Vol. 1 - Chapter 50 - Timid Angel & Curious Devil
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After 'Tacos' guild members arrived back at the fighting scene, the player audience started applauding them, making the losers feel a bit better for being received like this.
"Patron, I no longer feel that bad losing against those guys. We have a vision on how we should improve and work on our teamplay."
"Indeed, I will help you guys get a higher-rated class once the live version kicks in. We will be the strongest guild in Satisfy, no doubt."
The group passed by Mathias, Red, and Maple, who were watching the second round of the event, and it was the time for Cain, who showed his equipment and weapon.
"That guy is a martial artist from his Brass Knuckles, interesting. I wonder how much one can emulate from the real world martial skills in this world. There are so many styles from karate, muay thai, boxing, systema, kung-fu, sambo, aikido, taekwondo."
*Whistle* "Are you into MMA?" asked Red, hearing Mathias mention all those fighting styles.
"Just a fan, I don't practice any of those sports. However, I was a fan of martial arts since young, so I am documented on the subject and can say I watched a lot of UF from the oldest fights from the 90s to the modern era fighters."
"You got your hands on the old tapes?"
"Not me, but my grandfather. He is the one who introduced me to MMA when I was younger, staying with him when my parents were at work."
Talking a bit more on that subject that even young Maple Mist got interested in what this MMA was until he saw it with his own eyes, how casually Cain moved toward Reis, leaving his guild members to deal with the rest. Reins raised his longsword toward Cain, seeming to taunt him, mocking him the PVP will take a short moment.
"Indeed, but for you. Don't piss your pants when you can't do nothing with that toy of yours."
Saying that, Cain charged at him and when he saw Reis slash at him with a basic attack, he used boxing footwork to dodge the attack, and when the skill came in his direction after the basic attack, he also unleashed a skill.
"[Ruin Fist]" called out Cain, clashing his fist with the long sword, creating a wind blast around the other players.
After blocking the respective attack, he charged back, and before Reins could even figure out what happened, a fist nailed his stomach. After that, with two lighting fast jabs and a one-two combination, Reins reacted and activated another skill which managed to wound Cain, cutting hit HP to 63% HP.
"Good sword and sword skill. It almost took half of my HP. You also have some sick armor right there for only this amount of game time."
"Bah, you can only do this much with your meager real skills against my sword skills and items. Do you know why? Because I am the Chosen One."
"Are you by chance Chinese?" asked Cain, not minding much of what bullshit Reis just spewed.
"No, does it even matter?"
"Yea, you sound like one of those characters the Chinese are good at writing. Foolish idiots, young masters. I will prove to you how insignificant your items and skills are to me."
Saying that, Cain, who distanced himself some steps back, dashed back toward Reins, who sent another sword attack that missed the target, propping him to cast more skills in the hope one would hit.
Getting out of mana, he managed to hit Cain only once in that flurry of skills, and when he got his hands on a mana potion, a leg made contact with his stomach, dropping his upper body horizontally, where a knee scored on his nose, blowing it up.
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Mathias shook his head, disappointed by what he saw from that Rein guy displayed.
"That guy is a noob who didn't figure out yet that his skills are all useless if he can't find the target. A waste of potential."
"Yea, he seems to have good gear and skills, but his fighting experience is zero. As if he only fought beasts in the wilderness and never trying PVP." commented Red, agreeing with Mathias, while Maple said his thoughts too.
"Maybe he fought with those weaker than him, ending him with only one skill."
"Or that. Either way, he wouldn't last too long." mentioned Red, and as if he too was a prophet, Cain unleashed a flurry of attacks, not giving Reins a chance to fight back.
"[Disarm]"
When Cain disarmed Reis, the rest of the players watching felt like Reins became a tiger who lost his fangs.
"[Ruin Fist]"
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"Congratulations to the guild 2Stoned2Care, they advanced forward."
"Fuck yeah, nice exercise, boss."
"I guess it is a good mental workout before the Olympics. Thanks, brothers, for telling me about this game. Otherwise, I would still be a frog."
