A Knight with a sword but without a shield and a Warrior wielding a spear were facing each other. The Knight was under the protection of a skill, though. Noble Protection could absorb 30% of damage from attacks and an additional of 25% if the attacks were critical. Combined with the already high defence stat, Nohan could stand being attacked even though he was without a shield.
Damar, on the other hand, as a Warrior had a high attack. His skill set was also mainly for dealing damage. Good muscles with a height above average made him a strong and ideal fighter. People would mistake him as a MMA lightweight athlete if it weren't a raider match. His eyes were sharp and they were intimidating as he focused on his opponent. His opponent was neither weak nor careless so he needed to use anything and all he got to face him. His attacks earlier weren't enough to reduce much of his opponent's HP.
'Looks like I have to change my plan.'
He planned to reduce Nohan's HP little by little so as not to make him lose too much HP until it dropped below 10% and then finish him with an ultimate move. But, after he saw that his effort with lousy skills combined with normal attacks didn't work as he had expected, he didn't really care anymore about his initial plan.
"Haaahh…"
Nohan charged with his sword and used a combo. He lifted his sword and swung it downward diagonally and repeated it two more times with different angles each time while maintaining his footwork so he didn't lose balance. He followed with a downward slash and backhand sweep towards Damar's body. Even though it was only normal attacks, his swordplay was excellent. Damar didn't anticipate that the defender would be on the offence. However, he was a true warrior and used his spear to block or parry the attack.
'Let's go all out.' Damar parried the last attack to create a gap between them. His left leg was in front and he held his spear with the right hand on its waist.
"Solar Thrust"
Just like before, the tip of the spear became scorching red. Damar thrusted his spear with all the strength he got and used his stance to add weight to it.
Bang….
Nohan was ready for any counter attack and he used his sword to block that skill. The spear hit Nohan's Noble Protection and met his sword. It was strong and pushed him back. The damage was reduced by 30% because of Noble Protection and Nohan was still fine. Without any allies to boost his stats, Damar couldn't deal as much damage as previously, either.
'It looked like it wasn't enough.'
'Again.'
"Gale Force"
Damar used one of his skills again. Gale Force added a wind element to the attack and Nohan was pushed backward even further even though he blocked it.
Damar bent his knees and pushed his body upward. In that jumping position he held his spear with his right hand and was ready to throw it.
"He..he..he…."
Nohan was laughing. People would think he was crazy, if not desperate. He looked so beat up after receiving many attacks. His look was more terrible if added up with his heavy breathing. Looking at his condition, a skill from Damar would be enough to finish him. However, he was unexpectedly glad, like he had been waiting for this moment.
He held the hilt of his sword and it was facing the floor. He lifted it and stabbed his own belly.
"Whatt…!?"
"Another suicide??"
"What's happening?"
"Is he crazy!?"
"Is he surrendering?"
What he did was questionable and many thought he was committing suicide. The last battle would be disappointing if it were true.
Dying Bull activated.
His attack, defence, and agility rose by 50%. Nohan intentionally dealt damage to himself to make his HP drop below 10%.
'What…!? That crazy dumb*ss!'
Damar couldn't believe what just happened. He was confident he could finish his opponent with his next move, but the opponent was crazy enough to hurt himself.
"Lightning Judgement"
He threw his spear towards Nohan and it became lightning.
"Chivalry: Resolution"
This skill increased all stats, including HP, by 35%, but the user wouldn't be able to move until it wore off. His defence and HP increased significantly due to the skills' effect stack.
Boom….
The lightning struck him and caused a huge explosion. The scene was obstructed by dust and electric currents were charging to all directions as the after effect.
"Is he dead?"
"Yeaahh… That's it."
"Uwouwooo…."
The supporters of Team Delta were thrilled. They thought their team had won the final. They even stood and jumped to celebrate the victory.
However, slowly the dust dispersed and Nohan's silhouette could be vaguely seen; he was still standing.
