Chapter 56: The Start Of The Singles Tournament

When my fourth and final fight ended against Alan I was transported back to the original competition area and was greeted with the following screen.

Congratulations on winning the New Comer’s Tournament. You have been awarded the title New Comer’s champion +10, you have been awarded 10 levels, you have been awarded 3 World Perks.

You have placed winning bets on the outcome of this tournament. You have been awarded 6,000,000 mithral coins, you have been awarded 50 levels of experience, you have been awarded 3 World Perks.

Your companions have placed winning bets on the outcome of this tournament. Your companions are each awarded 25 levels of experience.

Ok, that is a lot to take in. I need to sit down and assign points and then go bet again on myself to win the entire singles tournament. If I win it will be another fantastic boost to my strength and if I lose then no big deal. I will just have to get the title another year. I open up my status and am amazed at the points I have to distribute. 600 points is a lot and my level is now tier 4. Place some there and there and let’s check the total increase in power. Status.

Name: Mark Anderson

Level: 332 -45%

Unspent Attribute Points: 0

Str: 595

HP: 5,950

Int: 810 +250% MP

MP: 56,700

Wis: 810 +250% MP/Regen

HP/Regen: 1,000% per 15 min.

Agi: 595

MP/Regen: 1,000% per 15 min.

Con: 595 +250% HP/Regen

Luck: 595

Affinities: Earth - 100%

Water – 100%

Fire – 100%

Air – 100%

Resistances: Earth - 100%

Water - 100%

Fire – 100%

Air – 100%

Ok Mark, first go place bets, then find Yonder and see if the team is put together, then strategize and rest and recuperate. I head over to the betting area and see Yonder surrounded by 3 other people waiting for me. He must have realized what I needed to do and was waiting for me.

“Hi Yonder, let me make my bets and then I can join you and your friends for a quick talk.”

“Sounds good son, remember to place bets on each round and the final outcome. You get more stuff that way.”

Why that sneaky guy. I am glad I said something out loud. I would have just bet on the final outcome again. I wonder how much more I can actually get? Help, what is the maximum amount I can bet on myself to make it to each round of the Single’s Tournament?

You can bet 1 World Perk, 10,000,000 mithral coins, and 10 levels of experience per round.

What is the limit on betting on the overall winner?

You can bet 3 World Perks, 25,000,000 mithral coins, and 50 levels of experience on the outcome of the entire tournament.

Are companions and familiars still allowed to bet up to half of their Master’s bet?

Yes.

Some quick calculations, that means that I can get another 12 World Perks, 115,000,000 mithral coins, and an extra 140 levels on top of what I already have. My companions can earn another 70 levels each. Oh be still my heart. I quickly make my way around the various betting booths and place the maximum bets for both myself and my companions. Grinning I head over to Yonder.

“Yonder, please lead the way to a secure room and then you can introduce me to your friends. Perhaps I might also ask a question or two also?”

“Follow me lad.”

We headed back towards the hallway we had gone down before, but had to travel a lot further to find an open room. A lot of people must be in discussions right now. As we entered the secure room Yonder signaled everyone to have a seat. I quickly used my upgraded identify on everyone.

Name: Yonder Strongfist Race: Dwarf (Giant) Level: 424

Affinities: Water - 50% Earth - 85% Fire – 50%

Unique Skills: (Stubborn as a Rock), (Shared Attributes), (Amplify)

Resistances: Earth 45% Fire – 10%

Name: Hannah Cloudrunner Race: Dragonkin (Air) Level: 411

Affinities: Water - 50% Air - 100%

Unique Skills: (Truth Seer), (Immaterial)

Resistances: Air 50%

Name: Rydel Farjor Race: Elf (Forest) Level: 398

Affinities: Water - 75% Earth - 75%

Unique Skills: (Green Thumb), (Leave No Trace)

Resistances: Earth 50% Water – 25%

Name: Melarue Glynnis Race: Sprite (Winter Court) Level: 422

Affinities: Air - 100% Fire – 50%

Unique Skills: (Lesser Teleportation), (Projectile Weapon Master)

Resistances: Air - 75% Fire – 20%

“It looks like you took my advice and bet on my winning the New Comer’s tournament Yonder. Please introduce me to your friends.”

“Aye lad, once you showed me what you had hidden I knew it was easy money. I bet the maximum on everything and cleaned up. My friends took my advice and did the same. We have all reached tier 5 except that skinny elf, but he is close. I have the pleasure to introduce you to Hannah a dragonkin, Rydel is the skinny elf, and Lady Glynnis of the sprite nation.”

“Hello everyone, my name is Mark Anderson and as Yonder probably told you I have a proposition for you. I think it is possible for myself to earn the three championships title during this competition. However, the one I am least confident on is the team competition. I have a total of 3 spots left since Yonder will be taking one of them and I would like to know if you would be willing to join the team and listen to my instructions. If it makes you feel more confident you can have Miss Hannah use her Unique Skill Truth Seer on me while you ask questions.”

