The invitation finally came, in the shape of the fairy. I was reading the last pages of the book when she burst through the door in all her sparkling glory, “Stupid lizard, the Lord wishes to see you. We have a guest so be sure to mind your measly manners.” I could tell she really disliked me. The nickname was ticking me off, but the sad part was, there was no way I could take her. That tiny body radiated with pure power, she must have been ancient.
With a sigh, I took the books and exited the room, unable to follow the little bullet. She had vanished as soon as she had appeared. Magic was infused into every single movement of her body. It was a new quirk I managed to figure out thanks to my diligent meditation. My core was steadily growing at a slow pace but I could now sense the mana somewhat in the air and creatures. It took a lot of concentration, but it was progress. My own mana was truly pathetically low. I could manipulate it a bit, it was how I could feel the mana around me, by interacting with it using my own.
Arriving in front of Evergreen’s office once more, I hesitated before actually trying to knock. The door flung open before I could though. The fairy was glaring at me with disdain, “You are slow, stupid lizard. Made the Lord wait again. You piss me off!” she hissed and squealed but didn’t attack me again. With a snort, I entered, “The feeling is mutual.” growling at her in the process.
Evergreen sat behind his desk as per usual, the simile on his face genuine for once as he spoke to a human sitting opposite of him. There was not a second chair but I was fine with that, I didn’t really like to sit since it was too troublesome with the spikes. Staring at the human quizzically, I saw him stand to look at me.
He had short, dark hair with a large scar going over the right side of his scalp. His eyes were a dull gray yet the calculating and fierce look gave him an air of strength. The sharp beard was neatly cut, his square chin making him look like a knight. The notion was only intensified by the exquisite armor he wore. Although I could tell it was heavy armor, the plate and guards weren’t nearly as bulky as usual. The symbol of an eclipsed sun was on his chest, making me understand he was in Evergreen’s camp and high ranked at that. A large halberd was strapped to his back, the handle shockingly short for such a weapon. Focusing slightly, I realized the thing was heavily enchanted with multiple spells.
He measured me up with scrutiny before turning to Evergreen, “This is the one?” his voice was deep and raspy. Evergreen gave a grin, “Indeed, he completed my request and reached S rank. What do you think? Could you whip him into shape?”
My brow furrowed as I frowned, “What is going on exactly? Whip me into shape?” I asked with irritation. I felt like a third wheel as they ignored me and continued chatting.
The man scrunched his brows, “Well, I watched him fight a couple of times. There is potential but no skill to speak off. All in all, a wild card. Uses his brain to make up for the lack of skill, which is commendable but often times, not enough. His raw power gives him an edge but he runs solely on instinct. I could make a decent combatant out of him.”
Evergreen’s eyes lit up, “Great! Then I shall work out the kinks with Atkozott and get back to you. Please, enjoy yourself in the VIP lounge Trent. I’ll let you know when we’ve settled everything.”
With a nod, the human named Trent bowed his head slightly and walked out. I glared at his back as he disappeared. Turning my head to Zael, I saw he was staring at the books in my hands. Annoyed by the whole thing, I walked over and put them on his desk. Without regarding me, he carefully took the books and looked them over. After giving a slight nod, he gave them to Mave who quickly put them back into place.
Finally acknowledging me, he crossed his fingers and grinned, “I do hope the books gave you what you sought. I presume you do not wish to sit?”
Without answering him, I simply glared in silence. He chuckled, “Very well. Then on to business. The man you just saw is called Trent Bowen. He runs a special training site of mine down south. Which brings me to my offer. The first thing I will grant you is the identification, as you already know. I see it was sufficient motivation, I’m glad.” pausing, he continued, “The second thing is the training, and that is nonnegotiable. It is for your own good and my benefit. Mr. Bowen, as one of the overseers, will be making sure you get some actual skill under your belt.”
Stopping, he looked at me questioningly. I lifted a brow. That one was unexpected but welcome. No matter what I thought, I couldn’t deny the things they said. I really didn’t have actual combat skills except my instinctual reactions and actions which often times ended up with me injured. Despite my strong regeneration, it was never a good thing to get injured too much. It would sap my energy eventually and exhaust me soon after. I sighed, “Fine.” and waited to hear what he had to say next.
