Four eyes on another level
[An outside game challenge is ongoing]
[Would you like to spectate?]
' An outside game challenge? What is that? ' Max asked the system.
[An outside game challenge is one randomly held by players for the purpose of a test of strength between the participants. As the name implies, such challenge can only take place outside game duration].
[Would you like to spectate?]
' Yes,' Max replied.
[Portal activated]
[Destination : The void of fame]
As usual a misty purple portal opened up before them.
"Where are we going this time?" Hillary lifted her gaze to meet his as he held her hand.
"Somewhere I bet you'll find interesting," Max smiled and they walked through.
[You have successfully arrived at the void of fame]
"What is this place?" Hillary asked as her eyes travelled up the tall dark building that pierced the skies. It had become an habit she started in this world since most of the buildings were extremely tall.
"The void of fame," Max replied as they both walked to join the line of people before the door of the building.
Sooner than they had anticipated, it had gotten to their turn.
Just in front of the door, was a green screen similar to the one Max had seen on entering the game.
[Entry into the void of fame is at a cost of 100 gems]
[Do you wish to spend 100 gems?]
[Yes]
A puzzle-like structure on the door rearranged itself and the giant doors opened on its own accord as it usually did.
[Yes]
He walked past the door into the spacious white room. Seats were arranged round the room to form a ring at the centre. About hundreds of seat were already occupied and the show was yet to start.
Not too long after he entered, Hillary followed behind him and they moved to sit where the view of the ring would be at its best.
"Woah!" Hillary's eyes darted around every corner they could travel. "How come you know about this place?"
"Uh..."
Max couldn't tell her about the system. So far, he was yet to come across someone who had one just like him. If he were to tell her about the system, thousands of questions would definitely flood his face which he would not even have an answer to.
"Well, there's this thing about my portal creation or should I say teleportation ability. I get hunches of possible places in the game," Max laughed nervously.
' Was that even believable? Only a dummy would fall for that,' He thought.
"Oh," Hillary looked impressed.
Max quickly averted his gaze. Perhaps she was naive not dumb. Who the hell was he deceiving? There was a link between naivety and being dumb. At least she couldn't hear his thoughts.
It hadn't been long since they sat than the seats in the hall were already occupied and the giant doors immediately closed.
The huge holographic figure of a man, with only his head down to his waist visible, stood in the air within the reach of the audience's eyes.
"Good day ladies and gentlemen, today is another day where we have gathered to witness raw talents that the eyes will feast upon to the greatest of satisfaction. I welcome you all to the void of fame, the host of the outside game challenge," The man said, gingering up the audience who followed up with a round of applause.
"Today with us we'll be having a very special contestant who has decided to take on a challenger," The man continued.
The big hole at the centre of the space which was supposed to be a ring was soon covered up by the platform that rose out from the bottom. Standing on the platform were two men, one dressed in chinese pants and a mink jacket that had no buttons. His style reminded Max of a fictional character, Aladdin.
The other man was dressed in loose black robes, leaving a larger portion of his abs visible. He wore glasses which Max felt was unusual for a man with such great build. The most thing about him that piqued Max's interest was the black pen with a red eye engraved on it, tucked behind his ear. His hair was tied into a messy bun and there was this cold expression on his face, making him look like a villain from a movie.
"He's so hot," Hillary held her rosy cheeks.
"I know right," Max replied. His coolness was just too blinding.
"Let's give it up and make some noise for the special contestant, the Artistic slayer god of Harbingers Of Death! Blain!!"
A roar of cheers followed from the audience in honour of the muscular man in glasses. The so called Artistic slayer god waved his hand in the air and the crowd immediately went silent.
"Thank you," He said in a cold tone, much colder than the one on his face.
"Just who is this guy?" Max rhetorically asked.
"And on the other hand, we have a long time champion of the outside game challenge, Michael Lance!"
Michael Lance made different poses as the audience cheered him on.
"Before the game begins, let's cast votes on who will probably emerge as the winner," The holographic man announced.
A screen suddenly appeared in front of every person seated.
[ BLAIN ] [ MICHAEL LANCE ]
[ VOTE ] [ VOTE ]
Max took a long stare at the name Blain. He didn't know why but he just had the hunch that Blain would possibly emerge as the winner. There was something about the guy that spelt he wasn't one to be messed with. Was it just the aura he gave off or was there something more?
Without wasting any more time, he clicked on the vote beneath Blain's name before the screen disappeared.
Two huge screens had also appeared at either side of the holographic man. One screen displaying Blain and the number of votes cast and then the other displaying Michael Lance and also the number of votes he had received.
As time went by, the numbers on each screen randomly rose up. After a while, the votes stopped counting.
"Alright then we have our totals," The holographic man said.
[ BLAIN ] [ MICHAEL LANCE ]
[ 2,560 votes ] [ 3,100 votes ]
This wasn't right at all to Max. Were these people blind to the point where they would see power and look down on it? Did this happen because the Michael Lance guy was nice to his fans and Blain wasn't or just because Michael Lance had been a long time champion while this was probably Blain's first time?
