Masks Chapter 2.4 : Broken in Two

Town Square.

Everybody in the Village gathered around the Fountain.

Narine stood on the Edge of the Fountain, waiting for everyone to be present.

'There are more people in this Village than I thought.'

As Max waited with Rio and Mika in his hands, he saw a familiar figure at the back of the crowd, trying to look over.

"Ren. Do you need a lift?" Max offered.

"What!? No! I can do it! I just..."

She stopped herself, then gave up.

"Fine! But no touching anywhere weird! I'm sitting on your Shoulder."

Lifting herself up, she managed to set herself on his shoulder.

'She's light.'

"This feels uncomfortable... but I guess I can manage. At least, I fit on here, so it's not all ups and downs. I can see the Chief from here at least."

"Maaax! Me too!" Lenn came running.

"Lenn? Why are you here? Shouldn't you be resting?" Max asked.

"I wanted to watch the Chief! I always love these events! Quick! Let me up!"

Before he could say anything, she already began climbing him.

'Well, at least she has enough strength to move around.'

Successfully, Lenn made it onto his Right Shoulder.

"What a view! ...There's not much to see from here." She was slightly disappointed.

"Obviously. Max isn't too tall, nor big. If he was bigger, then we would be able to see even farther!" Ren says.

'They seem to get along well. Maybe I shou-'

"Alright! Is everybody here!?" Narine asked.

Looking over the crowd, she nodded.

"Then! Can all of the contestants please come up front!"

From the crowd, 3 People walked to the front of the crowd, and turned to face them.

'What is this "Event"?'

"We're missing one!"

Turning her head, she stops, and smiles at Max.

"Max! Get over here already! We're waiting!"

"...Huh?"

"Did I stutter!? Get the hell over here already!"

'...Guess I have no choice.'

Walking forwards, the Crowd opened up, making a path for him to walk.

"You look like a Father! Lenn! Ren! You guys get front row seats to the show! "

"Really!?" They said simultaneously.

"Just get off his shoulders already. You can get back on after this is over."

They both jump off, gave Max a thumbs up, and sat down next to Narine.

"Tayl! Take care of the Cubs for him!"

"Me again? I don't mind, but at least let me sit up front as well."

"Fine, but no yelling this time! If you do, then I'm making sure you can't purchase sweets for a week!"

"Yeah yeah. Max, if you'll allow me."

Handing Rio and Mika to Tayl, Max faces the Chief.

"What is this 'Event' for?"

"The right to officially live in this Village. We have an Inn for Guests, but to be able to purchase a Home, or the Construction of one, then you need to pass this little 'Event' of ours."

'Interesting.'

"Now, you two!" She points at the 2 people to her right.

"One of you wants to be a Teacher, and the other a Researcher. You will both take your respective tests in the Library. Mary! If you would."

An Old Lady walked up to the front, and began to guide them to the Library.

'Does she work in the Library?'

"Now, you!" She points at the person to her left.

"You want to be a Cook!"

"Chef, but, it's close enough."

"Alright. You will cook a Meal for everyone in this Village using the supplies we have in Storage. We don't have too much Meat, so try to minimize that if possible."

Bowing his head, he walks over to a Building which had a Table, Furnace, Fire Stove, and many different Utensils.

"And for the main course. Max! Get closer!"

Taking 3 steps closer, he was now the center of attention, and he could hear the chatter amongst the croud.

What he could hear were words such as "Kid", "Dead Meat", "Interesting", "A Mask?", and "Cute".

"Max! You want to work here as a Hunter, right?"

"That was what I was told."

The Chatter grew.

"That Kid? A Hunter?"

"That Mask looks a little suspicious."

"He has Weapons on him. Could he actually be stronger than we think?"

The Chief rose her hand, and the Chatter stopped.

"Max, do you know what happens next?"

'If I recall, she said something about-'

"A Spar."

"Ding ding ding! Correct! We'll be heading to the Arena behind the Village. Follow me!"

The Chief, along with the rest of the Villagers, walked towards the Back of the Village, where another Gate was.

As the Gates opened, Max saw something that he hasn't seen before.

There was a large Cylinder Shaped Platform about a foot off the ground, and around the Whole Area, there was another set of Large Walls.

Around the Arena, there were a large number of Chairs and Wooden Railings.

'This place was well built. What are we gonna do here?'

"Everybody take your seats! Remember, don't get too close, don't get hurt, and most importantly, NO GOD DAMN YELLING!" She yelled in an annoyed tone.

Everybody took their seats. All except Narine and Max, who stood in the Arena.

"Now, do you wanna use Real Weapons or Wooden ones?"

"...Is there much of a difference?"

"...Real it is then." She was annoyed.

Max didn't notice at first, but there was a Weapon Rack on the Wall next to the Gate, where someone was waiting.

