"Duel?"

Troy had asked Sam, their magician after having to announce to the whole adventurers guild that he had want to have a duel with me.

As the ways of the past, a duel will only be done with adventurers with the same job. The one with the most powerful abilities will be crowned the winner.

Of course, it's not something very common around here and I only heard of it from the stories of merchants passing by from time to time.

Though for him to just suddenly challenge me to a duel so suddenly... Of course it will attract people's attention.

It's a bit uneasy for so many eyes to just fall on me... But I'm used to it.

"Yes a duel! I can't let this... Con man to disrespect you two so carelessly! As my benefactors, I can't let this go on anymore!"

From his words I can tell that he's from a rich and noble family, or maybe even royalty. Who knows? Still, for him to call these two his benefactors...

When I looked at them, they scratched the back of their heads and made a wry smile.

Ah, looks like I get what they just did for this kid here to be so loyal to them to the point that he voluntarily tried to protect them and their pride, I guess? I don't know, it's kind of weird.

I think these two dander heads here had saved this kid from some wolves or something is what I'm guessing.

Being wolves an easy target for those who knows their behaviour, a begginer adventurer who doesn't know anything would obviously struggle. And like these two who had trouble with lesser goblins who are hardly capable of welding a stick, I had saved them from those goblins and just like that, I had made myself some comrades... For like a week.

But still! Saving someone is a quick way to a person's heart.

In the awkward silence in the adventures guild, Kyle elbowed me and looked at me with eyes that says "What did you do that I don't know?"

I looked at her with eyes that says "I don't even know this kid."

And like that, our conversation is done but I don't even know how we even understood each other just from that.

And after 10 solid seconds of silence except for one guy who just happens to sneeze in the middle of this silence, I looked at the magician and asked him a very crucial question;

"How old are you exactly?"

Very crucial. I don't want to think of him as a kid all the time, right?

Although shocked, he quickly regained his "intimidating" face and answered me earnestly.

"I am 15. I have learned and mastered the few most powerful intermediary spells! Lightning, cyclone, tremor, and water jet spell!"

The crowd is shocked for some reason.

I mean, lightning is just summoning a cloud and having it to cause a reaction inside and then create a lightning. All I need for that is a few mere water and wind type spells. The cyclone one is just to have a wind spell to rapidly spin around and essentially creating a vortex which in turn create a cyclone. The tremor one is just earth manipulation spell with more effort put into it. And water jet spell is just create water spell but with more effort and a wind spell to make it spin in the air.

These are all so simple yet they are considered as one of the most powerful intermediary spells known! I learned to make these combinations when I was 10!

"That's nice. But why a duel? And also, I didn't even disrespect your teammates. Plus they're my old teammates."

"He's right. Calm down Sam, he didn't disrespect us that much to be concerned of and he's merely a bastard who doesn't even do anything in quests."

Troy said to Sam as he patted his shoulders in which this made Sam have a contorted expression.

And then bits came off from Sam's mouth after that.

While he reasoned to Troy about his righteous act, Sara here had moved her seat towards me closer and whispered into my ear.

"... You see Isaac, while we were doing a quest, we found this fellow struggling to fight of wolves on his own. So we killed of the wolves that are attacking him and tried to leave after that but then he stopped us and thanked us way too much and pleaded us to let him join our party. So we still don't know why he became so attached to us just from having to save him from wolves which could have been done easily with just a good amount of knowledge before hand."

I'm so good at guessing...! Hm!

"...So basically, he's like you two but even more extreme?"

"... We were naive back then and didn't know any better! Of course, we've matured and had gained better understanding because of you and your petty reasons and persuasions to make us fight in quests almost all by ourselves."

"...Isn't that nice? I was somehow a teacher to you guys in some way without me realising."

We giggled after that. Really, this are my old teammates before they got angry at me that time and left me...

Let's not get to that...

"Even still! He msitreated you, didn't he!? Then that I won't let it pass so easily!"

So Troy and Sam are arguing about Sam's stupid offer of a duel.

"Yeah, but that's in the past even though he did that, I still respect him as a friend, I think. I'm not sure myself that he can be called a friend but that's not the point."

"I know but an action done has consequences. And his consequences from that time is still not done to him! It's only a matter of time for someone to do it and that time has come for I would be the one bringing the consequences!"

That hardly make any sense or maybe it just came of as some blur to me?

So Troy failed to put some sense to him, huh? That's troublesome.

"I'll pass from that challenge. C'mon Kyle, let's get some easy quest and leave this place. Troy, Sara, it was nice to meet you guys again although I do like some compensation to the thing you did to me. You already know what that is, don't you?"

And thus, a floating question mark appears above Sam's head. Did he really expect me to just accept a challenge without any reward? It's pointless and consumes mana.

