More Of A Challenge

'There's obviously a lack of technique but he's doing great. He seems to like getting in close with the puppets. I wonder how he would do with a weapon and what weapon should it be.

A Hammer? Maybe something light like a Saber... Hmm or maybe a dagger!'

While Zay'in was watching him with appreciative nods and thoughts, Vincel let go of the puppet he just shut down and turned around to face the two left.

'Update'

Vincel was not sure how but he knew thinking of 'Update' would give him the information he wanted without the whole status screen appearing in front of his eyes.

He was right.

[Arcane Mana Reserves: 65/125]

'I've done well so far. I still have juice for more spellcasting.

I'll finish this quick!'

Vincel dashed forward. Pushing his agility stats to their very limits.

Vincel was only a foot or two away from the puppets when something strange happened. One of the puppets leaped back and then put as much distance between Vincel and itself.

'That's new. They've always just come charging at me no matter what. Did it start to feel fear?'

Had he been paying attention to Zay'in, Vincel would have noticed her computing commands into the wall panel and he would have realized she was responsible for the puppet retreating.

Vincel pushed down any questions he had and focused on the other puppet not running from him. That puppet came at him with its fists as usual.

Vincel cast the 'Bind' spell and the moment the puppet was bound by the strings of Arcane Mana, he punched it to the ground...

*Bam*

*Bam* *Bam*

... and delivered two follow-up quick-fire blows to its chest to finally dim its lights.

Zay'in chuckled.

"Impressive! But nothing particularly challenging. You're having an easy time. Almost a fun time"

"Easy? Did you see those blows I got? They still hurt!"

Zay'in took her hand off the wall to wave him off. She was still holding her Halberd.

"Those were nothing. For the final puppet, you should get more of a challenge. Let's turn this up to Seven- No, Eight. 8 units in strength and 8 units in speed"

As she spoke, Zay'in imputed the upgraded units and for a second, the lines on the puppet glowed even brighter. When they returned to their regular glow, the puppet attacked.

Moving almost faster than Vincel's eyes could follow.

Instinctively, Vincel raised his arms in front of his face but that did nothing as the puppet grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall.

"Ack"

Feeling pain in his back as well as difficulty in breathing, Vincel was already having issues and they were made worse after the puppet delivered a punch to his face.

*Bam*

"Ahh"

[HP: 71/75]

The puppet punched again but somehow, Vincel caught the fist before it hit him and he instantly cast the 'Repel' spell against the fist he was holding.

The wave of Arcane Mana smacked the puppet and pushed it back but not very far.

The puppet let go of Vincel's neck as it was pushed away and after a quick rub of the area he had been grabbed at, Vincel took the fight to his opponent.

He went at the puppet with a knee but it was blocked by a forearm and he was punched in the stomach.

[HP: 70/75]

Before Vincel could even let out a yell of pain, the puppet, swept his leg and fell him on his back.

The puppet brought a fist down to strike Vincel on the ground but Vincel raised his hand just in time to cast the 'Bind' spell to keep the Puppet in place.

The puppet struggled against the strings of Arcane Mana for a second and in that second, Vincel delivered an uppercut that knocked it at least two feet back.

*Wham*

"Yes! Now this is a fight!" Zay'in yelled with a grin while still standing by the wall.

"This is not funny!" Vincel yelled at her.

"It's not meant to be funny. At least not to you." Zay'in retorted with a cackle.

'Damn it.' Vincel swore at her.

His reserves were running low. He only had 35 Arcane Mana reserves left so Arcane Augmentation was out of the question. Although that would be overkill considering the puppet only exceeded him with one stat unit in both strength and speed (Agility).

'What if I cast 'Bind' three times? I just need to hold that thing down long enough to beat it down.'

By the time the Puppet was ready to go again, Vincel had settled on his plan and he went ahead to cast the 'Bind' spell three times.

He faced no issues doing this.

He just cast them one after the other and watched multiple strings of Arcane Mana (three times the normal amount) wrap around the Puppet.

