Chapter 11 - The Challenge

Me and Rize went back to Itz. First of all, I wanted to go to the weapon shop and send Rize to the armor shop. "Rize, can you ask Ru...z? If he can make an accessory out of this? And here's some gold. Inventory." I grabbed one of the serpent's eye from my inventory and handed it to her and 20 gold.

"Ughh... Okay. And Zieg, its Ruf the armorer."

"I forgot. Thanks."

"Oh and by the way Zieg, I got a new skill. Its called Arrow Rainfall."

"What does it do? It says I just need to shoot an arrow upward and a barrage of arrows will shoot out."

"Let's check it out later. You go now where you're needed." Rize nodded and went her way. She said her new skill to me so that means she's loyal to me.

We went our seperate ways and I went to the weapon shop.

"Ruz, are you done with anything?"

"Ye have been gone for only a good 4 hours. Nothing's been done yet. I can get the remaining weapons done by tomorrow ye?"

"Can you make this be implemented on all of my weapons?" I pulled the remaining eye from my inventory.

"By the gods! This an Elder Serpent's eye! Good job for tackling a diamond plated quest ey!"

"Huh? What do you mean? This is only a gold plated quest."

"No. The gold plated quest is a giant serpent about 2.50 meters tall. And its a young one too. But not as strong as an elder."

So I accidentally did a high rank job? That's good. I hope the rewards are high too.

"So can you implement this eye to all of the weapons?"

"Ye. It ain't easy but I can."

"How much for this?"

"Its on the house. This Elder Serpent was terrorizing the woods so we can't get wood and food. That's why we're in famine right now."

So that's why food are more expensive right now than weapons. I have to sell half of these serpent's body.

"Thanks Ruz."

Me and Rize met outside. "So... Can Ruf make an accessory for that eye?"

"Yeah. And he was happy too. I don't know why though?"

"Yeah about that... We killed the wrong serpent. We killed the Elder Serpent which was stronger."

"Ohhhh..." Rize eyes glimmered with stars of how amazed she is about the feat we just did.

"Let's go to the guild now."

We went to the guild and met with the front desk.

"Good evening Sir Zieglind and Madame Rize."

"Yeah about our quest..."

"Do you want to abandon the Giant Serpent quest?"

"No, no. We accidentally killed the wrong giant serpent."

"What do you mean by that sir?"

"Inventory." I pulled out the Elder Serpent's head from my inventory and laid it down.

"Oh my!"

"What?!" The whole guild was in awe of what they just saw. I heard murmurs everywhere of how amazing this feat was.

"Sir congratulations on completing the Diamond Plated quest, the Elder Serpent. You now have been promoted to Platinum Plate." She handed over to me and Rize the platinum badge. "Here's your reward, 1000 gold."

"Well, well, well..." An unfamiliar voice was heard at the entrance of the guild. "Who dares to steal my prey?"

"Greetings Bladedge party!" The woman in the front desk greeted the party.

The "Bladedge" party consists of two swordsman a tank and two mages.

"Hmm..." The, what I think is the leader, is inspecting me and Rize. "How did you kill the Serpent?"

It seems that he was angry at us for killing the elder serpent. "Sliced it."

"Hey, hey, hey. Don't get f*cking cocky with me."

Yep he was really angry at me for killing the serpent.

"You two must've met a random obsidian plated party then stole their prey. Everyone! Its pretty impossible right? How a newbie just killed an Elder Serpent who was terrorizing Itz. A diamond plated quest was beaten by a bronze plated party." After the leader said that the murmors of the whole guild grew louder. Raising doubts on us. "I'll expose the two of you for the looters you are."

Seems like this won't go down easily. If I want to establish a relationship with this kingdom I need to protect my validity. "Then how about an official match. Your whole party versus me and Rize."

"Ehh? Sir Zieglind?" Rize was pretty worried about this party duel.

"Don't worry about it Rize. Its an easy win." I said to her.

"Hoo... Okay me and my mage right here versus you two. If we bea-" I cut him off as the leader of Bladedge said those words.

"I told you. All of you versus us two."

"You're really getting cocky huh? This'll be a massacre you know that?"

"Yes. For the Bladedge party not us."

I could see the anger through his veins popping out of his head.

"Tomorrow. At the Itz Arena. Early in the morning. Don't you dare run."

Everyone cheered about the upcoming duel. Most of them cheering on the Bladedge party.

After all that, me and Rize went back to the inn we were staying and slept until the morning came.

"Rize, let's pick up the things we bought at Ruz and Ruf."

Rize simply nodded and got ready.

We went first to Ruf's shop.

"Yo Ruf. Is the accessory done?"

"Greetings Zieglind and Rize. Yes its done. Its pretty darn hard to implement the eye in this one." Ruf gave me a ring. "It enhances one's ability to see and it makes targeting easier."

"Hmm... I can't use this so..." I put the ring on Rize. "There. You use it."

A blush ran on Rize's face. "Oh uh... Thank you Zieg."

I didn't know what that meant but Ruf looked at me with a weird face.

"Thanks Ruf. I'll come back later."

We went to Ruz's shop.

"Ruz are all done?"

"Yep. One Heavy Shield, two curved swords for dual wielding and a Rapier. The eye that you gave me was too much. There's still some left. By the way the bonus benefits of the eye is poison."

"Thanks Ruz."

"What will you name all of yer weapons?"

"If I'm in the heat of battle their names will surely emerge."

"Heh. Can't argue with that."

I put all the items in my inventory. "Sorry for the trouble Ruz but can you make me two items really quick?"

"Depends. What is it ey?"

"One Great Hammer and a short dagger. And put the remaining eye on those two."

"Hmm... I can do it in two hours."

"Okay we'll just wait. Its three hours left for the start of the duel anyway."