. I'll only make us lose.' Corel laughed out loud, drawing a few confused looks her way. She flushed but recovered quickly, keeping her composure as she began theorizing about the bishop's and knight's movements. She gave Trevaldo and the watching group a detailed recollection of everything Joe had told her regarding the pieces' movements and capture capabilities.

She used descriptions of the pieces instead of names, calling one a horse rider and the other a pointed cap, explaining that in her world, horses were common. Joe tuned the conversation out. He pulled a drink from his storage and moved to a clearer patch of ground. As he worked the stiffness from his body, he kept one eye on the board. Truthfully, he had no idea whether they were winning or losing, and he was not following closely enough to tell.

Chess was not Go, and that alone made him doubt how useful he could be. There was one other version of chess he had played a handful of times in his adult life, but it was so different that anything he knew from it would be useless here. So he slowed his breathing and let his mind settle. He turned his focus inward and began to visualize his plan. It was simple. He would combine his footwork, Drifts on Fated Wings, with both Diabolical Quarterstaffmanship and his unnamed martial skill.

There was no better time to try. What could possibly go wrong? __ Rose turned as she sensed mana shifting behind her, subtly. The game Corel had called chess was progressing steadily for nearly thirty minutes. Almost half the pieces were captured. With Corel's guidance, Trevaldo now appeared to be in a strong position, manoeuvring his pieces to corner the crowned one whose capture would decide the game. But her attention drifted. What was her pet doing?

She watched Joe move through that graceful footwork she envied, his steps flowing as he began throwing punches, timing each strike to his motion. Understanding clicked. Rose turned to Corel, who was watching Joe as well, a smile already forming.

"Is he trying to break through a bottleneck?" Rose asked. Corel blinked, then her eyes widened as understanding bloomed in her mind.

"Sworn sister. That is it! He is breaking through," she said, clapping with open excitement. Rose shook her head. She had seen Corel's playful side before, near the end of their time together in Eludia. Seeing her like this, genuinely happy and no longer withdrawn or guarded, caught her off balance. The change was unmistakable. This was his influence. Reluctantly, Rose admitted to herself that it was an improvement. Corel was stronger now, and the quiet sadness that had once lingered in her eyes was gone.

She looked fulfilled. Rose's gaze flicked aside as Joe somersaulted in place and practiced a strange, blurry spinning kick. He was moving faster than should be possible in his grade, his strikes smeared at the edges of her vision, slipping through subtle blind spots in her perception. She shook her head and forced her attention back to the chessboard. The game was nearing its end, and she did not want to miss the final capture. At the same time, she did not want to miss the moment her pet broke through.

"Blasted fool. Why does he have to do that now?" she muttered. Corel stared at her in shock, but Rose ignored her sworn sister. There was a time and place for a breakthrough. A fated event was not one of them. She would have words with him once the game concluded. Six more moves were all it took. The white-crowned piece was trapped, and the towering Molodium figure struck it down. Mana sparks burst into the air in a triumphant chorus.

"Well done, everyone. That was exciting," Trevaldo declared, clapping his hands.

"Now shall we…" He broke off as the Molodium shifted. A second chessboard rose beside the first, elevated and gleaming. All the pieces vanished and reappeared in their original positions. On the new board, an extra row of pawns formed, accompanied by two pointed caps, as Corel had named them, along with several unfamiliar pieces she had never seen before. The game was not finished. The rules had changed.

"Holy shit," a familiar voice gasped. Rose closed her eyes. Joe stepped forward and appeared at her side, his focus no longer turned inward.

"Pet," Rose began. Joe winced.

"I can explain…" She cut him off by pressing a finger gently to his lips.

"Later. Now focus on the game," she said. To his credit, he lowered his head in brief shame. Then, to her surprise, he stepped forward and approached Trevaldo, who stood staring up at the newly formed pieces.

"This second board is three-dimensional chess," Joe said, pointing upward as the new board rotated and settled at an angle that allowed both boards to be seen clearly.

"Those pieces are called the barrow, the assault and the carbonite…" her pet continued, explaining how the new elements altered the flow of the game. Trevaldo nodded along, asking questions as the explanation progressed. Once the discussion was done, Joe stepped back to Rose's side. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"Excellent. With that added information, would anyone like to take over this next game, or shall I continue?" Trevaldo asked. Maestro nodded with a casual wave. Rose inclined her head as well. She was content to observe and learn. The game intrigued her, and she made a mental note to have a copy commissioned upon her return to the palace. She reached out and caught Joe's arm as he turned to resume his breakthrough.

"Normally, I would not stop you from an epiphany," Rose said quietly. Her gaze slid toward Symphony, who was watching Joe with an intensity she did not appreciate.

"But you are drawing attention, pet." Joe followed her glance. He and Symphony locked eyes for a short moment.

"I am sorry, but I really need to finish before the moment passes. Do you think she will interrupt?" he asked. Rose considered intervening on his behalf, weighing the danger of allowing his focus to be broken. She could feel strong tugs on the threads of fate around her. It almost felt like her pet was causing them to move and shift in ways she didn't quite understand. She rubbed at her skirts in frustration, reminding herself that their very presence here was a testament to his effect on both their fates.

