Eve was in the zone.

The fact that the rogue had attacks that were faster than her normal combat perception, like the Backstab that struck her the first day, gave Savage Survival Mind a shock.

The delay between conscious knowledge, and action had been too long. Savage Survival Mind combed through her memories settling on the concept of Zen. Eve had spent three days in a sort of meditative combat trance, her mind planning while her body fought.

Each attempt after the first shockingly successful attack was countered, and the Arena sands fed extensively. Hands, legs, hearts, lungs, blood, and more from the enemy rogue had all littered the sands at one point in time before being devoured by them.

It was clear that the rogue, Mick, had a method of restoring his body.

It didn’t matter to Eve, for while she fought her mind carefully analyzed the anti-magic field. The trance that allowed her to respond in an instant also provided all the focus she could ever want decipher the secrets of the trick keeping her from using mana.

Anti-magic was a bit of a misnomer.

Instead, the enchanted item created varying mana frequency vibrations disturbing the normal mana field. This made it next to impossible for an opponent to use their mana effectively. A mage, in theory, could study the affect and counter it given time. Time said mages wouldn’t have as they would also be under attack. There was also the need to understand what frequencies were, the knowledge of the math to decipher them, the patience to reverse engineer the effect, and of course have the mana pool that would allow actual progress. This same vibration was what allowed the use of passive effects to continue functioning. Like waves crashing upon the shore, the mana vibrations wouldn’t be able to budge the more solid form of passive mana effects, enchanted items, curses, or other such things.

It had taken Eve almost three days to figure out the frequency, sequence, and timing involved on the rogue’s enchanted device. In that time the battle had been shifted from the main Arena, to a smaller side stage, the better to pacify the crowd that hadn’t been pleased at the lengthy fight. Her plans had finally taken shape, and Eve was waiting now for a solid opportunity.

The marvelous thing about enchanted items was it was far easier to cause them to cease functioning, simply by overloading them in a variety of ways. Eve suspected the rogue she was fighting had some sort of danger sense, since the moment she had figured out how to destroy the anti-mana field item attacks had dropped to almost nothing.

It still won’t save them. The most valuable thing in a battle is time, and I’ve been given far too much of it. Eve thought as she started pulling books from her Inventory before placing them into the Library. A smaller Arena, means I can cover it completely in a weak Domain.

A weak Domain would normally be rather worthless compared to the compacted fifty meter one she had maintained so far. It wouldn’t allow her to stop Dimensional effects, only sense them occurring. However, there was one benefit that overrode the glaring weaknesses making it invaluable.

Mana resonance.

Within her Domain, weak or not, Eve was able to induce mana-resonance. Correctly tuned resonance would do to the enchanted anti-magic field device, what it would do to glass.

Shatter the sucker.

The moment the last book was within her Library and her Domain and Aura extended from wall to wall in the Arena, Eve began to twist her mana into a resonating vibration.

She stood in the exact center of the Arena’s sandy floor, waiting. Unlike the last time, Eve had a greater understanding of her opponent now. Had she maintained her grip on his person the first day and continued chopping, the fight would have likely ended. Unfortunately, her ignorance had allowed the situation to devolve into the current one. It was a lesson she internalized for the future.

Her attack had two prongs. First, Eve would destroy the rogue’s anti-magic field enchanted device. Second, the books she had stacked in her Library were all romance books, boosting her Charm to a staggering amount. It would be enough to give any hot-blooded man pause, and she planned on utilizing it ruthlessly.

The sun blazed overhead limiting the shadows available for the rogue to use, although the heat didn’t affect Eve at all. Waiting patiently, her lips took on a derisive smirk as an hour passed with no form of attack. The rogue definitely had a danger sense, but sadly it was being used against him.

“I claim victory under the Contract, Paragraph Fourteen, Lines A, C, and D. Please verify.” Eve said, her face a mask.

Confirmation in progress.

No attack has occurred within the last hour. Confirmed.

Under the Contract, the Rogue known as Mick Briggins has one minute to launch a valid attack or forfeit.

Gotcha. Eve thought as she sensed the rogue exiting his little hidey-hole dimension. As soon as he materialized into the Arena, several things happened at once.

The rogue’s enchanted anti-magic field device gave a soft pop turning into dust.

Eve, no longer restricted from teleportation, appeared directly next to the rogue her Jian already blurring into motion. She had three long days to think, and with the anti-magic device disabled her Aura revealed the truth. A single slice severed the rogue’s head from his body, but Eve didn’t let up. Her weapon shifted coating her fingers into razor sharp claws as she gripped the jaw forcing her enemy’s mouth to open.

There was a terrifying snick sound before Eve stepped back.

Her eyes watched the light leave her enemy’s eyes, as the rogue saw her holding his tongue with a sneer. Attached to the tongue in her hands, Eve looked in vindication at the bejeweled ring at the end of it. Shifting her weapon back into a Jian she pried all the meat off the ring pushing her mana into it. Claiming the ring took a moment, and activating it only required teleporting into a nearby shadow.

