Zack flicked his spear up and above him and slapped Cameron's spear away. But after that, Ryan couldn't keep track of their movements. It was just a flurry of incoherent slashes, thrusts, parries, ducks, and pivots. Dirt splashed around them as their feet shifted across the grass and their spear slid across it to slice up at their target. Chips and flakes of shattered wood fluttered down around them.

Ryan couldn't believe what he was watching. He never saw a living being move as fast or as powerfully as he saw Zack and Cameron.

"Give him to me," Ryan heard Franocles say from atop the dais behind him. "You don't need him."

Ryan wasn't surprised to see Franocles beg. He'd be desperate for Zack or Cameron as well if he was a slaver.

"I want him," Countess Gladine said.

"You already have Cameron."

"I want both."

Franocles sighed. "What about our sibling bond?"

Countess Gladine laughed. "Yes, what about our sibling bond? What happened to it when you humiliated me at the Scoffing City Noble feast those months ago?"

"You humiliated yourself."

"I did." She turned to her brother, glared at him, and leaned towards him. "And with Zack I'll humiliate you next in the gladiator tournament."

Franocles rolled his eyes, crossed his arms, turned away, and continued to watch the duel. "You're making a mistake."

Countess Gladine shrugged, leaned back, and continued to watch the duel. "If winning the gladiator tournament is a mistake, then I'll gladly make many more."

Ryan's jaw dropped when he looked back at the fight and saw that the speed of their attacks didn't slow down. Their spears and their bodies morphed into blurs. The sound of the wood of their spears cracking against each other ravaged his ears. But then there was silence.

Cameron stumbled backwards. Blood splashed out of his mouth. Did Zack hit him? He could barely see.

Ryan blinked and Zack was at Cameron's back, thrusting at his nape. But Cameron ducked and their bodies blurred again, the smacking of wood against wood filling the air once again. Except this time, Cameron would occasionally stagger or stumble from getting jabbed in the chest or whacked in the face. Zack snatched the upper hand.

"You have Morgius, for Treasure's sake!" Ryan heard Franocles say.

Naturally, Franocles couldn't help but intensify his begging after seeing Zack get the upper hand.

"So?" She asked.

"You don't need to win the tournament if you marry him."

"I need to win the tournament because I don't want to marry him."

Franocles furrowed his brows, puzzled by his sister. "Even if you take the Cursebane Staff out of the equation, Morgius is a Duke."

"He is a Duke." She sighed and turned away. "But not much else."

"What more could you want?"

"If you can't imagine there being more to want out of a marriage then I feel sorry for your wife."

"I just want to advise you so you can make the best of your circumstances."

Countess Gladine chuckled and glared at Franocles. "Didn't you mean to say 'my' circumstances?"

Franocles smirked. "So you'd be fine with me saying a few words to him?"

She frowned. "Depends on the words."

"There're a lot to choose from."

"What happened to our sibling bond?"

Franocles turned away and focused back on the fight. "You want a sibling bond?" He gestured at Zack. "Give him to me."

Countess Gladine turned back to the fight as well, chin cupped in palm, and face stern and stony.

Ryan winced from the increasing volume of Cameron's and Zack's smacking of wood against wood. Then there was an abnormally loud bang, and then silence.

Cameron's spear snapped in half. Flakes of shattered wood sprinkled onto the grass. Zack's spear and arm blurred, slashing, thrusting, and slicing his battered spear at Cameron repeatedly.

He ducked and pivoted around most of the attacks. But many of them jabbed his neck, making him choke. Or whack his chest, making him grimace. Or slash his head, battering and bloodying his face.

"One thousand tonnars," Countess Gladine said.

Franocles shook his head.

"I'm not going any higher than that."

"Don't you think you were quite lucky that Morgius couldn't attend the feast at Scoffing City?"

Countess Gladine sighed. "Don't you see how strong Zack i-?"

"If he heard the noble things you said during that wonderful event… I shiver at the thought."

She grimaced. "What's the highest level gladiator you currently ow-?"

