An unnamed observer enjoyed watching that

A mysterious observer also had a good time

Of course they’d show up now. Never ones to miss a show, those observers.

A curious observer is here too

System: You have a Random Legendary Reward Box

A curious observer pooled together with the others to give that reward

“Wow, thanks,” I said, sending it directly into my inventory, “I’ll open it later.” I very much wanted to see what was inside the reward box, but this was not the time. I was about to be mobbed.

It took me a while to get off of the arena floor, let alone out of the arena building itself. A lot of people stormed from their seats and rushed down to join me. Team Maple Leaf were the first to arrive, but only because they used Byron’s portal to get there directly from the stands, and Sigrid was the first of them to reach me.

Before she had the chance to say anything I immediately pulled a bright blue flower the same color as her eyes from my inventory — I plan ahead — then held it out with both hands as I bowed deeply to her, bending low from the waist. “I’m sorry,” I said. “Please don’t hit me.”

“I’ll admit,” Sigrid said, snatching the flower from me, “I was pretty furious at you when the stakes were announced. A fight to the death-death? Seriously?”

“I wouldn’t have done it if I wasn’t a hundred percent sure I’d win.”

“Yes, I can see that now," Sigrid said. "Watching this I realized how long it has been since I’ve seen you fight. You’ve changed. A lot. But still...dummy.”

“I guess you really haven’t seen me fight since the Shadows attacked after we cleared the Nature Dungeon. Wow, that seems like forever ago.”

“Exactly. When I heard Andy’s story about what happened that night you got shit-faced and went whoring I honestly didn’t believe him, and I’m sorry about that. I can see now that he was probably telling the truth.”

“I promise I won’t do it again.”

“Better not.” She held the flower under her nose and sniffed. “Oh that’s nice.”

“Can I stop bowing now?”

Sigrid didn’t answer right away, so I lifted my head just a bit to take a peek. She had her arms folded across her chest and was staring at me so intently I could almost hear the staaaaaaaare.

“On one condition,” she said.

“Name it,” I said.

Quite a crowd had formed around us so she leaned down and whispered in my ear so the others couldn’t hear. “Show me your Status.”

“What, now?”

She nodded. “Mmm hmm.”

“Well, okay. I guess.”

I stood up straight again and opened my Status, then took a deep breath and shared it with Sigrid, making very sure it was only with Sigrid. It would suck donkey balls if I accidentally shared it with everyone, and that’s just the sort of dumb thing I’d do.

“Sweet Jesus,” she said. “Seriously?”

“What’s going on?” Jane said. “I don’t like when there are secrets I’m not in on, especially between you two.”

“Oh, we’ve got lots of secrets you don’t even know about,” I said, waggling my eyebrows.

“Idiot. Sigrid, my bestie, you’ll tell me, won’t you?”

Sigrid was still gazing blankly at the air in front of her. “Don’t bug me,” she mumbled distractedly.

“Fine,” Jane pouted. “Be like that. Now then.” She stepped right up to me and held out her hand. “Where’s my flower, huh?”

I didn’t plan that far ahead.

“Would you settle for a monstrous sword? I happen to have one I don’t need.”

“Pffffft. Idiot.” Jane jerked her thumb toward Sigrid, who was still standing there with glazed eyes working through my Status. ”Seriously, though, what’s the deal with her?”

I opened a telepathic link to Sigrid.

Me: You need to stop now.

Sigrid: But I’m still reading your powers. I haven’t even got to the skills yet.

Me: It’s taking too long. People are getting suspicious. Stop now and I’ll show you the rest later.

Sigrid: Fine.

“Well then,” Sigrid said, her eyes regaining focus. “Where were we?”

“Bugger off, you’ve had your turn,” Jane said, unnecessarily stepping between Sigrid and me. “Anyway, congratulations Daniel. I had no idea you could do half of that stuff.”

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“I’ve learned a few things since the Nature Dungeon,” I said, to which Sigrid snorted.

“You’ve definitely been busy,” Arthur said, looking grumpy.

“More importantly,” Morgan said, reaching out and rubbing part of my cape between her fingers, “what’s with the snazzy new duds? No more Neo?”

“Figured it was time for a change. Like it?”

Morgan nodded. “You look really good.”

Nina charged over and hugged me, then stepped back and squeezed my arm. “Holly Hannah, when did you get so jacked?”

“Well if she gets to,” Morgan said, then dropped the cape and squeezed the other arm. “Oh my.”

“Um, guys? You’re making me suuuuper uncomfortable right now,” I said.

Byron reached out to gently remove his wife’s hand from my arm, then Morgan let go too, laughing.

“Apparently the new Daniel hasn’t quite seeped all the way in yet,” Morgan said.

“I mean come on,” I said, rubbing my arm where she’d just had her hand, “that would’ve made anybody uncomfortable.”

“Not me,” Andy said, and flexed his arms. “Come have a feel of these pythons, ladies.”

As the rest of Team Maple Leaf and the Round table added their congratulations I noticed for the first time that Chika and Kenji had been close beside me, gazing up at me with wide eyes.

I looked down at them and said, “So? How’d I do?”

Chika replied by giving me a big thumbs up, her single pointy tooth poking out over her bottom lip as she smiled. Kenji’s reply was to give me a very brief but very tight hug. I ruffled his hair.

