Sorry for not completing that chapter today. Had some issues during the weekend (( I've done it for  60 % so I added it as a part 1.6.  I am planning to finish it tomorrow.

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“Damn”, thought Kenta. Being under the charm of princess and the whole atmosphere around, Kenta unconsciously ordered a meal, despite lacking the money. “Damn Shun, if I did not leave the bag I would not have any problems now!”, Kenta was furious. But still he needed some solution.

-          Shun, could you pay for my meal? I’ll return it later.

With a smile, asked Kenta. Shun finished his water, raised his glass in front of him and started staring on it.

-          You know, Kenta...I don’t have any.

Kenta laughed. “Trying to play as always”, thought Kenta but he had some doubts.

-          Oh, c’mon. How are you planning to pay for the wa...

“It’s free”, completely forgot Kenta and his face turned pale.

-          Stop joking! You are looking like a noble and there is no double you had some money...

-          Noble?, - Shun inspected his clothes, - No way. It’s just common uniform. I have been wondering why there is nobody wearing the same as mine though. My teacher said that expected me having that clothes by the way.

“Who are you really…”, pondered Kenta. Then he glanced at Shun’s pouch.

-          Then what is there?

Kenta pointed on Shun’ black pouch. Shun took it and put on the table.

-          There are, - he opened the pouch and pulled out a small red stone - Ta-dam. River stones! While travelling when I find any colored stones I put them into my private storage.

Shun made some smug face. “Well….”, Kenta wanted to place his hand flat across his face. Shun smiled and returned the stone back to the pouch.“God damn!”, cried Kenta in his mind. “I guess I have to silently leave.”  As he stood up he saw, a muscular man, approaching his and Shun’s table.

The man put his hand on Shun’s shoulder.

-          Hey, sword boy, How about some spar with me?

For a moment, Kenta felt some cold pressure Shun had emitted. Then it suddenly disappeared. “What was that?”

-          Get your hand off.

Calmly enunciated Shun. “Usually he has carefree attitude. Why did he change it for such minor issue?”, so far Kenta had not seen Shun angry and he did not understand why simply putting a hand on the shoulder could make a person irritated.

-          Hoy...Boy, you are not that simple. Under that coat I can clearly feel muscles, good muscles, you are hiding…

“Muscles?”, Kenta did not think that Shun could possibly have a muscles. He knew Shun was strong but he did not consider that he was muscular. “I did not see any volume in them. Maybe they are simply relief?”.

Generally there was no any need in being muscular in the world with magic. Anything can be lifted, moved or decreased in weight just by using magic.  Even in army bodies were modified using magic, runes and elixirs.

But there were some people who was training their bodies in order to reach their body limits. Some of them despised the soldiers, who acquired their power using magical enhancements. However in order to achieve the same level of power, martial artists had to spend years of training.

Shun took guy’s hand away and got up. The guy looked surprised.

-          You was able to got my hand off easily. I was no wrong when approaching you...You know [those] techniques..

Shun and the muscular man were glaring at each other. Other people in the tavern were looking at them too. Seeing that Shun was not saying anything, the man decided to introduce himself.

-          It’s rude not to introduce myself to a fellow martial artist. My name is Xo Ming.

Shun scratched his head.

-          Hm...I don’t want to tell my name but guess it cannot be helped. Shun, The Wanderer. No last name. Nice...Or not nice to meet you.

Suddenly, someone from the surrounding said.

-          Xo Ming? You mean, that Xo Ming?

“Xo Ming? The champion of the Martial Arts arena?”, Kenta cried out in his mind. As with the Annual Sword Saint Tournament in Serpentia, there existed the Martial Arts arena in Ivelen, where martial artists were fighting each other in order to become the kingdom’s martial arts champion. It was not as popular as the Sword Saint tournament, due to high prestige of the Sword Saint title, but it became widely known after the last year’s incident. The new contestant at that time, Xo Ming, completely wiped out all other contestants and even killed the previous arena’s champion, but ripping his legs and cutting the head. He also attacked the audience and killed several soldiers. It was the most bloody-filled martial arts tournament in the history. Xo Ming left Ivelen, leaving hundreds of corpses. Most of people, who saw him was killed. The king set a reward on Xo Ming.

“To imagine meeting with Xo Ming there”, Kenta was frightened. He heard about Xo Ming and his doings, but he had never saw his face due to lack of posters in his village.

If he was followed by the kingdom’s forces why he was in the Mirani town? The answer was simple - what would a person do in front of the warrior, whose power was considered to be on the same level as the Sword Saint according to the rumours? Common people had to bear his presence.

-          Why are looking for the spar with me?, - asked Shun. He looked around. - You, can simply ask for the fight the soldiers over there.

Shun pointed to some elite troops, standing near the entrance of the Miraculous forest. They were left to guard it, preventing other people from entering the path to the shrine, while the Princess and the Saint were there.

