January 16th, 2022
***
The idea of a home intruder is unsettling. In Richter's case, it's a minor inconvenience...usually. He woke up to muffled shuffling in the practice area. His bedroom was located in the top right corner of the dojo, secluded for privacy but close enough to keep an ear out. The sun penetrated the window behind his headboard, still cresting over the horizon. It was dawn, or close to it.
He pushed his Sense toward the disturbance to discover an unfamiliar aura. Someone was upturning his dojo like they were searching for something. The racks of practice equipment lay on their sides and the cabinets along the wall were ransacked, their contents strewn about the floor.
Richter grabbed his blade and potions and slid open the door, peeking his head out. Question marks punctuated his thoughts as he realized the intruder couldn't be seen with the naked eye. Was it a skill or ability like Rio possessed?
"Can I help you?"
The aura froze in place, seemingly thinking it was a fluke.
"So be it. Let's try this instead."
He lightly swung his blade horizontally at the figure. They stumbled back, tripping over the mess they made; the concealment effect lifting to expose an unknown woman with wide eyes. She stared at Richter's blank face before scurrying to her feet and pulling out a staff.
"A mage? What are you doing in my dojo? Do I know you?"
She scoffed, regaining her confidence as she started circulating the mana in her heart.
"No, but I know you. Richter Maier, the 'World's Greatest Swordsman' right?"
"About time someone recognized me. Are you a fan? I do autographs." His eyes squinted. "But if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're mocking me. And you don't feel like you're from Earth. I'm gonna have to escort you out."
His grip tightened on the handle as she sneered.
"You think you can catch me?"
Richter's eyes widened as her aura flickered for a split second.
[Teleport]
Her teleportation speed was the fastest he'd come across. He barely had time to register her aura marker before she appeared behind his left shoulder with a dense layer of energy covering her right hand.
[Mana Surge - 20%]
[Rake - 30%]
Richter executed a tuck and roll under her attack. The wave of her hand created several blue streaks in the air that flew forward, carving damage in the floor and walls like claw marks. His heart hurt seeing the dojo take so much damage. One of the benches had been cut in half.
He got up to face her when-
[Teleport]
-Her body vanished again.
'Shit.'
[Sunder - 10%]
[Rake - 20%]
His back was shredded by the mana boring into his body. Sinewy muscle and flesh were exposed as the streaks left deep gashes. One of the cuts narrowly avoided his heart. His face turned pale as blood pooled around his feet.
"What a preposterous title to give someone."
The woman stood in front, staring down with a mocking expression.
Richter's eyes rose to meet her. Something about his empty gaze unsettled her. As if he still believed he could beat her. As if she was nothing in front of him.
"Why did you come here? What are you tearing up my dojo for?"
"Where's the staff?"
"Staff?"
Richter's brows furrowed as he struggled to understand. He applied pressure to his wounds as best he could, but the awkward angle and large surface area made it difficult. After a moment his memories were jostled.
'Damn, the staff from the dungeon.'
Richter had been so preoccupied he forgot about it. The staff should still be in the room at Pleasure Inn where the Troll attacked him. He'd forgotten to grab it after the fight.
"All this over a staff? Why do you want it?"
Her left hand snaked down to his throat, closing around it and choking him. Richter's vision blurred as his body was lifted up into the air with his legs dangling freely.
[Sunder - 10%]
He smiled slightly as a small black orb materialized behind her back; floating peacefully near the bottom of her long brown hair. Her sensory skill didn't pick up anything, though she felt the mana in his body disappear. Her eyes squinted and her instincts started sounding alarms in her body.
[Rake - 5%]
She held her free hand near his face, lighting it partially from the glow of mana at her fingertips.
"Nothing personal, but the list states you have a priceless staff. And my younger brother deserves a good one to celebrate acquiring his class. Just tell me where it is and I'll let you go. Your level is far too low to give me any XP."
The foreboding sense grew stronger.
"No can do," Richter said softly.
And he cut the connection to the Sunder orb, allowing its descent toward the floor.
