My Craft

by OnTheCobb

Devoid of memory or purpose, a new Crafter is pushed forth into the unforgiving land of Minecraftia. Armed with nothing but his wits, he must…well…actually he's pretty witless. Hopefully he won't get killed in the first week. Hopefully.

122. Round Two

AN: Too... much... content...

Strap yourselves in viewers, this Chapter is going to be a doozy.

Also, I put up a forum for this story. The CornCobb Weekly. Now you all can talk with one another about plot developments or whatever you want. Details are on the forum. Link below (copy, paste, and then replace spaces with dots). I'm also going to use it to let you know how close I am to finishing a Chapter. Check it out when you get the chance.

Forum: www fanfiction net/forum/The-CornCobb-Weekly/218218/

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Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. Bwuh.

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Chapter 122

Round Two

[Cobb]

The first thing I noticed waking up was Jade's empty bed. The green-haired parkourist hadn't come back all night, and it was that realization that hollowed out whatever motivation I had to start the day.

Everyone else was up, waiting on me. After the 'talk' with Jade, I was left with the task of informing everyone about her reveal. Soul and Lenz couldn't believe it, but Floyd…

He had known, but he covered himself with the excuse that it hadn't been his secret to share. He asked me how I reacted, I told him, and then he told me I had been an idiot.

I couldn't really argue that, but I had reason to be upset, even if the rest of the group was handling it better. I shifted in bed and Lenz noticed immediately.

"Jade is still missing." Lenz informed pointlessly. "No sign. No note. Comparators, her map is not even showing up on our radar. And we have no idea if she will continue in today's event."

"I know you want that airship," Floyd snapped, "but shouldn't we be more concerned with finding our missing guildmate rather than some competition?"

"Of course we should be concerned." Lenz huffed. "But we cannot abandon the airship either. Have you forgotten that our victory hinges on the amount of points we secure on the third day? We cannot look for her at this moment without jeopardizing our spots in the Games."

"Does it even matter? Jade was half of our ace-in-the-hole." Soul said. "If she's out, there goes first place in the parkour event. That's five points. And it isn't like Cobb is going to make it past Round Two."

"Screw you, Soul."

"No, screw you, Cobb!" Soul rounded on me. "This is all your fault anyway. Why the hell did you make her run away?"

"I'm sorry, how was I supposed to react hearing that she betrayed our trust again?"

"Better than you did."

"Enough!" Lenz shouted, getting between us. "Can you not see that this constant fighting is leading us further from our airship!?"

"Uh—"

"Is leading us further from our friend Jade!? Who we obviously care about more than a ship! Even if that ship is a marvelous culmination of redstone and Command Block technology!" I couldn't fathom how he said that all with a straight face. It had to be the tinted glasses. "However, I refuse to let our hard work getting this far be in vain. Cobbert! A plan, please!"

Everyone turned to me, expecting something reasonable. Something a leader would say.

"…Just leave her alone." I rolled over in bed, facing the wall. "If she doesn't want us to find her, we should give her her space."

"But… what about the Parkour Event?"

I shrugged. "If she doesn't show, we'll have to forfeit it."

"I do not like that plan! So I shall make my own!" Lenz quickly turned to Soul. "Since you do not have an event, you can freely search for our missing friend. Find her before noon and get her to the Parkour Event, if she is not already there."

"Roger, roger." Soul nodded before exiting the room.

Lenz took in a deep breath, calming himself down. "The rest of us will just have to manage our own events. Which means you have to qualify for the third round, Floyd."

Floyd was silent for a moment, probably looking towards me as I laid in bed, but he replied to the engineer nonetheless.

"Winning isn't going to happen. The others were too fast. I'll never make it in the top fifteen."

"That is why I permit you to use this." Lenz must have handed him something, but I was too late in turning to tell what. "Remember what we talked about last night?"

"I… I really don't think this will work—"

"Don't worry. I checked and double-checked the rules. Nothing about self-immolation."

"Ain't that a comfort…" He offered sarcastically before shaking his head. "Alright, I'll try it. But what are we going to do about Jade?"

"We can search for her at our leisure after securing our spots for the third round. I do not believe she would up and leave without the Tinker's weapon she values so much."

He was talking about the diamond cutlass sitting in my Inventory. I had taken it after she dropped it and ran off. If it really was from her teacher, she must have cared for it. Of course, if she did, she wouldn't have dropped it in the first place. Was she ashamed of it?

"You go on ahead, Lenz. I got to talk with Cobb for a bit."

I turned to see Lenz at the door, glancing between Floyd and me.

"Very well, but if this talk goes anything like last night's talk, and Cobbert runs off in an emotionally unstable fervor—"

Lenz wisely cut himself off, shutting the door closed before a handful of cobblestone struck.

"This is really bothering you, isn't it?" Floyd asked after a while.

"Yeah, it is." I got out of bed and recovered the cobblestone by the door. "I'm just wondering why everyone else is fine by it."

Floyd sighed, scratching his head. "You know, you're making me feel like an ass. I told Jade you'd forgive her easily and—"

"Then you didn't know a thing about me." I stowed the cobblestone back in my backpack and stood to face the door. "Once before, Jade admitted to dishonesty, claiming she had been following us all along to join our guild. At the time, she had said she was a poor fighter with good parkour skills."

"But that had been another lie. Her skill with a cutlass rivaled Wynn's swordsmanship—at least from what I could tell—and we weren't her first guild. Suddenly, everything I thought I knew about her turned out to be another ruse."

"But what bothers me the most, beyond a doubt, was how she put her own needs ahead of the guild's." I concluded, reaching the meat of the issue. "Whatever emotional turmoil she went through getting used by other people, she should have fought to the fullest extent of her abilities. How many times have we risked our lives fighting guys stronger than us? How many times could our burden have been lifted if Jade fought for real?"

I rounded on Floyd. "You used your powers whenever things were at risk, no matter the consequences. She didn't. She only used this stupid thing," I tore the cutlass from my Inventory, waving it at the blue-nette, "when we weren't present or conscious! She didn't even have it on her! She stowed it in an ender chest because she couldn't trust us to accept her! And even as far back as when I first met her, she was protecting fresh spawns WITHOUT this!" I hurled it at the wall, where it stuck into the wood. "She should have told me the second we met in Jolin! Instead she kept putting up layers of lies for me to sift through! How is everyone okay with this!?"

My chest rose and fell in heavy breaths after the end of my tirade. I hated it. I hated not being able to trust Jade. I wanted to, but everything just felt like lies on top of lies. When was it going to end? Did her secret mean more to her than protecting us? She wasted her time training me and getting nothing in return. Was her reason for joining the Beginners made up as well?

I didn't know AceOfJades at all.

And I had thought she was part of my World.

"…I get why you're angry."

I frowned at Floyd as he looked back into my emerald eyes.

"I get it. I do." He continued, walking over to the cutlass embedded in the wall. "You open your heart and cling to people in the best way. In a way that takes cowardly jerks, egg-headed archers, strict Captains, and surly hotheads and turns them into good, loyal friends."

I averted my eyes as Floyd gripped the cutlass and worked it out of the wood. He looked it over appraisingly before walking back to me.

"You opened yourself to Jade, hoping she could be another good friend that you could trust. Someone you would be willing to fight for." He flipped the cutlass, handle out. "Have you changed your mind?"

There was a pause as my eyes followed the handle and curved blade back to him before I shook my head. I accepted the cutlass back.

I didn't want to be angry at her. She taught me parkour. We had laughed together and fought together as a guild. It's why learning of the self she kept hidden made me feel… betrayed. So what if she was a badass swordsmaster. So what if Floyd was a Hacker. They were people first and foremost. Why was that so hard for them to believe?

"Jade kept this a secret, true, but I think the fact she told you at all shows that she wants to open up to you too." Floyd traced the lines over his eyes. "Not everyone has that chance…"

"You had every reason to keep it a secret… after what we said."

"And you have every reason to apologize to Jade for the things you said." Floyd smiled. "I won't say you were completely wrong. She should have fought with everything when everything was on the line, but she's obviously gone through a lot as a result of her abilities. She's scared. And scared people make stupid decisions sometimes." His eyes looked on sadly. "Like when I ran away from Spring. What she needs now is acceptance. And an understanding."

"…I can do that." I ran my thumb over the handle of the cutlass before tucking it safely away in my backpack. Jade would get it back. "However roundabout it was, she came through when we needed her. I'd hate things to end like this."

"Good." He slapped a hand on my back. "It's just like you once told me: You only get out what you put in. I didn't give up on Soul, and you shouldn't give up on Jade."

"Thanks, Floyd." I smiled as we left the room, my mind already thinking of what to say should I see Jade again.

Provided she was still in Zeppil.

---

[Noman]

"Ah, glad to see you again Noman. Need more Water Breathing potions?"

"Potions of Healing and Regeneration, please." I said dispassionately, tossing some emeralds on the counter.

"Woof. Sounds like you and your party are going through the wringer." I ignored the knife driven through my heart at the assumption I was with other people and let the ginger-haired potion peddler, PiRounded, gather my potions. There was a recyclable deal too. Hand in empty glass bottles for a discount.

I had a couple of glass bottles I wasn't using for anything, so I slid them across the counter to join the emeralds.

I was leaving Zeppil today. With the artifact at hand, there was nothing keeping me. Best to stock up on potions and food before the journey to… wherever my next lead led me.

It felt like that was all there was for me. I went from one place to the next, ran down artifact leads, found one, and then left as alone as I started.

My Inventory was a cluttered mess of the richest gear, the rarest artifacts, the best of the best. And it was all too much. I had no space for anything. No space for anything useless. No space for anything other than artifacts, and I was almost out of that too.

I took out my Crafting Table, trying to compact my emeralds into blocks. It spared a single space at my belt. Not enough. If only I had somebody else to carry—

Another knife struck my heart, deeper this time. I closed my eyes, tossing the emerald blocks onto the floor and tearing out the Art of Peace. Flipping through the pages, I desperately searched for something to remedy the hollow emptiness in my chest.

All I found was more excerpts about 'knowing yourself' and 'becoming whole'. But I already knew myself! I knew I was a lonely soul tasked with saving the world! I knew I had to be good and just and worthy! I knew I had to endure and fight, because it was for the world's sake! I knew that all life mattered!

But did I have to do it all alone!?

I rubbed at my temples, the book opening up to a random page. I caught a familiar word and focused on it, seeking an answer.

[Your spirit is the true shield.]

My… spirit?

What was spirit, anyway? My soul? My feelings? They were more brittle than either of my shields for making me fall apart like this. What good was that?

I missed Bailey. I missed Spark. I missed Marble. I missed that trio of slime girls. My only traveling companion was a horse… and those four Crafters that used me for protection. Eric. Conrad. Sam. Annette.

I was a fifth wheel to them. They saw my compassion towards others as an annoyance. A burden that they only endured to feel safe. They ditched me the second they didn't need me.

My chest tightened. Was it wrong I wanted to go back to them? To act like I hadn't heard any of it and pretend all was normal. Anything had to be better than going alone.

Realizing for once I wouldn't find any answers in the Art of Peace, I shut the book and collected my table and emerald blocks from off the floor. By then, PiRounded had returned with three bottles each of Regeneration and Healing at the highest tier.

"With the discount recycling six glass bottles," he calculated inside his head, "that'll be eighteen emeralds total." I thought for a moment before swapping the emeralds on the counter with two newly crafted emerald blocks. PiRounded happily accepted them and slid over the six potions. "Pleasure doing business with you. You and your friends won't find better brews than these."

"Is there a way to increase my backpack space?" I asked, hiding the miserable groan.

"An ender chest." He explained, pocketing the emerald blocks. "It's sort of like an inter-dimensional safety deposit box. Perfect for storing valuables since only you can access it. I actually have one in the back if you want to store stuff now. Just remember to buy four or five on your own so you can retrieve whatever you store."

"That sounds perfect. Thank you." I nodded politely, letting the ginger-haired man guide me to the back.

Having a whole chest-worth of free space made Inventory management a whole lot easier. I stored all of my books—Art of Peace, Labyrinth, Herobrine's Artifact List, Notch's mission book—and some maps of other areas. The Bottes Zephyr went in too, but it wouldn't stay in there for long. I intended to test them later. In secret, of course.

