Kaupa was slightly ticked off since the gathering got rowdy, talking over each other and even lambasting each other. It was just another part of the “Clarity” tradition. The more boisterous yet poised, taunting but respectful like the old explorers.

This also ensured that if one was challenged, it should be accepted or a more Clear riposte was too turn it down while insulting back.

Obviously, Third Orhelius Remus and Telo de Fezzan were goading him to choose a more unlikely candidate.

“I can appreciate your guy’s commitment to novelty and spirit of belief of those who are not as blessed but I choose instead to believe in facts. 90% of the time the #1 never changes.”

Kaupa’s response was seemingly praising but secretly scathing while also standing his own ground. It is a very Clear action fitting of his station.

“I choose #1 to still be #1 by the end of this training.”

In this betting gathering it also preferred to bet not one’s candidates but in others so that when your bet loses you can insult the owner while also gracefully losing your bet.

‘Losing one’s bet is also more Clear.’

It shows power, magnanimity and wealth. Either way, Kaupa didn’t care about winning the bet since the winner usually donates it to a poorer world as a show of charity. All these aristocrat rules were the main reason he would rather hang out with other mages.

“Such a bore, Kaupa Brother.”

“As expected from the talented hermit mage.”

‘A veiled insult calling me an involuntary celibate.’

“I understand thrill seeking unfortunately humble me care am a believer in love.”

Roschella shook slightly, imperceptible to most but Kaupa was specially paying attention to her.

‘Why? Roschella.’

By all means, he was beloved by the maidens of the Nexus and yet she never paid attention to him before. Kaupa still remembered that warm evening in one of the balls he attended. The torch lit the left of her face and the moon light on the other when their lips touched. They closed their eyes and the world fell away as they felt each other’s being. Even when he opened his eyes, the world was completely meaningless to him. Only her mattered and the question ‘Do you see me as a man now?’

“Look a special battle has been triggered.”

“Ooh. Nabih, Izo and Sun Hee. We can have a preview of their skills.”

Though Kaupa wouldn’t pay attention most of the time. He was curious of the Princess and Telo’s choices.

*

“Would this work?”

“I don’t know, young man.”

Svana shrugged as well as she gathered her spirituality and was watering a slope. The cold water turned the soil into winter mush. Enough so that the grass that normally would have held the dirt would now slide off the soil itself.

“Careful.”

Nabih, Sun Hee and three other Altanteans were aggroing the knight. Shortly after Nabih’s warning, one of his teammates failed to get out the way. The halberd was about to bisect him when he suddenly disappeared.

Izo who was hidden from view in the higher mound heard the scream of fear and sped up his job. He and Sung Soo was stabbing the mud with their spears to completely loosen it up.

“It’s ready!”

Svana shouted to signal the start of the plan. Izo was preparing to distance himself in case the plan failed. He could barely catch a thrown fruit; he wasn’t sure of moving away from a thrust.

“Don’t worry it’ll be fine. Number one rule of soldiering is make shit up and hope it fucks shit up.”

Svana grinned while giving a thumbs up.

All possible replies died in his throat since Izo could feel the constant trembling from the steed. Sun Hee’s body was grazed and fell down in front of the mud path.

The knight was regathered for a charge and centered it’s halberd on Sun Hee’s head. She would definitely be teleported out but the lost of 100 points would hurt her progress deeply.

Calculating the risk-reward, Izo thought that Sun Hee’s loss as #240 would hurt more than his so he dashed towards the stunned Sun Hee.

Seeing as the knight was planning to thrust, Izo shouldered her away. They fell in a painful heap and just when they were about to stand up the steel clad monster stopped its motion completely. It swung sideways intending to cleave them.

‘Fuck!’

His adrenaline overloaded brain didn’t have time to think so he did whatever felt would work. Sun Hee was lifted on to his shoulders then he threw her up.

Izo’s small height enabled the halberd to whizz past his head. He caught Sun Hee and rolled down the slope.

The knight who had moved forward due to its striking motion was now sideways on the lip of the mud slide.

“Now.”

