#28 Into The Arena

"Abraham Huraira, how are you today ?" greet Tania to Cade in her office.

"Better than ever, Mrs. Colonel." answer Cade.

"Good, I have a news for you." said Tania while leaning her head on her fist.

Cade Valentine then filled with excitement after hearing those words. Coincide with the bright sky filled with clouds, his beautiful morning routine with Nera's alternate, and The Colonel is smiling gracefully at him indicate that the news is going to be a very good news. He put both of ears on and ready to listen whatever she is going to say.

"You have our full support providing you gathering some information for your tournament in the next day."

Filled with happiness, Cade hold his face steadily and calmly to respect The Colonel's decision. But inside his heart, he is jumping up and down uncontrollably like he has his own freedom. Therefore, Cade prepare everything he need without being burdened even more.

"Thank you very much for your kindness, Mrs. Colonel." he express his grateful.

"But don't get excited just yet. I still have my reason for you giving this handicap."

"May I know it, Mrs. Colonel."

"You must winning the tournament in the arena."

+-----+-----+-----+-----+

Once again, I took the train and depart to the capital to prepare my first arena battle. Together, I depart with Marinara Sotsu, The Seventh Princess Claw, known as the government assassin. The world is dark in front of her vision thus she use her vision as an advantage to obscure her fear and ruthless action in vintage color palette like it was occur in the past. And so, she use that vision of her as a media for collecting information.

"I can't believe we've met again in short time." she take a sip of a tea then put it down, "Many people who've met me and their name carved in a stone now. But you are, lucky and strange man indeed."

"It's not a big deal." I then also take a sip of a tea then put it down, "I am also well versed in gathering information, inside or outside. But since Mrs. Colonel provide this privilege for me, I won't bother gather some information except for less."

"Aaaa.... so may I know that less information you are talking about ?"

"You, Exi, and the twins scheme."

"Seems that you've know much."

I did hit her on her nerves. She's smiled but inside she must be infuriated since I've mention the twins before they told me. Thus I grin and sip my tea gracefully before her. And since we didn't argue from the start, she laugh at me seeing my confidence.

"I see, that's why The Colonel take interest in you." praise her on me.

"Well that's me for you." I accept her word.

"Now tell me, how far your relationship with her ?"

"Nothi--"

"I want to know how you seduce her in the night !"

Suddenly, I choked my own drinks after she say that. I know she is a seducer woman but I don't estimate the topic may come this early. She just hit my nerves at its finest and force me to lose my cool right at very that exact moment.

"Ahahaha.... look at your face. Is that the face that colonel loves so much ?!"

"Silence. I am soldier and I don't tolerance speaking dirty before this blessed beverages."

"Come on...! Relax for a little cause it won't harm you too much."

"I agree but I refuse to talk dirty."

"Eeh ? But I am the seducer. Don't you want me to abuse you ? Or even placing my legs with stocking in your face ?"

"That's disrespect ! I demand refund if you touch me an inch."

"Not fun !"

Well, I don't expect this conversation as a soldier beneath Mrs. Colonel command but I do hoping for this light and comfy conversation. The world outside is also bright and full of color despite the mist that still lingering outside the range of the lamp. And behind, I left Nera alone in the home so she could rest and fully recover her body.

On this cheerful day, I must bring a good conversation for her.

"Well, if you step me on the back.... it is fine I guess."

"So you interested too in the end."

+-----+-----+-----+-----+

Thus we arrive at the hotel Mrs. Colonel chosen for me. The place is quite moderate and considered average for most people, not wealthy nor even on the borderline quality. I bet Mrs. Colonel choose the place for me so we could observe the area and gather more information better. Moreover, there are five The Princess Claw member occupying room here and two of them right now is examining my room.

What a diligence, they are really examining my room thoroughly.

A girl who had an eye like dead fish across Marinara over there is Exi. She does also transform her uniform into a lab coat like to match her profession as a laboratory director. Beside her dead fish eye, she had a smooth and white silky hair, a slender healthy body, and probably has a good grip using gun since I've seen her dragging out the third easily in our first meeting.

Then, after checking out my room, they both sit in the chair in front of me while I am sitting on top of my bed. Their sitting posture is far different. Marinara sit properly to keep her image as a graceful assassin while Exi sit like she hasn't sit like four day straight, she looks exhausted.

"Okay, let's start our first information sharing of the day." said Exi in her robotic tones, "Under her commands, we shall provide you some valid information regarding your opponents profile, abilities, their weapon preferences, background, and much more in two session. One at the noon and one at the night before midnight."

"For start, we will spell out who will be your opponent tomorrow. From the top of our list is our champion who become the symbol of strength in our kingdom, Desmond Von Rerugen Ivanov. A true knight who use sword and shield as his greatest weapon for his best fight defending our kingdom. But in his last record, he never use his shield again while battling in the arena since he got no one to protect. He conquering 18 champion title in total out of his 18 tournament in the arena without using his shield and his career start two year after the great war ended. He was known as the swordsman martial artist V and the greatshield martial artist V thus he may use fifth tier martial artist skill at his best. The most well known skill of his is the fifth tier Swordsman Martial Art : Dance Of Flowering Flame. It's a skill that combine his swordsman martial art and the technology his sword provide, summary it is a magic sword only skill." Marinara explain.

"Next is the most dangero--"

"Let's skip them, Exi. Abra seems has a knowledge about us and them better than anyone."

"If Marinara say so, then ok."

Then, Exi flip her document so hard and look for another brand new information for me. Since I've known well my own comrades then maybe she is looking for a participant that may out of my league and worth my attention.

"There is it. Next you may not know well about the fifth army, right ? Since their amount is hard to count it makes you inert to look for them, right ? Then, one of them is also taking part of this tournament. Archie Lydia, from an Animalia Crow race. Considering her body mass and her powerful hand she is suitable wielding a great halberd covered in black feather. Her last record in the Chamber of Development is she could last until third wave on the highest difficulty, an average and also the highest of the fifth army may reach. Even so, she could only reach third tier of her Greataxe Martial Arts skill and her favorite skill is Crow Animalia Arts : Black Feathered Swing. She swing her halberd while throwing her black feather." Exi explain.

"Thus that information is ending our first topic about the participant of the arena." Marinara continue.

"Wait... just that ?" I ask confusedly.

"Unfortunately, yes. Since the participant you'll facing is just The Princess Sword, The Twins, and The Fifth subordinate. Many people doesn't want to deal with The Princess Sword since his victory is certain whenever someone is battling with him and people also want to win the prize to be true. Nobody could even take him down until this day and he still become the symbol of strength, or even immovable object. He just way too strong for average people to handle. Thus tomorrow is the time The Tower show their strength and making possible the impossible, summary tomorrow is our debut to the world."

A debut to the world ?

That's right, The Tower is a brand new company like military forces that has unique function than the other military forces. We serve people based on what they need and protect the city behind the shadow, there's almost no chance for us to show off other than joining the arena battle. And tomorrow is the best day to do so since The Princess Sword finally showed off again.

The Princess Sword, an organization across from us. They serve the Princess directly and they even handle the title The Kingdom Savior. What kind of power they had since they acquire that mesmerizing title from the great war. Soon I'm going to face one of them and I'll figure out how strong they are to protect this kingdom.

To be continued.....