Srassa's opponent was a Koena, who had an equal amount of black and white scales. Kuaq was her name. She had long black hair that reached the middle of her back, but sections of her hair had white diamond highlights, giving her an exotic look of royalty.  

“SRASSA!!!!” Momo supported her precious friend from the tents. She had both hands in the air and jumped around like a cheerleader.  Her pink tail flopped up and down and all around, joining in on the fun.  Servi was right next to her, copying her erratic movements as a wave of black hair flashed across her ruby eyes. Off to the back were the two Koena, Silverado and Desperado, who raised their hands and voices in support.  

They’re all watching me....and they all believe in me. Srassa's emerald eyes looked at her cheering squad with renewed vigor as a surge of strength flowed through her body.

“Alright, folks, we have a new match for you right now! Srassa versus Kuaq! Human versus Koena! Blond versus white and black, facing off. Who will win and who will lose?!?! Let’s find out! FIGHT!!!” 

Kuaq held two daggers, one in each hand, and sped towards her opponent while keeping her center of gravity low to the ground. Srassa stayed ever-unmoving, staring at the face of her approaching foe as she feinted a skill. Even though she could use skills by saying the name, she couldn't chant them. Instant Cast wasn't something she could turn on and off like a switch. However, If her opponent didn't know that, she could take advantage of that lack of information and turn it to her advantage.  

And that's what she did.  

When Srassa chanted for Thunder Snap, Kuaq stopped and covered her ears. She believed an earsplittingly loud snap was coming, but she was inexperienced. It never crossed her mind at all that it could be a simple decoy.

Srassa wasn’t planning on using Lucem or any other skill, but Dineria had told her and Momo that they needed to be flexible in both body and mind. 

“When it comes to a fight, feints, tricks, and decoys can be useful allies. Srassa, this goes for you. Since you have Instant Cast, you can use it to your advantage. Pretend to chant one skill and quickly use another. You have to be both flexible in body and mind. In a fight, the situation can change quicker than you can blink, and you have to adapt. It’s hard and exhausting, but your mind has to run at full speed. Understand?” 

Dineria, I understand completely...  The Human girl with blond hair and green eyes softly whispered a single word as she covered her eyes. Unfortunately, Kuaq didn’t understand.  

“Lucem,” the arena overflowed with a bright white light that lasted all of two seconds.  

“Folks, that is by far THE strongest Lucem I’ve ever seen from a Rank 10!. Ladies and gentlemen, I do hope your eyes are okay. Hey! Why didn’t we have a warning label?! Oh, we did? Ahh… I see. Well, now that I can see, I can see that Srassa came out on top. The question is this: will Kuaq forfeit? Does she have something to get her out of this bind?! Will she be able to 'kuaq' this egg she's in? Get it? Crack. Kuaq? HAHAHA!!! Folks, I'm gonna be here all night!” 

Is he trying to be funny? Servi fought back an urge to rip her ears off so she wouldn't have to listen to Toni anymore.  Judging from the scowl coming from her best friend, she wasn't alone.

Inside the arena, Srassa had her sword pointed to her opponent’s neck. As she was blinded, Kuaq was attacked by two Magic Missiles, which brought her down to her knees, and even though she couldn’t see it, she felt the sharp tip of a sword slide chafe against her arm as it made its way up. She didn't suffer any damage thanks to her hard scales, but it was traumatizing. If their battle was to the death, she would’ve perished in a matter of moments.  With three quick slaps to the floor, Kuaq realized it was her loss and forfeited the match.

"I did not expect the match to be over that quickly, but we have a winner!!! Give it up for Srassa Flinn!!!!!"

 Damnit it! Master told me that it’s possible to fake a chant, and I still fell for it. I need more training. Kuaq stood up and glanced at her weapons.  Her master had taken out a loan to buy them for her as a graduation gift.  They were supposed to be a symbol of happiness, but she felt nothing but regret and pain.  The thought of tossing them to the ground soared across her mind, but she respected her master far too much to do something so unsportsmanlike.

Srassa made her way back to the tent, accompanied by a chorus of applause. Momo was right there, ready to congratulate her friend.  

“That was incredible!” the Singi's pink ears twitched in delight and happiness. “Instant Cast is super powerful, isn't it?” 

“It is,” said Dineria, “But it’s a tool to be used.  It’s not unbeatable, okay? Remember that.” 

“Right! I’ll remember!” replied Srassa. She smiled at her mentor and friends and thanked them before taking a seat, but her mind didn't reflect her outward happy appearance.

