CHAPTER TWENTY

Dragon Family. Second Contact.

Life was a funny thing. One moment you could be making fun of your combat inept little sister, and the next moment, she would be the star of the coliseum.

That said, the Coliseum was incomparable to what it was an hour prior. With hundreds of people seated on the stands, it wasn't quite as active as the tournament previously concluded, but the activity was still enough to put a buzz in the air.

Unlike the tournament, there were only two contenders on the platform. At first glance, it might seem like a simple sparring match, but the spectators were engrossed as if it were some feature film.

With each passing blow, they roared. A cacophony of sound and mettle that was slowly being drowned out by an increasingly rhythmic chanting. A chant that grew louder and louder as more and more people joined in.

It was a completely ridiculous phenomenon, but from the fanatical looks upon those who were watching, such words would inevitably dry up in one's own mouth.

Was the opposing user a celebrity? Some unrivaled beauty? Or perhaps their attention was merely an admiration for martial might?

Nevertheless, as the battle raged on, the efforts of one player resounded through the hearts of many, tugging at their heartstrings until they inevitably started screaming.

"Roaring Storm!"

...

'Just what the hell is going on'

Supreme Dragon grimaced as the air around them filled with cheers. Not for him, the clear and obvious victor, but the bloodied and battered psychopath who stood before him.

He had praised himself for his simple idea of establishing his excellency among the general populace, doubly so when he began to charge for it as well. To have an increasingly large audience appear should've just sweetened the deal as well, but instead, his heart was only filled with disdain.

“Throat Burn!”

He erratically jerked his head to the side, just narrowly dodging a flaming streak of fire. He then nonchalantly skipped to the side, where he patted out the embers that were smoldering at the tips of his hair.

It was uncanny.

After smashing this alien girl into the dust, she would get back up, again and again. Like one of the tireless undead, she would not stay down. Even after he easily dispatched her, torturing her in such a way that one would have no choice but to feel utterly incompetent. Such a thing would normally crush the morale of anyone who chose to oppose him, but still she stood before him. Even more surprising was that she kept throwing silver at him, demanding a hundred battles when he had just been about to quit.

Such a number was outrageous. Even if one didn't have superhuman concentration, to fight a hundred consecutive battles was something bordering the edges of insanity.

He would've refused had he not seen the look of smug disdain in her eyes. Coupled with the roars of the crowd, how could he not be goaded into accepting. Anger had taken hold of him then, and so he agreed.

Oh, what a fool he was.

His breath was heavy and his mind, foggy. Even after putting some distance between himself and Roari, he had but a seconds reprieve before she was hot on his heels. Even after all this time, she still fought with a continuous fervor. After getting beaten to a pulp numerous times, she continued to charge over and over again.

Of course, if it were just warding off a flailing noob, he could continue this farce for hours on end, but there was a slight problem.

She was improving.

There was no technique, no precision, yet after each fight, she would get slightly faster, she would last slightly longer. To be frank, such a rate of improvement should be impossible, yet there was not a subsequent fight that finished earlier than the last.

It was to the degree that Supreme Dragon suspected his opponent might actually be an AI, one look into her eyes were enough to dissuade such thoughts. Her disdain, her panic, even her mechanical like movements had an indisputable human element to it.

His breath caught as he felt the hilt of his blade being yanked away from his grasp, leaving him defenseless.

With the hilt of his saber sticking out from Roari's shoulder, the entire fight had already been reduced to unarmed combat. While anyone would think that such a scenario would provide Roari the advantage, Supreme Dragon proved his dominance, dealing four blows to everyone received.

'How Unlucky.'

Supreme Dragon lamented once again.

He was weary. He felt humiliated. The crowds with their uproarious support for his opponent and his constant need for concentration had left him drained.

Still...He would not lose, not by a long shot.

His palm found the soft of Roari's stomach, while his other gripped the blade handle, grinning viciously as he took the return punch to the face.

“Force Strike”

A shock resonated through his arm as he blew Roari away with an open-palmed strike. He watched her body bounce and tumble over as the pain from his light beating finally set in.

Although he still had more than half his health remaining, the pain induced by his opponent's attacks still made his head spin.

