"What?" Kyrexiel asked, his eyes going from Elyrixa to Orso. 'Did I just hear him point at me?'
Orso continued speaking, ignoring him. "He doesn't look like much but the next fight is for tier one anyway. He should be able to hold his own right?"
Elyrixa hesitated and that hit Kyrexiel for the first time that he didn't know the Scuridae before today. He looked between the two, suddenly realizing he didn't even know why they were here in a crime lord club...bar..or whatever.
"I don't....he'll maybe join my clan," Elyrixa said with a glance at him. "Besides, I don't know if he'll be fit for fighting. He's still wounded you see."
Orso studied Kyrexiel with a glint in his eyes. "Is that so? That will make the crowd happy. They like someone to be bashed around. I think I've lost this fight today anyway by two losses. I'll use the third round to satisfy my crowd."
Elyrixa's tone was blunt when she spoke. "You're up to something, Orso. You have your clan and retainers to fight for you. What do you want and why do you call me?"
Orso removed his cigarette from his lips. "I have additional details about the...secret meeting you want to bust."
Elyrixa gritted her teeth. "Then just tell me. Your price was for me to share any information we collected on the day so I don't know what you are trying to pull here."
The two stared at each other and Kyrexiel breath easy. 'Maybe they'll forget about me now that they are facing each other'
No such luck because Orso pointed at him without even looking. "Let him get beaten. I don't want more of my people to get beaten tonight. Bad for business, you know."
Elyrixa's stare was unwavering. "He's under my protection, Orso."
He shrugged sluggishly, shoulders ripping powerfully. "And he'll still be. He's only going to get beaten. I'll give him a healing potion after and," his eyes turn hard. "I have information that might save your lives on that day. Indulge me."
Elyrixa hesitated and Kyrexiel clenched his teeth together, his heart beating steadily with the anger building inside him. How are they just talking about him as if he was a bull to be traded off for fighting?
As if his opinion didn't matter. Kyrexiel narrowed his eyes 'Wait.. my opinion didn't matter, not here. I haven't felt like this since I was a kid. I've made all my own decisions since I was grown enough for my parents to leave me but since I've come here everything seems to be out of my control'
And he knew the reason, the only opinion that matters here was that of a power. That's how you can take control of your life. And Kyrexiel's is as powerful as a duckling. Worse, as a Sicon he should be powerful but he lost all of that with his cowardly ways.
No, if he wanted to build the Great Clan of Hydraeus then he must learn to take charge. He assessed the situation. Elyrixa would have no choice but to agree, it's not like Kyrexiel worth that much to her.
So he leaned back and looked at Orso. "Tell me about the fight."
Elyrixa looked startled but the crime lord grinned. "What do I tell, Elyrixa! I have eyes for this type of thing! So the thing is that you will fight this tier one, rank three Rashaka. He'll beat you up but he won't kill you. Nothing to worry about!"
'Easy for you to say' Kyrexiel thought as he was led to the platform. The crowd cheers as if they knew him from somewhere but they are just fueled by their lust for blood.
Kyrexiel removed the dagger that Elyrixa gave him and waited until his opponent came forward. His opponent was built almost like him but taller and broader at the shoulder.
The watching crowd went even wider, his opponent, Lloe, was popular in beating people until they couldn't stand. Mostly because they are a few ranks below in the same tier.
Kyrexiel watched flatly until Lloe finally turned to him. "You shouldn't have to fight me! I'm ranked three while you are at the first rank!" He snorted together with the crowd.
Lloe (Kyrexiel didn't like that name) was right, Kyrexiel was such a coward that he didn't even bother to raise his ranks or tier all this years while he hid in the palace.
Fortunately for him, the first tier was just about the strength of the body. Nothing like the bloodline technique powered by mana. "Can we skip the part where you warn me about 'courting death?' Oh...sorry. Wrong world."
Lloe still looked confused and the crowd was also silent because this wasn't how it should be. The weaker one should be begging for his life. So Kyrexiel threw up his hand. "You know what, Fuck this. You're courting death!"
Then he ran forward, daggers pointed straight. He had no specific plans but all the times he had practice with daggers ran through his mind.
No longer bound by his cowardly mind his body exploded forward with a glee. Lloe reacted well for his rank, he swiped down with a short sword but Kyrexiel was fast and he ran under his guard before the sword reached him.
His dagger went straight for his left eye and he took it off with the tip of his dagger before he danced back and Lloe stumbled, yelping away.
He raised the eye still attached to the dagger. "I remember my teacher telling me the strength within the tier can be overcome with speed."
Kyrexiel smiled as he brought the eye to his mouth. He also remembered his instructors telling him that it was only for lower tier since higher ones are differentiated with bloodline techniques.
"No!" With his left hand pressed tight to his wounded eyes, Lloe ran forward to save his eye from Kyrexiel's hand. He let him get close then he darted to his now blind spot and put a dagger through his skull.