Chapter 41: CHAMPION


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    Sitting on the Jingozi arena floor, my mind raced, gauging the distance of the fall, the potential impact, and the water below. Thanks to my gift, time was on my side, so I checked my hand.


    Hand: [Silence I] [4/7] [2/2] [Shade Strike] [6/6] 1/5]


    I considered cycling my deck for an [Evolve] spell. But I thought against it because I was low on cards, and the chance of it being at the bottom of my deck was too risky. If I ran out of cards now, it would be a disaster.


    My next consideration was my water walker ability. Would it turn the surface into concrete? I wasn’t in a hurry to find out. I laid on my back to check the North Star.


    “Hey, thanks for the assist back there, Alpha,” I said. I was still getting used to the voice having a name.


    “That’s what I’m here for, Ember," he replied. "How’s your plan going?”


    “I guess it’s going alright, considering I’m literally flying by the seat of my pants right now.”


    “Well, you know what they say about the best-laid plans,” he chuckled.


    Blinking back, I timed the fall as we hurtled toward the depths below, firing a max-charged [4/7] explosive shot card with [Shade Strike] into the water at the last second. The explosion surged upward, ripping through the water and shattering the surface tension.


    Twisting my body so Katorro was on top of me, I held onto him tight. We plunged into the ice-cold water, the frigid shock seizing my muscles. I felt a force launch me back out of the water like a beach ball and onto my feet. The old man sank, but I had grabbed the rope around his waist before impact. He floated with my help.


    Something hit the water beside us with a sudden smack. Straining to see below the surface by moonlight, the motionless shadow didn’t appear to be a guard. I blinked into the Jingozi arena to zoom in. It was the elf.


    Blinking back, arrows rained from above, falling short and wide, splashing into the water. It was too dark to see us, but I tossed a smoke bomb for some cover anyway. I ran with Katorro’s limp body over my shoulder for the nearest shore.


    MISSION COMPLETE: DUNGEON ESCAPE


    Escape the Emperia dungeons.


    MISSION COMPLETE: THE PRISONER


    Rescue the mysterious prisoner from the Emperia dungeons.


    FEAT COMPLETE: CHAMPION


    Discover your champion.


    LEVEL UPDATE


    Name: Ember [Doctrine Dealer]


    Tier: II [Bronze] Rank 6


    Champion—this guy?


    It made no sense. How was this frail old man supposed to be my champion? He could barely stand, let alone put up a fight.


    We reached the shore, the dark pebbled sand stretching before us as the waves crashed against the beach. I stumbled forward, Katorro’s weight growing heavier on my shoulder. My muscles burned, my breath came in ragged gasps, and we were drenched from head to toe.


    With shivering hands, I extended my familiar ring, summoning Usain. He appeared in a shimmer of light, chewing grass like no time had passed. I draped Katorro over the saddle, the two arrows still lodged in his back and climbed behind him.


    “Go, Usain,” I whispered, and the thunderbolt took off, churning up the sand. I kept glancing over my shoulder, half-expecting a pursuit. Katorro’s breaths were shallow, with no idea how much blood he’d lost. Hypothermia wasn’t out of the question either. My Zii was too low to do much, but I couldn’t leave him like this.


    Taking a deep breath, I yanked the first quarrel from his back. His body jerked, his breathing growing more labored. I pressed a Zii coin against the wound and focused, channeling what little I had left to stop the bleeding. I repeated the process with the second quarrel.


    We rode through the night, Usain keeping pace as I used every drop of Zii I could spare to keep Katorro alive. My ring of regeneration gave me 1 Zii every five minutes, but the effort drained me. The fatigue weighed heavier with each Zii spent, but I couldn’t stop.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    By dawn, Katorro’s breathing had steadied, and the wounds were closed. But he was still unconscious.


    I slumped against Usain, completely spent.


    * * *


    We couldn’t push any further. Scanning the tree line, I searched for a place to stop and spotted a small clearing hidden from the shore. It was quiet, shielded by a thick ring of foliage.


    Sliding off Usain, I lifted Katorro from the saddle and laid him down in the soft grass after wrapping him in my Ninja scarf. His breathing remained shallow but steady—an improvement. Kneeling beside him, I tipped a waterskin to his lips, letting water trickle down his throat. His eyelids fluttered but didn’t open.


    Usain wandered off, grazing on the sparse grass. I lit a fire small enough to avoid drawing attention while keeping us warm. Tearing into a ration, I chewed the dried meat while staring into the flames. The fire’s crackle was soothing, lulling me closer to sleep.


    “Hey, Usain. Keep a watch out, okay?”


    Sleep overtook me.


    When I woke, the fire had burned down to smoldering ashes, the clearing bathed in afternoon light. Katorro wasn’t where I left him. I scrambled to my feet and found him slumped against a tree a few feet away, still wrapped in the scarf.


    I hurried over and lifted him back onto Usain, securing him. After feeding Usain a Zii coin, we set off again. I checked the map. Jon Deerfoot’s keep was too far out of the way. Radiant Temple was closer—just a few days’ ride. With luck, Cragmarr would be there.


    I stowed the map and urged Usain to pick up speed.


