Mature Content Warning: Enslaved girls fighting for glory and honor.. and to claim other girls for their human masters.

Author's Note: This chapter did not have a name originally. So, this name is sort of last minute. Forgiveness, please. If you mind errors, please let me know. Thank you.

Chapter 2: Battling Beauties

The confines of the S class pick-up truck were cramped, but John had plenty of room to serve his purposes. Kara was manning the gunner seat situated on the open cab on the back while they traversed the asphalt roadway.

John had decided to stay in town for one month working the local area. He wanted to increase his funds a bit. As a novice tamer he was only a class I weapon licensee. This meant that he could use any melee weapons and sub-sonic projectile weapons that he liked. Actual firearms were allowed as well but at his permission level he would need to have each and every weapon accounted for with a separate permit. So far, he had three such weapons. Two of them were being used by Kara as standard equipment to supplement her plasma weapons. The other was a simple shotgun. It was nothing fancy, it used standard shells.

When he was granted full-tamer status he would automatically acquire a class II licenses. This would allow him to use almost any type of standard weapon available to reserve military forces. He would not be able to use elemental or full-automatic weapons of high caliber, however. That sort of weaponry was reserved for people with a class III license.

At present he already had more than enough college credits to test into a class III license. He needed to take the three month training and safety course. Seven years of technical college had served him well in that regard. He simply needed that class to fulfill licensing requirements. He wouldn't be able to take it for a year, however. A year of taming was required minimum even for those who test out of the credit requirements. The typical tamer who did not go to college had to perform their duties for five years before being allowed to test and to take the class.

An hour passed before they arrived at the camp-grounds used by traveling tamers. The best wild demi-humans were off in the wilderness, but they were the interest of veteran tamers. A novice was better off checking into a nationally sponsored travel center and using it as a base of operations while joining up with a sweep team. Those teams generally included three to four tamers and their harem. They were led by an expert tamer. While on their sweep they would provide mutual group defense and learn valuable real world skills that textbooks do not provide. These services were not free, of course. However, the fees were nominal outside of the lodging.

There were around half a dozen other trucks in the parking area, and one circumspect convertible. The bus was something John had hoped not to see. Its existence in the parking area meant that a tamer class trip was in session. The place would be packed with high school students completing their final course requirements for graduating from their elective survival and capture courses. He didn't dislike the concept so much as the competition it brought with it.

He nodded at Kara as he got out of the small blue vehicle and she hopped down beside him. The two moved into the heavily reinforced building and made their way to the registration desk.

"Hello, Sir." chirped the customary Generica as they approached. John was not particularly surprised to find one of them working in this location. They seemed to be the go to Demi-human for clerical and receptionist positions pretty much everywhere.

"Hello. I seek lodgings and addition to a sweep team." replied John matter-of-factly. There was no reason to commit to small talk. His purpose here was a common one for those who traveled through the area.

"Of course, sir. One moment." stated the Generica as she tapped a few keys on her computer. Not long after she started typed she looked up. "How many rooms and days will you need and be staying sir?"

"What are the current rates? I suppose I only need one room."

She clicked a few keys and replied, "We have nightly, weekly, and monthly rates sir. We also have room or cabin fees depending on the size and accommodations required."

"How much is it to rent a cabin for one week?"

She glanced down at the information then said, "Eleven hundred with boarding included, eight-fifty without."

"How much for a standard room?"

"That would be six hundred with boarding and four-fifty without."

John nodded. It would cost most of his his remaining funds to stay for the week but the hunting would hopefully be good in the area.

"We'll take the room and board. How much will it cost to join a sweep team?"

"Current prices are for basic sweeps and private patrols. Basic sweeps are twenty-five dollars per day. Private patrols are four hundred dollars per day local, or seven hundred per day for wilderness tours." she replied. The girl did not even need to look that information up. Those prices were fairly standard.

"Is it still four tamers to a team for basic sweeps?" asked the man.

She nodded at him. A basic sweep team was just a roving patrol of the outlying areas. If they caught something the captures would be sold at auction and the entire team would split the money unless one of the team members wanted to pay the standard trade value of said Demi-Human to keep her. It was generally a lucrative method of making money with relative safety. This method also kept the government from having to provide well-funded and staffed military forces in out of the way places to keep the wild Demi-Human population down.

