123: When The Odds Are Against You Part 1

When The Odds Are Against You Part 1

That night I slept out under the stars. It was not just me but everyone else as well. I had put up a barrier around us to keep any questionable people from being able to get near us so we could sleep peacefully at night. Sophie was very nice and allowed me to cuddle with her fluffy tail, or more like I kinda snuggled into it without asking first. But she didn't say anything, so I guess all was okay.  2

Sei and Runa seemed to have passed out drunk. Runa was not much older than me, but she still drank Thurul's ale like a champ. I never had alcohol myself, but I am not sure I want to drink any either. I feel I might become a different person if I did. No idea why I feel this way, I just do.

When I woke up in the morning, I couldn't help but shiver at the dreams I was having. Knight's on white horses saving a damsel in distress. Two, to be more precise. One was Adel, and the other was Prince Lance. It was a terrifying dream where they had a duel to the death, and in the end, no one won. For some reason, an even more terrifying person showed up. An idiot beyond idiots, the hero of Gravos! It was such a nightmare that I woke up feeling sticky from sweat.

It was all Sir Derek's fault for reminding me about all that love stuff. But I wonder why that idiot showed up in my dreams. He is already a walking nightmare during the day when I see him. I do not want to have him in my dreams. And for some reason, he kept yelling: "I have your money!" But in his hand was a bunch of rocks that you would find on the side of the road! Anyway, I am now awake and will hopefully never dream of such a dream again. 

After some food for breakfast, it was already time to head to my stage. My opponent was already standing there waiting for me when I arrived.  Fanmari, although she was cute, I could sense her trying to stare daggers into me. While I should just ignore it, I still couldn't help but ask: "Are you here for me?"

"Hmmm?" Fanmari looked at me with a raised eyebrow before lowering her head and tapping her chin with her finger. She seemed to have fallen into deep thought. A few seconds later, she raised her head at me and smiled. But that smile seemed to tell me a lot since it was filled with blood lust. 

I really did not wish to fight this fight since I knew it will be a battle with my life on the line, but….. I will have no choice, it seems. While I could just give up here and now, I would look weak in the eyes of those damn nobles if I did that. I will need to show them my strength is not to be taken lightly. So I must apologize to this girl who I was about to fight with everything I had.

I gripped my sword as the announcer's voice rang through the air. "All contestants, get ready! Begin!"

It was then that Fanmari raised her huge fan and swung it at me. A gale of wind shot right at me, and within that wind, I could sense imminent danger. I wrapped my feet with earth using earth magic to keep me from being blasted away while putting up both a mana shield and a barrier. 

Clanging sounds were heard as hundreds of metal needles slammed into my barrier and fell to the ground. I could smell a strange stench coming from those needles. They were probably poisoned. While frowning, I created multiple magic circles and surrounded Fanmari with earth wall. "We do not need to do this. If you stop now, you can walk out of here."

"I get paid for the job. Even we assassins have our own code of honor. We take a job, we finish it, or we die. It's that simple. One of us will be leaving here alive today. Which one of us it is, is still up in the air! Wind Destruction!"  Fanmari yelled out, causing my earth walls to blast to pieces and fly at me. Luckily I kept a barrier up, so I was able to block all the debris. 

I looked at Fanmari who was smiling back at me with a face full of killing intent, and sighed. I turned my gaze skyward before closing my eyes and opening them again. Since I have no choice, I will do what I need to do….

I raised my hand, causing the sky to darken overhead. Magic circles lit up in the sky and began to spin around. "Since you are not willing to give up and these damn nobles do not seem to understand who I am, then I guess I will display a bit of my strength. Meteor shower!" 

"What are you doing!? Are you crazy!?" I heard the announcer yell out. I turned to see the old man suddenly charging over at me with a magic circle already active. Seeing the kind of spell it was, I couldn't help but feel even more depressed. "Even you are in on it?"

I got no answer to my question as I formed three barriers around myself along with my mana shield. It seemed the attack was a lightning attack. I guess this old man had been watching me from the very start trying to find out my weaknesses, and I allowed him to!

With another wave of my hand, hundreds of magic circles appeared in the air and surrounded the old man. "Don't blame me for this! Hells Rain!" 

Fire and lightning began to shoot out from the magic circles toward the old man. But he only snorted and tossed up a few barriers to block the attacks. But luckily, it threw him off his attack route since he had to stop and defend. As for Fanmari, I saw her kneeling down using her fan as a means to block the incoming meteors. This was my slimmed down version of grand fall. Small meteors no bigger than my fist flying down from the sky. 

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