"You reap what you sow is how the saying goes plus we can't do anything about that now although we will wish you the best of luck in the future."

Totally ignoring the wide opened mouth of Sam, Troy had warmly said to me. Of course, I will have them pay a compensation fee regarding that, but maybe that would be on a later time. When this Sam kid isn't with them anymore.

Carrying my dragon after dozing off in my arms, I gestured Kyle which had followed with no words said, thank God. I feel like if we left this place, a barrage of teasing would occur.

Although isn't she a bit green-ish, specifically her face? Well, I don't think it's that serious of a problem, I think. Or maybe it's just my imagination.

"Wait!—"

Exclaimed Sam, as he tried to stop us from going to the counter to get a quest with his outstretched arm and sweating face.

As per what he asked, I stopped and my dragon yawned. Although I didn't look back at him.

After finding the right words to say or should I say, having to ease his nerves and making his mind up, he said something that really intrigued me.

"How about this? I shall give you this pendant that would increase a magician's mana pool by a large amount if you win and if I win, you shall kiss my feet and theirs and say your apologies. For you to only do that if you lose, isn't that a good deal?"

He smiled twistedly as if he knew that it was what I want and for him to say that so suddenly to me would get me off guard and be intrigued by the offer.

He can't be more true though.

Although this kind of pendant isn't compatible with me, it's would sell a nice price if I sold it so with that we can earn more money!

"Alright, you caught me. Fine I accept the duel."

A loud uproar occured in the adventures guild.

Betting soon started on who would win. From their conversation, people aren't particularly picking me over this kid...

(☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞

And so Sam here lead us towards the plains.

I know that duels are done with a set challenge. Do the best skill you've got and you win. Do it extravagant like and you win. Blow up a freaking mountain faster than your opponent.

Aside from the last one, those are legitimate reasons to how you win a duel but from I get this gut feeling like he would change the rules a bit.

With us are the two warriors and Kyle whom had been watching us silently the whole time.

It's quite odd for her to do that but hey, it's better than her opening her mouth with nothing but insults coming out.

"I presume that you know of the rules?"

So did this prideful magician had said to me.

I just want the pendant so let's get this over with quickly and skip the pleasantries, is what I would have said if he didn't speak so fast after his first statement.

"Although forgive me for this but I have to change the rules a bit."

Knew it. I bet he would change it in a way that would be disadvantageous towards me.

As he looked at the sky with a gleeful smile on his face, he looked back to me with contrast to his previous expression.

"The rules is simple. The one who can cast the fastest spell wins."

Ok. Seems easy enough. Actually, this rule is more in my favorites as the cast time for basic spells is basically instant.

But the question surfaced. Why does it take me a bit longer to cast an intermediary spell using the combination route? Isn't basic spells cast instantly? Well, basic spells, for them to act a certain way, one needs incredible concentration to do it.

I looked back at the three and the two warriors looked as if they're bored to death and would also like to get this over with quickly while Kyle is just standing there, giving me a thumbs up as she carried my dragon on her left arm.

Aren't she a bit nice this time though she's acting a bit different though. Not that I'm complaining of her change. I actually very much prefer it.

But I'm worried of how green her face is... Whatever, I'll deal with that later.

"Without further ado, let's get started. Miss Sara, if you would please countdown from three to one?"

"Alright... 3,—"

Sam looked at me as if we were in some sprinting race or something.

"2,—"

The tips of his fingers glew a faint blue, signifying an abundance of mana circulation in that spot.

"1."

And after she said the anti climactic 1, I fired a small water ball while Sam here is still casting his spell.

"I won. Now give me the pendant."

After firing from what appears to be a rock bullet spell, he glared at me as if I just commited a crime.

"W-what do you mean, you've won!? That can hardly be called a spell!"

"Eh? But it's a spell, nonetheless. It's your fault for announcing rules without much specifics. Although from how quickly you casted the rock bullet, I'm impressed. Now give me the pendant."

"That's unfair! Did you see that!? Is that even a spell!? It's more like he just threw the contents of a glass of water than a spell!"

As he complained like a kid, which he is, he pointed his index finger at me menacingly, he looked at the two as if they're his parents.

"Ah, Sam, that to me looks like a spell. Isaac often uses that spell during our quests and said that he helped enough after that when the only thing he did is to give the monsters and animals a little bath."

D-definitely not true Troy! Such lies to come from you!

"Huh!?"

Now Sam looked at me with clear annoyance and anger. Even more anger than before I might add.

"I demand a redo! A proud and dignified magician wouldn't refuse this offer!"

Ha... The peaceful greenery such as this place and the silence that accompanies it except for the occasional fluttering of birds is now ruined by this kid.

