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Suddenly, two shadowy figures jumped from behind the Silver Saint and restrained both Rysef and Seyna.

Those masks...

「Do as he says ya two. This ain't th' time t' be fightin'.」

Nabal had his arms crossed and walked between the two District Masters. His masked men struggled to keep them still.

「Tell yer men t' get their hands off o' me Nabal! I need t' teach her a lesson!」

Feriss joined Nabal. She put both her hands together and crossed her eyes. What followed were Rysef and Seyna holding their heads, subsequently submitting.

They both gritted their teeth and groaned in pain.

「D-dammit Feriss... did you have to use your magic canceller on me too..? I wasn't even using that much of it compared to old Rysef over there...」

The Silent Illusionist nodded. The scarf kept her mouth concealed, preventing anybody from reading her face.

The Shadow Blade sauntered up next to Seyna and placed his hand on her shoulder.

「Nabal! This is our chance to retaliate! The slum dwellers need a change in leadership!」

「Enough Seyna. I'm as pissed off as ya are, but lashin' out in th' midst o' a crisis won't benefit any o' our districts. We'll have ample time t' deal with th' lax management 'round 'ere later.」

The Viridescent Queen gave in to his reasoning and ceased her aggression.

「Bold o' ya t' confess t' attemptin' a coup in front o' me! Ya try killin' me apprentices, and now yer plannin' t' take control of th' slum dwellers?! How low can ya bastards stoop?!」

Feriss trotted over to the Ashen Thief and shook her head.

The District Masters made an effort to deescalate the confrontation.

「How dare you obliterate sacred ground in a petty squabble?!」

Kayn rushed over to the tense gathering of District Masters, supporting himself with a long wooden walking stick.

It was surprising to see such an otherwise calm old man blow his top. He must've been highly devoted to the Church.

「Sinful even by your standards, Seyna. And Rysef... I expected better from you.」

Hunched over, he was around my height—had his back straightened, he'd be as tall as Melyn. In spite of his short figure, the presence he commanded was great.

Everyone remained silent as he scolded the two District Masters.

「Well, never mind that. There are two children over by that dirt mound. Injured. Rysef, tend to their wounds.」

「Yes Kayn. I apologize fer me unsightly behavior.」

Nabal's shadow comrades released the two District Masters. The Ashen Thief came jogging towards us.

The Viridescent Queen wiped the blood off her head and mended her broken arm. Restoration magic must've been part of her repertoire.

She must've controlled the plants using restoration magic as well. At least according to my limited knowledge on the subject.

「Seyna. As a plant and narcotics expert, your cooperation in this case is vital. You may harbor hatred against us, but don't forget our goal. I'll also overlook your treacherous statements.」

「Yeah, yeah. Don't forget I put the interests of the Hlanu District before the rest. I'll assist you, but don't come to rely on me geezer.」

「That goes without saying.」

I checked to see if Melyn had borne witness to the truth—only to find the young girl out cold. She'd passed out again at some point.

Rysef approached us, donning a perfect grin and looking like a porcupine. He'd quickly shifted moods on his way to us.

Or rather, he quickly brought back his typical veneer.

「Haha! You've shattered my expectations kid! I swear Lorenzo, you never fail to amaze me!」

「Y-you're covered in icepicks...」

「Oh right, forgot about them.」

He flexed every muscle in his body, causing all the icepicks to fall out.

Seyna was right about him being a musclehead...

The Ashen Thief kneeled beside Melyn and tended to her injuries. He removed the makeshift bandage wraps around her wound and healed it within mere seconds.

He didn't bother with the minor injuries though.

「I'm gonna assume you're not badly hurt. Those cuts and scratches can heal on their own. I'm nearly at my limit, magic usage-wise.」

Rysef carefully lifted Melyn off the ground and carried her in his arms. It occurred to me then that his size had returned to normal.

I got up and joined the Ashen Thief. Together we returned to the union of District Masters.

「Now that we're all here, I suppose it's about time we go our separate ways and conclude this month's meeting. A very informal setting to leave on, but it can't be helped. Remember the slum dweller tenets, Seyna. We are not above the rules set by our forefathers.」

Seyna begrudgingly averted her eyes.

