"Hey, wake up. How long do you intend to sleep? It is two days already." I heard a voice, it is near to my ear.
As soon as I was awake, I could see that I was in a one-room of someone's house. Laura was near me at the moment. Then, she looked a bit worried about me.
"Urm... Sorry. Did I sleep too long?"
"You sleep like a log for two days. You're dumb. Why did you always be my burden? " She started to cry a bit.
"Well at least you are safe right now. It really makes me happy."
"Hey, did you know that I saved your life?" You fainted before exiting the oasis. Remember."
"Oh, really? My memory is really blurred at that moment." Tch, I thought I could act cool.
"It's been two days already. I think your energy is replenished back. Okay. Let's go find something to eat. I am hungry." She dragged me to go outside and find a place to eat.
"Laura, where are we right now?"
"This is a Limit Village. It is in the Sigma Country. It's not far away from the oasis we went to before. Since I can't leave you alone there, that is why I bring you here for your recovery." I know that she cares about me from what she said.
"Hey. Thanks."
"No worries. I do this does not mean I really care about you."
"Okay. Okay, I understand." She wants to show that she has no feelings for me. Even though she has." So, where is the restaurant to eat?"
"Huh! Restaurant? What is that? We just had a food hall here. It is an important place for every village in Sigma Country. The food hall here functions as a way of sharing their food and helping together."
"So, it is like a food hall in the barracks, is it?"
"Yeah, exactly. You got it right."
"So, where is the food hall that you talk about?"
"It is in front of you."
"Wow, it's really huge here!"
"Yeah, it is. Let's go eat inside." I followed her inside to eat breakfast. I'm a bit excited when looking at the villagers here eating happily. They share a portion of food on a tray with other people while sitting on the floor. It reminds me of Arabian culture. Almost all those who eat together here are from their families and friends.
I sit in an empty space while waiting for Laura to take the meal. As I waited for her, the villagers looked at me with a bit of surprise. When I looked at them, they continued to eat. After a few while, Laura came to me, bringing a large portion of the meal on the tray.
"Are you serious about this?" I gawked for a moment when she nodded.
"Well, you do not eat for two days. It is a party from me to you. Thanks. Because you helped me kill that giant squid, I really think that your word gave me much confidence and power during that time."
"Ah, that's nothing. How about we eat."
"Despite that, you will still be a burden to me at that time. Ah! I just remembered. What sorcery do you use to enhance my power during the oasis?"
"Well, let's eat. It will not be tasty if the meal is cool." I tried not to answer her question. Then we ate the meal as it was like our last meal. The tray is clean and shiny. The food here tastes delicious compared to the barracks. They use good spices for a good meal.
Following a meal, Laura said something to me. "Did you know that there is a scam activity around here? Almost all the villagers here can't escape the scamming. The scammer uses such a tactic to make people fall into their trap. If you want to walk around, make sure you are careful. I don't want to be your keeper. I want to rest because tomorrow we will go to another place to train before your fight."
"I want to see this village first."
"Okay. Be careful. If anything happens, just shout my name. Hahaha, just kidding. I guess"I went outside and took a tour around this village alone. I leave Laura alone as she is tired from having a big portion of food.
This village looks like they are having a happy life. Why I did not get here before? Also, from what I can see, I discovered that this place has fertile land. They grow many plants and have healthy farm animals.
"Boss, are you okay?" Who the hell is calling me boss? Then I looked at my wrist. It seems the squid's pixel explains everything to me.
"Oh, you're the squid that I captured from the oasis."
"Yes boss."
"What should I call you? Did you have any names?"
"I don't have any. But if the title, I have many."
"Because you are a squid, how about skid."
"Is that a female name or a male name?"
"I don't know what your gender?"
"I am female."
"Well, that concludes everything."
"Actually, thanks to you, I am still alive and the oasis remains safe too. I am going to share with you my power of space. As my master, you can use it."
Suddenly, a new feature just appeared on my phone screen. It says a domain. I am not going to use it now. Then, I continued to walk here.
