A few hours before Zane went to the mortal arena, Willow city, Dancing Rum tavern.
Team David were sited on their table enjoying a couple of drinks, Candy wasn't with them though.
"I got a letter from mother yesterday" Adam said.
"Typical" Clara mumbled, not even trying to hide her displeasure.
"What do you mean by that?" Adam asked.
"You were always her favorite" Clara grumbled.
"Ohh grow up Clara you know that's not true" Adam retorted.
"What did the letter say?" Clara asked.
"Nothing much, just to greet us and to say that the sheep bred nicely this year" Adam shrugged.
"So mother used 10 gold coins to send a letter just to greet her favorite child, how sweet" Clara said sarcastically.
David raised an eyebrow to Adam and Adam just shrugged his shoulders to show that he also didn't know why Clara was so irritable that day.
A man suddenly entered the bar and went to sit on the group's table. "Hey guys" he nodded at everyone before signaling the waitress.
"Who the fuck are you?" Clara asked. Every little thing seemed to make her angry today. However even though her words were uncalled for, David and Adam were wondering the same thing.
The man looked at everyone with slight surprise "Wait aren't you guys the ones who called for the male stripper?" he asked. It must be noted that the man didn't say these words quietly.
The mouths of the group opened in surprise "Chris!?, how?" David asked in shock. They had seen Chris the day before and he was still definitely mortal.....and fat.
"It was Zane, he can make any mortal into a mage, by injecting his mana into them" Chris said as he took his drink from the waitress. Not forgetting to wink at her.
Originally, Chris wouldn't tell anyone Zane's secret. However Zane has become useless to him, all he wanted from Zane was to become a mage and that was done so he couldn't care less about Zane anymore.
"What!?" David spat out his drink in surprise, almost dousing Chris with the contents of his mouth. That was when multiple tongues of flames appeared and burnt all the tea before it touched Chris.
"Nice" Clara said. She could tell that Chris' control was a little better than her own when she was still in the first rank.
"Seriously though, how is that possible?" Adam mumbled.
"But then if he could do that why look for a job, he could just breakthrough and become a mage anytime he wants right?" Clara said.
"Yes he can, but if he does that his plan wouldn't work now would it?" Chris said.
"What plan?"
"Zane has some kind of secret dimension that works like a storage ring. With this secret dimension he can store anything he wants without anyone finding it" Chris revealed.
The news further shocked the group. Did they even know Zane at all!?.
"His plan was, and most probably still is, to rob all of you if we one day do a high paying mission." Chris said.
"What!?, but how is that possible. We all know Zane he isn't that kind of person." Clara defended Zane.
"Do we really know Zane?, you might not have seen it but Zane's physical strength is at the level of a High Mage" Chris said.
The group narrowed their eyes at that, they never saw it so they didn't believe it.
"Have you ever seen a mortal healer, who can do what Zane can do?. Did you guys see how fast he healed David that time after the fight against Peter!?. That isn't possible and you all know that. That man has secrets and i can assure you he isn't here on good merit" Chris exclaimed.
"Chris you're the one who introduced us to him, so if he's as shady as you say then you're part of it" Adam said.
"He convinced me to introduce him to you on the premise that he will make me a mage when he finishes his plan. However I didn't want to screw you guys over but at the same time I needed to breakthrough so I convinced him to do his side of the deal before he steals from you guys" Chris explained.
"Then he lied about being blind, he obviously isn't blind. He just said that to sound innocent, and to further throw you guys off the truth. He said he can see mana, how the fuck can you guys believe such an abvious lie!?" he continued.
"He even said he didn't have an element. Now let me ask you guys, is that possible?. Of course not! he lied about that too."
"Remember Adam you even asked if he had the lightning element due to how fast he reacted to you throwing that piece of bread at him?, well you were right, he does have the lightning element!."
"He even joked about his element being mana itself, how stupid is that!?" Chris exclaimed.
The group all glanced at each other, in thought. Everything Chris said made more sense than what Zane told them.
"How was he going to steal from us?" Clara asked.
"He hadn't told me that part yet, but what I do know is that he can make things disappear into his secret storage by only a touch" Chris revealed.
"Think about it, why would a mortal mage as gifted as him choose to follow around a hunter group on dangerous missions?. With his skills he could open a healer's shop and make double what he makes right now in the safety of the city!." Chris convinced.
"We hear you Chris but you also lied to us. Why should we believe you now instead of killing you?" David asked with murderous intent.
Chris however wasn't fazed by David's murderous glare "At least i am now doing the right thing, David do you remember the mortal tournament that happens once a year?" he asked.
"Yes I do, I did participate in it 15 years ago" David answered.
"Zane is a student of Old man Reed and he is going to partake in the mortal tournament this year" Chris revealed.
"So what's wrong with that?" Adam asked. The mortal tournament might be a secret, but it wasn't for someone with as many connections as Chris. The group also knew about it because David once took part.
"David, what is the reward for competing in the tournament?" Chris asked.
"Ten grade one mana cores" David mumbled with his fingers on his chin.
"Exactly!, so even if Zane loses the tournament, he still gets enough cores to breakthrough. So why would he work for you guys and risk his life when he is guaranteed to breakthrough?" Chris said.
"That son of a bitch!" Clara slammed her hand on the table, almost breaking it in the process. She was furious at Zane for trying to trick them, but she had to admit he was a cunning bastard.
"There's no proof that Zane is Old man Reed's student" David said, he really didn't want Chris to be telling the truth because if what Chris says is true, then they were tricked by a mortal, how embarrassing would that be?.
"There is proof, he's at the old man's house right now, let's go" Chris said as he stood up. The group sighed but also followed, they needed to know the truth.
The group walked to Old man's house and got into a shop opposite it. It was a clothing shop but they didn't buy anything they just stood at the window, looking at the entrance to Old man's house.
To their dismay, a few hours later. Zane walked out of the house with two men, they all seemed to be laughing at something one of the men said.
"See?, that's his true team. Zane is the enemy"