I forcefully pulled away, releasing my neck from the grasp of that small delicate hand. Looking up at that person who had stopped me, I found it was a familiar person; not just any familiar person, but the one I came all this way to find. I smiled maniacally as I saw this.
"El. A pleasure for you to join us. I actually came to find you, but was stopped by these two ingrates." I said, eyeing the large number of people that were getting out the large door behind him.
Sherby and their lot came running out as they approached us. I also saw Curry and a few other guys from the guild that I could recognize here.
"El!" Sherby ran up to us. "What happened here? Why did you run off from us like that?" He queried. He swiftly looked my way and greeted me before turning his attention back to El. "Hey, Jace."
"You were here to see me, you say? Why?" El asked, a feeling of a scary grim aura seeping out from under that robe.
"You know, if I'd met you a little earlier, I would never had believed you to be as young as you are. Your aura is way too scary." I started. "Nevertheless, I am unafraid of you, or your aura."
The rest of the team that had come to hunt that Minotaur were now gathered around to see whatever this commotion was about. Over to the side, I was able to catch a glimpse of the corpse. This meant that they had fought the beast, therefore, they were currently weakened. Some even had visible injuries and I could certainly guess that some never cane back from this kind of expedition.
I curled my lips as I continued speaking, this time loud enough it was in the hearing of everyone present.
"I will have myself a proper challenge from you, El. I, Jace, challenge you to a duel. By my win, I will have you leave the adventurer's guild forever, forfeiting your label as an adventurer. For good."
"Huh, isn't that brat too cocky?"
"That's way too much to demand from a person. What a cruel kid."
"I wonder who his parents were. They really didn't try at all."
There were whispers from the crowd all around about how despicable I was being. But I didn't care. I would do whatever I wanted, after all, the strong had a hold over whatever they wanted in this world.
"Jace, rethink this, okay?" Sherby said, trying to let me lower my demands. "We are all friends here and need not do anything too rash."
"No. Let him." El said. "And when I defeat you?" He asked, turning to face me.
"IF you defeat me, I will let you have anything you want, which of course, I have or may be able to get." I said, stressing the first word. " But only if you can defeat me."
"I heard the first time. I accept your challenge." He said.
"All weapons are allowed, but it is not a deathmatch. If your opponent submits or is unable to continue fighting, you are not permitted to continue attacking, lest you forfeit." Sherby said. We had unanimously decided he be the judge of the fight. He clearly wasn't happy about this development, but clearly he knew he could do nothing to change our minds so, he gave in.
"Everyone ready?" He asked.
New quest received: Defeat El and show who is superior.
'Certainly. I never planned to lose upon arriving here, did I?' I thought, as though I was talking to the system. 'System, distribute my skill points like so... '
User: Jason Xilmoa.
Age: Twelve.
Race: Human
Level: 15
Experience: 90400/921600
Vitality: 100/100
Magic Essence: 100/100
Strength: 25
Agility: 20
Dexterity: 20
Intelligence: 15
Stamina: 15
Skill points: 73
'Twenty five points to Strength, ten points to Agility, ten points to Dexterity, nine points to Intelligence and nineteen points to Stamina.'
Confirm distribution of skill points?
'Confirm.'
Distributing skill points.
User: Jason Xilmoa.
Age: Twelve.
Race: Human
Level: 15
Experience: 90400/921600
Vitality: 100/100
Magic Essence: 100/100
Strength: 50
Agility: 30
Dexterity: 30
Intelligence: 24
Stamina: 34
Skill points: 0
Skill points distribution complete.
"Ready." I replied.
"Ready." El said.
"Begin the match!" Sherby shouted before swiftly retreating back to join the crowd as they watched the next events unfold.
I moved my right hand and my legs at the same time. My hand used my Storage skill and drew my sword out of my storage space while my feet moved as they dashed towards my prey. I was upon El before I even knew how. This speed was extremely frightening. I had just increased my stats. and didn't have any time to familiarise myself with my evolved body, hence the speed shocked even me. However, I already planned long ago to us this fight to help me improve my reaction speed in battle and how well I could improvise. I would use this battle to help me get used to my body.
I swung the Sword of The Nether down at El's head and hacked at him, aiming to take his life. Of course, I knew he could dodge this. If he couldn't do this much, then he didn't deserve to offend me in the first place.
"Hmph." El snorted. He immediately twisted his hands in a weird arc and pointed them upwards. A feeling of something forceful hitting my belly was transmitted across my body. I coughed as I was shifted in the air, though my sword had managed to still strike. I had hit, but not where I planned. Because of that hit I took, the sword direction was deflected and it dug into his shoulder instead. A loud cry was transmitted into my ears as I was on the ground, coughing.
"Mmmm." A forceful grunt was emmited from the mouth of my opponent. "You think you're some big shot just because you have a little power and can get strong fast, eh? You have no battle experience, whereas I have killed more than you could ever imagine."
'Huh? Wasn't he just hurt badly by my sword? How can he still walk and talk so easily?'
I struggled to my feet and saw El standing right in front of me, that hood hiding some concealed horror, and his right hand holding my blade. He threw it at my feet and said to me:
"Today, I will show you what it means to be a truly strong person." El said.
He immediately moved his hand upwards and took off an essential part of himself that I had always known him to have. El took off his hood. This made me confused.
Not because he took off his hood, no. But because he... was actually a she.