Beiye

My VIP box. My fucking VIP box blew up.

“MADAM! We have to leave!” My guard lifted me from the floor. As I took a second to get to wipe the wood chips off my expensive clothes, his brother opened the door out with a sword ready. I looked back at the wreckage, about to faint from the shock

“My ring! My business!! They're going to destroy it all!”

“And there is nothing you can do about it! Move it!” He yanked me to the door and I heard clanking. “Behind me, Madam!” Brux blocked a heavy attack to his chest with his broadsword. The musclebound man struggled too much for the amount I was paying him. The fourth circle pushed the attack down and the floor broke from its power. Between Brux’s legs, I saw a sword made of rock. I peeked from the side of my guard’s body and glowing eyes noticed me from a gravel face. Oh great… A golem. I heard footsteps. Pat rolled on the floor, blood trickling down from his eyebrow, while he struggled to stand with his sword. A dozen eyes glow behind our enemy.

Golems.

Tarion

Left arm raised, dozens of shields of mana made a barrier above. I felt them cracking from the assault and I healed them back to a hundred per cent. Many flame spears swerved around. On both sides, the heat increased. I waited. They zoomed in. Sweat drips down my brown. A flash step back caused-

My feet were stuck. The ground under me transformed into chains to my legs.

“Fuck sake!” Mana repulsed from my calves and the stone shattered. I darted backwards before the stone could reform back into chains. A fireball closed in and I sliced it away. Wind blocked against three spears. I step again with feet light and evade a rain of icicles. I landed after my long jump and immediately flash-stepped again before the stone caught me again. Icicles, flames, and stone attacked, never giving me a chance to breathe.

I got to take to the air.

One more flash step and both arms pressed close to my chest. I shouted, expelling wind on all sides. A few seconds to assess the situation. It is enough.

Kurt, with his heightened senses, would have heard my call. Smart, Vel may be but he isn't a battle mage. Seekers gave him a good challenge. However, if they could handle him for a minute, I could.

TING

I heard weapons striking stone. Golems?. To kill any witnesses. Cold but brash. All subtlety has gone out the window. But with golems, his attention is split. It's noteworthy that he could manage that many spells at once. So many different calculations—of course the rune crown. I thought it peculiar. Many mages require a staff with a mana crystal. He is still in his disguise but if I can destroy the crown…

I decided.

Attribute window plonked to my hand and my fingers tapped away. Agility allotted fifty and senses with fifty-five.

image [https://i.imgur.com/5E3i63i.png]

I couldn't compete in mana or techniques but speed. POWER. I had them in spades.

My eyes were hot. I saw that mage's slick smile in black and white. Illuminated like a glowstick in the darkest cave. Gass-like energies form spells around him. None connect to him. No tethers or lines of mana to cut. They just are. No…

I gulped.

We are inside his field.

Wind punched me to the right as a laser buzzed from behind.

I rolled in the air, barely composing the heart in my chest. The corner of my mouth stretched.

Seven circles spun. QI flowed and I felt a thrill.

I thought the battle at Kirgfield assuaged my desire. But I was addicted. I needed to see his blood on my sword; watch his bowels drop as he cried in agony.

Everything rides on this battle and I can’t help but feel the bliss of battle.

Nothing can compare. NOTHING.

I gripped my Greatsword tight with a smile and disappeared with a flash step on air. The air boomed in delay as I flew toward Vel like a comet.

Kurt

My master called and I ran to be by his side. Alpha regiment Osberg guards ran behind with huffing breaths but I pressed on. They trained for situations such as this. The tunnels underground are long and dark and seem to trick the eyes. Perfect for a bunker.

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

I should have gone inside with him. But I have been told that my “demeanour” was “clockable.” That I act like a "copper." I still do not understand my master's strange sayings. But I am sure they are wise.

“Sir! The left! It's a shortcut!” A third circle guard shouted. I remembered him regularly complaining about losing money at the fights. I trusted him and travelled his way. Yards away heavy, clunky footsteps.

“Ready yourself, men!” The group of sword shinged out of scabbards. Arm up, i grap the air. A block of ice coalesced into my hand, and with a swipe, ice shed from the sculpture and I held my pristine sabre.

"It's spectacular every time, sir.”

“Concentrate. Protect the flank. Keep your mana shield strong.” Feet slid with mana. Coated in ambient energy, I sliced a golem in two. “And follow me.” I pounced at three stone golems. One aimed its stone sword. With a spark, the tip of their blade shot at me. My head titled, dodging one rock, and my sabre of solid water sliced the last two with its pressurised edge. More rocks followed, and my sword diced and cut them, leaving the fallen split rocks with a mirror shine. I eased on my sabre and with swiftness, I whipped at the three golems from yards away. Their top halves almost slid before recombining back to normal.

