60th chapter : duration of actual work .

As the meeting went off with Emilis settling most of what the others were looking at, It was obvious that the shock of such a childish dream of being able to live as normal as any other human, gave even the guild masters who’re considered the strongest a hard time thinking about it. The meeting and many other decisions were taken after that easily, whilst the problem was temporarily solved until the arrival of the festival.

An hour later ,

“kueheehaaa!! Drinking after being stressed is truly the best thing!!” Jeanne said as she was drinking from the bottle straight.

“Well it’s like having a dinner with everyone so I kinda get it” Emilis responded as he was eating.

“Thanks master Alexander for this”.

Annie said, sitting and eating next to Emilis. The two of them were the nondrinkers of the group.

“You say that but you don’t drink at all!?”

Alexander tried to give Annie and Emilis a drink.

“Enough of it old man, you know both of us don’t drink” responded Emilis.

Emilis was pushing Alexander away as he saw that he was drunk, while Annie was just grinning awkwardly, trying to avoid their pushing requests.

“At least the food is enjoyably good, and the taste of the wine is refreshing too” Edina said as she was eating on her own elegantly.

Everyone heard her clearly as they thought she wasn’t drinking like the rest of them, they turned to see her before a worried smile would appear on her face. Luckily for her Recka spoke to take their attention.

“It’s clear that doing this once a while is good”.

Recka grinned as he poured for them more drinks, Emilis looked at him, sighing at the devilish smile Recka had beneath that soft grin.

“Anyway, you said you were in the toss realm, What happened there exactly?” Henry asked him, looking at Emilis trying to avoid the drinks.

“Huh, It wasn’t my idea to go there in the first place. It was my member’s idea” Emilis responded then Alexander cut him off,

“Ooh!! Marco kun was it?!!”.

They all looked at him as Annie and Jeanne realized that even Alexander knows him. For what it looked like, the conversation was worth the attention of the other masters.

“Yeah, it was his idea. I don’t get it well but when he first appeared in front of my restaurant he said that Alba sent him here. More or less, he spent six months before being able to get back here. At first I wasn’t sure that he was telling the truth but after spending some time with him, I came to realize that he wasn’t lying at all and I wasn’t expecting that I’m going to meet Alba san eventually, in the first place” Emilis was talking as they were all listening to him silently.

After telling them what happened shortly and how their training went under Alba so he can tease them about it, most of the guild masters sighed but had a smug reaction afterwards.

“I guess this is the signal!! Let the best guild win!! After all, it was not only Emilis’ kids who were training their hardest!!” Alexander raised his cup as he was declaring war on everyone there.

“It’s decided when we meet on the island then”stated Jack.

Jack was about to join Alexander for the cup toast as Emilis said out of the blue, getting everyone’s attention.

“Wait an island!? I thought we are doing the royal battle thing this year?” Emilis said, startled.

They all looked at him as they chuckled.

“That won’t be happening. I guess it is your fault for not being present during the meetings. We decided with the elders to make it a six trials event. We’ll meet after a month on the island with all our guilds’ members and let them participate in many fights and games” Annie explained shortly to him as Emilis was surprised to hear that.

“Mostly that’s what Edina and Annie decided, but the rest of us said that it’ll be only decided by the last event where we get one individual holder to win the election tournament” Jeanne said.

Emilis was surprised but felt happy as Jeanne said the words, individual hardships.

“And so we said the things, who wants to start the bets?” Diablo spoke, changing the topic.

“Aren’t we supposed to let these after we see the first game?” Eren responded.

“Eren has a point and so I agree with him” Edina spoke, trying to run away from the bets since she was bad at gambling.

“Edina chan being a scaredy cat as usual, huh!?!” Alexander said, teasing her.

“You’re being a pushy old man, I’m also out of these bets. I guess I’ll keep things out of it for a while”.

Emilis shocked them with his statement as he looked aside with a calm smile. The guild masters saw that he was either confident in his members’ strength or he was just afraid to make a losing bet in their eyes.

After that long drinking party Emilis returned to the restaurant by the time it was afternoon. He entered by the front door with a heavy sigh welcoming some of the customers before something would get his attention.

“What’s going on?”.

Emilis asked as he saw Sophie trying to help in the service work.

“Ah, most of the kids went to see the fight down so I let her help,” Fabia responded as she was looking out for Sophie.

“What fight?” Emilis asked as he didn’t know what she was talking about.

