Lurona city [southern shores of Fuminao Legacy Kingdom], local time [1794.01.11]

“Well, that was anticlimactic,” Zeph said, a corner of his mouth turning up slightly.

Kwan harrumphed, crossing her arms. “Her haste was unnecessary. I hope there was some reason behind it.” Because Kwan didn’t have much to prepare before her fight, they would have a few minutes to exchange words.

As Aisha was leaving the arena, another half-hour break was announced. The group discussed the short fight –what could have been done better and the disposition of Aisha’s opponent. In Zeph’s opinion, there wasn’t much to speak about. The show was too short to glean anything worthwhile, so they could only indulge in empty speculation and what-ifs.

Making use of the time, he focused on his Name in the Interface to pull up old notifications. Previously, he only recalled those pertaining to his health and it was as good a moment as any to see the aftermath of his fight.

At the end of the list of progressing Skills—some of which only advanced after his treatment—a pleasant surprise awaited him. It also explained what had happened previously.

Congratulations! [General Skills] leveled up:

[Spear [Enchanted] (style: E2M1)] is now [T2] [L75]! (+4)

[Close combat (Mima)] is now [T1] [L60]! (+5)

[Enchanted] battle [Module] is now [T3] [L5]! (+1)

[Resonation Suppression] is now [T2] [L47]! (+3)

[Will] is now [T2] [L82]! (+5)

[Will manipulation] is now [T2] [L91]! (+2)

[Will-Powered Mana manipulation] is now [T2] [L85]! (+3)

[Will-Powered Soul manipulation] is now [T2] [L23]! (+3)

[Will-Powered Soul perception] is now [T2] [L75]! (+3)

[Ambient Mana] is now [T1] [L85]! (+3)

Congratulations! You have found a mix of stimulants suitable for forcing your mind into [Self-resonation] on [Soul] level.

You have gained new [General Skill], [Stimulant-inducted trance] from the [Knowledge Base]!

Reaction from the framework of [Shaman] [Profession] detected!

[Self-resonation] successfully aligned. Extended capability confirmed.

[General Skill] [Stimulant-inducted trance] [Tier 1] upgraded to [General Skill] [Shamanic visions] [Tier 2].

New [Profession Skill Matrix] [Spiritual Synchronization] unlocked!

Aggregate reward of overlapping type found – achievement pending evaluation. [Bioscience Alchemy] [General Skill] assimilated into pending reward.

His brows rose after reading the last part. It seemed he would be rewarded for sharing some tidbits about mercury, DMSA, plastic, and other chemicals influencing biological organisms. Even if he expected some remuneration for the basic formula of the cure for mercury poisoning, most of the work was done by other people in every case, so he discarded the idea of a big reward in the past.

But that wasn’t all. It was rare to gain even one new General Skill by his own efforts. Some of his mundane skills just weren’t directly applicable in Corora’s reality. Or rather, he was missing something vital when trying to apply them in the Mana environment, so no new General Skills ever formed or diverged from ‘Memories of the Earth’. Case in point – no crossbow, atlatl, or guns-related Skills in his arsenal. As for the knowledge-based ones, like biotechnology, that knowledge had to be practically applied first and foremost – to prove his proficiency and the information validity. Something that was easier said than done, especially without the necessary equipment.

As so, gaining two new General Skills and unlocking a new Matrix for his Profession was an enormous step forward. More so when taking into account that he stumbled upon the ‘answer’ blindly.

The Magicules that Arslancle pumped in my body are probably the main reason it happened… he admitted in his mind.

It wasn’t a long shot to suspect that something like the ‘Shamanic vision’ existed as a Skill, at least going by the stories from Earth that he knew. But recreating a whole culturally-rooted ritual that included psychoactive substances seemed not only unrealistic but straight dangerous. I need to put more thought into my Profession. I should’ve searched for information in the Library, or tried to find a teacher…

He shook his head with disappointment. It was easy to blame himself, but the truth was that he never had enough time to consider the development of his Profession. What he learned from it about Spells was, undoubtedly, the most important progress he had made after arriving in Corora. But after he met the planet’s civilization his Profession just… wasn’t as useful anymore.

All this running around like a headless chicken is becoming exhausting, he sighed internally. I’ve even postponed reading from General Skills because the method is too slow. I really hope that the situation will change after this Tournament because it’s the highest time I start doing things right, he decided, glancing at the notifications again. As expected, not even one Spell leveled up – he entered the arena as prepared as he could in that regard, so there was nothing to prove or learn from the short fight. His General Skills were lagging behind, though.

It was showing just how far he had to go. The worst were the Will-related General Skills. Their development, he was sure, should be attributed to the unknown Magicules in his organism. Again, a blind luck and nothing more.

This made him feel inadequate. Almost incompetent even. Will was his forte, he should’ve done better.

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His dark musings and depressing thoughts were interrupted when Aisha entered the room.

Everyone fell silent and turned to the doors, looking at her expectantly as she marched down the stairs without batting an eye. She was back in her toga and her hair was wet. Her almost-white eyes indifferent.