Grinning, he seemed pleased at my lack of refusal and continued, “Then, the third thing I will offer you is my backing and the freedom to leave once you’ve reached a desirable level of skill. Experience makes the man after all.”
My eyes widened, “Why would you do that? What do you want from me?” I asked, staring at him with clear suspicion.
Spreading his arms, he shrugged, “Naturally, nothing is free. Let’s say in return for my three favors, you owe me three favors.” he said with a grin, “I can already tell you hate to be bound, so I will keep it simple. You will receive all the things I promised but in return, until you’ve paid back the three favors, you have to answer when I call them in.”
I couldn’t help but grimace. That was really open to abuse on his side. Before I could point out some issues though, he cut me off, “Worry not, I shall not ask the impossible of you nor things that are all that unreasonable. The things I have in mind might be difficult but will come into play after some time. There is much preparation that still must be made. Use that time wisely to build up your strength and prepare for a war.” his eyes darkened with twisted glee, “This broken world of ours needs to be fixed. By any. Means. Necessary.”
Feeling the heavy air brim with condensed mana, I took a step back instinctively. It vanished soon after, but remained fresh in my memory. He looked at me amicably, “Naturally, the part of the deal that must apply to both of us has yet to be mentioned. Firstly, do not betray me in any way or form. That includes this conversation ever leaving this room. Secondly, don’t touch mine and I won’t touch yours, simple. Lastly, there is official confirmation needed.”
Glancing at the fairy, Evergreen nodded to her and, for the first time, I saw the little bug chant. A current of icy air passed through the room. After the foreign words ended, she began listing the deal in great detail, slow enough for me to hear with a monotone voice. Seeing there were no additions past the things that were said, I felt frustration build up. This really was too good to pass up but on the other hand, I had no idea what would eventually be asked of me. The fact that very powerful magic was involved let me know this was binding on a much deeper level than simple contract magic. As she said the last bit, my tongue tied. The consequences of incompliance with the terms would result with the immediate death of the party that broke the deal. It applied to both of us but thankfully, there was some kind of warning, to prevent accidental or unintentional breaking of the deal.
Grinning like a mad man, Evergreen spoke, “I, Zael Cornelius Evergreen, here by accept the terms and conditions of the Deal.” He was staring at me in expectation. I sighed, “Damn, you really thought of everything... I, Atkozott, accept the terms and conditions of the Deal.” With the words said, there was a pulse of magic that nearly knocked me off my feet. There really wasn’t much for me to negotiate, the whole thing was straightforward to a degree.
The fairy glowed with bright light before toppling from the air into her small chair, unconscious. Evergreen glanced at her with affection and muttered, “Thank you Mave, I don’t know what I would do without you.” saying that, he gently pat her head with a finger. Standing up, he walked over with a smile, “Well then, to a fruitful collaboration.”
Grunting, I accepted his handshake. Pulling out the piece of paper with my identifications and some kind of sack, he gave a short chant. The paper glowed and vanished into my hand. Raising a brow, I could see a small mark on my middle finger, “What is this?” I ask in confusion.
Crossing his arms on his chest, his entire demeanor towards me changed. He was relaxed and, almost seemed friendly, which was disturbing, “A small convenience for you. Using some of your mana, you should be able to access the small spatial space with no issue. Mind you, I doesn’t have nearly enough room for larger things, but a few coins and your identification should be no issue.”
Curious, I had to really focus to use my meager mana to access the thing. The space wasn’t even a meter large, seeming more like a wallet than anything else. My eyes widened when I saw it was full of gold coins. Snapping my head up, I gaped, “What’s with the gold?” I couldn’t help but ask.
Giving an honest laugh, he patted my shoulder, making me uncomfortable, “It’s your winnings, of course. Did you think the fights for combatants were just for kicks and giggles? There is a lot of money to be earned here. Why do you think so many of my colaborators choose to stay and fight here?”
Gesturing at the door, he clapped his hands, “Well then, if you don’t mind, I have a lot of work to do. You should go and pack, feel free to keep the clothes and armor as a gift from the Colosseum. Trent will come and find you soon so you can depart. Best of luck, Atkozott. Never forget what you owe.” his eyes darkened slightly to the end of his words.
