The final match began, I waited for Ahlan to attack, but I could feel something different this time. He used another hammer. It looks like that hammer kind of gives me a bit of a goosebumps vibe. I stayed in proper form to fight him. He does not move for a while. After he looked around, he took a deep breath and released. Then, he disappeared from my sight. Where did he go? Suddenly, I feel his aura on my back. I quickly evaded that place. At the same time, he tried to attack me from behind.
"You think that trick can reach me?"
"How could you tell?"
"Nah, we are fighting right now. I don't want to expose my enemy's technique here."
"Curse you." Then, he disappeared again and attacked me from behind. This time he makes me think like before, but it is different. He tried to catch me from behind and break my leg. It failed because I countered his catch using martial arts that I learned from Laura. I can see that he is pissed off. Maybe I should let him do what he thinks he wants to do.
I punched him in the ribs and elbowed him on the back of the head.I escaped from him quickly after landing a few blows on him. He fell down for a moment. "What, did this match end?" The referee said. "I am going to make a countdown for a ten. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine..."
"Wait!" As the referee was going to say, ten. Ahlan got up, and I could feel his aura pretty different from before.
"It looks like we can continue our match." He attacked me from behind this time. Even though I evade that attack, it still hit on me. It is too fast for me to catch up. I took the hit, it really hurt too much. What should I do? I do not have any melee weapons right now. Also, if I use the bow, he is going to deflect or evade it. Range attack might be the worst choice right now. What should I do?
As I was thinking about strategy, he came to me and attacked me. I took a few blows from him and it really injured a part of my body heavily. He attacked randomly and swung a big hammer so easily. He looks kind of undead to me. Does using that hammer affect him? I moved slowly because of the damage I had taken. Suddenly, I could feel my legs becoming cramped and unable to move. Does the running from yesterday start to take effect? What did Laura do to me that I didn't feel a bit of pain until now? If I do not move, I am going to lose. I force my leg to move. Even though it is hard, I just move my leg slowly.
"Hulaif! You hurt pretty badly. Do you want to use me or not?" Mia suddenly asked me.
"Sorry Mia, I don't think you can defeat him. Also, he looks kind of berserk right now. Do you think anything that can help me beat him?"
"I am going to search around."
"Wait! How about you use me, buddy?" Lizark spoke to me.
"Are you sure?"
"I am pretty strong, you know."
"Well, if you said so." I thought of a weapon that would fit Lizark. As I thought it thoroughly, Ahlan came to me quickly. When I got an idea, I pressed the chesscraft feature. I used Lizark as a weapon this time. Lizark got out of the watch by pixel and transformed into a pair of gauntlets and boots on me. When Ahlan was going to hit me with that hammer, I deflected the hammer and punched it using Lizark's ability in weapon form. The ability gave me the ability to extend my hand and leg at a certain distance. The longer the distance, the stronger the impact. It shows a bit of crack on that hammer. Then I kicked him away from me. He was at a further distance from me.
"Whoa! It is really amazing. Is this a weapon form of me?" I nodded.
"Now, let's finish him right now."
"Okay. Buddy." As he got close to me, he attacked me again. This time I kicked at the hammer that was going to hit me. The hammer was deflected upward and I pushed him away. Then, I punched him in a distance. He took the damage from me, but not quite hard. He fell down but got up again and took his weapon as quickly as he could. The hammer glows brighter with black and a dark red glow. Does it mean that his berserk energy came from that hammer? I should destroy that weapon as soon as possible before I run out of time using the chesscraft.
"Grah!!!" It seems he is angry.
"Buddy, I don't think he is weakened. Is he going to all-out?"
"Hmm... maybe?"
"I don't think we can win this. Wait, I just remembered. How about you use my ability."
"Wait, ability? I thought you could just extend your arm and leg only."
"You forgot something. I have a camouflage ability. I can copy anything around me." When I looked around, I just realised that there was a sandstorm around the field. I cannot see the audience from here. I think I have an idea.
"Why did you not say that earlier? Now copy what I said..."
As Ahlan came at me through the sandstorm, he smashed me. But his attack did not hit me even once. "Argh!!!" He shouted again, but this time his voice got louder. It makes my eardrum hurt. I think now is the time I should finish him. I kicked at his hammer with a few kicks on it. Until that hammer slips out of his hand. As the hammer fell to the ground, I took that hammer and threw it into the sky. Thanks to Lizark's strength, I can throw that hammer.
I saw that hammer in the sky, so I extended both my hands backwards and moved them forward. My hand moved faster and hit that hammer. When my hands hit that hammer, that hammer is destroyed. Suddenly, a huge explosion appeared in the sky. The effect of that explosion made the sandstorm disappear from this arena. Everyone around feels a bit shocked and does not know what happened.
My body feels a bit numb afterwards. I can just walk a bit. I think the chesscraft effect is going to take off. I hope that Ahlan has become calm. As the sandstorm clears, I can see Ahlan in front of me. He stood in silence. I don't know what happened to him, but I thought that his berserk disappeared. A few seconds later, Ahlan fell down to the ground, while I still stand.