The Silver Saint stood between his two subordinates—Brahm and Yent. All this time, they'd been silently watching our movements.

It creeped me out how unhuman they were.

「That being said, I won't punish you just yet. It can wait until we've resolved this crisis. I'll be waiting on all your reports regarding drug activity by next month's meeting. You're all dismissed.」

Kayn and his bodyguards were first to leave, followed by Feriss and Nabal. The masked subordinates trailed close behind them.

Right before she left, Seyna turned to me. I stayed on guard as she spoke.

「Isn't that great? Your master came to the rescue. Hehehe... you talk about staying peaceful, yet you flaunt your destructive capabilities like a badge. Hypocrisy, hypocrisy, hypocrisy...」

She glanced at the destroyed churchyard, in an attempt to prove her point.

「No wonder the church sees us as easy targets... At this rate...」

Rysef walked in between us and shot her with a disapproving stare. Seyna merely scoffed at him.

「Hah! Don't burst a blood vessel Rysef. It's unlike you to get this worked up over something so trivial. Slum dweller humor was it? I was only testing the waters, lighten up.」

「Toying with children is in poor taste no matter where you go Seyna. Leave us be.」

She spat on the ground and puttered away.

「You don't look imposing cradling a nestling like that. That part of you pisses me off. You've gotten too big for your britches ever since you inherited the village. Taking jobs left and right, preaching your pacifist ideals, hiding your heritage—」

「I said, leave us be.」

Rysef raised his voice. It seemed the last line really angered him. Seyna playfully peeked at him from over her shoulder.

「Ohoh. Struck a nerve there. Guess that's my cue to leave. I'll be seeing you later Lorenzo. Don't die before then.」

She loudly laughed as she exited the churchyard. Everyone had presumably left through the chapel.

And that should've been the end of it.

But at that moment, another emotion had overcome me.

It was neither fear nor was it relief.

「Dammit..!」

It was frustration. Exasperation over my loss.

Bitter tears flowed down my cheeks as I lamented how easily my plan fell apart.

An overreaction? Probably.

But it was an overreaction necessary for the next step in my growth.

At heart, I was competitive.

Reigning as a worldwide champion, I'd grown accustomed to the taste of victory. But that was only possible because I desired victory.

As a strategic genius, my plans would always work. Guild wars, boss fights, dungeon raids, I was always on top of things before everybody else.

My guild and all others that followed were virtually useless without me.

So seeing my scheme foiled in seconds bothered me extremely.

To lose due to mere oversight was one thing. But that oversight being how worthless I was? It was laughable I was a champion of anything.

I kicked the dirt ground and cursed myself.

「So that's the real you.」

Rysef looked at me with a slightly different solemn expression. One of understanding. His eyes—filled with decades of experience—reflected a tale I'd heard many times before.

A man fallen from grace, struggling to cope with his own inadequacy.

Upon coming to this realm, I'd grown self-satisfied.

For too long I'd been resting on my laurels as king of Battleshift, and now reality had caught up with me.

「I was in denial...」

Rysef grunted in sympathetic agreement.

I nearly punched myself as I realized that. The constant justifications for my losses were nothing more than a sore loser's way of escaping the truth.

I clenched my fists as a wave of shame overwhelmed me.

Battleshift this, Battleshift that...

Though I'd always complain about the titles and prestige that came with ranking number one, the fact of the matter was, it provided me with a great deal of comfort and security.

I had lied as naturally as I breathed.

And funnily enough, both lying and breathing were the two major flaws that cost me today's battle.

「I was stuck in the past, unable to move forward. And when I finally put effort into strategizing and fighting back...」

I became painfully aware of how weak I'd become.

「I'm no longer powerful, am I?」

Yet, I knew I couldn't remain this way.

I firmly stood and looked Rysef in the eyes. The Ashen Thief, holding an unconscious Melyn, responded in kind.

「Rysef.」

「It's Master Rysef to you kid.」

「Master Rysef... I want to get stronger. Can you please teach me all you know?」

The twinkle in his eyes transformed into a big dopey smile.

At last, the glass ceiling I'd hit was shattered. With an utter defeat came about a meaningful desire to change.

This world hasn't seen the best of what Lorenzo has to offer yet!

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