A’nar stared at the strange armored figure that floated gently into place above the Challenger’s raised stone dais on the Arena sands. Lady Eve had been a delightful surprise in the last fourteen fights, and contributed to doubling his liquid worth. The sheer amount of gold he’d won from her victories so far was enough to fund a third expansion for his Golden Sand merchant company on its own!

Lord Glass, Zif, and Caroline had already taken leave of his luxury viewing room. Lady Eve had carved a path through the Elemental Champions, and treated the Winter Fae as a mere speedbump. It was clear, even without the Sight that A’nar had, the Challenger was a terrifying monster.

High Element of Space alone is horrific, but the fact that she has a miniscule grasp of Time as well is practically demonic! A’nar thought. Well versed in Rot, Blood, and even something obscure that shatters shields! I can only imagine the headache the bookies are having as they are forced to adjust the odds practically every match…

The merchant rubbed his hands in glee glancing at the three names on his Trade Scroll skill that were approaching financial losses of epic proportions. After setting the bait out in the first round of betting, A’nar had progressively raised the stakes. At the current payout, if Lady Eve finished round twenty as the winner, he would double his existing territory taking approximately thirty percent from Lord Glass, Zif the Guildmaster, and Caroline of the Goldwater Merchants. A’nar listened to the announcer as his thoughts considered the new information he had gained from Lady Eve’s business manager.

That delightful girl Sara revealed their plans masterfully for a decent price. Since I’ve decided to move, after winning, I’ll simply sell all my non-liquid assets to the City Lord. It will be a minor loss on my own assets, but the inclusion of Lord Glass, Zif, and Caroline’s losses will make it a net profit in the end. A’nar thought with glee. I’ll dump everything into the Bank of Dragon, and only require the usual travel necessities.

The Sky Sword mountain range was ambitious in the extreme, but the strength on display so far convinced A’nar it would be worth his while to follow Lady Eve. There were a thousand and one things that combat specialists forgot when founding a town, and A’nar wanted to be the exclusive merchant for a rising power. He could practically taste the golden metal of greed that such an opportunity as assisting in the founding of a new city could provide.

Gold was easy to make, but rare ingredients, those that could extend life or increase Level had atrocious exchange rates. The closer a merchant was to the supply of such things, the higher the profit margins, and the easier it was to acquire a few for his own needs. A’nar had no illusions that his worth was inherent, he was not part of Lady Eve’s entourage. In this world the moment he was no longer a goose that laid golden eggs he was a chicken to be butchered and sold for meat pies.

That was just the way the world worked.

The weak feed the strong, the strong protect their lunch. A’nar thought watching a strange paper sphere appear around Lady Eve in response to the enormous wave of water that flew towards her. As it expanded the towering wave of water flooding from the Drowned Man’s instantaneous portal was reflected with ease. It is rare to find a combat specialist that understands the true value of a merchant, but employing someone such as Sara demonstrates extreme foresight.

Combat specialists like Lady Eve were good at acquiring. However, translating something they had gained into something useful was a completely different ballgame. A’nar was a merchant of such caliber that turning herbs, wood, ore, skins, meat, and Cores into useful products required a flip of his hand. From what his spies had managed to find out so far, Lady Eve’s entourage consisted of three small street urchins, three teenagers, and two adults. While that wasn’t too surprising, the fact that everyone except the youngest urchin was at the Second Tier was quite a feat.

A family of adventurers? Except then Zif would have known about her, so it can’t be that. A’nar thought. His eyes used Sight to track the water spikes that attempted to pierce the ever-expanding paper bubble. It was a pointless attack, as paper would simply open miniscule holes. The air pressure from within the holes blew any spike completely away before it could impact, whereupon the paper would seal once more. At a cost to benefit ratio, mana expenditure for the Drowned Man is immense. Even a Siren will eventually bleed faster than her mana regeneration rate can sustain at this pace.

In a whirlpool of motion the water flooding the arena below was drawn into the gorgeous female opposite the paper sphere. Within moments the massive flood of water had completely vanished giving way to bone dry sand. A glance at the Drowned Man revealed a fetching Siren in her prime. Blue skin, pointed ears, and ruby red eyes were the hallmarks of her race. A single locking glyph glowed on the Siren’s throat preventing the use of her signature abilities to enchant men. Tattered clothing and bone charms draped in strategic locations effortlessly ensnared the minds of lesser men. A’nar assessed the Siren noting the ragged appearance did little to hide her trained muscular form or bouncing orbs of enchantment.

Why would the owner of such a beauty risk her death? A’nar thought, quickly pulling up a copy of the contract for Lady Eve’s fights through his Trade Scroll skill. Ah, because removing a fighter from contention in the Champion Tier would require repayment of the winnings.

8,184,000 Slots and 504,000 Free Stats would beggar anyone short of Tier Six. There was no way a fighter’s owner would pay that amount of restitution to keep their favorite sex toy from being killed. At the same time it explained Lady Eve’s willingness to put her life on the line. The amount of Slots and Stats were something she wouldn’t see normally for at least three more Tiers. The opportunity to take advantage and get ahead in the rat race of Class Tiers was practically addictive to combat specialists.

