After thinking for awhile, Maxine got up and approached Casey. The only thing she could think of to patch things up between them was to give him some advice on how to improve and hoped he took it well.

As soon as Maxine stood infront of him, Casey looked at Maxine and asked sourly, "Are you here to gloat?" 

"Not at all," Maxine answered, "I just wanted to show you how to defend against an attack similar to mine."

"What?! Why would you do that?" Casey asked with both suprise and suspicion. 

"Because we are members of the same clan. Shouldn't we help each other?" Maxine asked calmly.

"I suppose," Casey said cautiously.

"Good, now pay close attention. I will create some visual aides to make it a little easier to understand," Maxine said as she created a pair of sillouettes that were wielding spears, inbetween herself and Casey, using her essence, "To defend against attacks similar to mine, first you need to physically defend against the primary or core of the attack like so." One of the silloettes thrusted their spear forward and the other one deflected the attack to the side before Maxine continued, "This part you did correctly, but you didn't know how to deal with the auxillary attacks. To defend against those, you need to create small barriers set at an angle to deflect those attacks away as a means to minimize essence consumption. If you were to directly block those same attacks, you would use three to four times as much essence." The attacking figure created several weaker attacks while the defending figure created small barriers angled to deflect the attacks away.

"So that's how it's done," Casey muttered to himself, "But who taught you how to do that?"

"No one taught me. I just have a friend that uses a spear and figured it out on my own after sparring with him a few times. One of his attacks gave me the inspiration to create the attack that I used on you," Maxine answered.

"Thank you for your instruction," Casey said respectfully as he stood up and bowed his head slightly to Maxine.

"You're welcome," Maxine said with a genuine smile and she walked back to her previous seat. While she did, she noticed that several of the competitors in this tournament were giving her curious looks. They're probably wondering why I would give away how to defend against my attack.

Maxine glanced to the arena to watch the current match up. She had been so deep in thought earlier that she hadn't paid attention the names of those called up. However her expression darkened when she saw a perverted young man kept trying to grope his female opponent, whom was fleeing from him while crying. I wouldn't have expected to find someone like that in this clan. Still, I feel bad for that poor girl. She will probably forfeit before too much longer and that would mean this pervert is my next opponent. Great, just fucking perfect. A few moments later the girl said she forfeited and was teleported out of the arena.

"Winner, Hector Stanz," the AI announced and Hector looked at Maxine with a lustful gaze. That idiot doesn't know when to stop. If I don't stop his behavior now, he will end up becoming a rapist. Unfortunately a beating won't do the trick at this point. I guess the shock of loosing an arm over his behavior should do that trick and they can use potions to restore his arm afterwards. Now how do I do that with that pesky forcefield in the way? 

Maxine sat down and began to analyze the forcefields surrounding the competitors in the arena to find a way to breach it in order to punish the perverted Hector Stanz.

"Jenifer Krell vs Anna Troy," the AI announced.

Maxine looked at the arena and gauged the strengths of the two young women by their weapons and stances. Jenifer was shorter than Maxine and looked slightly on the heavy side with brown eyes and brown hair. However she wielded a halberd and had a short sword at her hip as a back up weapon. Anna on the other hand had an air of elegance as she held a long sword in her hand. Her raven black hair and green eyes only complimented this image. On the surface, most people would think Anna would win, but Jenifer has the advantage here. She may look fat, but most of that on her is muscle. Muscle that Anna lacks. Too many people forget that essence strengthens what is already there. Add onto the fact that the reach of that halberd makes it difficult for Anna to even get close enough to use her long sword, and on the off chance that Anna can get close enough to use it, Jenifer can bring out that short sword in an instant to fend her off. Jenifer has just too many advantages. Unless her skill level is garbage, she will win.

The fight went much as Maxine had expected with Jenifer preassuring Anna with ferocious thrusts and sweeping attacks from her halberd. Jenifer was rather nimble considering how much muscle mass she had. However with the way the fight was progressing, Anna would quickly loose once she was hit. Maxine was waiting for the exact moment when the halberd struck the forcefield to analyze it's make up. 

