Chapter 116: Goal

"Level ten!" Cried the announcer above his long and deep breath. "This month's Chance Arrow game reached level ten!"

Participants who wanted a quick silver joined the game and stopped at level five. But if one wants a real amount of silver and recognition, reach level ten. The prices were also a surprise. It could be a bow of the winner's choosing, an additional silver, or if the host was feeling generous, a prize only Great Houses could afford, one of them was mana stone.

On the goblin's neck was a crystal ball, inside the ball was a stone cut to almost perfection.

Ned rubbed the surface of the mechanical bow on his wrist and thought: I was expecting for more, but, whatever.

To his right stood Swift, wasn't surprised about the goblin that appeared nor the stone hanging on its neck. But was surprised with Ned being calm. "Kid," he said. Rounded and rough voice. "You don't look surprised by the mana stone."

Ned dived into his thoughts; into his inventory to be precise. There he could feel the broken Butterfly, the twenty silver he had left, and tokens floating into the dark and limitless space. Sometimes he could feel mysterious packages floating inside his thoughts. The edges of these mysterious boxes poked Ned. The same feeling when someone poked Ned from behind but only inside his mind. With his thought, he could move these items just by imagining them. He could make the items scatter, or neatly arranged.

And with a blink, both inside his dusky blue eyes and mind, several stones hovered and flew in front of his vision. The rest of the items were like soldiers giving way to their queen as she passes by. A Pile of stones formed a sphere that kept on revolving. It was the mana stones that Ser Edwin left him. One thousand of it was given to the Time to Loot crew. While the hundred was absorbed by Ned to fill his mana, which was a waste according to him. That leaves him with twenty-nine thousand mana stones. Now he wondered if giving a thousand mana stone to Lady Darcey was the right idea; if it was an idea at all.

Aside from Swift, which Ned had a hard time reading him due to his mask, the rest were gawking and paling in surprise with one mana stone. "Medium Grade Mana stone," Ned muttered.

Swift doesn't have a hard time hearing at all. "You knew," he said, turning his head towards Ned, checking once more his expression, and back to the goblin champion. "Yet, your face doesn't show it all." He finally added looking straight at the goblin champion's eye. He pulled another rectangular object behind the small bag strapped on his waist and put it inside his mechanical bow.

'I have a spare mechanical bow,' Swift said before giving Ned his mechanical bow and doesn't seem to regret it. That was at level six, now that it was level ten, his tone was the same even more dignified and resolute.

In the middle of the arena was the cage. Across were the participants, almost twenty meters apart from the cage rushed to get the treasure. Liv came along with Don. From Don's right were Ned and Swift.

A rush of splattering footsteps came behind them. First to tag along was a man, same as Liv, with a wooden necklace hanging his neck. A hunter, Ned assumed. Orange light shone above its bald head. The moment he stepped inside the soon-to-be-battlefield, he swapped his short bow with a massive crossbow slung behind his back. He looked more of a warrior than a lightweight archer. Half his cloth was torn, his left hand was free of any distraction whereas his right was covered with what seemed to be a rag, under the rag was a tattoo of dark ink, not carefully hidden.

Came another man, same with the bald man with a wooden necklace, he wore one set of long white cloth and a leather belt. Ned thought that Liv was the youngest of the wooden necklace gang.

Strode along with different participants which counted nine in total including Ned. And Ned, in terms of appearance, Ned was the youngest, followed by, maybe Swift or Don, which Ned couldn't decide. Probably Swift, he assumed according to his voice. Ned looked at Swift, which made the latter turn a head away from Ned's inspecting eyes.

The participants stood, almost encircling the raging goblin champion. The double iron cage was given enough space for it to freely swing its axes.

The announcer took his time and waited for the right moment, as the participants aligned in the center, and bellowed. He cried. Telling them that whoever takes the mana stone, take, steal, or grab will get to win the game. In addition, whoever grabs the mana stone will have to hold for five minutes, until the time was up. Whoever got the stone after the said time will get to win the mana stone, the prize, and their bet.

After the announcer cried, the edges of the iron cage snapped, as a flower blossomed in the morning sun. Whereas, the participants scrambled in random, hoping the champion won't land on them. 

The goblin champion waved its axes with a roar: "Baskogg Ezoo laaaa!" And jumped. Whoever it landed was sure to brace to ran, and plead that he'd learn how to defend himself; melee.

Normal goblins never broke the five feet height mark unless they were privileged with food, or maybe mana in the air, or a stroke of great luck. Then, they might become a warrior that would lead their tribe to greatness. Like the goblin champion.

The almost eight feet tall goblin chose Liv as the ice breaker might be because of his angst, or his mocking smirk. But Liv was sure chosen. Yet, Liv's wooden necklace wasn't for a sure either, as a hunter who passed the exam via bow only—according to the weeping Kwan. He sure knows how to flare things up.

With a backflip, he evaded the double ax that went booming in front of him. As he backflips midair, he released two arrows that went straight into the champion's leg.

Same as Liv, the champion's muscles, that almost acted as an organic armor, protected him from the arrows, at close range the arrow went—just—half an inch into its leg. Giving Liv a that's-all-you-can-do? Look.

Even before Liv could land, the champion lunged forward, having Liv no time to react; aside from his widening eye.