The three new people’s jaw dropped and Yonder started laughing.

“I told you he had skills didn’t I. I think he is telling the truth about being able to complete what even Silverwing was unable to do. Hear him out.”

I proceeded to outline my plan and told them that soon I would probably out level them with all of my bets coming in. Speaking of which.

“Hey Yonder, in the top twenty-five are there any people I can trick out of levels like I did Hammerfist. Maybe if I take a different approach”

“I know of two of them that bet frequently.”

Lady Glynnis chimed in.

“I know what buttons to push to get another to bet against you.”

Hannah spoke up.

“You can probably get any of the shadow dragonkin to bet against you as long as they think they are 50 levels or higher than you.”

“Ok, please point them out and let me know the best way to approach them. If I can pick up a few more levels through personal betting I think I can top 600 before the team tournament.”

Everyone’s eyes got big again.

“You can what?”

“Well I did the math and currently I am level 332. I get another 50 levels for the sucker bets I made on the General Melee which takes me to 382. I bet the maximum possible on every level of the tournament which when I win will be another 140 levels taking me to 522. If I can get each of these people you know to bet 20-25 levels that would push me over level 600.”

“He is right.”

“Lad are you sure you are confident enough to bet everything on this?”

“Yonder let me ask you a question first. What is your highest stat and your lowest stat. I don’t need what it is in, just the number.”

Yonder looked at me like I had grown another head. He couldn’t see where this was going.

“I don’t mind telling you lad. My strength is my pride and I have 550 points in it. My luck is lowest at 242. Why?”

“Hannah please verify my statement. My lowest stat has 595 points in it.”

“Truth.”

Oh, the dumbfounded look I am getting from my team mates is starting to get old.

“I’ll just say it is a combination of me earning my bloodline very early and more titles than you can even imagine. I probably have the stats of someone who is already level 450-500 and I am only at level 332. When I add the levels I expect to get soon, how confident do you think I am. Oh and I have bet the maximum number of levels possible for my companions as well so the elemental dragons should be level 200 or more and my familiar around level 250 for the team tournament.”

They just looked at each other and finally Rydel spoke.

“I have to go and increase my bets.”

“Well before you go and do that can you go and find those people you thought of I could bet against and explain what you think would make them bet against me.”

“Right of course.”

Everyone discussed their ideas and suggestions about how I could get people to bet with me. We decided that a staged argument with one of them would probably be the best. I would loudly declare that I already had earned 30 levels and was getting another 50 from the general melee. I would then talk about how much that would power me up. I then had to say how I knew that I could probably not win the tournament but with such a boost in power it was not unlikely for me to make the top 256. Since my false status would show that I was only level 152. With most everyone knowing that I was expecting another 50 levels, they would most likely come to the conclusion that I expected that when I reached the next tier and “level 202” that I thought I could play with the big boys. I then was supposed to finish up the argument saying something about how even if I placed that high it was pointless because I would not be able to earn any of the rewards. That is why I wanted to find some people to bet my new levels against. I would argue out loud that even if I lost it was no big deal because I had earned these levels for free and could always get them back in the future.

My friend would give up at that point and just say fine. This is a lesson you are going to have to learn on your own. Just make sure you do not bet more than 50 levels total or you will be sorry. I have tried to stop you that is all I can do. Hopefully the various parties would then approach me and initiate the bet. We would stage the argument without the people they thought of first to try and get anyone else to bet first and then they would go and conveniently talk about what they just heard a rookie say around the people they thought would bet against me. I was warned to never go above 25 levels in my bets. No one does that and it would set off some flags in people’s minds.

Once the plan was in place we all dispersed and left. Since several people had probably seen me talking to Yonder twice earlier it was decided that it would be more believable if he was the one to have the staged argument with me. We both headed over to the area near the betting booth and started our staged argument. After a couple of minutes I could see some people were looking interested and several others looked concerned. Soon enough someone spoke up.

“Mark, I couldn’t help overhearing. You should listen to your new friend. Even after a boost of 50 more levels you will only be at the start of tier 3. Most of your opponents will be in tier 4 or higher in the Single’s Tournament.”

“Thank you for your concern sir, but I am determined to do this. The Great Game already placed me at number 501 and that was before I earned all of these new levels. I have some titles and a skill that also give me confidence in my ability.”

“Whatever kid, I was just trying to help.”

“Leave the kid alone. If he wants to make a bet let him, this is how rookies learn hard lessons.”

Perfect, that sounded like someone who could become my first betting scam victim. I just need to reel him in and convince others that I would be good to bet against.

“I may be a rookie, but I know how strong I am. Do you think you could beat me just because you have been here longer? Even if you are higher leveled I think I have a chance. Are you willing to back up your statement with some levels?”

