Starting from Zero - Vol 4 Chapter 96
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Vol 4 Chapter 96

Book 4, Chapter 27

The Ace (Part 2)

            "AH!!"

            I was taken by surprise. The

palm pushed me into the sky with a strange but deadly force.

            I crashed

on the ground, coughing some blood. My whole body is filled with pain. I

managed to stand up with some hard effort, but just as I balanced myself, something

exploded on my back with a POOM, tearing up a big wound while causing my blood

to flush out.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "*Cough*

Ahh!..."

            More blood came out of my mouth. I stumbled forward and dropped

to the ground, supporting myself with my hands.

            "You...?"

           

           Smokin' lost balance and knelt down as well.

            "Heh ha ha--a-ark!"

            He

tried to laugh but that wound on his stomach grew bigger.

            "What a powerful

lance."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Likewise.

Your kung-fu is good!" I forced a smile. "Pity, you still lost."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "We

don't know that yet." He seems pretty confident. "You took my [Mountain

Breaker], so you won't be moving for a while. Just surrender."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Oh

really?"

            I raised my right hand. A bolt stuck into his arm causing him to

scream.

            "I can kill you like this, slowly."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "My skill can do more than that." He gave me a wicked grin.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    Poom!

My arm exploded too. The bolt I was preparing was shot towards the sky instead.

            d.a.m.n it another one? His skill isn't over?

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Good

job, I'll give you that." I still kept calm. "But you think I'll let

you win? No! I will not lose! Never!"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    Smokin

smiled bigger, probably because he thinks I'm getting desperate. But my next

move removed that smile.

            I stood up while shaking.

            Pong! My left arm exploded. I'm

knocked to the right but I kept standing.

            Pam! That's my left leg. Blood

covered the ground yet I didn't lose my smile.

            "So how many times can you

do this? Five? Six? Or--"

            Bom! My right leg was torn up. I staggered, almost

falling down again.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    The

audiences are silent. No one is applauding anymore. Everyone is trying to

confirm if I'm a monster.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    Poof!

Boom! Pah! The ruptures are becoming faster. I feel like being pushed around by

a lot of people. My HP has dropped to the bottom, but the Collar of Protection

will still keep me alive, by pouring the life force of my companions into my

body.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    However

the skill stopped before I need to rely on the collar. Looks like

the skill only tries to empty the target's own HP bar.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    I'm

now covered in red but still standing. I gave my neck bone a crack and spoke:

            "Not bad. Pretty scary skill. Almost killed me. " I raised two

fingers and smiled again. "Pity, just a teeeeny tiny bit left. Shame."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    Then I regained my posture. "Night

Shade!"

            Night Shade is already recovered. Thanks to Phiona's buff bonus, everyone

heals faster than average.

            I aimed my left hand at the knight lance dropped by

Smokin. The lance flew towards me. I grasped the weapon and gave it a wave-around.

           "You're the best opponent yet, for getting me into this shape. I'm give you an

honorable death!"

            I ordered Night Shade to Charge.

           "[Pole Pick], aerial

execution!"

            I pierced his body and leveraged Night Shade's speed to hurl

the lance away.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    The

lance carried the helpless Smokin all the way onto the reviewing stand on the

audience area. It stuck into the platform and quivered for a while due to the

momentum, but Smoking is no longer moving.

            Even the best technique in the world

won't win against absolute power. A good martial artist may defeat someone much

stronger than himself, but he's never going to beat a war tank just using his

skills or reflexes.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    Still,

my victory was not guaranteed. If I don't have this collar, if I don't have my

lance, or if he used his best attack at the start of the battle...I'm not sure

I would have won. Time to learn some tricks I guess. I may have a lot of

superior weapons and companions but I'll need more than these to beat someone

like Smokin.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    Smokin

has already turned into a white flash and gone reviving. I remote-retracted my

dragon lance and put it behind my back.

           But I forgot players get revived where they

die in the arena. Smokin appeared again in front of me. Hm. This place is sure

suitable for sparring with other people.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    He

looked at me with a scary expression.

           "What? I won. You will leave me

alone now."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    He

didn't say anything. He stared at me for several more seconds before he

suddenly jumped over and clamped onto my waist!

           "Hero! I mean, miss

heroine! Take me with you!! I'm following you from now on!"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    I

tried to run away but was dragged onto the ground instead.

           "Help!" I

crawled towards the exit. He won't let go of my legs. "Halp!! Get away you

freaking gay!  d.a.m.n it why isn't any beautiful girls doing this to me??"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Oww!"

He was poked by the spike on my leg guard and released his grip. I immediately

stood up and kept distance with him.

            He tried to get close again. I summoned my

wasps and asked them to form a barricade between us.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Get

the h.e.l.l out of my face or I'll make it violent!" γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€  

            "Lady

master!! Take me!"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Are

you a stray dog or something? You have guild and lot of followers, why me?

