The Sixth Regression of the Shadow Magnate

There was a mix in the reactions coming from the crowd. Some rejecting the outcome and ordering South to get back on her feet, while some in wonder, submitting to the outcome and then the rest, cheering to the beginning of Durma's fable.

"She's not getting up" Heiva said.

"Hmm. Are you really sure he's not a user, Heiva?"

"I can't sense any Daiki from him" she said, watching him walk away from the arena as he did the last time. They both watched from the veranda at the top floor of a two storey building with Xieshan roofs on each floor. It overlooked the arena and they could easily watch the fight while in the comfort of relaxing seats and recliners, along with the ladies Jakaa had brought along for himself.

"So, he's just like 'him'?" Jakaa asked.

"Am I supposed to know?" Heiva queried.

"Though, I never underestimate a man twice" she said with a sly smile.

"He has attained a rank amongst wielders. He can only move forward now" Jakaa said, reclining on his armchair as those ladies continued to caress him.

"True" Heiva concurred.

Durma collected his pay. Five gold coins. A much encouraging payment.

"You have one persistent luck, boy" Koleeb, the drafter who had adviced him to reconsider on his first day, said in the sort of a complement.

"You think so?" Durma asked, and continued on his way.

Actually, his body hurt and his arm throbbed. He had only been given a simple treatment to stop the bleeding.

"She's definitely gonna get mad this time" he said to himself as he left through the same entrance.

He walked for sometime, back towards the same deserted place where Gorr usually dropped him off. Gradually, the noise faded and less people could be seen moving around.

The garrison itself was located up a slant hill. It wasn't difficult to go up or down it. So, after covering enough distance, he knew it was time. Time to address the individual who had been tailing him since he left the arena today.

He stopped abruptly.

"This place is pretty much lonely, y'know" he said aloud in the hearing of anyone in that vicinity.

"A typical place where bodies can be found"

That sounded much like a threat, but his stalker remained quiet.

"You're not waiting for me to tell you to show yourself, are you?"

No answer.

"Hmph"

Durma turned about and walked straight towards a wrecked and abandoned house. That person would be hiding just by the corner over there. He marched with loud footsteps so 'she'd' feel him creeping on 'her'. And that was enough to make her jump out from hiding spot before he actually reached her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she yelled.

"I'm sorry, I'm not a thief or anything like that, I'm just..."

Normally, he would have ignored her if she were just any other stranger, but the blonde girl pleading on her knees right now wasn't really one. He knew her well since she was a constant in all his turns.

"What do you want?"

That question was a protocol he needed to follow. In truth, he had been expecting her today and would eventually oblige since actually needed her.

"I'm...my name is Friette" she began, stuttering.

"I uhh, saw your fight and I... I thought it was cool, so I followed you"

Durma stared at her till she finished up her intro. The way he stared at her made it much awkward for her.

"Uhhh, hehe, you don't look like you're from around here, y'know" she heartily.

"I was...uhh, thinking if I could be of even the smallest assistance"

Durma kept moping at her.

"Y'know....I can help you in anyway"

"Hmm" Durma feigned consideration for a while before giving her an answer.

"No"

That was also protocol.

Saying that, he then continued on his way.

"W...wait!" she immediately went after him.

"Please, I'm very good at different things, y'know, like maths, management. I could even help you be like the sphinx! Have your own empire!" she pressed on confidently.

"I don't want to be like the sphinx" Durma said uninterestedly.

"Wait!"

Durma soon arrived at that spot with the tailing girl right behind him. She kept blabbering, trying to convince Durma.

As soon as he arrived, he paused to listen to her.

"... I helped him to the top but he probably forgot since it's usually the most important things they they tend to forget..."

In his first turn, he had been unsure if it was even possible for her to help him since he lived in a pocket dimension. He also wasn't sure if she had seen Daiki techniques capable of making one disappear. It wasn't so common and it almost looked like sorcery, with the talking, floating figurine hanging around him. Not that it mattered in the long run. But then, there were people he really didn't want them aware of these things as of now. Especially people like Jakaa and Heiva.

