Chapter 24,
Register
Third Person's POV
"Is it delicious?" Lira asked.
"What's the occasion? We've been like this for days, aren't we?" Gin also asked.
"It's because Koshiro's doing great on his training. Riven liked him so much," Lira chuckled.
"Shut up!" On the other hand, Riven denies her with a blush an his cheeks.
Hiruki and Goro scanned him very well, "Riven, are you single?" Goro was fist to ask making Riven cough.
"What now?" Gin looked at Goro disgustingly.
"I agree. Goro and I are thinking about the sane thing. We're on the same page here. I'm sure of it," Hiruki agreed.
"What's with it?" Koshiro dumbly asked.
"Nothing," Hiruki and Goro said in unison giving Koshiro with Jo choice, but to not think about it.
"Get ready, you four, we'll be going outside to register," Riven announced.
"Outside? To what?" Hiruki wondered.
"You three except for Koshiro will be introduced to my fellow masters. Be wary, they're strong ones. And after that, we'll be registering you guys in an apprenticeship program, so that you could have the rights to join the ranks," Riven explained.
"Is that it? Well then, we'll get ready," Goro stood up, finished eating his portion.
After they all finished eating, the four went to their respective rooms and packed things that they might be needing just in case, since they were told to bring things such as gears, weapons an such used in fighting. They don't know the reason, but they just followed Riven's orders.
"Are you guys ready? I'll be locking the door," Lira's voice came ringing into their heads.
"What was that?!" Gin asked while hitting his head lightly.
"Lira's Spellbook: Echoes. It has different powers and this is one of them, telepathy," Koshiro explained to them.
After going out, they went across a bridge. Underneath it has boats crossing and some has passengers with them. The next one was the marketplace filled with different stalls and shops everywhere. Some swordsmith shop, food stalls, Spellbook shops, and other shops that could provide your needs and wants.
After a long tour, they reached a small registration tent beside a large stadium used in tournaments among knights and magical users and some fighters.
We went inside the tent to register when Riven started to talk about some things to the woman who was in charge of the place.
"This way, sir," The girl shoved the curtains.
Inside was many Masters with no accompaniment and some have their apprentices with them with the number of two or more and some also have just one accompaniment with them. Each and every one of them looked strong that you could tell apart which one is the master and which one is the apprentice.
"Oh, my, if it isn't Riven Blue. What brings you here with a bunch of 16-year old boys?" A gorgeous girl approached Riven as they enter the next room, "Is this guys your apprentices?" she added a question in her natural, sweet voice.
"No. Just this one. I'm here to let them join the tournament," Riven's words shocked the four, "These three doesn't have a master yet, I just thought that I might help them look for one while I'm at it," he added.
"Oh. Are there ones you recommend? They better be strong," Her words made everyone divert their attention to the two masters.
Riven gave a grin, "This one," Gin was dumbfounded.
"This boy? Why?" He gave a bad look at Riven.
Gin came forward to defend Riven, "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am. My name is Gin. My name is a little known, if I'm not mistaken?" He gave a graceful bow.
"Gin? You mean the Great Sorcerer? Oh, where did you kidnap such a kid with high value? My name is Ireena" She chuckled.
"They came to me. I have some debt to pay this apprentice of mine. This four have extraordinary abilities than you think," Riven didn't wiped off the grin on his face.
"Well then, I, Feiro, will take this one, my best friend," a guy who looked rich and seemed like a joker pulled Goro towards his direction.
"W-Well then. . . C-Can I?" A shy girl hiding in the back asked.
"Of course, Lovely Hela! He's the perfect guy for you. This one don't disobey easily and always do good things, although this four shouldn't be apart since they're going to travel together in the future, or so they said. Anyways, this one's extremely strong, too. He's a halfblood, take good care of him," He waved at Hiruki farewell.
"But before that," Riven's face darkened along with his creepy grin, "If you want these three, you have to let them join the tournament first. It would be unfair for you. You might even think that I deceived you." He pulled the three back to him.
"That's a promise," Ireena arrogantly said.
"Well then, we'll be off, my best friend," Feiro waved them goodbye as they left.
"Don't just give them away, Riven," Koshiro looked at Riven with a scary look.
"Aww, don't be like that, they have to get stronger, too, you know?" He smiled at Koshiro, "Well then, Let's register," he persuaded.
The five approached another lady who was taking list of the ones joining the tournament to find a master and registered themselves. Seventy participants are needed in the tournament and it's a good thing that they made it in time before the slots are filled.
"It'll start after a few minutes, so warm up. The last ones are the ones to battle first, after all," Lira explained.
"You darn Raven! I'll kill you! You did it on purpose didn't you! I'll kill you!" Gin shouted at him with anger while Riven just chucked at the side as the others tries their best to refrain him from attacking Riven.
"Stop, Gin!" Gin stopped when he heard Koshiro speak. To be honest, he didn't know if Koshiro is angry at him or not for his previous attitude towards him when they first met, so he's now being cautious about his words.
"Oh? Aren't you a good pet?" Riven whisperer on Gin's ear, trying to annoy him, but he won't budge.
"He doesn't get angry. How did that happen? Koshiro is really something, isn't he?" Riven was lost in thought.
By a loud voice, their conversations were cut off by a woman announcing, "Right now, the first battle will begin. Our first contestants are Koshiro and Dave! Everyone, are you excited? I want to hear your excitement!" The cheerful EMCEE said and people relief with a loud shout of excitement.
"Why me?!" Koshiro anxiously asked
"You're the last to register, after all," Riven just shrugged.
"Oh, my, it's your boy, if it's not?" Ireena chuckled.
"Will he be okay, my best friend? That Dave is said to have beaten an C-Rank monster," Feiro worriedly asked in his clown's tone.
"He'll be fine. He defeated an A-Rank Boss Monster, after all," Riven boasted.
"I-Isn't that great. I w-wish him luck," Hela spoke from behind Ireeba and Riven just waved at her 'hello', making her hide more.
As Koshiro approached the ring, his heart was beating fast that he couldn't breathe calmly and he's feeling very anxious that his body is shivering from the fear of losing the battle, at the first one of all. He does t want to disappoint Riven after training his all this time.
"What? Just a small fry?" Dave spoke as he approached the huge ring, "Can't they give me more? This one's just a piece of bone," he humiliates Koshiro making those who heard him laugh.
"I'm a bit worried for him. He can't calm down, unless I tell him to. He should've leaned it by now, but he seemed to not," Riven sighed in worry.
"Don't worry, if it's Koshiro, then it's fine. It's because he's strong," Hiruki smiled as his eyes were filled with trust in Koshiro. He knows for sure that he won't lose right here, right now.
"That's right! You look down at your own apprentice? I know his better than you think! He's the coolest person I know of," Gin added.
"You expect less for him? If you pity him now, then it's too late for that. At least, cheer for him even if it's just in your mind!" Goro also added.
"You kids really are something," Riven laughed.
'Calm down. It's your lost if you lose your cool here.' Koshiro thought while taking some feel breaths.
"Are both ready?" The girl looked at the two, "Well then, let the first battle begin!" she signaled with her hands and moved away, so that she wouldn't get caught in the battle.
As usual, despite having a sword in his waist, Koshiro summoned his arrows and bow, and distanced himself from the opponent he's facing. Analyzing his movements, he readied to fire with his arrows, three at a time.
He fired it directly at the enemy, but it was stopped by just a mere punch from Dave and suddenly, he appeared at his front, shocking him because of what's happening.
All he could think of is one sentence: 'This is bad!'
***