All the other candidates charged and used their body mass to topple the enemy. It rolled down and what followed was giant crash.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t stunned at all from such a fall and it tried to rejoin its horse. However, the mud field offered no traction and it kept sliding off.

Nabih struck it with an electric spear and nothing happened. Frost spears from the Atlanteans did nothing either.

“Get back let this old man shoot.”

Sung Soo pulled out his pistol and multiple 9mm shots couldn’t penetrate the armor at all. The visible seams showed nothing underneath too so the bullet penetration would likely be ineffective either.

The horse was about to stand up so they were truly panicking.

“Maybe remove the armor?”

Svana contributed her thoughts. They grappled the knight and the horse limbs. They used their full body to generate force to pull the knight apart. The horse couldn’t stand up when its front and back hooves were held. Spiritual tendrils were shown keeping the armor together and as the limbs were parted it sounds of a wind up were heard.

“It might explode!”

“Run!”

Each one looked ungraceful and dirty as they ran away from the vibrating enemy. Izo and Sun Hee were still shaken but their farther distance saved them from the blue explosion.

A piece of it’s greaves slapped him in the face and mud covered the two faces.

‘That hurt.’

A hand touched his face and wiped of the mud. When Izo regained his vision an extremely dirty woman and a small crater farther away was what he saw. He responded by also wiping the mud from Sun Hee’s face,

“You smell.”

“You too.”

“Not only now.”

“You too.”

The clear announcement appeared in Izo’s vision.

[ Arena Completed! ]

[ Received 500 points.

Team Item Pool also received:

1/3 Steel Warrior Construct Greaves Ticket

1/3 Steel Warrior Construct Steed Ticket

1/3 Steel Warrior Construct Halberd Ticket

1/4 Steel Warrior Construct Torso Ticket ]

‘What is this?’

The dark gate appeared once more but they didn’t exit yet. Instead, the respectable future heroes turned mud vagrants gathered after basic cleaning up.

“Everyone received the same message, right?”

It was no looting time and thankfully there was less blood and viscera with this enemy. The horse and knight were ripped apart into multiple metal pieces. If gathered Izo would estimate that they could be sold for 150 points. The most important part was in the floating screen in their vision.

Obviously, the tickets were needed to redeem the complete items. Izo lifted a piece of the metal fragments and it was uncharacteristically light along with its bulletproof property made the tickets highly valuable.

“How do we part this?”

No one of them spoke. All previous arenas just gave each their points but now they must bargain. Sung Soo cleared his throat first.

“Since you Atlanteans braved the most danger, made the trap possible and even finally killed the enemy. It would be fair for you guys to have most of the percentage. How about take everything except for the steed ticket?”

Izo ruminated on this proposition. In truth, he feels that the steed is the most valuable of the four since it could be used as storage but also transportation. It could probably also attack and be used to just break through against bodies.

“How about we take the horse you take the others?”

The group deliberated on benefits and which would be best for their own team. After thinking about it, none of Izo, Sun Hee and Sung Soo had any experience riding. The final nail on the convincing coffin was when Izo suggested for them not to use the ticket. They could simply hold it and sell to people who would want it in the future.

After a few more talks while most of them gathered the scrap metals, the decision was finalized.

“200 points and the three tickets other than the steed. Deal?”

“Deal.”

Sung Soo and Nabih shook hands. Both sides satisfied with their choices entered the dark gate with weary gait and mud soiled clothes.

*

“He’ll reach top 100 at most. Others have too much advantage.”

“Agreed. Izo Shelley would do well for his starting point but no more, Princess.”

“I believe in him.”

Kaupa looked at Princess Third in the eyes. There was playfulness within. He had a feeling that his choice and words were wrong. Some people were just naturally suited to fighting and what Izo Shelley and Lee Sun Hee proved so. They had team chemistry enough so to multiple each other's effectiveness. They were also brave and audaciousness.

'Ah they show signs of being 'Clear' explorers.'

Telo as well looked at him with faint mocking.

Kaupa hated this feeling of being wrong and the Theocracy asshole being more astute than him.

'Hmm. Izo Shelley and Lee Sun Hee. They might break into the top twenty in the future.'