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Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The tunnel quickly gained color as small lanterns lining both sides of the wall began to light one at a time; the scene illuminating the space in fragments, like something out of an exploration movie. Janet didn’t hesitate to continue walking, the click of her heals loud in the small space. Alex, however, was not as lucky, having to cover his nose so he didn’t break into a coughing fit from all the dust. The dry heat made him glad he’d taken his jacket off as he studied the corridor, the pair moving deeper in. The entire space was the reddish-brown color of clay, breaking the monotony of gray that was the arena. He looked for secret levers, or hidden runes, but only managed to find a set of dusty prints that weren’t Janet’s. All that proved was that other people, probably Ralph, used the tunnel, which wasn’t exactly new or exciting information.

The thought of Ralph made him consider Grave. Alex hoped he hadn’t gotten them into too much trouble, then a more selfish part of him hoped they didn’t get him into any trouble. If Grave decided to tell Ralph what had happened, he didn’t know how the old man would react, and he didn’t want to find out. Sure Grave was meant to be a golem, in theory they couldn’t care enough to tell his secret, but Alex couldn't be sure. He remembered the look in Grave’s eye and the smile when they practiced ASL, that was very un-golem-like from what little Alex knew. He sighed in an attempt to let the thoughts fade, instead refocusing on the steps to see where they led. If he was in trouble with Ralph, that would just be another thing for him to deal with.

The pair walked for another two minutes before the unknown set of footprints ended abruptly. He looked around but saw no obvious exit, leaving his only option to mentally mark down the distance from Ralph’s room. Maybe one day he’d figure out what it led to on the other side. Suddenly he got a system prompt. There was no ding, or anything too distracting, just a subtle presence; essentially, he had turned the system to vibrate, and he loved it. Alex had continued to mess around with his settings while talking to Grave. He had still been on his Out Of Combat (OOC) options when Ralph had walked in, meaning he still needed to change his In Combat (IC) settings before the battle. Opening it Alex read.

***

For successfully tracking your target back to their den you have received:

Tracker (Common)

***

‘Huh,’ Alex thought. He had noticed the ease of which skills had come to him and knew that was a part of picking the insane tutorial; the description of his tutorial had mentioned just that. Instead, he was almost disappointed in the rarity of the skill. Opening his skill list he compared to all the other skills he’d gained and common was pitiful.

***

Skills

Name: Comprehend

Rating: Legendary

Grade: N/A

Level: N/A

Mode: Passive

Resource Cost: N/A

Description: Language is the fundamental barrier that separates the intelligent species from the beasts. It is the cornerstone of society, enabling people to express their thoughts, share ideas, and form relationships with others. Language, as one of the most powerful tools in the multiverse, is naturally one of the largest barriers of the multiverse. Ignore that last part as it doesn’t apply to you anymore. Hear, See, Read and you shall understand. Learned languages are stored; skill only works on learnable languages.

Name: Advanced Analyze

Rating: Rare

Grade: F

Level: 5

Mode: Passive

Resource Cost: N/A

Description: To see is to know; to analyze is to truly understand. As the most valuable tool for anyone looking to fully understand and navigate complex situations or subjects: Analyze allows you to gain a deeper understanding of any situation or subject by examining and evaluating various elements based on information you know. Naturally enhances critical thinking and problem-solving, as well as the ability to identify patterns and connections. Learned knowledge will be better retained. Skill ability correlates to Wisdom and Intelligence.

Name: Infinite Inventory (Limited)

Rating: Transcendent

Grade: N/A

Level: N/A

Mode: Bimodular

Resource Cost: Variable

Description: Tired of carrying all those pesky items around in your hands like a non-integrated species? Look no further! Your Infinite inventory allows you to store, as the name suggest, an infinite amount of items within; all of which you can access at any time. This suped up version of a normal Inventory even allows you to store intelligent beings and other living creatures… Just make sure you have the funds when they come to collect. So go ahead, stuff all those swords, potions, and treasures into your inventory and enjoy the convenience of carrying your entire identity with ease! But be careful, notes show your subscription might be ending soon.

Name: Sixth Sense

Rating: Epic

Grade: F

Level: 1

Mode: Bimodular

Resource Cost: Variable

Description: While the base five senses of humanity were enough to navigate, and sometimes thrive, in the conditions of Earth, the same cannot be said for the rest of the multiverse. Allow your understanding to evolve beyond its simple origins, as you take your first step into the land of the unknown. Gain the ability to passively comprehend the energies of mana and aura in everyday life. When providing mana to the skill, each individual sense will gain +50% in acuity. If the skill is active and all senses are functional, you may create a sphere of influence, no greater than thirty meters, of which its entirety is visible to the user at all times. Parts of the sphere obstructed by objects will still provide information, though the quality and information provided will be of a signigicantly lower-tier. Anticipate danger, uncover secrets, sense better with Sixth Sense. Skill ability correlates to Willpower, and Intelligence.