Because casting them one after another came easy to Vincel, he didn't think of it as a big deal. Plus, he was in a desperate situation and could only focus on the Puppet.

Little did he know that it was a bit of a big deal.

Zay'in paused her mocking smiles and cackles to look puzzled.

'How is he casting them so fast?

He should have spent more than a second re-harnessing Mana as well as making sure he remembers the details of the spell circle.

Casting so fast, especially for a beginner, is not only difficult but leaves room for dangerous errors.

If Mana is not properly channeled and harnessed, it can lead to internal damage as well as excruciating pain.

To do what he's doing, he either has to be experienced or a genius.'

The moment the puppet was bound, Vincel wasted no time.

He charged at it...

*Whoosh*

... Punched the side of its faceless head...

*Bam*

... Swept its feet so that it landed flat on its back after which he finished it all off with three punches.

*Bam!* *Bam* *Bam*

The lights of the Puppet dimmed at two punches but the extra one, which also cracked the Puppet's chest, was mostly out of angry spite.

Vince raised his head to glare at Zay'in.

"Is that enough?! *Gasp*"

Vincel had barely gotten out his words of anger that the tip of a Halberd was dangerously an inch away from his neck.

Vincel's grey eyeballs rolled up until he was looking into Zay'in's pretty face.

"You did good. You have talent" she said.

"*Gulp* Thanks. Is there a reason you're pointing your weapon at me, though?"

Zay'in smirked and pulled back her Halberd.

Vincel watched incredulously as she started to push the long Halberd into the pouch attached to the small of her back.

He decided to ask the question he had had in his mind since his time in the forest.

"How can it fit? Your Halberd into your Pouch I mean."

Zay'in faced Vincel's question with a smile while she helped him to his feet.

"Enlargement Enchantments.

The space inside the pouch is maximized greatly while it remains the same outwardly.

The weight of the contents of the pouch also drastically reduces once inside the Pouch so that the Pouch remains light and does not hamper movement."

"Oh, that sounds cool," Vincel said.

"It is," Zay'in said with a smile before she lifted her wrist so that her peculiar-looking bracelet was now just below her mouth.

"My Lady" she called into the bracelet.

Vincel was confused to see her talking into the bracelet but that feeling became Surprise when he heard Agatha's voice come out of the bracelet about two seconds later.

"What is it, Zay'in? Are you done with him?"

"Yes, I am. He shows promise. I was considering taking him to the Emporium but I thought to speak with you first" Zay'in said into the bracelet.

There were a few seconds of silence and then Agatha's voice came out of the bracelet, cold as usual.

"Is he with you right now?"

"Yes, he is," Zay'in said with a quick glance at a confused Vincel's face.

"Have him excuse us. I have something to discuss with you. In private"

This time, Zay'in looked up and stared into Vincel'e face.

"Vincel..."

Vincel interrupted her with an uncomfortable smile with his two hands raised.

"I get it. I'll see myself out"

The moment he got close to the door, it opened and once he was out, it shut gently.

'They're talking about me'

Vincel wasn't sure how or why but he was sure of it.

He pressed his ear against the door for a second or two before he eventually stopped because he couldn't hear anything and he also felt silly about his eavesdropping tactics.

He moved away from the door and looked up into the sky where the sun was still fairly high up. Its heat was comfortable rather than scorching.

'*Sigh* I have no idea how to keep track of time here but I would say this is midday.

I'm not sure, since I was wounded and running from my life, but I think I got out of the D-Rank Gate in the morning. Well past dawn.

I was asleep for a few hours, then I woke up at noon.

Even if I take into account the fact that time doesn't work the same inside dimensional gates. I've still only been here a day.

*Sigh* It feels like forever ago since I was dying on that hospital bed.'

Vincel lost himself a bit in his thoughts and then, the door opened and Zay'in walked out.

She looked troubled but then her eyes fell on Vincel and she replaced the expression with her usual perky smile. Except it seemed a bit fake this time.

'I wonder what they talked about' Vincel thought.

"Are you alright?" he asked Zay'in and she chuckled.

"Of course I am.

So- Do you like shopping?"