“Fine kid if you want to give me your levels, I will take them from you. Let’s head over and make the bet now.”

“Don’t call me kid. That goes for all you old timers. Have some respect for others. I know I can’t win, but that does not mean I can’t do well. I believe that I can reach the top 256 and obviously the Great Game does also since it placed me at 501. I am willing to back up my talk with levels, but most of you have been here so long that you are scared of change and just mumble in the background and pretend to be wise. I am going to head over to the betting booth and I will accept all bets about me reaching the top 256. Not only am I confident in my ability, but I think it will serve as motivation that many of you don’t have. I am not the idiot many of you think I am. I will only accept bets until I will reach the level I came into the competition with. I may be wrong but I am not going to be a push over.”

I stalked over to the personal betting area with anger. Several people followed me over and the confirmation of bets started coming in. I accepted every bet that came my way that stated what I had said earlier as quick as I could. I needed to get as many levels as possible, but if I stood here to long it would probably set off warning bells about me betting more than I should. I decided 60 seconds was about right and I mentally approved 15 bets in that time. I took a step back and said out loud.

“That’s my limit. You may think that I am crazy, but I do know enough not to bet past my original competition level.”

That was a good way to end this little charade. I moved away from the betting area and headed to a quiet corner so I could count up and review how many levels it actually was. I signaled Yonder to follow me. I reviewed my messages and did some quick math. Most of the fifteen bets I made were for 10-15 levels but three were for 25. So 75 plus 80 plus 60 is 215. 215 levels, I really did not think I would be able to get that many to bet against me. 215 levels is a raise of two tiers. Let’s see add everything together, my level is 332 plus 50 for General Melee plus 215 for personal bets, plus 140 for Great Game bets and my new level if I win the Singles Tournament would be 737. Can that be right?

It seems like that is too high. I might even be able to bet a few more times. How has no one else figured this out in the past? I mean with betting you could instantly become untouchable and wipe everybody out. I must be missing something. I need to talk to Yonder really quick. Yonder had been waiting patiently for me to say something.

“Can we get another room really quick I have a question before we move on.”

Back down the hallways and into another room I immediately began speaking.

“Yonder I did the math and this just seems too easy. I am afraid that I am missing something. The level I expect to be after the Singles Tournament is quite frankly ridiculous and scary. Has no one tried this before? Is there a rule that I am breaking?”

Yonder just shook his head no. He could see that I was nervous.

“Lad you are doing nothing wrong. Other people have tried in the past, but you are a unique existence. I have never heard of anyone ever coming in with your high levels and stats, which means that although they may have been confident in themselves, all they had to do was look around and see hundreds of people that were stronger than them. No one has been brave enough to bet more than about ten levels in a go in a long long time. If you mess up and lose 10 levels past tier 3 it can take you up to a year or more to gain them back. That is a huge loss in time. With that level of commitment many people do not bet at all or at least only bet between 1-5 levels just to spice things up. With you being a rookie and having that false status many of the greedier gambling folks see what they think is a sure bet and are able to finally let their inner demons loose and bet against you.”

“Thank you for your explanation Yonder I was starting to get worried I had violated some rule I did not know about.”

“Out of curiosity how high a level do you expect to be if everything works out like planned?”

“Promise not to stare at me.”

“Sure lad.”

“Over 750.”

Dang it he even promised this time. Wide eyes, open hanging mouth, yep I broke him again.

“Snap out of it Yonder.”

“Sorry lad, it is just a lot to take in.”

“Just focus on how much you are gaining. You jumped 50 levels on me winning the New Comer’s Tournament and you will get another 50 for betting on the Single’s. That means you will have increased an entire tier in strength in less than 2 weeks.”

“You are right son, that is amazing in itself. I was so focused on how strong you were getting I completely forgot about my own gains. This is all because of you. Please accept my gratitude and I hope that we personally can stay friends in the future and maybe our planets as well.”

“I hope so Yonder. Now where can I get some sleep and can you contact the others to see if they think we could pull a couple of the big fish they had thought of tomorrow after I get my “big” increase in levels from the General Melee.”

“Aye lad, the hallway on the other side is rooms for sleeping. Just like this side if it is green it is free. I will talk to the others. You rest and contact me with this communication crystal in the morning and we will meet up and talk again.”

“Thanks, Yonder.”

I travelled to the other side of the staging area and grabbed a room. I had a pleasant surprise when I entered my room.

You have entered an area where companions and familiars can be summoned.

Finally I can update and check on everyone. I called everyone out and explained the situation to them. It was good to interact with family, and no matter how different they looked these guys and girls were family. I was relieved to hear that everything was fine with them. They never even noticed the passage of time usually, but were excited when the Great Game contacted them. They immediately accepted and when I asked why they all just said because it’s you. It feels good to be that trusted. I need to make sure I am worthy of it. Tomorrows another day and I need to be ready for it.