Instant Cast feels like I'm cheating... I want to fight hand to hand, sword to sword... Maybe I'll get the chance too...or perhaps I should accept the fact that I'm doomed to a life of relying on skills.

Momo sat back down beside Servi.  

“Servi, I wish you could see how Srassa was when I first met her. Like me, she’s improved so much that I can hardly recognize her. Also, like me, she cried the first day we met.  Well, I cried like five times, but…” You didn’t leave me like I thought you would. Momo wanted to say that last part, but she thought it instead.  

Servi smiled at her best friend, and they focused their attention on the ongoing matches.

---

In the span of an hour, all of Fisher's mentees, sans Servi, were called to battle. Feral, who remained motionless on his shield, was cranky.

"My blood is running hot because I am doing nothing but watching. I want to fight!!" Feral raised a clenched fist as his tail thumped the ground, nearly knocking over a poor employee who chose that unfortunate moment to move behind him.

"Calm down, big guy.  You'll get your chance to fight," Servi had told him after he apologized to the Elf he nearly knocked over. She smiled at the Kobold, and he nodded before growling. A faint tinge of red burned within green cheeks out of embarrassment. 

Servi stood up and stretched when she heard her name. Toni's voice had gotten a little bit less grating, but it still irritated her.

“Good luck!” said the Singi. She stood up and walked with Servi as far as she could before leaning against a railing.  

“Thanks, Momo! I'll do my best!” replied Servi. She drew her sword and readied her shield as she walked to arena 1.  

Her opponent this time was an Elf with a wooden staff. She had black hair, a pointy hat covering her tipped ears, a black robe, and black gloves. She was the textbook definition of what a devoted skill user looked like. Her name was Ancy. Servi could count her experiences with staffs on one finger.  During the attack to free the slave markets, there was a girl who used one. Servi couldn’t remember her name, but it was a Singi. She had told Servi that staffs empowered skills and increased their effectiveness.

If that's the case, then she's packing some serious firepower. I still think I have the advantage. If she uses Lucem or Thunder Snap, then True Immortality will instantly heal my eyes and ears. But if I find a staff and use it, then realistically, how much stronger will my skills be? Once I tell Momo the truth, I need to buy a stave and try it out.

“Elf versus Human, staff versus sword and shield! Ancy versus Servi! Let the battle begin!!!” After a small message from Toni, the fight commenced.

Servi held her shield in front and walked menacingly towards her opponent.  It was her second match of the day, but Servi was feeling a little bit better. Sure, she didn’t have her trump card activated, but she was still plenty strong. Technically, Servi was as strong as eleven Humans. All she needed to do was grab onto a body part and not let go.

Ancy raised her wooden staff and began to chant. Servi charged right in, and the Elf smiled before saying a single word. “Lucem.” 

Servi had fallen for the same trick that Srassa used against Kuaq. But there was one drastic difference.  

The moment her eyes were devoid of sight, they were fixed. To Servi, it seemed that repairing smaller body parts and organs didn’t take as long as regenerating legs or arms. Because of that, she was able to see the incoming staff slam.

If that’s true, then why did my arm heal instantly? He wasn’t even done with his attack, but the bone had already fixed itself. Servi thought as she deflected the attack with her shield.  Could it be that True Immortality is getting faster as my body becomes more familiar with Itarr's power?

“What?! You should’ve been blinded!!” Ancy exclaimed. She took a few steps back and quickly started to formulate the best way for her to win.

“Folks!! Seems like Servi can defend even when she’s blind!!!” Toni stated the obvious.

Servi didn’t say anything and dropped her sword. It landed with a clang, and she kicked it away. Since Servi was fighting an opponent who didn’t have a metallic weapon, the red-eyed girl preferred to use her hands. More importantly, she was less likely to accidentally kill her opponent if she went at it empty-handed.

“What is she doing?” asked Riki, who returned to the tent after winning against a fellow Dwarf. After getting his congratulations on a well-deserved victory, he sat down.  

“I do not know,” growled Feral. “She tossed away her weapon, but why?” 

“Just watch,” said Fisher Jin. “She has a plan.” 

Servi had her shield at the ready, and even though she couldn't read the combat memories of her souls, she realized it didn’t take a genius to block a simple attack. Ancy was more suited to skills, and even without her cheat-like ability, Servi could follow them with just a little bit of trouble.   

I guess she wasn’t trained that well in physical attacks, and maybe I did learn something from Fisher...  

“Now that I know you have Instant Cast, I’m more prepared,” said Servi, trying to egg on Ancy. The Elf pointed the head of her staff at Servi, who steadied her shield.  