"PiRounded?" I asked, holding an Enchanted Golden Apple in my hand. "Would you say you're knowledgeable about potion effects?"

"Well, it's my occupation, so I'd like to think so."

"Of course. Then," I handed him a golden apple, "can these lose their potency after a while? The effects seem dulled, so I was just wondering."

"Mmmm, I know what you mean." Pi Rounded nodded, handing the apple back. "A lot of people came to me about this. The reason being the latest Bounty Days."

"Wha… really?"

"Yes sir. Don't know which of the three days did it, but ever since, the Notch Apples have had their effects drastically reduced. They still grant effects, but, as I'm sure you've noticed—"

"They weren't as effective." I finished, remembering how I needed the Severe Shield to boost my Health against those giant pufferfish. "Is there a reason for this?"

"All I know is that Bounty Days bring both good AND bad." PiRounded huffed with folded arms. "Brewing stands didn't use to require blaze powder to work. Now I gotta buy DOUBLE the blaze rods just for fuel. It's madness, and I'm sure those Crafters going on Nether expeditions are raking in the emeralds. If I could fight Blazes, I'd do it myself."

The potion peddler ranted for a few more seconds about the unfairness of it all before calming down.

"There are other instances if you look hard enough. Everyone gets so drunk on the new stuff from a Bounty Day, they fail to notice the stuff that's given up… or the new threats brought about."

Well, that was one mystery solved. I nodded absently, pocketing the Notch Apples anyway. Lessened effects or not, they could still heal. They still had their uses.

I packed away my Kingdom Entry passes—all except the Zeppil one—since they just took up needless space.

After leaving the potion shop, I got some additional shopping done. A needed a new diamond chestplate and I got three ender chests per PiRounded's instructions. The latter were more expensive than I thought. A single ender chest cost an emerald block. Apparently they were made from [OBSIDIAN]—a tough mineral to mine—and [EYE OF ENDER]—an item I've never heard of. It was made by combining [BLAZE POWDER] from Blazes and ender pearls from Endermen.

After hearing that, the high cost made more sense.

I paid the price and left myself ten emerald blocks—or ninety emeralds—in case of emergency.

After that was done, I wandered the streets of the Long District—the Dragon District—in search of somewhere secluded. Passing by a few alleys, I settled upon one besides an abandoned building. The alley curved around, blocking me from prying eyes, and the building itself looked dilapidated. Nobody would be inside to watch me. There was no better place to test a flying artifact.

I slipped through the alley and set down an ender chest, marveling at how the items I placed at PiRounded's were waiting for me. And this would work anytime I placed it, only for me. Emeralds well spent. I only took out the Bottes Zephyr and the Artifact List.

"Alright, let's test these out." I swapped my diamond boots with the white dyed artifact, and any doubts I had over whether the boots were genuine died instantly upon putting them on.

They didn't look like anything special, but I felt some kind of warmth emanating from them. Like they contained some inexplicable power and weren't just warming my feet.

I slowly flipped through the Artifact List, forcing my excitement into something more subdued. The artifacts weren't toys. They had to be handled carefully. Responsibly. The Bottes Zephyr could place down invisible Blocks of Air wherever they walked, but that ran the risk of destroying parts of the ground. The Blocks of Air would de-spawn, but the damage wouldn't fix itself.

There wasn't an instruction manual per se. All it said was to jump into the air to jump onto the air. So, after tensing my legs, I took a leap of faith.

I blinked in confusion as I landed. It was a strange feeling. Jumping in place, you usually tell where the ground is in relation to you. But when I landed, I was a whole meter off the ground. I was standing on air.

I spread out my arms, shifting my footing to keep balance. By all means, those white-leather boots were standing on nothing. I lifted a foot, tilting it to the side…

Only for another air block to spawn before me, slamming into my knee and toppling me. My back hit the ground, but I had the sense to keep my feet elevated. It was a good choice, since a second later I felt another block of air pressing against them.

"This is trickier than I thought…"

Carefully, I rolled onto my belly, spawning another air block or two, before propping myself up on my knees. I twisted my body and felt around by my feet, feeling but not seeing the dimensions of the invisible blocks.

"Okay… okay, I can work with this…" I patted the blocks again. "Somehow…"

I pushed myself onto my feet and took a firm stance, waiting. No new blocks of air spawned beneath me, and, after waving my hands around by my ankles, I discovered that the previously spawned air blocks were gone too.

The boots only seemed to work when they were off the ground. So walking was probably safe, right?

I took a step forward… and felt my thigh stretch as if I was ascending a step. I huffed, straightening my hair. So… every time I lifted my foot, even while walking, it spawned an air block. Hmm.

I decided to take another step, and found myself another block higher. And then another. And another. Until I was walking up an invisible staircase.

Ten blocks up, I looked down and flexed my legs. I had gotten some good height. Now to get down…

…

How do I get down?

I stood there, hanging in the air, and glancing down worriedly. I bent my legs, grippingonto the invisible block as I slowly slid my foot back, searching for the edge.

But there was no edge. Since the second my foot went over, it spawned a new block.

So shuffling my feet couldn't get me down, but it gave me another idea.

Without lifting my feet, I slid them backwards and laughed as I proceeded to slide through the air. I didn't descend, but I didn't ascend either. I was level.

So walking and jumping got me off the ground. Shuffling kept me level. I still had no idea how to get—well, I had one, but it would mean two broken knees.

"Come on…" I flipped through the entry in the Artifact List for ideas, shuffling in the space above the alley as if I was pacing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Maybe Herobrine hadn't worked all the bugs out of the Bottes Zephyr before giving it to Dinnerbone.

Lacking any other method to return to the ground, I sighed in resignation before shuffling over to the side of the building. I braced both hands against it and slid my feet to rest on the wall, lowering myself onto my back atop the air blocks.

As soon as the boots touched the building, they replaced the bricks with air and my back suddenly had nothing to rest on.

"Whoa!" I tumbled backwards, my feet floundering above me as I fell ten blocks down before crashing into the ground. My neck bent painfully and I heard something crack. My body went limp, my legs draped uselessly against the building.

"Ow…" I hissed, trying to move myself to no avail. I had spared my legs only to break my neck. I must've paralyzed myself because not even my fingers would twitch.

I wasn't worried, though. My Hunger Meter was full, so it was already healing the damage. At full Health, I'd be back to normal.

One good thing about the Bottes Zephyr. It got me to forget about my crippling loneliness… in favor of my current crippling problem. Still preferable to the hollow pain.

More importantly, I made a discovery. I could descend so long as my body was falling and lower than the boots. How could I replicate that without breaking my neck every time?

…

Backflips.

I had to master backflips.

---

[Lenz]

The Round Two Archery Event turned out to be a bit more complicated than hitting a couple of targets.

As the eighty-five competitors gathered together, we did so in a stadium completely devoid of any equipment or obstacles. Instead, there were several white-capped guards patiently waiting on the sidelines and, at a simple wooden table, five sophisticated-looking Crafters watching us closely.

I narrowed my eyes behind tinted glasses. Whatever round two had in store for us, the table of Crafters likely had a part to play.

And then there was my competition: The handful of qualifying archers that caught my attention.

I spotted Pixel_Fox's blonde head of hair with the sea-blue streak over to the left of the gathered crowd. She was busying herself testing the string of her bow.

Then there were the archers shooting for Captains Bak and Fo. For once, Li_Wei and Ju-long were not glaring venomously at one another. No, their focus was on me, the archer who tied for first.

But there was the other archer who tied for first. Chen. The Azure Jay. I glanced around, looking for his distinctive steel-blue hair and blue eyeshield, but found nothing. I even went so far as to stand on my tiptoes just to catch a glimpse, but it was like he was invisi—

"Looking for someone?"

I let out a startled yelp as Chen_Tzuyu appeared by my side. He had his eyeshield up, showing off brilliantly silver eyes.

"Er… you, actually." I admitted, caught on the back-foot. Chen did not seem bothered by it.

"Well, you are right to be watchful for me. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better archer in all of Zeppil." The way he said it was very matter-of-fact, but I knew he had the skills to back it up. "Truth be told, I didn't think I would tie for first; usually I sweep round one." He smiled. "In this case, however, I am pleasantly surprised."

"You regularly compete in this?"

"Every year." He said proudly. "But only for the archery event."

I raised an eyebrow. "What about the other events?"

"Hm? Oh, my teammates knock themselves out early in the other events. They're not much for parkouring or spleefing."

"So… you do not care about winning?" If his teammates dropped out, even with a first place in archery, Chen would only earn five points.

"It's not always about winning." He said, his eyes roving over the many gathered archers. "Sometimes it's a matter of looking for something…" his eyes passed the crowd twice before souring, "…that isn't here." He finished bitterly.

He noticed my confused expression before clearing his throat.

"Though, I can't say I didn't find something of interest." Chen raised an eyebrow looking to me, a half-smile showing. "Birds of a feather flock together. Right, Gray Eagle?"

My eyes widened. "I do not—"

"Greetings Round Two competitors!"

The sudden volume tore my attention away from Chen. The announcer from yesterday deigned to speak beside the table of Crafters, his voice loud enough to carry both to the competitors and the audience. A shift in movement told me that Chen had departed, taking some of my questions with him.

"After yesterday's shoot-out between our resident Birds of Prey," the announcer went on, indicating Chen and I, "you'll all be happy to know that today's round will cater more towards your unique style of archery!" There was a confused murmur from the crowd, one that I echoed.

"I'll elaborate!" The announced gestured to the table of Crafters. "Today, you eighty-five competitors will STRUT. YOUR. STUFF," he emphasized each word with a fist bump, "before our panel of judges. Trick-shots, feats of long-distance accuracy, Arc Shots, whatever you can think of! So long as it involves a bow and arrows, you can do anything to impress our esteemed judges!"

That got more of a reaction. Some archers, like Pixel and TheBlueEmo, began to panic, wondering what impressive thing they could show. Others, like Li_Wei and Ju-long, grinned to themselves, a plan already in mind.

I paled upon hearing the phrase 'Arc Shot'. The art of making an arrow fly in an arc. It required careful control and aim, and it was a skill I had yet to master. One I might never master. Veronica could do it, and so could the Berserker with the explosive bow, Ciro_Che.

And, from the murmurs of my fellow competitors, a lot of them could do Arc Shots too. If round two came down to Arc Shots, I would be severely outmatched.

"Each judge can award up to twenty points to an archer." The announcer continued while I fretted over what to do. "Five judges at twenty points apiece means you can get a maximum of a hundred, and a minimum of five. Only the fifteen highest scores will qualify for Round Three tomorrow. And folks, I guarantee it will be an arena fit for the cream of the archer crop!"

The audience went wild, cheering in assent as the announcer built up the spectacle. The guards watching shuffled closer together on the sidelines, prompting the announcer to address their purpose there.

"As for the guards sitting on the sidelines, don't get nervous! Think of them as helpers! They're here to make sure you archers have everything you possibly need for your performance!" At those words, the guards held up different colored blocks of wool and wooden planks. "You need hastily built targets? They're your guys! Or maybe you need wooden button mechanisms triggered by arrows. Well they got you covered there too; professional redstone engineers among them!"

Psh. I would like to see them try and build a loop circuit. I scoffed silently.

"So, there you have it! You'll all be given a few minutes to think up your act and share it with the helpers. However, some friendly advice." He forewarned. "These judges won't be impressed by any old shot. If you want a high score, you better be ready to WOW them!"

The competitors did not even wait to be dismissed. Already they were rushing to the helpers, a jumble of words at their lips for them to decipher. The more confident archers were content to let the others flail, patiently waiting their turn and going over their performances. Chen actually sat down, strumming at his bowstring as he watched the clouds go by.

I sat down too, though not to rest in leisure. Instead I rested my chin on my hand, mind working hard to think up a winning performance.

I thought back to when I had to show off my skills for Cobbert. Shooting a far-off target had been enough to impress upon him my skills… but the audience had already seen enough of me shooting at targets. Doing the same might prove monotonous.

For inspiration, I thought of Mastah Veronica and how she shot a stack of arrows at my feet without hitting them. In that instance, it was more incredibly not hitting something.