A’nar narrowed his eyes at an almost innocuous line in the contract that required Lady Eve to reveal her features if she made it past the bottom five Champions. At first glimpse it almost appeared disadvantageous, since she had taken such great effort to remain concealed for all her previous fights. Being the suspicious merchant that he was though, A’nar had another flash of insight.

The contract allows her to use Slots and Stats between fights to upgrade. A’nar thought his mind racing. She’s at least Tier Three according to the contract, which means as a female, she most likely has unlocked Charm.

Charm was one of the hardest Stats to manage for a combat specialist since increasing it detracted from their actual fighting power.

Unless you have a surplus of Stats. A’nar thought his mind spinning. Shock tactics are most effective when no one suspects them…

Taking a deep breath, A’nar looked down at the two forms fighting. He ignored the Siren with eight water whip tentacles flailing at the armored female figure of Lady Eve. Opening his eyes fully, A’nar reached within to the core of his gift, Sight, and looked at the twin-tentacle blade fighter.

A sight of beauty struck his mind like a physical blow causing his eyes to roll into the back of his head. A sloppy grin like a deviant addict pasted itself onto his face and for long moments A’nar was lost in pleasure. After his body shuddered in ecstasy for several minutes, the merchant finally regained control. Thankfully his guests were no longer present, or he would have never been able to live the unseemly actions down. His clothing had a self-cleaning enchantment that removed the mess in his pants with minimal issue. A’nar straightened in his chair, taking a long sip of expensive wine.

A quick glance at the few servants ensured that none of them had been watching him directly. Extensive training and contracts assured A’nar that even had they witnessed anything, they wouldn’t be able to talk. Turning his attention back to the sands below, he licked his lips.

Charm of at least two thousand. A’nar thought his mind analyzing the information. The number of women I know at that number can be counted on one hand.

Visiting royalty, the city lord’s wife, and the leader of the Slave Market were those few that he knew of directly with such a high Charm Stat. None of the women were known fighters, and A’nar could see how devastating the combination could make Lady Eve.

The top five Champions all have their strengths, but let’s be real, three of them are male. A’nar said as his eyes followed the battle below. Even if they most likely have some defense against Charm, the very effect of the Stat will force them to watch her. The mind can rationalize even the most self-destructive tendencies, as I well know.

His will effortlessly countered the desire to look again at Lady Eve’s true form. A’nar had bargained with creatures that had high Charm before, and won. It was an exercise of will, but nothing he couldn’t curtail. Watching the armored figure on the sands below, he saw Lady Eve gaining the upper hand. Water Whip for all the violent power it contained, wasn’t able to do significant damage to Eve’s armored form. The twin-tentacle blades chopped with mechanical efficiency severing water whips with uncanny speed. As soon as a water whip was no longer connected to the Siren, the water would vanish.

Spatial manipulation at work again, this time offensively. A’nar thought. Teleport to stick close in melee, and another trick to remove resources from play. Lady Eve is nothing if not cautious.

Even as his eyes widened Lady Eve moved into an all or nothing attack the Siren managed to pull off. A’nar watched confused as Lady Eve traded five brutal puncturing water whip strikes for a single finger touch on the Siren. Similar to a previous fight, Lady Eve immediately retreated after managing to strike her blow.

A’nar thought furiously, his mind jumping between possibilities. There was no indication of the High Element of Time in that finger strike. It had looked more like a Curse being applied. Moments later, the wily merchant watched in horror as the effect became ever more pronounced.

In the desert it was not bandits, nor monster, nor storm that many feared.

It was thirst.

The all-encompassing madness that could drive the powerful to ruin.

A’nar gripped his chair tight as he watched the water element specialist known as the Drowned Man become true to her namesake. At first, it seemed almost innocent, the Siren would take a sip of water from one of her palms as she threw water bullets at the armored form of Lady Eve.

Then the sips became a small stream feeding into her mouth.

Then a larger stream.

Finally, a river.

At this point, even the audience could see that something strange was going on. A’nar watched as the Siren opened a gate to the Plane of Water, but not to attack, no she was simply trying to quench her need.

When the horror finally ended the Drowned Man’s corpse looked like a puffy monstrosity. It was practically a mercy when Lady Eve moved to the fallen enemy and removed her head with a single strike.

A’nar felt a shiver of terror at the merciless Curse that had been used. It was something that struck at the fear deep within every desert dweller.

The fear of the water running out and an insatiable need rising.

Clutching his wine goblet A’nar took shaky gulps before his nerves calmed. Lady Eve had won, gaining both 8,184,000 Slots and 504,000 Free Stats to use before fighting the Rank Five Champion.

If she didn’t spend any of her previous Slots from the last fight, she will have just over twelve million Slots to work with. A’nar thought. The next three Champions are all male, so I might as well write them off as dead already.

A small note flashed into his Trade Scroll causing A’nar to nod in understanding. The bookies had adjusted the odds for the next three fights to massively favor Lady Eve. As a result he would make only about one-twentieth the amount of funds as the previous string of fights.

Narrowing his eyes, A’nar chose to keep it all riding on Lady Eve.

I don’t gamble. A’nar thought with a sharp grin. Because it is only a gamble when victory is at risk.