Chapter 49: CONCEDE
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A Jingozi awaited in the morning, hovering in the courtyard.
"It''s been a long time, Jingo," I snarked. "Where ya been? I missed you."
By now, I was improving at distinguishing the Jingozi based on their masks. My Jingozi''s mask had horns that spiraled like a goat—still creepy, but I was getting used to the sight—even the floating and writhing cloak tendrils didn''t bother me as much.
"You lag," it spoke with a deep, ghostly tone.
"Zii-Kata… I got it. Hot girl walks first, remember?"
Jon emerged from his makeshift sleeping quarters.
"What''s all the noise… oh," Jon said upon seeing the Jingozi. "I was curious when you''d show up. I can see you two have affairs to settle. I''ll let you… erm… catch up. I could use more sleep anyway." He turned back inside.
The Jingozi extended its hands. From its cloak, a Jingozi deck box emerged and floated towards me. It opened as I touched it.
LEVEL UPDATE
Name: Ember [Judgment Dealer]*
Tier: III [Steel] Rank 10
FEAT COMPLETE: NEW TIER
You have achieved a new tier. Deck and stat upgrades are available.
YOU HAVE RECEIVED A JINGOZI BUFF CARD [NINJA]
[DEFENSE META]
This card will add a passive bonus to your entire deck during PVE.
Option 1: Auto Block
Your top five cards give you a chance to block all attacks automatically.
Block percent is based on attack over defense score.
The defense score must be equal to or greater than the attack.
The card is discarded after one activation.
Option 2: Card Reserve
Choose one card in your deck to access when needed.
This can only be activated once per day.
It cannot be used to deliver a direct killing blow.
The card is discarded when played.
Option 3: Shield Ally
Your top five cards have a chance to intercept an attack on an ally.
Only one ally can be protected at a time.
Intercept percent is based on attack over defense score.
The defense score must be equal to or greater than the attack.
The card is discarded after one activation.
Option two was too tempting to pass up. I thought of Ryuunosuke, who accessed his Samurai champion at will. Instead of leaving it to chance and cycling through my deck, having a spell like [Silence] or [Evolve] handy could be invaluable.
I mentally selected Option 2: Card Reserve.
DO YOU SELECT [OPTION 2: CARD RESERVE]?
Choose one card in your deck to access when needed.
This can only be activated once per day.
It cannot be used to deliver a direct killing blow.
The card is discarded when played.
[Yes/No]
YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE CARD RESERVE BUFF [NINJA]
[DEFENSE META]
Choose one card in your deck to access when needed.
This can only be activated once per day.
It cannot be used to deliver a direct killing blow.
The card is discarded when played.
"Zii-Kata," the Jingozi whispered. When I looked up, it was gone.
I sat down, cross-legged, and blinked into the Jingozi arena.
"Hello?" I called to the voice I now knew as Alphathir. "I''m here for my gift evolution."
No answer.
Well, Ember Lynn, it looks like you chased another guy out of your life, being a total bitch.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
I decided to peek in on Jon. Through the gaps in the roof, I saw him lounging on his back with his hands behind his head.
"If you weren''t such a criminal, Jon…"
"I may be a scoundrel, but I take exception to being branded a common criminal," Jon''s voice echoed.
I spun, looking for anybody else in the arena. I was alone.
"Um, Jon? Can you hear me?"
"Ember? Are you trying to be droll? You can hear yourself, can''t you?"
Holy shit. I did a doubletake and squinted, focusing on Jon''s reflection on the arena floor. Like the rest of that moment, he was in suspended animation. My gift worked as usual. Only now, I could talk to the reflections.
Is this my gift evolution?
"Can you see me?" I asked.
"Are you sure you''re all right? I can see you just as I can see this bottle of spiced wine. And if I may say, you look ravishing as usual."
Does he think he''s dreaming?
I blinked back to the courtyard and found Jon after bursting into his room.
"Jon!"
He startled awake.
"What''s wrong?" he asked.
"Do you remember having a conversation with me just now?"
"How could we be conversing when I was perfectly comfortable having a morning snooze?"
"I asked if you saw me… spiced wine… I looked ravishing… remember?"
