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Volume 5

Chapter 30: Red Metal

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Siva was silent. He nodded at Thorn and thought of the name Lolita Corals. Apparently, that name rings a bell deep in his memories.

It was like that same feeling when he was familiar with something and was also not at the same time.

Before, he thought of these Deja Vus as something to ignore but ever since he had learned of his forgotten memories that had a connection to the mysterious girl named Samantha, he began to suspect that there are a lot of important things he had forgotten.

In fact, when he saw Samantha ‘died’, he actually felt really heartbroken… the kind that bothered him even until now whenever he thinks about it.

Of the three, Volt was confused, “What is this annual Youth Conclave of Achievers?”

Thorn said, “It is the annual congregation of the world’s best youth achievers. As you’ve known, ever since the World Government –UNICORN, has been established, the academic system of all countries had been unified into a single integrated system and thus, whoever achieves the greatest academic results or at least had special achievements shall be invited to attend the Annual Youth Conclave of Achievers.”

“Was it just purely academic results that entitle one to be invited into that assembly?”

“Not entirely, no.” Thorn shook his head and glanced at Siva. “For example, him, Rex Kingsley. Although he wasn’t any better than Lolita Corals in terms of academic achievements, as far as I know, he earned his invitation because of his achievements.”

Volt glanced at Siva and smiled bitterly. “You were that cool?”

If his skin wasn’t black, then perhaps Siva was beet red at the moment. He shook his head and answered Volt’s honest request for an explanation.

“I am not really good at academics. But I won the International Sagittarius Championships, won 16 Gold medals at the Sea Games Swimming events, and the Championships in both the Juniors Cup and the Open Wimbledon Tournament all in one year.”

Volt was silent for a few seconds, processing this kind of information.

Three types of sports events and he won them all in a streak in under a year.

If he wasn’t a prodigy of sports, then what was he?

And yet, when Volt was about to accept that fact, he heard Thorn spoke in a rather rebuking tone.

“That’s not the reason why you were invited.” He said and Volt was genuinely surprised. “You were invited because you are the youngest winner of the Nobel Prize award in this century because of your collaboration to the development of the [Android Mobile Armor] systems by submitting the general engineered frame design for it.”

“You contributed to the Android Program?” Volt was unable to believe it.

Two years ago, there was an announcement to the world for aspiring engineers and inventors to come up with an integrated engineering design for the frame for a technology called [Android] by the UNICORN.

People around the world submitted their own designs and even he, Matthew, actually sent his own.

But not only did he not pass through the preliminary eliminations, his design was actually rejected as to having too many flaws by the screening directors.

It was one good thing to be able to receive genuine advice from his design but to actually meet someone who actually passed through all the strict screening qualifications and to contribute directly to the design of the Android Systems, Rex Kingsley is such a legend.

And he all did it while still being under 20 years of age. For Volt who was at the same age bracket as Rex Kingsley, it was such a blow to both his pride and his ego. And yet he can’t find any reason to hate Siva.

Instead, he felt surprise, yes, but also genuine joy. In a way, he also felt proud because he was friends with the youngest winner of the Nobel Prize award.

But before his joy took control of his thoughts, he looked at the display of Thorn and asked, “How do you know about this? Wasn’t the result unannounced by the UNICORN?”

“This…” Having asked that question, Thorn didn’t look at Volt but rather to Siva.

Volt then recalled who Thorn was on the other side of this world and regretted ever asking that question.

But Siva didn’t pursue the matter because it didn’t matter to him. He then asked Thorn instead, “I’m more interested to this Lolita Corals. Is she a really strong player in Terroa?”

“Yes.” Thorn replied. “Lately, she’s been slowly getting all attention in the Southern Continent of Heartilia. Although I didn’t know the exact reasons why she knows of Cedric but I did know that she was once defeated by a certain Magician and this sparked her competitiveness to burn ever since. She did not attend the Conclave and instead focused playing here and eventually… well, I could only imagine just what had happened in there in the Mansion.”

