Chapter 251: A Statement Written in Blood

Dexic couldn’t help but chuckle as Max walked next to her.

The roar of the crowd was one thing, but the fact he had dyed his armor gold like hers was almost too much.

“We look like a pair of fools,” she shouted. “Why did you do that?”

“I told you already! Because I want everyone to know you are my family and I won’t let them touch you!”

A grin flashed across the woman’s face before her helm appeared. She waved to the crowd once before turning to watch the pair of elves Niccolo had finally selected as their first match up.

“I’m surprised by the matchup,” Max stated. “Solanci and Dorchaes are a powerful group of warriors and to risk their only set of warriors that can handle the fifty-first floor in the tower means something.”

“That they hate us?”

Chuckling, Max nodded and pointed at the duo.

“From what I know, they have both defensive and offensive skills. We’ll need to be smart. Go ahead and use all your skills, but also have some fun with that new sword.”

“You’re planning on holding off with yours?”

The look she gave him between the slits of her helmet couldn’t hide some concern.

“We’ll be fine. Trust me. Everything I know and all the training we have done spells one thing. Even better is what we’re going to loot from those two.”

A row of white teeth appeared, and Max grinned with his partner.

“Tanila had said those two would be outfitted to the gills, especially after the insult and challenge he gave. Whatever the Enlightened Soul Faction had worth taking was going to be on these four.

“If everything goes according to plan in one night, we are going to drain them of everything and it will take a long time before they dare to even look at us again.”

Max watched as the golden warrior stood a little taller, her shoulders held high.

[ Simple Stat Check ]

*****

Max Hoste

18-Year-old Human Male

Level 1

Exp 318/1000

Tower Experience: 30.00%

HP: 8805/8805

MP: 4850/4850

Stamina: 2935/2935

STR: 595

DEX: 537

CON: 587

INT: 485

WIS: 485

Defense of the Dragon - 14.5%

Defense of the Demon - 14.5%

Demon Essence: - 288

*****

They don’t have any idea what stands before them.

Chuckling, Max couldn’t help but agree with the voice in his head.

***

The protective dome was around them and the area they had to fight in had been expanded to a hundred yard wide section. All around it were healers waiting for those who might need it when the battle erupted.

“You’re certain we’re not going to move?”

Max nodded and ignored the sound of the announcer, who was giving one last attempt at working everyone up into a frenzy.

“Keep both swords out. Your dual wielding isn’t as good as your shield skill, but the stats you gain from both are going to be what matters. Whichever of the pair comes at each of us, you take yours out at the start. Get him to activate his defensive skills, then time your Power Strikes and finish him.”

Max couldn’t help but notice how she looked at him. Standing there with his halberd and shield, he looked more like a tank and less than one designed to do damage.

“Flipping roles like this might fool them, but then again–”

“Just kill yours,” Max said, interrupting her and pointing at the crystal above. “Three seconds and this starts. After that, let me have my fun.”

A loud sound rang out as the bell sounded and both of the Elven men, dressed in full plate armor, began their approach. Each had a shield and a sword that glistened in the colosseum's light. Max could make out the faint glow of a magical enchantment that looked like the lightning element on the sword.

Smart move for the potential stun it might give.

Neither moved as fast as possible, yet Max stood there flat-footed, grinning as the pair approached.

At twenty-five yards the pair stopped, and one called out.

“Are you going to fight or stand there like a coward?”

“Dorchaes?!”

The elf shook his head.

“Oh, then you must be the coward I heard so much about!” Max shot back, grinning as the eyes of Solanci narrowed at him.

The elf said something and charged, moving slightly faster than his ally, who moved to where Dexic stood ready.

The sword that Solanci had moved toward him and Max deflected it with his halberd, beginning a dance that slowly turned the elven warrior from his friend.

Strike after strike, followed by attempted kicks and shield bashes came as Solanci tried to break through Max’s defenses, yet with the Dexterity stat he had, combined with Evasion and Sonar, it felt like he was battling a person ten tower floors or lower.

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Each attack got faster and Max realized the elf had tried to see just how fast he was, slowly building up and moving towards his true top speed.

The sounds of the people watching filled the air even if the barrier helped to cut it down tremendously.

Sparks flew as weapons collided and Max continued his dance of defense, still grinning as he watched with his sonar Dexic land the first strike against Dorchaes.

The elf had used his defensive skill, stopping the first Power Strike the warrior had used. Her second offensive skill called out the rumored one that was supposed to be similar to his Evasion and once it was no longer active, Dexic’s next attack had taken off the elf’s weapon hand.

Her opponent cried out but Solanci couldn’t turn to assist, having just realized the boy he had expected to school and quickly kill wasn’t struggling at all to keep up, even when the elf finally reached his true combat potential.

A few more seconds passed and Max sensed Dexic land another attack, piercing the shoulder of the injured right side.

Every breath was a barrage of attacks, and Dorchaes couldn’t stand against the fury of the golden warrior. Her rage was being released as she yelled, seeming to earn the cheers of the crowd.

Solanci shifted, preparing to have to face both of them, and Max gave up space, letting the elf get an eyeful of his ally getting taken apart.

Ten seconds later, the sound of a head hitting the ground signaled the end of his ally and a look of fear peered out from under the silver and gold etched helm.

