A NASTY CONFRONTATION

Takara is inside the inn on the 10th Floor of the Novice Stage. She drank koshu, or Japanese white wine, paired with a good hearty Japanese feast of sushi ,gyoza, yakitori, kashipan, yakisoba, takoyaki, and tonkatsu.

She ate and drank on a complete Japanese dining set.

Takara ignored the envious looks of the ordinary players, who cast looks at her, while murmuring to each other in hushed tones.

She eavesdropped on their conversation while pretending to have a blank, sweet and innocent look on her face.

"Isn't that girl the multi-elemental mage Takara Elrich, who used to be part of the Elite Battle Mages Guild, got kicked out along with her sister, ended up in the Scraper Guild, and became an elite player again only because she got rescued by that Lelouch?"

"Isn't Lelouch the same player who topped the charts in opening tests? And landed in the top 1 ranking for Novices?”

"I saw him easily beat up Joe Franco, the Guild Leader of the Scraper Guild. It was a rare sight to see, an overpowered newbie who just casually tossed aside Joe

Franco as if Joe was just an ant to be stepped on.”

" I saw Lelouch rescue that attractive girl and get her out of the clutches of Joe Franco. Scared and intimidated the shit out of Joe, rather.”

The female speaker cast a sly glance at Takara.

“You're right man. Damn, what I'd give to get that girl in my Guild. She'd be a great addition in battle, and I bet she's also good in bed.”

A rough male voice interjected.

“Mind your words. She might overhear us. Besides, even if she does join your Guild, why would she, when she can now afford to go Guildless? Why would she settle for a second or third rate Guild when she can apply for membership in an elite Guild? I mean, look at her rankings for Novices.”

" ] guess you got a point. Her clothes, and even her weapon looks expensive. I bet she’s now one high maintenance girl.”

“I wish we had the same luck as her to get noticed, man.”

Luck? Heh. Even elite players worked hard to get to where they are now. There is no such thing as an instant windfall. But they're right. I'm an elite player again, and why would elites want to associate with second-rate and third-rate players who are basically cannon fodder?

Takara couldn't help but overhear the entire conversation of a group of men and women who ate and drank at a table next to theirs.

A high maintenance girl? They wanna taste me in bed? As if they could afford to impress me. Is this meant to insult me, or are they just having a laugh?

Takara didn't know whether to laugh or rage.

She looked at their real life information on the system.

So they're a group of third rate Filipino players, from a third rate guild, who live in the slums of Pasig City. I've heard stories about them from my elite Filipino friends. These slum dwellers truly have no class, and no breeding. It's obvious from the way their avatars speak, dress, and act. Yuck. They even stink. I bet they stank like a corpse in real life too. They must have mooched off their wealthier fellowmen to get access to this game. If I eliminated them here and now, who would care about a few ordinary, powerless slum dwellers? There are lots more all over the world. I don't like dealing with these scum, but I have to do it, to teach others a tough lesson.

Takara got up, wrinkled her nose in disgust at their putrid smell, and confronted those in the next table, her spellbook already floating in the air, ready to strike.

"Hello, stinky, uncultured slum dwellers from some no-name third rate guild. I overheard you talk about me earlier. As if you could afford to impress me. Look at the whole sorry lot of you. You even talked of bedding me, and fantasized about it. Do you think I'll let this insult slide? "

Takara sneered at them, lifting all their plates, utensils, glasses, and a pitcher filled with cold water, and smashing them on the floor with her wind elemental magic.

The other players drinking and dining at the inn stopped what they were doing at the sound of all those glasses, plates, and bowls breaking, then turned to watch the quickly escalating confrontation. It even woke up all the players who slept in the inn's bedroom upstairs, who watched from the safety of the doors outside their rooms.

"Maám, please, we're just poor slum dwellers. Have mercy on us. We didn't mean what we said earlier."

A rough voiced young man named Nikko said, as he backed away from Takara, while reaching for his nicked,old icepick that served as his makeshift dagger.

So he is one of those whom I overheard talking about me a while ago. What an ugly, useless weapon. It fits for a crass, ugly, stinky, and uncultured young man from the slums indeed. Look at him. His face is the color of soot and burned wood, he has matted and tangled hair crawling with lice, he has a harsh and grating voice, and he has lost almost all of his teeth. Does this ugly, unpresentable slum dweller think he can scratch me with a makeshift knife? He can't even afford to buy himself decent weapons and decent clothes, but he has the audacity to insult someone better than him upfront.

Takara looked at Nikko and his weapon with amusement.

" Fucking shit. We messed with the wrong player. Get ready to defend yourselves, and run for your lives if necessary. She's way too strong for us to deal with."

A rough voiced, ugly young woman named Runulyn CarryBrick carrying an old, short ranged wood bow, spoke up.

That's the ugliest makeshift shortbow I ever saw. I doubt it can even strike the bull's eye in a proper archery competition. Most like the arrow will fly into the air, fall short of striking the board, and fall straight to the ground. And it's made of cheap wood. It haas next to no durability. One strike from my flaming balls, and that bow is toast.

The companions of the man with the ice pick stood up, and reached for their weapons.

"Have mercy? I never forgive, and I never forget . You think that nicked dagger of yours will help to save your life, you trashy slum dweller? Even Noctis had a better dagger than yours."

Nikko, who is dressed in faded, tattered, stinking rags lunged at Takara, but Takara was ready for Nikko.

"Wind Shield"

Nikko slammed into an invisible windshield, and got blown away to the other side of the inn.

Nikko got up, and charged Takara again.

" Are you dumb? Do you have the IQ of an egg? Your attacks won't hurt me, Nikko."

Takara mocked.

When Nikko was about to slash at Takara's abdomen, Takara saw her chance to counter-attack.

" Wind Choke 10th Form"

Nikko was immediately wrenched off the ground, 5 feet high into the air, gasping desperately for breath, his feet drumming a frantic breath as invisible hands of wind did an iron chokehold on his puny, scrawny neck. He tried to prie himself free, but failed.

One minute later, Nikko slumped down on the floor, lifeless, with his eyes open.

"Stupid hell. Nikko StinkyBrick is dead. Run for your lives!"

Nikko's guildmates instantly broke at the sight of Nikko dead on the ground. They dropped their weapons and tried to temporarily pause the game, and flee, but they were too slow.

Takara's precise and much improved fireballs caught them in the back. Flailing at their burning clothes, they ran into a shield wall of fire that blocked the inn's door, created by Takara to stop them from escaping. They tried to bullrush the wall of fire, and got incinerated alive to ashes for their trouble. Then Takara extinguished the wall of fire, stepped over Nikko's dead body, paid the innkeep triple for the damage she caused, bought some expensive foods and drinks from the innkeep, walked out of the door, and went to the Elite Players Potions shop in the Elite Players section of the 10th Floor to buy needed potions and other items before she challenged the next floor.