I looked down at the sands of the Arena under my feet, and knelt, gathering some in my fingers, then rubbing it a bit, tossing it into the wind to see the direction.

It flew left, and I nodded, looking across from myself at the Lvl 6 that was my first opponent in the Second Caesar Games, which I'd decided would be Every Month, and open to all challengers.

The prize money was, 50K per match, for a victory against a same-level opponent, (monster or adventurer, both were fought in the daily matches,), and 100K for a higher leveled opponent. As for losses, 10K was the Pity Money for a challenger who lost to a higher-leveled opponent, but 0 for a higher leveled challenger who lost against an opponent of the same level or lesser.

The champion's pot, decided not by the individual matches, (which continued all month long,) but by the monthly Tournament, was 500K Val. Admission for the games was 500 Val, but the sheer amount of people that came every day to watch or participate was massive enough to pay for it all.

The Ganesha Familia had happily accepted my offer, though they warned me that any other event, scheduled previously to the deal, took precedent over everything except the Monthly Tournaments, and they assured us they'd try not to double book.

The Tournament was now consistent of 6 consecutive pairings. The first 12 people were chosen from the Months top winners, and they fought each other 1v1 until a winner emerged. That winner fought the Champion for the Title, which they held until they were defeated, or retired. (I set it up like the basic MMA championships, because it was a good system.)

Because of my now open involvement in creating the games, and my Level Up last month, the Gods had changed my Name to <>, which was a bit pompous for me, but also rather amusing. (I liked it very much.)

My opponent shifted his feet, and the announcer spoke. ""

I darted forward, my shield raised, and the tall Elf reacted with shock at my speed, until I activated Juggernaut, and rammed the shield into his crossed forearms.

He was knocked backwards, skipping over the sand, and I was on his stomach before he stopped moving, beating him into a bloody submission.

I stepped away from him as the match was called, and cleaned my hands off, then dusting off my suit.

I entered the commentator's box, where the Champion had an honorary position, and simply watched the normal games resume, promising my 'winnings' to an orphanage for adventurer's children.

The day continued easily.

I stood across from my third Tournament opponent, and hummed in surprise to see Ottar.

"Back again, Ottar?" I asked. "After the prize money? Or just a rematch?"

He drew his broadsword. "A rematch." He said simply.

"You know where I live." I said dryly.

"I feel odd, entering your domicile. This is better." He shrugged.

I drew my new sword, an Obsidian longword, which perhaps wasn't the best material for a sword, seeing as Obsidian was a type of Glass, but after I had used 'Miracle', and enchanted it with two different spells, 'Unbreakable' and 'Razor Edge', (learned from a friendly Gnome Spirit Smith,) it was perfect.

He narrowed his eyes at the sword, and then snorted, digging a foot in like a bull... or a Boar.

The commentator spoke up. "" He leaned away from the mike.

"Bendybeenjshebdjfje." Complete gibberish flowed from Ganesha's mouth into his follower's ear, but he seemed to understand.

"" he sighed.

I looked up, and saw the Ranker's of the Loki Familia take over one part of the stands, staring down at me.

I turned forward, and readied my sword again.

""

The stands erupted, chanting both of our names, and I grinned at Ottar. "You ready to put on a show?" I asked.

He nodded slowly, readying his massive sword.

""

I sprinted forward, Shield and sword at the ready, and he disappeared.

I tsk'ed and activated Juggernaut, covering my body with my armor, and looking for him.

I could hear his footsteps, and every time he swung his sword I either dodged by a hair or deflected it, but I needed to catch him...

I spontaneously threw my sword into the sand, and he leapt over it.

That was all I needed, as I sprinted forward, and laid a bone-shattering kick on his left knee, bringing my right knee up and into his diaphragm. When he bent around my knee, I wrapped his neck with my left leg, and slammed him into the ground.

I picked up my sword, and stepped back, watching him warily. He was aware of my abilities this time. I couldn't just overwhelm him and beat him half to death this time. He'd be ready for that.

He shuffled to a standing position, his left knee broken, and I darted past him, slicing the tendons of his right knee in passing.

He fell, grunting, and then growled at me, grabbing my ankle.

I yelped as I was slammed into the ground, then flung through the air.

I realized I was going to Ring Out, and growled out a spell. "!" I said, and created a pad of air to launch myself off of, slamming my sword through his left shoulder before he reacted, punching me squarely in the jaw with his right hand.

I hit the walls, dazed, and shook my head, trying to clear it.

He slowly pulled my sword out of his shoulder, and I stood, as he tossed it away.

The sound of the crowd fluctuated in my ears, which was odd at first, but then I realized one of my eardrums were busted, and the other wasn't doing too hot.

I strode towards him, activating Juggernaut again, and then simply punched him as hard as my body would swing.

He responded with his own blow, and I was again launched away, but only into the sands about 20 feet away.

I stood up, and walked back over.

'Wham! !'

Over and over, the circle repeated, but finally I got sick and tired of trading punches with superman, so I dodged his punch, and slammed my foot into his throat, knocking him onto his ass, and mounted him, pounding away at his skull and ribs.

