Every year during the summer festival, The King holds a tournament where the strongest warriors compete to prove their strength. Whoever wins will receive riches beyond their imagination.

Chapter 11

The King’s Game

“Yea, I heard of the tournament, but I’m assuming they won’t be holding it this year.”

“No, the tournament won’t be canceled.”

“Huh? But what about the King’s death? shouldn’t that be investigated?” I nearly jumped out of my seat. I don’t know if I was more surprised about how this country was treating its ruler death or how causal Dante was about it. Just a moment ago, he was violently shaking when we talked about the King’s death. Personally, I never liked the man, but still, you would think finding his murderer is more important than a tournament.

“If we cancel the Tournament, other Countries will start thinking we’ve been weakened. And if a country shows weakness, they will be invaded.”

“But what about-“ I quickly stop myself. I was asked about the alliance, but since Majins, the greatest threat to our world has retreated to the Dark World. There’s no point in the alliance no more. “What a headache.” I felt myself growing exhausted, just imagining all the stress the new king is going through. Not only does he have to deal with his brother death, but he also must maintain a healthy relationship with neighboring countries. I don’t envy the man.

“Anyway, what does the tournament have to do with me?”

“I want you to participate in the tournament.”

“…What?” I stare dumbly at Dante. Waiting for him to say he was joking, but he never did. “There’s no way I could I participate in that tournament. I’ll get destroyed in the first round! Besides, you said Crook wouldn’t let me go regardless of how much I pay him.”

I still don’t understand why Crook is so hellbent on keeping me in his gang. There’s no way I’m worth it.

“You’re correct about one thing. The Crooked Man won’t let you go even if you give him all the prize money. But this year, gold isn’t the only prize the king is giving away. Whoever wins the tournament this year will earn the title of Noble.

“Noble? Are you serious?”

There are only three ways for a person to become a noble. The first is to be born into a noble family obviously. The second is to buy the title, which costs over two hundred gold coins. (Good luck buying that.) And the last is through notable achievements. The King will give the title of noble to those that have done something incredible like for example, killing a dragon. It’s one of the reasons why so many people become adventurers and dive into danger. All so they can earn a title and live a comfortable life.

“That’s quite the prize. But I still don’t see what any of this has to do with my situation.”

“Think about all the things you can do if you become a noble. Like for example, getting rid of that pesky contract, you’re stuck in.

My chest tightens, and I felt a lump in my throat. I made a contract with Crook when he bought my family store, just as it was about to be torn down by the city. The contract is quite simple. If I pay him thirty gold, he’ll give my family store back to me. “You knew about my contract?”

“I did my research.” Dante places his hand on a stack of paper that laid on the desk. Are all those papers about me? I guess that explains how he knew my name and that I was working for Crook the second time we met.

“The Crooked Man has been maliciously interfering with your attempt to complete the contract. Which means the contract is no longer valid, but given your background and criminal record, I doubt most official will listen to your case.

“Of course not. None of those rich bastard cares about people like me.”

“But,” Dante continues. “If you become a noble….”

“Then, I can get rid of that contract.” And I finally get our store back. My heart begins to pound with excitement. But I immediately calm down when I realize the impossible hurdle, I must go through to accomplish my goal.

“Your proposal sounds tempting Dante, it really does. But I still can’t compete in the tournament. I don’t know any martial arts or have any fighting experience.”

The only thing I got going for me is that I’m good at stealing, and I’m slightly more agile than an average human. But that won’t help against people that train their whole lives to fight monsters or other skill warriors.

“And that’s why Bella and I are going to train you.”

“I’m doing what?!” Bella screamed. Up until now, she was quietly working on her crossbow. I didn’t think she was paying attention to our conservation. I guess I was wrong.

“So…” Dante ignored Bella’s outburst and gave me a lopsided grin. “…Are you in?”

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I should’ve worn a jacket. I thought to myself as I tightly hugged my own body. A frigid wind blew through the dark and eerily silent street, freezing me to the bones.

How are they not cold? I look over at Bella, who was walking alongside me. She didn’t flinch when the chilling wind brush against her bare legs that protrude from her short skirt. And if that wasn’t chilling enough, her blaze slid down to her arms, exposing her smooth snow-white shoulders. Honesty, just looking at her, made me cold.

“Here.” Dante draped his white blazer over me.

“Thank you. But is it alright for me to wear this?”

The Royal Guard uniform not only represented their rank but was also a symbol of purity. Regardless of how dark the world may get, they will remain uncorrupted and protect the Kingdom against any evil that threatens it. I feel like I’ll get lynched for wearing such an important symbol.

