“The Trickster's Guide To Winning Any Fight’, sounds sneaky and underhanded…….. let's do it!”

I flipped to the first chapter. It was titled 'The Powers Of Practicality.’ I began to read.

‘I, Garth of the Great Sea, the most intelligent warrior in the Sea King's Royal Army, master of the secret fighting styles of the Great Old Ones, shall divulge some of my secrets in this book. These secrets are my greatest asset and something I've come to regret now that I'm older is that I never had an apprentice. I am writing this book in hopes of my secrets are passed on to a valiant lad. One that can bring the most out of this book. I have had my life brush close with death more times than I can count. My wits are the only thing that has kept me alive. I have many aces up my sleeve........ And my hat and my pants leg. One of the most useful tricks, and one of the easiest, I've ever had to use was the [Sand Splash] technique. There are several ways one could do this. As long as sand can get into the opponents eyes you've done it. Of course, almost anything could be substituted, in case no sand was around. I've used gravel, hot ash, blood and at one point, the opponent's hair!...........”

I read more in depth. After I finished the first chapter a screen popped up.

[Fighting style [Trickster's Underhand] has been learned 10% of the way.]

“WHAT?!”

I immediately shot right up! I was excited about this! I called myself down and went back to reading, starting from chapter two.

[Fighting style [Trickster's Underhand] has been learned 100%]

[Trickster's Underhand: lvl 1 0/200: A fighting style for the sneaky and merciless, using sand, taunts and whatever is around you for means of winning a fight. It isn't the most honest but it's definitely resourceful. Dexterity and cunning increases by a moderate amount]

[Technique [Sand Splash] has been learned!]

[Sand Splash lvl1 0/100: The higher the level, the more effective this technique becomes. Throwing sand in a person's eye is a cheap but effective trick. Increases dexterity by a small amount]

[Bask has leveled up to level 6! When in sunlight, speed and energy increases by 35%. Energy and speed have increased by a small amount! Solar affinity has increased by a moderate amount. Spell [Sunlight Strike] has been learned.]

[Sunlight Strike lvl 1 0/100: Solar energy covers a part of the body and attacks the enemy giving it a moderate burn. Mp consumption: 20 Damage: Moderate Range: as far as you can reach. Increases solar affinity by a small amount Requires Solar affinity stat to be 10!]

[Speed stat has been gained movement speed and attack speed have increased. Speed: 10]

[Energy stat has been gained! Hp, Mp and stamina have increased! Energy:10]

[Solar Affinity stat has been gained! Any attack with a solar affinity will be strengthened Sunlight affinity: 10]

A lot of information just assaulted me. Screens are flying everywhere! It takes a while to get them all back right. I've been reading for a long time, I see. Fuck! I hope they haven't called for me yet! I wonder how long has it been? Well I guess I better go check things out.

I walk inside the arena. Compared to before this place is empty. There were a few thousand people here but because of the immensity of the place you hardly noticed them. I'm guessing they went into town. I really don't know and I really don't care.

“Calling number 13652! Calling number 13652!” A shrew looking man came in through the small door oppisopp the arena doors. His yellow shirt really brought out the sweat and dirt on his head. I think he's a Nomad. After being called, a guy with big, ominous Raven wings quit looking around. The talons on his fingers her nimbly holding a sword. He set it down and slowly walked to the entrance of the fighting area, unfurled his charcoal black wings and flew out.

I rushed towards the door, hoping to get a glimpse of the fight but the door shut and locked itself. I put my ear up to the door. I hear screeching and howls and then everything went silent. I stood and listened at the door for any kind of noises. I hear a few scuffling noises. Doesn't sound like anything too import-

WHAM!!!

The bird guy was thrown right through the door! It knocks me down and smacks the wall. It didn't do much damage but it definitely hurt like hell!

“And stay out you bird brained bitch! So who's next?”

Well, I guess today is my day to die. Goodbye cruel world I'll miss you………Shit, that would've been way more dramatic if I was actually gonna die……

I stand up and walk into the arena. It's huge! It's at least the size of two football fields! I see Vos standing in the middle. He gives a big grin.