“Marco and Sam are fighting! They returned angry at each other after the patrol so they decided on going for a fight. Hana said that they had something between them but couldn’t fight because of the people during the patrol” Zack and Iris responded as they entered with some groceries from the back door.

Emilis looked at them then sighed, knowing that it wasn’t a good thing to let them go for that fight. Many things would be turned into problems if one of them would do something wrong.

“I don’t think that Marco nii is losing but I guess it was not a good thing to let them go for it” Arthur said, seeing that Emilis was getting tired of these actions for a reason.

“You guys are doing what you want and the things are getting out of my hands now. What’s next you, trying to kill me in my sleep!?”.

Emilis took off his coat and went to the training ground to see what’s going on and so Arthur went with him. He had a cheesy smile.

“I may not try to kill you in your sleep but I may prank you so better watch out” he responded smugly as Emilis looked at him.

“kid, I’m gonna whoop your ass if you do that so keep your distance, and know your limits. ” Emilis had to answer him at the end.

An hour earlier,

“oh! Marco returned!! so it means we can finally start some training!!”.

Rachel said as she was taking a seat with Maria and Ralph watching Alex doing some running around the area.

“Sorry not for the moment, I have something that I need to settle first. Alex senpai! Can you put around some barriers?” Marco said, apologizing as he smiled at Rachel.

Even Alex found it weird and had an explanation from Yuna after that. Alex smiled at that explanation given that she thought it was a bit more calm than usual today.

“Sorry to let you do that Alex san” said Sam.

Sam passed through as he was wearing his council uniform. A distinct feeling of dense vibration ran through Alex as he passed by her which caught the attention of everyone who came afterwards.

“Are you wearing that so you can minimize the damage?” Marco was stretching his arms and legs as Sam was fully prepared.

“Yeah, speak of yourself but this is my battle outfit for the moment, I don’t wanna kick you hard that I would break some of your bones, so I’m limiting my strength” Sam responded as they all gathered to see.

“Is he going to fight the eighth rank now?”.

Elise asked, sitting next to Alice who came along with Carla, Miha, Tanya and Hana while the others who were present with Alex.

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“I guess it won’t be that bad, we’re gonna see how Sam’s gonna fight against Marco” Carla answered as she was getting enthusiastic.

“Uhm, I’m not sure again but aren’t you worried about Marco? Sam sama’s the eighth ranked on top of all the council” Elise said as she was worried at some point.

“Eli from your point of view, what did you think when you fought him?” Alex asked out of the blue.

Elise was stunned by that question.

“I thought when he beat me that this guy surely is more dangerous than the other three”.

Elise responded as she saw that Marco didn’t release his serment and took his stance normally, a deafening silence came upon the area after her answer.

“Well that guy is capable of making master Emilis stay on the defensive for a while” Alice said as she whistled at the beginning of the battle.

As both got ready, Sam saw that Marco was still insisting on the point that he’s not releasing his serment.

“Since we are fighting now, it’ll most likely be the timing when we’ll badmouth each other and talk honestly, so this is my question for you! if you reawakened?! then why didn’t you say a thing until now!?” Sam said as he released his serment along with some dense afterwaves.

“As I said. My memories are tangled and I don’t remember a slightest thing, even if I knew back then. Then why didn’t you say a thing or return after a year or something!?” Marco responded as they clashed at each other.

Marco perfectly Blocked Sam’s arm from initiating the first slash then dodged the next one before bending his body to the back, landing a kick to Sam’s face thereafter leapt away a few steps to the back. Sam was taken by that swift combo, he breathed heavily before attacking again.

“That’s because my household is!! Grandpa is strict about it!! Did you think I would let Hana here on her own with you?!” Sam responded, dashing to blow Marco with the back of his sword.

Sam’s speed was rather good so his attack did land on Marco’s guts swiftly which sent him flying away.

“You’re a huge liar for someone who said that I won’t let you stay on your own back then!!” Marco answered while upside down almost falling to the ground as he balanced himself after that.

“And what’s with you!! going as if you’re the strongest around!! nothing to fear!! Aren’t you getting a little bit cocky?!”.

Sam sprinted again towards Marco with full strength, aiming to pierce through his shoulder with a non-fatal strike therefore Marco this time had anticipated it. Marco deflected his trajectory to the right while leaving an open spot for himself to land a gentle wind thrust as a blow which sent him flying away.

“Whom I fear, that’s for me to decide and I guess it’s time to stop the talk and fight seriously, don’t you think?”.

