Chapter 26
The next day couldn't come any sooner. The third placing fight was scheduled before lunchtime and that meant Polka was facing off against Fein'Gaz.
"Will you be alright with this?" asked Nene worriedly, glancing over at the half-orc who was busy flexing for the crowd.
"I dunno..." said Polka as she shrugged, "But, I might be able to get him to be a strong man for the circus."
Botan chuckled and stated, "Hu, hu, if you do get him to join your circus, you will definitely get a lot of support."
"Well, do your best, Polka," encouraged Lamy.
"Yeah, just do your best. As long as you do, you won't have regrets," agreed Aloe, "At least, I think so."
"Hi, hi, thanks everyone. I'll be sure to do my best," replied the monk gratefully.
She got up on the platform and slowly psyched herself up as she moved near the center. She pat her cheeks and hopped in place, loosening her joints and her body in preparation for the fight. She also learned a bit from her last fight; don't drink too much of the booze from the cask. Let it settle down in her stomach first. Too much moving around with a stomach that is filling too fast is vomit-inducing.
The half-orc stopped posing for a moment and turned to face the fennec fox girl. He smirked and said, "Good you aren't running away."
"After this, I want you to join my circus," she offered with a grin.
This gave him pause. A few seconds later, he chuckled and replied, "Heh, we'll see."
"Fighters ready!"
Both fighters nodded and slid into their stances. They were prepared.
"3… 2… 1… Fight!"
Fein'Gaz was surprisingly fast, as he suddenly charged up to Polka and grabbed her head. Pulling her in and grabbing her by the waist, he jumped up and slammed her down on the platform with a loud crash. She slowly pushed herself up as he took a few steps back, posing and raising his arms in response to the cheers of the crowd. She then took the cask off her belt and took a long drink.
"Hah, that won't work on- urk," the half-orc started but was taken aback by the cask suddenly being tossed into his face.
The monk then jumped up and grabbed the cask after it bounced off his then drove her foot into the same spot, his head snapping back. As she landed on her feet, he tried grabbing her and failing. She leaned back to avoid his meaty hands and swerved away from the hard punch he tried using. Snapping a punch to his face again, she sent blow after blow at his body. Instead of blocking them, he weathered the blows by flexing his muscles as he looked to the sky and roared, his skin gaining a red tinge. Without warning, he then spun around, his extending arms catching her in the side of the head.
Shaking her head, Polka took another drink to numb the pain. Fein'Gaz tried grabbing the cask away but she ducked down low backward and shot back up again to headbutt his chest. As he staggered back, she held up her hands and lurched forward. Feinting with her left, she slammed her elbow into his chest. He blocked the follow-up elbow but got punched in the face for his troubles. Her momentum got interrupted again when he did his spinning attack, his fists catching her in the side of her head again. As she stumbled back, she got kicked in the gut. She almost threw up but she kept it down and got into her stance again.
Taking a breath, the monk leaped with a knee strike, her knee slamming into his meaty palm. As she fell, she lashed out with a kick as it went under his hand and struck his face. Landing on both feet, she swept her leg out and missed as Fein'Gaz lifted his leg up. With little warning, she then punched his lifted leg in the knee, then slammed her elbow in his other. The half-orc reached down and tried to grab her but failed as she rolled over to the side. He then waited for her to get up and lunged. He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her over, slamming her neck-first into the ground as he fell back. He kept his grip on her and lifted her over again. And again. And again, finally letting go after she fell unconscious after the fourth fall. He then got up and paraded himself around again as the monk was carried away to the temple for healing.
The party immediately followed after the stretcher attendants, worried for Polka. They quickly made their way there and waited outside with the exception of the cleric, who went in with the attendants. After a while, she came out again.
"She is fine now," she informed her friends, all of them becoming relieved, "She just needs to sleep now."
"Phew, that was close," muttered Nene.
They stood there in silence until Botan said, "So… let's get some lunch, then bring some back to Polka."
"Yeah! She'll be hungry when she wakes up," agreed Aloe with several nods, "Let's do this!"
Polka woke up and was still feeling a little weak, so Lamy and Botan decided to keep her company while Nene and Aloe returned to the tournament area to watch the final match. The crowd made a din as everyone was busy talking at the same time while waiting for it to start.
Reyo was sitting on one corner, busy reading a book, his red stone already orbiting his head. Korone was in the opposite corner, stretching and preparing for the match. Soon, Lord Aruran stepped forward.
"Fighters ready!" he called out. It seems he was to be the referee of the final match.
The half-elf calmly closed the book and laid it on the platform. Then, both fighters moved to the center of the platform and got into the fight stances.
