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Chapter 04: Master Siva

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He reached the Walled city of Loire after five days of travel. But right now, he wasn't in the horse he had bought from Walled City Maria but instead in his now trademark, the Volume Hunter's Spider Cargo Truck.

The horse died. It was an unfortunate thing.

There were three cargos behind him. Each was full of monsters he'd hunted from three days ago. It would have been four but the first one was full of the already near rotten state so he had no choice but to let go of the first spider truck.

People started to gather around on the gates as soon as they saw an approaching spider cargo truck.

The sight of the large gates alone was enough to put him in ease as it was just like in any other city he had been through all these time.

Loire, as he read the information on his H-panel, was a city that centered in the magical aspects. Although the Thrall Kingdom boasts of additional 5% on luck for all the Tekz Race players, Loire is a city that focused their trades in the advancement of their magical technology.

And unlike most known cities in the Thrall Kingdom where they boasted in the arts and sciences, as well as magic, of archery and almost anything that has something to do with high DEX stat, Loire had some sort of charm for its Mage fashions.

Enchantment Temples are more famous in Loire than in the other nearby cities and the NPC Shops almost had no customers since they don't actually have that much of advancement funds compared to the temples.

These tasks are managed by the current Lord of the city, or the Mayor on human settlement cities. And since the Terrans are people who had rich magical culture, as per the game's storyline, investments on magic technology advancement was just the normal thing to do.

It was a marketing idea, according to the Lord of Loire.

Walled City of Loire was one of the first cities like Hagonoy that opened up for the users since the game was released. The starting cities' information is released in the public so aspiring users could plan ahead where they wanted to start their playing career and what kind of class of player they had in mind. And along with those information was the fact that not all cities offer the same level of technologies.

Therefore, not every city has the same number of experts and specialists. Most of them, actually, almost all players of Terroa are hybrids. These are conservative players who prefer to fight from a distance even after the dawn of the Engineer playing style. Because as much fun as Terroa has to offer, the fact remains that a lot of money is involved just to play.

This strategy, in gaming perspective, will force users to look for other cities with better technologies, if they wanted to advance their current abilities and equipment, or, just to learn all there is to learn about the game's skill system.

-forcing them to have adventures themselves.

And with these thoughts in his mind, Siva watched the scene of the city from 400m away. The first impression of the walls alone gave him the idea of Loire's main market as one of the frontier magic center for Mages.

One of the main attractions of this city were all those floating rocks with buildings atop them. Skyscrapers, commercial edifices, two coliseums, and more ancient looking structural symbols in colorful themes, floats around the city streets down below.

Loire's shape is an octagonal city and the eight side walls stood around 80m high and over 4km long each.

Flying units could be seen from here and there, and they were like dancing petals as they battle from each other. And from here and now, Siva could hear loud cheers roaring from inside the city and that's how he remembered that this and many more cities in Terroa, holds a monthly competition on its Coliseum.

Magic Users Tournament.

"I see."

Siva continued to move forth and when he entered the 300m guard zone of the city, he saw what was hidden from his sight from the high steep hill where he came.

There was a large floating island just above the city of Loire and it looked like a quarter of the whole size of the city itself, hidden in the white clouds. In its base were protruding man-made structures, opening holes, and even some water falls, with stairs and small docks, probably made for the cyclones and all air units as there're some of those who's already been occupied by even larger sized trading vessels.

The island looked to be very old, with a view of a rich forest above. But instead of a wild rain forest inhabited by monsters, there were silhouettes of tall buildings standing above it from the civilization of Loire.

It was a majestic sight. There were also smaller islands around the giant one, connected to the main island by giant chains that looked like hanging bridges from where Siva was looking below.

The battling people used the small floating islands as foot grounds, going around their enemies or using it as a diving post, and either attacked their enemies by melee strike or by long-ranged spells and archery.

Somewhere a bit lower, as low as the walls' height provide, were groups of other players, casting their spells into the flying units above. Sparks and lines of bright lights flew up, shooting towards the sky, with few careless players being hit, followed by cheers of the wild crowd.

There were also Shanks mixed in on their group, and it was a sight as their cannon fires were deflected by an invisible shield cast by the Mages.

Siva could only gasp in awe watching the grand fight and even from where he was and with the tall walls of the city, he could see what was happening since he was in a higher plain than the city itself.

And so he stopped to watch them for a few moments before he noticed the people in the green grassy fields and forest entrances stopping to look his way.

