"And the winner for this week's Musical Competition is…John Doe who performed Fair Love! Congratulations you have won the a Blue Fame Teqx with a 90% chance of having a Voice Box skill!"
"Oh! Come on! That's unfair!"
"Grammo Beatik should have won that!"
"What were the judges thinking?"
The general consensus among the crowd was that the judges picked the wrong winner. After all, they didn't even remember when or what this John Doe guy performed. He simply didn't leave a lasting impression like Grammo.
Unfortunately, the winner was not decided with a popularity contest. Only the judges decided that. And for some reason, the judges had a thoroughly different idea of who was the most deserving to win the Voice Box Teqx.
The judges' opinions were the final call. It didn't matter if they thought that the most beautiful face should win, or if the tallest person should win. It didn't even matter if they decided who didn't win because they were bribed by a powerful inheritor with a powerful father.
Grammo took a deep breath and nodded to himself. He was already expecting this kind of result since he didn't really impress the judges on his singing. He just couldn't help himself. He was feeling the flow of the crowd and forgot the one thing that Patty told him not to do. Stupid me, Grammo thought to himself. He was doing well with his guitar skills, but he sabotaged himself with that stunt.
"Sorry man. I should have prevented those guys from riling up the crowd," Patty apologized.
"No, it's fine. I probably would have sung anyway. It's just…it was the first time I felt people cheering for me, I just got carried away."
"Don't worry. We'll find another way to help your singing." Patty consoled him. "We still got a whole week left before the bet."
Grammo nodded and smiled a little bit. But no matter how much he tried to pass off this loss, his shoulders were visibly sunken, his head was bent down, and his movements were very sluggish.
With the music competition over, the festival was winding down and coming to a close. The food stalls were visibly empty, with the attendants no longer cooking extra food to display. They were already in the midst of cleaning up their utensils and they were just waiting for the customers to buy their remaining stock. Unfortunately for Patty, the massage chair store was already long closed even before the music competition ended.
"You did good today," Patty complimented Grammo. "You almost won the whole competition, which is just enough proof that you have the talent to become a musician. Now, we should go home, relax, and re-energize ourselves to find another method tomorrow."
Grammo agreed with Patty. A lot happened just today. First, Patty bet expulsion with the professor, then they almost lost their lives against a Fiend, then Grammo almost won the competition, but then ultimately lost it due to the judges decision. Both of them were drained of energy, especially Patty.
[Energy: 10.82/100]
This was the lowest he had ever been. He actually felt lethargic, even more than he usually was. It was like his body was actually devoid of any energy, and even if he tried to be more energetic and move his body like he was exercising, his body would actively fight him and prevent him from using excess energy.
"You're right. I should relax."
"Yes, you should." Patty agreed. "Now, push me. I want to go home." He wasn't going to forget that Grammo was contractually obligated to be his butler and push him around everywhere. It was even more important since his energy levels were critically low.
[Mission]
[Requirement]
• Go home
[Reward]
• 100 Credits
Grammo just shook his head and pushed the rolling chair as they did before. But they didn't even get through the exit before they were blocked by two Atlas security guards. They were wearing full armor that covered everything from their head to toes. They were intimidating even though they didn't have any guns on them.
"Excuse me, are you Parick Patterson, a fourth year at Chain High School Education?"
In the middle of the guards was the same old man who tried to recruit Patty before. It looked like this time, he had back-up.
Earlier, Patty refused anything that this old guy offered him, no matter what it was. He didn't even listen to what the old man was saying, he would always answer no even if the guy wasn't finished talking. He would never join any company like Atlas Incorporated no matter how much they tried to offer him. He simply didn't like the working conditions of these kinds of jobs, because–well, he just didn't like working. In fact, he didn't want any job from any company. He just wanted to exist in his house and watch television all day long in his bed.
Yes, he did have ambitions and dreams, but he simply didn't want to work hard for them. If he couldn't achieve those dreams while he was lying on his bed, then he wouldn't even bother trying to achieve them in the first place.