Arc Shot was out of the question for obvious reasons. But, if the helpers could build redstone machinations, maybe I could convince them to build me a minecart track and a series of buttons. Just like the kind I trained with back in Daymonte! It would show people I could shoot targets while moving. It seemed as good a performance as any.

Of course, I needed my score to be in the top fifteen to qualify. I needed to gauge the competition and adjust my act accordingly. Victory today would be all about upstaging the others, and I did not want to tie with Chen again.

I wanted a decisive victory.

When the line of people in front of the helpers began to thin out, the announcer returned and set aside a staging area in the middle of the stadium for the competitors to perform. Roughly half of them had planned out their acts and the announcer gave them permission to start.

The first one to step up was Sam, another of the archers I had taken notice of. He had managed the hundred-yard shot yesterday and he looked eager to perform. At his behest, the helpers hurried onto the staging area and constructed a series of simple redstone targets out of lamps and wooden buttons. The targets would light up anytime an arrow struck and stuck to the button.

The crowd oohed and aahed at the announcer's explanation, causing me to roll my eyes.

Comparators, how easily impressed is this crowd? We had better machinations at the college.

With the targets constructed the helpers vacated the staging area, giving Sam the space to work. The judges paid close attention as he loaded his bow from a hundred yards away and took careful aim. Was he just going to shoot from that distance? He did that yesterday.

With expert precision, Sam fired an arrow into each one of the targets. The projectiles sunk into the buttons, lighting up the redstone lamps one after the other. There were ten targets in total and Sam hit every one perfectly.

After his tenth shot, Sam wiped his forehead with his sleeve, turned, and bowed both to the audience and to the judges' table. The judges shared a look and a nod before placing down signs in front of their chairs. Their scores…

Sam's face fell.

Three. Two. Two. Three. One.

"Oooh!" The announcer and I both winced at the low score while Sam shook his head in disbelief. "Well, uh, Sam earns a score of eleven out of… one-hundred." He trailed off, unsure of what to say. A hushed silence had spread over the audience. "Well… I did warn him!" He went on. "These judges really need to be dazzled to—"

"Wait just a minute!" Sam shouted, his anger showing as he marched towards the judges. Some of the helpers got between him and them, but the man was undeterred. "What's with the low scores!? You know how hard it is to make shots like that? I should—!"

"You should be thankful you scraped by with double digits in the first place." The last judge—the one who had given Sam a one—drawled. His name was Shimei and he had dark hair flecked with gray.

Sam fumed. "You saying my archery was inadequate!?"

"I'm saying it was mediocre at best. And I mean that in a very caring way." Shimei uncorked a bottle of water from behind the table and took a measured sip. "Shooting at targets is what we saw yesterday. Why would anyone want to see that again? Passing off a hackneyed performance as your best tells us all we need to know. The other judges were kind to give you twos and threes."

"But—!"

"Let me make this as monosyllabic as possible." Shimei cleared his throat before glaring at Sam. "Take your score like a man and get off my stage. Thank you." He added with a smile, dismissal clear.

Sam stood there, teeth clenched and fists shaking. But with so many guards between him and the judges, there was little he could do without making a scene. Instead, he rammed his fists into his pockets and marched off the staging area, the jeers and sneers of the other archers following him.

I saw no reason to join in. After all, the standards had been set. And we were all subject to them.

I may have to rethink my act.

---

[Floyd]

I was in luck. And not in a masochistic way. I'm not into that.

Sure, the general consensus was that Hackers were an unwanted existence, and I may have felt a little guilty over what many of them had done, but it wasn't to the point where I would willingly burn myself because I felt I needed to suffer for their crimes.

That was just stupid.

Instead, I'd be lighting myself on fire to hide my Hacker smoke and win a competition.

Lenz had suggested it last night. And really, only a true friend would tell you to burn yourself for an airship. I was just lucky that Round Two's Sprinting event was a one-hundred yard dash in a straight line. The fifteen best times would make it to Round Three.

On average, it took a sprinter twenty seconds to run a hundred yards. But with so many fast professionals competing for the best time, it would take a miracle for me to outpace them all.

A smoky miracle…

Now came the hard part. I walked up to one of the judges for the race and tapped on his shoulder, getting his attention.

"We're about to start the event. What is it?" He asked.

"Hey, so, Potions of Swiftness are against the rules, right?"

"No Swiftness Potions of any kind, sir." The judge said with no room for argument. "Victory must be obtained via natural means. No exceptions."

"R-right." I shuffled uncomfortably. Hacks were technically natural. At least for me. Oh, who was I kidding. It was cheating. "What about Potions of Fire Resistance? Would those be okay?"

"Eh?"

"Yeah, see…" I paused in thought. "You know how people work harder when there's a fire under their ass? Well for me, it's literal. I run better when I'm on fire."

"O-Okay?"

"So, would it be alright if I drink fire resistance before lighting myself on fire? I feel it would… really help my performance."

The judge narrowed his eyes, sizing me up and down. "To be clear, you are only going to drink a Potion of Fire Resistance?"

"Yes! And it's right here!" I added, taking out the amber brew. The judge examined it closely.

"Uh-huh. And you wouldn't be averse to a search before and after the race to verify no illegal potion enhancements were abused?"

"Absolutely not." There was a beat of silence. "Though, after a fire-fueled run, I tend to collapse from exhaustion. It's a… double-edge technique I've been saving for the second round."

"Hmmm…"

He looked carefully at me before the other judges called him over to start. "I'll be right over, guys. He called over his shoulder before turning back to me. "I'll let the judges know. But either way, they're gonna check your Inventory for any illegal potions."

"That won't be a problem." I sighed in relief.

"Masochist…" He added under his breath before leaving.

After that, the races got under way. The ninety competitors were separated into nine groups of ten and took turns running the hundred yard course. To keep track of each competitor's time, there was a series of hopper clocks like the one Lenz had used to measure my Hack's time limit. Each one was manned by a judge and carefully looked over to determine the best times.

The announcer did his thing, pumping up the crowd and telling everybody about the favorites to win. One by one, the races went by, the exceptional sprinters averaging between ten and twelve seconds. I doubted my normal sprinting could've matched them, and apparently others did too. More than one racer was disqualified for trying to sneak in Potions of Swiftness. They were escorted from the stadium immediately.

"Flawwed_Flowd. The Blue Blur. You're up next."

Nodding as I was called, I took position between the other racers and shook my legs loose, more for appearance's sake. I also took out my flint and steel as well as the Potion of Fire Resistance.

My Speed only lasted thirty-five seconds, but that was perfect for a short race like this. One-hundred yards? Psh, chicken feed. The Gift Tree had to be ten-times that distance, easy.

"Ladies and gentlemen! It seems we have a new development in this next race!" The announcer boomed as the judges walked up to check me. "It seems the Blue Blur down there has requested the use of fire to up his speed! An unorthodox style if ever I heard one, especially considering how the burn damage will mess up his form and slow him down! Wait, wait, hold the phone…"

I held out my arms, allowing the judges to explore my belt and backpack, looking for any signs of a Swiftness Potion. The other competitors complained, wanting to get the race started while they were warmed up.

"I've just received word that the Blue Blur intends to use a Potion of Fire Resistance so his buns don't get too toasty! The judges are searching him closely now. We've already had three competitors caught red-handed with the electric blue brew! Will Floyd be the same?"

"Come on, hurry up already!" One of the competitors griped.

Their search completed, the judges huddled around one another, speaking in a low murmur. There were a few gestures made before one of them turned to face the audience.

"We've reached a decision!" The judge shouted over the din. "Flawwed_Floyd will be allowed to set himself on fire for the event." I smiled confidently. "However," the smile fell apart, "since we are unsure of the effects a Potion of Fire Resistance has regarding a Crafter's speed, we must deny Flawwed_Floyd the use of a potion, no matter the kind, for the duration of the race. Any potions will have to be saved until the race is concluded. No exceptions."

Fuuuuuuck my life!

"Well, there you have it folks! Floyd will have to go Fire Resistanceless for this race. A real trial by fire!" There was a collective groan from the audience. "Sheesh, tough crowd…"

"Racers! On my mark!" The judge from before whistled with his fingers before taking out a firework rocket.

I glanced nervously at the amber potion in my hand before shoving it in my belt. I'd need it.

"On your mark…!"

"God, I hate you Lenz." I cursed the engineer's name as I readied the flint and steel he loaned me.

"Get set…!"

I struck the two objects together, creating a spark.

"GO!"

The firework shot off into the sky the same moment I burst into flames. The sprinters took off and, a second later, under the swathe of flames, I let the smoke coalesce over my body. I'm sure my eyes had the darkened sclerae, but nobody could see them beneath the fire scorching away my Health.

I was safe to run.

I channeled the smoke into my legs, demanding that it work for me before I shot out past the starting line. I at least had the sense to slow down and zigzag along my route to make it look a little closer to normal running.

I didn't think it worked very well since I passed all the racers in a second. The cheers of the crowd died out as they watched a burning man outpace some of the best runners in Minecraftia. I may have been in a whole lot of trouble.

The fire burned, but I grit my teeth, enduring the pain as best I could.

"OW! OW! HOT! HOOOOT! YOU DID THIS TO ME! YOU JUDGES MADE ME DO THIS! WHY!? WHYYYYY!?"

…Again, as best I could.

I slid past the finish line and extinguished my Hack as soon as possible. Doing so made my body go limp, and I tumbled and flopped like a rubber fish… on fire.

The judge in charge of my timer slapped a hand to his forehead he could hardly believe it. "S-seven-and-a-half seconds. Sweet Dinnerbone, it's a new record!"

I panted and winced in equal parts exhaustion and pain as the flames licked away at my Health. "Somebody help me! I'm so exhausted I can't drink my potion! It's why I wanted to do it beforehand! Ouch…"

The judges rushed to my side just as the other competitors finished. They were all gasping for breath like me, but surprise and anger were plain to see. The judges took the potion from my belt and examined it carefully before pouring it into my mouth. Immediately, amber particles swirled around my burning form and the flames felt pleasantly cool against my skin. I let out a sigh of relief only to yelp when the judges glanced at my arm and dug into my backpack.

"No empty bottles." One of them reported.

"And no additional potion effects." The one holding my arm frowned. "We checked him before too. Nothing?"

"Not a thing. Unless this is some new Bounty Day tool…?"

"I doubt it."

"So the kid was telling the truth. Well I'll be."

"A record like this shouldn't be possible though!"

"Well do you have an explanation?"

"…No."

Back and forth the judges bickered, making me sweat. I didn't want their thoughts to stray to Hacks. I was helpless to do a thing as I was. If they found me out, I was as good as dead.

You owe me for this, Lenz!

"Well… uh…" The announcer laughed nervously, trying to get the crowd back into it. "With a time like that, looks like the aptly named Blue Blur just secured a spot for Team Burn Victi—I mean Team Masochi—I mean Team Beginner! That's what I said! Yes…"

I leveled a flat glare the announcer's way, or would have if I could turn my head. The audience was slow to clap, a little confused as to how I won through a little fire. I chuckled at the thought of them copying my actions to run faster. Unless they had Hacks, they would only get burned. No pun intended.

Eventually, both the judges and audience were forced to accept my victory. And while snagging first place in the Round Two event wasn't my intention, I smiled proudly at the name posted atop the leader board.

My breath hitched a second later. Panic tearing down my accomplishments and making my blood run cold.

Oh no…

No, no, no!

I tried to wiggle my fingers and hips, but it was no good. I was as limp as ever.

It was my worst fear! What I always knew would come up sooner or later!

I gotta pee!

---

[Cobb]

I was slightly late getting to the Spleef Arena, but I wasted no time getting a Spleef Shovel and rushing to the glass walled arena. Yesterday, there had been three, but because they had to pool the remaining competitors into one arena, they expanded it. Same number of snow layers, but it was three times bigger.

I saw XoX. Bak. Abyssal_Shadow.

And there was Eric! At the head of a large group of Crafters. The alliance. They were speaking conspiratorially and in low tones I could barely make out.

"—is he, Eric? You said we had the Billionth on our side."

"We do! The guy must be late."

"If he takes any longer, he'll be disqualified. Then what chance do we have against those monsters?" There was a pointed look towards the trio of Captains.

"I knew this guy was all talk. He doesn't know the Billionth."