Everyone seemed silent at that moment. Then the referee, with a surprising reaction, started to count the countdown from one to ten. As the countdown ended, Ahlan was still not standing. It means that I have won this match. With a happy ending, I fainted and fell down to the ground. I feel really tired of using that ability. Does not know that using Lizark consumes more of my power than Mia and Skid. After that, I really do not know what happened to me.
As I woke up, I realised I was in the room where I had come before. As I looked around, I found Laura sitting next to me. Laura said to me when I looked at her. "You are awake. It seems I should save my effort to wake you." She put something on her back that she held.
"What is that thing?"
"Oh, this is a bucket of water. In case you are not awake. That is why I would use this."
"Ok. What happened?" My memory is kind of blurry. I don't remember what happened during the match. "Who won that match?"
"Don't worry about that thing. At least I won the bet."
"You win?" She nodded at me.
"Yeah."
"Who are you betting for?"
"Of course you do. Who else?" I am a bit surprised. "You should be proud of yourself."
"Thanks." Suddenly, I remembered about running and the match. "Argh!!!"
"Eh, what happened?" Laura was surprised by my reaction.
"Ugh, I think I just remembered the pain from that match and before that."
"Why would you feel pain. I don't see any injuries on you."
"What?" It seems that my injuries have gone. How could it be? Maybe when I use Lizark as a weapon. He might have a regeneration trait.
"If you are surprised by your look, consider that you are lucky. Because your opponent has kind of a bad injury."
"Where is he?" Suddenly, the door of this room is opened and there is someone coming.
"Talk about him, he's here."
"It seems you are healed."
"Ugh, sorry about your injuries. I don't want to hurt you actually."
"Chill. It is not bad enough for me. Well, for a normal human, it might be a bad injury, but for me it is nothing. We are also fighting. There is nothing to worry about." He went to Laura and whispered something.
After he finished whispering, Laura, with wide-open eyes, looked at me. "Well, you are a leader now. What is your idea?" She smiled at me.
"Hulaif. I came here to say thank you because you saved my life. I am going to be loyal to you."
"Laura, could you explain something to me?"
"First of all, you are this village leader. Second, you are the leader of the thieves here. Third, you save Ahlan's life. A mystery man gave him a cursed weapon. That is why he is kind of a monster during the final match."
"Wait, a cursed weapon? Now we are talking."
"Are you sure you did not know you were fighting with a person who has a cursed weapon?" Laura said to me. "I am really impressed with you."
"Is the cursed weapon dangerous?"
"Well, it is quite dangerous and powerful. If it is not stopped during the match, the user might attack all spectators and cause a ruckus in the town. Also, you should fight cursed weapon with cursed weapon. Not with a normal weapon. I can say that you were lucky during that match."
"Hahaha. I take that as a compliment."
"Ok. Back to the topic. What is your strategy right now?"
"Actually, from my view. This place can grow a plant. It has fertile land here."
"Wait, don't tell me that you don't know a rule in Sigma Country. I guess that is why you get into prison red-handed. The rule stated that anyone who is not authorised by the general may not be a farmer or mercenary."
"Then let's meet that man."
"Are you crazy!" Ahlan was surprised. "You know that this village is a safe place where the general doesn't know."
"Is it bad if the general knows about this place?"
"Pretty bad."
"Why not ask Pharaoh only?"
"Pharaoh cannot command. He is just a symbol for this country." Pharaoh is kind of useless.
"Is not this village poor?" Ahlan and Laura nodded.
"If the general does not know about this place, we can make sure he does not know that we are farming here. Maybe it sounds kind of illegal. But, it is better than being a thief, stealing good from other people's efforts. Also, there is a mine around here. Why not mine there? You can make a profit if you sell that mineral. You can also make a weapon through that mineral and sell it."
"What a good explanation. Then, who will do that kind of work?" Ahlan, excited.
"Look who is talking." Laura said to Ahlan.
"Why me? Is it not the leader's need to do everything?"
"Did you know that there is someone who says food tastes better when you work hard to earn it. You are my subordinate, and I have many things to do. Why not follow my instructions only?"
"Okay. Boss."
"How about you two wait for me in the dining room? There is something I want to do here."
"Okay, if you say so. But, hurry." Laura said to me while dragging Ahlan out of this room.
"Now we are alone. Show yourself."
"Impressive. You still did not disappoint me." One hoarse voice just heard. "I am afraid that I can't show myself."
"Who are you?"
"Me? I am just a person who travels around this world. Trying to remove uncertainty."
"I don't understand. What does that mean?"
"Ask yourself. You may know the answer. Then, till we meet again. Sooner or later." It seems that the voice has disappeared.
"Hey guys, did you all hear what that person said."
"Yeah, crystal clear." Skid answered me.
"What does that mean?" Lizark replied.
"Might be a code. Maybe in the future." Mia said.
"Hmm...I don't know about that person. But, I know that person is not dangerous for now. Maybe."
"Since you got a leader title, what did you want to do about this village?" Mia asked.
"Hmm... Let's wait and see."