Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Meatballs

When Kai walked out of the tunnel, there was anger within him.

He wasn’t clueless unlike before. Kai had already learned as much as he could about the 2nd floor during his stay with Marine Roland. The size of the city would keep becoming smaller as one goes up, Roland had told him. But only the Royal City has the size to be truly called a city.

Kai found himself facing the immense Wall again. The City of Trades, or the part of Chaos’ Valley on the 2nd floor, wasn’t as big as the City of Assignments. But it was still big enough to not call it a continent. Kai looked down and found the Brigandine armor on him, enhancing his Defense. It looked worn out, though. His Inventory was accessible, Kai made sure first. Only then did he concentrate on the vast yellow sea.

Between Kai and the Gate to the city lay thousands upon thousands of yellow-brown tents, wind battering against them, trying to sway them from their roots. Armored soldiers, cloaked and hooded strangers, and guards in funny uniforms were patrolling the entire rows and columns of this sea of tents. Way beyond the sea, Kai could see a long line of Contestants, making their way through the Gates.

This will be troublesome, Kai thought.

Kai, along with the other newcomers, walked towards the platform bridged over the spiked trench under it. Two guards with spears were distributing a tag to every Contestant.

“Specialization?” one guard asked, staring meanly into Kai’s eyes.

“Close fighting.” Kai astutely replied. There was no point in bickering with these nobodies. He would soon know if it would take him a bloodbath to go into the city or reasonable conversation.

“Report to Lt. Santony Salov,” the other guard said, passing Kai a round badge with two numbers (‘17-80’) written over it. Probably the tent’s location, Kai thought, walking into the encampment.

Kai searched for the tent, enjoying the scenery as he walked on. The living conditions weren’t as bad as the people within the city on the 1st floor, Kai noticed. Contestants were disappearing with blue flashes here and there. Some were openly indulged in sexual activities, some in mock fights, and some were getting beaten like slaves, too. Kai remembered everything but approached no one.

After 15 minutes of a stroll, Kai faced another yellow-brown tent, but bigger. On the right flank of the entrance, Kai saw the same numbers printed in large font. On the left, there was the same disgusting Coat of Arms of the Empire; a red and blue Yin-Yang symbol, with numerous weapons jutting out from the periphery of the red half.

Kai showed the guards stationed outside his badge. One guard peeked inside and then allowed Kai to go in.

The first thing Kai noticed as he came in was a bearded, gaunt man in a red overcoat and white pants. There was a medal, along with two colorful stripes, decorating the left side of his overcoat like pieces of jewelry. Lt. Salov put down his pen and looked at Kai up and down as if examining newly arrived goods. Kai couldn’t feel any danger from him, but there was power in authority itself.

I can easily kill him, Kai thought. I hope he won’t give me a reason.

“What weapon do you use?” Lt. Salov asked.

“Sabers.”

“Go to Sgt. Doyle,” Santony said, picking the pen up again. “He will inform you about the next battle.”

“I want to go into the city,” Kai said, his hands already itching to take out the sabers. “I have friends there.”

Kai refrained from taking out the knight’s honor badge given to him by Ser Morgan. Nor did he mention him being a member of Silver Hunters Guild. There was no saying if this officer would look favorably at that information or not. Things could turn ugly with a single word, Kai knew.

Kai wasn’t afraid of dipping his hands in this ugliness, as long as it would happen on his terms.

“What friends?” Santony asked, curiously. “Are you a member of some organization?”

There was no urgency in the officer’s tone. Instead, Kai felt an amusement. He didn’t like it.

“Yes,” said Kai, flatly. “They are expecting me. The Leader of the Guild wouldn’t be pleased about me being late.”

Lt. Salov guffawed. “I am sure he won’t. Let your leader be displeased then. All Contestants need to fight at least one battle for me before going to the city. Your predecessors had done the same. You will too. Am I clear?”

“Why am I hearing of it for the first time, then?” Kai asked, rebukingly. “I wasn’t told there is such a rule.”

“Well, now you know, right?” Santony said, flicking his wrist at Kai. “Get out, you are dismissed. Report to me after the battle, then I will see what to do with you. Remember, it’s Sgt. Doyle. Go on, then.”

Kai stared at the officer. Then he smiled.