“So you do understand now.” Siva nodded at Thorn.

Volt only felt being silent and keeping pace with all of these was the right chose for him.

When the moments passed, Volt then changed the subject and wore a serious face. “Putting aside that girl, the Temple will not let you off easily for killing a High Magistrate. There are certain magic spells that can track a person’s Mana fluctuations. Maybe by now, you are being traced.”

Hearing this, Siva shook his head and wore a smile.

“I’m positive that if they’re going to trace me using my Mana, they’re going to be disappointed.”

Volt nodded. “True.” while Thorn had a face asking to be enlightened. “Your cursed state prohibits you to use any magic in exchange for double your physical abilities. That said, I would assume that since you went to get The Record, you are in the middle of doing something. Should we meet right now and go our way to Alexandria?”

Siva shook his head. “No, not yet. I need to get an S-Class Weapon for the Black Tech because I can’t use either of my Black Ender or Dragunov. I still need them both. But in order to maximize the Black Ball’s effects, I need to at least max out how many forms it can assimilate.”

Thorn thought for a moment then he said, “Based only on our experience with that Demon Commander, I’d wager he’s at the bottom ranks. Let’s assume that you can assimilate five forms from his Black Ball, so you’ll need five S-Ranked Inventions to be assimilated with it.”

Siva had a serious tone replying, “I currently have four Equipment Items from those I have looted since the War of the Two Powers. I can create a maximum of four S-Class Inventions with average strengths with them. That’s no problem since they’re just for the Forms but I still need to get another S-Class weapon as the Core Holder and that’s what I lack right now. I already made all my calculations, although I still have the small amounts of resources left from when I defeated the Forest Dragon in Hagonoy, even when adding the rest of the current Monster Resources, it’s still not enough to create another S-Ranked Weapon, even of the lowest of quality.”

The three went into silence as they thought of a workaround in this problem.

It is true that they were in a hurry but the next city was still too far away and they can’t waste any more time for a detour. Or at least, Siva doesn’t want to and wanted to go directly straight towards their main goal: Alexandria.

To travel at the fastest speed possible, they will have to go on a literally straight line.

With their experience in the Ice Giant’s Mountain and the forest just below it, with the lurking demons and their bases in the empty lands of The North, adding the dangers of Pirates and Bandits, there was just no time for them to actually hunt more monsters then stop over another city just so Siva could upgrade and use his Black Ball.

That said, since they are in Warjillis, their thoughts all went into one single idea as the three raised their heads and looked at their displays, saying at the same time.

“The Coliseum.”

Siva made a slight chuckle and then nodded. “I’ve decided. Let’s enter the Arena Matches as a team.”

“Now?” Asked Volt, blinking.

“Are you sure?” Thorn asked.

Siva eyed the two and checked the time remaining for the installment process then said, “We will win. I may not be able to use any magic but you guys can.”

That said, Siva pulled up a MOD, two Talismans, then a few more equipment items from his inventory, and showed them to the two. Seeing these items, both Volt and Thorn can’t help but to have beads form on their temples and cheeks.

“You’re really serious about this, huh?”

“I can’t believe it. While others are ecstatic searching even for just one MOD, you actually have two of them in your arsenal. This is unfair.”

Thorn and Volt respectively said their whining but the fact remains that with what Siva said and with these things he’s brought up, their chances of winning the battles in the Arena had just gone up into a cheating level.

“We will win.” Siva said proudly.

.

*****

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Naturally, every major city on the other continents all has their own Coliseums –a place where players and even NPCs can go up against each other in a one vs one, team vs team, or one vs team battle royal.

Some uses these fights to temper themselves. Some fights to overcome a weakness. Some also fight, like Siva’s team, for the sake of the prizes.

“Are we really going to enter a team vs team battle?”

Siva patted Volt’s shoulder and made a thumb’s up to ease his worries. “You have my Dragunov and my Telekinesis Talisman. Just use it the way I taught you to and you will be fine.”

