Chapter 14: We're last...damnit

As I looked around I barely saw anyone there aside from us. The queen looked at us and started laughing.

     "Hahahahaha, I thought that my servants were kidding when they said there were still people fighting." The queen continued laughing. I got a little pissed as soon as she said this. I tried my best to hold my tongue seeing as I could blink and be killed by her.

     "You there with the red eyes. I have thick skin so you don't need to hold in any insults that is if you have any. I have a passive skill to sense these kinds of things." She told me.

     "So is the banquet over already or was there not one today?" I asked the queen. Suddenly the queen was right in front of me.

     "My name is Sun. What about you?" She asked.

     "It's Vicente Cortez and why are you so close to me?" I asked which seemed to surprise her.

     "Normally someone would be ecstatic to be this close to their queen. We're about the same age so what's going on with you?" I didn't completely understand what she was talking about.

     "You're just a person like me though? Why would I be ecstatic to be close to you?" She gave me a smile and gave me a key.

     "This is a dungeon key. This is a gift for the guild that came back in last place. Everyone left because you have a one month training period. Although, your guild would stay even if you did lose in the first round of the finals, but something tells me you wouldn't want to be called the weakest of the guilds for losing in the first round of the finals. So for the weakest you get this high-level dungeon to level up to at least compete." Sun said to us.

     "Thank you and one day I'll repay the favor. My dream is to become the strongest so you might end up being my number 2." As soon as I said this Sun's face got a little red which seemed strange to me. 

     "Well we'll be heading to that high-level dungeon now so we'll see you in a month." George said.

     Message: Will you enter the Lair of the Devil? [Yes] or [No].

     I pick yes and a door appears which we all enter. The dungeon itself was hotter than anything I ever felt, but thanks to Shiro it wasn't that bad. I'm completely sure what spell it was, but it's apparently a spell which allows people to have everything that's necessary to survive in the environment they're in. So that helped a lot with the heat. The system told me that there were 25 floors which seemed strange because I always thought the higher the level the dungeon the more floors it had.

     "Hey Chloe have you been in a dungeon that's similar to this one?" I asked.

     "Hey Sophia tell Vicente that no I haven't." Chloe said. I didn't know why she was mad.

     "Vicente, Chloe said she hasn't been in a dungeon like this." Sophia said to me.

     "Ok thank you Chloe. Hey George what about you?" I asked George.

     "I don't think any of us have been in a high-level dungeon like this. I feel a lot of power coming from this and other floors. We better be on our guard because we might get taken out before we have a chance to go to the finals. To complete this and get stronger we'll split up into groups. We will split into 2 groups of 5. Vicente, Chloe Sophia, Hailey, and I will be a group. Percy, Shiro, Leo, Cruz, and Deana will be the other group. Oh wait, I got a question for Deana or Dean for short. Why do you go by Dean all the time." George said to all of us.

     "Everyone in the Dark Elf village used to call me Dean as a sort of nickname for my name." She explained. We split up and got to fighting and training.

     "Hey Sophia..George..ca..n I ask you something?" I said quietly. I wasn't the best at asking for help from people I knew or in general actually.

     "What was that Vicente you have to speak louder." George said with a mischievous smile. His blue eyes and silver hair really started turning red for a bit until I calmed down.

     "It's fine I heard you perfectly Vicente what do you want to ask?" Sophia said. She wasn't going along with George's joke which was relieving.

     "Ca..n you te..ach me hand to hand combat along with so..me sk..ills?" That was a lot harder to say for some reason. As soon as I said this Sophia's eyes had a sparkle which I had never seen.

     "Yes, you can. I'll whip you into an amazing hand to hand combat fighter. I have some much to teach you. For now, you have to learn the convert weapon skills to martial arts skills. It's a difficult technique to learn, but I'm sure you can learn it. Although it is a complex skill to use and even if the steps seem easy they are each a debacle to get through. First, you have to meditate. Second, you have to think long and hard about the skills you want to convert. Finally, you have to pull those skills out from deep within you. Oh yeah, don't worry about losing those sword skills you do keep them." Sophia said so fast. I was wondering if she was breathing through that entire thing or not.

     "Hey Vicente, come with me over here." Chloe said to me. I was about to say something when she grabbed me and took me away from the group.

     "I thought you weren't talking to me for I'm not sure why weren't you talking to me?" I asked her.

     "It was because I was jealous of the queen Sun." Chloe explained.

     "Jealous of what exactly all I did was talk to her." I was still utterly confused about what was happening.

     "You said she was going to be your number 2. I thought you knew, but you're dense as hell I guess. I love you. Ever since I met you I admired your constant stride to become the strongest and it made me fall for you. So hearing you say to her got me mad. Although I've never had a boyfriend in my life." Chloe said to me. I have never had a girlfriend in all my 20 years of life. So this was a new sensation to me. I was happy,but at the same time nervous for some reason.

     "I've never had a girlfriend. I don't have much experience with dating since no one has ever told me that they love me aside from family. Which as of right now I have none." I said as I noticed that she was shaking.

     "That's fine we can find out together can't we?" Chloe said to me.

     "Ok so Chloe do you want to be my girlfriend?" I asked.

     "No bye." Chloe said. I felt embarrassed and sad at the same time.

     "I'm just kidding. I would love to. I couldn't resist not saying no jokingly to you." I felt insanely happy, more than I have in awhile. I wasn't sure whether or not I was incomplete, but that didn't matter. I will achieve my dreams and show up that masked asshole. This is my life and I won't let anyone tell me that I can't achieve or do something. I will try again until I become the strongest there has ever been. I don't know what to think about every one of my decisions. Even if I am incomplete George and everyone else gave me a second chance so it doesn't matter if I am.

Author's Note: Try Again isn't going on hiatus or getting dropped, just so you all know. I've read all the comments I've gotten and I want to say thank you for all support. I hope all of you stay safe during this quarantine. =)