Cerah gazes upon the sprawling ocean, which seems peaceful as always, but beyond it is the island of the ever-monster. An island where the puppet will soon claim their dominance. She fingered her golden amulet, a picture of her brother smiling inside. The prince, who by now just a mere puppet, along with 3000 hunters he led.
The Foolish Prince, they called him. Her hand tightened every time that name crossed her mind, she heard it every ball she attended. In a whisper, in a news outlet, most of all in her mind. They called it a suicide, instead of the proper subjugation it intended to be.
None of them take it seriously anymore, the outsider, the Empire, the Hunter Association. Even as part of the Empire, her kingdom is the only one that has raised concerns over the island. The first blood of people will be spilled in her kingdom when the puppet invades after all.
But everything will change. With her marriage to the emperor's son, it has to.
"Lune Cerah, your father has called for you," The familiar voice of her knight called.
Cerah smiled at him, a knight for her. Not an Empire knight, but a friend who swore his life for her. He swore that oath since they're mere 5 years old. To think 15 years later it came true..
"I think we're way past such a formal title," Cerah said.
"You're still a princess," he bowed.
"Well, I wouldn't want you to lose your job," She drowsily rolled her eyes.
"Then, please do let me keep acting like you're above me."
Cerah smiled. She could make out Evon's grin inside that eagle head helmet.
"What is it about?" Cerah asks, she glides inside her grand room. Maid scurry beside her, taking off her night gown and fitting the green, yellowish dress on her.
"I think I should step outside," he coughed. The maid was already used to this, moving like a cog.
"Oh, come on. We used to bathe together."
"Sure, fifteen years ago," He pointed out.
"Well? What's the news? This dress will take a while to get into. Might as well tell me now," She said as she huffed at the fitting.
"The prince is missing."
Cerah's hand shot up, signaling for the maid to stop. "What? What do you mean by missing?" Prince Shiroe, a man the same age as her. Had made it clear, he wanted to be a Hunter rather than be tied down in a marriage. But her kingdom really needs this marriage. She had used every trick in her arsenal to make this happen, even after her father insisted that she should be married to someone she loved, just like her sibling.
But, if nobility forsake their duty, then what is the point of having one? Isn't the point that being a noble is to sacrifice yourself for your people? And yet this stupid Prince...
"This is good, isn't it?" Evon said, "You did not need to marry him, and he gets what he's been wanting."
"Of course it's not!" Cerah snapped; she gritted her teeth. She has been plotting this arranged marriage for so long, for her people, to the point she had to close her own heart. "I arrange for the marriage, Evon."
"Oh," The knight mutters, then in a low voice he says, "That does sound like you."
"He's going to a dungeon, then? For awakening?"
Evon nodded, confirming her fear.
"Since he goes missing, I assume this action will just be between his own personal retinue.. and he's going for Portal Dungeon instead of Grand Dungeon.."
"That will be my own guess as well."
"Damn it.." Cerah bites her thumb. with the erratic behavior of Portal lately, it will be hard to find him. "We have to do something.."
_____
Elend finger his kitchen knife by its blade point, considering throwing it. But, decided against it. Those masks are B Graded.
The rest of the Blader are close to each other. All of them are beyond the D tier. Deciding to wait for one to stray away, Elend examines the human, a sword shoved into B28 man. Slowly, he felt the pulse on his neck, there was none.
Moving to B29 and 30. He noticed there's no weapon jutting from them, a raven-haired girl and a blonde, freckled guy. Both are around his age and have blood on their head. He checked their pulses, both still very alive. The Circus Blader did not kill them first? Does the process to turn them require for victim to be alive before being stabbed?
He reached down to the Circus Blader's body, retrieving two apples from its pocket. The system did not tell him anything about them. Is breathing it the answer? That would make sense why they stab them.
Elend removed his mask, and he shook both of them, hoping to wake them. The blonde guy slowly opened his eyes, and as he did so, his breathing turned ragged. He tried to jump up, but Elend shoved him down into the chair.
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"Quiet" Elend hissed. "Hunter?"
He nods.
Elend gestures to the shoulder-length-haired girl.
He nodded again.
Elend crouched, summoning a Mask of Sorrow and two Steel Short Swords, he laid them down beside another, the same as set off the dead Circus Blader.