She didn’t have much time, as the dimensional artifact would be reclaimed by the Arena in short order. Paper flew from Nota, wrapping everything in the large room before dumping it all into her Inventory. As she shifted back into the Arena, Eve pumped mana into the artifact over loading it until a crack snapped into existence on the jewel’s surface. It wouldn’t stop someone from repairing the device, but it wouldn’t be useable in the short term, either.

Tossing the dimensional artifact on the cooling corpse Eve teleported to the exit ramp, moving rapidly down to her waiting room. Once inside, Eve pulled the Hut out from her Inventory tossing both Bridgette and Vivien inside. She knew that Kudzu would explain the plan to them, before placing them into plant based hibernation chambers like all the mice, wolves, sparrows, and plants already were in. Eve pulled food out devouring several tables before using the last remaining minutes before the next fight to wash up, dry her hair, and clean her gear. Three days without a bath, was true torture to Eve.

Three days of plotting and planning, and then refining said plans and plots further.

If she couldn’t kill the rogue in mere moments and figure out the location of the dimensional artifact after all that time, Eve might as well just commit suicide. She could feel several people gathering outside the waiting room, but they weren’t able to enter. Entering the waiting room could be construed as an attack which would be a pointless risk for the Arena. They were certain she had nowhere to go, so there was no reason to take risks.

Arrogant, thank the lord for small favors. Eve thought ruefully. Since I’m already in a glass jar, they figure everything is fine.

She shifted her Library back to the standard fifty meter configuration, reveling in the precision of her Domain and Aura.

Eve pulled up her Status, licking her lips in glee. She dumped the extra Stats into her Dragon Bank Card, and bought four ranks each in Shield and Sword of the Library.

With only thirty-six million Slots remaining Eve sent all her thought-streams searching for something to assist escape.

There were many possible options, but doubling down was a tried and true strategy for Eve.

Nature’s Song I (18,000,000 SS Points)

Non-metallic sub-elements under your control resonate with the world.

Harmony of Nature I (18,000,000 SS Points)

Non-metallic sub-elements under your control blend seamlessly with the world.

Double checking confirmed that she would be able to stack them both, even as the Ranks were increased. Eve purchased them spending her remaining Slots to purchase more Inventory space.

A quick look at her Status was enough to cement her current condition.

Race: Witch

Class: Witch of the Library

Profession: Talismanic Librarian

Level: 500

Health: 27,000/27,000 (2,700 HPs regen)

Mana: 27,000/27,000 (27,000 MPs regen)

Stats: Str 2,700; Dex; 2,700; Con 2,700; Wis 2,700; Int 2,700; Charm 2,700

Free Stats: 101,800

S/S Slots: 0

Skills:

Harmony of Nature I (0%)

Bond Familiar (25%)

Phylactery (Familiar) (10%)

Aura of the Library I (52%)

Spells:

Nature’s Song I (0%)

Transcendent Transfusion (25%)

Paper Plating (25%)

Domain of the Library I (52%)

Mental Traits:

Shield of the Library V

Traveler’s Immortal Core V

Acuity V

Savage Survival Mind V

Bibliotheca Mind V (67%)

Physical Traits:

Sword of the Library V

Traveler’s Immortal Core V

Grace V

Resist All Basic Elements V

Bibliotheca Body V (67%)

The addition of new things once Sword and Shield of the Library had gone to Rank V was quite interesting.

Shield of the Library V

Dimensional Effects cannot intrude into the Library.

Dimensional Effects cannot enter the Librarian’s Domain.

Spatial Effects cannot intrude into the Library.

Spatial Effects cannot enter the Librarian’s Domain.

Temporal Effects cannot intrude into the Library.

Temporal Effects cannot enter the Librarian’s Domain.

Demi-Divine Effects cannot enter the Librarian’s Domain.

Demi-Divine Effects cannot intrude into the Library.

Divine Effects cannot enter the Librarian’s Domain.

Divine Effects cannot intrude into the Library.

Passivity is not permission, morons!

Sword of the Library V

Paper will bypass Dimensional Effects within the Library.

Paper will bypass Spatial Effects within the Library.

Paper will bypass Temporal Effects within the Library.

Paper will bypass Demi-Divine Effects within the Library.

Paper will bypass Divine Effects within the Library.

You are never out of reach of late dues!

Wonderful. Eve thought sarcastically. System surety there is a god, and more than one at that!

Eve rolled her eyes making minor changes to her outfit before the soft chime of the nineteenth round sounded out.

She didn’t expect the Arena to make much effort in the next two rounds, because in the minds of those in charge, there was no point wasting further funds against her. Since her capture was only a matter of time, Eve half-expected barely functioning sick cats to be thrown at her.

Due to taking Bridgette and Vivien on, these last two fights wouldn’t even net her any Slots or Stats.

Still, arrogance is what got me in this position. Best to stay sharp. Eve thought, floating up the ramp to her next battle.