"Let's just form our own team."

"Hey, had I known he'd get lost, I would have tied him up and dragged—Cobb!" Eric perked up after noticing me approach. "Better late than never!" He stretched forward and snagged me by my arm rather painfully before shoving me before the others. "Look everyone! The Billionth! As promised!"

There was a breath of relief from the gathered Crafters upon seeing me. A few of them stepped forward to shake my hand or just get a look at me, and the ones on the verge of leaving remained firmly rooted to the spot. As Eric had promised, there was a force of thirty Crafters.

However, based on the snippets I had heard, I was the only thing holding these people together. Jade had been right about Eric using me. They weren't even calling me by name; just Billionth. I was just a tool for victory to them.

Kind of like how Jade had been a tool to all those guilds she was part of.

I felt a wave of remorse for her situation. She knew what to expect because she experienced it time and again. Eric was just another person looking to take advantage of my skills—or in this case, my reputation.

So this was what Jade was afraid of. I realized, feeling nothing from the smiles and pats on the back. None of these guys knew me, and none of them would try. They would use me to take out the Captains before dumping me to claim first place.

Knowing that made me feel less guilty about stabbing them in the back. So it was with a fake smile that I raised my shovel high.

"Let's show those Captains the power of teamwork." I cheered, earning several shouts of agreement.

Suckers…

With me included, the alliance had thirty-one members. Half of the Round Two competitors. While the announcer reiterated the rules and introduced us to the audience, Eric gave me the rundown of everyone on our side. He had made it easier by recruiting teams wearing similar colors of dyed armor. Green, blue, pink, yellow, and brown. XoX was red. Bak was white. Abyssal was purple.

After knowing who was who, all the competitors climbed the arena and landed on the top layer of snow. Yesterday, everyone had scrambled to take up a good position on the sides. But this time, half of the competitors were watching me, silently asking what the best position would be.

Not like I knew. I was a first-time—technically, second-time spleefer. I looked to XoX to get an idea, but he didn't mind taking a spot right in the middle. He'd be facing opposition on all sides there. Just the way he wanted it. Abyssal was more strategic on the side, though he kept his gaze focused on XoX.

"We'll make a line." I decided off the top of my head, chuckling at how intently the alliance listened. "We'll make a double-sided line across, bisecting this layer, and then we'll slowly dig out in one direction, separating us from XoX."

"But… what if the diggers get attacked?"

"That's why we double-side it." I reminded. "If we cut off one side from XoX's, we can outnumber this side two-to-one and knock people down. It'll keep us out of XoX's crosshairs too."

It was a reasonable strategy, one that got no arguments, and the alliance quickly got into position. By this time, the audience and competitors were certain we were teaming up, but, as Eric had said, there was nothing in the rules against it.

"Dishonorable!" Captain Bak spat from his position on the side. "Have you no shame to sully the games like this? Use your own strength to win!"

"No need to be jealous, Captain." Eric sneered. "It's not our fault we used our brains. Many hands make light work, right?"

"Is this a victory you can be proud of, Billionth!" The Captain accused, trying to get my attention. I ignored him as best I could.

Of course I don't want a victory like this. I thought. But this isn't about me. It's about winning that airship. Anything goes, Captain.

"Anything goes, Captain." I repeated aloud. The competitors were suddenly nervous to be facing a line of shovels. They weren't prepared for us.

"Ooh, looks like the Billionth is playing for keeps with an insidious stratagem!" Boyin, the announcer, called out. Several audience members booed, throwing food at the alliance.

You don't know the half of it.

"BEGIN!"

There was a rush of movement as Abyssal darted for XoX, carving into the snow with remarkable speed. The vermillion-haired Captain narrowed his eyes before intercepting Abyssal shovel to shovel. It was a clash of wills that captured everyone's attention.

"You need to warm up first, right?" Abyssal gritted out, disengaging from XoX only to throw a handful of snowballs into his face. "So the best time to strike… is right off the bat!" XoX sputtered from the snow before, with a howl of surprise, Abyssal dug out his footing and sent him falling to the second level.

The audience was speechless. For the first time, XoX had been knocked down. And, instead of keeping the higher position, Abyssal jumped down after him, crossing shovels again.

"I won't let you have the top spot, XoX!" Abyssal swore, earning a growl from the brute. "Before you warm up, I'm taking you down!"

Perfect! I thought, watching the two Captains battle below. Like Soul had predicted, those two were at each other's throats. With two of the top contenders out of the way, our alliance was free to narrow down the field.

And, even more surprising, the alliance was following my strategy. They dug a deep line through the center of the arena, cutting us off from one half of the competitors and allowing us to fight at a two-to-one advantage. Even now, spleefers were charging us, shovels raised and expressions furious as they sought me out. But the alliance was standing in their way.

Our front line intercepted with shovels, slowing them down, while the second line hurled a salvo of snowballs. Those that attacked were overwhelmed and swept aside. We didn't even lose anyone. Our formation was perfect.

After ten spleefers were knocked down, the remaining five realized who the common foe was and formed a shaky truce to stay atop. But it was too little too late. We had this planned since last night and they were outnumbered six-to-one. Soon, our alliance was the only one standing on our half of the top.

"Yeah! That worked beautifully!"

"We didn't lose a single man."

"Now what do we do, Billionth?"

"Oh, uh…" Again, all eyes were on me, expecting another stunner of a plan. "Well… let's stockpile snowballs from the snow we don't need to stand on." I started, figuring more snowballs were better. "We can snipe them from atop and wait a bit until XoX and Abyssal get to the lower levels."

"Aren't you gonna fight him, though?" One of the alliance members asked suspiciously.

"Yeah, this is all pointless unless XoX gets taken out."

"Sure, sure I'll fight him." I lied. "But after he's tired from his fight with Abyssal. Then it should be easy."

The alliance nodded at my excuse, even though I was secretly hoping XoX and Abyssal would kill each other. Then that would only leave—

"You cur!"

A snowball smacked the back of my head, bringing an icy chill to my hair and neck. I wiped it dry with my hood and turned to face the other top contender I was worried about.

Captain Bak.

He had a handful of snowballs and stood on the other side of the gap we dug. He looked to have already defeated several spleefers on his side, but was frustrated all the same at the distance separating us.

"You coward!" He shouted, hurling another snowball that I deflected with my shovel. "Hiding behind a wall of men! Too afraid to fight honorably! You don't deserve the honor of victory!"

"Probably not." I called back unashamedly, making him even angrier. "But what are you gonna do about it. I'm over here. And you're over theeeere!" I taunted in a higher tone.

Bak gnashed his teeth, his head darting left and right. His eyes lighted on something though, for he took a running sprint to the glass wall where the gap separating our halves lied. Without losing speed, the man transitioned into a wall run and traversed the gap, landing in a crouch.

"…shit."

Captain Bak shot up and ran for me, shovel dragging behind him and carving a deep gouge into the snow.

"Front Line, Ho!" I shouted in alarm.

The alliance, not expecting an attack from that side, was slow to get into position. But, surely, a wall of Crafters would be enough to discourage the Captain.

Bak darted left and right with parkour reflexes, dodging the snowballs and shovels and getting in close. His shovel lashed out, blurring out blocks of snow and dooming four alliance members to fall to the second level. All the while, Bak had his eyes solely on me.

"G-Go get him, Billionth!" Eric stammered, planting a foot to my back and kicking me forward. The alliance members stood aside or fled, leaving me to tackle the Captain.

I took it literally.

Using the momentum from Eric's kick, I brought up my shovel and darted forward, the handle blocking Bak's strike. With that done, I released the shovel, allowing it to crash into my chest so that my arms could be free to grapple Bak.

He was caught off guard and the two of us tumbled along the snowy floor. I managed to hook my shovel with my elbow, knowing that to lose it would mean disqualification. Bak did the same.

An elbow was driven into my face, but I rolled over, reversing our positions and sneaking in a blow.

"Some help would be nice!" I subtly alerted my 'friends' while Bak and I rolled around. Four or five of them came to help, but Bak prevented any interference by stabbing his shovel into the ground and sending us both to the second level.

And then to the third level.

One thing I failed to take into account was that XoX and Abyssal were fighting below, meaning they were tearing up the snow layers as they went. First to fall meant you were closer to the ground, but last to fall was just as disadvantageous since there was no guarantee you'd fall on anything. A lesson I was learning now.

We landed with a dull thud, Bak tumbling away before bolting to his feet.

"Way to screw both of us over!" I accused, slowly picking myself up.

"Like you deserve to win." He shot back, shovel ready. "Letting XoX and Abyssal tire each other out. Forming alliances from half the competitors. The Parkour Games deserve a victor nobler than you."

"Don't lecture me. You're only doing this because you and your Princess have a feud with Fo and her Prince."

"I won't deny that." He countered, eyes narrowed. "But it is still a fight I intend to win honorably. And, unlike you, I won't have scurrilous methods to be ashamed of."

He rushed forward, shovel ready to send me to the fourth level, but a snowball forced him to divert his path. I threw more, but he darted through them before returning fire.

'You need to commit!'

Jade's training came to mind, and I wove through the snowballs with just as much grace. Bak narrowed his eyes.

"You should have entered the Parkour Event."

"Our team has someone better." I replied before crossing shovels. "Maybe this is cheating. And dishonorable, and everything else you just said."

Our shovels disengaged and stabbed, breaking our snowy footholds an instant after we darted aside.

"But I'm not fighting to be honorable, and I'm not fighting for the glory." I explained. "All I want is that airship for my friend. I hardly need to justify my methods to a Kingdom of people I don't even know." Bak narrowed his eyes. "I'll drag my reputation through the gutter if it gets me that airship." I smirked at the Captain. "Can you say the same?"

His mouth set into a frown.

"Didn't think so." I chuckled. "It's a good handicap. Being bound by honor. You'll win respect from these people and I'll win the airship. Everyone wins."

"I'll make sure you lose." He countered, raising his shovel. "And I'll retain my honor AND victory. I owe that much to Princess Daju."

"You're going to lose. Because I'm not holding anything back, Bak!"

The two of us surged forward, Bak dragging his shovel behind him and carving up the third layer. I tumbled at the last second, taking out his legs. He tripped and skidded on his side while I hopped precariously around the holes he had dug.

Other spleefers began to drop into the third level. Some of them alliance members. They were fighting others in small pockets, sticking together and staying safe. Most of the alliance was probably hanging out on the top.

But since there was more than fifteen remaining up there, it was only a matter of time before they turned on one another or volunteered others to go down and fight.

It didn't change anything.

I had to win.

---

[Lenz]

As more and more archers stepped up to perform, I became increasingly nervous about what to choose for my act. The judges were merciless, especially Shimei, awarding no more than forty points on average. It helped show what standards the judges were going off of, but I could not put off my act forever.

While I struggled to think up an act, the other noteworthy archers were doing better than the rest.

Li_Wei of Captain Fo's team had asked all the helpers to charge him at once. The audience watched in awe as twenty armed Crafters were kept at bay by Li_Wei's archery without so much as a casualty. Li_Wei was keenly aware of his surroundings, his eyes always shifting to the closest threat before managing it with precision and accuracy.

The judges, impressed, awarded him the first high score, seventy-eight.

Pixel_Fox, choosing to perform feats of accuracy, asked the helpers to bring in a dozen cats. It took a while, but when the cats were brought in, Pixel had them all released onto the staging area where they scattered under her fire. However, with careful aim, she was able to nail each cat in flight. Considering how fast and unpredictable they moved, it was an impressive showing. The judges only gave her a sixty-two, though. Higher than most, but nowhere near the best. She grumbled silently to herself as she stomped off.

TheBlueEmo's performance was really something spectacular. He asked the helpers to bring in TNT of all things. The announcer and audience got very nervous over the explosives, but TheBlueEmo assured them it was safe. What he did was fire arrows into wooden buttons to prime the TNT, then he fired another arrow just before the TNT exploded. The force of the explosion rocketed the arrow at a much greater speed into the sky, where it slowly arced back down to land on a small target the helpers had set up prior. For TheBlueEmo to have guessed where the arrow would land based off the explosive force was commendable, and the judges awarded him a new high score of eighty-nine.