(Trickster Pocket. Lvl 1) (475/1000)
- Steel Dagger. Grade C (30 SP)
- Mask Of Dread. Grade B (50 SP)
- Mask Of Exhaustion. Grade B (50 SP)
- Steel Sword. Grade B (45 SP)
- Mask Of Terror (50 SP)
- Thread Sword. Grade A (150 SP)
- Ticket.
"Once she awakens, wear these and help me if you can," Elend whispered. He nodded, taking inside him everything to breathe calmly.
(Noland Deux Lvl 8)
(Yuuki Romi Lvl 10)
Both of them are quite high level, they would be useful in a fight, if they did not escape, instead of course.
Elend places Noland's hand to Yuuki, ordering him to wake her up quietly.
He stood, scanning the situation, and none of them went below D tier. It seems those above the G tier still need the ritual to be done. The one he caught off guard seems just to be making sure of a loose end. Noland and Yuuki have been really lucky.
Elend went up the stairs, closest Blader is in G7, he crossed all the way there. Another one near them, at G3.
He entered the row, brushing against a long spear jutting from a man's body. They might be close to the other Circus Blader, but none of them kept watch. Each of them is busy with whatever this ritual is.
Skidding near the Circus Blader, he scowled as it pushed an arrow deep inside, with an apple being forced into the man's mouth. Elend tapped its back, avoiding the slithering tongue. The Circus Blader turned toward him with a mask showing a black tear.
Elend's hand moves in Flurry. His kitchen knife lodged into its heart. The Circus Blader staggered back, eyes beneath that mask just registering the situation. Elend shoved up his short sword with one hand, puncture through its throat. Grabbing the Blader's clothes, he slowly let them rest on the floor.
(You Slain Circus Blader Lvl 8)
Elend extends his hand toward a Blader in front of him, who is currently busy steadying a sword. Blue spark crackle in its steel.
(Sleight Of Hand)
He did not bother to finish the skill; all he needed was the Blader's attention on the light. Elend lunges in, short sword thrust right across its neck, puncturing through its disgusting tongue.
(You Slain Circus Blader Lvl 10)
Elend pushes forward, pinning the Circus Blader's body to the wall. he feels the wet, sticky blood slither into his right arm. He laid down the body upon the red carpet. 8 more to go.
He heaved a ragged breath, cold sweat drenched the back of his neck. The theater feels smaller and smaller as time goes by.
Making his way out of the row, he stumbled on the Circus Blader's body, its tongue lay coiling around its bleeding head. Elend crouched, and an idea struck him. He almost chastises himself for not thinking about it sooner.
Drawing out his dagger, he began cutting off the tongue, and a burst of blood jumped to his cheek as he did. He coiled it around his neck and instantly regretted it. The smell is too much, it also emits uncomfortable heat around him. Elend, tough it out, he only needs to use it for a short time.
He stood, the heavy tongue burdened him much more than he expected.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he made out two distant figures. Around B Row.
It must be Noland and Yuuki, a newfound sense of confidence thrummed inside of him, a literal tiny star in this dark theater.
This is very doable. Three of them against eight unaware Bladers.
Out of the sudden, the world turns. Gold light slowly seeps through the darkness. Elend's eyes darted to the light above, slowly glowing amber gold.
Raising his sword, Elend pointed toward the rest of the Bladers. He made a nod to them. Elend charged in.
"Aaaaaahhhhh!!" A man screamed.
"UOOOHHH!!! Come here!” followed by a woman's voice as well.
Startled in his very own soul, Elend stared at Noland and Yuuki, who both stood in fighting stance beyond the chair's reach.
"What in the world?" He muttered. His gaze darted toward the Eight Circus Blader, noticing the two intruders. They jumped on the chair in unison and flew toward A tier.
Elend did the same, jumping onto a chair, and he hopped down to the B tier. Watching the situation. What are these two thinking?
It struck him then, none of the Circus Bladers had their eyes on him. All eight of them have their sword drawn, staring right at those two.
All of them hop off the chair, spreading in a crescent formation, and in slow step, they hound them.
Elend summoned Thread Sword, he breathed fire upon the thread; it coiled around the steel.