A private patrol was basically paying an experienced tamer on staff to take the client out on a patrol by themselves. The client kept all the Demi-Humans captured but the guide was paid whether the tamer caught anything or not.

"I'll join a basic sweep team. When will the next available team be leaving on patrol?"

She checked the schedule and then looked back at him. "Team four just left. It will be a little over two hours before team five will set out. There is still one slot left for that team if you wish to join it."

John nodded at her and replied. "That would be helpful."

"Yes, sir." replied the Generica before calculating his bill. "Team sweeps are day-by-day. You can only reserve status on each day due to their demand. The total for your current bill is six hundred twenty-five dollars."

The man pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket and counted out a large portion of it. Handing the money over to the secretarial Demi-Human was a simple process, but it left a hole in his wallet and soul. He had spent an absurd amount of money recently. After their transaction was complete he was given the entry code for his room and a card key. Without both he would not be able to enter.

John glanced over at Kara and she fell in at his left as they moved toward their quarters. The room had to be verified before they moved their equipment inside.

...

Kara stood still as her contracted master scanned her with his strange device. She had seen only one other like it to date and that had been at a distance. He was taking stock of her statistics among other things so that he could determine how effective she might be in combat. The Steel Valkyrie would prefer to prove herself in combat rather than be scanned but she understood the need to gather intelligence and verify resources and unit strength.

While her master played with his scanning equipment, she thought back to her recent life. Living on a ranch had been peaceful, too peaceful. She desired combat and a chance to prove her skills. There had been occasional training sessions and defensive sweeps of the farm perimeter but most of her opponents had proven to be lackluster at best. She would never be properly challenged living such a life.

Her current master seemed like a fairly typical non-combatant. She could tell by the way he walked, talked, and breathed in general that he was not well versed in the arts of war. She had not expected much from a human in the first place, but at least he wasn't particularly demanding at the moment. She did not take well to those she deemed 'bossy'. A special dispensation had to be allowed in this case since he technically was her boss. That didn't mean she had to give up her pride as a soldier, however.

John said, "Hmm." as she continued to observe the man who would be taming her. Once a bond formed she would not want to serve another unless they also broke the former connection and formed said bond themselves. That was the most dangerous aspect of being a free Demi-Human. The bond made all Demi-Humans feel a certain level of subservience to their master in some respects. It would be entirely too easy to fall into a habitual desire to serve this man based solely on biological imperatives. That was the reason she had stipulated the maximum of three tours in her contract.

By law he could not force her to stay with him beyond that point unless she chose to create an entirely new contract with him. It was an out for her if he proved to be intolerable and difficult to get rid of via a convenient accident. Such an unfortunate situation would be a black mark on her service record, but at least she would be free of a bad situation.

John nodded to her and said, "You have improved since your last scan was taken."

Kara was not surprised. The information in her file was over three months old at this point. She was still curious, however. "How so?"

John considered telling her that it didn't matter but ultimately he didn't care to have an argument and it was nothing major. "Come see."

The machine Demi-Human moved forward to look at her information and noted that her physical stats had increased overall, though her mental and spiritual stats had not. Her specialized armor system, an inherent power that could be activated at will, granted her defense that was more than four time higher.

StatusName: KaraRace: Demi-HumanLevel: 13 (367/1300)Breed: Steel Valkyrie

Kara is a Steel Valkyrie currently under contract to John Dean. As a Steel Valkyrie she has a plasma drive that is capable of being upgraded. She has not distinguished herself.

Age: 22

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Blue

Height: 6'/183 cm

Weight: 154 lbs/69.85 kg

Bust: 46 E

Blood Type: O+

Grade: Combat

Education: Home Schooled (High School Graduate level)

Citizenship: Free Demi-Human under contract

Evolution Tier: Second

Family: Machine

Enhancements: Improved firearm usage, the ability to convert her arms into powerful plasma weapons, and the ability to summon bio-armor capable of growing stronger as she gains experience.

Special: Upgrade capable plasma drive. Current setting, C-1.

Life Force: 430Mana: 190Attack: 25M. Attack: 11Defense: 27/102M. Defense: 11Strength: 56Agility: 78Resilience: 52Vitality: 43Intellect: 14Charisma: 13Will:15Spirit: 19AbilitiesFirearm Mastery: Level 64Unarmed Combat: Level 13Swordsmanship: Level 20--AttacksCall ArmorPlasma Saber: Level 6Plasma Cannons: Level 43Overload

Kara noted her statistical changes and nodded. It had taken her six years of working at the ranch before evolving into a Steel Valkyrie from a Gunner. It took her another year to reach level thirteen again. In an active tamer's harem she might have been in her high sixties at this point. That factor was the main reason she wanted to contract with such an individual. She was uncertain why the scanning device had cited the size of her breasts, however.