Then there was the Azure Jay. He settled on my worst skill: Arc Shots. He had the helpers erect wooden walls with targets behind them and even targets blocked by moving pistons. Through his blue-tinted eyeshield, Chen nailed each target with carefully controlled shots. Each one was tailor-made for a specific target. Shimei had nodded approvingly, and the judges awarded him ninety-two points.

Aside from those four, nobody broke past forty. And with fifteen spots available, it set the bar pretty low for how well my performance had to be. But the standards were so high, I was not sure if anything I could do would suffice.

I had to decide fast, though. There were only five archers left to go.

As Chen stepped off the staging area, he walked towards me with a proud smile.

"Well, there's always room for improvement." He said, nodding to his score at the top of the leaderboard. "Can't wait to see what you cooked up."

"Yes…"

"Hey, don't be nervous." He comforted, patting me on the shoulder. "You're a Bird of Prey, right. The Gray Eagle."

"Listen Chen, I think there is some kind of misunderstanding. I am not a—"

"For my performance, I'll need a volunteer! No, not any of you helpers, I want the Gray Eagle up here!"

I was jostled out of my conversation with Chen to address the new development. Ju-Long, the archer for Captain Bak's team, had gotten up on stage. And he was calling me out.

"Come on up here!" He made a 'come hither' motion with his finger, his eyes staring confidently back at me.

"How unusual!" The announcer boomed. "What could Ju-Long need with Lenz? Could the two be making a performance together?"

The audience and competitors looked on in confusion, but the judges allowed Ju-Long to explain.

"I'm not asking him to make any shots." Ju-Long assured. "But I have an act that I absolutely need him for."

"He's trying to get back at you for upstaging him in the first round." Chen advised, speaking low. "Don't play along. Just let one of the helpers assist."

I did not need to be told twice. I had an act to conceive. I was not going to waste time catering to Ju_Long's whims. I stayed right where I was.

"Oh, there's nothing to be scared of." Ju-Long continued in a babying tone. "I won't harm a hair on your pretty head. I just want to show you my archery up-close and personal."

I was unmoved.

Seeing I was not rising to the bait, Ju_long switched tactics. Turning to the audience he let his voice carry. "Come on folks, give him some encouragement. This is something I really want to show him."

Slowly, the audience started calling out and clapping, asking me to get on stage. Ju-Long kept riling them up, promising a good performance so long as he had my cooperation. I did not want to know what he had planned, but it did not look like I had a choice. The stadium was turning against me by the minute.

"He still hasn't gone yet!" One shouted. "What, is he shy?"

"He did great in the first round! What's taking him so long?"

"Get him on stage! I want to see what Ju-Long has planned!"

"Gray Eagle? More like Gray Chicken! Are you afraid to share the stage with an archer?"

"Don't listen to them." Chen advised. "Just tune tem out, the judges can't make you—"

"Fine. Bring him up." Shimei called out from the judges table. "Anything to get this performance over with."

The audience cheered at Shimei's words and I heard the announcer echo them, calling me up to the staging area. I no longer had a choice. Letting out a resigned sigh, I walked forward. The competitors parted easily, allowing me to step on stage without delay.

The helpers were already busy building a wooden wall and Ju-Long was swapping one bow out for another. He smiled upon seeing me on stage, but noticed where my eyes were looking. He laughed.

"Just an Infinity bow." He assured. "I need one for this act. I won't break my promise. Not a hair on your head will be harmed."

I did not trust his smile, but I lowered my tinted glasses, keeping my gaze hidden.

"For this performance," Ju-Long suddenly exclaimed, "I will be using an Infinity bow. As I'm sure the judges will tell you, any arrow fired with a standard bow can be picked back up. But arrows fired with the Infinity enchantment don't actually exist. So they can't be retrieved." He smiled my way. "It's this fact I intend to exploit in my performance."

I saw where this was going. There was a reason those helpers built a wooden wall. There was a reason he needed a volunteer.

"Lenz," Ju-Long gestured dramatically, "please put your back to the wall."

I moved hesitantly, crossing the staging area to the wall and turning to press my back to it. The distance was a good fifty meters. I schooled my breathing, trying to relax my hands at my sides, as Ju-Long took aim.

He let loose three rapid-fire shots, eliciting a collective gasp from the audience.

I closed my eyes, not trusting myself to stay still. I heard a trio of dull thunks as the arrows hit the wooden wall but not me. One of the shafts tickled my neck, but, like Ju-Long had promised, not a hair was harmed.

"Two for flinching." Ju-Long laughed, notching two more arrows and sending them into the wood between my knees. I let out a choked gasp, the fear getting to me. I did not like this. "See, folks? Not a scratch on him."

I scowled at those words. He was making a show of this. Any helper would be terrified in my place. He expected me to keep still and quiet while arrows were fired at me? This was crossing a line. And all because I surpassed him in the first round.

Well, two could play at that game.

I smirked, opening my eyes and switching to my tinted goggles. I watched Ju-Long carefully, taking note of his stance.

"Don't blink." He teased, firing four more arrows near my face.

My eyes twitched, but the action was hidden by my goggles. It was scary staring down shots like this, but, like Wynn had said, an archer kept their eyes open until the end. And I had to take note of every shot he made.

Five arrows were fired near my hip, leg, and shoulder. I could not take any of them because of the Infinity enchantment, so they remained embedded in the wood. A display of Ju-Long's prowess.

"Way to tough it out." He commended, firing seven more shots along my arm and leg. They all barely grazed me, not because he did not want to hurt me, but because he did not want to hurt his score. "That's it, keep that pose."

I scowled, but watched all his shots. I noticed the way his eyes always flickered to his target. I noticed the slight twitch of his fingers when he was ready to fire. I noticed the way his pupils dilated when he switched targets. His arms, his legs, his aim. I watched it all and catalogued it in the back of my mind.

There was a volley of five more shots before he finally lowered his bow, a proud smile plastered on his face.

"Good going, Gray Eagle. Now, step away from the wall so we can all see my work."

I did as told, pushing off the wall and walking towards Ju-Long. I turned just enough to see what was left behind. A perfect outline of my body made out of arrows.

The crowd cheered with raucous applause. Shimei nodded in satisfaction and the judges awarded him ninety-three points. He was at the top. Better than Chen.

I clenched my fists angrily. To be used like that to make him better.

He would not get away with it.

"Thanks, buddy." Ju-Long laughed, resting a hand on his hip. The same hip the Infinity bow was holstered. "Good luck topping that." He waved over his shoulder, already meandering off the staging area with giddy elation.

"Actually," I stopped him, "I was hoping you could return the favor and help me with my act."

He tilted his head, an eyebrow raised. This was not part of his plan. "Oh? I'm listening."

"Keep your Infinity bow." I advised, stopping the helpers from taking it back. "I will require one as well. If that is alright?"

"Sure." One of the helpers nodded. "Anything else?"

"No. That is all."

The helpers broke down the wall and the audience calmed down from Ju-Long's initial score. Soon, however, there was a low confused murmur as everyone saw the two of us still on stage. The announcer got into it.

"Ooh, looks like the Gray Eagle is returning the favor! He doesn't want to be outdone, I'd say! But what could he be planning! It would have to be something phenomenal to top that last act!"

Yes, it would. Fortunately, Ju-Long had given me a great idea. Inspiration worked in mysterious ways.

With the wall deconstructed, I stood Ju-Long and his Infinity bow on one side of the staging area, and, after being handed my own Infinity bow, I took up position on the opposite side.

"Now what?" Ju-Long called, voice bemused. "You going to shoot at me this time?"

"No, Ju-Long." I answered, my voice carrying in the hushed silence of the audience. "You are going to shoot at me again. I want you to try and hit me once."

"Wh-what?" He recoiled, baffled.

I raised my bow and an arrow immediately notched itself from the enchantment.

"Whenever you are ready."

His eyes narrowed, trying to figure out what I had planned. His fingers twitched along the bow, and my eyes tracked his every move. Though he raised it, I could tell he was not ready to fire yet. He was still in the dark about my act.

His fingers twitched, his eyes flickered.

He fired.

My arrow intercepted.

"WHAT!?"

Ju-Long's eyes bulged as the two arrows met in the air, bounced off, and landed pathetically in the expanse between us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Shimei bolt out of his seat, his eyes glued to the scene. I allowed a smile to form.

I had to stay focused though. Ju-Long fired three more arrows in quick succession, only for me to shoot them down with mine. More discarded arrows joined the pile between us.

"No!" He shouted, switching into rapid-fire to try and hit me. I matched his pace effortlessly, my fingers flying to notch and release arrows as fast as I could.

The audience was floored, watching in silence as the two of us fired hundreds of arrows only for all of them to bounce off and join the pile littering the staging area. We fired so many that some of the discarded ones started disappearing, the enchantment fading.

The announcer was at a loss for words. He was bracing himself against the window of his booth, making exaggerated gasping motions without sound.

It was the opposite for Ju-Long. He was cursing, his face red as he struggled to fire more and more arrows, hoping I would make a mistake. His fingers had to be aching though, because mine felt like they were on fire. I had never handled an Infinity bow before. Most of the time I only had a stack of sixty-four arrows to fire before I was allowed to pause.

Not here. The two of us could keep firing until our bows broke, which, as it turned out, Ju-Long's did.

It was because he had already wasted some of the durability in his performance while my bow was still fresh. It proved his undoing when his bow splintered in his hands, firing one last arrow that I shot down with a relieved gasp. My hand hung numb from the exertion, but I played it off as me lowering it to my side.

Bowless, Ju-Long could only wring his hands, glaring at me.

A second later, the crowd went ballistic.

"GRAY EAGLE! GRAY EAGLE! GRAY EAGLE!"

They chanted that moniker, the applause roaring and making me feel light-headed. Or maybe that was because all the blood-flow had been directed into my right hand. It was still numb, so I waved my left back to the crowd instead, smiling weakly at the staggering approval.

"Well, I'll be damned if that wasn't the best act of the day!" The announcer praised, planting one foot onto the booth's window and pumping his fist. "WOW! The crowd is deafening behind me! I am now a deaf man, ladies and gentlemen! You have blown out my eardrums and now I will have to learn sign language! Well done, Gray Eagle! And what do the judges have to say, I wonder?"

I turned to the panel and felt my heart lift when I saw my score.

Ninety-seven.

Three judges had given me perfect twenties, one of them being Shimei who was currently giving me a standing ovation.

"Unbelievable!" The announcer cheered, even as the scores riled the crowd up even more and made several competitors throw their hands up in surrender. "Just when you think you got him figured out, the Gray Eagle ups his game! A Bird of Prey if ever I saw one, flying higher than any other archer! What a show!"

There was that 'Bird of Prey' term again. I turned to the competitors and found Chen with his silver eyes locked on me, nodding approvingly. I wanted to ask him about the term everyone kept throwing around, but, infuriatingly, he slinked away through the crowd. He did not have to stay for the rest.

I will ask him tomorrow. I promised myself, knowing he would be among the top fifteen. My score already guaranteed me a spot. I wanted to know why he kept calling me a Bird of Prey. What did it mean? Where had it come from? What did it have to do with Mastah Veronica?

If he did not keep leaving early I would have had a chance to ask him.

I handed what was left of my Infinity bow back to the helpers before walking off the stage. I passed by Ju-Long and he rammed his shoulder into mine. I winced at the pain, but walked it off. Defeating him at his own game left me satisfied enough.

I watched the last couple competitors compete, though their scores were particularly low. After my stellar performance, all others seemed muted by comparison. Shimei went back to dishing out one's.

I kept my spot at the top of the leaderboard and took note of the other fourteen. Chen, Pixel, TheBlueEmo, Li_Wei, and Ju-Long. Together with me, the six of us were separated from the other third round qualifiers by a large margin of points. In a field of fifteen, the six of us were the only ones with a shot at first place.

And I had to get first place to secure as many points as I could. The airship counted on it.

"Round Three will begin tomorrow, same time, same place." The announcer explained. "This is where the points matter, folks! Because only first place will earn five points for their team! Second and third will be awarded four points respectively, fourth, fifth, and sixth will get three points, and so on and so forth. So don't get too lax, competitors!" The announcer advised. "Because tomorrow, the real battle begins!"

---

[Soul]

I watched from the crowd outside Cloud Castle as the Round Two Parkour Event began.

