“You think you can boss us around just because Blue One is with you?” A participant from House Clovis spoke up.

The Ability Merchant’s faces turned black and glared at the participant that spoke up. The participant vanished into a ray of light without warning.

“I activated the Main Point, not Blue One.” Brass said sternly as he looked into the crowd. “Anyone else has a problem with trading fairly and peacefully may speak up now.”

The surrounding participants cursed silently. Some stared daggers but none dared to voice out their discontent, especially those from House Philius even though they have the number’s advantage. No one was foolish enough to anger the one that activated the Main Point, as they have control over the Ability Merchant. Although having control over the Ability Merchant’s actions held power, it costed a lot of sigils to carry out an order. And currently, Brass has used up most of his sigils. All for the sake of establishing a civil environment, albeit through fear and at the cost of someone from the same House.

“Continue trading.” Brass was content with the crowd’s response. The Ability Merchant’s faces were no longer black and their jovial expressions returned. It resumed its exchange with the surrounding participants.

“Now then,” Brass turned towards Aisael, Toby and Dina. “Shall we make our exchange too?”

Three young people followed the man with an eyepatch.

“The AM offers five types of abilities.” Brass explained as he led them towards the Ability Merchant. “Different faces exchange sigils for different type of abilities. The one with red cheeks offers agility-type abilities. Moustache offers defense-type abilities. Closed eyes, life-type abilities. Three eyes, sensory related abilities. And lastly, the wrinkled face offers time related abilities.”

“Which ability type are you going to choose, Blue One?” Dina tapped Aisael’s shoulder.

“I’ve not decided yet.” Aisael replied. “What about you?”

“I’m going with sensory type abilities.” Dina stared at the face with three eyes.

“Toby, what about you-…” Aisael turned to find Toby missing.

“Oh, don’t worry about him.” Dina gestured towards where participants were gathered around the face with a moustache. “My brother likes to wander off on his own sometimes.”

Not too far away, Toby was seen interacting with participants looking to exchange sigils for defense-type abilities. They were patient with Toby and his numerous questions, treating him like their own younger brother. It was a warm and rare sight to see in a combat oriented simulation.

“You should try your hand at the agility-type abilities.” Dina suggested.

“Why?”

“They’re quite straight forward and they don’t cost much sigils.”

“They complement your quick fighting style too.” Brass added.

Aisael looked at the face with red cheeks thoughtfully and approached it. Some participants congratulated him for First Blooding House Magnum. It was a feat that only the daring knew the struggle of.

Aisael arrived before the Ability Merchant. It stretched its hands towards him with palms opened. And as if drawn by a mystical force, twenty-one sigils separated themselves from Aisael, floated and dropped into the Ability Merchant’s hands.

Participants around him whispered amongst themselves when they saw how many sigils he collected. But he ignored them all.

The Ability Merchant projected a holographic list of agility-type abilities only Aisael can see. It was a detailed list.

(Boost: Increases self-agility. Rank 1. Medium cooldown duration. Light energy consumption. Cost: 1 sigil.)

(Focus: Increases self-precision. Rank 1. Medium cooldown duration. Light energy consumption. Cost: 1 sigil.)

(Crescendo: Quicken a target's casting speed of Rank 2 abilities and below briefly. Rank 2. Medium cooldown duration. Medium energy consumption. Cost: 2 sigils.)

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

(Decrescendo: Slow a target's casting speed of Rank 2 abilities and below briefly. Rank 2. Medium cooldown duration. Medium energy consumption. Cost: 2 sigils.)

(Hyperkick: An instantaneous high-precision kick. Rank 3. Long cooldown duration. Medium energy consumption. Cost: 3 sigils.)

(Winter’s Breathe: Create a breeze that slows a target drastically. Rank 3. Long cooldown duration. Light energy consumption. Cost: 3 sigils.)

(Trailblazer: Move so fast that it leaves a scorching trail behind. Rank 3. Medium cooldown duration. Medium energy consumption. Cost: 4 sigils.)

Both rank one abilities seems basic but they would increase my current body’s physical performance. The rank two abilities are a buff and debuff. Hyperkick could come in handy for clutch situations. Winter’s Breathe and Trailblazer are both interesting abilities.

