Chapter 2: No Time for Nap Time

“I can’t even get home to sleep?! I thought the real fighting wasn’t supposed to start for another 3 days, Nav?!” Takeo was fuming, his voice rising in frustration.

“How would I know that people are this eager to fight? If I knew everything, I’d be a god by now, right?” Nav chimed in, completely unfazed by Takeo’s irritation.

“And besides,” Nav added with a smirk, “this is good training for you, seeing as you don’t train hard enough. Or, you know, at all.”

Takeo sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, Nav had a point—annoyingly, Nav often did. And somehow, that made everything even more irritating. And it wasn't Nav's fault for the fighting, he was merely making a deduction. A deduction which he himself thought was reasonable. After all, noone would fight immediately when they heard a suspicious announcement like that. There ought to be some buffer time here and there.

The unexpected rush of events had thrown everyone’s lives out of balance. Takeo glanced around at the small town on the outskirts of Asedral, in Aselite. The expressions on the townspeople’s faces were a mix of shock, excitement, and even a strange sense of calm on some. How could anyone be calm right now? And if this was the mood in such a quiet place, Takeo couldn’t imagine the chaos happening in the bigger cities like Asedral, Basedral, or Celedral.

The big cities had some of the big fishes lurking there. Heck, calling them "big fishes" might even be too tame. Takeo shuddered at the thought of having to face any one of them. Chaos was bound to descend everywhere or anywhere but most certainly somewhere.

While deep in thought, Takeo’s gaze fell on a hulking figure standing in front of him. It was none other than the monstrous brute he mentally dubbed Mr. Inappropriate. Dressed in a chainmail that clearly wasn’t made for his size, a scar that looked more like a kitten’s scratch, and—most hilariously—a perfectly neat ponytail that looked better than most women’s.

Unfortunately for Mr. Inappropriate, Takeo was in no mood for distractions.

“What do you want? I’m clearly not in a good mood right now,” Takeo sighed. Takeo obviously knew he wasn't here to chat.

“It’s the start of the tournament, and I’m going to use you as my stepping stone to reach the Top 100!” Mr. Inappropriate grunted, his eyes gleaming with misplaced confidence.

Takeo blinked, exasperated. “Really? The announcement just sounded, and you’re already jumping on board? Don’t you think it might be some type of elaborate scam? Shouldn’t you at least verify the source before deciding to pick fights?”

Takeo knew reasoning with this guy was pointless, but he was stalling for time, hoping Mr. Inappropriate might have a moment of clarity.

Nav, meanwhile, was unfazed by the sudden turn of events. In fact, he seemed more amused than anything. “I’ll check out the village situation, but you two can carry on without me,” Nav whispered to Takeo, already backing away.

“Wait—” But it was too late. Nav disappeared in a flash. For someone who usually moved at a snail’s pace, Nav was surprisingly fast when it came to running away.

Brutus—oh yes, that was his name, apparently—seemed rather pleased. “The floating announcement was enough for me! No need for checking sources. Brutus the Barbarian is here!” He growled, puffing out his chest as if his name carried any weight, unlike his appearance.

Takeo’s irritation faded slightly and was replaced by mild amusement. Brutus? Now that was a name that fit. Now, Takeo wasn’t one to judge people by appearance, but this was one of those rare moments when someone’s name and their personality matched perfectly. Like, it just clicked.

It was kind of like Nav. With his explorer’s cap that hid his wavy black hair, his light blue flowery shirt (which exposed his toned chest and abs), and his trusty bronze compass dangling from the pocket of his white pants, Nav just looked like a navigator. Takeo couldn’t imagine him with any other name. But Brutus? Oh, Brutus was just too spot-on.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Takeo let out a small, accidental laugh when he was pondering over the name.

Brutus, however, for some reason, wasn’t amused. At All.

“That’s it! You. Enemy. You. Dead.” Brutus scowled, raising his sword.

Everyone knew what happened next.

Brutus, the so-called Barbarian, was brutally defeated.