Surprisingly, Jade had been there, ready to go.

From what I could tell, Round Two was a climb to the top of the castle. It was built into a steep hill, but there were enough ledges and handholds for an expert parkourist to ascend.

Jade was a master parkourist. She scaled that castle like a spidermonkey. Her green hair stood out against the grey stone walls and towers.

I wasn't just watching because Jade had a nice ass, though. I was keeping an eye on Captain Fo, remembering Jade's warning about a cheater. Cobb could say whatever he wanted, but I didn't like that woman. Her throwing me in jail had nothing to do with it. She was an arrogant bitch, and I'd say that to her face if she wasn't so high up.

"Captain Fo, you're an arrogant bitch!"

The Captain froze in her climb, latched onto the sheer face of a battlement, and turned to look down, her expression livid. "Who said that!? Show yourself!"

"Me!" I shouted back, raising my hand. The crowd stepped away from me, giving the Captain a clear view. I smiled as I caught some recognition.

"You slimy piece of filth!" She called back. "I'll—AH!"

One of her legs slipped and her hands dug into the wall to stop herself as she slowly slid to a stop. I heard an irritated growl before her head snapped back to glare at me, expression furious.

"Careful not to slip!" I called up helpfully.

Just when I though heckling Cobb was the most fun I could have at the Parkour Games.

Fo must have grumbled something under her breath because she went back to climbing the battlement with deadly focus. She made no further acknowledgement to any taunt or jibe I threw out. If anything, there were making her work harder. The anger fueling her muscles.

I better get out of here before she comes back down. Not because I'm scared. I just… have to polish my axe.

Anyway, Fo was in second. Jade in first. No cheating to be witnessed, but maybe that was the point. If we witnessed it, they wouldn't be very good cheaters. It might be because a crowd was keeping an eye on the action, but nobody interfered in any way.

In the end, Jade climbed to the top in record time, clinging to the topmost tower by one arm and gazing out onto the Kingdom with the wind blowing through her hair.

Getting down was easier. A small chest of ender pearls was waiting at the top, and Jade wasted no time taking on and hurling it back down to the crowd below.

When she warped into existence before me, she tried to dart away only to get stopped by an Endermite clinging to her boots. She kicked the thing to death, but I was already in her way. She looked down sadly.

"…Hello, Soul."

"Jade." I greeted back, unsure of where to start. "Cobb told us about what happened."

She chuckled humorlessly. "So everyone knows now? I'm ten times more skilled than the rest of you."

"Only in swordsmanship." I corrected. "I think I still have you beat in axe-wielding." Her head bolted up, a scowl present. "Uh… right. Not the time for jokes. Sorry…"

"So you're okay with this?" She suddenly asked. "You're completely fine that I kept secrets from the group?"

"No. I mean," I hesitated, "it doesn't really affect me. Nobody died. Sure, I wish you trusted us a bit more, but, I mean, you had reasons."

"But that's not what Cobb thinks, is it?"

My silence was telling.

Jade shook her head, a bitter smile on her lips. "Herobrine, why is he like this? Why is he the one freaking out about this!" She ran a hand through her hair. "I was… I was expecting he'd exploit me and use me for my skills! Instead, he sounded so… disappointed. It's so much worse than I imagined."

"Well, Cobb was never like that." I tried to explain. "He's… an innocent… cinnamon roll? Even when he found out about Floyd's smoking problem he never abused his abilities. He lets us do our thing and he can't judge because he's equipped himself with a fishing rod."

"Stop making it sound like it's obvious!" She threw her fists down, glaring at the ground. "Stop making me think… I could have told him the second I met him… and nothing would have changed. No, not nothing. Everything would be better." She sighed. "He would've gotten to know the real me. Now he hates me."

"He doesn't hate you. It's Cobb."

"…Did he tell you to come find me?"

"Er…" I paused. "Actually, he said to just leave you alone." Jade whimpered into her hands, a pitiably sound. "I-If it makes you feel any better, he was sure you wouldn't compete in today's Parkour Event."

"How would that make me feel better?"

"Because I started the sentence with 'if it makes you feel any better'." I offered unhelpfully. "I didn't count on you paying attention to the rest."

"Ugh, this is a mess." She shook her head. "Could you go back and tell Cobb I won first place? Maybe that will get him in the right mood."

"I'm not telling him shit. You want it to mean something, you do it."

"I can't talk to him." She gritted her teeth, fists clenched. "You didn't see his face. The look of disappointment he had. I… I can't face it again. He can't even trust me anymore, and I don't blame him." Her head fell in her hands. "Herobrine, I wish he was the kind of guy to exploit my sword skills! Anything would be better than this feeling like I've disappointed him."

"Oh my God, why are you telling me this?" I stressed, shaking the green-ette. "I. Don't. Care! Whatever you two need to settle, settle it yourselves! What, you think I'm some kind of therapist or something?"

"Wh-What?" She blinked back in shock. "You… how callous can you be?"

"You want a shoulder to cry on? Look elsewhere. I'm only here because I was the only one available." I folded my arms. "Nobody else has a problem with you lying. It's just Cobb. So you need to go back to him, apologize, talk about your feelings—I guess—and then wrap everything up. That's it!"

"I…" She sighed. "I don't know why I keep expecting compassion from you."

"I don't know why you do either. I'm the punchy guy, not the touchy-feely guy. I can't punch feelings." I shook my head. "Whatever. You need your space, take your space. What'd you do with your map?"

"I… stowed it away in an ender chest."

"Alright, when you're ready to reconcile and get this drama crap over with, take the map back out and find Cobb yourself. In the meantime, I'll let Cobb know you're still competing and just need your space."

"…Okay." She said in a small voice.

I rolled my eyes at that. She had a lot of nerve acting small. If she was as skilled as she said, what did she have to be timid about? Or was it because she was cutlassless… if that was even a word.

"Man up." I demanded, the advice being the closest I would get to touchy-feely. "You could kill a bunch of diamond-clad bounty hunters but you can't face one noodle-armed idiot?"

She remained silent, her face conflicted.

"Your choice." I shrugged. "But all this stupid drama is just a waste of time, if you ask me. Bye."

I strode away, not bothering to spare a second glance to the parkourist. I was blunt and course. She wanted sympathy, she should have called Floyd or Lenz.

At least Jade was sticking to the games. Even if she decided not to meet Cobb today, there was still tomorrow. She had qualified, after all. And while the cheater hadn't yet been revealed, I was still sure Captain Fo had something to do with it.

Speaking of which…

"Where is he?" A harsh voice called out, the recently warped Captain whipping her head left and right. "Where'd that axe-wielder go?"

On that note, I briskly walked away to busy myself recruiting Crafters for the Silver Intent. And if I looked to be fleeing, I wasn't.

---

[Cobb]

"…Eighteen… Nineteen! Nineteen competitors are now out of the running! That's a third of the competitors out! The game is really heating—"

"Nineteen isn't a third of sixty-two! Learn to math, stupid!"

"Who said that!?" Boyin shouted, pointing accusingly at the audience. "Which of you said that!?"

"…Me." A Crafter in the audience raised his hand tremulously. "Sorry."

"Well, Mister Math-Man," Boyin mocked, "you and Missus Math-Man can calculate the time it takes to vacate this stadium, because I want you out!"

"I'm s-sorry!" The Crafter stammered, only to get booed out of his seat along with his wife.

"Get out of my stadium!" There was a series of sobs as the two were escorted out before Boyin straightened his clothes. "Animals…" He growled before pasting a smile back on. "Sorry for that ladies and gentlemen. Let's get back to the action!"

Boyin's math may have been off, but it didn't change the heated fight the remainder of the competition was in. I was still on the third level with Captain Bak, but anytime I tried to break away, he followed. He had it out for me!

As for the other half of the problem…

"Uohhohho!" A terrifyingly familiar laugh echoed across the arena.

"Oh boy…"

The next second, the body of Abyssal was thrown into Bak from above just before the Captain could attack me. More bodies were thrown down, impacting hard against the level, before XoX himself dropped down. His chest was bared, leather tunic torn off, and shovel tearing great chunks out of the floor.

"Uohhohho! I fully warm now!" He boasted, stomping over towards a groaning Abyssal. "You miss chance, Ex-Captain."

"Crap! XoX is on this level!" One Crafter warned.

"Every man for himself!" Eric cried out.

All around the third level, spleefers dug snow out from under them, dropping to the safety of the fourth level. Or fifth level if they were unlucky enough to fall through a pre-made hole. Some were even unfortunate to fall through that, knocking themselves out by chance.

"That's twenty-four out!" Boyin cheered. "Only twenty-three more knockouts to go! See? I can math too!"

The only ones left on the third level were me and the three Captains. XoX had left nobody up above. Now, I didn't like my chances at fighting amongst those three frontrunners, but the only alternative was dropping down.

Knowing I had to at least try, I parkoured around the gaps and dove at XoX from behind, shovel aimed at his legs.

A meaty hand caught my neck and brought my face close to his.

"Gak…" I reasoned.

Hazel eyes scowled back mercilessly before he reared back and hurled me into one of the other Captains before the two of us fell through a hole down onto the fourth layer. There was a shared groan before we stumbled to our knees.

"Well… he's got strength, I'll give him that. Ugh, it should be illegal to be that strong." The Captain complained, revealing himself as Abyssal. So Bak was still up there with XoX. Though not for long if that booming laugh was anything to go by.

Despite getting thrown like a ragdoll, I still had a hold over my shovel. The fourth level. I was getting dangerously close to the bottom. I had to be careful.

Luckily, there were plenty alliance members on this level. Seven of them were pooled together, cornering a group of four. I immediately sought them out, chucking snowballs at non-alliance members and knocking them off balance.

"Now's your chance!" I called out, prompting the alliance members to dig the four out. They fell to the next level and through a hole that was already dug.

"That's another four out! Only s-seven—no, sixteen! Sixteen left to go!" Boyin corrected hastily. "I'm not bad at math! You're bad at math!"

"We could have handled it." One of the alliance members protested. "Shouldn't you be more concerned with fighting him?" He pointed to Abyssal, the dark-haired man dropping over a dozen spleefers to the lowest level.

"I'll get to him when I get to him." I answered evasively.

"Get to him now!" Eric demanded. "Winning doesn't matter if we have to face those monsters in the finals! You need to eliminate them from the running now!"

They were beginning to turn on me, and sooner than I predicted. If I couldn't take one of the Captains out, they'd just as easily drop me. There was still another level below. If I was going to betray them like Jade had said, it was now or never.

"Look, shouldn't we focus on the others after—"

"Damnit, Billionth, do your fucking job!" Eric snapped, shoving me squarely in the chest. "I thought you were supposed to be a contender, but you've been riding our coattails!"

"I'm not the one who begged me to join their alliance." I shot back slipping my shovel free. Then, with a show of widening my eyes, I pointed behind them. "Hey, is that Carys_Angel behind you?"

"WHA!?" Eric and the other alliance members all whirled around, looking for the infamous red-eyed killer.

I swear that works every time.

While they were distracted, I dug out the snow beneath Eric and four others before the rest noticed and jumped back, fully on guard.

"Traitor!" One of them accused, only to get a face-full of snowballs. Another one tried to lash out, only for a falling Captain Bak to crush him, followed by Captain XoX.

"Another competitor bites the dust! Only ten more to go!" Boyin called out through a choked sob. "I can math with the best of them! I passed Calculus in college! Honest! So what if I got a D, that's a passing grade!"

"COBB!" Eric called from below, his voice cracking from anger. "You asshole! How could you betray us like this?"

"Like you wouldn't have done the same!" I accused, dodging Bak's snowballs and the shovels of the remaining alliance members.

"Ooh, just when you thought the Billionth could stoop no lower!" Boyin hissed. "He betrays the very alliance that protected him this long! Truly no honor!" The audience booed even louder, throwing things at the glass walls of the arena. Even more of them demanded that Bak take me out.

"You're unbelievable." Bak accused, his shovel slipping past my guard and backhanding me across the face. "You deserve to lose."

"I told you, I'm not fighting for honor." I growled, throwing snowballs into his face. "I'm fighting to win. And I'll do anything to get that airship!"

Across from me, XoX took out the remaining alliance members, sending them to the fourth level. He turned to regard us for a split second before marching past towards Abyssal, even though Bak and I were closer.