Some even pointed fingers, some even came close as to see clearly who the person with three connected cargo trucks behind was. And when they came close to view range, Siva summoned a white domino and wore it, looking the opposite way as his usual self. His cloak, as always, was always reliable as it was able to conceal his white polo garb.

Siva stepped in on his pedal and the legs of the spider truck began to move again.

Three inter connected cargo trucks, moved in a synchronized motion, following the lead head like one big millipede with six sections.

On the gates, he was asked of his affiliations, something that he wasn't used to in the two cities he had personally visited in the game.

"I'm sorry sir, but Loire has a strict compliance that all visitors must provide proper authentication of his purpose of visit. It's SOP sir."

Siva nodded as he understood what the guard said. It's better to comply to regulations than to be branded as a criminal and be issued a wanted mission from the black list hunters. Still, it troubled him as he wasn't used to give out affiliations, especially now that he had cut off his unconfirmed ties with Miranda.

But then, there's still something that he can say to the guard and so he told him, "I'm here to see Dante." that made the guard's face frown and look at his buddy.

The two nodded and stayed quiet, then made a hand signal to the other guard inside the post. After a few moments, some high ranked guy from the post came to him, with his Gonn build and orthodox Destroyer-class intimidating posture.

"Sir, my name is Captain Shaun Harris of the Knights of the Seven Pillars. If it's not much of your time, I would like to ask you a few things inside the office."

Captain Harris, a clear NPC, motioned a gentle gesture towards the open door of the guard post. Siva nodded and replied to the invitation, parking and leaving his spider truck and following behind the Captain. Inside the guard post was a chair, and then three other guards who crossed their arms with their knight visors on.

All of these guards, except the first two, were from the five other distinct Terran Races.

They all had large weapons holstered on their backs like Captain Harris, in shiny knight armors, a clear indication of being a Destroyer-class melee combatant as well as them belonging on the same order.

"Please, take a seat, sir." Harris began and Siva obliged as he sat down the chair. The four knights, with Captain Harris also taking a seat in front of him, all had a cold atmosphere in them as their leader began. "Let's just say that we are Mister Dante's...representatives. I would like to know what your business with him is."

Siva sighed as his doubts were cleared. So he relaxed his posture and straightened out his resolve.

"I'm sorry, Captain. But it is strictly confidential. I am here in strict business matters and it is important that my business is only revealed with him alone."

The Gonn captain, a naturally almost two meters tall bulky man, wore a frown for a moment then changed into his business smile as he leaned back on his seat, scanning Siva from head to toe. The three men behind him slowly scattered in the room that Siva felt very familiar with, from a memory he just had around 8 months in the real world -before any of his current problems even began.

"That's very unfortunate..." Harris paused as he looked at the H-panel floating in front of him, then returned his eyes to look at the anti-glare mask. "...Siva, for a meeting with Señor Dante is strictly governed by the law of this city and also by appointment. I insist that for you to have a meeting with him, we have to know first if you are of someone who's caliber is worthy."

Siva, knew that the Captain's smile and his men's actions were all to intimidate him. Thankfully, his life's background provided him with an immunity to such threats -especially from a very scary one as such, for the more frightening the threat was, the more he actually felt relaxed and composed.

And so, a dark smile emerged on his lips as he opened his mouth to confirm the Captain's words.

"By worthy, does it mean I will have to show you my strength? Is this the test you wanted to imply?"

The Captain, an NPC who came from the strong and proud Gonn Race that boasted of their naturally built intimidating presences, also smiled the same way as he stood up from his seat and rested his hands on his side while the other on his weapon.

"We insist." He said softly.

"I see." Siva grinned and everything he wore became black, his mask turned black, his cloak vanished, and his smile became a sinister grin. "Just remember that I don't want my name being known by others after this interview."

***

It hasn't been that long since they saw the person driving the centipede-like interconnected spider trucks enter the guard post. The murmurs and whispers from the people had been going on for awhile when the guard post exploded from inside.

The guards outside jolted in surprise and they, together with the surprised users and NPC citizens, all took a few steps back from the place.

Smokes blew off the windows and a silhouette of a man in white polo shirt and black slacks walked off from the door where he came. The man, upon stepping out of the guard post, changed his equipment into a cloak and white mask. The change only happened in a second as he took small steady steps outside to the clearing while looking around to whoever was in their crazy minds to block his way.