"Huff..huff..huff…"
"Unbelievable…"
Everyone, including Damar, was silent and their eyes expressed disbeliefs and awe.
"Chivalry: Glory"
Nohan held his sword straight upward with both of his hands and it was flashing with a blinding light. It looked so holy. The spectators watching this were all mesmerised. He dropped his sword to the front and the light flashed towards Damar. Nohan's stats rose by 50% plus 35% thanks to Dying Bull stacked with Chivalry: Resolution and it made his stats were on par with Warriors.
Zhiiing….
Everyone, except a few persons, in the scene was blinded by the light and they were forced to cover their eyes. They expected something more destructive to happen, but it suddenly became silent and normal. When they opened their eyes, they could see an A-Rank Knight holding a Heroic shield stood between Nohan and Damar. He had just blocked the last attack.
"Huh!?" The A-Rank Knight was surprised.
"What's happening?"
"Who is he? Why is he there?"
"Is the damage too big for Damar?"
"Ha..ha..ha…ke..ke..ke.."
A loud laugh could be heard from the VIP seats. It was the President.
"What are you doing there, Mr. Anton?"
"I'm sorry. I thought it was too threatening, but it turned out…"
The President walked to the stage and Ellyas followed.
"All of you might be surprised by the turn of events. You might wonder why Mr. Anton here tried to block that last attack, and why nothing actually happened. The truth is, Glory is a devastating skill. It deals a massive Light attack to the enemy. You all see how Nohan's stats rose significantly, and Glory with those stats would even make an A-Rank raider gravely wounded. However, it only deals damage to those considered as enemies by the user. Mr. Anton is fine, and Damar would also be fine even if he was the one to receive that attack. Am I right, Nohan?"
"Hehehe… That's right," Nohan was scratching the back of his head and smiling while giving an answer.
"What?"
"Is that true?"
"What? Do you think the President would lie?"
'Interesting..' Janu watched the match and he admired it.
"Why didn't you attack Nohan when he was preparing that skill? You could've interfered with its activation," The President wondered.
"This is only a selection, not a life and death situation. I just thought that attacking him while he was vulnerable was not the right thing to do," Damar exposed his reason. While it was true, it was also because he was awed by Nohan's tenacity and resolve.
"I'm ashamed of myself. I'm a Knight but it seems I need to learn a lot. Thank you for the great match," Nohan expressed his gratitude to Damar.
"Likewise."
Nohan bent his body forward to express his respect to Damar and he followed suit.
Clap…
Clap…
Clap…
The spectators were amazed by the scene. It was a fierce battle, but now they were respecting each other.
"The winner is Team Alpha"
Ellyas announced the result of the match. Even though it could be considered a tie, the final result was favorable to Team Alpha. While the result was important, in some cases it didn't really matter. There was something more important than winning, and it was respect and sportiveness.
"Now we have come to the conclusion of our training and selection programme. To all of you, congratulations, and we will have the closing ceremony at 6 PM in the main hall. Wear your cadet uniform and be on time."
All the cadets cheered. The moment that took away their breaths had ended and they now had free time until the closing ceremony. They would hang out with friends or relatives that came to attend the closing ceremony, or just laze away.
The cadets were leaving the training center through the main door. They were glad the training and selection came to an end. Even though not all of them got selected, they were quite happy with the changes they underwent. Some, however, were being sentimental for having to end their moment together through some hardship and getting through it.
"Congratulations again."
A familiar voice could be heard as Nohan and Jaka were walking to exit the building.
"Hey Janu. Thanks, man."
"Congratulations, too, to you," Janu also congratulated Nohan's companion.
"What's there to congratulate? I didn't even last until the end. But, thanks anyway," Jaka appreciated his good intention. He was a bit disappointed with how the match ended. Not that because his team won, but because he got eliminated mid-way.
"You did well. Everyone in the final was excellent, and you performed well with the double kill."
"I know right," Jaka was smiling at that. He could have done better, but he wasn't that disappointed if he saw it from a different perspective, and the most important thing was he learned something.