Narrowing my eyes, I gritted my teeth but headed for the door. Stopping by the exit, I remembered the Raptors in the stables, “The Raptors, the ones we came to the Colosseum with, I want them.” I said confidently and stared in anticipation.
Lifting a brow with his hand on his hip, Evergreen thought for a second before nodding, “Very well, however, only one is left. The male was taken by Clayton a few days ago.”
Slightly worried about Thor, I recalled the beastman was always good to the Raptors and gave a court nod. At least I hoped Thor was in good hands. Sighing, I closed the door behind me.
***
After packing everything into a travel pack they provided, I was ready to go. Seeing the human still wasn’t here, I took a quick bath and put on a fresh set of clothes. Sitting on the edge of the bed in thought, I couldn’t help but be worried and glad at the same time. Multiple forms of favors flashed in my mind. It was a good thing he couldn’t ask me to kill myself or go back under contract. But the fact remained, I was eventually going to be drawn into a war. I had no idea what kind of plot Evergreen was up to, but it was obvious the man wanted a revolution. To what end? I couldn’t even begin to guess. The favors were inevitable, they had to be repaid one way or another.
Evergreen was too far out of my league to try and play for a fool. It would be great if I could force him to waste his favors somehow, but it was an empty dream for now. I wasn’t strong enough to face him or anyone else with that much raw power. Even his assistant was a powerhouse in her own right. Sighing in frustration at my own weakness, I felt determined to use this training opportunity to its fullest. I needed to get stronger. Strong enough for even people like Evergreen to have to think twice before getting involved with me.
After half an hour, I heard heavy footsteps approach my room, followed by a knock. Opening the door, I saw the overseer, Trent. He had a sack draped over his shoulder and nodded, “So, I shall formally introduce myself. I am Trent Melvin Bowen, the 3rd overseer of Camp Warmonger. It is also a guild with a couple of bases around Terra Silva.” Pointing at the insignia on my chest which was now the full moon, he continued, “That is proof of membership. All affiliates of the Colosseum are members by default. Don’t lose it or you lose the perks that go along with it and have to pay a fine of 50 gold. Any questions?”
Surprised at his attitude towards me, I shook my head and grabbed my pack, “You can tell me more on the way.”
Seemingly pleased with my answer, he gestured with his head, “Let’s head out then.”
Trent and I left the Colosseum for good. Heading to the stables, I saw him hand over a ticket to the clerk. Glancing at me, then turning to the clerk, he pulled out a document and handed it over, “It’s the bill of right for the Raptor, the previous property of Patrick Nubilo Sullwa.” Looking it over, the clerk gave a nod.
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Walking in, I saw many mounts and creatures behind stable confines. They were being well taken care of as far as I could tell. Feeling some relief at that knowledge, I saw Trent approach the huge beast in one of the sections. Apparently, he came here on a Warhorse. The monstrosity could hardly be called a horse though. The creature’s large, violet eyes stared at its owner in recognition. The mane was a deep blue color, its fur glistening with a dark navy shine. It was muscular and around 2 and a half meters tall. Its snout was much narrower than a regular horse, showing sharp teeth.
Giving it a strange look while Trent smiled affectionately, he opened the stable and began saddling his mount. I followed the clerk deeper. Eventually, I could hear miserable wails coming from up ahead. Recognizing Kala’s cries, I glared at the clerk, “Why the hell is she so disturbed? Have you been mistreating her?!” I growl, making him take a step back, sweat visible on his forehead.
“N-no such thing, sir. The Raptor has been this way since the other one was taken. They must have been very close to mating.” he answered nervously.
With a snarl, I pushed him out of my way and headed straight for the crying Raptor. Seeing Kala’s miserable eyes made me nearly rip the clerk’s head off. Lucky for him, he was keeping his distance. Opening the stables, Kala finally realized someone was here and gave me a vicious look. It vanished quickly as recognition flashed in her eyes. With a soft wail, she nearly tackled me to the ground. She whimpered in joy and an excitedly licked my hands. I smiled at her with some gloom and untied the chain around her neck. Petting and reassuring her until she calmed down, I saw a shabby saddle on the side and looked at her questioningly. Seeing no defiance, I followed Trent’s example and clumsily strapped it to her back. As I was about to lead her out, the clerk stood in my way, his hand outstretched snakingly.