"Yes, I have improved."

John nodded at her and shut down his equipment. There was a bit over an hour left until it was time to head to the main building and meet up with his sweep team. Unfortunately, this meant that he was alone with her for that amount of time.

There was a certain issue he had to deal with, but he found the concept rather distasteful. "How are you feeling?"

"I am fine."

He sat on the bed and considered what else to do. He knew that he would have to tame her soon, but he wasn't certain about how to start such an endeavor. In the end he simply chose to ask her. "Do you need to be tamed?"

"I am fine." she stated once again. While a proper taming would not be outside of her current interests she did not particularly desire her master at the moment. She was technically his property while under contract, but that didn't mean she respected him enough to let him touch her. She would have at least a week before taming and the forging of a bond would become a necessity. If he told her he was going to tame her she would have to allow it. However, at present she didn't have to since he'd asked instead of instructed.

"Good. Since that is taken care of, let's go get something to eat and meet up with our team leader." John stood up and began to collect his gear.

The body armor he had chosen for himself was a basic riot kit. There was nothing fancy about it. The kit included a Type IV anti-ballistic chest and back plate attached to leather armor crafted by the Northern Concern Group. The NCG was well known for its armor systems. Unfortunately, the price of such systems were well known as well. He'd settled for a basic armor with no bells or whistles. There were shin guards, boots, and forearm guards. The helmet slot was taken by his scanning equipment, but it had a type V anti-ballistic rating anyway.

Armor, or at least damage resistant clothing, was very important for tamers. While some chose not to wear it, while citing the fact that their Demi-humans were the fighters, those same individuals were often the largest part of the KIA statistics put out every year. Anyone who went into the wilderness expecting the wild demi-humans to focus solely on their harem was an idiot.

"Yes, master." replied Kara lightly.

The mildly dynamic duo left the room after gearing up. John would wear the backpack with their supplies since he wanted his contractee to have a free range of motion. The supplies were heavy to the man but he figured that he might as well get what he was paying for in regards to the girl.

The dining facility was alive with people laughing and carrying on. The high school class currently in attendance was roped off from the rest of the tamers and hunters.

They did not even reach the purchase line before one of the aforementioned tamers called out, "You! I challenge you for that Steel Valkyrie."

John ignored the man and continued on. The spikey haired individual who had called the challenge got up and walked toward him flanked by three of his Demi-humans. "Didn't you hear me?"

"I heard you. I simply have no way of accepting your challenge at this time. Ms. Kara is my only Demi-human at present." stated the Steel Valkyrie's master.

"Bullshit. I don't care. You know the law. You're only protected from the salvage rules if you're a tradesman or your starter is common. I want her."

"You must be very sad. There are no doubt many things you desire that you may not have." replied John.

"So, you're denying a lawful challenge?"

Kara quirked her eyebrow artfully as John turned back to him. "If your Demi-humans die then I won't be held responsible. You willing to risk that?"

"Hey man. I was just challenging for a friendly match. What's with the attitude?" asked the younger man with a hint of nervousness. The Steel Valkyrie line was known for being a strong breed.

"No. You were demanding I turn over my only harem member to some ritualized gladiatorial combat scenario. Gladiators died in combat. I will not tell her to restrain herself if you pursue this. Since you insist on quoting the law, I must inform you that I do not have to require her to hold back."

Kara noted the casual way her master discussed the situation and mentally upgraded his capacity slightly. He was no fighter but he did hold his ground.

"Fine, we'll go hardcore if you want. Just don't cry when I take your girl."

"Don't get in the way when she's firing. You might get hit." replied John just as casually as before.

"You threatening me man?"

"No. I'm giving you friendly advice. Bullets hurt, or so I hear."

The younger man frowned at him and flared his nostrils. "What the fuck ever, let's get this over with."

"Before we begin, you do know that the salvage law requires equal exchange. What do you have worth challenging me over?" cited John. If he was stuck with this barbaric stupidity then at least he could play rules lawyer a bit.

"These three girls, pick the one of them ya like. If you win, she's yours." said the younger man with a shrug.