“I see nothing wrong with it. It’s our job to protect civilians and right now. I’m protecting you against the cold.” Dante said while giving me a warm and genuine smile. I wonder how many people he manages to motivate with that smile on the battlefield. The title of "hero" definitely fits him.

“How annoying.” Bella clicks her tongue and picks up a rock off the street. I took a step back as she turns towards me, rage burning in her eyes. She threw it at a speed that it almost sounded like a bullet as it whizzes past me. It flew into the dark, striking something behind us. That something “screamed” in pain and fled deeper into the dark. From the sound of the footsteps, it seems quite a few people were following us,

“If you’re planning on tailing someone, then hide your presence better!” Bella shouted as she threw another rock into the darkness. Judging from the scream, she manages to hit her target again.

“Catherine, do you have any idea who was following us?”

I silently shrug my shoulders at Dante's question. Bella scared them away before I even knew they were there. “They’re most likely were just common thugs. It’s quite common for people to get mug at night here in the slums.” Although after encountering Bella, I doubt they’ll be attacking anyone anytime soon.

“By the way, why are we in the slums? I thought you were going to train me for the tournament.”

“I am, I’m just looking for the perfect training ground.” Dante’s eyes wander from one abandoned building to another.

“Doesn’t the soldier center have a training ground?”

“It does. But I doubt the soldiers will be happy if I taught you aura there.”

“Aura? What’s that?”

“You’ll see.” Dante lightly pats my shoulders and walk ahead of Bella and me. I was about to follow him when I notice Bella was glaring at me. Her green eyes were sharp and piercing. It felt like she was trying to cut me open and see what I was made of. Without saying a word, she turns around and follows Dante.

What was that about? Does she hold a grudge against me or something? Wait, I’m the one that should be holding a grudge after everything they put me through.

We continue to aimlessly walk around the dark and abandon streets looking for the perfect training ground. The silence that engulfs the street begins to seep into my mind intensifying the questions and worries that were plaguing my mind.

What exactly is aura? I remember Dante saying something about it when he was chasing me earlier today. Will learning aura actually help me in the tournament. There are only two months till summer. Is that enough time for me to become strong enough to compete? Is someone as small as me even allowed in the tournament?

“I think this will do.” Dante approaches a large stone wall that stood alone amidst a sea of debris. Seeing that we were near the Slum’s Graveyard, these buildings were probably destroyed during the Majin’s invasion.

“Sheez, those demons made a mess of this place.” Bella cautiously scanned the environment around her. For a brief moment, it looks like her eyes lit up. “Not a single soul in the vicinity. They weren’t kidding about this place is a graveyard.

How did she know that? I always thought my senses were sharper than a normal human, yet she notices things far faster than me. well, I guess I shouldn’t consider these guys normal, or human for that.

"Since no ones here then we can happily train in peace," Dante smirks as he places his hand on the wall.

“What you are planning to do with the wall?” Dante chuckled as if I ask a stupid question.

“I’m not going to do anything with it." Dante chuckled. "but you, you're going to try to punch a hole through this wall.”

“Um, what?” I examine Dante’s face again, hoping he was joking, but once again, he was serious.

“You what me… to punch a hole in a wall?”

“I want you to try. Oh, and don’t worry about your hands. I’ll heal them if they get injured.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better.” It almost like he expected me to break my hand. But I guess that’s what exactly what will happen if you punch wall that looks thick enough to withstand a cannon shot. “Um, do I have to attack the wall with my hands?” It’ll be safer if I use my legs or even my whole body.

“It would be pointless if you use anything else besides your hands. “Bella answered for Dante. She impatiently taps her foot and glared at me with her piercing eyes. “If you can’t do it, then tell us and stop our wasting time.

“I can do it.” I balled my hands into fists and faced the wall. There’s no way I can punch a hole in the wall, but I can at least show them I’m willing to try.

I stomped the ground and threw a punch with my entire body weight behind it. Just as my fists were about to collide with the wall, I unconsciously slow my arm, which resulted in me lightly tapping the wall.

“As expected,” Bella said listlessly as she twirls her single braid around her finger. I don’t think she could look more uninterested.

“Everybody fails there first time nothing to be ashamed of.” Dante pats my shoulder and gives me a reassuring smile. “Do you know why you failed?”

“It’s because I’m weak. I can’t do anything with these small hands except steal.”