If I can make her use Lucem again, I can win.  If she has Thunder Snap, I believe I can work around that. Regardless, I better pretended to be affected as to not arouse any suspicion. 

“Magic Missile!” shouted her opponent, and a single colorless arrow formed. It launched out, far slower than what Servi’s Shadow Shot could do.  With a simple backhand, the attack bounced off Servi's shield and slammed into the glass wall, dissipating into nothingness.  The Elf panicked and used Lucem and Thunder Snap right after the other but didn’t the time to protect her eyes and ears.

Perfect! I may not have the knowledge provided by Soul Essence of Primal Combat, but I still have my mind. I can still strategize.  

Not wanting to give herself away, Servi had to act the part of being confused and deaf, but Fisher instantly discerned Servi was faking it. The way she stumbled around was not the same way a blind person would walk. Almost comedic in a way, it took all he had to stifle a growing chuckle that made its way up his throat.

Once her imaginary blindness and deafness were healed, Servi pretended to be shocked at finding Ancy on the ground with her eyes closed.  She walked closer to the fallen Elf and crouched down. Picking up her staff, she poked the body with it for a few seconds before gently laying it down beside its owner.

Standing up, Servi turned to Momo and shrugged.  The audience exploded into a fit of laughter. Momo didn’t join in since she knew how it felt to be made fun of. If anything, she felt sad for the poor Elf.  Feral grunted and said nothing, while Riki and Rakkire nearly pissed themselves from cackling so hard. At the time, Silverado and Desperado were in a match. They couldn't take time away from their own battle to laugh at someone else's expense.

“Uhh!!!! I think this is the first case of a self-KO. In her wild attempt to win, Ancy blinded and deafened herself to the point where I think she passed out? Folks, I don’t see any damage, so I don’t know what happened. Medics!!” Toni shouted as three people rushed into the arena.  The red and white jackets they had on signified they belonged to the medical team.

“Yeah, she knocked herself out by overloading her senses. After a couple of minutes of rest, she'll be fine.  Might have a headache, though,” a woman with short hair explained Ancy's condition to her opponent. Servi thanked her and walked out. As she did, she told an employee who was standing nearby what the medic told her. The employee thanked her and ran to tell Toni, who announced it when Servi sat back down.  

“So let that be a lesson to ya! Using skills that overwhelm your senses are a sure-fire way to pass out. Your brain can’t process the changes fast enough and shuts down so you won’t hurt yourself. Ancy, don’t be embarrassed. It happens to the best of us!” Toni said.

---

In the next six hours, the group stage finally came to a close. It was a fitting finale that the last two matches came down to friend versus friend and enemy versus enemy.  

Momo ended up winning all of her matches and even came in first place in her group. Srassa came in second, losing only once. Her bout against Momo was the most impressive fight by far, but Momo had a slight advantage. She knew Srassa’s tricks, and she was there when Dineria told them about feinting skills. And since they sparred together when they were learning with Dineria, they had a good grasp of each other’s abilities.  

But Momo still had the advantage, even when not including the fact that they trained together. Her grandpa was Rank 3, and he was indisputably strong. The fundamentals of his style were taught to Momo as best he could in his growing age, and unbeknownst to her, she had been slowly integrating the two forms of combat into her creating her own style. Dineria had first noticed this when Momo did her exam, but since the objective was to copy her movements, she had to give Momo a lower score that didn't correspond to what the Singi could do.

Though it’s nowhere as good as mine, you’re growing into an impressive fighter. Be proud, Momo. Even if you don’t realize it, you’ve taken the first step in becoming a master of the sword.  And you reached it so much quicker than I did. I do wish you would have more confidence in yourself. There’s a lot of strength waiting to be unleashed, and I hope you find the right person to help you tap into it. Whether it be Srassa or Servi, I hope they can help you. Dineria thought.  She looked upon her beloved pupils with love and affection.  As a mentor, she couldn't be any prouder.

“And here we are, folks! The match I have been wanting to see ever since I received their information mere moments ago!! Momo, the pink Singi, is going up against Srassa Flinn, the blond Human!!! Both of these fine women were trained by Dineria….. wait, no last name?  No matter, folks! As I was saying, both of these fine women were trained by Dineria from Levadia Woods. She's a respected Warden member in her own right.  Now, let’s see how this match goes!!!!” Toni brought Dineria out from her inner thoughts as she watched the match with nothing less than a smile.