Well, it was fortunate that pain doesn’t win battles. It was fleeting, immaterial. His eyes closed, the aches and sores seemingly being expelled from his body while he could feel the opened wounds on his skin being stitched back together.

“Force Healing”

The relief he felt from the lack of pain was quickly offset by the crowd who began to jeer at him. Although Roari never had a chance to begin with, such a move still felt dirty. He looked at Roari who was struggling weakly to her feet, while he was refreshed and hale.

"There is nothing skillful about this, but I hope you don't blame me. After all, to not use all the tools at one's disposal would be an insult to both you and me."

Supreme Dragon smirked, raising his repossessed blade up high. At any other time, he would take the time to jeer at her, but after fighting continuously nonstop, he was tired, hungry and just wanted to go home.

Thus as the cutting energy bursted out of his swing, he held no remorse when Roari was finished off with his final force slash.

The girl bisected, slid down to the ground with two dull thumps. Finally having a chance to breathe, Supreme Dragon sighed. He was exhausted.

Seeing their heroine fall to the ground disgracefully, the crowd had also become silent.

‘Is this what you wanted to see? Is it?!!’

He leered at the crowd. This was supposed to be his moment. His debut.

His temple twitched as he turned away in irritation. It may have only the eighty-seventh fight, but Supreme Dragon was ready to end this farce. But he hadn't even had a chance to open his mouth again when he a single silver bounced off the floor before him.

The crowd roared.

‘Ass…’

He appraised the ash-haired girl. Her eyes full of fire while her body was worn down and ragged. Throughout the entire fight, she had repeatedly impressed him.

Her lack of fear, her disregard for pain. Such qualities alone were exceedingly admirable, especially in a society with fragile hearts and even frailer minds.

But what truly spoke to him was her ability to adapt, to strategize. Though she fought like a beast, she also never fought him the same way in each bout, constantly changing her approach until something worked. From keeping her distance to attempting to disarm him to just accepting his blows in a war of attrition. Her moves became more fluid with time, yet were still animalistic and amateurish.

"Isn't it time to stop?"

Supreme Dragon sighed. It looked as if a small breeze would topple her over, but unlike reality, muscle fatigue is negligible.

"You've fought well, but you'll only end up hurting yourself if you continue."

His voice was soft, filled with something almost akin to compassion. Of course such compassion only stemmed from his weariness. Were he not exhausted, he would never grant her such a boon.

His attempt at kindness was ignored though, as the small girl was silent, before resuming her fighting stance.

"Come now..."

"Raise. Your. Sword." Roari had cut him off before he could continue. Her voice held a steel in it that suggested they were mortal enemies rather than almost complete strangers.

Supreme Dragon sighed. This was exasperating.

"How hateful." He mused, flaring his sword elegantly. "Fine, but regardless of what you say, this will be the last."

Regardless of the outcome, it was clear that this girl would profit because of him. Though he had thoroughly thrashed her and taken her silver, such victories were but drops in the bucket compared to the wide expanse that the game provided.

With her performance, anyone with eyes would be able to tell that she had a good chance of becoming a notable figure in the future.

But the future was not the present, and so long as he existed, he would be the insurmountable wall. He would never fall.

Almost imperceptibly, Roari nodded in agreement to his statement, and the bell was struck, signaling the beginning of their next bout.

Like the many times before, she charged forward with her arms outstretched. Though she looked a tad silly, it was the optimal way to keep balance when dodging to the side. A discovery that was paid for by blood.

Not bothering to wait for her to close the distance, Supreme Dragon unleashed a sweeping energy wave, forcing Roari to dive to the ground.

Not allowing her the chance to get back up, he immediately descended upon her, smashing his blade downwards.

What Supreme Dragon never expected though was that Roari would keep on moving past him. His blade hitting nothing but air as an irritated expression began to form on his face.

'What sort of idiot rolls around in combat?'

He had given up trying to understand her. It was no time to complain though, as he reversed the grip on his blade, drilling his hilt into the aspiring Martialist who made the mistake of trying to grab him.

“Force Strike”

With the hilt striking squarely in the middle of her face, Roari was blasted across the arena. Though she just barely managed to remain on her feet, the mark of his blow still stuck as a waterfall of blood poured from her face. After sliding to a stop, she snarled once before charging once more.