“So, you think it’s because you lack strength?” Dante chuckle softly

“If it’s not strength, then what is it?” Anger leak into my voice. It’s bad enough I can’t stand how weak I am. The last thing I need is someone laughing at me.

“What your lacking is confidence.” Dante suddenly threw a punch at me. His fist flew past me and struck the wall. I was so stunned by his action; It took me a few seconds to realize he left a hole in the wall. “When I told you to punch a hole in the wall, I bet your very first thought was it was impossible. And because of those doubts, you subconsciously stop yourself from using your full strength, believing you would be hurt if you did.

“Even if I did use my full strength, I still wouldn’t be able to dent the wall! I’m not as strong as you!”

“You still don’t get it.” Dante took a deep breath, unfazed by my outburst. “This isn’t a strength test, rather a test of will.” He pulled his hand from the wall. There was a strange white light covering his arm. “Can you see it? This is aura. To put it bluntly, it’s a manifestation of one's will. If you can free yourself from the doubts that cloud your mind, you can do exactly what I did.”

“But, I thought that you have to possess a gift to be able to use such power.”

I’m a bit late on this subject, but I didn’t think they existed until I met Dante. Gifted are people born with powers that defy logic. It’s unknown how they gain these abilities, so naturally, people believe a god behind this miracle.

“Gifts and Aura are two completely different things. But I can see how you confuse them. Bella, do you mind showing Catherine the difference between the two?”

“You want me to show her my ability?” Bella drops her braid, letting rest on her bare shoulder again. She took a step towards us as if she was taking the spotlight in a play.

I watch her intensely, eager to see what she could do. It’s said gifts are like snowflakes. Each one is vastly different from the other.

“Sorry, can’t do it.”

“Hmm?” Dante raises an eyebrow at Bella, who simply response by shrugging her shoulder.

“Don’t look at me like that. You know how exhausting it is to use my gift. And In case you haven’t realized we’ve haven’t had a chance to rest at all ever since we got here. Honestly, I’m surprised you can even still use aura. I’m starting to doubt you’re human, old man.”

“I highly doubt both you guys are human,” I mutter to myself.

“Besides, even if I could use my ability, I wouldn’t. You of all people should know how dangerous it is to reveal your cards.”

“You’re right. Sorry, Bella.” Dante closes his eyes and grabs the hilt of his sword. “I guess I’ll just have to show mines.”

“H-Hey, are you seriously going to call her?!” Bella looks at Dante as if he was saying he was going to jump off the cliff.

“It’s fine, she already saw it before.” His sword begins to glow. The moment the light died down, a woman emerges from Dante’s shadow. We were standing out in an open area. There’s no way she could’ve got behind Dante without me noticing. It’s like she was always there, but only now I could see here.

This was my second time seeing her, but I still found myself breathless when I looked at her. A blindfold covered nearly half her face, but it didn’t affect her beauty. If anything, it may her strangely more alluring. The pure white gown wrapped around her body and her dark brown hair that flown down to her lower back gave her an angelic appearance. But after a second glance, something much more sinister comes to mind. A black halo hovers over her head, destroying her pure imagine. Black wings attach to her back further demonize her.

Even though she was right in front of me, I thought she was nothing more than a mirage until Dante put his hand on her shoulder.

“This is Minos. She’s my gift.”

“Wait, she’s your ability?! What about your sword?” I shouted in shock. I always thought that the sword at his hip was his ability.

“My sword is also Minos; the woman you’re looking at is her real form.”

“Um.” I scratch my head and stare blankly at Dante. Nothing he said made any sense to me.

“Minos is a spirit, to be more precise an equipment spirit.” Bella forces her way into the conservation going by the way she was looking at me, it seems she was irritated by how clueless I was.

“So, she’s a ghost then?” I didn’t think ghost existed either, but I guess that explains how she manages to get close to us without me noticing.

“No, she’s not a ghost, she’s…” Bella knitted her brow. “Let’s take a step back for a moment.” She took a breath to prepare for an explanation. “Unlike aura, which is a manifestation of a person will. Gift is a phenomenon where a person develops an ability that pertains to their individuality. Like personality, dreams, history, obsession, and sometimes even trauma. Spirits are a special type of gift that typically takes the shape of its user soul.”

So, Minos is the personification of Dante’s soul? My eyes wander back towards Dante. His spirit stood loyally by his side. It was almost memorizing seeing those black feather cascades from her wings as they flap gently. Everything about her was beautiful. Truly a befitting spirit for a hero. But, if she’s the spirit of a hero, why is her halo black.