Ever since that seedling had bonded him to her, she had gradually lost control of her own pre-determined existence. No longer did she feel that she was heading for a quiet, almost boring life stuck in the palace of her mother. Instead. This… High Human was forcing her out of her comfort zone and into stressful, uncontrollable events. She took a deep breath, choosing to err on the side of caution. Restraint was the key to preventing any more unpredictable deviations in fate.

From her years of study and experience, she knew interference now would only unravel what was forming around him. The threads cocooning him were his to guide.

"Go. But finish quickly," she implored. Hoping her choice was wise. Her pet's eyebrows lifted as he smiled. Before she comprehended his intentions, he took her hand in his. She nearly recoiled, surprise flickering through her, but after a brief internal struggle, she allowed his touch and returned his smile. He was an audacious brute who clearly did not understand propriety. Bonded or not, the nerve of him made her exhale loudly. She waved him away, and he turned back to his breakthrough.

A moment later, Corel stepped up beside her.

"Thank you," Corel whispered.

"What for?" Rose asked genuinely. Corel seemed to glance up at the gathering threads of fate above their bond. She smiled, a twinkle in her eyes. __ Joe's heart beat loudly in his chest as he continued working through his skill creation. His moment with Rose had steadied him, giving him just enough resolve to keep going when he had been on the verge of letting it slip away. He felt a gaze drilling into him as he moved and forced himself to ignore it, clinging to focus.

Of course, it was never going to be that simple. His movements stalled as Symphony stepped directly in front of him, head tilted, knuckles brushing the ground.

"Why did you stop? You looked close to breaking through," she drawled, watching him like a predator sizing up wounded prey.

"Sorry. Was I bothering you? I did not mean to cause a scene," Joe said lightly. His eyes flicked toward the chessboards. The game seemed to be going well, at least from what he could tell. Trevaldo was learning quickly.

"Show me that martial skill," Symphony said, irritation creeping into her voice.

"I would like to test it against my own." Maestro turned at her words, his attention snapping fully onto them.

"Be quick, Symphony. Kill him and end this foolish banter." Joe barely had time to process that before Symphony launched herself at him. Describing her movement as fast wouldn't even scratch the surface. She closed the distance before Joe could even begin to blink. He initially thought a movement skill had been used. It had not. Symphony's fist tore toward his face and smashed into his cheek like a fired projectile.

His head snapped to the side, boots skidding several meters across the ground, but he stayed upright. The blow left only a blooming bruise. Symphony stared at her hand as she shook it out.

"What are you made of?" Joe ignored her question. Rage flared as he stepped in and drove a punch toward her midsection. She slid aside effortlessly. Her foot snapped up and slammed into the side of his head, causing him almost to lose his footing. He staggered back as she landed lightly and rubbed her foot with a small frown. Joe spat a mouthful of pale blood and grimaced. She was too fast. He could barely track her movements, let alone mount a proper defence. At least her strength was lacking.

He did not even have Mana Stream or his barding active, and he was still weathering her strikes. His reforged body was carrying him through, barely, but it was enough to keep him standing.

"Do we really have to do this?" Joe asked, wiping his mouth.

"I allowed you to test me once. I don't feel like being tested again." His words struck a nerve. Symphony snarled and lunged. Joe was already moving. He barely managed to raise an arm before her fist slammed into his shoulder. The impact jolted him, but he held. But that only seemed to enrage her further. She began circling him, darting in and out, peppering him with jabs, hooks, and the occasional kick whenever he managed a partial block. He guessed he stopped maybe five per cent of her strikes at best.

His body felt raw and began to throb from the numerous bruises hiding beneath his clothes. She finally leapt back and began prowling again, eyes locked on him. She looked ready to speak when Maestro's voice cut through the clearing.

"Symphony. Why is he still alive?" The words ignited something in Joe. They also lit a spark in Symphony, but of a very different kind. She lowered into her stance, coiled and ready to spring.

"Enough!" Joe shouted. The outburst stalled her just long enough for his barding to finish forming. Purple vines surged over his body, hardening into layered wooden armour.

"I do not know why you let him speak to you like that, but I am done being a prop in whatever twisted domestic struggle this is," Joe snapped as his quarterstaff appeared in his hands.

"Either come at me with everything and stop wasting my time, or let me finish." He knew she was holding back. She had to be. She was clearly D-grade, her speed eclipsing his by an enormous margin. More than that, she moved like a disarmed duelist. Her fingers curled and shifted as if gripping something she refused to draw. Joe watched her closely. Then his mind went still. It was a sensation he had never experienced before. Clear, quiet, and sharp. Rose had said she would not interrupt him during an epiphany.

Only now did he truly understand what she meant. A vision unfolded in his mind. Another version of himself, quarterstaff in hand, flowing through a new movement skill. One he had already begun to shape. For a fleeting instant, the vision wavered as he realized his mistake. He was a staff user. Of course, he could not complete the skill without his weapon. He rotated his staff as he drew in a deep breath and let the motions settle into place. The steps. The turns. The rhythm that would be his alone. His fated wings.