Skill Name: Tracker

Rating: Common

Grade: F

Level: 1

Mode: Passive

Resource Cost: N/A

Description: Fighters Battle. Prey Flees. Trackers Hunt. Patience, persistence, and an understanding of the natural world are the requirements of a good hunter, but having a skill doesn’t hurt. Tracker allows you to hone your senses and improve your ability to follow the trail of another person or creature. Better recognize and interpret the signs of travel left behind by your target, such as footprints, broken branches, or disturbed ground. Skill ability correlates to Wisdom and Intelligence.

***

There had been much more information than he’d expected, based on the vague feelings his skills innately gave him, and Alex decided to just skim the parts he wanted for the moment. Rare was his second-lowest skill rank, so having a common really brought down the overall rarity of his abilities. Alex read over the description for the new skill, deciding to save the rest for when he wasn’t actively moving. It was interesting, and potentially useful if he ever got out of the city, but the last line of the original prompt left him confused. Whose den had he discovered?

The notification said the person was in their den, that meant it couldn’t be Ralph, unless the prompt wasn't being literal… He looked up to ask Janet who stood in front of a blank wall, just as he walked nose-first into her shoulder. Alex had started to put an arm on the wall to steady both of them, but it was unnecessary as the only who moved was him; bouncing off Janet's blouse as if he’d hit a building instead of a person. Barely managing to catch himself after stumbling back a few steps, Alex grabbed his nose and groaned. For Janet’s part she just turned to look at him, hands on her hips and a smile evident on her face.

“It’s better to get permission before you dive face-first into a woman's body. I’m delicate.”

From there they left the tunnel, Janet did… something, the technical definition Alex attributed to the nothing he saw, and the stone wall slid into itself. The pair found themselves in a bathroom straight out of any public location on Earth. There were white tiled floors and metal cubicles blocking off each toilet. As the wall slid back into place Alex was grateful it was empty but questioned Janet on what would have happened if it wasn’t empty. She didn't say anything but Alex quickly found out as he saw the out-of-order sign that hung on the door. A few people gave them the side eye as they left and Alex didn’t know if it was because they’d left the bathroom together or because it was meant to be unusable.

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It took another few minutes to reach Janet’s room, and they began to pass more people in the outfits and armor of competitors as they did so. When they finally reached their destination and the door closed to what resembled a celebrities' trailer, Alex couldn’t help but ask a question.

“So, what was that about. Why did-”

He didn’t get to finish as Janet loudly inserted an exaggerated “Nope,” into the room. And that was it, there was no more talk of Grave instead Janet asked about his plans for the fight. Remembering his ever-nearing altercation Alex took a seat. He’d already formed a bare-bones plan and explained it to Janet.

“My lack of fighting experience really doesn’t give me many options, I got a short sword and dagger from Grave, but I didn't really want to fight close range. It really depends on what they put me up against but, yea.” Alex shrugged. “Not a whole lot going for me.”

Janet looked at him for a moment before speaking, “And you decide to fight anyway, that is admirable and idiotic, I hope what you fight for is worth it.” Her tone was light, but the look on her face was hard, clearly, she spoke from experience. But Alex was fighting for his life, so he definitely thought it was worth it.

“So, any clue what beast you think they’ll bring out to fight me?”

Here she grimaced slightly, and Alex felt his heart drop. Seeing the look on his face she quickly explained, though her reasoning didn’t make him feel better.

“It just depends. Earlier I might have said something like a Jar, but now I’m not sure.” Seeing the confusion on Alex’s face she explained, “A hare type beast, big teeth, white fur etc. Would have been a fight, but with it injured it’d be pretty difficult for you to take serious damage, even if you were the worst person to pick up a blade in 100 years.”

“And now?” He asked, the stress building in his stomach.

“Now I’m not sure. With Ralph upset he could lash out. It’d be understandable if you wanted to back out. You can do so up until after the fight’s introductory announcement, it’s just frowned upon.”

That was not reassuring at all. In theory, he could drop out, but then what, even if he got his money back, he’d be starting all over again. He needed to complete this quest, he needed levels, he needed this fight. With Janet having reopened the door Alex risked asking another question about the older man.