Volt looked at Thorn as Thorn had a look of unsureness in his eyes as well.

In the waiting room intended only for applicants who wanted to have a fight in the arena, in the Team vs Team Battle Royal category, there are no minimum number of participants in a team, only a maximum number of 9 members in a team. With that given, a group comprised of only three members against the rest of the teams of nine members is simply laughable no matter how it is seen.

When their team arrived at the registration booth outside the arena and announced that they wanted to fight in the Team vs Team battle, many people saw them and thought that they were ignorant fools so they all called their Guild Mates and stalked them.

A team of three people fighting in a full nine-member team in a Team vs Team battle in the arena is an easy prey in their eyes.

Many who doesn’t want to risk a [Game Over] in the arena signed up for the sake of robbing these three.

Now that they are in the waiting room, waiting for the announcer to determine their match up depending on their stakes, Volt and Thorn couldn’t help having second thoughts themselves.

“Still, this thing is really unbelievable.” Thorn said as he studied the set up that Siva taught him.

In his vision was a Talisman Settings on his ability slots and Thorn can’t help but to actually look at Siva with disbelieving eyes.

“If you’re not cursed, then perhaps you alone can contend with these people.”

When he said that, the three of them looked at the crocodiles inside the room that all had vicious smiles on their faces while looking at their direction.

A single waiting room can house six teams and thus, even with its grand size, it felt like they were rabbits in a room full of wolves that made the air tighten.

But despite the pressure, Siva was calmly seated in his chair, arms crossed, and bowing with his eyes closed in meditation.

All three of them wore white masks where Siva wore his Volume Hunter’s outfit. Of the three of them, he was the least equipped and underneath his cloak is only his Flight Armor.

He looks basically naked while the other on his sides wore their respective armors. Although Thorn had to modify how his TOS Guild Armor looks like as to not arouse any suspicion from the audience.

Looking at the two at his side, wearing the white version of The Destroyer’s mask made them look more handsome than before.

Thorn had an elegant look in his bearing of authority while Volt had a youthful air that gave him an adorable atmosphere because of his anxiousness.

And then there’s Siva who had a calm and col air on him while silently seated there as if everything around him doesn’t matter at all.

But in fact, even though he doesn’t look like it, he was actually attentively looking at his player panel. To be exact, he was looking at the [Creation Bar] for an Invention he was making.

Thorn and Volt knew this and even though they were surprised that he had a Weapons Builder set in his inventory, they easily accepted the reason why he had to venture to The Temple and then getting into all that trouble just to get The Record.

At the silent moments, a group of six people went to them wearing mocking faces and a grin of confidence.

Their leader had a red mohawk haircut and even though he came from the noble Atlas Tribe, his skinny body and punkish clothes revealing his abs and thin muscles betrayed all the nobility of his racial origin.

What more, his head was full of piercings and even his tongue had one as he looked more of a burglar than a nobility of the Atlas Tribe.

The rest of his crew was all of the Gonn Race with big bulging muscles in their arms and chests.

All of them six wore the same chest-revealing clothes that seem to be the trademark of the Guild where they originated from.

“Yoooo…” greeted the leader. “Hello there from the Iron Pole Guild. My name is Red Metal, the Guild Leader of this humble bunch. May I ask for the great origins of you three so that in the upcoming fight, we can enjoy our feast.”

When the leader spoke, he didn’t hide his smile of greed and tone of confidence. Clearly, he had already deduced that their small number of three was already doomed to be defeated by the first group they’ll be battling in the arena.

The question was pointed at Siva who seemed to be their small group’s leader and with the shadows of the five Gonn Race looming over them, the confidence of the one named Red Metal could be said to be soaring in the sky at the moment.

Siva was in his Volume Hunter outfit and even though he didn’t wear his skull mask, his white mask is still that of the red-eyed white mask version of his [The Destroyer] persona.