"3… 2… 1… Fight!"
"Come, approach me if you dare," he smirked as he motioned her to come. The atmosphere on the platform itself suddenly became menacing and suffocating at the same time.
Korone frowned and went in blazing anyway. Yet, somehow he was able to dodge her punches and kicks. Suddenly, he chuckled a little before going in as well, his attacks actually connecting. After several punches and kicks connecting, the both of them started trading blows. Punches, kicks, and blocks continued furiously. Then, the bounty hunter got the upper hand when a stray punch smacked him in the side of his head. She landed a flurry of blows on her stunned opponent, with two of her punches crashing into his nose.
Reyo glared at her as he stumbled back, his nose cracking loudly as he reset it. "You dare fight against your betters!" he roared as he surged forward, lashing out with a kick. He followed up with two knee strikes and a punch to her head. She got hit by the kick but blocked the rest and spun around with a roundhouse kick, which he ducked under. She then swung at him several times with the last one tapping him in the forehead.
"Damn it all! Have this!" he shouted angrily as he shot her with his eye blasts.
The eldritch blasts crackled as they slammed into her body and arms, she flinched in response. The half-elf took this chance to move in.
"Ha ha ha! You won't feel a thing when I'm done!" he declared arrogantly with a malicious grin as he hammered on her seemingly battered defense.
A failed block meant her hand cushioning the punch to her head. Two other punches being parried away as she supposedly recovered from the blasts and one kick slamming into her side. It was then she suddenly grabbed his leg before he could pull it away.
"What is the meaning of this?" he shouted as he tried to shake off her firm grip.
Despite her bruised state, Korone smiled and said, "Press the attack, Hound Dog."
A visage of a growling, humanoid dog person suddenly materialized, looming out of her body with large, muscular arms. It howled and started raining punches on the half-elf noble.
"...oraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraHORAYO!"
Right before the last punch, she let go and Reyo's beaten form flew off towards his corner of the platform. The crowd fell silent as their minds processed what just happened. And then, it went wild as loud cheers and roared erupted, the crowd relieved that the arrogant noble got his just desserts. Aloe and Nene just grinned at each other and joined in the cheering.
The bounty hunter waved at everyone as she walked off the stage. The half-elf noble propped himself on his elbow as he slammed the fist of his other arm on the wooden platform. A few people, presumed to be his servants, went over to help him. As he was ushered away, Lord Aruran got on the platform and announced, "Fellow citizens. Thank you for coming and witnessing the fine display of skill and power. Today is the final match of the tournament. Now, I present to you your winner, Bounty Hunter Korone."
Thunderous applause accompanied the dog girl as she got on stage again. She waved to the crowd as she stood in front of the lord. He then shook her hand and talked to her for a moment. She shook her head a few times before nodding. After that, he turned to the crowd to say, "I am afraid that is all for the day. Thank you for attending. Please, continue enjoying yourself during the festival. Have a good day."
The crowd applauded again before slowly dispersing. The lord and the bounty hunter walked down from the platform, shook hands, and went on their separate ways. Then, Lord Aruran caught sight of the two and walked over to greet them.
"Well, how is Polka doing?" he asked.
"She's doing fine," the bard assured, "She's just feeling under the weather right now but she should be up and running tomorrow."
"Ah, that is good to hear," he replied with a beaming smile. Then, he snapped his fingers and said, "Oh, I have good news. Miss Korone there turned down half the tournament prizes. She only took a thousand gold, leaving the rest of the gold as well as some enchantment offers. So, the extra gold will be turned over to the emergency funds of the city. The enchantment offers, we will take. Thus, I will be speaking with the other adventuring parties and offer them one each, yours included."
"Wow, amazing!" exclaimed the succubus.
He chuckled and said politely, "I do try… right, I must attend to other matters. I will take my leave now."
As he walked off, the two grinned at each other and hurried off to the temple to break the good news to the others.
"Wow, I wonder what kind of enchantments we should get for our stuff?" said Polka eagerly at dinnertime.
"Maybe wait first?" suggested Botan after taking a drink, "I mean, we have that ticket so someone will get something new. It may be a new weapon or new armor. We use that ticket first and then we decide what to use the enchantment on."
"Hmm, that seems reasonable enough. I agree with that," supported Lamy with several nods.
"Yeah… let's go visit the shop tomorrow? I mean, we don't have anything else to do, right?" proposed Nene before scooping another spoonful of chicken soup.
"Ah, I don't think we ever visited Camryn at the enchanter's place, right?" added Aloe, "Sounds like as good a time as any."