"Alright" Durma said after listening to her résumé. Then she glared at him, keen for a positive answer.

"There is something you can do for me first" he said.

"A test which, if you pass, you get to work for me"

"And what is that?" she asked curiously, hoping it wasn't going to be a goose chase.

"Just pass a message from me to someone"

"Someone? Who..is that?"

Durma gave a slight pause before he answered.

"His name is Rimm"

"I refuse to attend to you, Durma" Karin said, ignoring pleas from both Sensei and himself. It was about his wounded arm and he really needed professional treatment.

"It is only reciprocal, but he mustn't go for his next fight like this" Sensei reasoned.

"Yeah, please Karin" Durma pleaded.

"It hurts a lot, really"

She remained firm on her decision until late that evening when she eventually treated his arm. The wound was somewhat deep. If he hadn't blocked it, she'd be dealing with something much complicated. Something she would have to refer to someone else.

As she mended his arm, she finally spoke up at some point.

"There is bloodlust in this wound" she said.

"Hmph. Tell me about it" Durma replied, an image of South's terrifying gaze flashing in his mind.

"Why do you do this?" She asked.

"You have everything you need to make things easier for you along with the skills you have attained and yet you choose the harder path. As manly as it may seem, it isn't a wise approach, Durma"

Durma kept to himself at first, till she asked again.

"Well" Durma began, trying to find the right words.

"I...if things were to go so easy for me, well, let's just say I'll get too lazy at some point"

"Lazy?"

"Like, failure won't be a thing to me. Which at some point, it'll be inevitable and when it comes, I might not be able to handle it well" Durma explained.

There he went again, talking like he actually knew.

"Hmm" she wondered.

"I just prefer things like this, to keep me on my toes" he completed.

"You won't last on those toes if you don't gear up next time, Durma" she said.

"You have to use your Daiki"

Two days later, he was outside again. And one more, he wore the same outfit as last time, with no shadow energy or weapons.

In his usual fashion, he walked through the entrance, straight to the drafters, waited his turn and remained until his fight that day, and finally, once again, he was back on the arena, facing an even stronger foe this time.

His was nicknamed Harmless in the arena, an ironic name which was meant to exude how much of a savage and bloodthirsty fighter he truly was. Even he countenance would prove his name was just an façade.

He gave off a psychopathic vibe, his red eyes glaring violently at Durma from a helm similar to one of his which he had in the noguchi. And a distinctive feature of his was his unstable mental state during the fight. It made him unpredictable.

He had his body armor on him. The same South had worn the other day, except that his had attachments on both his shoulders. An elaborate outfit that didn't seem to fit a person who seemed so riled with insanity. But unlike South, he had a brown coloured sallet on him. And so he was completely covered, mumbling and moving his body restlessly where he stood.

Then the drums were sounded.

"This is gonna take a while" Durma said to himself as he took his stance. Harmless didn't do the same. His unpredictable nature was very apparent.

"Don't you think this is too much?" Heiva asked Jakaa from the same spot they usually watched the fighters from. They both had taken particular interests in Durma's matches, watching his fights closely.

"I didn't draft this" Jakaa said.

"This is simply the extent of Guipin's grudges"

"That's a shame" Heiva said disappointedly.

"I would have loved to have some time with him"

The fight had begun. Durma cautiously took the initiative. He carefully approached Harmless, who also walked up to him, revealing a pair of sickles which he had holstered behind him. He kept mumbling unintelligible words as they came closer to each other. Already, Durma could feel his bloodlust. Once again, he would have taken the opportunity for a first strike, but Harmless wasn't so inviting today. Just as Durma charged at him, he swung the sickle in his right hand at Durma. It was a very quick movement, aiming to cut Durma as soon as he got in range, but Durma saw it. It was almost too late but then, he fell back, evading it. However, Harmless immediately closed the distance himself to get Durma within range again and then, he swung his left sickle at him. They were such simple movements, but knowing who his opponent was, Durma could expect just anything.