However, in the middle of our fighting, I lost my balance as the snow was broken out from under me. Eric and the other alliance members had targeted me from below.

I landed on a few soft bodies before getting chased off by seven or eight shovels. Eric was leading them at the front. This was the fifth level. And they all looked eager to pay me back for my betrayal. Didn't they know it was just a game?

"Only eight more players to go! It's winding down! And it looks like it's curtains for the Billionth!"

---

[Noman]

With the artifact tested and my supplies restocked, I was ready to grab old Beetroot and take off. There was nothing left for me in the Kingdom of the Clouds.

I sighed forlornly. I couldn't even say thanks for the memories, since the only ones that came to mind were the near-death experiences of the Labyrinth. Goodbyes were supposed to be sad, but… there was really nothing I'd be saying goodbye to.

It was that same constant feeling of isolation.

Though as I crossed the districts to my Inn, I overheard a commotion coming from a large building. There were people crowding the entrances, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever was inside. Curious, I walked up to the first person I could find and touched their shoulder.

"Excuse me, but what's with all the hubbub?"

"Don't you know? It's the second round of the Parkour Games!" The Crafter gestured to the arena animatedly. "The Spleef Event is in there! And Captain Bak is facing off against the Ogre of the West, XoX!"

My eyes widened in recognition. Right. The Parkour Games. That had been why Eric, Sam, and the others had come to Zeppil. And Spleef was the event Eric said he would be a part of.

I felt a wave of misery hit me as I recalled how Eric had mocked me with his friends. And I had even thought about cheering their team on during the games. Maybe I was just being stupid, trying to connect with people that wanted nothing to do with me.

With the bitter reminder of false friends lying before me, I turned around, prepared to run to my Inn without looking back. Until I caught a couple of words.

"...Billionth can't win…"

My ears perked up and I whipped my head around, thinking someone was calling me. I had to remind myself that my official number wasn't the Billionth. So the idea that someone was calling for me was impossi—

"…that Billionth is nothing but cheating scum."

…

I blinked, positively befuddled, before I began to wade through the crowd, making my way to the stadium's entrance. Passing through more and more people, I heard words that only hastened my movements.

"Is he really the Billionth, or is he just taking advantage of the name?"

"I couldn't see him slaying a Hacker, could you?"

"He better pull through. I got a ton of emeralds riding on the Billionth's victory."

I pushed through more forcefully, finally clearing the threshold and arriving on a set of stairs descending into packed stands. The inside of the stadium was massive, Testificates and Crafters moving about selling concessions. In the center of the stadium was a tall commentator booth overlooking a giant, glass-walled arena, layered with snow. And on the bottom layer was…

"Only eight more players to go! It's winding down! And it looks like it's curtains for the Billionth!"

My eyes focused on a brown-haired Crafter wearing brown-dyed leather armor. He had a black-and-white hoodie underneath and he was staring down a horde of angry Crafters armed with… shovels? It must have been part of how Spleef was played, but I couldn't care less about that.

They were calling that guy… the Billionth?

I caught his name was Cobb. He was the same guy I ran into outside the prison. And he was… agile. Despite facing ten Crafters at once—one of them being Eric of all people—they failed to pin him down. He always kept escaping, darting across gaps in the floor, leaping past snowballs, or just angling his body enough to dodge attacks by centimeters.

For some reason, the crowd was booing him, as if they wanted him to lose. Why? Couldn't they see he was outnumbered? How was any of this fair?

I moved closer to the arena, getting right up to the fence separating the stands from the field. Some Crafters complained, trying to get me to move, but… I was too captivated. Both by the fight below and by the thoughts running through my head.

Is that him? The False Billionth from the stories? The one that killed a Hacker?

Shovels clashed.

He could just be using the name and the reputation.

Blocks of snow were broken.

…But what if he's the real one?

There was a flash of panic.

The real fake one, I mean! I'm the real Billionth, obviously. B-But he could be the Hacker Slayer. He's certainly skilled enough. He's facing so many of them at once.

The Billionth slashed out with his shovel, carving out the footing of two nameless Crafters.

If he is the real one—the fake real one—how did he end up getting my number?

I kept my eyes glued to the action.

---

[Cobb]

Parkour! Parkour! Park—whoa! Parkour!

I darted and danced between snowballs, my exhaustion catching up with me. I had taken out three or four of the angry alliance members, but there were still too many to deal with. How many more had to fall before it was called? I had no idea. Boyin hadn't updated for a while.

It was inevitable that the remaining six alliance guys finally caught me against the glass wall. I held myself against it, hissing like a cornered animal. Eric was still with them, and he smiled cruelly at my predicament.

"Only three left to go!" Boyin announced.

Hearing that, the six spleefers began to whittle away at my corner of snow. They weren't going to risk their third round spots to tussle with me. They were going for a sure-fire win.

I backed up as the snow was dug away. I tried hurling snowballs, but they only delayed a Crafter for a second before they got back to digging. My toes were at the edge and I flattened myself against the wall.

Eric smiled. "Maybe next time you'll think twice about stabbing us in the ba—CK!"

Meaty fingers fastened themselves around Eric's neck before hefting him up and throwing him into two other guys. I looked to my savior, XoX, as he swung his shovel, scattering the alliance.

"Uohhohho!" He bellowed, cracking his shovel over one man's head before digging out from under his unconscious body. "EX will do anything to win! EX worth respect!"

Was he talking about me? He swung his shovel again, distancing the Crafters away from me. Was he helping?

Not wanting to get stuck on my little snow island, I took a big leap to the nearest chunk and scrabbled at the surface before XoX stomped over and lifted me like a limp kitten. I was afraid he'd throw me again, but instead he placed me upright on my feet.

"Uh… thanks?" I offered, my hands held up in case he tried anything.

"EX has score to settle." XoX grunted, pointing out that Eric was still in the game, keeping a wary distance away from the vermillion-haired Captain. "EX fight weak man. EX win. Then EX can fight XoX in final!"

"…Sounds good to me! Thanks!" I quickly ran off in Eric's direction while XoX staved off Captain Bak. He was even keeping him off of me? Why? Had I won him over with my desire to win? And why did he keep calling me EX?

Either way, he had a point. I wasn't about to let Eric make it to the third round where he'd form new alliances. No doubt he'd try to ally with the other three frontrunners.

"In an upsetting turn of events, XoX has saved Cobb and is now keeping the other competitors from getting to him! What is going on down there?" Boyin called out, shocked. "Only one more competitor left to go!"

Eric saw my approach coming and threw out a snowball to keep me away. I rolled underneath it, keeping my momentum and making Eric panic.

"Piss! Off! Already!" He kept throwing snowballs with every word, desperate to stop me.

"Anything to win, Eric!" I answered back, shovel raised. "Anything!"

I swung down while jumping over his head, the action slamming the spade of my shovel into the back of his head. His eyes went hazy for a second before he crumpled to the side, slipping through a gap in the snow and landing on the bottom grass layer with a muffled thud.

A bunch of note blocks went off, signaling the end of the event.

"That's it! There are now fifteen competitors remaining! Round Two has officially ended! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, your Round Three competitors for Spleef!" The crowd gave a round of applause, allowing me to catch my breath. I turned to see who I was facing, hoping one of the Captains had gotten taken out.

No such luck. All three were still in. And XoX's teammates were already clambering into the arena to ice their hot-blooded Captain.

"Uohhohho!" The Captain boomed, strolling away from an incapacitated Captain Bak. Abyssal was limping near the wall, glaring at XoX. Seems like he couldn't settle his feud with the man.

"Good power, EX!" He slammed a hand against my back, cracking the vertebrae of my spine. I winced, but kept myself from crying out. "No blue girl! But EX will be worthy challenge! Worthy challenge!"

"Um… sure…" I answered awkwardly, unable to escape due to the bigger man's grip on my shoulders. "Hey, can you put your shirt back on? Your abs are chafing me."

"Only thing chafing you should be thrill of victory!"

"No, I'm pretty sure it's your abs."

"You do anything for victory!" He grunted contentedly. "I am same! Crush weaklings into dust and—COLD! COLD COLD!"

XoX started to squirm away as his teammates dropped in to ice him down. The Captain bodily threw me at them before arming himself with the shovel. After a few hits and blocks of ice, XoX finally cooled down enough to put his tunic back on. He was back to his stoic self.

I watched as he and his teammates went over to the exit, though they were waved down by some grey-haired guy XoX seemed to know. Abyssal had been right to attack him at the start. He was a wrecking ball when fully warmed up, able to throw Crafters with his bare hands. The best time to attack was before that. I made a note of it for tomorrow.

As for Bak and Abyssal... all I could hope for was that they would take each other out.

"Damnit! I missed so much!"

Soul hopped over the fence before marching over to me. Jade wasn't with him, and for a second I feared I would be hearing that she really did skip the Parkour Event and leave the Kingdom. Reflexively, I tightened my grip on her cutlass still at my belt.

"You can lose the long face, Cobb. I found Jade." I perked up immediately, but any words died when Soul held up a hand. "She placed first at the Parkour Event, and she's competing tomorrow. I told her to come find you when she feels like it."

"That's it?" I said after a while. "What else did she say? Where did you see her? I—"

"What she did or didn't say should be hashed out between the two of you. You wanted to give her her space, and she's promised to stay in Zeppil for the games. That's the best you're gonna get." I frowned sadly, my gaze tilting to the cutlass. "But, hey, good job qualifying for Round Three. I missed most of it, but you survived XoX. Hopefully Floyd and the nerd did just as good—"

"I didn't exactly 'survive' XoX." I explained, turning over my shovel to some guards. "I was cornered before he saved me."

"Huh?" Soul raised an eyebrow. "That monster took down an arena full of Crafters just for kicks. Why would he save you?"

---

[Below the Spleef Arena]

Two men were having a heated argument.

"What do you think you're doing here?"

"Fighting worthy people. Now leave." XoX grunted back. "I wanted blue girl. Instead I got grey boy."

"For your information, Teal couldn't come because she couldn't get Abyssmal to go with her. I daresay the lax Executive is taking a page out of Mark's book and actually working!" The grey-haired Lieutenant— Leadstripe—shot back. "And speaking of working, you should be in the Nether collecting skulls! I didn't steal that sword and blow my identity just so you could—!"

"I work hard, I goof hard." XoX growled. "Get off back!"

"If you spent half as much time following the master's orders as you did sating your battle-lust," Leadstripe curled his lip in revulsion, "then we would be ruling the world right now. And you three!" XoX's 'teammates' trembled against the wall as Leadstripe pointed an iron dagger at them. "This is just as much your fault for not reining him in."

"W-With all due respect, sir," one cultist stepped forward, bowing low, "h-how can we possibly rein Lieutenant XoX in? W-We must follow his orders… or else…"

XoX tapped his warhammer meaningfully, earning a collective shudder from the cultists.

"Someone has to keep him on task, and I expected one of you capable of at least that much. Clearly, I was wrong." The cultists cowered under Leadstripe's glare. "You think we have time to compete in trivial games like this? Maybe you'd rather volunteer for Teal's childish Survival Games?"

"NO! Nonono!" The cultists prostrated themselves at Leadstripe's feet. The contact made Leadstripe go livid. "Please, sir! Anything but that! Nobody ever comes back from Teal! Nobody but Mark himself!"

"Get off me! GET OFF ME!" The Lieutenant suddenly kicked out before swiping at the closest cultist. He shaved off a few hearts and the cultists cowered against the wall. Leadstripe shivered, shaking his leg free and taking a menacing step their way. "Don't. Ever. Touch. Me. Again."

The cultists nodded fearfully, allowing Leadstripe a chance to straighten his black cap and glasses. XoX chuckled at the display.

"Someone still afraid of contact."

"It's the lack of space that comes from contact that I loathe." Leadstripe's eyes flitted nervously to the narrow dimensions of the corridor. "Herobrine almighty, I can barely stand talking here. It feels like the walls are closing in."

"Then leave. I won't stop you." XoX said with a smirk.

"We're all leaving this Kingdom today." Leadstripe snapped. "You've had your fun, but the cult needs those skulls."

XoX's expression was stone. "Fun just starting. Challenging EX tomorrow. Big fight with EX! Won't miss for world!"

