Elend woke up in the familiar tent. This tent felt even bigger than the building he was in. A strange sense of comfort overwhelmed him, like being home after years exploring a hot dessert.

  He blinked away the blaring light on him, and slowly it shone on the whole tent. In his hand are two tickets.

  "That was most well done," A voice said, followed by echoing claps.

  Elend turned to find Joya, he sat on a high stool, a very high one. Behind him sprawls the huge wheel, which is bigger than him.

  "You can see me when I'm not here?"

  "Of course, I shall promise to only do so on your battle," Joya said, he crossed his thin leg across the other. "It surprises me you came back so early."

  "I want to talk to you, Joya," Elend said. He thought he would be much safer with a low time limit. Elend did not think Joya would harm him, but he still preferred to err on the side of caution. Especially since he did not know any other way to leave this place other than the ticking time.

  "Very well, my ear is yours." He hopped out of the chair. "But, first things first," He gestures toward the wheel.

  Elend pressed the wheel, drawing across his ticket. In a sudden motion, it started to turn, and the sound of the bell chiming overwhelmed him.

  "Can we shut this sound?!" Elend shouted.

  "I'm afraid not," Joya replies. He drew his needle sword and threw another one to him.

  "What's this?" Elend asked.

  "Your sword technique needs a lot of work," Joya raised his sword. One arm across his back. "Ask your question as we train."

  Elend brought the sword up, Inspection did not show anything about it. The sword is light, even lighter than the Thread Sword.

  "Your neck"

  Elend blink. When does that colourful mask appear in front of him? A fully black eye peer at him. He stared down at his neck, a thin sword jutted through it.

  "What?.." Elend stammered, he stagger back. The sword bloodlessly shone. Joya steps in, with a raised fist, and he whips it to his stomach. Sending Elend flying back, crashing down on the dirt.

  He stood, glaring at Joya. Then something wrong prickled across him. He scanned his body, grasping his neck and stomach.

  "It doesn't hurt?"

  "Exactly, now engarde," Joya rushed, his sword swung in a wide arc.

  Elend blocks it, but as their steel about to meet, Joya stabs a knife through his eyes. He frantically tried to counter, but the sword only met air. With only one eye functioning, he lost track of Joya, a creature that towered over him.

  "Behind," He turned, only to be greeted with five identical swords jutting through his stomach.

  Elend wrenches out the knife, throwing it to Joya. He casually caught it with two fingers like a chopstick.

  "This is.."

  "Impossible?" Joya asks.

  Elend gulped, and he nodded. The chiming bell died, Joya stood sheathing his five blades. "It might be for now, but what would happen in another thousand tried?"

  He would be more than level thousand by that point, but could that make a difference?

  "You always have to start from somewhere, Elend," Joya said, as if reading his thought.

  Elend summoned his Thread Sword. He threw the needle sword to Joya, who caught it effortlessly. "Engarde"

  Joya rushed him, a sword struck deep inside his stomach.

  He drew a second one, lodging it right to Elend's brain.

  The third one is across his knees.

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  The fourth one is his heart.

  Fifth one his neck.

  The Sixth coming, right to his mouth. Elend brings his sword up. Parrying it, sending the needle sword back. His Thread slapped across Joya's mask, only to be caught by him.

  "Well done," Joya said, "Now what question do you have for me?"

  "Ringmaster, why do you call me that?"

  "Ringmaster is your final class, it is considered a respect to address someone with their grand potential."

  "Ringmaster.." Elend echoed the word, it had been in the back of his mind. "Joya, this dungeon. Does it somehow give me this Path Of Circus?"

  "That is a natural suspicion," Joya stated. "No one knows how classes are distributed, but I can tell you which class you're almost given."

  "You can? Although I prefer for you to tell me how you know that," Elend said.

  "As a guide, I can see the flow of power, they formed as a candle in another world. Those with normal classes the system gives, flare like a normal candle with a red flame. But, those with a special path, such as you, Elend, their flame is blue blazing upon that dark world," Joya explained. "The path you almost got, it's called Path of Anti-doctor."

  "Doctor.."

  "I presume it's related to your past in some way?" Joya asked.

  Elend nods, a bit relieved that this means Joya can't see his past. "I'm forced to be one, well, forced is not accurate. More like it was expected by my parent."

  "I was expecting some kind of tragic past," Joya said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

  "I'm sorry to disappoint you," Elend shrugged. he has been lucky. Certainly luckier than most.

  "No matter what you would do, I'm not going to be disappointed. I'm here to help you, that is my purpose."

  "Even if I turn to some kind of murder hobo?" Elend asks.

  "Let me turn the question around. What makes you think I care who you kill?"

  Elend wishes he could see Joya's face, to know if there's any humor playing behind that mask.

  "Although.." Joya started. " The only time I would be disappointed is if you stop progressing in your power."

  "I don't think you have to worry about that, Joya," Elend said, a bubble of excitement popping inside him.

  "How so?"

  "Right now, I had so much fun inside this dungeon," He grinned.

  Joya stared at him, he appeared to be taken aback by his answer. With the grace of a butler, he bowed his long hand and clutched his heart. "I'm glad to hear that."

  He clicked his finger, snapping toward the wooden beam with the circular clock.

  5 seconds left.

  "Please do not disappoint me Elend."

  (Juggler Torch. Grade C. X3)

  (Juggling Ball. Grade E)

  _______________

  "He is on our side, right?" Yuuki as Noland for the third time.

  "I told you," Noland heaved a deep breath. "He is the one who wakes me up and gives us this weapon."