"To add onto your luck, you had a kind older brother who was friends with Morgius and spoke to him before the rumours reached him."

She scowled. "Zack is too rebellious for you t-"

"What do you think would happen if I spoke to him again?" He smirked. "But this time, I support the rumours and maybe even provide a bit of evidence for them."

She turned to her brother, and slammed her fist on the table beside them. "You're in my home surrounded by my guards!"

Only the guards nearby the dais bristled and slightly lowered their spears, glaring at Franocles. The rest of the guards and the rest of the slaves continued to stare at the fight. Curiously, Franocles did the same. He didn't seem at all bothered by his little sister's threats.

"You're a White Mage," Franocles said. "I'd kill you in the blink of an eye. And then who would pay those guards to fight me?"

She winced.

"Sister, you shouldn't be so naive." His smirk vanished and his face hardened. "I may be your brother, but I don't care about you." He turned to her. "Morgius won't care about you if I tell him what I know." He leaned towards her. "No one cares about you, unless you give them money. Luckily, you have a lot of it. So if you want me or anyone to do something, you better use it." His voice lowered. "Or else you won't live much longer."

Countess Gladine's eyes watered. She grimaced as she pondered, continuing to stare at the fight between Cameron and Zack.

Zack slashed at Cameron's ankles, sweeping him off of his feet. But Cameron cartwheeled in the air over Zack's blurring spear, landed on the grass, kicking up a cloud of fluttering grass and splashing dirt. Whilst Zack's spear continued blurring just above the grass, where Cameron's feet used to be, Cameron's arm blurred.

His fist smashed into Zack's face. He groaned. Blood splashed out of his nose and mouth. He stumbled backwards. Both of Cameron's arms turned into a blur as they both pummelled every inch of Zack's face and body, tearing skin, widening wounds, and dripping blood all over him.

Ryan's heart leapt. He smiled. Even without a spear, Cameron was doing it. He was gonna win!

Zack snatched a fist just before it hit his cheek. But Cameron's left leg morphed into a blur. His foot crashed into Zack's temple, lifting him off his feet and spun him in the air.

But Ryan's superhuman senses caught the subtle movement of Zack's mouth. He was saying something.

He was chanting the incantation of a skill.

Despite that, Cameron grinned as if it was all going according to plan. He began chanting an incantation at pretty much the same time.

They both seemed to chant the same incantation. Ryan recognized the incantation. He heard it before. He heard it quite recently.

It was the incantation for the Aegis Rush.

Cameron's body glowed. A bright light sparked into being in front of him. It morphed and solidified into the shape of a shield. His body blurred. He zoomed to the side, shooting across a quarter of the training yard. The ground broke in his path. Grass shattered. Dirt exploded. Gladiators had to leap out of his way.

It didn't hit Zack. Why? Did he use it to gain the speed to dodge Zack's Aegis Rush? That sounded like a great plan.

But Zack's body didn't glow as he landed on the grass, sliding to a stop. A shield of light didn't appear before him. His body didn't blur. He didn't move at all.

He didn't use the Aegis Rush. Why? Ryan definitely saw that he chanted the Aegis Rush incantation. But Zack's wide smirk and Cameron's frown explained everything.

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Zack didn't finish chanting the incantation. He began it, but didn't finish it. Zack's incantation chanting was a feint, baiting Cameron into using his.

Zack spun to Cameron, and began chanting the incantation again.

But Cameron responded by chanting a different incantation. Ryan remembered this one. He heard it yesterday.

It was the Aegis Skill. Did Cameron intend to counter Zack's Aegis Rush with a regular Aegis in order to block it? That could work!

Zack finished chanting the Aegis Rush incantation. His body glowed. A wall of white light sparked into being in front of him. His body blurred. He disappeared, leaving a mini crater on the ground where he stood. A cloud of dust and grass burst behind it. Ryan blinked and Zack appeared in front of Cameron.

And he finished his own incantation. Light sparked around his body. A shield formed from luminescence appeared in front of him, pointed towards Zack's blurring form.