“Why?” Kwan asked succinctly, as Aisha sat beside her.

“He was too weak to pose a challenge,” she said, frowning. “And they knew it. I tire of this game,” she turned to Kwan, crossing her arms. “And I will not play along with weaklings whose entire purpose is to try and cripple me.”

“Did something catch your eye?” Ghrughah asked.

“He was in possession of something that was heavily burdening his Soul. I expected a trial of endurance, not a walking trap.” She huffed. “Underhanded methods are only worth as much as the fighter using them. Don’t blame their stupidity on me.”

“Just to make sure,” Pavail interjected in a small voice. She wasn’t taking part in the Duels, so she wasn’t as informed as the rest of them. “Consciously causing long-lasting harm…” she started, glancing at Zeph, “is really allowed by the rules?”

“Yes and no,” Kwan said ambivalently, but with bitterness leaking into her voice. “From ours and the arbiters’ perspective, Arrio Arslancle didn’t use any extraordinary means during the fight, just his own arsenal of attacks. Not to mention, nobody can say what exactly is wrong with Zeph, only that his implants are malfunctioning. That’s alright according to the arena codex and the Duel rules. We lack solid evidence. As for the other instances, we never saw their hidden cards in action.” She turned to the rest of them. “We can raise a vote of doubt, but only devices designed to disable a contestant while staying unrelated to the user’s Class or Profession are prohibited. In other words, the device designation, the harmful effects, and the party’s intent all have to be verifiable. And even then, it would be allowed as long as the weaponry could have been created by the user, or had to be used to complement their Skills.”

“Politics again,” P’pfel grumbled.

Kwan shrugged. “It is what it is.”

“I don’t like how close they are to crossing the line,” Makani said, scratching his goatee. “They are too bold… Or maybe too desperate? We know about three unknown weapons or effects, unsure how many more weren’t shown…”

“We should leave that for the evening,” Aisha sighed. “The rules are too lax to call for interference for today’s matches. And we need more data.” she in a matter-of-fact tone, tilting her head back.

“I agree,” Kwan said, standing up with grace. “The after-party may become as exhausting as the battles, so rest for now.”

With those words, she turned and left for her Duel.

Everyone took Kwan’s words to heart; they all knew what was coming. A scheduled appointment with the rest of their crew. All the factions would stay inside the stadium for the duration of the Tournament and it was expected of them to interact with each other to add more weight to their vows, so information warfare was sure to happen.

Of course, the information gathering during the fights—done by noncombatants—wasn’t as easy as bribing people. Moreover, strategic locations were safely out of reach for any potential spy. Only public spaces, like restaurants or bathrooms, left any room for mingling.

It was enough, though. Sometimes, small details noticed by overly perceptive people could hint at a bigger picture. Oftentimes someone would say just a word too much. It would be a lot of work to squeeze useful data from those, though; to comb through the disinformation and conscious efforts at misdirection. A work that had to be done nonetheless.

The small talk and theory crafting continued as they waited for the fight to start, right until the combatants arrived at the arena.

Kwan’s opponent, Lucas Esmonde Lurona-Kazotaro Della, was decked in dark-brown, ornamental armor. It was stylized to look like some kind of traditional military outfit, which surprisingly resembled a Victorian suit. Rapier and long stiletto were his weapons of choice, but he had a few backups on his person, like a straight longsword by his side. Same as for almost every other combatant, an armored pack was affixed to his back. His was small and fastened low for ease of access.

Kwan, on the other hand, was sporting her new gear: the black, unadorned armor that seemed just a bit too bulky on her; oversized, razor-shaped cleaver on her back; two-handed and way too long dark-blue battle club with black barbs in her hands. Two long knives and a few pouches were strapped to her belt. A bandolier filled with metallic canisters was crossing her torso as well.

“So that would be the person who caused us the most headaches,” Ghrughah said, squinting his eyes at the man.

“The one responsible for the attack at the Vermilla island when we looked for Irra,” Makani added, giving a nod.

“Supposedly. There is no proof. This Lesser Landlord is merely an intermediary,” Aisha disagreed. “Either way, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was deprived of the right to choose from the beginning. His house was fighting for ascension to full Landlordship for way too long.”

“Opposition in the ranks of Landlords?” Ghrughah mused.

“Wouldn’t be strange, it’s an old house. But if so, it’s a rather personal animosity. They weren’t touched by the Ojaro,” she glanced meaningfully at Zeph, “or any governmental body, so the chances of them using… extreme or excessive means in their hike up the ladder are slim. And lately, they don’t fare well because of the New Year’s attack on the city.”

“Too much pride…” P’pfel commented unhelpfully.

Zeph shook his head. This didn’t sound like a group that would try to kill him off before the Tournament, but he wasn’t a stranger to the human’s greed. The fact that the Ojaro—or rather, his old teammates from Gibbon Zero–didn’t take action against this family wasn’t telling much. He still didn’t know their objectives, nor the reason for the mass assassinations, after all.