John tapped the button on the side of his scanner and quickly determined what their breeds were. He snorted not long after. "You're seriously trying to enforce a challenge law when none of your 'girls are of equal value?"

By this time the cafeteria had grown quiet as everyone listened in. There was a fight brewing and that meant entertainment.

"Feh, They're valuable enough!" snorted the man.

"A Mouse and two Catgirls? You seriously rate one of them as being equal to a Steel Valkyrie?" asked John incredulously and a bit loudly. The nearest individuals in the cafeteria began to laugh and transfer that information among the rest of the mass of humanity. This was proving to be truly entertaining.

"I want your Steel Valkyrie!" snapped the man.

"Well then, I would suggest that you employ a poor man's hope." said John, with a smirk. He didn't have to battle this idiot after all.

"A what?" asked his would-be challenger.

"Crap in one hand and wish in the other. Place both hands together. If you're lucky that might give you the shit that you want." explained John.

"Asshole! You've been challenged, accept it!" snapped the irate younger man as the dining facility inhabitants laughed uproariously.

"Your challenge is unacceptable." replied John.

"Fine! I'll pay equal value if you win!" exclaimed the spikey haired idiot.

"She's under contract with six month repeating terms. You can afford to offer me sixty-six thousand dollars when she wins?"

A low whistle was heard from the sidelines as they heard the stakes.

"The fuck? I can't pay that!"

"I can." came a new voice from the sidelines. John and his young opponent turned to the voice and saw a man who appeared to be in his early forties. He had graying salt and pepper hair and was surrounded by several powerful looking Demi-Humans.

"Dad, this is my thing..."

"Not anymore Tom. You bit off more than you can chew. Still, you do need a stronger Demi-human if you intend to ever move up the ranks." replied the older man to his son.

"You propose to challenge me then?" asked John. He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"I was going to stay out of it. Then I heard you say that crap about shitting and wishing. My son's a hot head, but he didn't deserve that."

John nodded. "Alright. If you're challenging me and claim you can cover it then I have no choice in the matter. What are you offering, though?"

The older man rubbed his chin thoughtfully then turned to look at his Demi-humans. "Hmm. Tera and Mindi stand up. Let him get a good look at you."

Two of the Demi-humans seated at the table stood and John scanned them. He noted that both were somewhat rare. He doubted they were of equal value but they were better offerings than what Tom had put up.

"Neither of them is worth as much as a Steel Valkyrie, especially one I just contracted with. There has to be a little more incentive than that to make this a fair challenge."

"I meant that I was placing both of them up." replied the older veteran tamer.

John was stuck for it now. The obviously domestic born Kraken was fairly rare, less so than a few decades ago. The Blazine was more interesting to John, however. They were somewhat common but very useful battlers. Between the two of them they more than made up the money necessary to buy a typical Steel Valkyrie, contract not-withstanding.

"I really don't have a choice in the matter now, I suppose. She is my only Demi-human, however. That means it must be a one on one battle."

"Agreed. Let's head outside then." replied the veteran tamer. John followed along after him with regret writ large on his features. Half the cafeteria depopulated to watch the spectacle at the battle area set up a tenth of a mile away from the buildings.

Once they were at the proper location the two battling tamers took up their positions and announced the Demi-Human they were sending out. An on duty tamer for the center acted as referee and announced the match.

"Tamer John Dean will be represented by Kara, a Steel Valkyrie. She is a free Demi-human under contract. She is also the stake of her master's battle wager. Tamer Stan Kranz will be represented by Hana, a Gigas. The wager he has staked in this battle is Tera, a Blazine; and Mindi, a Kraken. Citizenship undisclosed."

"Gigas?" asked John incredulously. He thought they were nigh impossible to tame due to size restrictions and personal sentiments toward the squishier race of man. There was also the lack of giantess Demi-humans apparent in the arena. The girl he saw across the way was fairly tall at around six feet, but she didn't rate the name Gigas.

Stan nodded at him with a slow smirk forming on his lips. This caused John to scan the girl and then stare in shock at her specs. Her strength and durability ratings were staggering. Somehow he'd shrunk the giantess down to relatively normal size while allowing her strength to remain in effect. He had heard it was possible but magic of that type should have been very difficult and possibly deadly for the Demi-human.

"Alright, battle shield active." cried out the referee from the safety of his control box. A dynamic energy field snapped up around the basketball court sized arena in a bid to protect bystanders from errant attacks.