But Ryan looked closely at Zack. He focused on his mouth. It was moving. Was he chanting another incantation whilst using the Aegis Rush? Judging from the movement of Zack's mouth the Incantation was unfamiliar. Ryan flicked through his Skill Book to see if he could find any that looked similiar to how it sounded. He finally found it.

…"durum kappa!" Zack chanted, shoving his spear past his Aegis Rush's shield of light. His spear glowed as it blurred towards Cameron.

Zack was using the Shatter Slash Skill, exclusive to Warriors between Level 20 and 40.

Zack's spear zoomed towards Cameron's Aegis. It smashed straight through it. Clouds of twinkling light burst from the cracks and shards of the Aegis. Cameron's Aegis disappeared, leaving nothing between him and Zack's Aegis Rush.

Zack's luminescent shield smashed straight into Cameron. The impact sent him flying across the training yard. He flipped and rolled in the air. Guards stepped out of the way, letting Cameron crash into a cobbled wall. Shattered stones flew away from the impact, scattering all across the training yard. Cameron fell away from the wall, landing on all fours. Blood trickled out of his mouth and nose. He gasped for breath. Sweat stampeded down his body. Blood dappled his rags from his injured chest. He dragged himself up to his knees. Then to one foot. But by the time staggered to a stand, Zack's shadow already smothered him. Zack already raised his spear up high.

By the time Cameron's eyes swivelled up to meet Zack, his spear blurred downwards and smacked Cameron in the face, twisting in head far, and spinning his body in the air. He tumbled onto the grass. He rolled across it. But this time he didn't get back up. His eyes were closed.

It was over.

The gladiators clapped, all of their eyes wide with shock at their awe-inspiring display of strength. Ryan's team clapped and looked on with smiles.

"Are they even human at this point?" Marissa asked, eyes widened at Cameron and Zack. Whilst she smiled, her knees trembled. A mixture of excitement and fear. "They're monsters. Glad they're on our side. For now."

"There is no word for it, except surreal," Lucien said, chin cupped in palm and staring at Cameron and Zack intently as if staring at a painting.

"I could barely keep track of what was going on," Dennis said, mouth gaping. "What's the point of us, if they're here?"

"That might've been the coolest thing I've ever seen!" Natalia said, a big grin on her face. Her eyes were wide and sparkling as he stared at Cameron and Zack. "Both of them are amazing!"

Ryan had to agree with all of them. This was a situation where no one could disagree. Both of them were incredible. But the problem was that one was stronger than the other. He hoped that the fight would humble Zack, but it did no such thing. It did the opposite.

The consequences of that felt too real when Zack turned to Ryan and spread a heart rattling smirk on his face. Ryan lurched. He nearly tripped from the intimidation of it. He nearly cried from how pathetic he felt at that moment. To be so severely afraid of another man in that way was nothing short of unacceptable. He had to get strong, and quickly, or else Zack would destroy him. If not physically, then mentally.

Would he really have to end up quitting becoming a gladiator? Unless, Franocles did something. Ryan turned to the dais.

"How much did you want to sell Zack to me for, again?" Franocles asked, smirking at Countess Gladine.

She didn't look at him. She grimaced as she stared at Zack standing over Cameron's unconscious body.

"Well?"

She opened her mouth, but then closed it.

Franocles snorted. "Well, it was nice chatting with you dear sister." He stood up. "I planned to meet with Morgius later today, so I'll have to leave promptly." He began to walk." Have a good da-"

"Wait," Countess Gladine interrupted. Franocles turned to her. She beckoned him back. "Take a seat."

He raised his brows at her.

"Please."

Franocles sighed. He walked back to his chair. "How much?" He asked. He sat down.

Countess Gladine shook her head. She grimaced at the ground. "Fine." She snatched her wine glass, downed the wine, slapped it down on the table, and then turned to glare at Franocles. "1,500 Tennars."

"Only?"

"1,700 then."

"2,000."