Finally, he passed out, and I stood, gazing at the medic who was mutely miming something, before falling backwards into the comfortable sands. She huffed, before simply placing a glowing hand on my jaw.

I felt it realign, and then my eardrums started to stitch together, which itched like no tomorrow, but when she was finished, I sat up, mostly fine, if hellishly sore.

I thanked her politely, then retrieved my sword, cleaning it quickly, and sheathing it.

As I sat down in the locker rooms to rest, the doors opened, and the Rankers came in uninvited.

"Oiii, this is a private room, guys! You wanna talk, you do it outside!" I chided them. They simply stood there, ignoring my protests. I narrowed my eyes. "I'm very serious. No one is allowed in here except opponents."

I stood and gathered my things, headed to the baths at the Club.

I stepped inside, and Finn whistled gently. "You've really gotten this place sparkling, huh?"

I nodded stiffly, cracking my back. "Yup. The baths are back here, if you guys want one. They're only for our Familia during the day." I walked down a hall.

I opened a the baths for them, and walked into the first, stripping slowly. My armor retreated into my bracers, and I sat down on a stool, a towel around my waist.

Bete, Finn, and Garett walked in, and grinned. "Nice place, eh?" Finn grinned.

"Aye! Quite well done in so little time!" Gareth nodded.

Bete hummed. "It's not bad."

I snorted and began washing the blood and sand off of myself. The guys claimed stools while the women went into the second bath.

After I washed my body and my hair, I sat down into the hot water of the bath, and groaned in relief as my bruises started to heal.

"Hmm!" Bete sniffed the water. "Cadmus spring water?"

"The water isn't special. The Bathtubs are Magical Items with healing properties. I made them all custom, myself." I smiled wanly, leaning my head back.

He hummed and climbed in, watching as a few old cuts and bruises faded quickly. "Handy after a day in the Dungeon." He nodded.

Finn sat down across from us, using the ledge as a seat because of his short height, with Garett doing the same, a few feet to the side. "So you have Miracle?" Finn asked me.

"A-yup. Lvl 3, almost Lvl 4, Juggernaut and Relentless, as well as Horse-Heart, a stamina skill." I nodded.

Garett hummed and stroked his impressive beard. "Impressive..."

"Mm." I nodded and closed my eyes to relax a bit.

"And this Caesar Games, what's that?" He asked.

I sighed and opened my eyes, sitting up straight. "It's a Tournament, open to all challengers. A test of skill, and a way to get money. You fight either monsters or other adventurers, and get paid depending on if you win or lose, and the level of your opponent is also taken into account. Then, once a month, the top twelve fighters fight each other in a Tournament, and the winner of that fights the current champion, me. The winners pot is 500K Val. I'm currently the Undefeated, Undisputed Champion of the Caesar Games, Xavier <> Dorian." I explained in one breath.

He laughed loudly, and grinned. "And are we allowed to enter?"

"Open entry. I designed it that way, after the War Game." I shrugged.

He turned very serious. "Loki Familia was in a War Game? How badly did we lose?"

"I won the War Game by myself, against 11 enemy Familia's, including the Freya, Ishtar, Dionysus, and many more. All except the Ishtar were destroyed completely, and most of their members came to our Familia. I also now own all their loot, Hoards, Bank Accounts, and Properties.." I said simply.

He blinked, and Bete whistled softly, mimicking Finn. "All 11 all at once?"

"No, the guild made a Tournament because of the number of Familia's. I won the tournament, though, against Ottar, then Johnny, and then the final battle was 5v1, me the One." I shrugged. I smirked. "I also hooked up with Freya, which was more satisfying than any War Game."

Bete snorted, while Garett and Finn just sighed.

"So yeah, now I make the Magic Items, Create Businesses, spread the wealth of the Loki Familia, and win Championships for the - oh sorry." I chuckled. "But, Yeah, Pretty simple. That's been my life the past three months." I shrugged.

Finn hummed. "You've acquitted yourself well in our absence. Childishness aside, very well done, I say. I will get a more detailed report from Loki... but for now, let us all relax, hmm?"

I nodded. "Alcohol. That's relaxing. I usually bathe alone, so this is the opposite of relaxing." I got out of the water, and dried off by touching another Magic Item, a metal art piece on the wall, which heated your body just enough to steam all the water off.

Then I pulled on underwear, and allowed my armor to clothe me in a suit.

The other men followed suit, (heh,) and we entered the Club, claiming a table a bit back from the stage, where Alex was singing an old Smooth Jazz rhythm, her favorite type of music.

I hummed along, waiting for Otto to pour us up some drinks, and the women exited the baths, and joined us, looking rather refreshed.

"Enjoy the amenities?" I asked honestly.

Riviera noticed what I meant, and nodded. "They were very well crafted, yes. Nothing negative to report, besides a lack of decoration, but it is a Bath, after all. Not exactly prime area for paintings." She smiled.

I grinned as Otto set down mugs of beer in front of the guys, and asked the women what they'd like. They ordered mostly beer, or wine, and Loki appeared, whining about not being invited.

I leaned back and drank from my mug, watching the band as I relaxed to the sound of a ballad version of 'Hit the road, Jack'.