Vision 4 - Scammed (2)
Ting!
As soon as the bell rang, the mother-daughter pair moved with extreme agility, darting behind the man. The man sensed someone behind him and swung his arm to throw a punch.
But the girl—who appeared to be in her teens—dodged the punch with a smirk on her face. It was a distraction she created for her mother so that she could strike the man from the front.
The strategy was good, but the man, with his giant mane-like hair, had been through this kind of battle before. He knew how people with high agility fought. Without hesitation, he turned around, swinging his arm in front of him.
Caught off guard, the mother used her agility and dodged it, and twisting her body delivered an uppercut.
Dhoosh...
The sound of her fist connecting with the man's jaw echoed through the ring. But without showing any victorious expression, she jumped back to create some distance.
The man came into view, completely unharmed. He cracked his neck side to side and spoke while looking behind him.
"You both are fast and have good coordination—I'll give you that much. Life is hard. You must have been fighting here for a long time. I can sense the experience."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying, forfeit."
"Forfeiting isn't an option. People who forfeit are sold for pennies."
"Isn't that better than losing your life?"
As the man and the teenage girl bickered, the mother of the girl spoke up.
"Enough with the bickering!" she roared fiercely. "We'll accept our fate! We'll choose for ourselves! People and Nubeculas are getting impatient anyway."
The sound of people shouting and assessing the match filled the stadium.
"Woah, the mother and daughter pair are fast!"
"The man is strong too."
"It's going to be an amazing fight."
On the other side of the ring was a huge panel visible from anywhere in the stadium. Comments from Nubeculas were displaying there.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Moloch': Continue the battle. ]
[ The Nubecula 'Huehueteotl': If someone finishes the fight with one strike, I'll donate 1,000 points. ]
[ The Nubecula 'Kali': The mother-daughter pair needs to win. ]
[ The Nubecula 'Toci': I demand to see someone tortured. ]
+
In the middle of all this, a man floated in front of the comment panel. He had an extremely handsome face, but his appearance wasn't the only unusual thing about him. Firefly-like lights hovered above his head, forming a small tiara. His voice resounded throughout the shed.
[ Haha... Nubeculas are enjoying the show. I'll become more popular! ]
[ Don't worry, watchers! You'll get to see a good show! Our pair is extremely skilled with speed, and we also have their contender with great strength! You'll see a good show!! ]
[ NOW! Our contenders! The gods are watching! Give them something great to watch, and you'll get points! ]
"Tch..."
The man clicked his tongue at the mystical man's words.
"People hail those employees as 'God messengers,' but they're just a bunch of selfish higher existences licking the boots of even higher existences. Those Nubeculas, who people call gods, aren't any better either."
The mother heard the big man's muttering.
"That's just how it is. Now, let's end this."
"I don't like this—at least not when someone's using me for their enjoyment—but you're right. I'll finish this with one strike."
The mother-daughter pair heightened their senses, preparing to use their agility to its maximum. They were ready for whatever was coming their way.
The man activated his most powerful skill. The air around him began to rotate, starting at his feet and rising to his body, concentrating on his fist.
People sitting in the stadium felt the immense power concentrating at one point. Their clothes fluttered because of the wind.
One of them asked with a pale expression. "That... whatever he's doing isn't going to hit us, right?"
"Relax and just enjoy. The fences here are special—they'll stop any aftereffects of skills from getting past the ring."
"Really? The organizers must have spent a fortune on it, but then again, they must make a fortune with these kinds of events."
[ Woah, can you see this? Nubeculas! Something interesting is about to happen. Keep watching to see what happens! ]
On the other hand, the employee was in full swing. He was really good at selling the scene.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Huehueteotl': If he finishes the fight with one strike, the donation will definitely be given. ]
[ The Nubecula 'Kali': I don't want the mother-daughter pair to lose to a man. ]
[ The Nubecula 'Moloch': You should keep your feminist thoughts to yourself. ]
[ The Nubecula 'Toci': I demand some torture! ]
+
The wind around the man's fist began to intensify, forming a small tornado. The mother acted quickly, shielding her daughter behind her body to protect her from whatever attack was coming their way. The daughter tried to step forward, but the man's words came first.
"Tornado Fist."
The wind expanded and then shot out as a beam, transforming into a tornado. The tornado hurtled toward the mother-daughter pair.
BOOOM...
The dust rose inside the ring, thick enough to obscure the entire area. Silence fell over the stadium as everyone waited to see what had happened. The 'Employee's' voice broke the quiet, brimming with excitement.
[That was an amazing move! Will the mother-daughter pair survive? Or will they shock us with something incredible? Keep watching, Nubeculas, to find out what happens next!]
As the Employee's voice faded, the dust gradually settled, revealing the man standing tall. The mother-daughter pair lay on the ground, their bodies covered in paper-cut-like injuries.
"Wooooooo... Waaaaaaa!"
The crowd erupted in a deafening roar. The man walked toward the pair, his eyes cold and unfeeling.
"I told you to forfeit."
"A-And we told you... we'll accept our fate... j-just finish it."
"No, leave my mom alone!"
The man glanced at both of them and then turned to the referee. He had killed many people in the arena, but he didn't enjoy it.
The referee looked at the man and shook his head, signaling that there was no other way.
The man raised his foot above the mother's head, preparing to crush her skull.
"NO, DON'T DO IT!"
The daughter's voice rang out, but the man ignored her. This was how things worked—if he faced someone stronger than him in the future, he would meet the same fate in this ring.
Thud!
Just as the man was about to bring his foot down, the large door of the shed swung open, hitting the wall with a loud thud.
***
After flying straight for a minute or two, I reached the shore that came into view as I followed the instructions. I felt a surge of happiness at the sight of actual people.