Soon after, the captain of the sentinels also came out but instead of his former elegant self, he looked like in shambles, with trashed out spiked hair, ruined armor, and a broken giant buster blade on his back.

Siva boarded back his truck and the gate opened up for him, and the captain, giving him a Blue Card.

"Loire is a...*cough*cough*...city that regulates in a systemized order. This is a VIP pass. Don't lose them, please...sir." Hearing the sir in there made Siva smile.

"Thank you for your patronage, Harris."

The first name address made the people watching the scene exchange murmurs and whispers while all the knights in there almost shouted in anger when they were stopped by Harris's statement.

"He's in the coliseum. Show them that pass and they will not ask any question."

"I like it that way."

Siva stepped into the pedal as he ignored the bowing captain and left the shocked and surprised citizens with the accountable players around. And when he was away, the guards outside approached their guard captain who just then collapsed on a sitting position on a rock at the paved road.

"Wh-What was that explosion captain?" Asked one of the men. But instead of answering, Harris glared at him and pulled down his collar.

"Fuck the regulations." He said and all the men became bewildered. "The bastard blew the whole post up! He's a freaking monster!"

"Who is that captain? What's his name?"

Upon the question, Captain Harris spat on the ground.

"If you don't love your life, ask him that question yourself. I ain't gonna say a word." -since a bloody monster just entered our peaceful city...

Because the last part of his words were directed to himself, the men were left looking at the fleeting spider cargo truck with bewildered eyes.

***

"The first city in the east is a city under the Persian Empire. The next one is located in the border and over a mountain range of the East is another walled city, then there was the walled city of Loire and finally the Port City of Quiapo facing the Atlantis Ocean."

"Would this be alright?"

"I do hope so. I can't wait to put a fist on that bastard's face for making us follow him like this."

These two aren't really the types to mesh together inside a bowl. And yet when she looks at the type of their friendship, Kathleen couldn't help but sigh with a smile.

"Please don't be like that. I know he has a reason for doing these things."

"And what would that be? Being high and mighty for succeeding in making three beautiful women track his tail? No can do, Amanda, I ain't the type to do things for free. Rest assured, when I see him, he'll receive the beating of a lifetime. And, you, why are you smiling?"

"Nothing."

"What do you mean nothing?"

"I told you already, it's nothing."

"You smiling for nothing creeps me out. And you too Amanda, why are you smiling like that?"

"I'm only excited."

As the three got into their seats, the last passenger to board the commercial plane fastened his seat belt.

The guy looked left and saw Amanda, her silver strand hair on her forelocks brush slightly on her delicate cheek. Kathleen saw this and chuckled, seeing the guy become mesmerized. The guy, upon hearing the chuckle and the understanding its meaning, came back to reality with an embarassed expression.

He was about to get mad but when his eyes unwillingly turned to Amanda again, his world stopped there and then.

Amanda just fixed her forelocks into her right ear but it felt like an eternity of a moment, her pink lips shone with the sunlight, the serene expression even gave warmth to Kathleen's feminine heart. If the beauty and grace in that simple move could be explained by a single line, she would have murdered them for lacking more words.

Amanda wasn't aware that with just her simple moves, she was causing an uproar on the men's hearts. She just became the center of attraction in the whole flight while conversing normally with FlowerLord.

It was a first class flight, with a very spacious trackway in the middle and seats with a good view out side on either sides.

As also a feat, two seats are positioned facing each other. It's a characteristic of Commercial Cyclones, to promote the "meet n' greet anonymous people" theme the game offered.

Oblivious of the fact that the rich players around them are looking at her, Amanda just went on to enjoy her conversation wearing a beautiful sunny smile.

Kathleen coyld only sigh saying, "It was a right decision." when a voice in the audio speakers in the passenger bay sounded.

[Ladies and Gentlemen, we are about to depart. This is your captain speaking. May we ask that you enjoy the flight and to the beautiful soul with silver forelocks, please keep smiling.]

Kathleen blinked many times, unable to immeiately process the words she heard. And as though she was the only one who noticed the regards of the flight Captain, she just brushed it off and toom out a camera ball.

"Smile!" she prompted for the two and took a picture.

The flight towards Walled City of Maria was peaceful, althroughout.

But even though it wasn't spoken aloud, in the hearts of the lucky men who saw her beauty, Amanda was the storm that made their hearts skip a beat the whole time.