Marco started stretching his arms, waiting for Sam to get up from the ground. Sam was surprised by the hit thinking that it was just an afterwave of Marco’s physical strength, he stood wiping the dust off his jacket before heaving a sigh whilst looking at Hana having a joyful time. Hana looked at Sam directly which meant that the two crossed gazes at one point.

“I guess I should really remove those limiters after all. It is time to stop playing around”.

Sam was talking on his own however Marco didn’t leave for him an open space as he instantly appeared in front of him, landing a strong punch to his guts effortlessly.

“Limiters. Are you saying that I’m weak?” Marco said as he landed some other punches then kicked him to the right side.

“Not that I’m saying you’re weak, I’m saying that I should stop playing around now” Sam responded as the vibe around him instantly changed as an ice cold aura was released simultaneously, “I hardly think this is for your own level but I might as well fight entirely to beat you this time. Whatever you say that your serment is?! I don’t care!!” Sam said as he stood holding his katana.

His serment looked like an O-katana with a jade color on its back and three stitches on it, as the hold was mostly white mixed with the jade color, aside from the tsuba’s particular design that looked like pentagon shaped tsuba.

“Ah I guess I should start by getting serious too” Marco said coldly as he released his dark sword too.

Sam didn’t want to believe it at first look, but he admitted that it was truly Marco’s serment on its first release. Therefore it piqued his interest how calm that release was, Sam had thrown that thought away.

“Here I come!!”.

Sam roared and ended up blocking the black sword that Marco threw towards him with a fine throw.

At that instant Sam didn’t know what happened as Marco appeared from the left side, grabbing the black sword and was about to slash through Sam’s left arm, however Sam was quick enough to get his guard back and block the attack.

At the moment that Sam blocked the attack, he leaped to the back, making some space but couldn’t stop the wind thrust that blew him away again, Marco used a chain after that and caught Sam from feet smacking onto the ground.

Sam was surprised by the sudden amount of fast attacks that Marco was pulling swiftly with no flaws. In addition, he thought it was time to use something else than the base swordsmanship.

Sam took a deep breath before freeing himself from the chains by putting the sword in between his legs, however that wasn’t his only purpose as Sam muttered something before the entire area around him, including the chains, was caught in a solid ice witchcraft.

Sam stood wiping the dust off his jacket again, seemingly making it an act of mockery to Marco’s efforts until now.

“You’re not the only one with an element affinity!!”.

Sam yelled, smiling as he blocked a punch from Marco, rendering him unbalanced for a strong kick that sent him flying away to the opposite side of the training grounds.

Marco fathomed that it would happen and so even Yuna was laughing out loud at this outcome, he sighed after standing up again, looking around to see the others having a blast at this fight, thinking it was a spectacle show. However, this time it was time for Sam to close all the open spaces for Marco as he came from the west side, unleashing an ice slash at him who dodged it by kneeling down.

Marco avoided getting hit again by jumping away as soon as Sam got close, he was going for the distance movement as he tried to hit Sam multiple times but refrained from doing so before getting his black sword back through pulling a chain to bring it from where it was dropped.

Sam was impressed as he saw Marco slightly coating his serment with a layer of breezy wind.

The two clashed again numerous times by now. They pulled to the back to take some breaths.

“I’m surprised that you can pull a proper fight!”.

Sam said as he dodged two wind thrusts then swung his sword to the ground unleashing an ice slash at Marco.

“I’d say that just like you, I’m not going at my full too, so”.

Marco responded as he instantly jumped to the air, avoiding being touched by Sam’s iced attack that froze the land.

Sam wasn’t acting serious too as he had a laugh on him while fighting, as if he was underestimating Marco’s strength from the beginning of the battle.

“It seems that your little breeze can’t go through my ice as I see. What happened to -I don’t wanna kick your ass in front of people-?” Sam said as he was planting his sword in the middle of the ground.

Marco noticed that Sam was wasting time to create an ice stand and so he went for the close combat instead. To his surprise, Sam was completely ready for that as he blocked Marco’s round kick before he would instantly land a fatal strike on Marco’s arm via slashing it with an icicle that was launched from beneath the ground.

Everyone was surprised that it made an impact on Marco as Sam didn’t stop there, he held Marco from his injured arm extending it to unbalance him. Followingly, a strengthened hit came in, sending Marco right at the barrier that the others deployed for them to sit back and watch. Carla stepped ahead, using a healing potion on him.