She crossed her arms. She laid back in her seat. "Fine." She turned away from him. "Take Zack and go."

Franocles grinned as he stood up. "Pleasure doing business with you, dear sister." He held out his hand to her.

Her eyes swivelled to the hand. She scowled at it. She flicked her hand at it, swiftly grasped it, and then yanked her hand away, barely shaking it. She turned away again. "Take him and go. I want you gone as soon as possible."

Franocles shrugged and turned away. "Don't want to say any goodbyes to your favourite slave?"

"If it means your staying any longer, then no."

"What about some goodbyes to your dear brother?"

"Brothers don't threaten their sisters." Her face softened, sadness covering it. "You're not family anymore."

Franocles chuckled. "An elven girl who spreads human apologist misinformation deserves no family." He walked off the dais and towards Franocles. "Humans were the first to invade, oppress, and enslave the elves. Not the other way around. The treatment they receive now is justice. Just like how your infamy for saying such abhorrent things is justice."

"I'm not a human apologist," she muttered. "I hate them just as much as you. I just thought to tell the truth."

Ryan didn't care much for Countess Gladine or her troubles, but regardless of who you were, treating your sister in such a way was despicable. Countess Gladine was a garbage person, but Franocles was the garbage amongst garbage. Anger boiled up in his stomach at simply looking at his self-satisfied and constantly smirking face. Whilst Ryan didn't hate Zack as much as Franocles, they were like two peas in a pod. It felt appropriate for them to be together.

"That was an incredible display!" Franocles said as he approached Zack. He beckoned his guards to come to him, and he pulled his Manbane Wand off of his belt. "For a human, at least."

Zack snorted and rolled his eyes.

"As a reward for your display of strength…" Franocles' guards arrived at his side and handed Slave Cuffs to him. Franocles dangled them in front of Zack's face. "You're coming with me."

Zack narrowed his eyes at him. "What's the average level of your gladiators?"

"Fifteen. Higher than my sisters, if that's what you're wondering. But I don't have any wild cards like you, so you'll still get to indulge in the pleasure of being the strongest."

Zack's eyes shifted to gaze at Countess Gladine atop the dais. His eyes swept across the training yard, across the others slaves, across Ryan, Dennis, Marissa, Lucien, and Natalia, and then rested on Cameron. His face softened a bit. "We had our differences. We fought. But neither of us were the sort to hold grudges. Our fights just made us stronger. I'm sure we'd laugh and joke as soon as you woke up, like blood was never spilled." He stared down at Cameron for a bit. Deep in thought. Then he shrugged and turned away to look back up at Franocles. "Shame you can't say goodbye to someone after knocking them out cold."

Zack turned to Ryan and nodded at him. "Tell Cameron I'll see him in the finals."

Ryan nodded back. He didn't know if he should be happy or afraid. Having him stay in the team would be useful, but during which Zack would try his best to kick Ryan off the team. But now that he left, he'd probably have to face him at some point in the gladiator tournament. And if not him, then someone much worse. Or he could die long before that.

"I'll do it." Zack turned back to Franocles and nodded at him. "I'll join your team."

Franocles burst into laughter. "I may be your prior master's brother, but I'm not her." He pointed his Manbane Wand at Zack. "Until you hand me that win, you won't be able to make another choice in your measly little life."

Despite Franocles' threats, Zack did nothing but smirk at Franocles' Manbane Wand. Franocles responded to Zack's smirk with a scowl. He huffed, shrugged, and walked past him to the archway of the training yard. "He'll learn eventually." He beckoned his guards to follow him. "They all do."

The guards snapped Slave Cuffs around not just his wrists, but his ankles as well. Whilst Zack may have been joining a stronger team, the cost was a loss of freedom and being owned by a much worse slaver.

Ryan turned to Countess Gladine and saw her grimace at the archway. Even when appearing so upset, doing such awful things, and becoming a slaver, he couldn't deny that she was better than her brother.

Ryan couldn't help but feel worried for Zack and what he'd experience as Franocles' slave. But more so worried for himself and if he and his team would be able to overcome Zack's monstrous strength.