“…” Minos suddenly turned away from me. She wraps her wings around her body as if it was a blanket.

“Can you not stare at Minos so intensely.” Dante awkwardly scratches his flush cheeks. For a moment, I stare dumbly at him, wondering why he’s so embarrassed I wasn’t even looking at him. But then I remember Bella’s explanation. Spirits take the shape of its user’s soul. In a way, it’s like staring at their naked bodies, or looking at their diary.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Anyway, do you understand the difference between Gifts and Aura now?”

“More or less. Aura is the manifestation of a person will, and Gifts are born from the identity of a person.”

“Correct, but what you forget one thing. Only a select few can obtain a gift, but anyone capable of using aura.”

“Anyone…” I look at the fist-size hole Dante put in the stone wall. Can I really do something like that? No way. Impossible.

“Remember, this isn’t a strength test, but a test of will. You need to strike the wall fully believing it will break, not you.”

“I understand.” I close my eyes and absorbing all of Dante’s words. “Confidence, I need confidence,” I mutter to myself. Once again, I threw my fist at the wall, and just like last time, I stopped at the last moment.

The first to react to my failure was Bella. She let out a disappointed sigh and said, “Why don’t we call it a night.”

“No, I can keep going.”

“I’m sure you can, but the results won’t change. It’s going to take some training and self-reflection for you to break this wall, both of which are impossible if you’re exhausted.

“Bella is right. Today has been a long day for all of us. We’ll start again tomorrow.”

Calling today a “long day” is an understatement. Just thinking back to everything that happens today exhausts me. And I get the feeling its only to get more hectic from here on especially if I enter the tournament. “I wonder, can I really win.” I unintentionally let my thoughts slip out.

“I wouldn’t train you if you didn’t stand a chance,” Dante said while chuckling.

“Why are you so confident in me, I mean we just meant. Why are you going so far for me?” I know there are far more deserving people that should be taught by a royal guard than me.

“…” Dante places his hand on his chin. After a moment of silence, a smile spread on his face. “There’s no point in me telling you now. A person lost in self-doubt is half-deaf.”

“Huh?”

“He’s saying you wouldn’t understand even if he told you,” Bella interjected.

“Exactly, as Bella says. Those lost in self-doubt are quite good at remembering their flaws or all the bad things people say about them, but when someone praises them or tells them what their strong points are, it always goes in one ear and out the other. Thus, even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me. So,” Dante loudly claps his hands. “Why don’t you figure out why I pick you. I’m sure whatever answer you come up with will assist you in overcoming that wall.”

“You’re giving me homework now?” I let out a long and exhausted sigh. “Fine, if you don’t want to tell me you don’t have to. I’ll be back here tomorrow, and I’ll keep coming back until I put a hole in that wall.” Before any of them could say anything, I turned around and left. Dante’s laugh echo throughout the slum. I have no idea if he was laughing at me, but I don’t care. If this indeed the path to getting my parents’ store from Crook then, I have no reason to hesitate.

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The two Royal Guards silently watch as the girl who was too small to be considered a woman head back home. Her feline ears twitch energetically, and her tail wags back and forwards, visible signs that showed she didn’t give up despite her failure.

“Finally, she’s gone. Now, take your shirt off.”

“Hm?” Dante steps away from Bella, thinking she might’ve been joking, but there wasn’t a hint of playfulness in her eyes. It look like she was a second away from ripping his shirt off. “You knew?”

“Of course I did old man. I'm a hunter; you can't hide anything from me. Now, are you going to take it off, or do I have to do it?” Dante gave Bella a rueful smile and lifted his shirt. Blood dripped from the gaping wound on his lower abdomen.

“She did this to you, didn’t she? No, you let her.”

“I thought it was a suitable punishment for everything I did earlier- ah,” Dante grunted as Bella place her on his wound.

“Honestly, old man. I bet you would’ve kept teaching her until you bled out if I didn’t step in.”

“Ah, that why you were acting so impatient today. I didn’t know you car- Ouch!” Bella pressed on Dante's wound, shutting him up.

“Stay still.” Bella reaches behind her back and pulled out bandage out what appears to be thin air.

“I thought you said you couldn’t use your ability.”

“I lied. Just like you lied to cat ears.”

“….”

“Don’t worry. I don’t care that you’re withholding information from cat ears. But still, I can’t help but wonder. If you truly believe in her, why didn’t you tell her what the real prize of the tournament is?”

“She isn’t ready.” Dante looked towards the dark road Catherine took. “Not yet.”