“Don’t worry,” Max said as Dexic put one of her weapons away and picked through the dead corpse, sliding rings off and putting other items into storage. “You and me. She will not help. This fight is so that every elf out there who thinks they can just roll over someone like me learns it won't always work out as they hoped.”

Solanci still waited, shock wearing off as Dexic pulled out a chair and moved back about ten yards after having stored the rest of the Elven corpse and sat down.

Max moved, his weapon a blur, spinning and striking as combination attacks came.

A hit with the hammer side turned into a kick against his weighted shaft, sending it upward with speed and force, knocking the warrior back slightly as his shield blocked the blow.

That led to a slice, and then a stab, followed by another combination that never ended.

Each attack had the elf on the retreat, backing up, sensing the strength behind each hit, realizing that the speed was coming faster than he could match.

Blood seeped out from the grooved section of his armor as Max setup attacks that put the elf out of position before the pointed tip quickly pierced and then came out, making sure to only cause a minor injury.

Time moved on and blood formed a line in the dirt as Solanci moved backward, hobbling from wounds to both legs and hips.

“I yield!”

Max shook his head, the smile gone, now a grim expression of one who had a job and was going to see it through no matter what.

“Death is the only escape.”

Those blue eyes of his opponent saw the blade, watched the weapon, lost track of where it was, felt his arms and shield get moved from the force.

A crunch came and the shield arm fell, the blade of his axe having cleaved the joint at the shoulder.

Blood gushed out, and the crowd roared with delight.

The elf had no more skills to call upon. They had been used dozens of attacks ago, only able to stop the onslaught for just a moment.

“Please! I–”

The words stopped as Max ended the fight. He wasn’t one to torture a person, but Tanila had said he needed to prove a point. If it had been his way, this would have been over within the first few seconds, but she was right.

Only one way would prevent the zealots within the elf faction from bothering him again, and this was how it needed to be done.

He would crush their spirits, destroy their champions and set them back so far they wouldn’t risk another life.

A cold wave of power filled him, and Max smiled.

[ Consume has Consumed a Skill ]

[ Skill Consumed is Equal to Current Skill ]

[ Power Stored for Future Use ]

[ Consume has Consumed a Skill ]

[ Skill Consumed is Equal to Current Skill ]

[ Power Stored for Future Use ]

[ Consume has successfully Consumed a Skill ]

[ Would you like to learn [Protect Ally]? ]

[ Yes / No ]

Grinning, Max selected yes as he stored his weapon and began to loot his fallen foe.

***

“So I take back everything bad I ever said about you,” Dexic said as she let Max walk her to the staging area. “I’m glad I never pissed you off after watching what you did to him.”

Shrugging, Max gave her a gentle shove and pointed to where the queens were sitting.

“Did you see the look on Sylvandra? She was absolutely horrified and both Queen Molly and Macy appeared to not remain as neutral as I had expected.”

Snorting, Dexic shook her head.

“Those two love bloodshed, and watching someone suffer through what you did is something each of them enjoys. If the Elven Queen wasn’t here, I would have expected both of them to summon you and shower you with a gift.”

Shaking his head, Max winced.

“I’ve been before them once and I’d prefer to never have to experience that again if I can get away with it.”

“We both know that won’t happen after today.”

Both of them halted as Dexic reached the edge of the grounds and a guard stood before them.

She turned and held out a hand, smiling as Max shook it.

“Go end this. Just remember, make sure they never forget our Faction’s name.”

Nodding, Max turned and strode toward the area where a pair of guards clad in red armor waited for him.

***

Across the ring was Daelina. Her red hair braid hung from behind her chained helm, and those green eyes shook as she watched him.

The crowd was roaring as the pair waited for the bell to sound and Max tried to not smile too much.

There were only fifty yards to fight in now and they were only thirty yards apart.

She had two swords out and Max could sense they shook slightly.

“Do you want it to be quick or suffer?”

Daelina jerked her arms at his question.

“You can’t be serious!”

Shrugging, Max pointed to the blood that trailed through the dirt off to the side behind him.

“I didn’t offer Solanci that choice. He was a message I sent to everyone who has attempted to hurt me or my family. You can’t escape, but I can make this quick.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The elf spat on the ground and glared at him.

Tanila warned me about this.

“You think this will matter?! That Elven bitch that dotes on you will suffer! No longer will her disrespect to our king be–”

word,bell rang out, and before Daelina had said another word Max was in her face.

His hands gripped each of her wrists and he squeezed, hearing the bones shatter as the woman cried out.

Rage filled his eyes and his foot came down, shattering one of her feet and then the next.

“No one will dare to touch her!” he roared.

Both swords clattered to the ground and Max felt himself let go.

I cannot do what needs to be done or I may lose myself. If you want this moment, you may have it. Just let me not see what you do.

The voice in his head came and the chill of it almost made him regret those words.

I shall gladly teach these fools we are not ones to trifle with and that those you have marked as yours are protected.

Closing his eyes, Max let go.

***

It is done.

His vision returned and Max glanced down at the ground.

The body was gone from the soil and the dirt was littered with pieces of flesh, bones, and organs. Glancing at where the two queens sat he saw them both on their feet, clapping and cheering.

Pain in his heart forced him to turn to where he knew Tanila was. His eyes locked upon hers across the distance and she winced, nodding once.

Taking a deep breath, Max moved back to the starting place.

One fight left to go.

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