“You want to...have a play style like mine? Seriously?”

“Yup!”

Hound did not look convinced. She arched her eyebrows in suspicion.

The training arena was a wide 50-meter room with different terrains. There was ice, sand, boats, wood, metal, concrete, and most other common terrains where fights would occur. There were also racks containing nearly every weapon in gaming. Hound and Jack were currently browsing the rogue section. Hound twirled a couple small daggers with her fingers as she spoke.

“As far as I’m aware, the first class you were assigned was some type of Rogue class, Jack In a Box. Your performance was what got you recruited to this guild, wasn’t it?”

“Ah, yes, those were my clownish days.”

Hound shook her head. She walked towards the polearms section. “You rose to rank B, and then you took up the infamous combo of Spear and Magic wielding? What was it called?”

“SpellSpear!”

Hound facepalmed. “Such a stupid sounding name.”

“Hey, it was classy, and no, my second class-”

Hound sighed. “What did I do to deserve this?”

“Ahem! My second class was Jack The Ripper, an assassin type. My third was SpellSpear, and then Time Killer--a mage class really, but I converted it to wield a bow and dagger as well, which kinda made me a rogue too.”

“But that’s what I don’t get. Most of your knowledge is in the rogue and mage classes, and the Darkling, or Half-Darkling, which I’m sure you’ll find a way to fully to convert to a Darkling or something, is perfect for that. So why are you throwing that away? Why won’t you come back to the spear? You were an absolute master when you used it against that guy...what was his name again?”

Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Arlon. Come on, you remembered it a couple minutes ago.”

“Shush! And stop changing the subject! Why are you not using the spear?”

“Because, you said it.”

“Said what?”

“That I mastered it. There is no point using it anymore. There is nothing more to learn.”

Hound lifted her fingers to her lips. “Oh god, how are you so arrogant. No wonder you befriended what's-his-name.”

“A-R-L-O-N. I enjoyed those days the most. I want to crush my enemies much more than just cutting them up. You know, that sensation?”

“Yeah yeah, whatever. Anyway, that’s not going to be possible with your strength stat being so low. Your growth for it is horrid too, so there is no hope for that.”

“My intelligence is high enough, though,” Jack said, smirking.

Hound picked up a glaive. “Intelligence won’t make you swing a blade faster.”

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“Actually-”

“I do hate it when you begin a sentence like that, dear," Hound interrupted.

“Actually, yes, yes it will,” Jack finished.

“Go ahead and explain, as you would of regardless of what I say next," Hound said, shaking her head.

“I have an inborn racial skill called Dark Weaver. It basically allows me to control darkness. It’s pretty useless honestly, in combat at least, but I’m sure at some point I’ll be able to control the darkness enough to use it to swing my body faster and with more weight. I'll add all my stat points into that, and wabaam!" Jack yelled, posing in what he thought looked like a terror-inducing pose, "I'll be mighty strong," he said, and then resumed walking.

Hound put pack the glaive, thinking deeply. She then turned suddenly, her face full of discomfort. “Jack,” she said slowly, “What was your actual class when you had used the spear as your main weapon?”

Jack’s smirk was so wide that for a second Hound thought his skin would rip.

“Jack!” She said louder.

“Air mage. That spear? It was actually a staff that I stuck a pointy end on it.”

“For fucks sakes, man! What the hell? How stupid are you. What the fuck. Seriously. No, no, there is something severely wrong with how you live.” Hound said, ungently.

“Says you! You’ve done crazier shit than me!”

“Like what? What could possibly top playing a mage class as a front-line spearman, and actually doing better than the spearman class? You beat a Blade Master, Jack, a Blade Master for fucks sakes. In a one versus one match-- using a damn staff. Tell me. Go ahead. I’ll wait.”

Jack put his hands on his waist and thought deeply. “Let’s start with your name. Remember during a guild war against the Destiny Rulers? When your weapon broke and your fists were crushed?”

“Not a pleasant time,” Hound said, nodding.

“So you instead started using your teeth as a weapon? And when they ran away you actually chased them down and killed them? That’s pretty crazy. Like, lunatic crazy.”

“Yeah ew, a face does not taste good. But that was one time. Everyone does crazy shit when they’re in a war environment.”

"Not me!"

"You're a different type of crazy, Jack, you don't count."

Jack stuck his tongue out at her. "Then what about the time that you were in the middle a bunch of enemies and your scythe got stuck inside someone, so you just picked up the person whom the scythe got stuck in, and started swinging him around?”

“Ah! The classic beat one mother fucker with a different mother fucker. Memorable, but that’s not too odd. It’s more common than you think with people with high strength like me. The only reason why it’s not more common is because my strength is not common, not because they’re not as crazy as me.”

“Fine, then what about the time you…When you dueled that obnoxious guy, and but instead of using your Warhammer you punched him to death? That was something!”

“That’s not crazy. That’s just angry,” Hound said, tapping her foot.

For once, Jack was truly at a loss for words. He paced the wide arena for a long bit, and after a while, turned back with a slightly flustered face. “W-Well..A-Anway how about we get back to topi-!” he began, but Hound stepped forward, pressing her chest against his.

“No, I like this topic very much, Jack, let’s stay in it for a tad longer,” She said, smiling happily.

Jack did not waste his time “Fine, fine! I was wrong! You’re right! I am crazier than you, but I will add that I am crazier than you in only matters that which concern-”

Hound pecked him on the lips. “Thanks! That’s all I wanted to hear!” She said, and skipped away with tiny giggles.

“I really don’t get why you're acting so cute when your thirty-something, Hound.”

Jack’s comment did not register, as Hound had a particularly superb talent for tuning out unpleasantries. He followed after her as she listed weapons.

“Scythe?”

“Lovely, especially with my Darkling race. As you mauled me down, I took a liking to it, but it’s a bit to narrow in its focus. I’m going solo, so I need something that can be used in short spaces as well.”

“Shuko?”

“Range is way too short. I need a step’s distance to cast a spell. Probably.”

“Nunchuku?”

“Same reason as Shuko.”

“Chain-sword?”

“It’s a sword.”

“Tonfa?”

“I don’t like it.”

“Argh! So picky! Just pick one and get it over with!”

“You know, that defeats the purpose of you being here.”

“Oh please!” Hound whipped her head around, “Since when did you ever need anyone’s advice? I’m just here to keep you company, and for you to stare at my ass as I list weapons you already decided against.”

Jack coughed a bit and wisely avoided the hard look in her eyes.

“H-How about an axe?”

Hound brought her eyebrows up. “Axe and shield? That’s a horrible combination for you. I thought you hated shields.”

“I do. I’m planning on using a one-handed axe. Without the shield”

“And in your other arm? And please don't let it be another axe, because I will seriously flip."

Jack smiled. “Magic bolts of course!”

“That’s...actually not a bad idea.” Hound said, slightly surprised. "That's...normal. I mean it's still odd, but it will probably work. Oh, Jack, I'm so happy! For once you are actually doing something that is not flipping retarded!"

"Yup! That's me! Anyway..." Jack turned and began walking away. "It was nice seeing you! Bye!"

A hand clutched the back of his shirt.

"Jack?" Hound said.

"Yes, love?"

"Your ranking, Jack, what happened to it?" Hound asked, the humor in her voice fading.