"What right do you have to speak of her like that!" I demanded more than asked. "From what I've heard, she's always been the weakest. Looked down upon!" She reminded me of…well, me. "But that gives you no right to treat her like she isn't a God! She's still a God, and even if she's the weakest, I'm sure she could kill you with the snap of her fingers. I mean, you couldn't even kill me in one hit with that pathetic hammer of yours. What could you do to a God?"
"Tsk!" Ruth had bitten the inside of her cheek to the point it bled and it was coming out her mouth. "You really think you're in a situation to talk to me like that? Huh?!" She got up in my face. "I'm going to kill you, and I'll be sure to make it slow." This was it, my opening.
I swung my sword at her. She raised her hammer to block without an effort, but in the same instant she raised it to block I shrunk my blade, making it the size of a dagger.
She hadn't expected that, so her block wasn't in the right place anymore, meaning my blade got past her hilt. Her eyes widened as I extended the sword back to its full length and it began to glow red. My combo was now in full effect.
I dashed behind her to the left and I twisted, starting the first hit in the combo. The blade made contact with her armor and cut open where I had slashed.
"Ha! And to think I was worried there. You only cut my ar-" She began to mock before realizing that my combo wasn't done. The audience gasped as they realized what was happening. I slashed through her once more, appearing on the other side, I did that twice more before slashing her a total of seven times as I danced around her like a ballerina with my combo.
Once the combo was finished, I twirled my blade before shrinking it and sheathing it behind my back. Silence followed, except for the sound of Ruth's hammer hitting the ground.
"W-What just happened!" The announcer seemed to hiss. "Did the God of Love just defeat the God of War?!"
"I believe that is what happened, Iren." A new voice echoed throughout the stadium.
Wait…I know that voice.
"And it seems that I won the bet."
"Bet?" My voice echoed in the stadium. The audience was silent during all of this.
"Oh, hey, Kichirou!" The God of Love, my God, waved down at me from the announcer booth. The other announcer, who's name apparently was Iren, stood next to her, her brows furrowed and her eyes full of rage.
"This cannot be possible! How did he beat my Hero?!" Iren hissed with rage.
"Simple," she snapped her fingers and all three of us were no longer in the Sky Arena. We were back at her…office? "He was better than her, also, I'm better than you." She looked at me with kind eyes.
Did she hear what I said? I hope she doesn't get the wrong idea and think I actually care.
"Tsk. This is bull shit. You did something, HE did something." Iren's gaze turned towards me. "That skill… What is it? How did you do it? How did you mix a skill with another?!" She stomped towards me.
I flinched back slightly only to have my God step between me and her.
"Uh-Uh," she smirked. "You know the rules. God's can't force other Hero's to tell them their secrets or strategies."
"That does NOT count in matters such as this!" Her voice seemed to roar like those of the warriors charging to war.
"Oh, I think it do-"
"First of all," I interrupted. "It's called a combo." The word confused Iren, as she mouthed the word in silence, like it was a word she never heard before. "And how I did it? I did it. That's all there is too it."
"Kichirou! You can't just go tel-"
"Silence, woman." I said coldly. She flinched. "I don't know what 'bet' you made, but how dare you drag me into it! I just wanted to do quests with the people I actually care about, and this is what you do to me? How am I going to explain to them why I've been gone for an hour? They're probably worried sick!"
"Don't worry about it," Iren stated. "Even though for you it's been about an hour, to them it's not even been a second. When you return it'll be like nothing happened at all."
"Oh?" I replied with a raised eyebrow. That's good…
But why would she help me out like that and calm me down?
"Yes. And now that I helped you, I want you to tell me what that was you just did."
"Ah, there's the catch," I frowned. "I'm not telling you anything."
"Why you little-"
"Hehe! Iren. How about we calm down? I wouldn't make him angry. Don't forget he can kill your Hero if he wishes to." Iren seemed to calm down as my Goddess told her that.
"You're right, Stavia, I'm sorry."
So that's her name, Stavia… the name left a warm feeling in my body.
"So," Iren speaking to me brought me out of my own thoughts. "What will you do with her?" She asked.
"Mmm," I put a hand to my cheek. "I can kill her, right?" Iren's and Stavia's eyes widened at that. Iren's out of fear and Stavia's out of shock. I bet she thought I wasn't the type to kill someone….
She's right. I'm not. Well, it depends on the situation, I guess. If someone is trying to kill me and the only way to get away is to kill them, I'd do it.
"Relax," I sighed softly as I scratched the back of my head. "I don't know."
"Well…you have to choose," Iren sounded more relaxed. I clicked my tongue.
I don't know what I want to do. To be honest, I could care less about her Hero. Why did I have to be the one to make the choice? It's like giving me an ultimatum. I choose what happens to her or….wait, or what?
"What happens if I just don't do anything?"
"Well, you have to pick something," Stavia answered. "It's part of the rules. Something has to be given or taken away.
"Tsk." Guess it's time to think more…
I mean, I could make her join my party, but I don't want more people in my life. The four I have already make me depressed as it is. I could request a weapon, but what would be the point. I have a legendary sword.
"Could I ask for some of her stats to be given to me?" The words left my mouth before I even thought of it.
"Well…no," Stavia answered me. "You can't ask the Hero to give up some of their power to give it to you. It's illegal. Think of smuggling. It's like that."
"How is it anything like tha- know what never mind." I rubbed my temples slowly when Iren spoke up.
"Well, the Hero can't give power, but the God that chose them can."