"No problem, Cain. You can retreat here after all your boxing sparrings to relax. Or, in your case, fighting against people."
"Hehe, if I don't get the gold medal, I will burn you guys for being a distraction."
"Hey, we just did our job as gym members. It is your problem if you mess about here."
Cain, who laughed heartily at his gym friends, passed past Mathias and felt weird when this long haired guy stared so deeply at him as if he had a problem with him. Stopping in front of him, it created a moment of distraction for every player who were curious about what happened.
"Is there any problem?" asked Cain, unsure what Mathias wanted.
"Hmmm? Ahh, did I give you a weird look? Sorry, this is me when I am curious about someone. You are a boxer, correct?"
"Yep, but just an amateur, I guess." replied Cain, this question, passing Mathias with his group.
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Raising from where he was after getting his answers from Cain, he bid farewell to Red and Maple, excusing himself from watching the full event because he had other things to do aside from watching people fight.
"Little Maple, tell me who wins the event in the chat. It would be most likely a fight between that guy Bacon and Cain. Red, do some betting around. It's easy money."
"Sorry, but I am not into gambling."
Departing from the event ground, he passed along the way Reins and his guild members who were fuming, raging about his loss. Badmouthing his guild members for losing and not helping him out against Cain.
"I helped you guys with items and skills, and you couldn't even deal with those fuckers. Pathetic noobs."
When Mathias passed Reis, he just said one comment in the passing, which triggered Reis even more into stopping him and drawing his sword.
"Scum."
"Motherfucker, did you just bark something I didn't hear properly?"
"Oh my, aren't you quite curious? I kind of feel sorry for your guild members. Hey guys, I suggest you not join this scum when the live version kicks in. Group up together, and you will be much better off.
As for you, "guild leader," you simply are an incompetent fool. You didn't even make a strategy for your team to assist you. Leaving them alone to struggle, yet still bitching about your incompetence."
"[Flash Sword]"
[You have been attacked by player Reis in an open space entering the red mark trying to kill you inside a city.]
"PK? Aren't you afraid of the consequences?"
"Hmph, worse comes I will be chased around by the Black Knights. Nothing big."
[You have suffered 720 damage.]
With Reins being first to draw blood, Mathias began to shake his head, seconds later equipping his gear and revealing Ragnius for the rest to see.
"You are indeed a hard-hitting class. Managing to deal so much to me even when I was wearing my day-to-day clothes. But if you think I am like Cain to play with you… You are mistaken."
Activating 'Raven's Movement', he took Reins by surprise, and when he arrived in his sword range, he stepped deeper, plating a leg kick which sent him backward, dropping on the ground, causing only [58] damage.
With the opened space, he dashed toward Reis, and stabbing Ragnius blade on the ground, he propelled himself in the air toward the downed enemy, and with the shaft risen in the air, he slashed the downed man on the collision.
"[Bloodfal]"
[You have dealt 385 damage to the target, proccing the 'Bleeding' debuff.]
Reins roared in pain, starting to send a flurry of sword strikes, which Mathias started blocking, activating 'Arcane Barrier' and using 'High Guard' to block with Ragnius's shaft the sword strikes.
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Some of the strikes landed on the shield were reflected back dealing [105], [78], and [83] damage, making Reis more flustered for not being able to shatter the defensive skill.
Nevertheless, Mathias, who started to lack mana and had no room to take a mana potion, activated 'Mana Hunger', which began his mana recovery even in a fight.
Clash by clash, still on the defensive with about [1790/3062] HP, he noticed the slowing on the intensity of strikes, and taking advantage of this, he burst using his movement speed, dodging a strike, sending a 'Piercing Rain' which dealt [146], [232] and [102] damage.
From his left hand, an 'Arcane Missile' flew, dealing with his magic power, a hit of [465], and when Reis saw himself with half of his HP, he quickly took an HP flask, refilling back his health, but at that moment, Mathias arrived in front of him, attacking him with a basic [Thrust] which was stopped by his plate armor.