“What can he do? Is he my sponsor?”

“No, I thought you would have figured that one out, I’m your sponsor. Well, I suppose it was a fifty-fifty chance in your head. Ralph is part owner of this place. There are four main groups, or factions rather, because unlike the others, Ralph’s by himself.”

Which meant he had enough power to hold on to his authority. Alex added a fourth name to his growing list of the town's most powerful people.

“Anyway, the arena’s meant to be a fair place, relatively speaking, but when you have an operation like this it’s hard to keep everyone honest. Whether it’s him, one of his lackeys trying to please him, or one of the other factions trying to fuck with him, you just need to be ready.”

Alex took in the information and let it fall into the “well shit” pile. Deciding to continue the conversation he asked another question. Janet had risen from the couch, walking to a nearby chest and grabbing herself something to drink.

“So, you’re my sponsor?” It was really a statement, since he already knew the answer, but he still said it lightly, watching Janet's face for a reaction. She put on a smirk and asked a question of her own.

“Why don’t like my share of the earnings?”

That had been the exact reason he mentioned it, but Alex was raised to be more tactful than that. “No, I just wanted to thank you, I really needed this. I was also wondering how much the sponsorship costed, so I could reimburse you,” he said, slipping in the last part in.

“Looking to pay me back already?” Her face was again unreadable, and Alex waited, trying not to let his own thoughts show. “It’s fifteen gold, not cheap, but not crazy since they make money off the betting anyway. Three wins in a row we’d be square, even less if you bet on yourself a little. Though don’t tell anyone I said that last part. Doesn’t end well if they find out.” She made a throat cutting motion and Alex added it to the ever-burning pile of shit that was his current life.

Janet had given some important information, and even been more right than she knew. Unless she did know. Alex maintained his smile as he did some quick math. He was getting fleeced for nearly twelve gold, not only that. After those three fights, if he didn’t decide to bet on himself, he’d be broke after paying her off while she’d have already gained over thirty gold off them. While it was annoying and predatory, she was technically helping, it made sense she got something from it. He pushed the slight anger down, everything was fucked, even the supposed help from allies, but Alex would make sure to pay her off after this fight no matter what.

