"You're a lot more relaxed about this fight than I expected," Luo Yun said, nudging Aleister awake. "You didn't even show up once to my dojo for practice."

Aleister sat up with one hand on his head and his legs still spread out on the wooden bench. The spellbook, which was sprawled open across his chest, fell to the ground. He promptly picked it up and let out a deep yawn. "No point in worrying about the inevitable."

"True, and I know you won't, but please don't just get knocked down instantly. Make sure you extend the fight for as long as possible," Luo Yun said, pleading with both hands pressed together. "If you can last until the third round, that would be optimal."

"Optimal would be lasting until the sixth round, but I don't know if I can fight for that long." Aleister shrugged dismissively. "Besides, I don't want to embarrass myself that badly in front of a bunch of people in the first place."

"Good. I'm just thinking about the headlines in the newspapers now," Luo Yun said. A faint glitter shined in his eyes as he waved his hand in the air. "Imagine all the new applicants to my dojo! Or even the amount of sponsors that might extend their support!"

"What do you need sponsors for? Don't you already have enough gold?"

"Yes, but having sponsors lend their name will inform the patrons of those services who might otherwise be none the wiser. It's another form of marketing."

"Excuse me," an official of the arena wielding a clipboard walked in from the back, "Your match starts in five minutes. Please stand at the gate ready."

Aleister stood up as he slipped the spellbook into his bag and pressed it into Luo Yun's arms.

"Nice bag you have here."

"Thanks, but don't even think of stealing it."

"I wouldn't dare."

"Good." Aleister donned the prepared leather armour and selected the heaviest spear from the selection of weapons.

"May fortune find you," Luo Yun said as he bowed extra dramatically.

"Really? That's what you're going to go with? I didn't realize you were a sailor."

Luo Yun just ignored him.

He shook his head and waited for the gate to open. And that it did. As it opened, he heard a man announce Brilnia's name first since she was the champion. The caster said his name several moments later as he walked into the open space.

The combination of loud cheering and booing reverberated through his ears. It was a mild annoyance because he couldn't care less about how the crowd felt right now. He glanced through the crowd and noticed that overall; the arena was small. It was even smaller than the arena he battled his first opponent in. But the seating was extravagant. From leather seats to high-rise boxes to even the ground beneath him.

As the announcer continued to ramble away with useless swathes of information, Aleister waved at Brilnia. "Long time no see."

She dismissed him with a grunt as she adjusted one of her gloves. "Did ya not get my message?"

"I did, but I didn't like the sound of you beating me to a pulp."

"And what do ya think will happen here instead?"

"You will try to beat me into a pulp."

"Are ya saying yer going to beat me?" she asked with a wide grin.

No. Aleister smiled back and said nothing. I don't think anyone thinks I'm going to win. But I'll be damned if you catch me admitting that to you.

During the time the announcer continued to talk, he examined her thoroughly. A two headed battleaxe hung from her back. That's good. She was already shorter than him, and had picked a medium length weapon. This gave him ample room and a superior reach to fight with. Well, as long as she didn't start blasting him with unknown primal magic.

Thinking about it, he didn't know much about her over capabilities because she didn't fight many Weavers in the higher brackets. This made finding information about her fighting style difficult, let alone not being able to examine her abilities in combat.

"Hands," the referee said.

Aleister shook hands with Brilnia and then took three steps back as the referee walked to the sidelines.

"Fight!"

Brilnia charged towards him, wielding her axe with only one hand. Aleister stood still and widened his stance as he maintained a defensive, diagonal position with his spear. He couldn't lunge out with no shield or cover, would expose him too much, so all of his defensive attacks would align more with slices and sweeps.

She launched into a flurry of blows. Alternating attacks with each side. Aleister blocked each one with the body of his spear, but sheer raw strength of each attack pushed him back. In fact, his arms started to tingle with a numbness. And without realizing it, she had already pushed him back to edge of the arena. Now she gripped her axe with both hands and cleaved at him.

He managed to duck just in time. He wanted to use this opportunity to lunge his spear, but Brilnia hadn't stopped her attack. Her axe continued its arc. He jumped out of the way as the axe slammed into the ground. Dust billowed up.

Aleister turned around to reposition himself. The wall she struck behind him had a clear gnash dug into it. He also noticed her attack had cut a few strands of hair off his head. Aleister let out a whistle. He didn't realize how close that attack really had been to his head.

"Quick on ya feet, aren't ya?" Brilnia asked as she spat onto the ground. "Annoying bastards, ya lot of elves are."

Aleister didn't know of any bad relations between elves and dwarves, so he supposed this was some sort of personal grudge. Probably one he could use to his advantage.

"What are ya looking at? Are ya going to stand still with a silly look on ya face all day? Or are ya going to attack?" Brilnia grew an indigent expression on her face.

"Maybe you should try a more magical attack?" Aleister said, taunting her as he continued to stand still.

"I don't need to do anything to pummel you!" She snarled and rushed at him once again.

And apparently I don't even have to do anything to taunt you.

Brilnia continued to attack as he continued to defend. This went on for the rest of the entire first round. He didn't even need to look at the crowd for them to know they were annoyed at him. All he did was avoid her attacks and never launch any of his own. He planned on continuing to do so in hopes of tiring Brilnia out, but he found that he was the exhausted one.