[You have dealt 210 damage to the target]
"Hmph, you can't beat me. You are a nobody compared to Cain, who is most likely a cheater."
Mathias revealed a wicked smile as he started the sequence for 'Treachery', and from the initial thrust, two strikes came at lightning-fast speed, with only one connecting, dealing [203] damage, and when Reins saw Mathias draw his spear back, he charged with his sword targeting his heart, not caring about 'Midnight'.
"Bad choice."
Activating 'Raven's Movement', his speed and attack speed also got boosted, pulling the two spins faster than normally, making Reins cry in pain.
[You have dealt 345 damage to the target.]
[You have dealt 256 damage to the target.]
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Stopping with only the combo of the four strikes, he sent another arcane missile while he pulled a mana potion, drinking it, and when Reins was about to drink his second potion, he saw flying toward him a black crow which crushed his chest.
"[Nephthys Lament]"
[You have dealt 2351 damage to the target.]
"See you in the live version. Maybe next time you learn not to rely on your items and skills and also use your brain." said Mathias, whose right arm released some black aura where black feathers dropped on the ground, only lasting some seconds as Reis was turning to gray light.
Changing back to his casual clothes and drinking a healing potion, he looked at the guild members staring with surprised eyes to see how easily their guild leader was killed. Reminding them only once of the possible drawbacks of getting associated with such a person, he moved toward the city center, vanishing his tracks like a ghost.
"That guy, could it be? The person who was on the top of the forums for so long? The black spearman?"
"It could be since that spear looks similar to what this guy wielded. We should form our own guild when the live version kicks in. I hate being bossed around by rich kids."
"Same feeling, but sometimes getting easy money is better, even if you have to deal with an idiot."
"We can stream or make a YT channel making content on the game. We can make money doing that without being bad-mouthed by some idiot.
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Minutes later, he could be seen ascending the 'Light's Cathedral', arriving in front of Rebecca's Statue, giving her a bow, before stepping inside the building.
He no longer was wearing the priest clothes Jeanne landed him, but this didn't mean the priest's attitude of him changed. He was welcomed inside with warmth.
"Welcome back, brother. It has truly been a while since you last visited the Cathedral. We have started to miss you and the scenery you would bring to the church when cleaning the praying hall and the other places."
"Indeed, brother. You should come more often to clean the church. I doubt His Holiness would have a problem with this since you have his seal with you."
This warm greeting really was unexpected even for him, but he returned the gesture.
"Are you looking for Lord Gabrils? He was sent by His Holiness on a mission to defeat some evil people inside Saharan. He should be back in some weeks. Ohh, you are here for Her Excellency Jeanne? She is inside her office."
"Yea, she is present today, but for some unknown reason, she ignores everyone and seems irascible and easily annoyed. Those groups of dogs that troubled you even got punished and sent to the basement to be lashed."
"Ahhh, it must be hard on you guys. Don't worry, I will try to fix her."
"Hah? What are you saying, brother? Do you know why Her Excellency is so upset?"
"Yea, I have a guess. Anyway, thanks for the greeting and words."
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Thanking them, he arrived in front of Jeanne's office door and knocked on the door. He heard her voice trying to sound a bit manly and also containing some displeasure.
"I am busy. Haven't I told you not to disturb me?"
"No problem, I can always come back when you are available." commented Mathias beside the door with a warm and calm voice which was audible even for Jeanne inside her office writing some paper with a frowning expression.
When she heard his voice, her expression instantly eased up, rising up on her feet, arranging her silky blonde hair while looking in a mirror, before she got to the door to open it up, taking Mathias in her embrace.
"I thought you forgot about me since you stopped visiting me for almost three weeks. Without even a word said." said Jeanne with emotion in her voice which trembled a bit, embracing Mathias tightly to her chest.
"Sigh, I am sorry, Jeanne. It is not that I forgot about you, I had to solve some problems before I could visit you. Come cheer up. I also want to talk about something with you." said Mathias as he returned the hug, cradling her a bit in his strong arms.
