Ragnar polishes a gss on the counter, listening in to the conversations happening around him. Prioritizing more those who are trying to whisper and keep their conversations to themselves. Though everyone knows that Buxon are physically superior to every other species, what people tend to forget is that that includes the ability to hear. Right now, every conversation is fully within earshot, as are the multitude of footsteps right outside his tavern.

  The door of his tavern opens to reveal yesterday's group of oddballs. And oddballs they are, for it's a rare sight to see more than three species together. Human, Gemma, Phytonid, and even a masked Insectoid who thinks their mask hides her species. All they need now is just a Buxon and a wolven to complete the set.

  “Ragnar, I hope you don’t mind us bringing in a couple more [Gdiators].” The cat hops up to the bar counter with a grin.

  The thing about Ragnar is that he’s used to being the most dangerous person in his tavern. The strongest, if you will. But, he gets the feeling that the cat may very well be more dangerous- as much as the old man. It’s that strength that keeps Ragnar from throwing the cat out of his tavern for bringing its dirty paws on his countertop.

  “That’s fine. [Gdiators] bring more customers.” And selble information.

  As the group takes a table, Ragnar takes note of the three new [Gdiators]. From their form and confidence, he can already tell these three are contracted [Gdiators] trained by Gdius.

  Taking their names and orders, he brings them drinks and then moves to the kitchen, where he begins preparing the food. While he does, he listens in on their conversation.

  “I can’t believe that worked,” Micheal says with a grin.

  “I can’t believe we actually went with the stupid pn,” Baldric says.

  “Hey,” Agris grins, “It’s not stupid if it works.”

  “You were just as against it as I was,” Baldric argues back.

  Agris shrugs. “Yea, but it worked so now I’m willing to go with whatever crazy pn Boriss has.”

  “Is not my pn,” Boriss interrupts. “Is pn from comrade Gino.”

  “I only proposed the idea to Boriss. I wasn’t expecting him to actually go along with it.”

  “Is good idea.” The big man grins.

  “How’d you jump that high anyway?” Agris asks. “Mind sharing the skill?”

  Ragnar zones in on their conversation. Knowing what skills a [Gdiator] has can sell for quite a good price when betting is concerned.

  “Is called [Leaping Tendons]. It make legs extra strong to jump.”

  Ragnar nods slowly. It’s a good passive skill to have. The skill improves not only how much force you can jump with, but also how much force your legs can support. Just having the skill allows one to don heavy armor and still be mobile enough to dodge projectiles.

  “I thought that was a [Rogue] skill,” Agris says. “I didn’t know [Skirmishers] got it too.”

  “It's also a [Spearman] skill,” Micheal adds. “I’m sure you’ve heard of the [Dragoon] css.”

  “What's the [Dragoon] css?” Quasi asks.

  Micheal grins towards the cat. “It’s an expert css that a [Gdiator Champion] had. You need [Spearman], then [Leaping Spearman], and finally [Dragoon] in that order.”

  Agris rubs the mug with his thumb. “That's just what that specific [Gdiator] did. I’m sure you can get [Dragoon] some other way. Hell, I bet Boriss’s [Skirmisher] css has that avenue open to him too.”

  Ragnar can’t help but disagree. The skills required to become a [Dragoon] have a much higher chance of showing up on a [Spearman] than a [Skirmisher]. It’s possible, but extremely unlikely.

  With food ready, Ragnar brings it to the rge group.

  “Was the second round difficult?” Ragnar asks the clearly uninjured team of five. They probably needed only to mop up after a previous team.

  “Not with Boriss,” Micheal taps the big man on the back. “You’re looking at the man here who single-handedly killed Hellion.”

  Ragnar almost drops the food when he hears that bit of information. That scaly bastard and almost killed him?

  “Is not me. I only trick,” Borris compins.

  “Mind telling me the whole story?” Ragnar asks, now actually very interested.

  What unfolds for the next half hour expins why [Leaping Tendons] was such a subject of conversation. Though he didn’t kill Hellion, he did distract and bait the angry lizard into a fight against a basilisk.

  “Boriss, a word of warning,” Ragnar begins. “If you get too popur too quickly and people start betting on you, then you’d best be careful. The royals aren't above pnning your downfall. I’m sure these three can attest to that.”

  Agris, Baldric, and Micheal grimace.

  “Are they going to try to poison him or something?” Quasi asks inbetween licks of his milk.

  Ragnar lifts the pants of his right leg to show a mangled flesh. “Repcing a contracted [Gdiator] with an expert is something they like to do when there is a lot of coin to be won.”

  “Damn, that looks bad.” Quasi says.

  The Buxon nods. “They made sure to break my leg and then have the bones heal wrong. Only an expert css [Healer] could fix this- something far too expensive for me to afford”

  Quasi blinks at the leg. Then he gnces at Nepenthes devouring raw flesh. “Hey, Nepenthes.” The cat extends a paw. “Do you think you can fix Ragnar’s leg?”

