Episode 68: Strong People Are Often Strange People

Back To The Present:

Saka, still shaken by Yesdar's intensity, found herself at a loss for words. She was typically quick-witted, always ready to speak her mind, but something about the way Yesdar had gripped her wrist and stared at her with that sudden, unnerving calm made her thoughts scatter like leaves in a gust of wind. She hadn't expected to be caught off guard by him, but now, sitting next to him, she couldn't help but feel her nerves still trembling.

Yesdar, on the other hand, was lost in the memory of the past—back when he had first taken hold of the mysterious sword that now rested so innocuously by his side. It was an odd, yet a satisfying sensation, how those moments could resurface without warning. It had been both a moment of weakness and strength, of crushing defeat and renewed determination, a moment he would never forget.

But that moment had passed, and now, as the memory faded from his mind, he returned to the present, his eyes settling once again on Saka. She looked like she had more to say, her brow furrowed in thought.

"Why did you stop talking?" Yesdar asked, his voice smooth, his demeanor completely calm now as if the brief storm of tension had never even happened. "You looked like you had plenty more to say."

Saka blinked, snapping back to reality. "Oh... I… you just scared me for a second back there. I mean, I wasn't expecting... that," she admitted with a sheepish grin. "So, my mind went totally blank."

Waji, who had been silent up until now, laughed nervously, trying to lighten the mood. "Yeah, man! You scared the hell out of us! I mean, after seeing what you did to that giant, it's pretty clear you're not someone to mess with."

Yesdar chuckled, a low sound that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm not dangerous to people who don't deserve it," he said, his voice laced with subtle amusement. "You deal with the crooked; you get crooked results. That giant was a loudmouth, a braggart. He needed to be silenced." His eyes softened a little, showing a more human (Aearthaling) side. "But you guys? You're talking to me like friends. I can respect that."

Saka relaxed a little, her shoulders lowering as she smiled. "Oh, I see," she said, finally feeling at ease. "So, how did you end up as this... warrior who can knock out giants with a single blow, without even touching them?" Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, and Yesdar could see she was genuinely interested.

He leaned back, his fingers tracing the edge of his sword's scabbard. "The full story would take a lifetime to tell," he said with a slight grin, "but I can start from the point where it all began and brief you the events after."

"Yeah, man," Waji chimed in, leaning forward, eager to listen. "Wherever you start, it's gotta be cool. But wait—before you begin, which city are you from?"

Yesdar's expression shifted slightly at the question. He hadn't expected that, and he wasn't sure how to answer. "Well... uh..." he stalled for a moment, thinking quickly. "Which city are you guys from?"

Waji grinned, clearly unaware of Yesdar's discomfort. "Oh right, yeah! Should've told you that first before asking, huh? Manners? We're from Mawlyana. It's a small village on the outskirts."

"Yes... Mawlyana," Yesdar repeated, the name unfamiliar but pretending to know it nonetheless.

"You don't know where that is, do you?" Waji chuckled, sensing Yesdar's lack of recognition.

Caught, Yesdar nodded. "Nope, not at all."

"Not ya fault mate. It's a lesser known village, not even a city. But its beautiful, doesn't have any rich history. And by rich, I mean, no wealthy history, pun intended, haha. But it has good food, the Banetore Street, it's big and is a food court on its own. If you ever visit, we'll throw you a feast," Waji said with a broad grin.

Yesdar nodded slowly, his lips curling into a faint smile. "Sounds like a plan. Maybe one day."

Saka leaned forward, her eyes filled with a mix of excitement and sadness. "You know, we're right on the border of Mordul Uls. From the top of our village, you can see the sea. It's breathtaking. The only problem is, we're not allowed to actually go down there. You know, once you leave for the ground and go near the sea, they don't let you come back. Don't know what kind of a rule is that." Her voice dropped with a hint of longing. "I've always wanted to see it up close."

Yesdar studied her for a moment, his eyes thoughtful. He could sense the same yearning in her that he had sensed in Virumi—the desire to see the world beyond the confines of their limited lives, to experience the freedom that always seemed just out of reach. He understood that feeling all too well.

"Well," Yesdar began, his voice soft but firm, "you're still lucky. You at least get to see the sea from a distance. Me? I don't even have that luxury."

Saka blinked, surprised by his words. "I... I hadn't thought of it that way."

Yesdar's voice grew more solemn, the weight of his words sinking in. "Sometimes its not you who needs freedom, but freedom that needs you. Rest is common sense." 

Saka's eyes widened as his words hit her with unexpected force. She had never thought of it that way before. She had been so focused on what she didn't have that she hadn't realized the value of what she did.

Suddenly, the commentator's voice boomed across the stadium, pulling everyone back to the present. "Let's welcome back our one-blow badass who defeated the giant in style—Jesdala!!"