"Hmm, just a bit more like this."
"Ahem, aren't the other priests seeing us? What will they say?"
"I don't care. Since that night, I no longer care what others say about me." replied Jeanne with a warm voice, burrowing her head into his chest.
Mathias, with his hands around Jeanne, picked her up, entering inside the office, closing the door with his mana and with her in his arms, feeling her warmth, he said to her.
"First, let me present you a gift. I've been working on this for quite a while nonstop."
Ending the embrace with him, her expression brightened up to a maximum, with some white light being released by her body when she heard that Mathias had a present for her, she tried not to show too much emotion, but her smile betrayed her thoughts.
"I am ready."
Taking a deep breath, as if he also prepared himself mentally, he took out the tapestry piece he did, entitled "
"This is for you, Jeanne."
Her hands trembled a bit when she looked at the piece of art, seeing that devil touch the angel repulsing, something Mathias could see for himself, to which he closed his eyes tightly before opening them, staring calmly at her face who quickly entered many emotional states.
'A little devil trying to hold the hand of the little angel… could it be? He portrayed the two of us? An arduous relation that would have had the two parties commit sin for their faction. He is the little devil trying to hold me, the angels, hand, trying to approach me, and from the two gazes, the feeling is mutual.'
"Do you feel this way about me, Mathias?" asked Jeanne after some minutes, she contemplated the piece of art gifted.
"My heart was placed on the canvas for you to be seen. Right now, I am awaiting the response to the invitation."
Jeanne, hearing Mathias comment, smiled at him sweetly, slowly extended her slender and delicate hand the same manner the angel in the canvas was doing. The moment he saw her extend her hand, he also gave her a smile that turned cheeky in the same manner the devil in his canvas was doing, extending his arm into holding Jeanne's hand.
Jeanne's face turned rosy while holding Mathias's hand in such a theatrical manner, but she kept going until she heard Mathias ask her gently.
"Besides being opposite in status, the little devil is someone sneaky who can't stay with his hands in his own pocket, extending them, touching another flower. Yet the devil is someone with a big heart capable of sharing it with both flower and angel. But he is conflicted, would the angel still be able to accept the devil in this deplorable state he is?"
"If the angel was a naive one, she would instantly push away the repulsing devil before even trying to listen to the devil's gentle heart, but what the devil managed to find is an angel with a devil wing and angel wing placed upon it, who shares the same feeling like him." confessed Jeanne, looking at Mathias green eyes with her hazel ones, closing her eyes slowly, expecting something to come.
Closing the distance with her, Mathias planted a kiss on her tender black-colored lips, and while holding their right hands, he wrapped his left hand on her back, caressing it softly.
This kept for a bit until Jeanne made a small moan and then bite Mathias's tongue a bit for being too forceful.
"Sorry, I was just too surprised by that kiss." apologized Jeanne for biting his tongue.
"It is fine. So, does the angel loves the devil?"
"Indeed, she is willing to accept the sneaky devil as he is." confessed Jeanne, while they were staring at each other's faces being in an embrace.
"The devil already couldn't take his eyes off the angel when he saw her and learned more about her as she opened herself to him while he was disguised. I love you too, Jeanne." confessed Mathias with a smile on his face, feeling relieved and along the way also happy for not being rejected by her, to which Jeanne gave him a kiss on his lips.
"I thought you would leave me alone because of that Fayrene girl, even though I decided as you stopped from coming to not trouble you, believing you confessed to that Fayrene, and she rejected this idea. Big brother also mentioned something about you before going on his mission, but he refused to tell me more details. Did he know about what you feel for me?"
"Indeed, I told brother Gabrils about my situation with you and Fayrene. I can only be glad everything worked out, being blessed to meet two women tolerant and not possessive that I would be strangled for such desires and to which I feel the same love."
"She doesn't mind sharing you with me?"
"I better let you two meet each other and talk. You can find from her own mouth what she thinks, but Fayrene is an open-minded sweetheart. Even though there is that law allowing a man to have three partners, I live under a culture that frowns upon such an idea."