Lifting his head, he met the man’s eyes and didn’t speak for even a single word.

The two only glared at each other for the next five seconds before Red Metal felt the awkward coldness of the silent moments. A bead of sweat flowed down his cheek as he leaned back and actually took a step back –just in time when Siva raised his right index finger to point at his face then swipe that finger to point at the right side.

Following that direction, Red Metal looked at his left only to see the exit door of the waiting room.

Siva wasn’t even speaking a word and only did the same action twice. Then trice. And on the fourth time in the row, Red Metal gulped his saliva and was the first to take the lead to escape the waiting room.

His subordinates were surprised but at the same time, they understood and wordlessly followed their Guild Leader outside of the waiting room.

They didn’t say a word, neither is Thorn and Volt.

When Red Metal and his crew exited the waiting room, he collapsed on the wall while his face was full of sweat, looking back at the door of the waiting room.

“Boss!” called one of his crew. “What was that?”

“That guy…” Red Metal gulped again and stood up with shaking knees. “I can tell that he’s really very dangerous.”

Hearing this, his crew all gulped down and then bid the waiting room a glance. They all too felt the pressure from that man’s gaze and even though he didn’t say anything, his actions just now and the way he handled them all spoke of his ability.

These kinds of abilities are what make up a really powerful individual. Defeating a weak opponent without taking a step is proof of one’s strength.

In hindsight, it was also a good thing.

Forcing one’s luck in fighting someone stronger than them is just asking to be beaten like a dog. So instead of having bad thoughts to what happened, they all actually saw it the other way around and had to be thankful to the consideration of that person.

“He’s strong.” Said Red Metal. “In the future, if there is a chance, we have to curry favour with him and it’s also possible, we can even become his followers. To be that guy’s subordinate ain’t that bad considering there is really a small number of people in this world with that kind of strength of his.”

Even though Red Metal had a crooked appearance in the way he dressed, talked, and acted, he was actually a man of little virtue.

He may not be a good person in his entirety, but he was the kind that doesn’t know how to recognize what is still okay and what is enough. Being in this city of Warjillis, leading his crew of these Gonn Race is just a result of bitter circumstances.

They came to The North to temper themselves but had become victims to the cruel Bandits and Pirates who roam the forest and plains.

After all that had happened, they had learned to be a cruel group just like how they were treated and when they saw the opportunity when the three came into the arena, they thought that they can turn a new leaf and baptize themselves into the way of The North.

But sadly, they had to face that kind of man instead.

With tears in his eyes, Red Metal looked up to the ceiling of the hallway and clenched a fist in his chest.

“I’m sorry, brothers, I am a failure of a leader.”

Hearing this, the five Gonn Race crew all had tears in their eyes and wiped them with their bulging biceps, telling their leader that it was alright.

“No! We are the failure of an underling, leader! You had protected us this entire time. No matter what happens, we will never leave you.”

“Right, right!”

“Huuuu…”

Six men, crying in the hallway, it was a sight to see.

Meanwhile, back in the waiting room, Thorn and Volt was looking at Siva with awkward beads of sweat on their faces. Even the other crocodiles in the room had been watching his mysterious actions for a while now.

“Hey, what are you doing?” unable to hold on, Volt interrupted Siva’s actions with a tap on his shoulder.

“Huh?” Surprised, Siva was taken from his trance as he stuttered, looking at Volt as if he was far away.

“What are you doing?” Thorn asked, curious as well.

“Ah,this?” When asked, Siva moved his left hand and pressed a button. Suddenly, large panels appeared on the three’s visions and the two on his side was actually surprised by the sheer number of the player panels they were looking at. “Just a while ago, I was finished on the [Creation] and was just preparing to create the next S-Class weapon.”

When the two heard this, they couldn’t help but to sigh and shake their heads.

The reason why Red Metal’s group left wasn’t because Siva was making them. It was actually because Siva was so absorbed in his creation that he didn’t actually saw Red Metal being there.