His diabolical path. His…

"Through strife, a skill is forged," the words spilt from his mouth as he lifted his gaze to Symphony. She hesitated. He saw it clearly. Doubt flickered across her expression as her thoughts raced. Good. No one asked her to step in and shatter this moment.

"Thank you," Joe said calmly as he slid into his opening stance.

"You allowed me to see what I was missing." Symphony steeled herself and took a stance. A long, single-bladed sword materialized in her grasp, and she drew a slow breath, mana spilling from her mouth like pale wisps. Joe almost laughed. He knew it! He had felt it in every strike, every step, every shift of her weight. She was a sword user. Confidence poured off her now, shoulders loosening as her posture settled into something terrifyingly composed.

To the onlookers, he guessed she must have looked like an immovable force. But to Joe, she looked like nothing at all. Nothing imposing. Nothing frightening. Nothing stirred even the faintest ripple in his heart. She was a swordsman. And he was a farmer.

"One thing, before we begin," Joe said, his voice as smooth as ice.

"Have you ever fought a quarterstaff user before?" Symphony did not move, but Joe felt the pulse of surprise ripple through her at the question.

"No."

"Too bad," he replied with genuine disappointment.

"You are about to find out why you never should." The final word landed like a crack of thunder, and the fight truly began. __ Symphony exploded forward with her full, unveiled power. Her sword rose and carved a lethal arc toward Rose's bonds head. He moved first. Just a twist of his ankles. A lean of his shoulder. A snap of his wrist. The tip of his staff met her blade mid-arc, stopping it cold. She adjusted instantly, turning the swing inward to slice through the shaft of his weapon and straight toward his neck.

He had already planned for it. The staff spun in his hands, deflecting her blade and knocking her off balance with a sharp parry. The surprise lasted less than a heartbeat. She recovered and lashed out with a spinning kick to punish the opening, but when her foot swept through the space where he had been, she found only air. He was crouched beneath her now. The end of his staff drove into her knee. Pain detonated through her leg as her balance vanished, launching her into the air.

She screamed as she flipped over him, but before she could clear his crouched form, the staff blurred again. It struck her chest with a concussive crack, ripping air from her lungs and sending her crashing across the ground. She hit hard and skidded to a stop, clutching her chest as she forced herself to breathe again. For several long seconds, she could only gasp and think. What just happened? She was faster. She knew she was.

Yet he had moved as if her attacks were already written, as if he had read her intent before her muscles obeyed. Was he using some kind of predictive skill? Her eyes snapped upward. To her shock, he was no longer looking at her. He was moving through a sequence of motions, staff flowing with his steps, as if she had already ceased to matter at all. No! She had to stop him. Maestro's command slammed through their bond.

'Stop him!' She cursed and raised her sword, attacking without hesitation. She followed her bond's orders without question. She always had. She would not fail him now. Not for an E-grade who had not even passed the bottleneck. Her blade flashed toward his back while he was not even facing her, but once again, a flash of purple cloth and his staff spun. The tip cracked against the flat of her blade, knocking her strike aside as he stepped around her and continued his creation as if she did not exist.

She tried to turn, to press the attack, but he drifted out of range with infuriating ease, still moving, still flowing. A feral scream tore from her throat as she chased him. She was a sword master. She had earned the cherub etched into her blade with blood. She had impressed one of the chosen Foresuthrar, her bond and holder of her contract. Among her kin, she was untouchable. Every opponent she had ever faced alone lay dead at her feet. She only drew her golden-bladed sword when she intended to kill.

Yet she could not land a single hit on this man who would not even look at her. She glimpsed his covered eyes as he spun in a trance, shaping his skill, breaking through his bottleneck. She saw sparkling stars filled with something unimaginable. This wasn't about him. Maestro wanted him dead, only to wound the princess of Eludia. Here she was vulnerable and hidden from the intervention of gods. Yet, the princess merely watched, calm and unmoving, making no effort to intervene.

Even the green-skinned second bond stood silent, her expression unreadable, though her twisting hands betrayed her fear. Symphony dashed wide, attacking from a new angle. Once more, he parried. This time, mana coiled from the tip of his staff, spiralling just enough to disrupt her vision. In that instant of confusion, his counter landed. The opposite end of the staff smashed into her knee, ripping her balance away and sending her crashing to the ground. How? How was he stopping her? She was faster.

She was more skilled. Or was she? His earlier words surfaced in her mind, quiet and almost sad.

"Have you ever fought a quarterstaff user before?" The pain drained from her body, replaced by a hollow pit of uncertainty. Then sorrow. Then dread. For the first time, she faced a defeat she had not prepared for. A failure that would end with her death at her bond's hands. No one disappointed Maestro and lived. As she fell into that pit, plummeting toward its jagged bottom, a voice tore through her like lightning.

"What the hell are you doing!!!!"