From there the pair fell into silence. Alex grabbed some food and ate while changing his In Combat settings. He’d need important alerts though he likely wouldn’t have any time to read them, so he opted for the dissemination of important prompts if they could be well summarized into less than seven words. Alex loved how customizable the system was, though he supposed it made sense, who knew how many people used it daily, forcing everyone to use something static now seemed cruel.

~~~

Finally, it came time for the first fight of the afternoon, Slenski if Alex remembered correctly. Her bout was set to set place an hour before Alex’s, and he felt the knot in his stomach flare up with the stress. Janet had invited him to watch the fight and he’d almost denied, remembering the first one he’d watched, but decided to go in the end. They arrived just before the fight began, the announcers voice ringing out into the now moderately filled stadium.

“Ladies and gentlemen of Endor, I thank you for joining us for the first fight of the afternoon. While many of you will have heard by now the main event for tonight will enjoy two of Foren’s favorite fighters, Explorer and Oni.”

Alex heard a couple gasps in the crowd, while many just burst into cheers, some running towards the directions of the bookkeepers. He turned to ask Janet what most of that meant, but she just signaled for him to concentrate on the arena. Deciding to wait until they left, Alex refocused on the announcers’ words.

“This masked scimitar user showed up at our doorstep a few weeks ago and put on an absolute show, using her blades and speed with great skill and precision, managing to defeat her first opponent without even a scratch. Her second fight followed in similar fashion, though she wasn’t able to walk away completely unscathed. Unfortunately,” suddenly the announcers voice was full of faux sadness, “in her third fight at Foren, there was a sudden roster change leading to our fighter, and a lot of gamblers, taking a harsh loss.”

That last comment elicited a few angry shouts and some interspersed cursing through the announcer powered through it.

“But she decided that wouldn’t be where her story ended. Without further ado, returning for her fourth fight and ready to restart her winning streak, I present the Disappearing Dancer: Slenski!”

The crowd erupted into cheers and even Alex felt a bit excited after the announcer’s buildup. Suddenly a spotlight shone onto a lone figure and the cheering redoubled. Alex had to admit, no matter how bland much of the architecture looked, the arena sure knew how to put on a show. Taking note of the person Alex tried to analyze and received the same useless information as always. Deciding to just use mundane methods Alex observed the woman.

She was on the shorter side, somewhere around 5’3 based on Alex’s guess, and showed off clearly feminine features. They wore a familiar mask, though it was customized to be different from Alex’s plain black. Her clothes consisted of the same gi-like pants Alex would be wearing, though modified to be tight around the cuff, similar to genie pants. Instead of the jacket Slenski wore a black sleeveless sweater tank, and Alex inwardly winced at the thought of taking an attack on bare skin. The woman was unnaturally still, the curved bronze blades seeming weightless as she held them downward. She looked to be completely ignorant of the noise and people around them, making Alex remember the barrier that muted sound, maybe it had other abilities. Either way he hoped he’d be that calm when it was his turn to fight.

The announcer continued for another few minutes, informing every one of the closing of bets and the type of beast Slenski would be fighting, something called a Wildherd. Then finally it was time to fight. A loud bell rung out, and another spotlight appeared illuminating a massive boar easily the size of a van. It was locked in golden chains that stopped its movement, though the Wildherd strained against them with every jerking motion. It looked slightly injured with cuts up and down its flank, though less so than the monkey from earlier. Alex wasn’t sure the wounds would matter much, even with his lack of experience he could tell it was a bad matchup.

The bookie had said she used an assassin fighting style. Even with two swords, shallow cuts would only do so much against the multiple ton beast. The announcer still spoke, trying to get the people even more riled up before the first blows, and when the arena illuminated completely, golden chains shattering around the Wildherd’s body as they charged, the crowd roared.

Slenski jumped and twirled dodging the attack with ease. Repositioning herself as the boar passed below her, she shot a cross blade of wind toward it using both swords. The attack hit though the damage looked to be shallow, not even enough to draw blood. The beast continued to run for another moment, having overextended after its charge met no resistance, but quickly reoriented itself to do it all over again.

Slenski had managed to remain in the air longer than should be possible, something Alex figured was due to a skill, but what goes up must come down, and Slenski was coming down. Unfortunately for her the beast knew a falling target lacked maneuverability and was ready to reach the fighter as soon as she fell.

Turning so her knives pointed downward, Slenski stabbed one blade directly into the boar’s forehead, the other flying away as she did so. Alex thought he was about to witness a similar scene to the morning, but instead she proved the boar's assumption on maneuverability wrong as she vanished. Alex leaned forward, trying to find where she went. Their seats were towards the middle of the stadium’s height meaning he had a good enough view, but the stunt Slenski pulled drew him even closer.

She appeared a few seconds later, silently advancing across the stadium's now forested floor. There were no trees only tall grass and tropical plants, but they should have rung out in her passing, instead there was nothing. Arriving at the Wildherd Slenski swiped her single blade across its side, scoring a deeper cut than earlier, before grabbing her other blade and throwing it like the first.

“What is she doing?” Alex whispered, more as an admission of astonishment than a question, but Janet heard and was open to answering this one.

“Probably a skill and a damn good one at that. Definitely not an enchantment, they wouldn’t let her fight down here with it.” Alex thought back to the bookie and wondered how she’d lost.

The fight continued like this, almost becoming boring in its repetitiveness. It was a test of endurance, which should be a perfect counter for an assassin style of fighting like hers, but Slenski didn’t seem to care. Just repeatedly striking three or four of the same spots, each one going slightly deeper and drawing more blood. After nearly ten minutes Alex was ready to go prepare for his own bout when something changed.

By this point the boar was clearly on its last leg. The Wildherd’s movements had slowed tremendously, and sticky blood matted down brown fur. Its previously powerful muscles just looked tired now and that made Slenski confident, too confident.

In a move similar to her opener, Slenski took the beast’s charge head on. She jumped and twirled, before shooting down like a comet into the beast’s forehead, an invisible momentum behind her. The blade went deep, though still not enough to kill the Wildherd as it reared its hind legs up, managing to get its tusks into Slenski’s side before she could teleport. When she appeared, only twenty feet away this time, a gash on both her stomach and right arm, blood staining caramel skin red.

Still, it wasn’t enough for the beast to gain the upper hand and the injured Slenski won after another few clashes, the beast skidding across the ground, not wanting to give up even in death. Cheers rang out, though just as many curses filled the arena. Plenty of people were happy she won, but the opposite was true as well. Alex even saw a couple fights breakout, though a few people in what Alex guessed to be mismatched security uniforms quickly stopped them from escalating.

As the pair made their way back to Janet’s room, the main seats beginning to empty slightly, grim determination filled Alex’s mind. Soon it would be his turn, and he would refuse anything other than total victory.