"Are you alright?" a stunned voice startled him from the side.
Turning to face the man that he almost forgot the existence of, Foo coughed and made some reassuring noises.
"Anyway! It seems like the ground is not getting too muddy. It is firm enough to walk on, so it should not be a problem for us."
The rubble and impacts had compacted the ground so that you did not sink into it, even though all pavement was gone. Or maybe you should say that the pavement was just a bit finer...
It, however, made the water gather in the craters and making puddles everywhere. If you were to exercise in the field, you would become quite drenched. Often wading with water up beyond the ankles, and one might even be submerged if one takes a wrong step.
However, Foo had no intention to run around like a lunatic on the field, so the state of the field posed no problem for him. It was the students that was going to do that, and hardship builds character. Ah, the students must love him for how concerned he is with helping them improving their characters.
Taking a few hesitant steps on the field, the man agreed, "It is indeed better than I feared. It should not be a problem for a trained warrior. But then again, the students here—"
"Are you trying to say that the students are just trash that can't do anything?"
"No! I was.... Well, yes, that is exactly what—"
"You are looking down on them too much! They are more capable than you think! When in the face of death, humans are—"
"Wait a moment! DEATH? Why are you suddenly making references to death? I am starting to get seriously concerned here, we should—"
Interrupting the whining man, Foo assured him, "It is just a expression, a expression! Do not take it too seriously! Anyway, hush now, I need to do some planning for the tournament."
The man was getting too noisy, voicing irrelevant concerns all the time... Luckily Foo could use the pretext of planning to keep him quiet.
While waiting in silence for the receptionist to come back, Foo started to lament over the dragon again. Such a shame that he could not taste it a bit. No one knew how long it would take for the next opportunity.
He had some thoughts of trying to look for where it landed, but it was so far away that it would probably take days just to get there, and then he would have to spend time and effort to try and find it too!
And then was the problem that it was not impossible for the dragon to awaken by the impact of the fall. Even if it did not wake by the fall, it was unlikely that it would be out for long. Dragons were usually sturdy pieces of meat, taking quite some effort to cut and cook.
It was not that Foo's thoughts had once again derailed towards cooking and eating dragons. Not at all. Foo was not a glutton, no matter how much the system seemed to insist on it. It was just that he reflected on the knowledge that dragons were often sturdy and energetic, and as such would probably be unconscious for any extensive period of time...
While Foo was lost in his thoughts of the... planning, the receptionist finally arrived.
"What the heck is up with this sudden rain? Just some moments before it was all warm and shiny, but now it is just pouring down!"
Her loud complaints drew the attention of the both men. She was completely drenched by the rain, and had obviously been to focused on her task to bring any umbrella, or whatever was its equivalent in this world.
Her practical and simple, yet still stylish, clothes were hugging her body, following and emphasizing her curves. And it seemed like she was not aware of it, or a bit too distracted.
Unfortunately, the clothing covering her ample chest area was too stiff to give any exciting sight. Not that Foo would do something so inappropriate as to notice it. The fact that his line of sight happened to intersect with that spot was only a coincidence.
He was just staring at a fly that was flying around in the space between him and the receptionist. The fact that it might seem like he was following her curves and briefly inspecting her chest was only due to the fly's weird flight pattern. Truly a coincidence.
After a quick and disappointed inspection of... the fly..., Foo raised his head and noticed that the receptionist was observing the man besides him.
"What is it?" she asked him, and looked down on her clothes, "You are drenched too! This rainfall was too sudden after all, and fetching the token was more important!"
She had caught him staring at her clothes, although she was too excited over having successfully brought the token that she earlier forgotten about to read anything more into his gaze.
Foo just sighed and shaked his head. Such a uncivilized brute, checking out a poor drenched woman, taking advantage of her when she is in a bad position... He should learn from an gentleman such as Foo. Foo was pure in mind, and would not have such improper thoughts. None at all!
"Hey Foo!" she then said as she turned towards Foo, "You should tell... wait. What is his name?"
At the question, Foo suddenly got some cold sweat. It was not that he had already forgotten his name, but that the temperature was a bit chilly. Must be it.
"Ah," he answered, turning towards the man, "Why don't you introduce yourself to her?"
Startled awake, the man then stammered, "My n-n-name is c-c-called Abner!"
Seemingly embarrassed by being caught staring, but still unable to avert his gaze, as it constantly made its way back.
"Well then. Foo, tell Abner here to stop staring!"
To save Abner from his tight position, Foo then said to him, "Abner. Were you not going to check out the field to see it it was still possible to use it in this rain?"
Grabbing hold of this opportunity to excuse himself, Abner made a noise of acknowledgement, and hurried away towards the field.
"Eh? You are still going to hold the tournament?", the receptionist asked, shocked that they did not postpone it due to the rain. "In this rain?"
"Yes, we can't let some mere rain defeat us! And it is good for the students, hardship builds character!"
"But—"
"Anyway! How did it go with the token?"
"Ah, here it is!" the receptionist proudly stated, while holding up a token with both her hands, with an serious expression as if she was offering him something holy.
But suddenly she started to panic, "Shit! I think Abner is drowning!"