"Oh, yes you will you—hang on, what Executive?" The grey-haired man paused, his shoulders loosening. "I told you Abyssmal couldn't come."

"Wrong EX."

"Ember, then?"

"Wrong EX."

"Not master Sdraw, surely."

"Wrong EX!"

"Start making sense, XoX. Garden's dead, remember? North, South, East, West. There's nobody left!"

"EX Billionth!" XoX shouted back. "You forgot EX Billionth."

Leadstripe massaged the bridge of his nose, a weary sigh slipping free. "XoX, that information is false. Those two aren't cultists. Another party is framing King_Cobb and… Flawwed…" The grey-haired Lieutenant tapered off, his eyes widening as the information sunk in.

"You mean… it's a lie!?" XoX let out an astonished roar. Two of XoX's teammates were just as shocked, having spoken to the fake Executive and Lieutenant just yesterday. "EX Billionth just another Crafter? Shock!"

Leadstripe got up in XoX's face, a rare display, given his claustrophobia. But there was no fear present in his black eyes. Only grim determination.

"The Billionth is here in Zeppil? Where?"

---

[Cobb]

Even though Soul was probably right about letting Jade come back when she wanted to, after my talk with Floyd, I couldn't just sit around. So, after Lenz and Floyd got back—impressing me with how they both claimed first in today's round and secured a spot tomorrow—I excused myself from the room along with Soul.

I told him I was going out for a walk, but I think he knew I was really going to look for Jade.

"You do whatever, man." He accepted with a shrug. "I'm off to look for more Silver Intent recruits. Don't wait up for me."

I watched him disappear around the corner before making my way to my destination. The sun was beginning to set, the floating islands above getting bathed in an orange glow. Airships flew by and wooden structures were being built across the islands. What were they working on up there?

I passed by many bystanders on my walk. None of them were Jade, but they all recognized me from the Spleef Event. Team Beginners was quickly becoming a dark horse, what with three of us claiming first in three events. But I must have been on the other side of the spectrum, because people were scowling at me. My alliance and subsequent betrayal with thirty Crafters cemented my reputation as a duplicitous cheat. I figured that would happen, but people acted like I sacrificed babies or something. It was only a game, and nobody got hurt.

Not like I cared. I didn't know any of these people. I wasn't going to stress myself too much about pleasing them. The only person that mattered right now was Jade.

I had to find her. Talk to her. Ask for more details about her past and why she did what she did, then explain why I reacted the way that I did. This was a big deal for me, and she had to understand that.

But finding her in a Kingdom was like looking for a green-haired needle in a haystack. I had my map out, constantly expecting a sixth blip to appear, but was left disappointed. Lenz and Floyd were still at the Inn, Soul was off recruiting in the streets, I was walking, and the fifth blip was in Ringwood, belonging to the fresh spawns. At least they were doing okay.

As it grew darker, I subconsciously moved to the last place I had seen her: The abandoned street with the fountain. The water babbled quietly and I strode forward to sit on the edge of the basin. No Jade to be found. I took one last gaze at the map before sighing and slipping it into my belt pocket.

"Guess it wouldn't be that easy." I dipped a hand in the fountain, letting the cool water run over it, before splashing my face. "Come on, Jade. You need to meet me halfway here."

Something whistled through the air before agony erupted from my shoulder. I whirled around, finding a dagger sticking out of it.

I shot to my feet, tearing the dagger free with a muffled cry before hurling the thing down the street. It clattered noisily on the stone bricks. My eyes scanned the abandoned street nervously, searching for the thrower.

"Who's there?" I called out angrily, my undamaged arm reaching for my diamond sword.

"A smarter man would have held onto the dagger," a calm voice rang out in the darkness, "instead of flinging it away so carelessly."

My eyes swiveled to where I had flung the dagger, spotting someone kicking it up into their waiting hand. He gave it a spin, holding it in a reverse grip, before stepping closer to the light.

He was a man with dark-grey hair covered by a black baseball cap. No wonder I had so much trouble spotting him, he wore nothing but black and grey. He adjusted his glasses as he observed me and I him. But his name stuck out to me. It was a name Soul and Floyd had taken great interest in, alongside Teal's and 4Blite's.

"You're a Lieutenant." I growled, pointing my sword at Leadstripe.

"And you're the Billionth." He replied, stepping closer.

"So what?" I shot back, clutching my shoulder as my Health regenerated. "It's just a number. Why should it mean anything? Why was 4Blite after me?" His eyes widened at the name I just dropped. "What does the cult want with me?"

Leadstripe stopped, far enough away to not be a threat. If he tried chucking that dagger again, I would have enough time to dodge. Only this time, I wouldn't give it back.

"The cult doesn't want anything with you. At least for now." He explained, eyeing the dagger in his hand. "In fact, the Executives have given us specific orders to stay as far away from you as possible."

"…What?" I lowered my blade for a second before remembering who I was talking to. "Then what do you call this?"

"I call it, choking a weed before it grows." He answered simply before flipping the dagger and chucking it at my face.

I was ready this time, dodging gracefully to the side. A fist rammed into my face a second later as Leadstripe cut off my route, sending me to the stone street. My vision swam as the Lieutenant stalked past me to retrieve his weapon.

"We've been waiting for your arrival." His voice continued. "The Billionth has been heralded as the Endward Cult's destruction by our Founder. I can only assume the Executives warned us off crossing your path to spare us that fate. But I don't think that's smart."

I pushed myself up and rolled aside as a dagger was driven into the stone. Leadstripe pursued, kicking my side and sending me into the fountain with a splash. I came up for air, coughing, only for someone to seize the back of my head and force me back under.

"The rest of the cult might be fine letting a known threat roam free," his voice sounded distorted through the water, "but I'm not about to risk all we've worked for on the off-chance you know where our Founder is hiding."

He held my head down, keeping me from breathing. My chest burned. My limbs flailed. A dagger would occasionally stab into my back. He wrenched my diamond sword free, missing how my other hand fumbled at my belt. I couldn't keep my mouth shut. Water started flooding in.

"I may be defying the master's orders by killing you," he went on, smirking as my struggles lessened, "but it'll be our little secret."

My fingers finally found what they were looking for. I yanked out Backlash and stuck it under Leadstripe's ribs. The Knockback sent him flying off of me.

My head came up, gasping for breath and coughing out mouthfuls of water. I clambered out of the basin, soaked and wounded. I picked up the diamond blade, dual-wielding both it and Backlash.

Leadstripe recovered instantly, twisting his dagger before darting in low. He was fast. The blade coming up to gouge an eye.

A shield intercepted it.

My eyes widened, following the shield to the arm and then to the person attached. Black hair. Blue eyes. A familiar face.

"Wha… Noman!?" Leadstripe cursed, pushing the dagger with more force and causing the shield to waver.

I brought up my arms to help push, the mysterious Noman sliding up beside me to better leverage his strength. Leadstripe lost ground, his arms shaking and face straining.

"Together!" Noman nodded at my command and the two of us pushed with all our combined strength. The Lieutenant couldn't possible match us, and the shield crashed into his face, throwing his body to bounce along the stone street like a rubber ball.

Noman took his shield back and the two of us looked to one another, panting from the effort.

"Hey…"

"Hello…"

---

Inventory (Cobb): 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Leggings [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Cutlass, 1 Fishing Rod {Backlash} [Knockback II, Luck of the Sea III, Unbreaking III], 1 Golden Shovel [Silk Touch I, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Sword, 1 Banner {Beginners}, 64 Cobblestone, 47 Cobblestone, 1 Bed, 5 Dirt, 19 Torches, 34 Coal, 3 Cooked Mutton, 12 Jungle Wood Logs, 64 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Clock, 1 Water Bucket, 5 String, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green, Mending I, Unbreaking I], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Boots, 22 Emeralds, 2 Gunpowder, 22 Rotten Flesh, 1 Book {How to Kill Stuff for Numb Nuts}, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}

[EXP: 29]

Inventory (Floyd): 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Leggings [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Pickaxe, 1 Iron Sword {Weak}, 30 Iron Ingots, 1 Fishing Rod, 1 Flint and Steel {Weak}, 2 Ender Pearls, 1 Furnace, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Minecart, 1 Bed, 1 Boat, 1 Emerald, 1 Iron Sword, 1 Diamond Helmet [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Boots [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Leggings, 8 Cooked Mutton, 17 Gunpowder, 1 Iron Helmet, 1 Iron Chestplate, 1 Iron Leggings, 1 Iron Boots, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}

[EXP: 31]

Inventory (Lenz): 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Leggings [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Bow, 1 Shears, 2 Levers, 1 Stone Button, 5 Redstone Torches, 1 Bed, 9 Redstone Repeaters, 3 Redstone Comparators, 28 Redstone, 18 Blocks of Redstone, 2 Hoppers, 3 Pistons, 2 Sticky Pistons, 21 Cobblestone, 1 Minecart, 1 Compass, 25 Gunpowder, 36 Arrows, 16 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 16 Sugar Cane, 8 Paper, 5 Ink Sacs, 3 Leather, 5 Emeralds, 1 Book {Airship Piloting 101}, 1 Book {Notebook}, 1 Book {How to Kill Stuff for Numb Nuts}, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Daymonte Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}

[EXP: 15]

Inventory (Soul): 1 Diamond Axe, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 64 Iron Ingots, 55 Iron Ingots, 12 Gold Ingots, 1 Milk, 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection IV, Feather Falling IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Crafting Table, 1 Bed, 1 Furnace, 1 Anvil, 35 Torches, 34 White Wool, 37 Dirt, 64 Cobblestone, 31 Cobblestone, 33 Coal, 32 Jungle Wood Planks, 2 Sticks, 1 Armor Stand, 46 Emeralds, 37 Cooked Mutton, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}

[EXP: 49]

Inventory (Jade): 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Leggings [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection IV], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Protection IV], 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection IV], 1 Iron Sword, 1 Bed, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 10 Cooked Mutton, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 17 Coal, 36 Torches, 30 Jungle Wood Planks, 64 Cobblestone, 29 Cobblestone, 24 Obsidian, 1 Water Bucket, 1 Bucket, 1 Compass, 1 Clock, 23 Emeralds, 2 Ender Chests, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Dover Plains Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Lazuli Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}

[EXP: 30]

Inventory (Noman): 1 Diamond Sword [Sharpness I], 1 Diamond Chestplate {Severe Shield}, 1 Leather Boots {Bottes Zephyr} [Dyed White], 1 Black Shield {Slight Shield} [Blue Cross], 1 Bow [Infinity], 28 Birch Wood Planks, 35 Iron Ingots, 18 Sticks, 13 Torches, 1 Bucket, 1 Crafting Table, 64 Cooked Mutton, 2 Ender Chests, 1 Potion of Healing II, 1 Potion of Healing II, 1 Potion of Healing II, 1 Potion of Regeneration II {0:22}, 1 Potion of Regeneration II {0:22}, 1 Potion of Regeneration II {0:22}, 1 Potion of Water Breathing {8:00}, 1 Bed, 1 Book {Artifact List}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Map {Zeppil}, 1 Compass, 64 Arrows, 5 Sugar, 14 Bookshelves, 6 Enchanted Golden Apples, 1 Diamond Helmet, 1 Diamond Chestplate, 1 Diamond Leggings, 1 Diamond Boots, 10 Emerald Blocks, 2 Bones

[EXP: 20]

Beetroot the Horse

---

AN: I probably could have split this into two Chapters. I didn't. My poor aching fingers. (T_T)

Thanks to PiRounded for his OC, PiRounded.

Leadstripe and XoX. The two Lieutenants of the Western Division. AzuraHope pretty much called it last chapter, even though he/she was just taking shots in the dark. Either I'm too obvious or my readers are just too smart! Well, I'll just have to try harder!

Team Beginners is still in the games, and Cobb and Noman finally meet for real. Maybe they can bond over beating the crap out of Leadstripe. (^_^)

Plugging in the forum one last time. I'll be able to answer questions if you guys have any. Or if you feel like talking with one another. It's up to you. Check it out. Just replace spaces with dots.

Forum: www fanfiction net/forum/The-CornCobb-Weekly/218218/

As always, Fav, Follow, Review. I got to go take a nap.