Following Brutus's quick defeat, the atmosphere around Takeo shifted. The lingering tension from the tournament’s early start seemed to grow heavier as more people began to stir. Takeo dusted off his hands and sighed, taking a brief moment to appreciate the small victory.

Takeo was thinking of his gift. What he did was merely replicate the actions of a seasoned fighter. But was this just the full extent of his abilities? Takeo usually didn’t have to do much; he was content with his current life – before the announcement. Takeo wasn’t one to dwell on things for too long, but ever since the tournament announcement, the question had lingered, creeping into his thoughts. Up until now, his life had been simple, and he liked it that way. A little hunting here and there, picking up odd jobs from the community boards in town, taking a stroll through the fields, or just lying in the grass, staring at the sky. It was peaceful and most importantly, uncomplicated.

Takeo used to wake up in the morning, content with the quiet rhythm of his days—no looming threats, no high stakes, just the simplicity of living in the countryside. He could hunt when he wanted, sleep when he wanted, and sometimes, if he was feeling productive, he’d take on a quest or two. Easy. No pressure.

But all that had changed with the announcement. The tournament had flipped everything upside down. The promise of a wish—one wish—had drawn in combatants from all over the world. The idea of having one’s deepest desire fulfilled was tempting, sure, but Takeo couldn’t bring himself to care all that much. After all, what would he even wish for? He had no grand ambition. He didn’t want power, wealth, or fame. He liked his quiet life.

Or at least, he used to.

Now, with the tournament underway, things were different. For the first time, Takeo felt a strange sense of unease—not about the fighting, but about himself. Was his ability just to imitate others? To be a shadow of their strength? He had gotten this far by coasting through life, but in this tournament, would replicate really be enough?

Just as he was about to turn back toward the village, a faint flicker in the sky caught his eye. The magical leaderboard hanging high above the distant hills updated once again, the names glowing softly as new contenders entered the rankings.

Takeo glanced at it, half-expecting Brutus's name to pop up for comedic effect—but it didn’t. Not even close.

Nav reappeared, his bronze compass dangling in his hand, looking completely unbothered as usual. “So, did Mr. Inappropriate put up a good fight?”

Takeo shrugged. “Not really. He was all talk.”

Nav smirked. “Typical Brutus behaviour amirite[1]?”

Takeo can’t help but laugh. Nav knew him alright.

Just as they were about to continue their conversation, the ground trembled slightly beneath their feet. Takeo narrowed his eyes. It wasn’t just a simple shake—this felt different. Something larger, something significant, was moving.

And then, off in the distance, Takeo noticed a cluster of people gathering near the village entrance, their faces filled with a mixture of awe and fear. There was an unmistakable presence approaching.

“Hey, Takeo... I don’t think you need to hear the results of my investigation…” Nav’s voice trailed off, uncharacteristically serious for once.

Takeo turned toward the crowd, his instincts already kicking in. Someone—or something—was coming. And this feeling wasn’t just another Mr. Inappropriate.

A ripple of Flow surged through the air, a powerful shift that caused even the more seasoned fighters to take notice. Takeo could feel it—the energy was different, much stronger, more intense. Whoever—or whatever—was approaching, they weren’t just here to participate. They were here to dominate.

Nav took a step closer, his normally carefree expression now laced with concern. “This... this feels like one of the big fishes.”

Takeo swallowed hard. “This one is an apex, a killer whale,” he corrected under his breath.

The crowd parted, and through the gap, Takeo caught sight of a slim figure approaching, surrounded by a group of fighters. The Flow emanating from them was overwhelming. In particular, the slim figure. He couldn’t make out their face from the distance, but the Flow around them was unmistakable—this was someone who could easily break into the top ranks, if they weren’t already in the top ranks.

Takeo took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. He had just taken down Mr. Inappropriate without breaking a sweat, but this... this was on a completely different level. He could feel the flow surging through him, ready to react, but his mind raced with the possibilities of what was to come.

Nav glanced sideways at him. “Well, Takeo... ready or not, I think your precious nap time is officially over.”

Takeo clenched his fists, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn’t need Nav to tell him.

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amirite[1]: Am I right? Often used as a slang.