《NO STRINGS ATTACHED》CH. 18
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Moments later, in the Mansion, Tempest was on his knees with his head on the floor. He was bowing the lowest he could in front of Shen, Atem and well, Adeline was there too. Shen and Atem were enjoying and gloating at the sight. They were going to tease him till no ends tonight. Until they had their fill, they would not relent.
Shen: So?
Tempest: I'm sorry, please don't go beheading me.
Shen: Do you think I care? Atem here suggested me to leave you deal with your own shit. Should we let them behead you once to satisfy them?
Tempest: Please don't! It does hurt! I'm begging you! I'm sorry! Please don't behead me!
Shen: ...Why did it come to this?
Tempest: I was at the place, you know, just chilling. And then, i heard some noise.
Atem: Hardly unexpected I would say. You need to do better than that.
Tempest: I'm getting there, Atem! Anyways, i went to check and there I find this fucker slapping Mindy. And it wasn't the first slap since she was quite bloodied.
At this point, the merryment had all but disappeared from Atem and Shen's faces. They were dead serious and a murderous aura was starting to escape from them.Even Adeline felt it. Something was awfully wrong.
Shen: Then?
Tempest: I beat them all and threw them out. Might have agreed to the duel outside to get them to leave...
Atem and Shen had grim expressions. They were preoccupied.
Atem: ...And Mindy? Her face?
Tempest: ...I called for a priest and she's safe. No injuries left!
The duo sighed, their murderous intent disappearing. Shen bent down and helped Tempest up;
Shen: Tomorrow, I will make sure he dies for this felony.
Atem: If you don't, leader, i will step up myself.
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Shen: No need. I will handle it.
The air was getting thick of murderous aura again. At this moment, Adeline asked:
Adeline: Who's Mindy?
And all three men answered her in their own ways at the same time:
Tempest: A good fuck.
Atem: A very gorgeous lady.
Shen: A true professionnal.
At this moment, they all turned towards Tempest. Adeline was embarrassed while the other two were angry and their gaze was easy to understand: "So it was you who kept her all these days, no wonder she could not come".
Tempest: Hm, I mean, she was sent in holidays for some time due to the event...
The duo left it at that and everyone decided to go to sleep. As he was going to his room, cold sweat was going down the back of Tempest.
"Tempest: If I tell them that she decided to stay with me to show me her gratitude, they will slaughter me. I better take this secret to my grave"
...
Noon the next day, at the third public arena, near the arena on the west side,
Shen: This arena is quite simple. Just a big elevated square.
Atem: I can sense some Magic barriers installed through the stands. They are far from good but considering the level of people in this world, it is adequate I would say.
Tempest: Ah! It's this guy!
Tempest pointed to a middle-aged man in luxurious clothes walking surrounded by guards and magicians on the East side. He looked to be both a well-educated and powerful man even from a distance. It was hard to believe such a man was responsible for injuring prostitutes... Yet, he was.
As they turned and looked at him, the murderous aura came back, startling even the guards from the retinue over there.While both sides kept glaring fiercely at each other, the stands began to fill up with random people who had nothing better to do and were after some entertainment.
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And soon enough, a magician descended on the square and began his speech:
Magician: In accordance with the laws of old, a dispute unsettled can be settled through a duel to the death. Today, we are here to witness such a duel between the second son of House Lemington and the warrior Tempest. Both have chosen to elect proxies for the battle with their lives as the winner's reward. I will be the overseer of the duel and it will be, as dictated by the laws, recorded by magical capturing. May the two proxies come upon the stage!
At this moment, Shen turned to ask Adeline:
Shen: What's this magical capturing?
Adeline: Uh? You don't know? It is a round crystal that is used to preserve images of what it's looked at. Then, you can replay it again and again to remmeber it.
Shen: Atem, bring Adeline and go get us one of those right now. I want one of those too.
Atem: Right away, leader. Miss Adeline, let us go.
Adeline: Hm but we can't? They are restricted to the law enforcers and royalties.
Atem looked at Shen who returned the gaze.
Atem: Alright...I will duplicate it...
After that, Atem went closer to the side of the device to understand how it worked. Meanwhile Shen walked towards the square arena. He left some words to Tempest:
Shen: Even if you did the right thing, you still brought us trouble. Expect your punishment.
Tempest: Ah fuck! Come on, boss!
...
On the square arena, Shen was facing a colossal beastman that seemed to be a mixed breed between elephant and bear. Strong skin, Powerful muscles, Unexpected Agility... Claws and Tusks to be wary of...Well, if you were an average fighter that is. To Shen, what was the difference between an ant and an ant with claws and tusks? None. Absolutely None.
For the first time in public, Shen took off his hood. He was wearing a black leather armor that left his arms unprotected which garnered quite the surprise from the audience. Who does not protect his arms in a death fight?Even his opponent noticed and chuckled at the sight:
???: Kid, did you come up here to die shamefully? Are you not going to put on arm protectors? And where is your weapon?
Shen simply smirked and for the first time in centuries, he took off the seal on his arms. A blinding blue light spread from his arms as the epicenters and seconds later, when everyone could see, there was solely disbelief in their eyes.
His arms were pure white with a metallic shine and his fingers ended in very dangerously looking claws. What's more, blue lightning arcs were emerging and dispersing randomly around them. This was both a frightening and awe-inspiring sight.
Shen: Shall we get started then, Kid?
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