You're famous here! And don't call me lady I'm a man HOW MANY TIME DO I HAVE TO

TELL YOU!"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Uh,

alright! So you're male, bring me along!" γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€   

           "Urgh!"

This is getting too complicated. "Here, how about we call each other

brothers from now on?"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Well,"

He paused. "Okay! Let's do this."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    I

dismissed my wasps, he ran to me again.

            "Stop!! No closer! I don't feel

good with dudes near my face!"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Alright

then! Give

me a call if you ever need help and I'll always be there first!"

           ...I think I

can believe that.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "I

got it. Farewell!"

            I dashed outside the arena as fast as I can, leaving a

smoke trail behind me. I almost b.u.mped into Merciless, who's waiting at the

gate.

            "Why are you...?"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Oh,

well, don't blame me for not watching your fight. Those fans are crazy. I

tried to cheer for you and they tosses me over the wall!"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "I...see.

I can totally understand that." I wiped a drop of sweat on my forehead.

"Let's get out of here. I've had enough. And I need to find a cute girl to

heal up my heart!"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    We

stopped to take a break when we're far enough from the arena. Then someone almost

knocked me over again.

            "What kind of b.a.s.t.a.r.d--" I'm full of anger now.

Can I even walk peacefully for once??

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Oof...So...Sorry...ugh!....

I...I didn't...mean that..."

            The man is swaying left and right. I'm

surprised he's not falling down yet. He got really thick tongued and a red face.

He's drunk, for sure.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    There's

no point in arguing with someone like this so I dragged Merciless to leave. But

the man somehow s.h.i.+fted in front of us.

            "Oh h.e.l.lo beautiful sisters. Why...why

are you...all look the same? Tri-triplet?"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Triple?"

            I looked around. Nope, it's late and no one else is walking in these parts. Oh

come on. He drunk too much and he's seeing double images.

            "Hey friend. Can

you stop being all wobbly? You're making me dizzy."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    His

tongue is still not straight. "How...how did you know-know my name?"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Your

name? I don't know your name."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "But

you just called me." γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€  

            "Did

I? What's your name?"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "I...I'm

[Wobby]!" γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€  

           "That's, well, a proper name for you." Merciless commented. "We'd better not

disturb this brewmaster. Let's go."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    I

turned away. "So, enjoy your drink! We'll go now."

            Man we'd better

hurry. That alcohol smell is making it hard to breathe.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    He

followed us with that unstable step. And he actually followed us for some

distance before we can lose him! We're already outside the city gate. The night

has arrived but the visual is still good thanks the the moon. This is

specifically configured for those night s.h.i.+fters. Some people prefer to play at

late night.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    Merciless

pulled on my arm again. "Can you tell me how to hatch eggs?" γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€ 

            "Oh

shoot. Another one!"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "...What

do you mean?"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "So many people are totally clueless about how to use companion eggs.

And you're yet another one."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Huh.

Is that a surprise? I don't see many people with companions around, I guess it's

just normal. The slots are mostly useless, cause people can't catch any

monsters at all. It doesn't matter if you have one or two or five companion

quota."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "I

see... I can understand that. You got an egg from the quest reward right? I can

tell you now. Let's see it."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Sure!"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€   

            He

followed my instructions and hatched the egg. An adorable black kitten jumped

out of it.

           "...What's this? The quest is freaking impossible and

they only give you a pet kitten?"

            I can only admit that the look of this

little creature can probably seize the heart of most human being. But...

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Seriously! A cat??" Merciless is getting depressed. We were both expecting

something way better out of the difficult quest.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Well,

easy for now. Check the status. Maybe it got some surprises." The cat

doesn't look any special but who knows. "Companions all look small when

they're hatched. Maybe it'll turn bigger."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    As he read through the texts I see his expression getting brighter.

He jumped in place in the end.

            "It's not cat! It's called [Winged Leopard (Alpha)]. Ha! A leopard. And a pack leader!"

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    He

looks like a kid who just found his new toy. Well, I can share that excitement

somehow. γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€   

           "Alright

alright, stop it. Find somewhere private and dance however you like, don't do

it in front of the city gate. You'll get a bad name."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    He

looked at all the people staring at him and went silent.

            "Oops, sorry. I

was...overjoyed."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Be

happy then. I'll log for now. I got schedule to level up with my friend

tomorrow morning. I don't want to sleep in." γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€   

            "Level

up?" He gave me some uncertain glances.

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Tell me if you want something. There's no sissy here." γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€   

            "Can

I join you?" γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€   

            "Any

particular reason?" γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€   

            "I kinda earned myself some enemies around here so someone's always trying to

kill me. And that's why I went on the quest alone. I don't have to worry about

that if I can find a group to grind together."

γ€€γ€€

γ€€γ€€    "Come then."

            I told him the time and exited the game.

γ€€γ€€