When I arrived at a certain place, I found that there were many villagers gathered around the hut below the date trees. Looking at them, I assumed they were hosting an interesting event.I went into the crowd to see what they were doing.
As I got inside the crowd, I could see that two people were sitting against each other playing a board game on the mini table. I tried asking someone at the place.
"Hey, man. What game are they playing?"
"Shhh... Wait, you don't know the game? Where are you coming from?"
"I am with Laura and am still new here."
"Oh that girl. If you want to know, they are playing a strategy game. The game is like how you strategize a plan in a war."
"So it is like a chess. But, if it is a chess, Why do the pieces look quite different."
"You look curious about this game. Do you want to play this game?" The grin is shown on his face.
"Well, if you allow me to play, I think I can try it."
"Before that, my name is Salman. What is yours?"
"I am Hulaif. Nice to meet you."
"Yeah, you too. Hey guys." He suddenly talked with the player who was playing the game. As the player looked at him, he said it again. "After this game ends, I want to play with this amateur."
The players look at me. Then, they realise something and allow me to play with Salman.
I analyzed the movements of the players in front of me as they played. I realised that the movement looked like chess. But certain pieces move differently. I should learn this faster. I do not know what they are planning for me. I can kinda see their faces look like suspicious.
A few minutes later, the two players moved away, and Salman invited me to play in the hut together. I sit in the hut and can feel the nervousness being looked at by everyone here. Salman smiled while talking to me about the rules.
He showed me a king, or what they call a Shah. It moves like chess. Then, the counsellor or queen. This piece moves quite differently from chess. It can only move one square at a diagonal. This chess nerfs the queen. Next, the pawn, also called a soldier. A soldier cannot move two squares from the beginning but can only move one square. It can kill other pieces like in chess. After that, the chariot, also called a castle. It moves like in chess, the same as a knight. Finally, the elephant piece, or bishop. It moves diagonally like chess, but it can jump like a knight.
After explaining everything to me about the rules and how to play, Salman starts first. I am very excited about playing this board game, although I still miss the chess game. I hope I can do that soon. Then, I started moving my piece when Salman gave me the signal.
I played as I used to the chess game. Even though I just learned the rules of this game, it does not bother me that I am winning and losing. I'm just playing a game for fun. I hope there is no gambling right here.
I was callous for a moment when my elephant piece got taken by the enemy's soldier. Then, the enemy got almost all of my pieces except for four soldiers, two knights, a king, and a counsellor. He got all of my stronger pieces. Meanwhile, I got his knight, counsellor, and almost all his soldiers. Right now, I am in a dire state. Since he constantly attacked me in many ways. I almost forgot how I could avoid that attack.
"Hulaif, if you lose in this game. You should give us your girl."
"Wait, what girl?"
"You know that girl that always be with you."
"Oh you mean Laura? She is not my girl. Well, if you want to try to get her, why not try? Maybe you have a chance."
"I think you don't know the rules here. The people who play this game here must gamble. They can't get out of here unless the game is over."
"Hmm..." I looked at my piece and his piece which have an advantage here. Since I have a more useful piece to defend, I think I need to wait until he makes a mistake. "If you want gambling, I think I should gamble too. How about you and your members here stop gambling if I win?"
"You know that you are going to lose." I nodded.
"Well, half of what you said may be true and half of it may be wrong. Who knows what might happen here?"
"I will make you feel despair." Then, he checked me again. He did not know that he was in my palm since he checked me. Then, I took down his elephant piece that checked me using a knight and checked him. He moves his king away from another elephant, which makes it easier for me to kill another elephant using one knight. It does not check him, but I can see his face starting to startle. He moves his chariot to check me after my turn. I need to move quickly in order to promote my soldier.With the counsellor protecting the king, I am pretty sure he can't do anything right now.
After that, I promoted one of my soldiers into a counsellor. Soldiers can't be promoted into any role except a counsellor only. Then, he took down one of my counsellor pieces that were promoted using his chariot piece. I tried to use the same trick with a knight protecting it. He then took down my chariot without looking for a knight. I took down his chariot and used another two soldiers to move forward. He was desperate to checkmate me using one chariot. But it was useless because his king was at the bottom. Using the two counsellors that were being promoted, I moved all of it to the enemy's king.