The crowd erupted into cheers once again, the arena filled with roars of excitement.

"Oh! you're up again," Saka said, her voice barely hiding her excitement.

Yesdar stood, casually picking up his sword and locking it into the buckle lock on the side of his belt. "I'll finish this quickly and come back to tell you more."

With that, he turned and began walking through the corridor, heading toward the arena once more. As he moved, the other contestants in the room couldn't help but stare at him like fools.

Waji and Saka watched him on the screen as he entered the battlefield once again, the camera zooming in on his face as he stepped into the red-tinged fog that enveloped the arena. His expression was calm, his movements deliberate. There was no sign of hesitation—just an unshakable resolve.

Saka watched him, her mind racing with possibilities. "His faded, little scars tell us way bigger stories. We need to stay close to him," she whispered.

Waji raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, 'stay close to him'?"

"I mean, we should ask him to be our master," Saka said, her voice filled with determination. "The way he carries himself, the way he fights... he's clearly been taught by someone powerful. If we wanna add meaning to our lives, it's the best chance."

Waji hesitated. "But what about going home?"

Saka shook her head. "Waji we discussed this, didn't we? Please stop about home, there's nothing left for me there. We came here because we wanted to improve our lives, right? To either make something for ourselves or die trying in this battleground where killing is allowed. Well, this guy... this 'Jesdala'... he's the other answer. If we survive this, I want to stay and train under him. At least I'll change the myth that says 'nothing is left in my life'."

Waji glanced back at the screen, watching as Yesdar strode through the red fog, back into the boundary of the Pillars of Agony, waiting for his next opponent.

"Yesdar-sama's turn again noi!" Virumi's voice chimed excitedly as she saw the commentator introducing Yesdar once more on the TV screen. The preparation room buzzed with a faint tension, though Griswa remained utterly unfazed, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. Malaes entered the room, holding a small drink she had grabbed earlier to satisfy her thirst, glancing at the screen. "Ah, so he's up again," Malaes said, her voice casual yet with an undertone of mild amusement, not that she expected Yesdar to struggle.

The commentator's voice thundered through the speakers, his enthusiasm almost comical.

"We welcome back the greatness that is One-Blow Jesdala! But, this time, it won't be so simple. Jesdala will face off against the newly recognized menace of the underworld—the man who calls himself Vill-Pain! Known in his city as a villain, this guy is here to prove he's more than just a name! Will Jesdala knock him out in a single blow again? Or will Vill-Pain become a rising threat for the upcoming battlers? We don't say 'start' here, folks. We say… KNOCK HIM OFF!"

Yesdar, unimpressed, muttered under his breath as he stepped out from the shadows of the arena alcove. "This commentator is more of a joker than an announcer. Is he trying to be a comedian or something?" His steps were slow, deliberate, echoing through the eerie red mist that engulfed the arena. The mist stared Yesdar in the eye. His eyes narrowed as he sensed the approaching energy of his opponent. Not powerful. Not worthy. But still… an opponent nonetheless.

The crowd buzzed with anticipation as Vill-Pain made his grand entrance, his silhouette cutting through the crimson haze. Unlike Yesdar, Vill-Pain seemed determined to impress. He wore a black armor adorned with spikes, a crown-like helmet that added to his villainous persona, and a queer's makeup smeared across his face. His entrance was meant to be intimidating, but to Yesdar, he appeared more like a clown.

"Vill, Vill, Vill-Pain's here to PAAAAAIN YOUUUU!" Vill-Pain shrieked in a high-pitched, parrot-like voice, spinning around theatrically with his mace. The crowd's reaction was mixed—some cheered, others laughed. The fighter seemed unbothered by the lack of respect, convinced of his own grandeur.

"Do you think I'm going down with that one blow you used against that giant fool earlier? Don't underestimate me! I'm faster than the Serpent of Mordul Uls! I'll dodge your—"

Yesdar vanished, reappearing in an instant right in front of Vill-Pain, his left knuckles smashing into Vill-Pain's chest with a force that seemed disproportionate to the casual motion. Vill-Pain's words choked into silence as his body flew through the air, twisting violently as though caught in a hurricane. His limbs flailed helplessly as he spun out of control, his body crashing through the sandy dust clouds that had met with the red light, clearing the fog as he was hurled back toward the alcove entrance from which he had come. The scream that escaped his lips was a distorted cry of disbelief.

"THIIIISSS WILLLL PAIIIINNNNN!!!" Vill-Pain's agonized voice echoed as he spiraled through the air, blood spraying from his mouth, his ribs crushed like broken glass, and his body landing with a sickening thud deep inside the alcove. The crash reverberated through the walls, causing several people near the entrance to flinch in terror, as if they had barely escaped being crushed themselves.