“I’m not tipping you! Piss off!” I snarled at him, in a bad mood. He got the hint and buzzed off, most likely going to bug Trent about it. Seeing them at the counter, Trent gave me a glare, “Stop threatening people! The man is just doing his job. The mounts are always well taken care of here, it is not his fault the Raptor was distressed. Do not repeat this uncouth behavior or I will start off your training with the elites.”
Answering his reprimand with a glare, I walked out. Soon, he joined me and we hopped on the mounts. Petting Kala’s neck in assurance, I noticed the odd looks I was getting. Frowning, I turned to Trent, “What? Is there something on my face?”
Shaking his head, he reared his mount and we slowly made our way to the outskirts of the capital, “They simply find it strange to see someone riding a Raptor. They are proud creatures and rarely allow themselves to be ridden.” he said courtly.
On the open road, we had increased our pace and were making distance from Velegard, "Where is this camp exactly?” I asked during the ride.
"Up south, near Harlheim. There are many different races there so you should fit right in, Lord Evergreen makes it a point to employ a large variety of different creatures. Be on guard though, the trip might not go as smoothly with only two people. You never know what fools will pop up looking for an easy score.”
Snorting, I glanced around, seeing many trees as we rode through the forest road, “I doubt we look like an easy score.”
With a light chuckle, he answered, “You’d be surprised.”
All things considered, I was looking forward to the training. In terms of experience, I have reached a decent level, but my strength and speed have barely increased since my change. I often had to rely on sly tactics and the terrain to win. My reaction speed was quick and I could see most attacks, but in face of raw power, it mattered little. Some were simply overwhelming in both strength and speed. I need to increase my combat potential with this opportunity. Anything else was unacceptable.
Since we were traveling without a carriage, our belongings strapped to the Warhorse that was physically much stronger than Kala, our time was cut in half. We sometimes stopped in a few towns and villages, but mostly camped on the road. Trent had taught me how to pitch a tent and start a fire, showed me how to scour the perimeter and secure the camp with some simple traps. Despite not really needing it, he also showed me how to preserve meat with salt and smoke. Basically, he took this occasion to show me the basic survival skills everyone needed. I had to often hunt for fresh meat to feed Kala, I didn’t want her to have to eat salted, smoked or old meat, figuring it would be bad for her. She would accept smoked meat as a snack, but it was not sufficient to keep her energy up.
During that time I had finally come around to checking my winnings. They totaled 345 gold, a third of it in silvers.
All in all, the trip was peaceful for the most part, save a few beasts and smaller groups of bandits. We made short work of them but I got a glimpse of Trent’s skill. The handle of that unique halberd had the ability to elongate, making it look like an actual halberd with around 2 meters in length. Seeing him fight, I couldn’t help but feel impressed. The man danced circles around the bandits, each swing or thrust of his weapon ending a life with elegance. I’d only witnessed something like that from a few fighters in the Arena. Smooth and efficient movement, deadly precision. He targeted their vitals with ease, using everything at his disposal. I can honestly say I grew to respect the man and fully acknowledged his capabilities.
After a journey lasting around two months, we arrived at Camp Warmonger. It was the size of a smaller village, surrounded by high walls of stone. Though the gate was made out of wood, it was clearly reinforced with metal. Spikes circled the encampment, pointing outward from the ground. It really looked like a war camp. Two men were stationed at the gates, one holding a spear while the other had a claymore strapped to his back. I was shocked to realize one was an actual demon, the first one I’ve seen since coming to this world.
I understood now why most people immediately assumed I was a demon. The man was tall, nearly 2 meters, and had a savage look in his eyes. Two large horns circled from his forehead to his ear, his glowing red eyes had narrow pupils with a gray sclera. A tail was swaying in the air behind him. The small, pointed spike at the tip was much smaller but seemed just as sharp. His skin wasn’t scaled like mine. It seemed rough and gravelly, both on his tail and his arms which were a light ashen color. His arms didn’t look like gauntlets, but the sharp claws were in clear view. I could feel the bloodlust he subconsciously seemed to release. The biggest difference between us was the lack of spikes along the spine. His features weren’t reptilian at all. He wore heavy armor and leaned on his spear, boredom clear on his face.