  The Phytonid gnces at the wound. “I have no genetic knowledge of his flesh and its capabilities. Without consuming the flesh of his species, I will likely fail.”

  “I appreciate the sentiment, but I have already accepted that I will forever be a cripple. Now, please, enjoy your meals.”

  As Ragnar leaves, he can hear the conversation continuing.

  “You know, if he’d just find some fresh Buxon corpses for Nepenthes, she’d be able to fix his leg,” The cat says.

  The cloaked Insectoid taps her gss softly. “Buxon are extremely resilient to the effects of mana. Nepenthes' usage of Mutation would be greatly ineffective on their flesh.”

  The cat's ears flicker for a moment as Quasi frowns. “Auranta, have you even seen Nepenthes work?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Nepenthes doesn’t use her mana to manipute others' flesh. She does surgery and produces drugs to promote rapid healing.”

  Ragnar halts his steps towards the kitchen. He can feel the beat of his hearts quicken and the blood flowing under his bones. He tries to suppress the thought that spiraling in his mind, but its too te. It’s back and in full force. Something he’d thought gone a decade ago.

  Something known as hope.

  _________________________________________________________________

  “GINO!” A yell violently wakes the young man from his hammock. One moment he’s asleep, the next he’s in his underpants with a dagger at the ready.

  Then he notices a grinning cat.

  “Fuck you,” he curses. “Why did you have to yell? I’m a light sleeper.”

  “Then you should have woken up when I entered your humble abode. Instead, I had to raise my poor little voice.”

  “You’re not even supposed to be able to talk.” Gino starts putting on his clothing, not that it will stay on him that long.

  “And you’re not supposed to be whining back to a talking cat. Now get dressed and let's get some stew.”

  Gino sighs. “Just two more wins.” He whispers to himself.

  “Two more what?”

  “Nothing, let's eat and go.”

  Just like the st few days, Dana offers stew with a big helping of meat- followed directly by her calling him an idiot for putting his life on the line.

  Then they set off to their Coliseum.

  “The next rounds a team versus team fight, right? How’s that going to work?”

  “It changes. Some years they put both teams in a gauntlet and have them fight until only one team survives. Other times it’s a battle of one versus ones followed by a free for all. It really just depends on what the royals choose.”

  “But you’re still going to fight another human. No beast, right?”

  “Yea,” he nods. “I think I can handle a person.”

  “Good. good. What happens when you win?”

  “If I win,” Gino corrects. “The losers equipment will be given to me and I will then become a finalist. From there, the rest of the battles will be conducted in the central coliseum at the tower.”

  “Where only finalists are allowed to enter.”

  “And stay,” Gino adds. “Once you enter the central coliseum, you can’t leave or have contact with anyone else outside.”

  “Seems strict.”

  “It’s supposedly to prevent betting against yourself and then losing on purpose.”

  “But more likely it’s to better rig the game,” the cat says.

  The two make it to the Colosseum. Quasi turns into a bird and sneaks inside while Gino takes the [Gdiators] entrance. He quickly undresses, puts on a runed brigandine, leather greaves, leather bracers, and then moves to find his team. When he finds them, the young man pauses at the sight of Boriss in gleaming ptemale. The man looks like a [Knight] with armor barely rge enough to fit.

  “Comrade Gino, is nice armor, yes?” Boriss spreads his arms with remarkable ease, as though the armor doesn't weigh anything to him.

  Gino nods slowly. Whoever is Boriss’s opponent is going to have a very bad day. “It seems pretty light on you,” he comments.

  “All of the pte-armor runes reduce weight,” Micheal says in a set of armor simir to Gino’s. Agris and Baldric are wearing chainmail with banded mail greaves and bracers.

  “Is Boriss the only one wearing pte armor?” Gino asks.

  Both Agris and Baldric grimace while Micheal grins. “Generally, pte-armor slows you down too much. It’s a liability and few [Gdiators] choose to wear it over something more mobile like chainmail or leather.”

  “Just shut it, Micheal,” Baldric interrupts. “How were we supposed to know the pte was runed to be lighter?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe be like Boriss and grab everything with a rune on it.”

  “Boriss doesn’t even know what the rune did until you just told him.”

  “Metal vas like feather.” Boriss says. “So I take.”

  “See, he tested it.” Micheal adds with a grin.

  “Micheal, stop with the shame already. We fucked up with the chainmail. At least it’s great quality.”

  “Da, is nice wavy armor. Like dry skin on rack after mother kill wolf.” Boriss adds with a wiggle of his hand. This somehow defuses the situation and shifts the conversation to Borisses mother.

  Which involve stories you’d read in a book as Boriss expins how he grew up. As he spoke of his life and upbringing, it became clear to Gino that Boriss is not young at all. He spoke of grueling training, politics, and his time in captivity. Though Gino has never heard of Russia, the United States, or a city called Downside, he does know the world is a huge pce and the isnds numerous. As for his captivity, it’s clear to Gino that that is the reason why his level is low even though he is so skilled.

  Eventually, the conversation is abruptly halted as a horn is blown and the [Announcer] takes his podium.