The capital greeted the boy with its usual pleasant aroma. He passed the controls and exited the building with the teleporters. A kitten on a flyer took him to the nearest stadium where competitions were held.
The capital city of Ferin had three districts. The center was inaccessible to tourists. In the center lived aristocrats and very important members of the Ferin society. A pass or invitation was required to enter the middle ring. In the middle ring were towering trees with the capital's residents, and there were many empty houses on these trees. The owners of many of the houses lived permanently on other planets but had a home in the capital. The area did not like the presence of outsiders or tourists.
The outer ring of trees was populated by non-poor residents and employees of the many establishments that catered to tourists and visitors to the capital.
Competitions were a popular way to prove their importance and worth. City dwellers enjoyed visiting other planets and hunting dangerous beasts. City dwellers placed great importance on physical development and respected the traditions of the Ferin.
Lee Long entered the local competition hall. He found himself in a small room with a long table against one wall. Three cats were sitting at the table. One of the ferin turned her attention to the visitor,
"Greeting a visitor from the colony. Do you want to buy a ticket and enjoy the competition?"
The boy walked over to the table and smiled,
"Hi. I want to enter the competition. I want to make an entry fee."
"What a brave kitty. Get 12 credits ready. Tell me your age."
"I'm 10 years old."
"Magic."
"Water."
The cat looked at the boy with interest. Then she snorted,
"You know the rules, don't you. You won't heal yourself during a duel."
"Of course, I know the rules. I'm full of respect. I'm willing to contribute."
Lee made the money transfer and made his way to the next room.
He found himself in a small corridor. Ahead of him was an open field and bleachers with seats for spectators. There were doors on both walls for competitors. The boy had already received a competitor's pass. He leaned the pass against the lock and opened one of the doors. He entered a large room. In front of him were several rows of cabins. Lee walked to the nearest cabin with a green light. He reapplied the pass and opened the stall door. The boy did not shy away from the neighbors. He put his bag in the stall and opened it. From the bag, he took out his usual hunter's mask. He had long ago cleaned the hunter's suite of dirt and blood. In the morning he put the suit on at once.
Lee Long put the mask on his face and closed the cabin. A red light flashed on the door.
Nearby, lines were heard that had long been familiar to the little duelist,
"The little human appeared to receive a beating. The little human looks like a bald monkey. But he doesn't have a tail. Or maybe the freak has a tail?"
"Show me your tail. I'll cut your tail off!"
"How unpleasant this human smells. Is that a worm's smell?"
The boy laughed and answered loudly,
"I have often visited a certain tribe of the Ferin. I won't name names; I respect tradition. But I expected a more dignified welcome from the youth of the capital. You cuss like snotty kittens of a tribe from a distant planet!"
The room grew quiet. From the far corner came laughter and a voice,
"Under what name are you competing?"
"Hard and fast. That's what the kitties I know called me!"
The stranger ended the conversation, "Three paws in the milk. I hope to see you as my rival".
Lee Long paid no attention to the noise in the room. He hurried to the stadium arena.
The field was large. These competitions had over a hundred entries. The prize money was 1,700 credits. Lee bet on his victory. He intended to win first place and the grand prize. Contestants could only place one bet. First place. Second place, third place "three betting positions. Spectators could bet on the different stages of the competition and the different fights.
Lee Long proceeded to the warm-up set. Strength 5 and dexterity 5. It was a great advantage in his age group. The cats had their magic. This magic was a mystery to outsiders. Good support for an active lifestyle. But novice mages don't stand much of a chance against the little duelist.
A stadium worker approached the boy. He apologized and asked a question,
"Greetings to the young visitor to the capital. You have been noticed. May I know your name?"
"Greetings. I am registered under the name Hard and fast."
"Good luck to you, kitten."
"Thank you, and have a good hunt."
Soon the competition began. It was an elimination tournament, where the loser of each fight immediately left the tournament. Each winner competed against the other in the next round. And so it was until the final match, the winner of which became the champion of the tournament.
The weather in the capital was great. It was fresh on the field. A little kitten came up to Lee and nodded his head. The little sassy snorted softly, "I'll be your guide. We have number 17. Follow me to sector 17".
Lee didn't get mad at the little sassy. The irreverence didn't irritate him. He was beginning to get excited about the looks of the contestants. He had a lot of experience interacting with the ferin. It was strange, but no amount of subterfuge helped him hide from the cats. The cats always recognized him! No costume could conceal human nature.
But the time of worry was quickly over.
The first duel. His opponent was a tall she-cat. A dangerous opponent. Cats have their fighting style. But Lee was fed up with the techniques of female wrestling. Black had given him an ocean of pain and suffering. He knew how to fight this kind of opponent perfectly.
A chime rang out over the stadium and dozens of little fighters rushed into the fight.
Lee jumped up to his opponent and immediately jumped up. The she-cat began the fight with the traditional sharp turn on the spot. A swipe of the tail could have knocked the boy off his feet! Lee was ready for this movie, and he landed two quick punches. Too hard and too fast! The cat couldn't keep its feet up and flew backward. Lee didn't show any mercy. He jumped up and managed to land one kick. The cat dodged the second kick and bounced back smartly. She struck again with her tail. The boy always liked to take on these unusual opponents. They had a tail! It was a whole new experience for the little fighter. Lee Long did not block the tail kick, he dodged it and launched another attack. Two more blows to his opponent's body and the patch of grass beneath the cat flashed red.