“I've been waiting a long time for this! Having to go through so many ordinarys I got bored. Kicking their asses quit being fun after around number 10000. This one is gonna be different, I can feel it in my claws! I can't wait to rip through your flesh and tear you limb from limb!”

Tell me, why am I so important?”

“That answer is above your pay grade!”

I unsheath two of my knives and prepare myself. He makes a mad dash forward on all four legs. I haven't been in many fights but I have a good feeling about this one.

He leaps at me with his claws emitting a faint green glow.

I prepare my knives to receive the blow when my own tail trips me up! I am literally my own worst enemy right now!I fall to the ground and Vos hits nothing but air. He's quick to react, charging like a mad bull. I try to stand but by the time I get up he's too close to handle. I got him right where I want him!

His blood-stained fangs almost close around my neck when suddenly………… he just stops in mid-air!

While that whole ordeal was happening I was silently preparing [Spirit's Protection]. It gave me the perfect opportunity.

“[Sunlight Strike]!” I quickly activate [Sunlight Strike]. My right arm begins to glow and produce an unnatural heat! It doesn't burn me, it feels really good actually! I lift my arm up and bring my elbow crashing down upon his unprotected face. The impact doesn't do much damage but my arm was so hot it started burning his face!

He jumps back and howls with pain. He hits and pats the small flame trying to extinguish it. I take this chance to activate another [Sunlight Strike] that envelopes my right foot and kick him in the head with it.

He recoiled from the hit and rolled back. When he got up I saw his eyes emit a dark red glow.

“Look at this shit! A rookie thinks he can defeat the Vos! I'll show this little pup who the alpha dog is!”

The green glow on his claws changed to a bright crimson! He howls, and with a speed I ain't ever seen before, attacks! His claws stop at an inch from my throat and he quickly follows that up with a kick aiming towards my midsection. As soon as that kick connected with the spirit, a blinding light was flashed before us. This time I was prepared. I learned my lesson from the gnomes. I covered my eyes before the flash!

Vos was left in a daze. He looked lost and confused. In his daze I quickly scooped up sand and used the technique [Sand Splash]! His eyes were covered in sand and he howled with pain. I rubbed his eyes feverishly trying to get the sand out. While he was distracted I charged another [Sunlight Strike]! My right leg gets enveloped by a blazing solar energy. With my flaming leg I knew him in the groin, bringing him to his knees!

[Merciless has gone up to level 3! Mental fortitude has gone up by a small amount.]

I understood Vos at that moment. As long as he could connect with his first strike he had a guaranteed chance of victory. He would then follow up with combos and stacks of techniques and skills. If you could disrupt his pattern then you could get rid of his chance at winning. Don't get me wrong, he's still extremely formidable and he's still one of the strongest people here but if you disrupt his pattern it's like take a fish out of water.

With sand in his eyes and a burn on his groin I knew he was in pain. He was in more pain than any guy should have to go through! I feel so bad for what I'm about to do…………

I kick Vos over, sending him sprawling on his back. I then proceed to continuously stomp and kick his lower area, occasionally throwing in a [Sunlight Strike]! The burns he suffered began to accumulate and his fur down there began to blaze. The heat didn't bother me much so I kept on stomping. Tears welled up in his eyes! I felt bad for him but I never stopped. He tried resisting but each time I just stomped harder, making him drop his hands down again. His howl transformed into a high pitched growl which, in turn, became a puppy-like whimper. His eyes eventually glazed over. He looked dead, or at least brain dead. Like a broken down man, he looked as though he couldn't do a thing. Looks can be deceiving…………..

I lift up my leg and activate [Sunlight Strike] for a final time, intending to bring it down on his neck. The most damned thing happened at that point, Vos's body began to grow! His snout grew longer, his arms and legs grew muscley-er, he grew taller, his claws grew sharper and longer! I'd hate to see what he's gonna cut up with those…………...Shit he's gonna cut me up with those!