“Umm.”

“What do we do!?” The gambling private asked with fear in his young voice.

A sabre bulged and twisted, collecting enough water to make a hammer. I heard more heavy footsteps far in the distance and brave fighters struggling.

If I cannot deal with this, helping the master is a forgone thought.

“Ground them into dust.”

Tarion

My greatsword hit a beautiful shield of mana. So much control and finesse can only be created by a mage of high skill.

He used two hands to make it.

I fled back, evading lighting and flame spears. Like swallows, Vel’s spells followed me as I twisted and flipped in the air. Avoiding death by a hair length, I limited my mana armour to my skin, routing most of my power and focus to speed.

I paused in the air, meters above the ring. A laser burnt the air by my chest. I ignored every instinct to lean back and saved my life from another laser.

I can feel them somehow…

I stayed still for too long and vines of purple rose from the ground. Mana slices with my greatsword ripped them to pieces. On the edge of my right eye, in black and white, I saw a spell that finished forming.

Cant dodge!

BOOM!

Senses slowed down the world and mana armour shielded my right arm. But it was too close. Back to the ground, I fell with a scalding arm, and my left hand shot out a gale to slow my descent. Purple vines caught me, wrapping around my limbs with strength enough to grind a second circle to grain. I still held my greatstone and I rushed in, cutting my way out.

“Let’s try four,” the mage said from afar. The same faint energy flew from Vel and encircled me.

Faster!

I cut the strange energy and ran into it. Three large explosions rock me forward. I scrambled up and guarded with my sword. Looking up, I saw Vel scowling.

Good, good. Get angry.

“So it was you who gave the horn the scrolls. Got tired of getting cucked every night and went to him for some pleasure!?”

In a blink, Vel and I are face to face. More like face-to-chest.

“Ahh… I was just guessing but was I too close to ho-

I open my eyes to a fist of floating glowing runes swirling around Vel’s fist.

On the wall. Broken ribs on my left. Weaponless. A right straight coming to my face. Shiiit…

I leaned back and the fist of magic destroyed the ring wall and a few pews.

Open. In close, I targeted the mage's chin. And I missed?

A back slap from the magic fist spun me around. Using the momentum and mana, I backkicked at the bastard's head. With a small lean a few degrees back, my kick missed completely. Vel smiled and lifted his right leg with swirling runes. A snap off his leg and I crash into the pews. Purple vine strangled my leg and I was thrown back into the ring to receive a painful hammer strike to my body. The ground cracked as I landed on my back and blood spit from my mouth when I bounced up. Before I could land again, a hammer strike came again from the grinning mage. My feet created a platform of air and I pushed off to escape the explosive fists.

I regained my stance. “How? HOW!?!” I asked, breathing harshly.

“I am sure you think you know all. An oracle in all but name you think of yourself. But that book, right? Manhwa? Yeah, that's it! The annoying prince loves me! The story is not the end. Life doesn't end after the kiss at the altar!

I looked to the right at the sword of Osberg stuck in to ground. A tether wiggle closed and was obliterated by an even stronger mana.

LIFE IS STRUGGLE! LIFE IS HARDSHIP! LIFE IS DEATH! YOU COME HERE THINKING YOU HAVE THE ANSWERS? DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THIS WORLD!!”

What the fuck is he talking about?

“I ain't tryna hear a cuck’s crazed ramblings!”

“HOW DARE YOU!”

Using his rage like fuel, Vel flicker-jabbed as sharply as a pro boxer. Philly shell tight, I protect my vitals from bone-shattering strikes.

Why did I say that…?

His strikes became more solid, and his follow-through had more purpose. Mana armour shattered from each hit, and limbs became swollen. Each punch was meant to puncture me, to tear to ribbons. Meant to kill.

“You asked before! How did I become like this? I survived!!”

Vel jabbed low on my body. My left hand opened my phill shell to parry down the punch. It was a feint and a right straight barreled to my face. My left hand swooped up to intercept and my right grabbed a fist aiming for my stomach.

“Caught ya!” My right leg lifted and so did those Vels. Boots slammed together in a thunderous boom. I pulled Vel’s left arm, he pulled mine, and we spun like ballroom dancers. I kicked at his legs and he did mine. I gave up and headbutted and Vel seemed to have the same idea. The damned cap still stayed on his head.

“Hehe. Great minds think alike. But to be compared to you is a tragedy.”

The way he moves his posture, the combination of dirty and sharp moves. The ferocity yet economical way of fighting.

Like me?