Aisael surmised the seven abilities from their descriptions and bought all of them with a leftover of four sigils. He had finished his exchange with the Ability Merchant and was about to return to the Main Sub.

It was at this moment he witnessed something despicable.

A young man about his age was being coerced by two others into giving up his sigils. They had their arms around him and at first glance, looked to be his friends. But their sly grin and thieving eyes gave them away.

Are others not seeing this?

The surrounding participants were obviously turning a blind eye. Perhaps they knew who the two men were and did not want to get involve.

“Come now, Reiz.” The thug on the left addressed the young man in the middle with a jab to his waist. “Give us your sigils.”

Reiz grunted. His body wanted to bend over from the pain but the two were holding him up.

“Don’t stall. Your brother isn’t here to save you this time.” The thug on the right kicked Reiz’s knee from behind. Both thugs laughed loudly as Reiz fell face-first onto the ground.

Reiz knitted his brow in anger. What the bullies said was partially true. He did not amount to much compared to his brother who was a power level higher than him. But that did not mean that he did not amount to anything.

Aisael noticed the look of fire in Reiz’s eyes and stepped forward.

A shadow loomed over Reiz.

Reiz looked up. He saw the one who supposedly First Blooded House Magnum standing in front of him. He gulped. The participants who witnessed how ruthless Aisael dealt with Young Master Yun and his lackeys thought that Reiz was done for.

“Hey Blue One, we saw him first.” The thug on the right thought that Aisael wanted to steal Reiz’s sigils too. Aisael glared at him coldly in disgust.

“N-now, no need to get offended. W-what my buddy here meant that Reiz, our friend, was about to share his sigils with us. Ain’t that right, Reiz?” The thug on the left noticed Aisael’s hard expression and feared getting into trouble with him.

“Is that so?” Aisael turned his attention to Reiz. He was not going to leave things be if Reiz showed any sign of standing up for himself.

However, Reiz bowed his head, seemingly going along with the story the thugs made up.

Aisael sighed and was about to leave.

“No.” Reiz stood up.

The surrounding participants held their breaths.

“No?” One of the thugs doubted what he heard. The usually submissive Reiz was actually resisting?

“No.” Reiz brushed the dust off his face and clenched his fists. “We’re not friends. Go find your own sigils.”

Aisael smiled. He was impressed with Reiz’s strong character. But little did he know, Reiz was not strong. He was just pissed that Aisael, without meaning to, looked down on him.

Reiz was done with feeling pathetic. He had enough with how his superior brother seemed to have a pitiful gaze whenever he was helped out of a bind. He did not like the rumors about him being reliant on others. It made him feel worthless.

Reiz felt a competitive stir within him when he met Aisael’s stare. If anything, he wanted to be someone who dares to stand before the powerful and not be shaken.

The thugs were briefly surprised by Reiz sudden unfounded confidence. They guffawed when they realized that Reiz was surrounded by them and Aisael. They were still under the impression that Aisael stayed for the sigils.

“You’re weak.” One of the thugs spat. “A weak Demi.”

Reiz firmly stood his ground.

“You think you’re strong? You’re nothing without your brother, especially now that he’s incapacitated.”

Reiz was silent. It was true that his brother was currently recuperating in isolation. But that was because he intervened in Reiz’s fight with one of House Magnum.

Suddenly a voice pierced through the humiliating atmosphere.

“Let’s wager a bet.” Aisael approached Reiz and offered his sigils.

Reiz and the two thugs were stunned. So were their “audience”! Reiz was in the process of having his sigils taken away but Aisael did a jaw-dropping move and offered him more sigils instead!

“I’ll bet the 2,000 Digeets I have from First Blood that Reiz will survive the next stage.” Aisael continued, disregarding the silence he inflicted on the scene.

“In exchange?” One of the thugs asked cautiously.

Reiz felt nervous. He was unaccustomed to having a stranger supporting him, especially in the form of a bet.

“An apology to Reiz for disrespecting him and his brother.” Aisael calmly stated his terms.

!!!

The two thugs were triggered. Did Blue One think he could do as he please? Butting into others’ business just because he did not like the way someone was treated. First with activating the Main Point. Now with their lack of sigils to exchange with the Ability Merchant???

“I take your silence as refusal?” Aisael taunted.

“We accept the bet.” The other thug replied greedily. “You best be prepared to hand over the Digeets after this match.”