Then the circle of people around me parted to let someone through.

“Yahello, Daniel,” Annabelle said. “That was an impressive performance.”

“Thanks, Annabelle,” I said.

“I’d expect nothing less than a good show from you.”

“My performance was nowhere near as good as yours. I’m always amazed by how well you can work a crowd.”

She gave a quick curtsy. “I do enjoy my work.”

Another flower appeared in my hand, a purple one this time. “For you.”

“That’s so sweet,” she said, taking it. “Thank you, Daniel.”

Jane, who had been pushed back by the others coming to congratulate me, shoved her way back to the front.

“Hey! How come she gets one?! And when did you two get so chummy?” Jane added, eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“She really hates being left out, doesn’t she?” I said to Sigrid.

“More than anything,” Sigrid replied.

“Stop talking like I’m not here!” Jane squealed.

I heard Achmed’s voice before I saw him. “Daniel! Come on, let me through.” The crowd parted again, and my Legionnaire friend came up.

“Hey Achmed,” I said, bumping fists with him.

“That was awesome, dude,” Achmed said. “I knew you’d win, never doubted you for a moment.”

“I know. I heard the odds you were giving. You would’ve been in big trouble if I’d lost.”

Achmed rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “You heard about that, huh?”

I put my hand on his shoulder. This was the first time I’d talked to him since the Cathedral. “Hey, listen, I’m really sorry. I heard about the guys who didn’t come back.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I think I still haven’t quite accepted it yet, but thanks.”

Annabelle ran her hand down his arm consolingly. “I too am sorry for your loss, Achmed.”

“Hi Annabelle,” Achmed said. “Thanks. Nice job out there too.”

She accepted the compliment with a gracious nod.

”Why is everyone so chummy all of a sudden?” Jane said.

I ignored her. “Is that Tiff there too?”

She’d pushed her way in behind Achmed. “Hello, Daniel. That was really impressive.”

“That’s what I said, Tiff!” Annabelle said.

“Hey Annabelle,” Tiff said.

“Thanks Tiff,” I said. “I heard you put your purse on the line for me too. I really appreciate that.”

She looked at Achmed who raised his hands and said, “I didn’t tell him.”

“Dan-i-el!” a voice cried out, and Akari barged in. She came right up and gave me an affectionate bop on the top of my head. What was with all the women here hitting me all the time? “I told you, didn’t I? Didn’t I tell you?”

“Yes you did,” I said.

A pink flower appeared and Akari snatched it from me before I even had the chance to offer it to her. “Pretty,” she said, then snapped most of the stem off and tossed it away before sliding the flower part into her hair.

“Oh come on,” Jane said with a patented eye roll.

I suddenly heard Sigrid’s voice in my head. I’d forgotten to close the telepathic connection.

Sigrid: Daniel, isn’t this that super-strong NPC who took down a dragon? Why is she here?

Me: It was a Wyvern, and I’ll explain later.

Sigrid: You better.

“Does everyone here know Akari?” I said, putting my hand on the small of the pink-haired woman’s back.

“I remember you,” Nina said. “I’m Nina.”

“Nina! I remember you too,” Akari said. “You’re the healer. It’s nice to meet you properly. Daniel’s told me all about you.”

“Oh has he?” Nina said, quirking an eyebrow at me.

“He’s told me about most of you, I bet. Let’s see. The man beside you must be your husband Byron. You’re Sigrid, of course. That has to be Chika and her brother Kenji.” She went on to get most of the names of my friends right, saving one for last. “And you are Jane. It’s a pleasure.”

Jane sighed. “Thanks, it’s nice to meet you too. But tell me, how do you know Daniel so well that he’s had the chance to tell you about all of us? Just what is the nature of your relationship with him?”

Akari laughed. “Yup, you are definitely Jane.”

“It’s a long story, Jane, but Akari here has been mentoring me a bit.” I decided not to discuss Annabelle’s role in everything. She wasn’t saying anything about it and neither was Akari, so I figured I should leave her out of it for now.

Sigrid: How is this the first I’ve heard of this?

Me: Um, would you believe I was saving it for a surprise?

Sigrid: What else aren’t you telling me about?

Me: Um...

"He should be calling me Master, by rights," Akari said.

“I see,” Jane said, but the look on her face told me I had some ‘splaining to do. “I was wondering what girl’s gotta do to get a flower.”

Me: Sorry, I have to deal with Jane or we’ll never hear the end of it.

Sigrid: We shall be discussing this later.

"So needy," I mumbled, then pointed at the dirt floor of the arena. Everyone looked down to see a tiny green seedling poking up from it. Leaves sprouted as a stem rose quickly like we were viewing it grow through time-lapse photography, then a bud appeared which rapidly blossomed into a bright red flower. I knelt down on one knee and picked it, then still kneeling I held it up for Jane.

“Will this do, m’lady?”

Jane stood there blinking at me for a few moments, then tentatively reached out and took it. I stood up and brushed my hands together even though there was no dirt to dust off.

“Show off,” Jane said, but she was smiling.

“Guess it pays to be the squeaky wheel,” Sigrid said. “You really shouldn’t encourage her, you know.”

That’s when someone new poked her way through the crowd, catching more attention than even Akari got.

“Hi Kiki,” I said.