The other man was an Ogre, three meters tall but nowhere near comparable in appearance to the one I fought. His back was straight with pride, his features serious and looked much more like a face than a wrinkled, slobbering mess. There was no vile smell coming off of him and the aura around him seemed to demand respect and commanded dignity. Two small tusks peeked from the corners of his mouth, but it was firmly shut. The Ogre was pure muscle, the bulging arms in clear view as he seemed to be casually chatting with the demon.
As soon as we were close, both of them seemed to straighten up into a salute, “Welcome back, SIR!” Nodding at them, Trent stopped his horse and smiled in greeting, “Ha’Luk, Mortier, I hope there were no incidents while I was away.” Easing up, the two guards grinned, “Nothing of note, sir. That the new recruit?” the Ogre asked fluently, his voice a deep tenor. The demon was staring at me with a frown, confusion clear on his expression, “You feel like one of mine but not at the same time.” he muttered, sending a quizzical look my way.
Shrugging, I looked him straight in the eye, feeling some minor resonance as I did so. It was an odd feeling of familiarity, “My father was a demon, but my mother wasn’t.” I said simply, curious about the demon. Mortier was his name I believe. Lifting a brow, he whistled, “Then, my friend, you are a small miracle in and of itself. Our females have a difficult enough time conceiving with our own, let alone interracially. Was your mother a Naga or something? I’m pretty sure they had some tribes near ours. Our relationship is decent as well.”
We were talking while the Ogre, Ha’Luk, brought Trent up to date. I chuckled at the question, “Or something." I answered casually, glad to have learned something new about demons. Seeing I wasn’t going to say more, Mortier gave a shrug of his own.
“Let’s go in, Atkozott.” Trent said and moved on his horse past the gate. Now that I saw the inside of the camp, I couldn’t help but gape. The training grounds were huge. I could smell many different species of creatures, everything from rare creatures to major races. Looking around, there were large cabins strewn about, mostly made of stone and wood. There were a lot of different training grounds with people practicing all kinds of techniques and weaponry on both dummies and through spars.
A huge building stood tall in the middle of the camp. There were benches and tables outside where all manner of people sat. They were laughing while eating, drinking and wrestling on occasion. The whole place looked like a den of mercenaries.
We stopped in front of the huge building, around three stories high and dismounted. There was a stable on the side with an open parcel so the mounts could run around a bit. Taking our mounts there, I removed the stuffy saddle from Kala and told her to have some fun. She seemed elated and ran off, approaching another Raptor that stood alone. They were surprisingly social creatures. I look at Trent as he walks out of the stable, "So, what is this building?" I ask curiously, accepting the pack that held my luggage.
"It’s a dormitory, tavern, infirmary and bathhouse. It has everything you or anyone else here might need. You will be staying in the dorm. The food and drinks are discounted to members of the guild, lodging is free. We all get along pretty well so I'm sure you'll fit in just fine. Some of these guys can be a bit hot tempered and rude. A disagreement or fight is unavoidable around here, but the big rule is, do not kill anyone.”
Following him into the large all-purpose building, he spoke as we walked, “We also have our own small arena on the north side, nothing too fancy like the Colosseum but it serves its purpose. We hold weekly spars there to see how much the trainees improved. You will be more than welcome to participate once you get some actual skill under your belt.” he paused and looked at me, a severe look in his eye, “And it is a trial of SKILL, not a trial of ripping heads and limbs. I noticed it was a trend with you.”
I stared at him for a second without answering. I nodded slightly, "Alright, I get it. No killing. Refrain from dismemberment.” I mutter and roll my eyes.
Trent sighed and coughed in agreement, "Come on, I'll show you to your room."
