Before I knew it, a crowd of humans and dwarves surrounded me in a circle as Athena slash her axe at me.
Athena stood on the opposite side, glaring at me with hate.
"A-the-na!"
The loud applause of the men and women around echoed loudly in my ears. But among them, two people are also cheering out my name.
"Nasrin! You can do this!" Bakunawa and Ynez yelled.
I sighed at them as I shook my head.
This started because Ynez couldn't refuse Athena from making her stay here in the Forbidden Mountains. Ynez couldn't refuse because Athena is her only relative from her mother's side.
"Where are you looking at, huh?" Athena muttered; she aggressively strikes her axe at me, thrusting and swinging it wildly.
I, on the other hand, used the movement skill Monkey Dance to dodge every attack of her axe. The air and the wind that surrounded me made me sense Athena's next moves, and my body moved instinctively, feeling that the rhythm was on my side.
It was not that difficult; Athena is so easy to read after all. Every time Athena would swing her axe, I would adjust to the flow of the air. I don't know what Athena's attributes are, but after discovering that I'm still a newbie in learning mana manipulation, it seems that she is set on only using her axe and physical strength against me.
Well, that's Athena's choice and not mine. I'm still going to use my mana, after all, I won't stand a chance if I don't do that. Anyway, no one stated any rules. But the crowd booed at me, yelling that I have no pride as a man. I only snorted at that comment. After all, pride won't help me win this battle.
While I'm pondering to myself, Athena is also launching a strike at me.
The bandit woman swung her axe in the middle of my head, and I took a step to the side, letting the axe hit the ground. When a full strike came to the right, I leap my feet, jumping back three times.
Athena gnash her teeth at me as she rushes forward, striking at the middle of my head once more. I waited for the bandit woman to come, standing still in my position. Just when the axe is inches away from my head, I move my legs swiftly to the side, dodging with ease, making the axe hit nothing but the air.
Athena heaves her chest up and down, panting heavily. Her face plastered a grim expression. "Is dodging all you can do?!"
I stared at Athena as I nodded seriously. "Well…yes."
Athena snarled. "How dare you mock me?!"
I blinked my eyes as I tilted my head. "What do you mean? I was telling the truth you know…"
Athena didn't listen, striding legs increasingly fast, sprinting to me. She lifted her heavy axe, springing her legs and jumping up in the air, doing a somersault as she struck my head in full strength.
I let out a sigh, taking a wide step to the left as I dodge with ease again. 'It's getting boring…' I thought to myself, staring at the exhausted bandit woman.
After all, Bakunawa only taught me skills that aren't anything harmful. I would have thanked the blue serpent for keeping my innocence, but that's not what I need right now to be honest. I wanted to learn something that could make me defeat the gladiator woman if I asked her to fight me again in the Dregs Arena. But Bakunawa is set on not teaching me anything that would let me harm someone.
Isn't it a bit funny that I'm now asking someone to teach me something that would go against my morals? So Ironically funny, right?
After all, this is probably what Alexandra wants me to become. And she succeeded in doing that.
While I'm busy with my thoughts, Athena has that grim expression as she panted deeply, gasping for air; seeming out of breath.
Seeing that Athena has already grown tired; I spread my legs wide, swiftly making a turn as I raise my feet while I keep my other one rooted in the ground, then I used augmenting magic on my raised leg with earth attributes, kicking Athena at her stomach.
Athena flew away, crashing her back on the tree. The crowd became silent, gazing dumbfounded at Athena who fell on the ground right after she crashed. But soon, they cheered once more, and this time, they called out my name. "Nas-rin!"
Meanwhile, Chief Roy approached me with a smile. "Then as discussed, Athena will give up on making Ynez stay in the Forbidden Mountains," he stated.
I nodded. "Good," I mumbled, glancing at Bakunawa and Ynez in the crowd; I walked towards them, giving them a thumb's up.
"Chief Roy said that Athena will no longer stop Ynez from leaving the Forbidden Mountains," I said.
Ynez heaved a sigh of relief.
[Then let's depart now and continue the journey.] Bakunawa stated.
"Alright, I'll just pack some things that are necessary for the journey," I replied, going back to Chief Roy.
I request some food and clothings for the journey from Chief Roy, and Chief Roy generously packs us everything that is needed for free.
Chief Roy is a generous and kind elder; he is already 305 years old, but he said that he is still young.
"Everything you need is inside this ring. You just need to put your mana inside it to grab the things you need or store the things you need," Chief Roy said, handing a ring to me that seems too huge for my fingers.
"Thank you, but I think it's too big for me," I commented, staring at the black ring.
Chief Roy chuckled. "Try to wear it first, young one."
I nodded as I put the ring in my left middle finger, and like magic, the ring shrunk fitting perfectly at my middle finger. My eyes widened in awe. "How did that happen?"
"It's a dwarven ring that is called Shadow Circlet. It's a rare ring that only dwarven men and the dark elves can forge. And it can't be forged without either one," Chief Roy stated.
"Oh, then…are you sure you should give this to me?" I asked.
Chief Roy nodded. "Yes, but I hope you could also give this letter to the king of the dark elves once you arrive in the Majapahit Empire."
"Sure," I replied, taking the letter and storing it inside the Shadow Circlet.
"Thank you, I wish you a safe journey, lady moonlight," Chief Roy mumbled, and his last words barely entered my ears.
"What? I didn't seem to hear it clearly," I said.
"It's nothing." Chief Roy shook his head.
"Alright then, we'll go and depart now," I replied.
Chief Roy and the others sent us to the exit of the Forbidden Mountains; it's the same path where we entered earlier. Athena glared at me as she bid farewell to Ynez. I ignored the bandit woman as I bid farewell to Chief Roy instead.
When Bakunawa, Ynez, and I step out of the mountain's boundaries; the figures of the dwarves and the others fade, replaced by a thick blurry mist.
"Let's go," I said to the two, and they nodded at me.