The moment that Maxine was waiting for showed up faster than anticipated and Maxine immediately began to analyze the forcefield. It was made up of multiple energies that were operating at different wave lengths. Damn, talk about overkill. I would need to be at least in the upper ranks of silver stage to breach that. I need more sample data to be sure though.

The fight, however, was still going on since the strike had only been a glancing blow, but it was clear that Anna wouldn't last much longer since she was already looking tired. After a  few more swings from Jenifer's halberd, the fight finally ended as a blow landed on Anna's chest. 

Before Anna was teleported out, Maxine checked the forcefield again to verify what she already knew. Damn, I was hoping for even a slight variation, but it's exactly the same as before. If there was even the slightest variation in those energies or their wavelengths, I could find a way to breach it by hitting in the precise moment that all of the energies are at their low phase. Oh well, I will keep checking for flaws for the next few matches, but if nothing changes, I will just come up with another method to punish that perverted prick. 

Maxine barely paid attention to the next competitors called up, but instead focused on the forcefield around them whenever it was impacted. Unfortunately, the result was always the same, which caused her tremendous irratation. Is really no way to get through that damn forcefield other than brute force? FUCK! I guess this is a large clan and they should have an ironclad defense for their future warriors during tournaments. It seems that I will just have to go with plan B. 

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Joshua was called into the arena again, but he was up against that worthless fighter from earlier. Joshua simply dodged their initial attack and landed a hammer blow onto the exposed neck of his opponent. That ended the fight instantly with that strike and Joshua casually returned to his spot beside Maxine.

"Maxine Levings vs Hector Stanz," the AI announced. Maxine simply smiled and lept onto the arena. Hector appeared moments later with that same perverted expression on his face that he had earlier. Fine, let's see how you handle this. 

Maxine poured her essence into her war scythe and caused the blade to vibrate at a particular frequency. The blade itself began to release a bloodthirsty howl. Simultaneously, Maxine focused the full extent of her killing intent at Hector. His perverted expression quickly faded as pale-faced terror replaced it and he began to visibly tremble. Unfortunately even the people behind him were showing a lesser reaction to her killing intent as their faces visibly paled, but no where near as much as Hector himself.

"Begin," the AI announced, but at the same time, Hector screamed, "I surrender. Please, don't let her near me!" It was at that moment that Maxine saw an ever growing puddle at his feet. Oh, damn. I didn't expect that he would piss himself. In any case, I completed my objective. 

As Maxine walked back to her seat, she heard Grandma Victoria's voice sound in her head, "Maxine, Hellen told me that you have been through a lot, but she never told me exactly what. Now I have to ask you after your little display. Just how many times have you been forced to kill?" Two hundred fifty three humans, if I include those russian pricks that kidnapped mom and everyone I killed in my previous life. Although, I have no idea how many essence beasts I have killed. It's probably in the thousands, if not tens of thousands. But I can't tell grandma that. It would only upset her. Not to mention, Hellen told me specifically not to even hint that I have a fused soul.

"Too many," Maxine replied with her spiritual sense as honestly as she could, "Far too many." Tears threatened to form in her eyes, but she surpressed them. As much as she wanted to be, she wasn't a cold-blooded killer, at least when it invovled humans.

"I see," grandma Victoria said in a depressed tone, and changed the subject by she asking, "Why did you pick Hector to unleash your killing intent on? You humiliated him quite thoroughly."

"I hate perverts," Maxine answered honestly, "But I hate rapists even more. I felt that if I didn't scare some sense into that idiot he may cross that boundry in the future."

Grandma Victoria laughed for a few moments before she said, "Hector wouldn't do such a thing. Outside of combat, he is quite the gentleman. It's his martial instructor that insisted he adopt that mentality during battle. Although I will admit the change in his personality when he enters and leaves combat can be quite jarring to those that don't know him."

"Seriously?" Maxine asked, "There is actually a fighting style that revolves around being a pervert?"

"Yes, it's very effective on all, but the most brazen, combatants. It even works on beasts with high cultivations since they often possess the intellect to understand his intentions," grandma Victoria answered, "His behavior is only part of the technique though. It serves as a distraction while he throws tiny needles coated in poison at his opponent."

