Chapter 46 - Replacement

Aaron didn't understand what the system meant by that, so he took it very literally. As the flames spread up the cross, Aaron used Boundless Telekinesis to break the cross, by splitting it in half, just beneath his feet. He didn't click his fingers, because, as said before, the clicks were just for effect. The cross fell forward, as it didn't have anything to balance on, and so, Aaron fell onto his face, as he became 'One with the floor'. Crystet looked at him in shock, as Aaron fell to the ground, the mask shattering into pieces upon impact. The mask may have been pointed, but it wasn't built for impact.

Black spikes shot up from Aaron's robe, as they pierced the wooden cross. These spikes had emerged from the robe, as Aaron had moved their starting point, so that his robe wouldn't be ripped. The cross was then shattered into multiple pieces, as the spikes pulled the cross apart, almost as if the spikes were alive. The rope ripped off of his arms as the cross broke, so he wasn't pulled apart with the cross.

Aaron stood up, as his mask lay shattered upon the ground. He was, understandably, pissed. Not just at the fact that this asshole decided to attack him, but at the fact that he had dragged in two uninvolved students. People were willing to involve others, huh? Well, he wouldn't. He would solve everything by himself.

He began to walk out, covering his face as much as possible with his robe, and as he did, he used Boundless Telekinesis to shatter the ice covering the lower half of Crystet's body. Crystet began shivering at a great extent now that he had his body free, but, while doing so, be watched Aaron leave the arena. Only one thought bounced around Crystet's mind.

'What the hell is up with him?'

Aaron walked out, and he first needed to do something about his mask, so, he decided he would make some money. Literally. He had seen an example of this world's money when his parents had paid the shopkeeper previously. They still used physical money, so Aaron was lucky in that sense.

'System. Would you be able to replicate the money of this planet?'

[Sure. I got a glimpse of it when you saw it. I see everything through eyes, and I mean that literally. I can create the money your parents used. Give me a minute...]

After about ten seconds, a stack of notes with the number 50 on them appeared in his hand.

'System, what is this?'

[It's the universal currency of this world. The stuff your parents paid in. I gave you about five thousand euros worth, which means that you have a decent stack of cash sitting in your hand right now.]

'Cool.'

Aaron then activated Boundless Telekinesis, and appeared outside of the Ranger's Clothes shop. His covered his face with his hood, as he put the money the system had gave him into his pocket. He walked into the shop, covering his face with his hood, as he attempted to look around, while keeping his head down. He saw that nobody else, except for the shopkeeper, was in the shop right now. That's the best thing he could have hoped for.

He navigated himself around to the 'Mask' section. No, not surgical masks. The masks like the one that shattered. He looked around, and found a replica of the mask that he had bought before, but something seemed a little strange about it, although he couldn't pinpoint what. He picked it up, and put it on. It was, surprisingly, a perfect fit.

He walked up to the shopkeeper, who recognised him as the child of the Stone family.

"Oh hello there, little one! Where is your mama and papa?" He asked, as he spoke in his (what I like to imagine him speaking like) semi-french accent.

Aaron didn't say anything, but he just pointed his head towards the ground, took off the mask, and placed it up on the counter, without saying a word, as he took one of the '50' notes from his pocket, and placed it on the counter, beside the mask.

"Oh? You are buying a new mask? So, your old one broke, huh? Well, I guess if you have the money to buy a new one, you can buy the new one."

The shopkeeper placed the money into the little register he had beside him, and then slid the mask towards Aaron. Aaron lifted his head up, and picked the mask up off the table. He held it infront of him, and popped it onto his face. He now looked like he originally did, with his mask on. The shopkeeper went to the register to get some change to give to Aaron, but by the time he turned back to where Aaron was standing, he was gone.

'What a curious kid.' He thought to himself, in his French accent.

Aaron appeared in the doorway to the arena, where he found Jacob holding an icicle towards Cyrstet's neck. Crystet had a look of fear in his eyes, as he kept on glancing back down towards Jacob's watch. What was the number on there? It didn't matter to him. At least not right now. Jacob looked towards his right, and saw Aaron standing there, with his mask on. He pulled the icicle away from Crystet, and pointed it twaords Aaron.

"You think you're SO clever, getting off of the cross, huh? You broke it into pieces. Now, I'm not one to brag, but, that shit is easy. You're just a freak. A CHILD freak, at that. So, I'm going to kill you. No ifs, ands, or buts. You will die today, in this room."

Aaron, being the idiot that he was, stepped backwards a single step. He was in the doorway to the arena before, and now he was in the hallway. Jacob then let a smile grow across his face.

"You little shit. Fine. If you want to play that game, then fine by me. Step into the arena, and then, we'll settle it there. And, here's a little incentive. If you lose, you, and your two roommates, will die. And, should I somehow lose, I will die. If you refuse, both of your roommates will die. You have no choice in this scenario."

And so, Aaron was fucked if he didn't win. If he refused, two people would be killed, despite having no relation to this situation. Great. Just great.