But after noticing the demi-humans among the humans, I was reminded once again that I am no longer on Earth.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Kafzeil' comments: "Go to the shed behind the mansion." ]
+
Tch...
Just as I was having a moment, I got a comment from Kafzeil, hovering in front of me and ruining my mood. This bastard doesn't want me to have a moment of peace. I cursed inwardly, knowing I couldn't disregard someone of his status.
Why is he even paying so much attention to me? I can not help but wonder.
The astral projection of Persephone floated in front of me. She had a concerned look on her face.
"What is it? You've been feeling stressed for some time."
Her expression puzzled me. We'd only met a few hours ago, so there was no basis for her reaction. Yet, it calmed me down nonetheless, which only made me feel worse. Why did her concern for me have such an effect?
"You don't have to be concerned about me," I whispered, careful not to let the drones catch my words.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Who Likes Cigars And Candy' is wondering why you're talking to yourself. ]
+
I underestimated the drones' capabilities. I didn't know if Persephone heard me, but her concern suddenly vanished, replaced by a frown.
Looks like she heard me.
Her frown was supposed to indicate anger, I assumed, but all I felt was frustration. Was it mine or hers? I couldn't tell. I hate it when someone affects my emotions too much, and she does exactly that.
I tried to ignore the useless feeling, scolding myself for how much it affected me.
"I'm sorry," I said, partly to myself, then put on a thoughtful expression. "So, the Nubeculas want me to go to the shed behind that mansion."
Persephone followed my gaze. The village had small houses, making the mansion visible from a distance.
The mansion—brown in color, giving the impression it was made of wood, with black borders and railings along its edges—had several large windows covered by curtains. However, the flickering disco lights of various colors couldn't be hidden. The mansion stood out even more at night, its decorations highlighting its grandeur.
"Don't listen to them. If any Nubecula wants you to go there, it's because they want to use you for their entertainment."
I agreed with Persephone's thoughts, placing a hand on my chin and closing my eyes to make it seem like I was deep in thought.
"I could just be wasting my time, but then two oddly named Nubeculas also told me to go there."
+
[ The Nubecula 'Whose Heart Bleeds For Heartbroken' is blushing. ]
[ The Nubecula 'Who Likes Cigars And Candy' snorts at your remark. ]
+
Ignoring the messages, I spoke with a distant tone. "But then I also got a comment from the god-like Nubecula 'Kafzeil' to go there."
As soon as I mentioned Kafzeil, Persephone frowned as if she'd just bitten into a lemon, her expression souring completely. It seemed she don't like him either, I thought to myself.
"Kafzeil? I don't like the idea of going there even more now."
I agree with her. I don't like it either. I have no desire to get involved in others' matters this early—unless I have to.
"Why is that pigeon even watching here?" Persephone spoke with clear discontent. "Doesn't he have better things to do?"
Right. I'd thought the same thing. It seemed that when you dislike the same people, your thoughts tend to align. And she is the queen of the underworld, after all.
"Anyway, let's go and see what's there," I said, brushing aside any thoughts about her reaction. What did it have to do with me, anyway?
"You're not serious, are you? You're weak right now. Just ignore them."
Persephone tried to reason with me, but I ignored her and flew past her astral projection, descending into the forest near the shed. I could feel Persephone's disappointment this time, but there was something I'd learned after watching this world for a decade of my life:
Instead of playing with lower existences, play with the higher existences. If Nubeculas wanted an interesting 'script,' I'd give them one that would blow their minds. No thoughts like that, but keeping them engae could reep benifits for me.
As soon as my feet touched the soft, grassy ground, I looked around, pretending to search for a way in.
"Is there a way to get in?" I mused.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Kafzeil' comments: "There's a window behind the shed." ]
[ The Nubecula 'Yael' comments: "Go through the window." ]
+
It seemed Yael had started to take an interest too. Well, Kafzeil kept commenting, so it was natural for others to follow suit.
+
[ The Nubecula 'Kafzeil' is smiling. ]
[ The Nubecula 'Yael' regrets commenting. ]
+
Yael seemed embarrassed after commenting after his superior. I could understand—I didn't want to witness Kafzeil smiling at me either. I shuddered as the scene played out in my mind. Persephone looked at me, perplexed.
"Are you cold?"
I shook my head in denial.
"Just thought of a scene of a psychopath smiling at me."
Persephone seemed to have some doubts, but she just shrugged and pointed toward a window on the shed behind the mansion with her chin.
"That window there is open, and there's no one around."
"How careless."
"I still don't like it. You should just ignore them."
I could leave, but since I am here, I also want to see what's going on. I walked toward the window. As Persephone had said, there was no one around, so I didn't need to put on some lame sneaky act—though the Nubeculas would have loved it.
I opened the window and jumped inside without anyone noticing. The astral projection of Persephone floated in through the same window behind me. Seeing her float made me think I should have done the same, but there was no use crying over spilled milk.
When I stepped inside, the first thing I saw was an arena with platforms surrounding it.
"What is this? A wrestling competition?" I couldn't help but comment on the unexpected scene in front of me.
Pffttt...
I heard a stifled laugh beside me. Astral-Persephone was trying to suppress her laughter, her hand covering her mouth.
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[ The Nubecula 'Kafzeil' likes your comment. ]
[ The Nubecula 'Whose Heart Bleeds For Heartbroken' likes your sense of humor. ]
[ The Nubecula 'Who Likes Cigars And Candy' comments: "Hahaha." ]
+
What was so funny about what I said? I didn't say anything weird—it really did look like that.
I ignored them and tried to focus on why these psychos wanted me here.
I'm seriously wishing for a treasure chest at the end of all this.