The entrance was wide and simple while the inside seemed fairly neat and comfortable. It wasn’t too fancy, yet it had a certain charm to it. Passing the wide foyer that was more of a lounge and tavern, we went up the stairs while Trent explained a few more things, “Usually, one of the boys would handle this, but seeing as I will personally be taking care of your training, I thought it best I show you the ropes. Downstairs are all the facilities. Bathhouse to the right side along with the infirmary. On the left side there is a small library, nothing fancy but I noticed you held some interest for books so I might as well let you know.”
Climbing up the stairs, I was surprised as he listed all the things they had here. The cellar had a large supply of alcohol, water and food. The dorms were all from the first floor and up. Once we reached the third floor, I saw the hall had a door on each side. A simple, blue carpet was laid on the floor and some abstract paintings hung on the walls. Some looked like they were painted with an elbow, I thought with humor, so bad.
"Okay, this is you.” Trent said with a small smile. He seemed very proud of this place. Seeing the door numbered 65, he opened it and we walked in, "You will be staying here. I live in the house ways back behind the Housing Lodge, you can’t miss it. The dorm has a 100 rooms and the other cottages you saw on your way in belong to permanent members of the camp. I know you probably won't like it, but you have a roommate."
I chuckled at the last statement, "I know I might seem a bit anti-social, but I don't mind sharing something as trivial as a room. As long as he keeps his nose out of my business I don’t care. Besides, I'll spend most of my time training so I'll just use the room to sleep and the library to read. I don't even have any possessions except for this one pack of clothing and armor." I say and drop the thing next to my bed.
Trent shrugged, "That is good to hear. You can go out of the camp by yourself, just make sure to let me know beforehand. The tavern has a big board on the side, you can find a few paying jobs that have to be done around the place there. It can give a steady income.” after saying that, he cleared his throat, “I’ll let you get settled in. If you have any questions, just ask your roommate. I will see you tomorrow, 8’o clock sharp.”
As he left, I took a better look at the decent sized room. On one side was a large messy bed with things tossed around on the floor. There was nobody in the room, but my guess was that bed belonged to my roommate. The other bed was neat and showed no signs of being slept in. There was a single, large chest on each side and a wide window in the center of the wall. It was a fairly simple room. I open the chest and find clean towels. I grin as I take them. First stop, baths.
***
Unfortunately, the baths weren't a large hot spring like in the Colosseum, but boiling hot water was still available. It was mostly basins of different sizes and showers. Nobody paid me any mind as I washed. As soon as I was done, I went in the direction of the library to explore but stumbled upon an indoor training room in the process. As soon as I entered I was momentarily stunned. It was filled with all kinds of monsters who were training. Ogres, Orcs, Rattars, some Kavars, Harpies and many more.
All eyes turned to me and I just stood there with a towel casually tossed over my shoulder. Their attention was on me for exactly 3 seconds before they went back to work. Spotting some training equipment like weights and punching bags, I found a free spot eager to try some out. Crouching in front of the weights, I leaned down and grabbed it with both hands. I couldn’t budge it. Frowning in confusion, I try again. No results. Scratching my head in confusion, I stared at the immovable weights. Suddenly, loud laughter erupted from the trainees, "Bahahaha! Dio, do you see that guy? He can't even budge it! Pfft hahaha!"
"Hahaha! Tully was the last one to use those, of course he can’t fucking lift it. You know it's enchanted. He usually benches more than 2000 kg. Cut the new guy some slack, haha!” the Harpy laughed, but gave me an apologetic look, “You need to infuse them with mana to set the weight to your preference.” she explained with a grin.
I just stared at them blankly and flicked my tongue out. I realized I thoroughly humiliated myself, but I didn't let it faze me too much. I already knew that my strength was inferior to an Ogre and that my speed was nowhere near a Kavar. Ignoring some of their childish mockery, I found a high bar. I jumped up and grabbed it as I started to do pull ups instead. They lost interest soon and went back to doing their thing.
I might not have shown it, but that incident served as a bucket of ice cold water. My body hasn't changed since that day in the forest, my strength, speed and body were all the same despite the many fights I had in the Colosseum. Only my mana core and regeneration had some minor improvements but everything else had no progress. I needed to see if training could make me stronger or if I will continue to stagnate until my next change occurred. Grimacing while doing my pull ups absentmindedly, I really hoped that wasn’t the case.