  "He looks just like those Circus Bladers, with that tongue around his neck.." The man terrifies her, more so ever since the smile on his face as he opened his mask. Yet, he seems so trusting. Telling them to guard his body when he uses his skill to go into an astral world.

  "Graa..." A voice rumbled. One corpse stood, with a spear jutting from its stomach, tongue grow slithering around the neck.

  (Circus Blader Lvl 5)

  "My inspection shows Level 5 only," Yuuki said. She stepped up toward the stairs. Lighting crackled in her palm. "I got this."

  "Remember! He wants to keep them alive. Just like this one," Noland kicks the wounded Circus Blader on the floor.

  "Got it!" That was wise of him. They had confirmed at least three survivors from the first row alone. The number they could save will be entirely dependent on how many Bladers there are.

  ___________

  Elend opened his eyes, and in an instant, the scent of rot greeted him. He stood in abrupt motion. Yet, the stench still follows. "What the hell?!"

  "It's those tongues around you!" the girl's voice called. She watched him in disbelief. Noland chuckled as he scratched his head.

  Elend yanked the tongue off him, grateful for the gauntlet Tower had given him. He stared at it, eyes solemn, his excitement from combat calmed like dying rain. He should have given this to Ron.

  A cough interrupted his thought. Noland smiled at him, he extended his hand. "Now! For the late introduction, my name is.."

  "Noland," Elend cut him off, without realizing. "Ah, sorry, I could see it."

  Noland just smiled and continued. "I came here to awaken." He pointed at Yuuki. "She is already a hunter. Here to escort me..well until we're knocked out by those Blader"

  "And you.." Yuuki said. "Are Elend?" She probably also has an inspection.

  "I am."

  A sob broke the conversation. beside Yuuki, a red-headed young women kneel in front of the dead man at A30. The previous weapon jutted through his stomach has been removed. The man has blood wetted his long beard, eyes closed to never open again.

  (Emilia Lvl 1)

  "I see you guys have been checking for Survivor?" Elend asks.

  "Yes, although we only have one Blader left to do the awakening trick, there are about 15 people still alive," Yuuki explained. Her bob-style haircut sway as she did.

  "Three of them are not awaken yet, another twelve are already awakened. One has level 18. The other is below 5" Noland added. "The problem is, we couldn't decide who to use this Blader for. It will be like choosing who to survive."

  "We use one Blader to save that redhead since she is wide awake," She pointed to the crying figure. "But, for the rest, we waited for you instead," Yuuki finished.

  Talk about pressure, he did not care who was chosen to survive. "I wish you guys decided on your own," Elend grumbled, scanning the room.

  He looks around their level, the survivors, almost all of them are below level 7.

  (Andrew Luckman. Lvl 18)

  Terror seeps inside Elend. in J1, there is Andrew. A sword pierced through his abdomen, his mouth gaped open as apple or a pear had already been removed.

  Elend rushed up the stairs, heading toward him. He entered the row, checking for his pulse. It's very weak.

  "Can we save this guy?" Elend called down upon two of them.

  "With the Blader? This Blader is level 12, so it might work. But there's no guarantee if we choose him," Noland replied.

  Yuuki dragged the Blader up, straddling as she did with limbs broken. "You save us, so you get to decide. Although Noland here is right. With anyone else, it's a guarantee we can save them, but him.. he might be too high level."

  Elend finger his pocket, removing the three HP stones. Silently, he was glad that he never needed to use it. "I have three Hp stones here.. And about six Hp potions in my bag I left outside. Maybe they can help."

  "Forget the stone, he will not be able to crack it, the potion might help.." Yuuki trailed, as she arrived beside him.

  "Or, he will still bleed out," Noland added.

  "He is a friend?" Yuuki asked.

  "No, an acquaintance?"

  "You're asking me?"

  Elend is not sure what they're to them. But he feels a strange sense of companionship with them. He remembers how they remind him of his past selves. "He has people waiting for him back home," Elend said.

  "That did not exactly make him any more special than the others," Yuuki said.

  "He is higher level, we would need a better hunter to survive."

  "Why are you trying to convince me? I will help anyone you chosen."

  Elend grunted. "I suppose I'm trying to convince myself.. To choose him above the others. I want to save him still," he decided. "Care to bet it with me?"

  They got to work, Noland gripped the sword handle tightly, Yuuki retrieved the HP potion, Ready to pour it into Andrew's mouth.

  "Andrew.." Elend called, and he shook his shoulder, careful not to be too harsh.

  After five minutes of trying, Andrew opened his eyes. He blinked and took in his surroundings. He drew a sharp gasp as panic set in.

  "Stay calm, tell me about your Hp."

  "Elend?" His voice croaked. Andrew did a double-take, his eyes shone with amusement. "You jumped in? Just after us? You are strange," He laughed, then winced.

  "Idiot! Don't move!" Elend hissed, helping Noland to steady the sword. "This coming from someone who jumped into a Red Portal?"

  "Well, you jump in one with only baseball experience," Andrew pointed out.

  "Red Portal?" Both Yuuki and Noland shot him the question together.

  "Later," Elend said, pointing to the mana potion.

  Yuuki nods, bringing the glass container close to Andrew's mouth.

  "No need, I have healing skills. Just pull this damn sword please" He said.

  "Just in case." Yuuki insisted.

  "There are still others who might need it, right?"

  Yuuki eyes dart to Elend. Who, in turn, just shrugged.

  "I have really strong healing ability, " Andrew said, desperate to convince them. "I was granted a special path by the system. Path Of Bone"

  Chapter 12: -Path Of Bone-