Shu had a juvenile expression and was obviously about to answer yes.
Ever since their reunion, he wanted to see how strong has the self-proclaimed god become in the last three years.
His eyes flashed with a yellow glow, and he sighed deeply.
"Sorry, no can do. There wasn't a rematch in any of the good futures I could see."
Shu answered with a disappointed expression.
Alexander was annoyed at Shu's answer, and knowing Shu doesn't know many cultural rules, he created a metallic glove and threw it on the floor in front of Shu.
All the other people in the bar turned their sights toward the scene unfolding in front of them, and the barman sighed with regret at the thought that there would be another fight in his newly built bar.
Shu had a baffled expression as he reached down to pick up the glove, but Shí Hóu grabbed his hand and looked at Alexander angrily.
He was drunk, not stupid, and he would not let this guy take advantage of Shu's lack of knowledge.
Shí Hóu picked up the glove and grinned confidently.
"You wanna fight?"
Shí Hóu asked and picked up his stave.
'Damned monkey, he knew what I was planning. I thought he was completely drunk. Well, I can at least test my strength against him.'
Alexander thought to himself and then grinned.
"Just say the time and the place."
Alexander answered with confidence.
"Now, in the empty lot on the other side of the street."
Shí Hóu answered, and they both went out with Shu following a few meters behind them.
********
"Should I go easy on you?"
Alexander asked.
They were standing, facing each other, seven meters between them.
They were in a construction site in its starting stages, so the empty lot was nothing but fenced. It was completely bare.
"I was about to ask you the same thing."
Shí Hóu said provokingly.
Alexander created a barrage of swords in the air and one in his hand.
The flying swords shot in Shí Hóu's direction at great speed.
Shí Hóu used his cape to capture the swords that flew his way, and after seizing them, he dropped them to the ground.
Shí Hóu leaped in Alexander's direction and swiped his stave toward Alexander's head.
Alexander blocked the attack, and his sword cracked. He quickly used it to slide the stave above his head, and when he reached the other side, he dropped the sword and created another one.
He swang his new sword at Shí Hóu's face.
Shí Hóu took a step back to dodge the sword, then thrust his stave into Alexander's stomach.
Alexander was thrust a meter away by the hit, and blood came out of his mouth.
Shí Hóu didn't give him a moment of rest and started walking toward him while hitting each side of his head with the stave.
"Do you yield?!"
Shí Hóu asked Alexander, who was losing consciousness.
Alexander smiled and looked straight into Shí Hóu's eyes.
He created spears of stone that shot out from the ground between them, one after the other, all pointing toward Shí Hóu.
Shí Hóu stumbled back as the number and speed of the spears kept increasing.
He fell to the ground, and spears surrounded him from all sides.
"Do you yield?"
Alexander asked with a confident smile.
"Fine, I yield."
Shí Hóu answered with disappointment.
'Yes! I have not passed the mountain, but this damned monkey is so strong, I can't believe I won.'
Alexander thought to himself and felt a step closer to his goal.
The three of them walked back to the inn.
"You know, even though you just barely won, it's still impressive. Out of the ones who fought me in the group, only Shu could win. And he can both see the future and is stupid strong."
Shí Hóu said.
"It wasn't hard at all. I can go again and with my eyes closed."
Alexander claimed. And it seemed he and Shí Hóu were about to have a rematch.
"What was this about a fight?"
They all jumped in their places as they heard Mary's voice.
"You don't listen to me, and you are busy hurting yourselves, not even considering that we might have to fight tomorrow?!"
Mary scolded them.
"Is this why you didn't want a rematch?"
Alexander shot a look at Shu, who seemed wiser than usual.
"Who knows."
Shu answered with an amused expression.
That asshole! He tricked them!
After a few hours, Dam and Emilia were back. Everyone went to sleep.
********
The awaited day has come.
Today they are going to the castle.
Chaos appeared in the morning to drop something that Alexander asked Emilia to tell Danniel to make.
It was a long silver trench coat, and on its back was a rune that no one in the group had seen before.
It was the rune of ambition. This rune symbolizes the dream of creation, a rune most fitting of a knight of the dreamer gods'.
"What caused the sudden change in style?"
Dam asked Alexander with an amused expression.
"I just remembered what my goal is."
Alexander answered with a weirdly calm voice, and Dam understood nothing from what he said.
Alexander wore his new silver trench coat with the black suit under it.
Shu wore his fox mask and black suit jacket with no shirt. He had his brass knuckles attached to his belt with the same magic that works like a magnet.
Shí hóu wore his golden dragon-scale suit with a red cape and boots. He held his staff in his hand.
Dam wore his black mix of tuxedo suit and armor with his sword in the scabbard, and the sheath was tied to his belt.
Emilia wore a dress that kept the same black and white colors from the maid uniform, but the dress was a typical dress that was adjusted to be functional in battle.
Mary wore her plain black suit, with no accessories or stylizing, just her two swords tied in their scabbards to her belt.
The six of them checked out at the inn and started walking toward the castle, with Shu carrying the luggage.