Interlude: Grandpa

Shandy didn't go home after school, instead she headed deeper into the city. The city center is the part of the city with tall buildings, bright display billboards and the most crowded with people. But the part of the city she walked through was dark and lacking any touch of modernism. Like what Shandy expects a medieval town to look like...

The buildings looked old school and the streets were white cobblestones instead of asphalt; the vehicles that passed through were horse drawn carriages instead of cars or motorcycles. It is a strange place indeed, however it is not Shandy's first time here so she wasn't surprised.

This place is called Band A, also known as Mad town. When the city was being renovated during the past century, this part of the city resisted modernisation the most, coupled with some backing they succeeded. But as a result the government had cut them off from the rest of the city. Just as Kreal city was cut off from the rest of the Empire, neglected and scorned.

However were Kreal city moved on and did their thing. Independent from the empire, yet still somewhat up to the times, Mad Town seems to still be stuck in the past century with no intention of improvement or change.

What had once been the city center deteriorated into a place no one would like to live in. At least no one sane. The people living here loves the place after all.

Shandy walked through the familiar streets watching the strange antics of the people around her. It looked like a carnival, with people dressed in all kinds of costumes. From vampires to cultivators, to noble men and women... It was an odd thing, but that's the normal in this district.

Everyone lives in a fantasy here, something Shandy couldn't understand. She wasn't playing their games, but in her school uniform, she did not look out of place.

She ignored a few boys dressed as clowns asking her for a dance and walked towards an unremarkable house. It was walled so she pushed the gate open and stepped into the compound.

The courtyard was well cared for. The cobble floor was sparkling clean, the flowers well pruned. Nothing could be seen out of place yet the sound of crashing could be heard from the lone house in the courtyard.

Shandy walked to the house and helped herself in. What came into view was the common room of a restaurant, in a western style; from the decor to the seating. People sat around large tables with large tankards filled with ale in front of them. Like those outside, the costumers here wore all kinds of ridiculous cloths.

Many where dressed in medieval cloths; the men in tunic coats and the women in modest yet flamboyant dresses. However a few also wore modern cloths.

Right now everyone's attention was towards what was happening in the middle of the room. The tables and chair in the middle of the room were cleared to the side to give the two large men, that were the focus of attraction, some space.

Two thick logs of woods were placed in front of the men. One in front of each man. A bearded man rang the count down then waved his hand for them to begin.

The two men started striking the top of the log in front of them with their foreheads, to the cheers of their audience. The goal of this game is to see who'll break the log first with his forehead. Shandy looked at it all blankly, already used to seeing all kinds of madness in this place. She crossed the room, past the costumers that waved at her occasionally - she waved back with a strained smile - and walked into a door tucked in the corner of the room.

Shandy walked through a dim hallway before taking a set of stone steps that led downwards. There her cold gaze fell on the a white haired old man who was jumping around in the basement.

"Ha!" He shouted throwing a kick in the air. He landed on the ground then sent a few punches at empty air. Suddenly he twisted his body to the side avoiding an unseen attack before countering with a kick. It as if he's fighting a formidable opponent.

The girl stared at the old man practicing [Shadow Boxing] blankly for a while, till the man stopped by himself and turn to her. "Yo kiddo, what's up?" The old man said. Suddenly fell forward and started doing pushups. He continued talking. "Are you out of school already?"

Shandy fixed her mouth in a straight line not planning on answering his questions. "Hey grandpa, I have a question," she said.

"Shoot, this old man will lend you his wisdom,"

"Are you following me around?"

"Huh?" The old man froze for a moment then continued his pushups, going up and down. Up and down. "Why would you think so girlie? For your information this old man has no time in his hands to play around,"

"Really?" Shandy smiled coldly. "Then how did you appear to save Yamato in time Yesterday?"

"Yamato?"

"Hmm, didn't you intervene during his fight yesterday?"

The old man rose to his feet and shrugged. "I really don't know what you are talking about kiddo, more importantly what happened to that kid? Did he lose? I heard some guys talking about it, not that I'm interested in High school fights to be honest,"

"It was a draw," Shandy said idly then frowned as she realized that she might have made a mistake. It was not her grandfather that saved Yamato. But beside old man Risla, who in Kreal city could move so fast that she couldn't even track him with her eyes?

Those top ten experts of Kreal city are powerful, but compared to Risla they are nothing but trash. Even she a somewhat novice fighter could track their movement.

"Hey grandpa do you know any expert that is as fast as you in this city?"

Risla frowned. "In this city huh? You know there's no one quite on my level yet. Even those arrogant top ten experts can't escape this old man, not to talk of matching my speed!" He scoffed in disdain.

"Then it must be a newcomer," Shandy decided, nodding with herself. And with that cleared, she has nothing else to do here and turned to leave without hesitation.

However her grandfather quickly called out to her, "Hey girlie, are you saying that there's a new expert in the city?"

"It seems so," Shandy paused then looked over her shoulder, suddenly feeling mischievous. "This person is at least on your level so be careful not to get beaten up by him,"

Risla's eyes brightened. "My level? Are you sure kiddo?"

"Has my eyes ever been wrong?" Saying that Shandy finally walked away.

Soon after the girl left Risla suddenly burst out in laughter. "Don't let me down kiddo, this better give me some challenge!" He said. Then he muttered softly, "How many years has it been since I am lonely at the top, I can finally stretch these old bones!"