The crowd erupted in cheers as the smoke cleared from their view. Showing Akio standing there alone, with Cole lying on the ground. The showman rushed over to help cole up and out of the field while turned and waved at Milda and Nell who were cheering with bright smiles on their faces.
'I just beat the crap out of three people from the best sword family on the continent!'
[ehh….]
'What'
[nothing you need to know yet, and to be honest with you. They don't train people this low in grades very well. It's basically where you learn to walk in swords. So they weren't really the BEST]
'Good point, but can't you let me enjoy this?'
[don't you have other things to worry about, like that armor over there?]
Akio realized instantly and walked up to the showman.
"I know there wasn't really a prize for winning, but do you mind if I take one of those rusted chest plates over there?"
The man looked at him with a weird look before nodding slowly.
"They aren't worth much anymore, so go ahead. We will only lose a silver or two in that happening anyway."
Akio thanked the man turning around towards the shelving that had multiple sets of armor, touching one of the large chest plates and putting it in his storage system. Turning around and giving a small bow to the showman after he did. The crowd clapped in one last unison before picking up their stuff and started to leave the stadium. He turned back towards the large corridor leading to the locker room.
His arm was now pulsating at me to get attention as He opened the large double door. The locker room hasn't changed much besides what looks to be a little tidying. He walked over to a small leather couch and sat down, returning his dagger into his storage as he did so.
"Man, what a headache." he growled, that was a lot of action and information thrown at him. IT might take him a week to digest it all, But the problem was that they were here in the same city as him. Which had given him quite the shock, But that will get him even closer to who caused the fire and repay a nice gesture 10 times forth.
A knock on a door to the left of him brought his attention back.
"Come in" he called weakly as a familiar head poked through the door.
Her orange ears poked up with delight when she saw the young man sitting down on a bench. She ran over to him excitedly with outstretched arms. \
"You beat the bad guys!" Nell said, bouncing up beside him with a huge grin.
"That was so cool! Where did you learn all of that stuff? Can I try?" She asked him hurriedly as she poked his side, but she then saw the blood that dripped off his shoulder onto her finger.
"Are you okay?" Milda asked following into the room with a large roll of medicinal bandages.
"Yea ill be just fine, just might need a bit." He smiled victoriously.
"Alright" she responded as she started to wrap the large white bandages around his shoulder in an experienced manner.
"Oh, I need to talk to you about something that I have found out. Nell can either leave or stay, its up too you mostly as you know her better than i do." Akio talked to her as he lifted his arm for her to have a better time wrapping his shoulder.
"Alright, What is it about?" She asked as she withdrew from his shoulder, tearing the roll of bandage to not waste much more.
"The fire." He responded seriously.
Both of their gazes changed immediately, It seems that everyone has a different reaction to horrible events. Akio had a crazed look for revenge while Milda stood up sharply with a sad,resigned expression. Nell shook in her spot, Akio lited hand up to rub her shoulder. Reassuring her that everything was going to be fine.
"Alright then, Nell could you please wait outside for a moment?" she crouched down to lead her out of the room.
Once she came back in, Akio pulled the chestplate out of his system. Setting it down on a small coffee table to the side of the couch. He lifted it up and over the set of couches and placed it down in the center of the group of couches. There were three couches set up like a square missing a side as he moved back to his original spot with Milda across from him still standing.
"Oh you got this at the end of your match, I was wondering why you got this." She said as she sat down on the leather couch. Bending forward to get a better look at it.
Her brown hair swept over her face as she did so and her large ear twitched, it was like a reflex when she's confused.
'That's kind of cute' Akio smirked as he watched her expression change.
"Is this the same armor they wore? This is very similar, sorry I don't remember the specific symbol. I was kind of in a daze." she mumbled.
"No its not the same, but that's the thing. The only thing different with the armor is that its symbol is different," He said pointing towards the red symbol of a dagger.
"Which means that other large families have different symbols. Our perpetrator is likely here in the same city as us." Akio continued as he pulled back his finger from the chest plate.
"I plan on asking my general about the symbol tomorrow, but i have some stuff too do beforehand. Do you think Nell would like too go out today?" I asked, Nell has been feeling quite down as she felt that she had done something bad. That with the fact of being suspended due to fighting in school had added up a little.
"Yes, I think that might boost her mood a little. I know this might be a lot to ask, but would you mind taking her out to hunt a little? I would like her to advance to the next stage as soon as possible. It would help her with her trauma, because I hope you have noticed but advancing to the next stage helps your body and brain mature in different amounts." she sighed as she leaned back on the couch.
'Next stage?'
[she means grade]
'Oh, do you really mature body AND mind? I've noticed huge changes in my body but not my mind, why is that?'
[because I haven't altered your mind at all, although I kind of regret it. You have the body of a 18 year old athletic adventurer but you have the mind of a 13 year old. You're a fight junkie and you dont think out battles, you don't read emotions and your emotions sway every ten seconds. But once you get one more grade advancement maybe i'll give you your remaining part]
'ALRIGHT I GET IT.' Akio yelled in his head as he too laid back on his couch pushing two fingers against his forehead in a frustrated manner.
"Well then, let's go and get Nell something nice. I need to stop somewhere while we're at it." Akio said as he stood up from his couch, returning the chestplate back into his system.
Exiting the room he saw Nell sitting next to the door with a worried face.
"Hey, what would you like to do right now?" Akio said as he squatted down to talk to her.
"HUNT! I WANT TO BE STRONG LIKE YOU!" She replied with newfound excitement.
"Okay, But not right now. What else do you want to do?" He laughed as he continued, that can be done another time.
"WEAPON SHOPPING!" She bounced.
Apparently she was so inspired by the way Akio had defeated the 'bad guys' that she had been worried about. She thought that being strong could solve all of her problems.
"I can't wait to prevent trouble with my awesome battle moves! I won't ever have to worry again!"
'I don't think it will solve nearly enough worries in life' Akio commented watching the dancing girl.
[Ehhhh…. Once you kinda get there…]
'....You're kidding?'
[Nahhh, but don't be like one of those evil power hungry types will you? I'm kind of glad your goal changed from getting stronger to finding your foe and slaying them. It's a lot more entertaining on my part.]
'Is my life a movie to you?'
[for now]
"Bah" Akio let out a sigh as He stood up and walked towards the exit of the building. Time to see how long it takes for her to pick a suitable weapon.
"I want a Mace" she called as we exited the building.
Akio spit blood at the thought of a little innocent girl swinging a mace at a monster.
"Well see…." He trailed off slowly.