Chapter 107: The Hidden Blade

“Who do you think is going to win this year’s tournament? I bet Rana is going to win again, she has been undefeated for three years now.”

“True, but you never know, so I will watch the new competitors. Maybe one will be worth it.”

“Are you thinking of recruiting again? You know your guild is small, you tried before and no one joined, not to mention it has not grown since then either.”

“Yeah… thanks for the vote of confidence. I will not give up though, I am sure someone with potential will join eventually.”

“Sure man, sure. Anyways, I have to go, meeting with the boss.”

“Cool, see you at the arena later.” He watched as his friend disappeared into the crowd and sighed. ’Dammit, at this rate, I will die before we even crack the top thirty.’ He walked to his favorite bar, going in with a fake smile.

“Oh, Henry, you are early today.” A cute beast girl said, offering him a cup of beer. He took it and sat down, looking around the bar.

“Full as always, huh?” He took a sip, taking a look at the girl. ’I am not sure where she came from, but ever since she arrived, this place has been booming. She is so pretty and charming that even big guild members visit this place. Just who is she?’ They made eye contact, and she smiled at him, making him blush.

“So uh, who will you be betting on?” he asked, trying to avoid eye contact.

She pondered, looking at him before smiling. “I think I will bet on the new guy. I believe his name is Vell.”

’Vell? Is he not the guy that lost every match last month? Why is she betting on someone so weak? She will lose all her money.’ He tried not to look judgmental. “Uh, can I ask why?”

She gave him one last look and began walking away. “Let us just call it instinct.” The man was left with many questions. Why did she seem so sure this Vell person would win when he lost all his matches? He just could not understand it.

“I guess I should keep an eye on him… haah, how annoying.” He continued drinking his beer while going over the list of all the players participating. ’There he is, Vell. Nothing else is known about him, no background or anything, he just showed up out of nowhere. He uses a sword but seems to be an amateur. Fifteen fights… fifteen loses. Yeah, this guy is a nobody. I am not wasting my time on this.’

The girl watched him from afar, seeing his expression. ’Hmph, you are all in for a big surprise.’

A few hours later, people were already gathering in the arena and above, with a special view, where the players that stood at the peak of power sat. They can easily get anyone they have their eyes on, they can also ruin their lives just as easily.

This tournament is held in order for players to test their strength against each other, it also serves as a career opener. If your performance is high, you have a high chance of being recruited by a good guild.

There are around two hundred players participating each year, the last one to win gets the prize money and a spot in the player rankings.

Henry arrived at the arena just as the crowd began to roar with excitement. The tournament’s opening ceremony was in full swing, with banners unfurling and announcers hyping up the matches to come. His eyes scanned the massive structure, a coliseum of flashing lights and the hum of energy barriers that promised to make this year’s tournament as thrilling as ever.

He found a seat in the mid-tier section, close enough to catch the finer details of the fights but far from the prestigious seats reserved for the elite. His fingers tapped idly on the hilt of his sheathed dagger as he waited for the matches to begin.

“First match of the day!” boomed the announcer, their voice amplified across the arena. “A rookie who has yet to find his footing—Vell the Swordsman—versus the unstoppable powerhouse, Goruk the Crusher!”

The crowd erupted in cheers and jeers. Henry raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly. ’Oh, he is fighting first? Well, this should be over in two minutes,’ he thought, sipping from his flask.

Vell stepped into the arena, his figure almost swallowed by the intimidating presence of Goruk, a towering hulk of muscle clad in dark steel armor. On the other hand, Vell wore cheap armor and had a cheap sword around his waist.

“Place your bets now!” the announcer shouted, and Henry glanced at the betting board. Odds on Vell were abysmal—no one believed in him. No one except, it seemed, the mysterious girl at the bar.

“Guess I will see what she saw,” he muttered to himself.

The match began with a deafening gong. Goruk charged, his warhammer smashing into the ground with enough force to send tremors through the arena. Vell barely dodged, rolling to the side with surprising agility.

Henry sighed. “Looks like he has not improved at all. I was expecting more, but this is truly disappointing.”

Vell kept dodging Goruk’s attacks, moving in a way that looked clumsy and untrained. The crowd laughed and booed, sure he was going to lose. Goruk, frustrated, swung his warhammer harder, smashing the ground again and again, but Vell always just barely got out of the way.

Henry leaned back in his seat, shaking his head. “This guy does not stand a chance,” he muttered.

Then, something strange happened. Goruk’s hammer hit the ground near Vell, and there was a small explosion. Goruk staggered back, smoke rising from his armor as the crowd gasped.

“What just happened?!” the announcer shouted. “Did Goruk hit a trap?”

Vell stood there, wide-eyed, looking just as surprised as everyone else. The audience started whispering, but Henry narrowed his eyes. ’That did not look like an accident.’

Goruk, furious, charged at him again. This time, Vell stumbled and fell, but as he went down, his sword caught Goruk’s armor, cutting into a weak spot. Goruk roared in pain and slowed down. The crowd cheered as Vell got back up, looking shaky but determined.

The fight went on, and every time Vell moved, it looked like luck was on his side. He dodged attacks by “tripping” or leaning the wrong way, but somehow it always worked. His swings looked sloppy, but they hit just the right spots. Finally, he knocked Goruk’s warhammer out of his hands and landed a blow that sent him to the ground.

The gong rang, and the announcer’s voice echoed through the arena. “V-Vell the Swordsman wins! Against all odds, he has defeated Goruk the Crusher!”

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Vell gave an awkward bow and walked off, looking humble and nervous, like he could not believe he had won.

Henry stared at the arena, frowning. ’That was not luck. That was skill. He is pretending to be weak. Hehehe, how interesting.’ The air around him changed, as though he was itching to challenge him.

He glanced toward the low-tier section and saw the beast girl from the bar. She was watching him again, smiling like she knew a secret.

Henry smirked. “Looks like there is more to this guy than I thought,” he said. ’I am going to find out what he is hiding.’

As the crowd buzzed with the aftermath of Vell’s unexpected victory, Henry could not shake the unease growing in his chest. His instincts screamed that something about him did not add up, and his experience told him to trust that feeling.

He made his way down to the lower levels of the arena, weaving through the excited spectators. It did not take long before he spotted Vell slipping out of the fighters’ exit, his head low, avoiding attention. Henry followed at a distance, careful to remain unnoticed.

The rookie swordsman moved quickly through the winding alleys behind the arena, finally stopping near a quiet fountain. He leaned against the stone edge, exhaling heavily, as though releasing all the tension he had been holding during the fight.

Henry observed from the shadows. ’He does not look like someone who just had a lucky break. He looks like someone who pulled off exactly what he planned.’

Just then, a figure emerged from the opposite side of the square. It was the beast girl from the bar. Her expression was calm, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. She approached Vell without hesitation.

“Well done,” she said softly, her voice carrying just enough for Henry to hear. “You made it look convincing.”

He flinched, looking up at her with wide eyes. “I-I do not know what you mean,” he stammered, though his tone lacked conviction.

She chuckled and crouched down beside him, her tail swishing lazily. “Relax. No one else noticed, and Goruk was too angry to figure it out. But you should be careful—there are people who can see through your act.”

Henry’s hand tightened on his dagger hilt. ’So it was an act.’

“Yeah and about that,” he vanished, appearing right behind Henry, placing a sword at his throat, “who might you be.”

’Shit.’

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