"You mean double or nothing? I refuse, unless you raise the rewards."

"Tch...!"

Grinding his teeth, he looked through his satchel like he's searching for a needle in a haystack.

Soon enough, he took out something.

"Very well! I shall give you this ticket worth for 2 people towards places near Thai kingdom. But since the reward that I will get is already close to nothing—"

Just then, a sinister smirk appears on his face...

What's he up to?

"—i have your partner here to join us!"

"Huh?"

The two warriors, including me, exclaimed at the same time. Except for Kyle who just has a clueless look. There really is something wrong with her...

Anyway, how ever you look at it, isn't this a bit too disadvantageous for me? I have Kyle to be traded from a ticket that probably worth like 2 silver?

If I lost Kyle then I won't have anyone to help me in quests and if I don't have anyone to help me in quests, then that would mean that I need to do quests all by myself now which will not happen, I tell you right now! Having to do quests alone consumes way too much mana that I would've want! Definitely a no-no!

But it's not like I would lose though but I don't want to underestimate him. If he did a spell so incredible that it costs a ridiculous amount of mana then that would be troublesome. I really would like to conserve my mana. 2 silver or so is just isn't worth it on how much mana I would potentially be expending.

Although I have to ask...

"Why do you want Kyle as a reward?"

"I believe that Kyle would be better of with us than with you! Since you seem to have mistreated my fellow comrades, I won't allow for you to mistreat annither adventurer."

"Huh? She didn't leave right? So how did you know that she doesn't want to be with me?"

"That's because she still doesn't know of your intentions!"

Isn't he acting all high and mighty as if he's some justice warrior or something? It's incredibly annoying.

Right then, I stopped questioning him as I see that this will be just an endless loop. Maybe I could change his mind to not make Kyle as his other reward but I'd rather not to.

It's not like I would lose anyway. It would just be troublesome and a waste of mana.

"Pass. Just give me the pendant and we'll get going."

"Huh!? Tch! Running away, I see. I expected it though."

"Idiot. If I lose, I won't have anyone with me then. The lose is greater than the profit. It's simple. Something you still don't understand kid."

Of course I'm just saying that. I'm just concerned about the mana expenditure of this next one. If the reward he added in is at least 30 or so silver then I might reconsider.

Really, this kid is more annoying than I expected he would be.

But I have this feeling like I'm a hypocrite for saying it... Well, whatever.

"Is that want you wish for? To have a greater reward for you? Fine! I don't want to do this but I'll add in another pendant! Refuse this and you're basically brain dead!"

Granted, 2 pendants and a ticket is worth a gold coin and a few silver at least and I should probably take this redo now but I feel like I can increase the reward even more.

"Still—"

"Still? Still going to refuse is it? I guess that's fine being the son of an incompetent father I bet? As the saying goes, an apple don't fall far from the tree. I presume that your parents is someone as gutless as you!"

...

"Hey Sam, cut this out! Give Isaac the pendant you promised and be done with this duel!"

Sara scolded Sam while Kyle, still has a clueless look on her greenish face as she kissed my dragon.

I would say something appropriate regarding Kyle's actions but there something much more important going on here.

For him, who doesn't even know my father, let alone had met him yet still, he has the guts to insult him...

...

"... I accept."

"What's that?"

So he became deaf then?

"I accept you little sh*t. Looks like I have to teach you a lesson then?"

"Now that's the eyes of a determined magician! I see that this would be a good duel! So insulting your parents did the trick huh?"

"Just hurry up and say your idiotic rules."

"Impatient... The rules would be the default. To whoever would be the one who can do the most powerful anf extravagant spell of all will be the winner. You first."

"No, you."

"Oh? Very well. Feast your eyes on this!"

As mana circulated towards his hand in large amounts, a spark that soon turned into a flame appeared hovering above his palm. The flame grew brighter and bigger as he place more mana on it until it became bigger than him. At last, from the tall flame came upon the head of a dragon made of flames.

"Woah..."

Troy exclaimed.

Looking at Sam, he seems exhausted after that. From a single advanced spell called The Fury of the Dragon spell, he suffered mana sickness just from that.

"Ha... That is the most powerful spell that I know. For you to best that, I doubt it... Ha..."

He layed there, motionless except for his frequent panting.

"Is that it? What a waste of expectation..."

And like that, the sky is covered in flames stretching far and wide to the very edge of the plains. Henceforth, a dragon made of flames and bolts of lightning came out of it. The flame dragon then moved on its own and breathe out flurry of liquid fire and accompanied with a chain of lightning.

"...Call me anything you want but for you to disrespect my parent and my father at that, I won't forgive it."

...

Later on, Kyle collapsed. Not from what I expected...

And as do I, from something that I expected to be the reason.