"Kara, she's going to be hellishly fast at this size. Her strength and durability were meant for a creature five or six times larger. Stay out of her range. Do not close with her." instructed John.

Kara nodded at him and said, "Understood. Are there any other instructions master?"

"Aim for the eyes if you can. Your weaponry should be able to hurt her either way, but that's her weakest spot unless her master did some other weirdness to her."

The Steel Valkyrie nodded and readied herself with her twin pistols held at the low ready position. She would only use her plasma weapons if she had to.

"Ready?" asked the referee to both parties.

When they agreed that they were he exclaimed, "Begin!"

Kara immediately launched into a quick burst of fire that tore across the arena with thunderous force. The giantess did not even bother to move until the gun fire ceased. Weapons fire skittered off of an invisible barrier surrounding her with visible force.

"Fuck. He taught her magic, too?" groused John in annoyance. This day was just getting worse and worse.

Kara quirked her eyebrow. She continued to fire while circling her opponent. Every shot she sent out pinged against the invisible barrier to no effect. Her standard firearms were not going to cut it.

She reserved the remainder of her standard rounds and changed over to her plasma array. These shots also skittered across the shield, but it was obviously causing at least a minor strain for the giantess to continually manifest it now.

The girl was at a loss, however. The shield was not going down and her plasma drive was using up its power quickly. At this rate she would run dry soon.

John called out. "Keep pouring it on! Her shield can't last forever!"

Kara acknowledged the order but she also noticed her opponent's master smirking at the suggestion. Still, an order was an order.

The Steel Valkyrie circled her slowly moving opponent and unleashed a steady barrage of plasma fire from her tri-barreled arm blasters. When she was half empty she stopped and noticed that her opponent was largely unscathed. Some of the damage had slid through, but the Gigas’ natural toughness had absorbed most of it.

John frowned at this scenario. His Steel Valkyrie had no way of dispelling a shield. He could do it, but that might be considered a forfeit. He had to check the rules. "Kara! Keep her busy but let your energy recharge! I have to check something!"

"Understood!" exclaimed Kara as she rolled to the side to avoid a sudden charge by the surprisingly fast giantess. Her master had been right about the speed. The shield had become partially visible as she sped past in a blur.

John took his tamer manual out and looked through the rules section as his sole harem member did her best to avoid the inhumanly strong wrecking ball as it rocketed around the arena. He winced in sympathy as Kara was caught by the demented sphere and sent flying into the arena defense field with incredible force. Her armor would have protected her but that would still hurt quite a bit.

He muttered about the rules as he flipped through the pages. Finally, he got to the section about one on one matches. He was dismayed initially to discover that any action on the part of a tamer outside of issuing commands would cause a forfeit. However, he saw a part citing exclusions.

He blinked in surprise then his emotional spectrum shifted to joy. He had discovered a loop hole. He did have a legal right to intervene. A tamer who has not captured a Demi-human and still possesses a permit instead of a full-license is granted leeway in initial battles. This rule was described as adding to the fair play aspect since a more powerful tamer could easily swipe a girl from a neophyte tamer. This exclusion was only in place if the battle included the starter Demi-human and the neophyte tamer had not acquired another.

John nodded and looked up to see Kara get bashed roughly into the restraining wall yet again. This time she fell limply to the ground, though it did not take long for her to show a bit of movement. She was getting worn down but was not out of it yet.

The man took a deep breath and stilled his mind. He tried to block out the thoughts that sought to distract him. A full minute passed as he found his center and tuned out the cries of his representative. She was tough, but definitely out matched as long as that field was up.

When he reached his center the mage touched the core of his power. He began to recite the chant he'd developed to help him focus on the powers of sensing mystical forces.

His spell complete, the man's senses snaked out to skitter along the field before him. The barrier was indeed powerful, but he could tell that no true mage had created it. The construct was too simple. It was a field derived from the owner's life force and confidence. It was a type of aura magic that was one of the most basic shielding techniques around. The only difference between it and the weaker versions was that the Gigas had life force to spare due to being so small. For most individuals this type of shield would only weaken damage, not stop it outright.

A soft chant emanated from his lips after his senses discovered the spiritual ties that bound the spell to the Demi-human's body and soul. He was not a powerful mage, but he was a practiced and experienced one. It took him less than ten seconds to completely destroy the energy matrix of the Gigas' simplistic shield.