Not wanting to waste my last amount of Mp, I stomp down as hard as I can hitting his groin again. His dazed face becomes a small and he jumps up and pounces on me, making my knives fall out of my hands. With his claws emitting a deep crimson cooler he begins to scratch and dig his way into my chest. He scratches until he breaks through my leather armor I was wearing. He draws his huge wolf hand back, preparing to claw me in half! I do the only thing I can think of……… [Sand Splash]! I take the dust and sand around us and throw it in his eyes, catching him off guard again! Disoriented, he still tries to claw open my chest but I buck up my hip, making the wolfman lose balance. Somehow he still manages to cut me but it isn't that bad compared to what was going to happen earlier. Three gashes were left on my chest area, they were bleeding and I wanted to fix it but I got things to do.

I jump up and immediately unsheath the two knives on my back. I look around for Vos. He put some distance between us, I'm guessing he learned his lesson earlier. We locked eyes. Even though they were red as fire from the sand I could still see the same determination I saw when I first met him. We both nod and take off running towards one another. With my last little bit of Mp I activate another [Sunlight Strike], this time the glow and heat covered my blades, and leap at him, daggers in hand. At that same moment his claws began to glow a gold color and he jumps too. Arms ready to put my daggers where I want them.

WHAM!!!!!!

BAM!!!!!!

We slam into each other. My scaly body against his fur……this kinda sounds like an introduction to a weird porno.... Although what happened would certainly turn somebody off. Unless they were a fucking creep……

My daggers we're stabbed through his eyes. Only the hilts were sticking out. His eyes were bleeding badly, I didn't know if he was still alive…,.....

I wasn't exactly left unscathed either…. Before the collision he managed to leave deep gashes in my chest with his glowing red claws. My chest was bleeding terribly. It hurt.

We both collapsed in mid-air and fell to the ground. We fall, side-by-side, both of us bleeding uncontrollably. I can hear his breathing, he's still alive. I don't know how…,...... At least I tried……

“Ha….haha. Man I haven't been killed in the arena for years…… It's been a long time since I've gone all out. You wanna know a secret? Us five generals aren't from your world. We're from another world that was destroyed. Because our world died, Gaia lost faith in us and stopped supporting us with her power. That's what happens when you fail, you get abandoned by God. It's a date worse than death. You can feel the loneliness, you can feel the emptiness, you can feel the space Gaia left. The system you have, we don't have it. Us abandoned Tamers keep our skills and beasts but the thing that makes us stronger is lost. I've been without mine for 20 years…………”

It grew quiet. I began to wonder if he finally died. I was hoping he did.

“The reason why you're special…….”

Shit he didn't die. At least I get a question answered.

“Your spirit is different from everybody's. It's more pure. It's more……... purposeful. When someone is born their spirit is just as pure as anybody else's. They're all the same.”

I layed there, mouth agape.

“But sometimes, a person with z purpose is born. Their purpose could be good or could be bad. We won't know until destiny decides to tell us…. That's why you're a little different. We won't know if you're good or bad but we do know you're going to be powerful. Some are afraid, some are joyous. I don't care what you do, just stay outta my way and make sure you stay in the right side.”

And with those last few words he breathed out his last breath and faded.

I felt happy. I didn't give a shit about what he said. I can't do anything about it so why worry about it?

I felt a warm sensation in my chest. I looked at it and saw my wounds healing up. My fatigue started disappearing too. I saw a bunch of notifications pop up.

[Merciless leveled up to lvl 5! Mental fortitude has gone up by a moderate amount. New skill learned because of level up! [Predatory Aura] has been learned]

[Sunlight Strike has leveled up to lvl 2! Solar affinity has increased by a small amount.]

[Sand Splash has leveled up to level 2! Understanding of this technique has increased. Dexterity has increased by a little!]

[The skill [Predatory Aura] has been learned!]

[Predatory Aura: You're the predator, everyone else is the prey. You emit the aura of a predator. Everyone who's highest stat is lower than your highest stat will be put under the [Fear] condition. Everyone who's highest stat is lower than your highest stat by ten or more will be put under the [Terror] condition. The higher your charm, charisma and intimidation stats are, the more powerful the aura is. Increases charm, charisma and intimidation stats by a large margin. Can be toggled on and off.]

[Predatory Aura toggled on]

[Mental Fortitude has been brought up to 13!]

[Intimidation stat has been gained! Living things tend to be nervous around you. Intimidation:10]

Fuck that's a lot!