Staring at him whipping his wire weapons, I feel a hand on my shoulder. "Ken, how about you show me" Leaning over she whispers into my ear. "How strong you are." Tensing up, I turn to Lilith. "You want me to defeat another of your guards?"
Sitting down on the couch, she smiles. "No, I want to see you succeed. Like you did with James. How about this? If you win, James will die in prison, and if you lose he will become free. Who knows? Maybe he will ruin more people's lives."
Turning back to the arena where I can see the man walking off the battling grounds, I sigh. "I moved past James, or at least that's what I like to think. I saw him struggle on the ground beneath me with his arms cut up. If I wanted to kill him I would, but not only did I get interrupted. But I also hesitated."
Seeing Lilith lay down on the couch, her suit tightens. "Then what would you like? I can give you anything." Stopping herself, she gets a look of realization on her face.
"You have Depraved friends, right? How about I give you a small bit of information?" Having my attention, she says. "A convoy filled with Depraved slaves will be passing through Aquaria, but that's not interesting. It's said that some of them are refugees who tried to reach the neutral city."
Not understanding where shes' going with it. She stands up and walks to me. "Your friends might be there. Raven promised to help them escape, didn't he? But you know how he feels about the depraved?"
Pushing her away, I say. "I trust Raven, he wouldn't do that." Shrugging her shoulders, she says. "If you say so, but remember the convoy is going to be here only for a limited time. Who knows what will happen to those poor souls?"
Feeling my arms twitch, I yell. "Fine! If I win I'll get the details!" Getting a smile from her, I run to the battling grounds.
.....
Dropping from the ceiling a woman in full dark clothes bows to Lilith. "My lady the plan with James."
Pouring herself a glass of wine, Lilith sighs. "Kill him, he's got no more use. If anything, he's been a great disappointment." Swirling the wine in her glass, she licks her lips.
"I wonder, do you think Raven has any idea?" Turning to the shadowy woman, she awaits an answer. "May I be honest, lady?"
Getting a nod, she voices. "Raven is an anomaly in the underground at the current moment, he has no one working for him, yet he's considered one of the strongest crime bosses."
Having the wine fly out of her glass as Lilith swirls it, she sighs. "One must remember that he brought down three entire organizations when he had a partner, but now they're gone. Many hoped that it would be over. However, a new person took on the mantle of his sword."
Looking down into the arena at a certain green-haired boy, a smile forms on her face.
"Maybe I slightly understand Raven when he said he felt like he could do anything with her."
...
Arriving at the sparing ground, I see the man with wires wrapped around his arms all the way to his elbows. Noticing my presence, I see his gray eyes. His silver hair gives me the look of an older man, but he can't be much older than 30.
"No way, is the Yellow Wolf gonna fight The Barbed Tess?" Hearing murmurs around the stands, I hear. "You're the yellow wolf? The man who cut concrete walls and steel shields with ease? You have green hair, I thought that the Yellow would imply otherwise."
Unsheathing my golden blade, I tell him the name comes from a different place. Placing the blade above my head, I see him rest his arms along his body.
"This is going to be the first time I'm fighting someone with a wire weapon. How does that even work?" Seeing him smile, he tells me that he's willing to teach me after this fight as spreading this art is his mission.
[Spreading this art] Even though he lunged at me, my mind went blank. I forgot about my master's dying wish. Seeing the wire in my face, I snap back to the present moment.
Twisting my waist, I bring the sword down and fling the wire away.
"And I was worried you were zoned out!" Ducking his head under the returning wire, I see it wrap around my blade. Pulling me to him, I jump into the air and let him bring me to him. Kicking him in the chest, I spin with the blade untangling it.
Feeling something wrap around my legs, I get slammed into the ground. Rolling out of the crater, the wires slam into the ground creating small ravines. "How can I cable do that?!"
Not having time to complain, I leaned back on another one of his swings.
If I keep falling backwards, I will soon hit the wall! Wait, that's a great idea!
Being pushed back to the wall, the wires whip around me like angry snakes. Feeling my back touch the wall, I see him raise the wires. "My victory."
Smiling, he brings his wires down in an X.
Jumping up, I push myself off the wall and over him. Seeing his eyes go wide, I land behind him, and with a single strike, I cut his entire back. Falling down, his body raises dust from the dirt ground.
Flicking my blade, I sheathed it. "Sorry, it's my victory."
Hearing the are go into cheers the medics run for the fallen man whose name I still don't know.
Turning to the observation room, I see Lilith clapping her hands. Even though I can't hear her, I can see her mouth moving.
"I'm proud of you."