On the other hand, even if he understood the innuendo in Aisha’s words, he wasn’t going to contact his old team anytime soon. It was simply not doable in this situation and with the murky leads in his possession.

Meanwhile, the scene below was slowly playing out, showcased by the window’s mechanism. The two combatants were slowly walking closer, talking incessantly. It was a shame there was no way of hearing the discussion.

Even after stopping ten meters away from each other, they continued talking – as if uninterested in the Duel.

Aisha clicked her tongue. “That idiot…” she murmured.

Everyone wanted to know what she meant, but they stopped themselves from asking after seeing her deep, angry frown.

One thing was clear – whatever was happening, wasn’t a part of their plan.

A minute later, Kwan and Lucas nodded simultaneously and struck their main weapons into the ground. The scene caused Aisha to grimace, just as P’pfel facepalmed.

An arbiter came running a moment later, deployed on the field by another mechanical platform from somewhere outside of the screen.

“She’s going to make it a personal Duel,” Ghrughah sighed in understanding.

Pavail panicked slightly. “But the form of the Duels is… It will…”

“Be a Duel to the death,” Aisha finished, grimacing. “Why is she always escalating after even one slip-up?!”

“La-Zora, please don’t keep it against her,” Arhen, one of the two of Kwan’s people present in the room, spoke for the first time. “Just like you couldn’t accept this false challenge, we won’t hold back if called up front. It’s clear that the situation isn’t simple anymore…”

========Lesser Landlord Lucas Esmonde Lurona-Kazotaro Della PoV========

That was easier than I thought, he mused while dropping his gear to the ground.

The challenge was accepted; his reasoning acknowledged. They were going to fight with their chosen weapons, but no longer in that poor facsimile of a Duel.

The stakes were real this time. His lands, his family name, all that against hers. The way it should have been from the beginning.

His armor could stay, as the arbiter announced. It was nothing more than an ornamental piece anyway. He stepped into the arena with an unshakable conviction, one that couldn’t be easily ignored by the judges or his opponent if both valued their honor.

And yet, his meddling with the proceedings wasn’t met with disdain or protest. Quite the opposite – Kwan Gewong eagerly accepted his proposal.

I am surprised, he mused, dislodging the twin weapons from the dirt. Her kind may actually be more trustworthy than humans.

He looked up. Gewong’s arsenal was discarded just as his own was, but she also had to drop her armor and it took time – the intricate design was requiring more work than expected.

But, finally, he could see her face. And he wasn’t disappointed. Her smile was already dangerously stretching the skin of her face, as Hannyajins’ tended to do when excited, but her eyes were what he found the most pleasing.

They spoke of her past. Of long-forgotten struggles leading to her current position – the leader, the Head of a rowdy group. It spoke of violence and balance, of reason and determination.

A gaze he knew quite well. His own mirrored quite the same fervor.

What was different, thought, was a violent glint hidden beneath. It was telling him a slightly different story. She was delighted by the current events; hungry for blood and disregarding everything that was suggested or planned beforehand. As if a wild beast inside of her regained some resemblance of freedom that it was constantly fighting for.

Same difference, he thought, comparing her to himself, just different means.

His family already left the city; not that anyone knew about that. Along with them, a few very precious resources disappeared from the vaults of his… betters.

Humans really had a penchant for becoming a back-stabbing disgrace of their own civilization. And he was no different from the rest. At least not after his back was put against a wall.

What did they expect?

His Hannyajin counterpart seemed pure in comparison, although he knew she wasn’t. But he was satisfied. She seemed worthy and capable, at the very least. Today’s display only reinforced this belief.

Whoever would die today would achieve a true victory. Gewong would be able to attain the esteemed Landlord title even without winning all the fights in the Tournament – all thanks to his lands and connections she would inherit after his death.

He, on the other hand, would be able to strike back at the people who used him. If he won, of course.

The Guild would dissipate, surely, but the core of her organization would stay with him, bonded by her word. They would follow her last instructions, even if it was detrimental to them, he knew.

Speaking about her and hers, she had chosen the single-edged, broad hanger as her weapon of choice. A bad decision, in his opinion, but so characteristic of her kind. They loved flailing their strength so much.

Without a word, they followed the city’s arbiter, unhurriedly walking to the flat grassland area. There would be no subterfuge, no tricks nor misdirection. This was the true form of the Duels. The one forgotten in time as the cultures started to mix and clash.

Two leaders standing against each other, representing their people and their land in a truly meaningful and direct way.

As the arbiter left them to their fate, he turned and saw Gwong bowing slightly from not even ten steps away.

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity.” Her smile widened enough to start drawing blood.

He just shook his head and crouched, leveling his weapons. “It’s my pleasure,” he started, hardening his gaze. “To fulfill my role…”

As two thin lines of blood traced her lower face, she took a stance as well. A bold one – with her weapon raised high into the sky, leaving her scarcely-clothed body unprotected.

“…in a true struggle!”

He released his prepared Skills all at once and dashed forward, smiling almost as widely as his opponent…

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