Xo Ming looked surprised for a moment and then made a predatory smile.

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-          Soldiers...They are nothing much. They cannot fight. They are worthless beings and not martial artists at all. Just magic puppets. They have no power at all. Elites are not better either. Maybe the Sword Saint would make me serious…But I doubt it. After all I am just step behind reaching the heights of unimaginable power. The power they won’t be able to touch. Also I don’t want to show the pretty princess the view of her fiance’s blood. But I feel the power from you.

The noise of people, discussing Xo Ming, started to rise. Shun looked around.

-          Wow, you are quite famous!

Said he with a surprised voice. “More like notorious”, thought Kenta.  

-          You don’t know my name? That’s surprising. Especially from someone, having knowledge in martial arts.

-          Well, I indeed know martial arts. Just a little.

Shun showed a tiny bit of space between two fingers.

-          I see...Then I guessed right and you are the swordsman first.  So I ask you again to spar with me. I can [sense] that you can satisfy my urge for the blood. You can use any...

But he was not able to finished his phrase. Shun threw his sword and pouch to Kenta. Then he interrupted.

-          I know a little about martial arts, but I think that more than enough to defeat you.

Shun threw his head dramatically and levelled his forefinger at Xo Ming. “Don’t provoke him…”, pleaded Kenta in his mind. He did not question Shun’s power, but the guy in front of him was the murderer who could turn this place in a bloodshed without second thought. Additionally he had the power rivalling or even surpassing the Sword Saint so he was the one of the strongest beings in the kingdom now.

Also one thing bugged Kenta. “I know that Shun is a sword specialist. By martial arts too? Maybe he is proficient in magic too? I should ask him that”. Nodded Kenta in his mind. “But continue to act like this in front of the strong warrior. Shun definitely something else”.  

-          Maybe I overheard or you indeed said that you could defeat me. Maybe you are not skilled at [sensing] after all as you can not feel difference in our powers...  

“Sensing…”, Kenta was not proficient in martial arts but he studied the theory behind it, when he found out that he had no chances to become a magician.

Generally, martial arts were build around the power of nature and the goal of training was in reaching the nature, becoming the part of it. According to the legends, the Martial Arts was granted  by The Warrior God to the people, after he finished his journey.

There were four levels in the martial arts.

On the first level, [You can sense], martial artists could read the nature’s power around and sense person’s mana, aura, mind. Some skilled martial artists were able to foresee the other person’s actions. That level was one of the most difficult levels to achieve. Basically if you were unable to get ability to [sense], you would not be able to move further. Some people spent their whole lives and were not successful in acquiring that ability. Moreover it was not a battle related level, so after reaching the first level you wouldn’t be able to defeat even an average soldier.

On the second level, [You can borrow] the martial artist could borrow the nature’s power to strengthen yourself. It’s similar to magical enhancements. He could run faster, break armor, swords, shields with his bare hands. They were also able to heal themselves. On that level they could easily defeat soldiers and even elite king’s soldiers.

On the third level, [You can control], the martial artist was able to control the nature’s power. On that level he was able to fight evenly with the Sword Saint, the supreme-level magicians and even defeat them. The could alter the state of every object, created by nature. The could turn a tree into a sprout or make it grow. The could turn stones into ashes. The ability to do such things was related to understanding of the nature. If the martial artist had enough skill, he could even bring drastical changes to wide areas.

The fourth level, [You are the part], was the most difficult one and there was only one person known from the books, who achieved that level after the Warrior God itself, was the great Monk of the Sage Mountain. According to the legends, on the fourth level the dragons resided in the past. That level allowed to martial artist to become the part of the nature.

Some people believed that there was the fifth level, achieved by the Warrior God. That level allowed him to become a living deity, surpassing even the dragons. According to the story, at the end of his life, the Warrior God surpassed the fourth level and completely merged with nature, becoming the nature itself. Though nobody could  prove that claims so it was just a legend.

Shun and Xo Ming were glaring at each other. Xo Ming stopped smiling. Suddenly he folded his hands as praying and started to release the fast cold air streams.

-          Everybody! I suggest you to live this place immediately.

Said Shun calmly and waved his hand in a way like the people around were disturbing him. A lot of people had left the tavern, but some of them decided to stay. But after Shun’s word they left it too.  “Wow. He is not even afraid!”, shouted Kenta in his mind. He was trembling but Shun was standing leisurely, observing Xo Ming with interest.

Then Shun took off his coat and threw it to Kenta. The air stream caught it and made it fell directly on Kenta, blocking his view. “Damn it!”, cried Kenta in his mind. He folded it and with the sword and pouch, and then he with other people started to run towards the exit. “At least I won’t need to pay for the food.”, thought Kenta while running.