Kara blinked as she received a flying body-to-body tackle instead of the wrecking ball she'd braced for.

"What the hell? Hana! What did you do to your shield?" called out Stan in shock.

"I don't know master! It's gone! Let me call it back!" exclaimed the Demi-human in equal shock.

John snorted and focused on his internal energies once again. As the giantess backed away to focus on the one and only spell she knew, John unleashed a counter-spell which effectively sterilized her magically for a time. There were many names for that kind of effect. Some called it a 'mute' spell. Others called it stilling or binding. Either way, her magic was cut off.

"I-I can't use the spell!" exclaimed Hana in shock.

"Why not?!" exclaimed Stan. This did not bode well. His Gigas was extremely fast and tough, but bullets were faster and she was not made of steel.

"I neutralized an unfair advantage." explained John casually.

"You cheated!" snapped Hana's master.

The referee blinked and called a temporary halt to the fight. He then called over to John. "What did you do? I registered a magical effect but the system is still analyzing it."

"I dispelled her shield then bound her magic for a time. It will probably wear off in an hour or two."

"See! He cheated!" exclaimed Tom excitedly. The idiot had actually forfeited.

"I want my Steel Valkyrie now then." said Stan.

"No. The battle isn't over and I have not cheated." explained John with a satisfied smirk.

"The hell you haven't! Tamers can't interfere in official duels!" railed spiky haired Tom.

"Under Article nineteen; section three, sub-section alpha; a tamer with only a starter Demi-human can render aid to his Demi-Human in a legitimate challenge battle as long as this aid is not considered an attack. I did not attack your Demi-human. I utilized effect based support magic of a non-violent nature. All of her natural abilities unique to her breed are intact. A Gigas is not classed as a primary magic wielding demi-human type. Loss of magic is therefore not an attack." explained John smugly.

"That's bullshit! Only a coward would hide behind crap like that." snarled Stan angrily. How dare this little shit act so smug.

"That rule is legitimate. It was also enacted solely due to the fact that novice tamers were routinely bullied out of strong Demi-humans, whether they could use them effectively or not. It was agreed that the stronger tamer should have the stronger Demi-Human. However, it was determined that there had to be some sort of legal protection available. His actions are not an attack. They are a legal rendering of aid under the law. The battle will continue in two minutes." ruled the referee after the system finally sorted out what John had done.

"Fine. Gerti, dispel this binding so we can get back to the battle."

"If you do that you will have to forfeit, sir." explained the referee.

"What?! How can that be a forfeit! That snail trail bound her magic. We aren't even battling now. Why can't I unbind her?"

"You are a veteran tamer. The law is clear for those outside of their permit period or who have captured a Demi-human." explained the referee as the clock continued to tick down.

"This is complete bullshit."

"You didn't have to challenge me, you know. I just wanted to get some lunch." explained John with a shrug.

Stan ground his teeth in annoyance but held his tongue. His giantess was vulnerable now, but the match was far from over and the Steel Valkyrie was pretty beat up.

The two combatants took up their proper locations and squared off again. When the referee announced "Begin!" the two fighters withdrew a short distance from their masters. The battle quickly became a game of cat and mouse.

The cat was definitely Kara as she fired at the rapidly moving girl. At full size she would have been only reasonably fast, roughly similar to a human of proportionate size and strength. However, at a little over six feet tall she could move with the speed of an individual that was thirty times stronger and more durable than a normal human being.

Kara could line up shots with incredible accuracy but her speed was not the same as her overpowering opponent. Time after time the tiny giant managed to zig-zag around the hail of gunfire to land a quick, but potent, punch or kick.

When the Steel Valkyrie was knocked back with a brutal palm strike that delivered enough force to slam her into the defense shield protecting her master she felt the pain intensely. Even her high-end armor was beginning to show strain and wear. Her body was bruised and battered underneath due to the transfer of kinetic energy during these attacks. If this were a normal battle it would have been over long ago. A Gigas is powerful, but Kara would be strong against such a large and ponderous creature. The speed and skill of the fighter she faced was more in keeping with a skilled martial artist than anything else.

John knelt down by his Demi-human as she struggled to get up. She'd had to fire off a salvo from her plasma blasters to keep the speedy dwarf-giantess out of her attack range. "I don't know if it will help, but aim for where she's landing when she jumps. She doesn't jump much, but she can't use that speed of hers in mid-air."