"So it's an assasination-type technique," Maxine stated, "I have encountered those before, but not one that encourages the user to act like a pervert. I think the creator of that technique was just looking for an excuse to feel up his opponent and didn't really care if they were man, woman or beast." 

"That lunatic wasn't shy about admitting that, Maxine," grandma Victoria agreed, "In fact, I believe that technique's creator was beaten to death by a large group of cultivators and beasts working together. Although for some reason, he managed to teach his technique to a single student before his death and it has been passed down from teacher to student ever since." The only really believeable part of that tale is that he was ganged up on and beaten to death.

"Anyways, can you tell me who to look out for?" Maxine asked to change the subject.

"Certainly," grandma Victoria said, "The strongest remaining opponents for you would be Joshua Keniph, Jenifer Krell and Buck Wilder. I wish I could tell you more, but I would be breaking the rules of this tournament, if I did. I am bending them greatly as is."

"Thanks, grandma," Maxine said and finally reached her seat to sit down.

"You welcome," grandma Victoria replied.

Maxine already knew the rough capabilities of Joshua and Jenifer, but she hadn't really paid attention to Buck Wilder. Who the fuck names their kid Buck when they have that Wilder as their last name? That's just cruel. I can't imagine the mockery he would recieve it he was on Earth. Although, I don't think anyone here sees it as an unusual name. Must be a cultural element that I am not seeing or his parents are assholes. 

Maxine watched the proceeding matches until she could see Buck's fighting style. She had been too focused on something else to really pay attention before, but she vaguely remembers that he wields a sword of some kind.

"Buck Wilder vs Emma Maleth," the AI announce and Maxine looked at the arena expectantly. Buck looked feral and his torn and damaged clothes added onto that image. His brown hair was in disarray and even how he moved seemed like that of a beast. His eyes had an almost golden hue and his gaze resembled a wolf on the hunt. The sword in his hand appeared to have been added onto repeatedly and looked like it was segmented. I know I have seen a sword like that, but where? Emma on the other hand appeared released a heroic aura and it was complimented by her stunning blonde hair and blue eyes. She wielded a bladed staff with fluid grace.

"Begin," the AI announced.

Buck released a feral growl as he charged. Emma smiled confidently as she got into a defensive stance. Oddly he began to swing his weapon when he was still more than eight feet away from her. To both Maxine's and Emma's surprise, the blade lengthened and turned into a whip. A whip sword?! Those things are hard as fuck to make, not to mention difficult to defend against. In most cases, the only choice you have is to dodge it. Otherwise it will wrap around you whenever you try to block or parry. When that happens, you may as well kiss your ass goodbye because you just got caught in a meat grinder. That's assuming your opponent isn't a sadist. If he or she is, they will use it as a real whip and take pieces off of you until you can't fight back anymore. Which also happens to be seconds before you die of blood loss.

The whip blade ignored Emma's attempt to block it and wrapped around her twice along with her weapon. Buck revealed a vicious grin as he yanked his weapon back towards himself. The whip sword tightened and dragged across the forcefield surrounding Emma and an instant later, Emma was teleported out of the arena. 

"Winner, Buck Wilder," the AI announced. With a flick of Buck's wrist, the whip sword reverted back into it's original shape.

Maxine did not relish the idea of fighting him. Fighting whip users of any kind was always a headache for her in the past since the trajectory of their strikes can change mid-swing. It makes it very hard to avoid getting hit and it hurts to high heaven when it does hit. Add onto the fact that Buck's weapon is also a sword makes it a very lethal weapon.

But before she has to worry about fighting Buck, Maxine has to defeat Joshua Keniph and Jenifer Krell. Even though the other competitors weren't as good as Buck Wilder or the other two, it didn't mean that they didn't possess a skillset that was a perfect counter to her own.

Maxine glanced at Joshua and decided to be direct with a question that had been in the back of her mind, "Are you going to hold back or fight me seriously?" Depending on his answer, I may just use one of those new attacks I came up with. 

Joshua turned to look at Maxine and a small smile formed on his lips as he asked in return, "That depends. Will you fight seriously, if I do?"