Clicking his tongue, Supreme Dragon realized he still had another ten seconds before his Force Slash was usable again, thus he prepared for a head-on clash.

His blade glimmered as he barely grazed her arm with a diagonal slash, but just as he was about to dance out of the range of Roari's fists, he noted two clawed hands arcing towards him.

‘Fool!’

After battling for so long, he had pretty much memorized the effects of all her skills. Hence he could swiftly counter them, mitigating any possible effect they might have on him. But though he immediately covered his neck with his free arm, but the blow never came.

'Eh?'

His confusion gave way to astonishment as he quickly found himself unable to move his blade. Slick red ichor oozed down its length, a gloved fist clamped tightly down on its end.

His mind momentarily drew a blank but was promptly brought back to reality when a solid elbow connected with his chin, making him see stars.

His brain rattled, his legs weak and heavy. He felt a hand grip his shoulder, crushing down tightly as it forced him downwards slightly.

Unable to grasp his bearings, he barely had time to register the sensation when he was pummeled by a series of flaming fists. The repeated blows smashed him down onto the arena platform, each attack like molten lava being driven home into his belly. However just as he thought the attacks would never end, the heat suddenly vanished and a shadow loomed over him.

'Danger!'

He wordlessly screamed, jerking his head to the side. It was barely in time too, as he just narrowly avoided a heavy boot stomping down upon his face.

He barely managed a sigh of relief. Although he had messed up, he was still a far cry from losing.

The sound of roaring flooded his head as he felt himself being dragged away by the scuff of his shirt.

'The fuck?' Supreme Dragon’s eyes bulged as the fabric wrapped around the soft of his throat. Although it wasn’t to the level of asphyxiation, the sensation was not pleasant, yet Supreme Dragon felt a smile unknowingly creep onto his face.

‘She wants a ring out?’ He was unsure whether to be amazed or amused. While it spoke volumes of Roari's will to win, to try to force him out instead of pressing her lead might as well be the same as throwing the match.

He would punish this mistake.

Taking advantage of the time it'd take for him to be dragged to the edge, Supreme Dragon focused on regaining his mental functions. Upon recovering to his optimal state, he quickly made a short cut with his blade, drawing it cruelly across the back of Roari's ankle.

Her surprised cries were music to his ears as he was released, falling to the ground with a thud. She couldn’t walk. He was sure of it as with her leg temporarily disabled, she sought to pummel him to death, ending it there and then.

But such thoughts were folly, as Supreme Dragon had no intention of allowing such a thing.

The wind whistled and the tip of his blade bursted out the back of Roari's shoulder. Her body shuddered as a seismic wave erupted soon after, sending her tumbling to the very edge of the arena.

It was over.

While gasping heavily, Roari's joints trembled as she struggled to get up. Her motions were jagged, mechanical, but this machine was running its last.

Supreme Dragon tutted. Fighting flailers always left a bad taste in his mouth, but he could at least appreciate her efforts. With small steps, he took his time, leisurely approaching while topping up his health.

The menacing glare that Roari shot at him was disarmed by her fragile demeanor. Her hair disheveled, it seemed that even the slightest breeze would blow her over as she teetered haphazardly.

She punched out as he drew near but it was nowhere near the mark. The momentum sent her crashing to his side, a ruined mess. It seemed all that mental exertion had finally caught up with her as she laid there, unmoving.

'Well...It's been fun'

Supreme Dragon decided then, that he would try to bring this girl under his wing. Of all the fighters he faced today, there might have been a few unpolished gems, but none made anywhere near the impact of this girl.

Right as he was about to voice his proposition, a sudden chill swept through his bones. He met Roari's gaze. Fire somehow still burning within her honeyed irises.

It was almost mesmerizing. Confused, he watched as ever so slowly, the corners of Roari's mouth started to curl up, revealing a feral grin that shook him to his core.

Immediately realizing the situation he was in, there was a silver flash as he swept his blade down in a panic, seeking to finish this once and for all.

But it was too late.

With barely any strength left, Roari thrust out her left arm. Fist clenched as a metallic phantasmal glow appeared.

"Meteor...Cannon!"

"No!!"