Narine snapped her fingers, and the Man standing next to the Weapons nodded.

Grabbing the largest weapon there, he began walking towards the Arena.

"Are you gonna use that Sword on your hip? Or are you gonna use a different Weapon?"

Max felt a twitch from his side.

"...I'll be using my Sword."

'Not like they'll let me use a different one.'

"Alright. If your Sword ends up breaking, I won't be held responsible, got it?"

"Of course."

Taking the Large Blade from the Man, she Unsheathed it, revealing the Iron Greatsword from before.

"This Sword was forged by my Grandfather using [Shards] collected from [Demon Shadows]. I believe it's durability isn't anything to laugh at."

'A Weapon made of [Shards]? If I recall, I saw someone do something similar when I was in the [Veils].'

"Even after 3 Generations, it still hasn't chipped, bent, or rusted. It's Sharpness has remained through many years."

'...This won't end well.'

"Well? Are you ready?"

Unsheathing his Blade, he whispered to it.

"(Don't break it. Please.) I'm ready."

"Alrighty. Ready!"

'Please don't break.'

"Set!"

"(Just this once. Please don't break it.)"

"Go!"

In a Rush, she ran towards Max in an instant.

"Don't let your guard down!"

She swung down at full force.

However, he blocked it.

"Hoh? You can actually block my attack with that Blade of yours?"

'Should I go all out? Will it seem weird?'

Jumping back, she prepared to strike again.

'An Upward Slash. In that case...'

Faster than she could see, his Sword's Blade was next to her head, barely not coming into contact.

She kept moving her Blade upwards due to the Momentum from the Weight of the Weapon.

'Uh oh. Not good.'

Once again moving at unfathomable speeds, he held his Sword up to block.

He blocked it.

. . .

This time, "They" were pissed.

The Greatsword that came into contact... Snapped in 2.

The Blade flew straight downwards, puncturing the ground between them.

The Crowd was silent.

'...This is bad. Really, REALLY bad.'

Max looked up at her face.

She seemed to be unconscious.

She got knocked out while standing.

'She... can't move.'

Moving her, he lays her on the ground, with her Weapon next to her.

'...I panicked.'

[Patience : Time will Wait]

"I accidentally used it as soon as her Weapon snapped."

The Crowd, as well as everything else around him, stopped moving completely.

[Recovered Time]

His Mask went blank. A Dot appeared in the Center. Coming from the Dot, 2 Lines appeared, one shorter than the other. They appear to tell the current time.

'This is all I could do.'

Touching the Blade, a light glow came from it. The Broken Piece flew out of the ground, and reattached itself to the other half.

Taking out his Hand-Cannon, he charges and fires a shot.

[Determination : Time can't Tell]

The Greatsword Glowed once more, then settled down.

"That should do it... Now, YOU."

Taking his Blade, he looks at it with a furious expression.

"What did I say? ...That's right. I told you NOT to break it. NOT. Now I can't use these abilities for a while. Because of that, you won't be fed any Crystals for a LONG While."

Slowly, he sheathed his Sword.

With a final *Click*, the World continued moving.

Slowly realizing that the Chief was unconscious, the Crowd began to talk amongst themselves.

"Max!"

Ren and Lenn ran towards him.

"What happened? I blinked at the end, and she was suddenly on the ground." Ren says.

'What do I say?'

"I... defeated her? I guess that's what happened."

"You can say that again. She's out cold." Lenn poked her cheek.

A Moment later, and 2 People appeared with a Stretcher, and carried Narine off to recover.

"Well that was... underwhelming. It happened too quickly! Max! Why didn't you drag it out!?" Lenn was disappointed.

'...I can't tell her.'

"If I did, then It would have gotten more and more dull, don't you think?"

Unable to say anything back, she just pouts and begins climbing back onto his Shoulder.

"Because of that, you'll have to carry me back home!"

"Me too!" Ren climbs up as well.

"And here you go." Tayl hands back Rio and Mika.

"I gave them something to eat, so you don't have to worry about them for now."

"Thank you... for everything you've done for me today." Max thanks him.

"None of that. I should be thanking you. For now, take the kids home, and have fun as a Hunter tomorrow."

"Will do. See you tomorrow."

"Bye Tayl!" Lenn waves.

"See you tomorrow!" Ren waves as well.

As Max kept walking, Lenn and Ren stopped waving.

"Today was fun." Lenn says.

"Yeah. I haven't had fun in..."

Max couldn't recall.

No, it was more like he never did have fun. Not once.

"...Years."

"You say it like you're an old man. How old are you? I'm 9." Ren says.

'Age... Lenn is 8, Ren is 9, Tayl is 57, and I'm...'

"20. I'm 20 Years Old."

"Really!? You don't look 20..." Lenn was surprised.

"It's just how I am. And I... suddenly feel... so... stran-"

Max Collapsed.

. . .