“Very well,” he said, bowing.

*

*

Kai tossed and turned into his tent.

Sgt. Doyle, an elderly man in his fifties, had allotted him a tent and uniform befitting a recruit. The new unit, under the command of Lt. Salov, won’t go to battle until the next week, the Sergeant had instructed Kai and others. And from the next morning, their training would start.

Kai had made plans to finish it in one night. Tonight.

When it had all gone silent outside except for the occasional sound of hooves and boots pounding the ground, Kai stood up. Through a brief gap, Kai could see the path, covered in horse shit and mud. Well-lit torches had almost made it impossible for anyone to sneak out.

“Koffing,” Kai muttered under his breath. The geyser-like protrusions returned, along with the skull-crossbones tattoo on his chin. Two long, thick white fangs protruded down from his upper jaw.

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Skill Smoke Screen Activated

Time Limit: 30 seconds

]

From Lt. Salov’s tone, Kai could tell the officer had made some arrangement with the main gate’s guards at the Wall. Kai wasn’t so foolish to attempt scaling the Wall itself. If it was that easy, anyone could have done it. The next option was to disguise himself in the line of Contestants going into the city. But it was such a simple thing that the many officers must have already thought of it, taking measures beforehand.

That left Kai with only one option.

Kai took a deep breath and secreted the mustard-colored gas to its limit. With his increased Intelligence the loss of MP wasn’t enough to make him lose his bearings. The gas was like a cloud, covering everything around Kai’s tent. Mayhem took over the encampment as the Contestants sensed the danger.

Kai had aimed for this mayhem.

As guards and recruits came rushing to see what was happening, Kai sneaked out of the tent. His target? Tent No. 17-80.

*

*

Dawn, Mess Hall

After a light run, Sgt. Doyle allowed the recruits to freshen themselves up before breakfast. Kai approached Doyle when everyone had gone. The Sergeant was already frowning at him, and his face was covered in boils and rashes. He wasn’t the only one. Kai had the same boils too, but not that many. It was easier to hide in a crowd like that.

“What is it?” Sgt. Doyle grumbled. “Didn’t you hear the order?”

Kai took out a folded paper and handed it over to Doyle. The Sergeant gave the paper and Kai a queer look before opening it. His eyes went wide as he read the content written on it.

“Lt. Salov, is allowing you to go into the city without a battle?” Doyle asked, incredulously. “He… He had never done it before.”

Sgt. Doyle narrowed his eyes. Kai kept his mouth shut, letting the old man figure it out. The writing, the seal, and the wordings were the same as the officer, and why it won’t be when the Lieutenant himself had written it.

“I must confirm it with him first,” Doyle said, folding the paper.

“I went to wake him up in the morning,” Kai said, joggling his head. “Lt. Salov wasn’t there. The guards said he hadn’t come back to his tent after last night’s incident.”

Many officers were known to go on these “nightly visits”. It didn’t come as a surprise to the old man. But Sgt. Doyle scratched himself at the mention of the incident. “Sigh!” the old man let out an exasperated breath. “Good for you, young man. 3 years. 3 years I have spent outside the Wall. Never got something like this.”

Kai could feel the resignation in Sgt. Doyle’s voice. There was no malignancy against him in those words, he could tell. The old man was just tired.

The Sergeant took out a pen and signed the paper beside the Lieutenant’s seal. “Show it at the gate,” he said. “Good Luck.”

This good luck didn’t feel empty to Kai.

He saw the old man rushing for the mess.

“Sgt. Doyle,” Kai called out.

The old man halted and looked at Kai over his shoulder. “What is it, kid?”

“Do you know what it is for today’s breakfast?”

“Mmm…” The old man thought about a second before replying, “Meatballs and bread, I guess.”

Kai nodded.

“I wouldn’t eat those meatballs if I were you, Sir,” Kai said, smiling. “Last night, I saw that filthy gas going into the butcher’s tent. Who knows what kind of meat is mixed in those meatballs? You know what I mean, right?”

The old man looked confused but finally gave a curt nod.

The first ray of sunlight hit the yellow sea around Kai, giving it a golden hue. A light breeze hit the boils on his face, making them itch. Kai couldn’t help but laugh as he walked towards the City’s gate at the far end of his sight.

“Well… that was fun.”

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