"Let's go back to the dorm and get changed. My family is in the hotel. We can see them after some breaks."
"Sure."
After some break, the three took a taxi and went to the hotel not far from the UR base.
"Welcome Mr. Jaka. The family head has been waiting in the conference room." A guard was standing in front of the entrance. It was quite a sight that a hotel was like a private property.
"Grandfather is here?" Jaka stopped his steps when he heard that his grandfather was present personally. He blankly stared into the air while pondering. His grandfather rarely stepped outside the main house. He only did so when there was something urgent and needed his presence. Making a deal with some gears like this wasn't that urgent, and it could be done by his father or one of his uncles.
"Anything wrong?" It was like something that wasn't ordinary seeing Jaka's reaction.
"No, it's nothing. Let's go."
As the three entered the room, there was an aged man, about 70 years old, sitting on the main seat. He didn't look weak despite his age. If his white hair wasn't there, and it was black instead, people wouldn't believe that he was 70. He gave an image of a strict yet amiable person. A middle aged man was also sitting next to him on the right. He was neat in his suit and he was definitely a raider. Another man was also sitting on the left. He had a distinct hook moustache and he was wearing a round glass on his right eye.
"Greetings, Grandfather, Uncle Mahen, Mr. Ahmad," Jaka bent his body to greet them.
"This is Nohan and this one is Janu. They're my friends. I didn't know that Grandfather would come personally, so…"
"It's fine. I need to go out once in a while, and this is a perfect moment for that. Take a seat."
"Thank you."
"Let's get to business first. We can talk about your selection later. My name is Mahen, his uncle. This is the family head, Jaka's grandfather, Mr. Punto Ganendra, and this one is Mr. Ahmad, our appraiser. We were informed that Mr. Janu wants to make a deal. Is it correct?" The middle aged man started the conversation. It seemed that he was the spokesperson.
"That's right. Please call me by name. I'm friends with Jaka. I'd like to offer two Heroic grade items in exchange for an auction invitation."
"Could you show us the items first?"
"Sure."
Janu flipped his hand and a spear appeared. This made everyone present fascinated and curious.
"Mr. Ahmad, please."
Ahmad stepped forward and took the spear. On the outside, it looked majestic. The pole was made of mythril, one of the sturdiest materials that could be found in dungeons, and a dragon body was coiling it from top to bottom. The tip was fiery red and wavy like a burning fire. As Ahmad used his skill to observe it, he became more serious and enchanted.
[Dragon Tongue
Type: Spear
Rarity: Heroic
Attack: 175
Description: A dragon was punished to encircle Mount Merapi using his body. It cheated and used his tongue to complete the encirclement. His father then cut his tongue and it became this spear.
Skills:
-Dragon Flame, attacks multiple opponents in a wide frontal area. Deals 350% Fire attack.
-Dragon's Breath, executes a frontal attack and deals damage to enemies along the line. Deals 410% Fire attack and causes Burning status.
Bonus:
- Strength & Dexterity +15% when fighting against three or more opponents.
- Strength +25% when there is only one opponent.]
"This is excellent. It's much better than the average. On the market it may reach 9 billion."
"Ho..ho..ho.." Punto couldn't hold his excitement upon hearing the brief description. "Please continue."
Janu took out an accessory this time. It was a necklace. Its head was a crimson rhombus crystal.
[Merapi Lava
Type: Accessory
Rarity: Heroic
Description: The crystal on this necklace was a Fire Essence which made Mount Merapi erupt for 100 days in the ancient era.
Effect: Amplifies Fire attack by 50%
Bonus:
-Intelligence +20%
-Nullifies DoT Fire damage.]
"Whaatt…!? This is insane…!"
The look on Ahmad's face told everything. He was beyond shocked, and it made everyone, except Janu, curious to what he would reveal.
"Mr. Punto, it can amplify Fire attack by 50%. It is suitable for a Black Mage or any other class which has fire property."