"As far as the votes are concerned, let the game begin," The holographic man said before his image disappeared.
A tall green barrier which allowed the audience to see through, surrounded the ring in which the two contestants stood. The barrier was placed around the ring to prevent the fight from having any effect on the audience and also damaging the void.
"I see you think you're going to win this fight. What rank even are you?" Michael asked.
"Sounds pitiful coming from someone who dared to challenge me. Maybe nobody ever told you this but you talk too much for a fighter," Blain sneered.
Angered by Blain's response, Michael Lance took out a dagger from his back pocket and rushed towards his opponent in a bid to attack first. Just before he could reach Blain, he disappeared so fast that most of the audience didn't even know what had just happened.
"Teleportation," Max said.
Unlike everyone, Blain looked unfazed. He took out the black pen behind his ear and immediately used it to draw an imaginary circle in the air, all these actions done within a few seconds. The whole of the ring went pitch blank not allowing anyone to see what was going on.
"What the hell is going on?"
People chattered among themselves as their anxiety had risen to the next level.
Just then, the black colour disappeared from the ring returning the lights to it. The next thing everyone witnessed was Michael Lance appearing in the air, covered in sweat.
Blain held his pen facing downwards before lifting it upwards.
A black animated arm rose up from the ground with a clenched fist and plunged a fatal blow into the opponent's face. Michael Lance flew across the ring and hit his back against the barrier which reacted with a reverse kind of force, causing Michael to return to the ground with equal force.
The animated fist continued from where it had left off by continuously throwing punches into his face. Blood spewed from his nose and mouth onto his clothes and the ground.
"So this is the power of the Artistic slayer god. The guy who takes out all players in a game location at once with a lift of his pen."
"What is that pen? I think that's just what's helping him. He can't really be overpowered like the rumors say."
People seated around Max were making different comments on Blain's side of the fight.
' I can't afford to lose. My reputation will fall into the mud, I'll stop earning germs! This is my main source of livelihood. All these thoughts ran through Michael Lance's mind on the basis of fear that he might lose to Blain.
As fast as no one had expected, the dagger in Lance's hand elongated to a sword, piercing through the animated arm which dispersed into dark smog that disappeared soon after. He got up from the ground looking very much unpleasant and stained with blood.
"Fight like a man! Using a pen to fight? What kind of silly feat is that?" Michael Lance asked, blood splashing from his mouth each time he talked.
Blain's forehead creased. The look on his face twisted. He was definitely angry now.
"Hallucination Art of the Blues! Self multiply!" He said as he tucked his pen behind his ear.
"What?" Michael Lance blinked severally to be sure of what he was seeing. What happened to the ring? Why was he in this strange place?
The place looked like any other beach except for the fact that clouds were everywhere, from the land to the sky.
"Blain! show yourself! Are you gonna hide now after bringing me here?"
The audience watched on, confused as to why Michael Lance was in search of his opponent who was right in front of him. Had he gone blind all of a sudden?
"Hallucination Art of the Blues..." Max's voice trailed off as his eyes widened in realization. "What is this guy?"
"Why would I hide?" Michael heard Blain's voice.
He looked around to see tons of Blain appearing around him till he was completely surrounded.
"So you brought clones to help you out?" Blain heard Michael's voice.
Not responding to his questions, the army of Blains charged at him, delivering skillful attacks from every corner.
The audience watched as Blain and Max fought. Michael's defense was so poor that even the least of Blain's attacks got to him. Michael's fighting skills were just not a match for the Artistic slayer god.
"I don't think it's his pen. He is really what they say he is!"
In a matter of seconds, Blain had used over ten different fighting techniques and not even a drop of sweat was seen on his face to even indicate tiredness. Michael's dagger with the ability to elongate to any length was almost useless against him and not even his teleportation ability was worth it.
It was as if Blain could tell the next spot he would appear in whenever he disappeared. Soon, Michael was on his knees, panting heavily while using the elongated dagger as support.
"I'm done with you," Blain said with a disgusted look on his face.
A black animated hole opened underneath Michael and he was sucked into it.
Michael soon found himself back in the void but instead of being in the ring he was falling from the air as he crashed into the seated crowd. The barrier around the ring then disappeared.
After a long while, the holographic man finally appeared.
"Blain wins!" He said.
He continued. "500 gems has been rewarded to the winner and 200 gems has been rewarded to his supporters each."
[You have been rewarded 200 gems]
[You currently have 740 gems in your account]
A smile etched on Max's lips. Coming here wasn't a bad idea after all.
Just then, a cold voice echoed all over the space that got people's attention.
"Who wants to go next? This'll be my first and last time here. I don't have time for trash," Blain said, his eyes staring blankly around. "Anyone?"
"I will."
All eyes fell on the teenage boy with purple eyes who stood up, holding up his hand like a timid middle schooler.