Cameron was out cold, carried out of the training yard by household slaves. Fear wormed up his stomach. Worried about dying in the Continent of Mana to monsters. Worried about making a misstep and being executed for being human. Worried about dying in the coliseum. But Ryan approached his dropped spear, picked it up and clenched it tight. He turned to the rest of his team. He nodded at Marissa, Natalia, Lucien, and Dennis, and beckoned them towards him. All he could do was keep training. Only then could he make sure that his fears wouldn't be realised.

So he twirled his spear between his fingers. This time it didn't fall from his grasp.

Lucien practised his dagger skills alone. Marissa practised throwing rocks at arrows held in Natalia's hand, and Natalia practised shooting arrows out of Marissa's hand.

Dennis insisted on sparring with Ryan. He didn't refuse. They ran at each other. Their spears clashed.

But it wasn't long until wood met flesh and Dennis slammed his spear against Ryan's cheek. The impact sent him stumbling off his feet till he fell on the grass. Dennis smiled down at Ryan on the floor, letting out a little chuckle, but a frown replaced it when Ryan rushed back up to his feet without so much as a stutter. Dennis ran back at Ryan, but with more aggression this time.

But the same thing kept happening over and over again, for hours and hours. Dennis may have been a level higher but it didn't comfort Ryan much. Nothing could comfort the stinging bruises he could feel all over, and the blood leaking out his mouth. The spear felt more comfortable in his hand and his strikes went exactly where he imagined them to go. He was acquiring skill. But not any wins.

"You should take a break," Lucien said to Ryan, frowning at the blood on his face.

"Yeah," Marissa said as she looked over. "I don't think there's any need to endure such beatings while sparring. It's just practice after all."

Dennis scowled at Marissa, making her bristle.

"I mean, It's just my opinion after all," she said and turned back to Natalia. "You can do what you want. It's your training."

Natalia giggled at Marissa.

"It's not just your opinion, Marissa," Lucien said. He turned to Dennis and Ryan. "If you're not willing to decrease the violence of your sparring, at least take more frequent break-"

"No," Ryan said, interrupting Lucien and Dennis who was surprised to see him deny. "I'm gonna keep sparring. This little chat is all the break I need."

Lucien sighed and turned back to his daggers. "You can only lead a horse to water."

Dennis smiled at Ryan and ran at him again. But this time, Ryan didn't just block Dennis' attacks, he parried them, guiding them past his body. He didnt' stumble out the way of Dennis' attacks, he dodged them, hopping around him, and dashed to his blind spots, making Dennis bristle every time he swung at him. He made Dennis pant more and more, sweat more and more, until finally-

Dennis slammed his spear into Ryan's stomach. Something hot rushed up his chest. Vomit burst out of his mouth. Ryan fell to his knees, continuously coughing onto the grass. Dennis twirled his spear and smiled down at Ryan.

But then Ryan leapt over his vomit, and rushed at Dennis to spar again. Dennis shuddered at the sight of Ryan's newfound energy. His limbs shook as she frantically blocked Ryan's strikes. But his body flew when Ryan slammed his spear into Dennis' neck.

He crashed against the ground with a yell. He groaned as he writhed in the dirt, gingerly touching his hurt neck.

After doing that for a few moments, he staggered off the floor, and glared up at a smiling Ryan. "This doesn't mean anything!" Dennis roared, spit spraying out of his mouth. "I beat you hundreds of times! One win doesn't let you get cocky!"

"I agree," Ryan said. But he didn't stop smiling. "But one win in one day of sparring with you lets me get excited about what I'll be able to do to your face in two days."

Ryan wasn't a master with a spear, but he made enough beginner's progress to be excited. To actually win anything against Dennis, a Warrior with months' more experience and a level over him, was progress to be proud of.

Countess Gladine's soldiers began banging spear to shield, the sound of which rumbled over the top of the rest of the gladiator's sparring tumult.

Ryan's first day of training was over.