The duelist had won his first victory. The she-cat snorted with indignation and quickly left the field. Lee Long regarded the system's message with interest,
[You have won the duel. Reward, 100 experience points. Do you wish to apply the Duelist Trophy skill? Yes/No.]
He didn't waste any mana. It makes sense to pay attention to the tournament finalist skill. But why waste mana trying to learn an unknown skill? He has many skills of his own that require development.
The tournament went by quickly. Each fight was overseen by an experienced combat master. He immediately stopped the fight when he found a clear winner. Lee Long had several victories. He took damage and exercised the right to regain his health after the fight.
When there were only four contestants left on the field, two large groups of masters prepared to judge these fights.
With each new victory, the boy's little helper behaved more modestly. Ferin respected the masters of combat. After the third fight, the kitten met the duelist with a tube of milk and a fresh towel on his shoulder,
"A sip of fresh milk? Towel?"
"Thank you, I'm fine."
Lee Long felt just fine. It was a workout for him. The usual thing With his endurance, he could have gone several dozen fights without stopping.
The semi-final greeted him with a familiar voice,
"Hey, Hard and fast! You're doing great. I told you we'd meet."
"You're great at predicting the future. Let's show everyone the power of our talents!"
Lee Long always liked to make pompous remarks. He took a closer look at his new opponent and immediately realized that this opponent did not require any special attention. The kitten was short but had broad shoulders. The suit hid his body, but it was roomy enough. Lee didn't like that kind of opponent. Cats had a full-contact fighting style. To pounce on an opponent and wrap his tail around him. Don't let go and scratch and hit fast and often. A very unpleasant fight. It often ended with opponents falling to the ground and fighting in the dust or dirt.
"I should try to dodge his jump. Maybe he won't pounce on me."
The boy's hopes were not realized. The stadium was thrilled. It was funny. Such duels had no spectacle. Two opponents fought fiercely on the ground. No grace or display of skill. But the ferin liked to show bright emotion.
The cat was fast. Dexterous and managed to grab the boy with his tail.
Lee Long was able to stay on his feet. But it looked suspicious and he did not fight back. He fell to the grass and began making quick blows with his head and hands. He even tried to kick his opponent with his feet. The cat hissed and struck back. This ugly fight could not last long. At some point, the cat lost consciousness and fell silent. Lee Long immediately stopped beating his opponent. He got to his feet and began to heal himself. This noxious creep had managed to cripple him badly. Forty-two damage! That's enough to defeat an ordinary boy of age ten.
Lee did not apply the Trophy skill and watched the other finalists fight. They were worthy opponents. Watching them fight was enjoyable and instructive. Lee Long recognized familiar ferin wrestling techniques. He saw attacks and defensive combinations that were new to him. It was a good level. The boy smiled and thought that the finalists of the capital tournament were a little stronger than the little fighters in the tribe on his planet. The bout ended in a victory for the past champion. The familiar locker room cat lost. Lee Long wasn't worried. He was full of energy and looked forward to the last bout. Before the final bout, there was a fight for third place. Three Paws in the Milk won. He was able to dodge the first attack and fought on his terms. He showed good skill.
Lee Long sat on the grass and sucked milk from a tube. He was in a bad mood. Suddenly he felt the special atmosphere of this competition. Teenagers were showing off all their accomplishments. Many acquaintances came to support their loved ones. And he showed up with his unfair set of strength and endurance.
"With my health reserves, I can beat a champion. And my fighting school is good. But I'm too strong an opponent for ordinary opponents. I'll win the tournament and take the money. This is the last time. I'd rather go down and fight dirtier fights!"
The champion was respectful. He nodded to the boy before the fight began. Lee nodded back.
The fight was great. Sharp and strong punches were met with swift counterattacks. The cat tried several times to get the boy with his tail. Lee applied an arsenal of stormtroopers. His attacks were faster and his punches stronger than the cats. Suddenly the enemy bounced back and the ground beneath his paws glowed red.
The audience cheered and stomped on the bleachers. Everyone was enjoying the fight. The boy and the cat exchanged bows. Lee Long happily greeted the spectators and bowed in different directions of the stadium. The cats did not hold a public awards ceremony. The winners received their awards on their way out of the stadium. The duelist already had one unknown award,
[You won the duel. Reward, 100 experience points. Do you wish to use the Duelist Trophy skill? Yes/No.]
Lee decided to test his luck and applied the skill.
[Duelist Trophy skill activation. The attempt failed.]
The boy laughed. This fiasco put him back in a good mood. He made his way to the locker room. He was greeted indoors with applause. He picked up his bag and went on his way out. On the way out he received two gifts. The win of 1,000 credits was supplemented by a good profit from the bet. The amount of 2400 credits replenished the duelist's balance. He received an invitation to participate in a future tournament. He also received a pass to a more respectable area to contest. But Lee decided to stop this way of making money. He felt like a crook who had cheated children. Cheating an adult is possible. Cheating a bastard is great. He had an unpleasant experience.
With his abilities, the best thing is to disguise himself as a Shrimp. It's time to go downstairs and replenish his supply of attribute points!