The momentum of the orb caused a slight gust of air to blow her hair, and that's when she put everything together. She recalled the name of the skill listed in his entry, alternating between terror and panic. She cast a teleport marker to the corner and tried to release her grip.
[Mana Surge - 40%]
He wouldn't let her go. Richter hoped that Mages couldn't teleport freely if they were holding somebody else. That, and she was his meat shield. So he needed her to stay still. Mana flowed through his arms and hands. He held her grip on his throat with one, and pushed on her elbow with the other, forcing her arm to stay outstretched.
The orb touched down, completing its quiet journey.
The two were blasted back with the woman suffering stronger knockback from the shockwave. Her durable body had minor bruising, smashing into the ceiling and bouncing off an outside wall of his bedroom. The hang time in-air gave him just the chance he needed. Richer downed a mana potion and his last health potion on hand.
His injuries healed in a snap as he jumped up and wheeled toward her. The woman looked a little pissed, but more than that; her mana flow was irregular. Like she was trying to get it back under control.
"I'll be back for the staff."
[Chain Cast: Teleport --> Teleport]
She disappeared from the dojo by blinking rapidly across town. Finally, she exited the range of Richter's Sense. He sheathed his sword and sighed.
'I hope this is worth it,' He thought.
'Fighting without killing is awfully difficult. I shouldn't have been so easygoing at the start. Also, fuck mages.'
The words of Drek and Stel rang in his head. He glanced up at the high ceilings, spotting another Sunder orb floating inconspicuously. He cast it right after dodging her first attack. He was going to jump back and let it fall on her head but changed his mind at the last second. He surveyed the damage to his dojo with a frown. With no other choice, he let the other orb drop and explode, causing another explosion of debris and dust to his home.
'I wonder when I'll get the chance to fix all this.'
***
[Teleport]
This was the poorest part of town where a big part of the community originated. The economy had only improved over the last couple decades as Swordsmanship grew in popularity. In need of expansion to accommodate the tourists, they built a ton of entertainment and housing. It was close enough to the competition venues for a drive, and the town's mix of urban and rural was attractive.
The woman met up with one of her conspirators in a broken-down building. Several other housings in various states of disrepair flanked the neighborhood. She swapped her clothing for tattered rags and messed up her hair, adding grime and dirt she found on the ground. In less than a minute she had gone from a foreigner to a local.
"You look unhappy. Didn't find the staff?"
She stopped dead in her tracks as the voice registered behind her. The tall man leaned against a wall - arms crossed - as he spoke. He bypassed her detection completely.
"No, I made too much noise and woke him up. Richter was a bit more troublesome than I expected. But next time won't be the same. I was just a little careless."
A glint flashed through the man's eyes. "He managed to deal with your speed?"
"N-no! I just...I couldn't use all of it. There were too many Hounds and Bounty Hunters around. I was worried they'd pick up on our scuffle if I used too much mana. If they kill him then I'll never find that staff."
Her cheeks flushed red in frustration and embarrassment. "It won't happen again."
The man hummed to himself, drumming his fingers against a battered table. Gashes appeared on the surface of the wood from the simple gesture.
"Maybe next time I'll come too." He drew his sword - a slick double-edged katana with a black Damascus finish. The pommel had a ruby dragon embedded in it.
"I'm curious how Swordsmanship has progressed on this planet. The history logs show that it was quite popular in recent years. What did you think of him?"
The woman scratched her head awkwardly and lowered her gaze.
"Well uh- I'm not sure. I never tried fighting with a sword. I just used Teleport and Rake to slice him up from behind."
He facepalmed with a loud groan before speaking, "Seriously Rose, I've tried everything to fix your bad habits. How many more times are you going to lose yourself in battle? It'll get you killed."
"My apologies, Sensei. I'll try to do better."
He nodded in satisfaction.
"Good. Now let's get going. We've got a lot to do today."
A smile formed on his lips.
"We'll go back for that staff tomorrow."
***