Yesdar's eyes flickered with mild amusement, his voice barely a whisper, "Yeah, you're not a fool like the giant… you're much more of a fool." He stood calmly as the dust slowly settled around him, his coat billowing slightly in the aftermath of his effortless strike.

The crowd erupted into madness once again, their roars shaking the very foundation of the arena. Meanwhile, the commentator, true to form, barked out his exaggerated commentary with wild enthusiasm.

"And SHIT! Jesdala did it again! One blow! This time without even using his sword! I don't know but somehow… physics just doesn't seem to apply to him! That's the second time today he's defied nature itself! And the Vill-Pain? More like the Vill-fly! Jesdala has taken him out of the fight without breaking a sweat! I wonder if he is some kind of a long-lost warrior who hasn't been in the limelight in years and has trained all his life secretly, to reach this point when he can defy nature and show us what he's today and win our hearts. Because after all! Entertainment! That's what we are gonna talk about and that's what we are gonna care about! Cheers for the guy who's badass as hell as he takes his leave!"

The commentator's voice boomed, but Yesdar, unimpressed as ever, barely paid any mind. He turned on his heel, his back to the carnage behind him, and began his walk toward the entrance, his coat swaying in rhythm with his steps. The background music swelled once more, heightening the aura of invincibility that seemed to hang around him like a dark cloak.

He sighed to himself, his voice filled with boredom, "Do I even need to use my blade in this competition? These fights are becoming too easy… like he said, I'm not even breaking a sweat." He ran his hand absentmindedly over the hilt of his sword, almost longing for a challenge that would push him to actually draw it. I went to Ehayor for this? If I hadn't trained there, I would've stayed weak. Weak, like everyone else on Aeartha. They need to rise if we're ever going to overthrow Yahunya.

As he continued his march to the alcove, his thoughts were consumed in the vast gap in strength between him and his opponents. Malaes, watching him from the preparation room, her mind was heavy with contemplation. Are his opponents really that weak… or is he just too strong? If that's the case, what will happen when Griswa steps into the arena? When he really does… the arena will tremble. These people have no idea what's coming.

Her gaze drifted toward Griswa, who appeared almost asleep, his body relaxed against the wall with one leg lazily lifted in the air. His expression was one of pure tranquility, as if nothing in the world could disturb him. 

Sweatdrops formed on Malaes' back head. Ugh! Look at him. Who in their bloody right mind would think what I just thought?!

Virumi, meanwhile, was still glued to the screen, watching Yesdar re-enter the alcove. Her awe was written plainly on her face. "He's really strong noi! Well, not like I have expected anything less from you guys." She murmured, a hint of wonder lingering in her voice.

Yesdar returned to the corridor-like waiting room, walking steadily toward Saka and Waji, who were waiting for him in awe. Waji was the first to speak, his words tinged with admiration. "Another win? One blow, like a gust of wind blowing them away."

Yesdar smirked slightly. "I think your metaphors are more interesting than the fights themselves."

"Yeah, man, these duels are kinda dull when the opponents are weak, but I feel like you're just too strong. Like, stronger than anyone I've ever seen," Waji said, his voice filled with a blend of awe and curiosity.

Yesdar shook his head slowly. "If you think I'm the strongest person there is… then you're underestimating true power."

Saka, intrigued by his words, leaned forward. "So, you think there are people even stronger than you?"

Yesdar's eyes narrowed, his voice soft but certain. "Who knows? The world is just too big for multiple types of people to exist and too small when you get to meet them suddenly, surprisingly, unknowingly."

Saka nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Yeah, I guess you're right. The world does have a way of surprising us. Just like how we ended up meeting someone like you, even though we came from a place so far away."

She paused, remembering something. "Hey, you were telling us your story, remember? About how you became the warrior you are today? Why don't you continue?"

Yesdar, his mind already weighing the implications of revealing too much, knew he couldn't tell them the whole truth. The story of Griswa, Malaes, and Fheniz was too dangerous, too intertwined with secrets he couldn't yet share. Still, he decided to tell them enough to satisfy their curiosity. "Well, it's simple enough. I met two companions—Griswa and Malaes. The three of us trained under a master named Fheniz."

Saka's eyes lit up with curiosity. "All three of you trained together? Your master must be someone really strong. Where does your master live? We'd love to meet him."

Yesdar hesitated for a moment before answering. Lying wasn't his strong suit, but there were some truths better left hidden. "He doesn't live here anymore. He left without telling us where he was going. He's a man who doesn't stay in one place for long. He starts hating the world around him too quickly, you know?" Yesdar chuckled softly. "I guess strong people are often strange people."

"Oh that's disappointing. I was kinda eager to meet him. It'd have been true honor." Saka said, her expressions dulling.

With that, they continued talking from one topic to the related next topic, and chose to pass time in that corridor-like waiting room.