(Guillotine)
Black spectral flame burst through from his steel point. Shadow of flame danced wildly, reflected in golden light.
A Circus Blader turned toward him.
Elend rended his sword sideways. Black Flame mows down in a horizontal line, cutting apart 3 Circus Bladers in the process.
(You Slain Circus Blader Lvl 11 )
(You Slain Circus Blader Lvl 9)
(You Slain Circus Blader Lvl 12)
(Level Up!)
Elend Mireaux lvl 12
HP: 480/480 (3/min)
MP: 75/75. (4/min)
Strength : 45 + 10 + 20
Intelligence: 53 + 30
Dexterity : 63 + 5 + 50
Skill :
(Active)
- Guillotine (3) Lvl 3.
- Air Needle (5) Lvl 1.
- Sleight Of Hand (5) Lvl 1.
- Trickster Pocket Lvl 1.
- Fire Breath (5) Lvl 2.
- Tamer Whip (10) Lvl 1.
- Curtain Call (30) Lvl 1.
- Audiance Participation (30) Lvl 1.
(Passive)
- Inspection
- Blade In Mouth.
- Thrower Accuracy.
- Wireman's Balance.
- Showman Flourish.
Special Skill :
- Wheel Of Fortune.
Class: Novice Juggler.
The flame danced across the theater, glowing darkish gold upon the light. Elend stepped down from the chair.
"Five more"
Silence held the room, as if made out of thin thread that was about to snap anytime. In a motion, the Circus Blader moves. Three of them charged toward his allies. Two races to him.
Elend quickly drew his kitchen knife, he threw it only to be deflected by the Blader.
Gritting his teeth, he met their blade. He slashed down upon a Blader, easily parried by both of its swords.
The other Blader circles behind him, Blade lunges forward. His thread lashes like a whip, batting put the Circus Blader across its face. It staggered backward.
Elend exchanged blows with the one in front of him, each strike skillfully blocked. But, he could tell his strike is too heavy for it to block with one sword. Elend pushes in, blade locking with the Circus Blader twin blade. His thread is busy whipping out attacks from the other one.
With a huff of air, he breathed deep.
(Fire Breath. Lvl 2)
He blew fire scorching toward the Blader's masked face. It shrieked in pain, dropping both of its swords. Flame engulfed the entire head.
Elend switched his stance to thrust deep into it. Steel point sprout thought it's back.
(You Slain Circus Blader Lvl 8)
Elend turned, facing the last one upon him. Twin blade swung downward toward him, His thread whip across it, sending the Blader flailing back. Taking advantage of the momentum, Elend kicked, smashing it flying backward.
(Air Needle Lvl 1)
Five air needles coalesced above him, he let them launch. Five gaping holes were blown across the Circus Blader's body.
(You Slain Circus Blader Lvl 9)
He drew his Kitchen knife from the floor, and threw it toward the three Circus Blader, it spun, landing right on the back of one. It staggered, dropping its sword.
A flurry of strikes rang through the theater, Noland and Yuuki both using one sword only. They are both struggling to defend.
Elend extended his hand toward the two Circus Bladers.
(Sleight Of Hand Lvl 1)
(Fail!)
(Sleight Of Hand Lvl 1)
(Success!)
(Sleight Of Hand Lvl 1)
(Fail!)
(Sleight Of Hand Lvl 1)
(Success!)
(Sleight Of Hand Lvl 1)
(Success!)
(Sleight Of Hand Lvl 1)
(Fail!)
(Sleight Of Hand Lvl 1)
(Success!)
Mana: 30/75.
Four steel Short swords fell in front of Elend, they clanked loudly against each other.
Once the Circus Blader lost its blade in motion to block an attack by Noland. He slashes down arc arc-splaying its's into two bodies part.
The other one managed to jump back. But, Yuuki shot out lightning from her fingertips, it zapped through the Circus Blader's stomach in a flash. It went down sprawling.
Both of them breathe roughly. Their eyes scan around the theater, as if taking it in for the first time. Yuuki looks at him, those jade eyes stare deep. "Who are you?" She must have lost her mask in the fight.
"My question exactly," Noland joined her.
Elend removed his mask, and he smiled. "..
Chapter 11: -A Hunter Just like you”-