"Yosh! Now that's a plan," declared the monk happily.
The next day, they made their way through the crowds and eventually found the enchanter's shop. It was moderately sized inside with all manner of books on one side and a multitude of jars and bottles with various reagents and materials. Manning the counter was a bald gnome with a short greying beard. He wore old-looking brown robes and a bandanna over his forehead.
He saw the party and muttered in a bored tone, "Yes? How may I help you?"
"Huh, I thought the shop will be closed during the festival," commented Aloe.
"Hah, I still need to train my new apprentice. There is still much for him to learn," the man said with a frown, "Now, unless you have any actual business..."
Then, Nene produced the ticket and handed it to him, "Here, sir. We found this in a wreck in the desert. Is this from your shop?"
The gnome picked it up and scrutinized it for a while. "A pity. He was a good customer," he muttered as he finished looking it over, "Well, I suppose you want it?"
"Well, if it isn't a bother..."
He waved the bard's concerns away and said, "The down payment was already given. And he did promise to retrieve it. A shame he wouldn't be able to keep it. And rather than let it collect dust in my store, I suppose I could relinquish it for...two hundred and fifty gold."
"...Alright, I'll pay for it," agreed the bard, "Can we have a look at it first?"
"Ah, I'll go get it then," the enchanter replied as he hopped off the stool and walked to the back. A few seconds later, he brought out what looked like a set of studded leather armor.
"...Is that all?" asked Botan, voicing what the puzzled party was thinking.
"Pah, is that all, she asks," he snarked as he placed the set on the counter, "This set has been enchanted with a glamour that transforms it into other clothes. It's still armor, but it can be made to look like your everyday clothes."
"Oooh," they sounded as they looked over the set. Then, the archer clapped her hand on the bard's shoulder and said, "Nene, you take it."
"Well… it does sound useful… alright, I'll pay the balance," she finally agreed after some thought.
She did so and took the set. The enchanter also passed a piece of paper he said had the command word for the glamour. They went back to the guild house; she went to her room to change and the rest waited in the side room. A few minutes later, she came back to meet up with them. At first, she was wearing her new set instead of her everyday clothes. But as she stood in front of them, she whispered something to herself and the armor transformed into her everyday clothes, starting from the top and moving down to the bottom.
"Woah, so cool!" exclaimed Polka.
"Hmm, we should go to the blacksmith's to sell off the old armor then," suggested Botan.
That also sounded like a good idea. They made their way to the nearest one and checked out the shop. They were a little surprised to meet Camryn there.
"Oh, hello. I thought you'd be at the enchanter's shop," said the bard.
"Ah, he had a new enchantment he wanted to teach me, so I'm buying a few swords here," the apprentice explained.
"Oh, good luck with that," she stated with a smile.
"Hey, Camryn, are you free tonight? Do you know where Robel's is? Perform with me outside Robel's tonight," invited Polka.
"Er… sure, I guess?" he replied hesitantly, "If my teacher is done, I'll try and make my way there."
"Ha! Awesome!" cheered on the monk as she did a little jig.
He had a slight smile as he shook his head. He left the shop with a few shortswords in hand. Meanwhile, Nene sold off her worn studded leather armor. Botan wanted to get a new set of armor but… even with trading in her current armor, she couldn't afford it. Plus, she was also glancing reluctantly at Lamy, remembering what happened last time.
"Hng, I think we need to go on another request run," she groaned as she looked over a well-made set of half-plate.
"Sure we could. The festival ends tonight, so we should be able to go tomorrow," said Aloe, cheering up the lion girl. It definitely did, considering the bright happy smile on her face.
AN: Hello, readers. Welcome to the next chapter. The tournament ends today. For Polka vs Fein'Gaz, he won by knockout. In a metagame sense, he has a level advantage, so that was a given. But then again, if he didn't rage, it may have been a closer match here. As for the final match, Korone vs Reyo. No way Reyo was going to win. It was a close fight, to be honest. He had extra magic on his side and Korone had her tactics. Her skills won out in the end and she used her Astral Self as a finisher. As for its name, Hound Dog was a song by Elvis Presley. And in one of her English-only Super Mario streams, she said, "I'm Elvis Presley." before falling in a fire pit/bottomless pit. I swear, she says the funniest things during her English-only streams.
After the tournament is over, we have a free day on the last day of the festival. Thus, Nene gets Glamoured Studded Leather. Not to mention, the party makes plans to earn more money to get some better armor for Botan.
And thus ends the festival arc. Next chapter will be standalone, I think, before moving on into the next one. Thank you for reading and have a good day, dear readers.