The Steel Valkyrie acknowledged the advice and got back into the fight. She was moving slowly, but she was still moving. It was not too long before she was able to put the advice into play a few precious minutes later. Hana leapt at her from four feet away.

Until now Kara had continued to try and fire at her in the air. That tactic had been moderately effective, but the girl could prepare for the incoming fire. Her durability was quite high as well. Now, however, Kara dodged to the side as the human-shaped missile streaked through the air then span around to aim at her landing point. With her accuracy this was not a difficult proposition.

Hana cried out in pain as she felt a bullet tear into her left calf to lodge into the back of her shin. With the continuing cry of pain she fell to her knees and tried to understand what had happened. Enhanced toughness was all well and good, but most of hers was in her bones and not in her flesh. At full size that round might have barely penetrated. There simply wasn't enough mass to stop the round at her shrunken size, however.

The giantess looked up in time to hear another thunderous retort as a second, and then a third bullet screamed out of Kara's twin pistols to slam into her back. The force fractured her ribcage but was not enough to penetrate beyond that. The next two shots fired ended the fight nicely, however. They completely shattered the injured rib allowing the rounds to penetrate enough that it punctured a lung.

"Red Line! The battle is over!" exclaimed the referee as the crowd stood in stunned awe. A medical team ran over to collect the giantess after the field fell and John walked over to first congratulate Kara and her work performance then confront Stan.

"I suppose you want your prize you cheating son of a bitch." stated Stan with a venomous contempt.

"I suppose you want to continue being an asshole instead of paying me my due?" inquired John with a thoughtful expression.

"Oh you'll get yours, mark my word. I'm done with you. I don't battle cheats and cowards. Take your girls and go." snapped the man with barely constrained anger.

"If by cheat and coward you mean law abiding citizen trying not to lose his only Demi-human, then yes. Now please give me my due and stop being a sore loser. You are far too experienced at dueling to have been unaware of that rule." remarked John with a casual tone in his voice.

Stan glowered hatefully at him then raised his hand to silence his son. Tom was about to say something and long experience with the younger man had lead his father to believe that it would not be helpful.

"Tera, Mindi. You're his. Get out of my sight." snapped the man. He turned away in annoyance and frustration. He had to make a few adjustments in his plans, and at some point he might even go check on his Gigas. What a waste of time and money she'd proven to be today.

The Kraken and Blazine glared hatefully at John, but did as they were instructed. The man took stock of their anger and dismissed it. What did he care if his trained animals hated him? They'd fall in line or he'd sell them off. There were plenty of other Demi-Humans he could choose from after all.

"Come on then."

"We have to discuss our contracts..." said Tera.

"There are no contracts. You are my property by right of salvage." explained John concisely.

"The hell we are! We were contracted for another two months to our former master. We demand compensation!"

"You demand nothing. Your former master was required by law to cite the fact that you were contracted. The referee did not state that you were. You were stated as undisclosed citizenship. Legally, you are now my property and anything you owned prior to this is mine as well.”

He saw that they were about to argue and he spoke up quickly. “If you have a problem with this facet of the law then you may ask me politely to utilize any personal funds you had prior to my seizing of them to fund your attorney fees and court costs. You will have to sue your former master for breach of contract. I grant you nothing as you are now my property to do with as I like."

"How dare you!" snapped Mindi. Her tentacles shot up into the air in a threatening display of impending violence. A single shot rang out. The bullet tore into one of her larger tentacle tips causing the kraken to scream in pain.

"Shut up. You'll speak when spoken too. I rescind my offer to aid you in a legal dispute with your former master. If you make a threatening gesture toward me again I will sell you to the filthiest whore house that I can find." explained John in a casual manner. Under the surface he was far from calm. If Kara had not been quick on the draw he might have ended his career and his life, right here.

Tera growled at him as her heat field rocketed up several dozen degrees. "You... you..."

"The term you are seeking in that over-cooked hamhock that you refer to as a brain is 'master'. Get used to it." cited John.

He turned away from them while showing his back in an act of idiotic, but total, dismissal. They were nothing more than trained animals with tits after all. They would fall in line or they would be sold. There were no other options for them. Their lives as free Demi-Humans were now over.

The two girls seethed as they started forward behind him. They knew the law. At some point in the future, though, their new master was going to fall into a river and accidentally drown if they had any say in the matter.

...

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