'Hmm..... I can't use Frost because I'll be giving away my identity.... Let's go with fire.'
WHOOM
Green flames completely engulfed my hands. This is a personal skill I developed prior to rebirth, which I refer to as the torch of emotions. It brings the target's emotions back to their peak, causing them to lose their mind over it.
Green flames indicate jealousy.
"Yes!" The drunkard mumbled in joy.
BOOM
He pushed towards me, each step increasing his speed, and he was in front of me in a split second. In his hand, a dagger appeared and slashed at my arms and legs at least ten times each.
His face was open, while he did flips, switched the dagger from one hand to the other with extreme precision and without making any unnecessary movements. I simply grabbed his face with my right hand as green flames engulfed him.
"Graaa." He screamed like a beast and backed off without delivering a single strike.
"Stop, overreacting the flames don't hurt much." I spoke in hoarse voice.
Yes, the flames do not burn anything on the outside, but they entice the specific emotion based on the colour of the flame, driving them to the limits of their sanity.
"Grr." He growled.
'Oh, he literally turned into a beast.'
The drunkard's mouth was dripping with saliva, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was leaning forward with his hands dangling down.
"I'll kill you! Goddamnit, I'm the stronger one!" he growled.
"Ho! Another one with a inferiority complex." I mumbled in amazement, grinning.
He charged at me with a low 'boom,' his movements sloppy but quick. I grinned as the flames on my arm turned red. The colour red represented rage.
"Let's add some spice, shall we!" I grinned and leapt towards him, grabbing his head as his body floated behind me. This time, when red flames engulfed his head, he bit my hand without even batting an eye.
"Good!" I looked at him from the corner of my eye, grinning.
BAM
I slammed his head to the ground and pulled back, but he continued to bite my hand as if he was a mindless beast.
BAM (2x)
I drew back and slammed his head twice, the ground trembling with each slam. After the first slam, his body was still in the air and only flopped down after the second. He coughed up blood and let go of my hand, releasing it from his bite.
"I'll kill you! And prove that I'm the strongest and that, you are just a worthless bit*h!" he grumbled.
"Che, Oii!" I clicked my tongue and called out to the woman who had announced our arrival.
"Anybody, throw this shit out, he's not worth it." I said aloud and began to walk away from the arena, but I abruptly came to a halt.
"Grrr."
I turned to face the drunkard who was biting my right leg. I clenched my fist and punched the side of his head.
BANG
The ground shook, and his head bounced back from the blow, causing him to bleed profusely. I walked away nonchalantly, picking up a towel to rub the blood off my knuckles.
"Heal him and kick him out!" I said as I threw the towel.
"Yes, boss!" The guard at the gate responded and dashed to pick up the drunkard.
'Bunch of kids who think it's a game.'
*
Henry waved his hand in the air as I walked towards him. Core charged at me, like a cat with her mouth wide open. I grabbed her head as she swung her hands and legs at me while dangling.
'She's 20 years old..... Isn't she?'
"What's wrong?" Henry asked.
"The fight left a bad taste in my mouth." I grumbled.
"where's Arngrim?" I asked Henry.
"He's still in the room, did you think you were in there for hours?" Henry asked with his brows raised.
"I think, minutes?" I titled my head.
"It's been a total of 15 minutes, since we came into the Colosseum." Louie answered.
"Can't you go find a woman too?" I asked mockingly.
"You are here with me, what's there to worry about?" Louie asked with smug grin on his face.
"Hahahaha." Henry and Core laughed as one.
"Anyway, when did you break through?" Core asked with her eyebrows raised.
"4 days ago.. I think." I said while trying to remember when I broke through from rank AA.
"You monster!" Core grumbled because she and I had broken through to rank-B a year ago, and only I had grown stronger since then.
"Well, your stats are still monstrous for rank-A" I reminded her, all her stats are rank-AA or above, except for strength.
Stats that are higher than rank are considered cheats, and that was the only thing I left for the novel's main characters. For example, a rank-A agility must run at their maximum speed for a year without stopping in order to advance to rank-AA.
All of the main characters had at least one stat that was stronger than the other, but only by going through those difficulties, and I have no plans to make it any easier for them. If they ask for my help, I'll think about it, but...
I live my life while they live theirs, even if I was the one who messed it up for them.
"I need my cigars, and I bought a gift for Arngrim and Louie from sector one." I said with a grin.
"Sector one!" Louie stood up from his seat.
"What sector one?" Arngrim walked towards us while fixing his pants.
"Done already?" I was surprised because once he entered a room with a woman, he would not return for at least several hours.
"She had to return early, it seems." He spoke in a dejected tone.
"YOU left her alone?" Core asked, surprised, and we all nodded in agreement because him leaving a woman alone was nearly impossible.
"Anyway, what sector one?" Arngrim asked with stars in his eyes.
"Yea, he says he brought presents from sector one for you and Louie." Henry said.
"You goddamn monster, did you go back to sector one again?" Arngrim asked with twinkling eyes.
"Are you..... Worried or excited?" I was flabbergasted.
"Of course, I'm worried." His face said otherwise.
"Anyway, hand me the cigars." I said.
"Let's go out, I made it last for years, even if you smoke twice a day." Arngrim walked out of Colosseum, we followed behind.
*
He handed me over 1,460 boxes of cigars with five each.
"Make some space." I said and everybody moved back by ten steps.
CRACK
WHOOM
A large subspace opened up about 2.5 metres above our heads, dumping thousands of monster corpses, including wolves, goblins, trolls, Ogres, Nagas, and demonised monsters, whose blood began to leak profusely.
"Whhhoooaaa!" Arngrim exclaimed and swooped them into a different subspace without leaving a drop of blood behind.
"I have about 70 'earth elemental crystals'... As well as a dragon core. I'm sorry, but I couldn't obtain its blood or corpse." I said in apologetic tone.
"No worries, we could get another if we have another chance." Henry said and everybody nodded in union.
"Well, wanna go back in or go home?" Henry asked looking at me.
"I'll stay in the academy for about a week and return afterwards." I sighed and shook my head.
"..... Okay." They nodded.
"I have a present for you too... More likely your request but nonetheless." Louie said while smiling brightly.