    * * *


    It was a cloudy night, almost pitch black, beyond our fire''s small circle of light. Usain grazed at the edge of the clearing. Katorro, bundled again, lay beside the fire, still unconscious but stable. The crackling flames were the only sound in the quiet night.


    Something gnawed at the back of my mind—I couldn’t shake it. I glanced around the clearing, trying to scan through the brush, but it was too dark.


    We are not alone.


    The unease grew stronger. I stood, careful not to disturb Katorro, crept toward the edge of the fire’s light, and peered into the darkness.


    There—on the edge of my vision, something shifted. It was too deliberate to be the wind or a passing animal. We were being watched.


    Without any moves, I blinked into the Jingozi arena long enough to scan the surrounding area. The arena’s magic amplified my senses, allowing me to see further into the reflection on the Jingozi floor. A figure lurked in the trees, watching us from a distance. But the image was distorted somehow, no matter how much I zoomed. How long had it been watching us?


    “Hey, Alpha,” I said. “Do you see what I’m seeing?”


    No answer.


    Blinking back into the clearing, I took a deep breath and loaded my Jingozi cards.


    Circling back toward the fire, I pretended to tend to it while keeping my senses trained on the figure in the trees. My mind raced with possibilities—friend or foe? An enemy sent by the Emperor faction? A bandit? Jingozi? Or something else entirely?


    The figure remained still.


    “I know you’re there,” I called out.


    Whoever it was, they were gone.


    I turned as Katorro awoke. He stared straight ahead without focus, yet his eyes were glowing with life.


    “I know you,” he said. His voice was weak and raspy.


    “My name is Ember,” I said, propping him up. “We met once before. We were prisoners together.”


    “Children… where are the children?”


    “In the dungeon? I didn’t see any.”


    “Take me to…” his voice trailed off, lost in thought.


    I pulled out a ration and offered it to him.


    “Not hungry,” he said, not looking at me.


    Wait, is he blind?


    I held a waterskin up and off to the side. Without looking, he reached for it effortlessly, took a sip, and handed it back to me. We sat in silence.


    Well, at least he’s not gonna die on me.


    “How are you… my champion?” I asked.


    He was fast asleep.


    * * *


    Katorro rode behind me on Usain, his slight frame pressed against my back. It felt like carrying a child. And despite the million questions swirling in my mind, I knew better than to push him to talk.


    The path ahead descended into a ravine, a shortcut that would shave a day off our route to Radiant Temple. The ravine walls were steep and jagged, with rocks jutting out in rows like shark teeth. As we rounded a bend, Katorro tensed behind me.


    “Stop,” he whispered.


    I pulled Usain to a halt and scanned the path.


    “What is it?” I asked.


    “Look,” he pointed in front of us.


    It took me a moment to see it—a nearly invisible translucent thread stretched across the path. I blinked into the Jingozi arena, my senses amplifying as I explored the surrounding area.


    A spider with a body the size of an SUV hid high in the overhanging rocks. But this was no regular arachnid. Its body was made of dark gnarled tree vines, twisted and contorted into a grotesque form. Eight glowing orange eyes stared out from the mass, and two fangs dripped with a black tar-like substance.


    Blinking back, I backed Usain up. The thunderhoof sensed the same danger and snorted.


    “What is that thing?” I asked.


    “Demon.”


    The detour pushed us to where the walls were less steep, and the path opened again.


    * * *


    We spent the last night in the ravine. Katorro managed to find his appetite and finished a ration. Despite those intense, fiery eyes, he was still beyond frail. He also refused to answer any questions—ignoring anything I asked.


    At dawn, we emerged from the ravine, the harsh terrain giving way to a more open landscape. To my relief, the spire of the Radiant Temple stood in the distance.


    “A nexus,” Katorro said.


    “Yes, sir," I didn''t hide my relief. "Hang on, we’re almost there. Let’s go, Usain! Mush!”


    Usain rumbled to the temple at top speed.


    The gates were open, revealing Master Xiang and Cragmarr standing to greet us. I lowered Katorro from Usain’s back, careful not to jostle him too much. Then I ran toward Cragmarr, throwing my arms around him.


    “Did ya miss me, Crag?” I asked.


    “I am glad you are safe, Em,” he nodded.


    After bowing to Master Xiang, I turned back toward Katorro, ready to introduce him.


    “Cragmarr, Master Xiang, this is—”


    “Katorro Hoshizaki,” a voice interrupted behind us.


    “Sora?” I blinked in surprise.


    She stepped out behind the gate in a full Ninja suit with the hood down.


    “Master Katorro,” she bowed. “We thought you were lost.”


    “I was, and I am,” he replied.


    “I’ll take Katorro for healing and care,” she said, moving to his side, supporting him as she led him away. I watched them go. Cragmarr placed a hand on my shoulder, and I forced a smile.


    “Welcome back, Ember,” Master Xiang said. “The Radiant Temple is in your debt.


    “I’m just glad you’re all okay,” I said. “When did Sora get here?”


    “She was here when I arrived,” Cragmarr said.


    “That man… Kotarro… he’s my champion.”


    “I am confused."


    “So am I, Crag. So am I.”