"Hoo… it's wonderful then," Punto didn't laugh with excitement like before. He was satisfied with what he heard.
"You do have excellent items for someone your age. I wouldn't ask how or where you found them, but if you have any other items such as these, I'm willing to pay for them for a hefty sum of money. For this exchange, it seems that one invitation is not enough. Unfortunately, we cannot give you another ticket as it is limited in number. If there's something you want, tell us."
This wasn't anticipated by anyone before. Even though Janu had a rough estimation of the price of his items, he didn't expect that they were valued greatly by Jaka's grandfather. Other people would take advantage of the offer, but Janu wasn't like that. Jaka was his friend and he had offered the two items for an invitation.
"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Punto. But I was the one who proposed the exchange, so it is only right for me to take only the invitation."
"Ha..ha..ha.., You're a man of his word. I like that. I'm glad my grandson has a friend like you. However, it would seem that we take advantage of you. Here, take this."
Punto took a token from his pocket and flicked it using his thumb towards Janu.
'What!? Only an important few who are given that token. So, why is the family head giving it to him?' Jaka, Mahen and Ahmad were dumbfounded and had the same question.
"If you are in need of help you can show this token to our family member. Jaka can brief you about our family."
"I will gladly take it then. Thank you."
The token was like an ancient coin, but it was rather bigger than usual. It had a thunder symbol and Ganendra name inscribed on each side.
'If it was another family, I would leave them with a debt. They seem like a prominent family and it will be advantageous to have a backing. But I cannot do that to my friend's family. This one would suffice for now.'
"Mahen, the invitation."
"Sure. Here is the invitation. If you need assistance or questions, you can contact us. You may even join us to the auction if you like."
"I don't have a plan yet, but I really appreciate your kindness. I will tell Jaka about it when the time arrives."
In normal circumstances, any family, including the Ganendras, would be offended by the rejection. However, they didn't pursue the matter. They hadn't known Janu's background and he was Jaka's friend after all. For someone youngster to have two Heroic grade items but didn't know how to get an auction invitation was questionable, if not suspicious.
During the meeting, Jaka and Nohan were like two NPCs who served only as fillers in the background. They didn't dare to interfere with the deal. They were there only because the situation allowed them to. All the time they were silent and flabbergasted.
After the deal finished, Janu and Nohan left the room. Jaka was still inside because his family told him to.
"How well do you know Janu?" Punto was still examining the necklace as he threw the question. It was like that he wasn't really interested in the answer, but he was actually.
"I only met him two times as a matter of fact. He is Nohan's friend to begin with. They came here together from their city. He joined a raid back then as a miner by chance and Nohan was the leader."
"A Forgemaster?"
"Most probably. Keep close to him."
"Yes, Grandfather."
"Why did you give him the token, Dad?" Mahen was still thinking about his father's decision in giving their family token to someone they didn't know about.
"He..he..he.. He was mysterious. I had a hunch. We barely have any information about him, but from what I can see, he has great potential. If he has ulterior motives he would bargain in the deal. Let's get on his good side." Punto was relaxed and he didn't appear to have any worries. He was still looking at the two items in front of him.
"Store it in the family treasury when we get home."
"Sure, father."
"That was crazy man…!"
Nohan held his head with his two hands in disbelief. It wasn't because the fact that Janu didn't add the condition to the deal. Instead, it was more because his friend was full of mystery and he was always full of surprise.
"Do you want one?"
"Huh? What?"
"I told you I'll give you a present if you pass the selection."
"Hoo…." Nohan, who was confused, started to smile as he remembered what Janu said back then.
Nohan's room was neat and there were some cases to store his equipment.
Janu took out a shield from his inventory.
[Sacred Guard
Type: Shield
Rarity: Heroic
Defence: 180
Description: The shield is made of mythril and enchanted with holy power.
Bonus:
- Nullifies Curse
- Halves Dark attack damage
- Reduce physical damage by 50% if there are more than two opponents.]