Does it make me a despicable person if I want Momo to win? I like Srassa, and I even want to be friends with her, but I feel like I only desire Momo as a best friend. But I can’t pick and choose who to cheer for. I guess I’ll cheer for both, but my heart will be for Momo. Servi was conflicted, but she tossed those feelings away and began to cheer for both of them from her seat.  Feral's booming voice erupted from behind as he joined in with her cheering.

“We’re still gonna friends at the end of this match, right?” Srassa drew her sword. Her blond hair, tied into a ponytail, fluttered and flapped about while her eyes stared at her rival.

“Yep! I made a promise with Servi about the same thing. No hard feelings at the end of the day, okay?” Momo drew her grandpa’s sword and took a stance Dineria taught them.

“Right! I'm going to go all out from the beginning!” replied Srassa, mirroring her friend's stance.

My God, Hamie, gave me the skill in the first place, so I shouldn't NOT use it.  It's a part of me until I die, and I shouldn't disrespect Hamie by being ashamed of it.

“Now then, FIGHT!!!!!!” Toni roared. 

Srassa immediately used Thunder Snap, but Momo was ready for it. She used one hand to cover an ear, so she was only half affected. Srassa added on by using Magic Missile, and Momo rolled away. She effortlessly avoided the colorless arrow and began to pre-cast. Coming from her roll, she made a swipe with her sword, but Srassa blocked it, pushing her away and sending yellow sparks into the air. Momo used the momentum to transfer into a backwards roll and used Magic Missile as she rose to her feet.  

Without waiting to see if it hit, she used her speed to rush in low with her sword at the ready. She was pre-casting another skill, and her cat-like tail stiffened up.

Srassa narrowly avoided the arrow as it gazed against her armor. It didn’t hurt, but she didn’t think Momo would pour more Skill Energy into it to increase its speed. That one moment proved to be a mistake as the Singi suddenly jumped to the side. She yelled out, “Thunder Snap,” but didn’t say the element it belonged to.  

“No—” said Srassa as she realized it was a feint. She went to cover her ears, but Momo finished the pre-cast with Magic Missile that struck against her friend’s foot.  

“Miss Flinn!!” Jony shouted from the audience. He knew it was a tournament, and he shouldn’t interfere, but he couldn't help it. Every fiber of his soul wanted to rush down the steps, hop into the arena, and defend his mistress. He saw Srassa as a little sister he needed to protect and cried on the inside whenever she was hurt.

Srassa lost her balance and fell to one knee.  Her sword hand dropped her weapon and went to her injury. It wasn’t bleeding, but pain radiated up her leg. Momo walked up and pointed her thin longsword at her friend because she thought the fight was over.  

At that moment, Srassa grinned and said one word.  

“Lucem.” Momo was blinded by the light, but she instinctively went to make some distance and attacked at the process. To do so, she had to reveal something she was trying to keep hidden.  

I fell a lot trying to do this, and I was even yelled at by Warden staff for making too much noise in my room, but it’s my only chance.  I wanted to keep this a secret, but I want to win this fight even more!

Momo said a silent apology and dropped her grandpa’s sword. It wasn’t such a low-quality blade that the fall would damage it, but even though she was in a hurry, it didn't feel right to drop something so important. Falling to her back, Momo rolled and transitioned into a handstand.  Srassa’s thrust went straight between Momo’s opened legs, missing flesh and piercing nothing but air.  Counterattacking, Momo twisted her hands and spun. Doing so, she kicked her foe's left hand with the heel of her foot, knocking her sword away.  Srassa groaned in pain and went to pick up her weapon but was stopped in her tracks by a colorless arrow.

Momo balanced using one hand, while the other one was responsible for the skill. Getting some momentum, she rolled forward to her feet while preparing another Magic Missile.  

“I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!!” Toni's screaming had everyone scrambling to cover their ears.“What a display of agility and accuracy we had seen from our two competitors!!! Who else but a Singi, the cat-like people of the world to come up with something like this!! Momo not only predicted the attack, but she BALANCED ON HER HANDS TO DODGE AND THEN SPUN TO ATTACK. You guys, you don’t know how crazy that is for a simple Rank 10!! I am a Singi, and Rank 8 at that, but I would never, ever do something that wild in the middle of a battle!!! Momo, from the heart of one cat to another, you got my respect!” the moment Toni spoke, the audience broke out into a symphony of cheering.

“It’s my loss. And I don’t know if you wanted it, but the audience loves you,” Srassa tapped the ground a few times, and the cheering became even louder. Somehow or another, Momo had won the heart of the audience.  

