The crowd encircles me. Their weapons glinted in the light. My hand tightens around my pistol. Their eyes burn with a desperation that tells me they believe they're in the right.
"I'll summon Grim!" I shout, my voice strained. "The one you saw in the video—back off!"
They hesitate, whispering among themselves, some clutching banners while others grip their weapons tighter. I try teleporting away again—nothing. Failure.
A gust of wind brushes past my face. Metal clangs as swords, spears, and wands are sliced apart. A girl stands before me, shielding me from the crowd. Her white hair is tied back with a black hair tie, her green eyes sharp and unwavering.
"Shino?"
"Yeah, another few seconds and you'd be dead," she quips, her smirk fading.
"Why didn't you use magic? Or come with Reyna?"
"I thought Crusaders couldn't use magic," I say.
"This isn't magic," she replies firmly.
Turning to the crowd, she raises her voice. "By decree of the Crusaders, G2 is under our protection! Anyone who harms them will be punished by law!"
"Jail?" I mutter to myself, uneasy.
But the crowd doesn't back down—they just shuffle forward.
"Why should we believe you?" someone demands. "Who even are you?"
Shino sighs heavily, her face twisting in frustration.
"You might have to summon that bear," Shino sighs.
"His name is Grim," I mutter.
"I don't care —you'll have to summon it," she snaps.
"I don't think I can."
"Why not?" she yells, frustration boiling over.
"That's not very becoming of a ninja," I shoot back.
"Live up to your name, Eli—what was it again?"
"I get the point."
"Shit," she whispers under her breath.
She grabs my arm. "Get ready," she orders.
"Wait."
The voice echoes across the floor, cutting through the tension like a blade. The distinct clink of armor follows, and the crowd shifts, parting around him. Adrian steps forward, his presence alone enough to force some of the angrier faces to falter.
"What she said is true!" Adrian shouts to the crowd. "Anyone who harms G2 will be considered an enemy of the Crusaders—and they will be crushed."
"That's not very professional," Shino chuckles.
"Mob mentality or whatever it's called," Adrian jokes back with a grin.
The crowd stirs uneasily—some stepping back, others stubbornly holding their ground. Those who stay clearly fear his guild's reputation. The Crusaders' name carries weight, and it's enough to keep most from pushing forward.
"Give me the potions," Adrian orders.
He strides toward a nearby booth, slapping ten bronze pieces onto the table before walking back, ten crystals in his hand.
"Alright," Adrian yells.
"My name is Adrian Kundra, son of Lilian Kundra and leader of the Crusaders."
He crushes the crystals in his hands. The fragments scatter to the floor like shards of obsidian.
"Anyone who harms G2 will be crushed," Adrian repeats, his voice sharper this time. "Is that understood?"
The crowd stirs uneasily, but this time, it isn't fear that makes them step aside. Two figures emerge from the shifting bodies—Valen and Risto.
"Look at this," Risto says flatly, his monotone voice laced with boredom. "Making even more of a mess on this floor."
"I thought we bought it without the rats," Valen mutters, crossing his arms.
"Valen," Adrian greets with a forced smile.
"Adrian," Valen responds with equal tension.
"Why are you here?" Adrian asks.
"We own this floor," Valen replies coldly. "And you're causing a ruckus."
"We aren't doing anything," Adrian fires back. "I think that booth displaying gore should be your real concern."
"We'll get to that," Risto cuts in.
"Shut up, Risto," Valen snaps before turning back to Adrian. "Adrian, you may be strong, but you're nowhere near us. You couldn't protect G2 from a fly, let alone me."
"Yeah, yeah," Adrian sighs. "You always want to fight."
"I'm not a fighting man," Valen smirks. "I'm a betting man."
"I'm pretty sure betting with me would be illegal," Adrian mutters.
"Once Pendant lets us leave, we'll leave," he shrugs.
"No, you're staying," Valen counters. "We're talking."
"And if we don't?" Adrian challenges.
"Listen, Adrian," Valen warns, his tone sharper now. "I'd rather not fight a kid."
"And I'd rather not fight an old man," Adrian shoots back. "But here we are."
"We shouldn't argue in public," Risto mutters, clearly uncomfortable.
Ignoring her, Valen walks over to Pendant, handing her one silver coin. Then, without a word, he dumps a hundred crystals into his hands and crushes them in his fists. The fragments turn Violet and fall like soot to the ground.
"That's not fair," Adrian laughs, shaking his head. "You used both hands—but I'll oblige."
Adrian does the same, placing two silver coins on the table before crushing the crystal balls in one hand.
"Beat that, Mage King Valen. Such a pretentious name," Adrian grins.
Valen smirks and slides two silver coins across the table, casually crushing another 400 of the crystals with one hand.
"Beat that, Hope of Humanity. Sounds just as full of yourself," Valen fires back.
"Oh, you're on."
The two continue, doubling the amount each round. Four, then eight. By the time they hit thirty-two silver, the crowd is murmuring, unsure whether to be impressed or concerned. Each crystal leaves behind tiny shards, littering the ground like gravel.
An hour passes. Pendant keeps producing crystals, her face growing more strained with each new batch. The pile of coin stacks on the table is impressive—silver shining in the dim light.
By a round I had lost track. Adrian presses the crystals into his palms and clenches it tightly, shattering it in one swift motion.
"Beat that," he mutters, tossing a smug smile at Valen.
"I'll raise you," he taunts.
Valen places 2 gold and 47 silver, then pauses.
He grabs the crystals, some in each hand, and crushes them both. Shards spill across the floor like broken glass.
"Hey, that's not fair," Adrian sighs, finally admitting defeat. "You've got bigger hands."
"Should've thought of that," Valen laughs, wiping his hands clean.
"I think Adrian won," Risto chimes in, halfheartedly. "You gave... what, twice as much as him?"
"You didn't stop me!" Valen yells back playfully.
"I think the real winner here is Pendant," Adrian laughs, glancing at her slumped figure. Pendant lies sprawled against the table, utterly defeated.
The crowd has calmed, the earlier tension replaced with quiet murmurs. The floor is coated in crystal dust, and Pendant looks completely drained.
"I think I can do one more," Adrian says, stepping forward.
"I can't keep making these," Pendant groans. "I'm all out."
"Oh, you're not out yet," Risto sneers, grinning darkly. She grabs Pendant by the collar.
"Guess that's the end of it," Valen shrugs.
A single unbroken crystal ball sits alone on the floor. I picked it up. Placing it in my pocket. I smiled.
"Next time," he says, "I've got you beat."
"We'll see, buddy."
"We'll see, old man."
Valen laughs as they part ways.
Shino walks ahead, but before leaving, she presses a folded piece of paper into my hand. The Crusaders' sigil is drawn neatly across it.
"Give that to Reyna," she whispers, then walks off.
Adrian lingers behind, waiting until Shino is out of earshot.
"Listen," he says quietly, his tone serious. "Reyna told me about the ring."
He pauses, meeting my gaze. "We'll find a way to get rid of it... trust us."
He offers a faint smile before turning to follow Shino. He watches as I teleport away, then turns back to Shino, his focus shifting as they continue on their path.