The axes went straight to Liv like a giant scissor ready to cut a giant hair; this time it was Liv who was the giant hair.

The other participants took their chances as they saw Liv as the bait.

The bald man released an arrow, an arrow big enough to be likened to a human's thumb, and went straight into the dashing champion.

The champion wasn't just for a show, at eight feet, he could move its muscles with ease. To its right, the bald man's arrow whistled. It wasn't stupid either. It stopped its attack and spun to block the arrow by crossing the axes. Sparks flew as the arrow collided against the saw-like edges of the ax.

The bald man's arrow acted as a taunt. The champion slammed its axes on the ground, now he looked like a gorilla with an extended arm, and went straight into the bald hunter. Sticky liquid seeped out its mossy teeth, it was enraged; with joy. For its eyes shows like a predator randomly picking food. It's just that, wherever it goes there's a lot of food. And the massive green glared the bald chicken.

The bald man was carrying a massive crossbow. Its power was massive as the strings of its crossbow was attached to many different mechanical parts. But at the same time, its reload was very slow. Behind him was his arrow, less than a dozen, stacked in leather strap and was leashed into his chest and waist. After it pulled one arrow, it carefully aligned it into his crossbow. After a moment of aligning, he took aim, and he saw the ax in front of him ready to cut his neck.

With a roar, the champion flicked both of its wrists, snapping the bald man in half; or so it thought.

The bald man twisted it crossbow horizontally, the trigger to his right, the tip to his left, and used it as a shield. Guarding him against the champion's ax.

As the bald hunter and the champion were struggling, one of the participants took a sneaking attack. Grabbing the necklace of its neck. It almost succeeded. But because of Liv's intervention, the participant halted on its track as the arrow from Liv made way between him and the champion.

With an ugh sound. Blood flowed from the bald hunter as he was hit in the leg with Liv's arrow.

The champion stood towering against the bald hunter. Seconds passed the bald man fell on its knee while the champion leaned forward to push him all the way down. But it knew that staying for too long in a single spot without moving will make itself an easy target, instead, it kicked the bald hunter. Throwing the latter meters apart. Along with his voice that cried "Liv!" Came after the splatters of water.

The champion spun and twitched its neck, now its aggression was aimed toward the hunter who almost took its treasure.

At a distance of almost five meters, the short participant took aim under his short bow. He smiled as he let loose of the arrow, hitting the champion's right shoulder.

With a brush of its ax, the arrow, that was stuck, broke to half, and as if nothing happened, it swung its ax.

The short participant, who might be his first time reaching level ten, raised his arm, hoping that his bony limb would guard him against the almost human size ax.

Hacked. That's what happens when someone assumed that they could guard a massive ax with a stick. The short man's left arm was hacked. Hacked to half. His arm fell on the wet ground along with his short bow, and along with his scream.

All these and Ned stood unmoving and analyzing. Swift wanted to join the party, but Ned raised his doubts, which he shouldn't have, and told Swift with his arm raised to block Swift: "Wait—look. It wasn't affected by any form of attacks."

Ned was right, the champion called out its spell. Which enhances its body the moment it was enraged.

The other participants, including the hunter Liv, didn't realize that the champion's eyes were raging red, its muscles moved like they have a life of its own, it moved like worms etched into the very deep of its green skin; they wiggled.

Aside from Ned, Swift, and the old man stood far from their left, and to Ned's surprise, Don of the House Celian remained on their spot; analyzing.

"What's your goal?" Ned said. Obviously, Ned wasn't after the mana stone. He came for the challenge, and slowly, it was being fulfilled. Not until the champion was defeated, or Swift admitted that he lost, which it seemed that he won't.

"Silver, I need silver for the academy, and especially the mana stone, I was the poorest of my class, my bow was for a show; that includes my over-praised boots. I thought I could attract the attention of my Headmasters when I put holes in my ears or bought the golden string in my bow. In fact, I was a show-off. No resources, no proving skills."

Only a real man with a real heart has the strength to accept his flaws. Ned thought. And it wasn't the answer he wanted to hear, and it wasn't the man he was asking either. To Ned's surprise, Don's voice rung to his left. It made Ned's perception of Don changed. But the one he was asking looks like wasn't sure if what his goals were. Swift sighed a short hum and didn't answer anymore.

"He's just here to show his skills," Don said, pertaining to Swift. Looking at the champion, running wild approaching the participants randomly.

"What do you know?" Swift said, mumbled yet direct. "I'm pretty sure I wasn't here for the stone." He added.

"Then—"

Ned stopped his words, seeing that one of the cornered participants conjured a spell out of desperation.  The moment light shone at the tips of his fingers, the ground where he stood crumbled and split open, sucking him to the bottom of the arena. Then the announcer's voice echoed in the dome, and in the trees.

"No spells allowed!" He cried. Almost in anger. "Fail to do so, we'll suck you to the deepest of the arena, and regret joining the game. You'll never receive the winnings you had—just to add. Now! Grab that stone!"

"Then," Ned repeated. He wasn't thinking to use magic either. And sure the same goes to Swift. He spoke to his right, looking at Swift. "Then, back me up. I'll distract him while you shoot." He flicked his left arm, where the mechanical bow was attached. With a clang, Ned was ready to engage. "Show me your goal."