Without waiting too long, I ended this game by checkmating him with all of my pieces. "Wait! How could I lose."
"You lost and you should not have gambled since the beginning. Do you know that gambling like a double edge sword. It could hurt you if it backfired on you? Well, how about our deal?"
"Guys, take him down. Two of his friends held me at the shoulder." He does not keep his promise. "Who said that you are winning. You will taste hell right now. If you want to know, you aren't the only person that advised us. Many have won in this game, but they lose in numbers here. It includes you. "
"Wow, you talk big! Do not know that you can win in power too."
"Hah! Look at you who can't move right now." He said true this time. They locked my hand.
"Well, I can't move right now. But, what did you want to do?" He looks at me.
"Because you talk too much, I will silence your mouth with my fist."
"Wow, really scared! Hah, do it if you want to see despair."
"Damn you." He punched me in the face and kicked me in the stomach. Not only does he do it, all of the people here really do it to me. It seems that they are going to despair.
Suddenly, when they all hit me, one of them said to Salman. "Boss, where are we right now?"
"Huh, what do you mean Abu?"
"Look around, boss."
"This is not in the village. How could we end up here?"
"Don't know, boss?"
"This must be that person's work. Hulaif! Huh, where did he disappear?"
"Don't know, boss, he suddenly became liquid and disappeared."
"Find him. He is the only one who put us here." It looks like the gang is looking for me.
"Hey, Hulaif! How come you get the idea to bring them in." Mia asked me in her normal form.
"Well I heard that Laura talked to me about a gang of punks who were tricking a newcomer and abusing their power. So, as I get a contact with them, I realise that they are not a good person."
"Wow, your senses have become sharper."
"Thanks to that squid's advice, She really knows how to give a proper punishment."
"Eh, where is the squid?"
"We're in her place, so she's around here. How about we see what happens to them?"
Suddenly, an earthquake and lightning appeared. "Boss! What are we going to do? There is no way to exit from here."
"Just be calm, we don't know if this is reality or an imagination."
"How could you say the imagination when your friends have been hit by the light and some of it falling from the earthquake's cracks."
"What in the world suddenly happened? This must be that person's work. Hulaif get out from your hiding. Fight me like a man. Fist to fist."
"If you insist." I made him able to see me. "So, you want to use a weapon or fist?" Not for a long time, he came towards me quickly. Is he going to hit me? Luckily, I dodged that punch. I could feel that his movements were quite slow. Did I move faster or did he just move slower? I just avoid attacks when sparring with him.
"Hey Hulaif. Didn't you bully him too much?" Mia asked.
"It is not going to be interesting if I win this."
"So, what's your plan?"
"I am going to deplete his stamina." This time, when Salman was just about to hit me, with a fast reflex, I hit him back on the chest and the jaw. From the impact, Salman quickly fainted.
"Or end him right away."
"It is not in the plan."
"Boss, what should we do with all of these punks?" Skid asked me.
"I think it is better to make their condition become normal and erase their memories of meeting me. Could you do that?"
"I think I can. Since they are in my domain, I can do anything. But it cost some time to complete the process."
"That's settled."
These two species that form in this domain surprise me a bit. Since they are in their true form, it is like talking with a talking beast. For a moment in the domain, I moved around and found what was interesting here. This place is like an oasis. I went to before.
"Boss, I have done what you asked."
"Okay. Let's get out." Then, I touch the domain icon on the phone. In an instant, this domain disappeared and I got into a place I had never been to before. Also, it seems the punks' injuries are recovered, and they just fainted. Not only that, the time does not change much. It's just about five to ten minutes before the clock is ticked. The domain slows time in the real world. What a handful of features I got.
I said to some villagers that walked around about the punks. They are a bit surprised when they see all of it in slumber on a sunny day. Some of the villagers who came tied the punks to punish them. I hope they can go easy on them. As it is not related to me anymore, I moved away from that place.