Supreme Dragon howled out in indignation. His eyes bugged out as the spectral fist buried itself into his gut, launching him into the air. The pain was nothing, but his face became clouded over with despair while the wind was knocked out of him. His favored force blade was thrust from his grasp as he was sent careening over the arena edge.

Looks of disbelief appeared on the faces of those watching, as many felt that Roari had already lost the moment she fell over. But the muted silence that came with those looks soon turned into roars as Supreme Dragon fell ungracefully onto the sandy coliseum sand.

It was a ring out.

Massive cheers boomed across the stands, and the announcer NPC suddenly appears overtop the stage. His voice roared as he announced the victor.

"THE WINNER!..."

"SUPREME DRAGON!"

"...!?!?!!"

The jubilant cries of the spectators were soon cut short as many gaped at the announcer in confusion. A bizarre gleam appeared in Supreme Dragon's eyes as he hastily dusted himself off.

On the stage, the lifeless corpse that was Roari laid unmoving. A bloodied blade stuck limply in her side. In the few moments, it took for Supreme Dragon to fall out of the ring, she had already been slain.

Such an outcome, after the prolonged hype, was something many in the stands could not abide by, as a string of abuses was hurled down at the announcer NPC. But despite their howls, despite their cries, the rules of the arena were impartial, and many could only stomach the end result.

While Supreme Dragon unsteadily limped towards center stage, he retrieved his blade and took the time to look at the exhausted little girl lying prone on the ground.

"There will be no more rematches today." He said in a tone that brooks no argument. If anything, he wanted to collapse into a heap as well, and take a nice long nap, but for the sake of his appearance, he would not allow himself to.

"..." The exhausted girl did not even raise her head for a retort. No, it was because she was unable to.

Upon seeing that there was still life in her, Supreme Dragon could only sigh. Such a person was truly extraordinary. Although her skills might be crap, her perseverance was extremely valuable. Of course, such a trait could be chalked up to her personality having a few screws loose, but still, such a manner stirred something within him. Desire

"Your tenacity was impressive, but your experience is lacking." Supreme Dragon threw away the airs in his voice. After being thrashed by a single person continuously for a few hours, he was certain that a grudge would remain, thus he had to approach carefully.

"I am a man who appreciates skill. How about you join my team? You can learn a lot and I'll even return all the silver from the bet!"

"...." Roari struggled to raise her head. Her limbs twitched like that of a dying insect as she positioned herself to look up at Supreme Dragon’s face. She smiled.

Supreme Dragon blanched. Just from seeing that toothy smile, he felt something restless stirring in his chest. Although a person's avatar was not necessarily representative of a person's appearance in real life, her feral aura couldn't help but leak from her body.

Supreme Dragon gulped. It was inconceivable! He barely knew this girl and he was getting butterflies?

"Don't be hasty! With your temperament, you can easily become one of the best after reaching your full potential." Supreme Dragon insisted. Who didn't want fame and glory? It was the most enticing carrot that he could provide. "You could become something great!"

He was stumbling over his own words in order to appeal to Roari, but it was soon cut short as an icy voice seemed to slice through the air.

"She already is. And she's with us."

Two figures had swiftly invaded the arena. Much to his surprise, one was equipped in luxurious armor and was busy hauling Roari away while the other stood menacingly before him. His eyes were cold and his body exuded a strange golden aura.

"...And who might you be?"

"The Trash Collector."

Up high in the coliseum stands, two figures amongst the crowd had been watching with a vested interest. One, a young man with shaggy blonde hair, while the other was a Corgin, with her long flowing fur pulled back into a makeshift ponytail. In case it wasn’t obvious by now. The blonde haired man was the previously notorious, Spicy Dragon.

The festivities had long ended yet still they remained, looking at the charred husk of a player on the arena platform.

Who was it, you might ask? Why the mighty and venerable Supreme Dragon of course!

“...Why isn’t he reviving?”

The Corgin tilted her head in confusion. It had already been fifteen minutes since the last of the spectators funneled out, but Supreme Dragon did not stir.

Whether Supreme Dragon was too embarrassed to face the crowd or had been knocked stupid by his loss, the burnt remains showed no indication of moving anytime soon.

“No wait! He’s coming to!”