Taking her to the spacious armchair, holding her on his lap as he talked with her, sharing with each other their thoughts, sometimes kissing and laughing at other moments, Jeanne lovingly told Mathias.
"You know Mat, it is most likely we were fated to meet. Maybe there is something about my curse that I don't know yet about. But, I have this strong belief it is exactly this curse, or better blessing, which brought us together."
"Right now, I don't regret being a woman at all. Finally finding my soulmate when I even abandoned such a thought."
"Everything will be fine since I will be here for you. Besides, there's something the priests put to my attention. You are feeling bad. Was this because I didn't visit you?"
"This … not entirely. I don't know how to tell you since it is really embarrassing, but I started bleeding from down there, which pains me, and even if I heal myself with the spells, it doesn't help me at all. There's also fatigue and headaches, sometimes I even want to punch in the face some annoying priests."
Holding Jeanne in on his lap, looking at her face while nodding his head, having an understanding of what was happening to Jeanne, he still asked her, feeling curious.
"Is this the reason you punished those dogs?"
"Those barking dogs? No, I imprisoned them when I heard from the priests about the conflict they had with you. I don't care if they are noble spawns or if they have money that father dries them off, but they can't put their hands on you, especially when inside the Cathedral, I am leading."
"There was no need. I can take care of myself on my own. I don't want you to privilege me with anything. We are here standing like this together. It is only Jeanne, the loving partner of Mathias. The same would be for me for when I would gain high status in the empire, life in bed is between us, and business is separated from the bed."
*Giggling* "I will try, but I can't guarantee I will not get angry if some fools try to hurt you, Mat."
"Is all good, just try your best." said Mathias caressing her face, where she also played with his ears a bit.
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Standing like this together, he checked on her when she could leave, to which Jeanne gave him a cheeky smile, saying to him.
"Whenever I feel like it. Do you, by chance, want to go somewhere?"
"Well, only if you want. I want to take you with me and introduce you to Fayrene since she is curious and is boiling to meet you since I told her about you. You can share with her the troubles you are living with since she understands menstruation better than me."
"Menwhat?"
"The thing that is happening to you is called as such. Argh, how should I put it for you to understand simply without misinforming you? You know that women get pregnant, ye? Well, from what I know, a woman who is on her period will release some eggs from her ovary. That is an essential thing inside your body that produces eggs, which are waiting to be fertilized by the sperm. Do you understand this part so I can keep going?"
"Yea, I can understand. It feels really scary knowing I am living those moments right now."
"I can only give you my chest to cry on. But back to the story, so when that egg fails to be fertilized, it will be dejected out of your womb, which will cause this bleeding you girls suffer."
"But why do we have to suffer this?"
"If I was a gynaecologist, I might have answered you accurately. Who knows, maybe the body is so smart that it has built more safe passes so the women wouldn't have a damaging pregnancy of a sick fetus. So it will constantly try to search for the best sperm to fertilize the egg and let you give birth to a healthy baby without endangering your life too much.
Ahem, Ahem. Anyway, you better talk with Fayrene about these things. She might know better or even have some treatment to treat your symptoms."
"Understood. Then let's go quickly. This thing has been bothering me for quite some days." said Jeanne, getting up from Mathias lap, arranging her priestly clothes and hair, walking to her office to close the papers she was writing, and after closing the office with her key, she took Mathias hand and walked out of the church in the watchful eyes of the priests.
"That guy! He was the cause Her Excellency treated us so badly, failing to visit her and saddening her heart. You know how sensible women are."
"Fuck, I don't know, stop rubbing salt, man!" cried another priest, flustered yet feeling good that someone finally hit the nail on their eternal problem, dealing with Jeanne's constant nagging.
"Hey guys, at least, let's see the good part. She will be too busy with Mathias to be bothered with us. Only focusing on her paperwork and with her relation."
"Goddess, be blessed. You finally listened to our prayers."