“It was an amazing fight, Srassa.” Momo held out her sweaty hand, and Srassa took it. They were both breathing incredibly hard. The match was short, but it was certainly intense.   

“It was.” The two smiled and hugged each other as they walked back to their friends.  

Dineria was right.  Instant Cast isn't unbeatable.

Dineria was the first to speak, and she had nothing but praise. “As your mentor, I couldn't be prouder if I tried. Momo, I’m glad you figured out that you could use your Singi-given balance and agility in that way. Remember, your whole body can be a weapon. I wanted to tell you that, but I'm happy you figured it out! Srassa, your movements were excellent, and I could see nothing mechanically wrong. You two did your very best, and I’m just so happy!!” Dineria pulled a dried leaf from a small pouch and wiped her tears.  

Momo turned to see Servi, who was sitting down. She had the biggest smile on her face. Skipping over to her best friend, Servi stood up and gave Momo a big hug. 

”That was absolutely incredible,” she began. “I never expected that.” 

“Hehe,” giggled Momo. “I’ve been working on that for a while now. And maybe I’ve been working more…" Momo grinned and teased her best friend. "I can’t say more because it's secret, but when Dineria said that Singi are agile, I decide I should take advantage of that,” Momo squeezed her friend one more time before the two sat down.

“So,” Momo continued. “I started to work on using my legs to attack. It’s helpful if I need to dodge and counterattack right after. Then I realized that if I use pre-casting, I could dodge and attack twice. Once with my legs, and once by using a skill. Then I realized I could attack three times back to back to back. If I use a skill, then roll to a handstand and attack using my legs, I can pre-cast simultaneously and use one more skill if I did a one-handed handstand. It was super hard, and I fell a lot. I also got yelled at by the Warden hotel staff for making too much noise.” Momo smiled.

“Incredible. So that was your secret technique?” Servi said, hiding her inner thoughts with a pretty smile.  

She’s been growing and growing every single day, while I’ve been the same. I never once, before today, tried to seriously fight without using Soul Essence of Primal Combat. If she has this much determination, and I don’t, am I even worthy of her friendship? Wouldn’t she be happier with Srassa? They can train and grow together. I can't. I'm dependent on souls for my strength...

“Yep! I kept falling and losing balance, and it was loud. I even hurt my head a little bit when I bonked it against the wall, but I think it was worth it. I’m looking forward to our match. If we keep winning, then we’d face off against each other.” Momo said. She sat back in her chair, and Servi noticed she was breathing hard.  

“Are you thirsty? Want me to get us something to drink?” asked Servi, who stood up to stretch.

Momo nodded and went to stand up, but her friend stopped her. “You don’t have to worry about paying. I got it.” 

“Are you sure?” Momo slightly frowned.  

“Yep! You want water?” 

“Yes, please,” replied the Singi, who smiled meekly.  

“I’ll be right back,” Servi said, walking away. A few minutes later, she came back with two wooden cups. The cup Servi handed to Momo was slightly glowing, but its receiver didn't notice it.

“I’ll pay you back, okay?”  

Servi shook her head. “Nope. You don’t need to.” The black-haired girl gulped her ice-cold water. It was refreshing and smooth. Momo took small, delicate sips and felt instant relief.

But it feels weird… Momo’s line of thought was cut short by Toni.  

“Alrighty, folks!!! We just have one more match left, and win or lose, these two are going to the finals!!! So allow me to say a few words first before I call these two names. I’d like to thank all of the competitors!  The fights have been awesome, the people are entertained, and win or lose, I know you can all go home feeling proud and confident! So without further ado, I need Servi and Arty to go to arena 1! Please, make your way there!” 

“I guess you’re up,” said Momo. She used both hands to gently lift the cup to her lips.  

“I am,” Servi finished her water and laid the cup on the ground.  

"Good luck, Servi. I’ll be right here cheering you on!” 

Servi nodded and smiled at her best friend before downing her cup. She stood up and walked towards the arena.  Fisher was there waiting for her, and he asked her to keep her anger in check. Servi nodded and said she would.

"If need too, I will interfere if I believe his life is in danger. He's a jackass, but don't kill him," he warned. Servi nodded a second time and walked past him.

She was then stopped by Dineria, who gave her some advice. Then she was further delayed by the good luck wishes of her other friends.  

When she finally escaped, she had to jog to the arena to make it time. Her almost late appearance didn’t go unnoticed by Arty, who leaned against his spear; a sharp grin covered his face, and his mouth spewed words laced with venom.

"I've waited a whole fucking month for this rematch."