“You’re doing good, there?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m doing fine enough. Could you hold this for me, I hardly think I’ll be wearing it again now it’s sliced” Marco replied, calmly stepping back into the battle.

Sam smiled, waiting for his return.

“So you’re quite the fool, huh?” Sam said calmly.

Marco looked at him.

“I’m not sure about what you want, but I can’t say that I’m not mad about what you did back then. You left Hana on her own after saying you’re going to stay around, she cried each time we tried to play something the three of us used to do together. On top of that, you didn’t apologize even now, that was the end of my own punishment now”

Marco said with a completely blank face as Sam thought he misspelled the last sentence.

“Don’t you mean like your punishment as in my own?”.

Sam asked, seeing Marco taking off an accessory from his right arm which didn’t look like anything special therefore it shocked him, what came next to that move. Marco did an instant release of an aura dense enough to look like the depth of oceans, it reached about 100 meters in diameter which Sam now was standing inside of it.

“What the hell?”.

Sam said but Marco interjected, answering the question marks on both him and the others like Elise and Fabia’s girls.

“I told you, didn’t I? And even though Hana had informed you, I reawakened, not like you lot. What you’re seeing right now is just a fraction that I supposedly suppressed with this accessory although the rest is sealed away too. Your punishment starts now” Marco said as Sam was struck by the heaviness of the aura.

“Come!!”.

Sam roared as the two were about to clash again, therefore in the blink of an eye Marco appeared in front of him, rendering all thoughts of a possible full attack useless.

Sam was about to lift his sword to slash out of instinct through Marco. His sword passed through an afterimage as Sam’s eyes couldn’t believe it, seeing two of Marco’s figures standing in front of him while he felt his ice clearly hitting something. He saw the afterimage disappear while the black sword was what got captured inside the ice.

Sam was rendered off his katana too as Marco’s momentum was higher now, he blew him away with a punch before swinging the chains to pull him back, however Sam had finally gone full strength instead of mocking Marco. Sam instantly unleashed ice out of his sword with a minimum control of the euro flow.

Sam wasn’t going for just a fight this time but for an instant kill somehow forgetting that it was a testing battle. Therefore he was struck by surprise to see chains blocking for Marco’s side, although he let him go but not without damage.

Marco stood in a refined stance, unleashing a wind thrust that purposely grazed up Sam’s right shoulder letting him bleed off on that white jacket he’s been mockingly wiping it.

“That’s for badmouthing Hana and this is what my breeze can do. Eighth rank can’t block a simple hit is truly something laughable”.

Marco was walking towards him calmly as everyone besides red mermaid members thought it was quite the killing intent they’ve been feeling.

“I see, so you’re still the same as you always have been, tsk”

Sam mumbled after smiling softly for that click of tongue to come afterwards, a deathly bloodlust was released after that as Sam used a healing potion to heal his shoulder and dropping off the uniform away.

“It’s the face off you’ve been waiting for a moment now. Don’t you think so?”.

“Yeah, I think so too,”.

Marco responded calmly to the euro pressure that Sam released while others were thinking it was wrong to let them continue.

“Aren’t you going to stop them? It’s bad if we let them go to that!” Maria and Rachel said, wanting to stop the fight.

“Ahahaha! don’t worry!! Even if the pressure is real, everything will be fine promptly!!” Alex responded standing from her place.

Both were determined to kill each other.

Marco stood in a stance, holding his black sword to the air as Sam held it forward about to pierce. No deathly aura or euro pressure was lingering from Marco’s side which ticked Sam somehow but he kept a steady face. As they were about to attack each other a sudden bubble made of the same material as the barriers blocked both stopping them.

Emilis entered the training ground.

“You’re taking a lot of pride in fighting recently!!” He addressed both of them, keeping the bubble on.

Sam and Marco calmed down as the barrier got them closer to Emilis ,

“Well I wasn’t going to go at full that’s the least I’d say”.

Marco responded then broke from the bubble barrier easily. At that moment, Sam who had some struggles to get free realized that Marco was still far from being serious, alas for him it was two steps away from going full.

“Sigh, I know you two have some unsettled problems but using my training grounds like that isn’t something I appreciate. Do it again and you’ll see what I can do” Emilis said, seeing that Sam was dejected by the outcome. “Sam kun!! To my office and for you. they’re your punishment”.

Sam didn’t know what Emilis wanted from him but those feelings of losing had him follow the orders quietly.

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