A single lock of hair bobbed off the girl's head like an antenna. Her lips curled and cheeks puffed as she strained not to laugh. Her jaw ached as she blew out all the air, her eyes glittering appreciatively.

"Brother, Sister!" It wasn’t long before a third person appeared from the steps behind them. Supreme Dragon. He sidled in while the two of them made room. Obviously the three of them knew each other.

“The exalted loser returns.”

The blonde haired man snorted, sparking an ugly look from the loser.

“Shut it Spicy. I didn’t lose. They cheated.”

“You accepted the duel though?”

“Because he betted like 20 gold! How was I supposed to know he had a bajillion buffs on him?”

Supreme Dragon’s blood churned as he remembered the futility of his sword strokes. Not only was the damage mitigated by that golden aura, but any attacks that managed to penetrate the flesh were also futile. Again and again he attacked, but his opponent would not fall. Worst was that throughout the entire fight, the both of them were set on fire so Supreme Dragon could do nothing but watch in futility as his health burned away.

“But you still lost, didn’t you?”

“...Tch.” He could not argue.

“You only had one job, and you blew it. You know Saucy isn’t going to be happy.” The cute Corgin chimed in.

“I won the tournament though.”

“Yeah, and you became a stepping stone in some girl’s 15 minutes of fame, before getting stomped by some random guy straight after. I don’t believe that's exactly what our sister had in mind when she sent you here.”

“That girl!” Supreme Dragon’s teeth trembled as he clenched his jaw tight. “I don’t understand. She was inferior to me in every way, yet why did she get the fans.”

It was truly inconceivable. Of the opponents he faced. Even before her, there were numerous who were more skilled, more deadly. Actually, if it weren’t for her little stunt, would anyone bother to remember her name?

Upon hearing this though, the Corgin got a mischievous smile.

“It’s quite simple really. She had something that you could never hope to achieve.”

Supreme Dragon snorted. There was nothing that she had that he couldn’t obtain as well.

“She was cute.”

Ok. Maybe except that.

“You think players want to look at the millionth edgy mcedgeface persona, or some cute fluffy little girl? Please. Let’s be rational here.”

The Corgin winked as she poked both of her dimples.

“However, if I were in your place, things would definitely have gone differently. What with me being strong, pretty and smart, the crowds would have loved me. A pity, Saucy decided to give you a chance.”

Though her voice was light and charming, her words were anything but as Supreme Dragon felt the knife twist deeper into his heart.

"I know these three." Spicy Dragon interjected, sparing Supreme from the continuous verbal beating. "The paladin, I've seen before in Azoth, and the other two were apart of my newbie group."

"Oh? So you're already familiar then?" The Corgin asked.

"Not exactly." Spicy Dragon said weakly. Thinking back to the horrors of which he endured in Azoth, he began to tremble weakly. However, after noticing the curious gazes of his companions, he relaxed his body and shrugged.

"We've never really had any lengthy conversation and the girl who fought Supreme for so long pretty much blew me off while I was in Torva."

"Yeah, well most girls would."

The girl melodramatically sighed and tactfully dodged Spicy Dragon's casual swipe.

"That said, since they've already come across two of us so far, then this surely must be fate! I see no reason why we cannot make their acquaintance?"

The girl said excitedly, but the Supreme shook his head.

"I'm going to have to pass. Things are kind of awkward, and I want to take a nap."

"...Fair enough. Spicy let's go!"

She smiled as she turned to find the exit, but her lips soon smoothed out to a tight line when she noticed that Spicy Dragon hadn't moved from his position.

"Spicy?"

Spicy Dragon scratched his cheek sheepishly. His voice quiet as he raised his hands in supplication.

"I would...but I kinda have a date planned."

The girl blinked. She stood there stock still as if trying to process such information. Just what sort of deranged woman would go out with him? And why hadn't she heard of it before? However, after seeing the nervous, fidgety gait of Spicy Dragon, she quickly came to the realization that she was being flaked on.

The vein on her temple popped as she stared at her brother who would so shamelessly bail on her. Her fingers twitched, but she couldn't beat him. Not here. Not yet.

Her cheeks reddened before she turned away from them in a huff. Well whatever, she wouldn't hold a grudge, since already in her mind, she decided to drag Supreme Dragon along, husk and all.