And these types of companies promised all kinds of success in exchange for hard work. To which, Patty would simply reply: why does work have to be hard?
"No," Patty preemptively answered.
The old man laughed a little bit to himself, thinking that this opportunity was wasted on this student, but he had a job to do. His superior wanted to recruit Patty, so it must be done.
"I will be frank, young Patrick. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you. One of our bigshots have deemed you worthy of becoming his direct disciple. Your life will completely change; you will be taught by the best there ever was. You need not worry about internships or temporary contracts, you will immediately receive royal treatment in our company as long as you say yes."
"Yes!" Grammo answered for Patty.
"NO."
The old man was starting to get annoyed. What does Patty not understand? Does he not understand that the only way to become stronger in this world was to learn from those already strong? Does he not know that the only way to make money was to already have money? Does he not know that the easiest way to be famous was to be together with an already famous person?
Joining the Atlas company will already skyrocket his career, not to mention becoming a direct disciple of Dione, a founding father of the company itself. Patty would have the honor of becoming the first and only disciple of Dione, inheriting all of the treasures he accumulated in his life.
"Why won't you join them?" asked Grammo.
"I want to be lazy. Being a direct disciple of some bigshot might look good on paper, but that would mean having to shoulder a lot of expectations and burdens. I would have to work twice as hard to prove that I deserve that opportunity, I have to work hard and make sure not to disappoint my master. No thanks. I don't want to carry all that."
Knowing how much of a lazy bum Patty can get, Grammo finally knew why he was so adamant in refusing this offer. He was just set on being lazy. That was the whole and only reason. It was comparable to when he forced others to hear him sing. Sure, if he had just played the guitar he could have won, but for Grammo whose entire dream was to sing, only playing the guitar to win wasn't really considered a win.
"I get it. You heard the man, now please move out of the way." Grammo tried to squeeze the rolling chair between the two guards, but unfortunately, they were under strict orders to never let them pass.
"Don't you see? These two are the lowest level guards in our company, but they are suited with top of the line combat armor that can even withstand a full on attack from a Fiend. They are trained with the best muscle growth program and taught the top of the line Martial Arts that money can buy. This is just a glimpse of what the company can do for you."
Despite all that impressive show of power, Patty was unimpressed. It was like he didn't believe that they were all that powerful.
"Don't believe me? Try and push them away. Even if you use a hammer, they won't move. I dare you."
The old man knew that Patty's main weakness was that he was very weak. He might have very good eyes, and he might have instincts and perception greater than a hawk, he still can't beat a guard in a hand to hand combat.
"What are you going to do?"
"You're really trying to push them without even winding up your elbows?"
"See, it doesn't—wait. Wait. WHAT!?"
The old man witnessed how Patty simply put his hand up against the chestplate of the guards–just a simple light touch–and the supposed 'tough' armor dented to the shape of his fingers. It crumpled like wet clay and Patty was the pottery master leaving his fingerprints in his work. Even the guards were surprised as they felt slow but strong weight forcing them to move aside.
"Okay, Grammo the coast is clear. VROOM VROOM!" Patty said as Grammo rushed out, leaving the speechless old man behind.
—----------------------
"GUHAGUHAGUHA! I have come looking for copper and struck gold!"
Up above the sky, Dione watched all of this unfold. He was the only one who knew that the Atlas combat armor was made out of 40-fold Damascus steel, which meant that Patty was either as strong or stronger than that. It was a strength that no normal human could exert even if they trained their body for their whole lives.
That meant Patty must have a physical enhancement Teqx. But then what about his supernatural instinct and senses? That could also only be achieved through a Teqx.
A person could only have one Teqx. Patty seemed to have two.
Dione's desire to have Patty become his protege became even hotter than before. He must do anything to recruit him before he gets snatched away by other strong beings.
"Oh, and those judges must be fired. They have no place in this company anymore." And just like that, those three judges were erased from the company list and stripped of their jobs in the instant he said those words.