"Come to think of it," he scratched his head. "That conversation sounds distinctly familiar. I remember thinking you''d hit your head or something. Maybe that night in Raishoto?"
"Wait a second," I said, blinking into the Jingozi arena and zooming into his face. He definitely looked confused.
"Ok, Jon," I said. "I think we need food. Did you bring rations, or should we go hunting or fishing?"
"Rations don''t sound very appealing," he replied. "How about I see about hunting us some food? We can talk about your plan over breakfast. Sounds good?"
I blinked back to Jon.
"What are we waiting for?" he asked.
"Hmmm?"
"You just told me to wait a second. It''s been a second."
"Do you remember having a conversation about hunting and fishing?"
"Now that you mention it, I do recall such a conversation," he leaned back on his hands. "But I can''t, for my life, remember when."
"Jon, I have something to tell you."
* * *
Over fire-roasted fish, I took a risk and explained everything about my gift to Jon, down to every last detail—except for Alphathir.
"That seems like quite the secret weapon," he said, picking a bone from his piece of fish. "And you said it evolves every tier?"
"Yes, at first, I could only freeze time and observe while in the Jingozi arena," I explained. "At tier 2, I learned how to blink to different locations. And now, I can talk to the people I see from there."
"You''re not talking to me, but to my mind."
"I guess so."
"Let''s test it. Go to… wherever you go…"
"The Jingozi arena."
"Right. Tell me something I wouldn''t know—something from your world."
I blinked in and out, doing as Jon suggested. He took a moment to process what I told him in the arena.
"It appears we''re both orphans," he smiled sympathetically.
"Looks like it works," I said.
"Yes, It does, but what if I didn''t know it was you?" he mused. "I''d be the one thinking I''ve gone mad with voices in my head."
He was right. Using this gift created a moral dilemma. At best, it was the closest thing to a Jedi mind trick, and at worst, someone might think they''re having a schizophrenic episode.
"I propose another test," Jon said.
"Test?"
JON DEERFOOT [EMPEROR] HAS CHALLENGED YOU TO A JINGOZI MATCH
Do you accept? [Yes/No]
* * *
YOU HAVE ENTERED A JINGOZI MATCH
Opponent(s):
1. Jon Deerfoot [Emperor]
Unfortunately, my gifts didn''t work during PVP—a Jingozi Match—nor did any rings or deck buffs. I had to admit, the Jingozi designed a fair game. The fact that every player used the same card decks with equal battle points, spells, and starting Zii ensured nothing was pay-to-win like other card games on Earth. However, I appeared to be the only one with power cards, which was an advantage provided by Alphathir for some reason.
Beyond my unique cards, if there was any potential advantage, it was the mental game—again, similar to poker, which is why some pros talk so much.
Jon would’ve been that kind of player—the talkative kind.
Therefore, the player with the most mental fortitude gained the upper hand regardless of their cards. In poker, the legendary player Doyle Brunson used to say all you needed was a chip and a chair. Jingozi was no different.
"Since we''re here, love," Jon grinned, "how about a little friendly contest?"
"You''re on, elf," I said, loading my hand.
Hand: [6/6] [0/6] [Death Strike] [0/7] [2/2]
I decided to mulligan the [0/6] and [2/2]. Jon also swapped out two cards.
Hand: [6/6] [Death Strike] [0/7] [3/1] [6/7]
I was hoping for an [Evolve] to play with my [0/7], but the [6/7] did improve my hand.
I was the first to act, playing a [3/1], and Jon played his.
We flew towards each other. My flying sidekick glanced off his chest, winding him. He had played a [2/0] against my [3/1]. I was winning so far.
My flying knee struck him in his chest, sending him sprawling backward. A single Zii exploded from the point of impact for my [3/1] winning reward score.
EMBER [NINJA] WINS THE HAND
Reward: 1 Zii
I stood over him as the coin jumped into my extended palm. Jon picked himself off the arena floor and straightened his shirt.
"Looks like the both of us are saving our best cards," he chuckled. "Cragmarr taught you well."
"It was Yukiko, the battleaxe, remember?"
"I deserved that one, then," he laughed.
We both drew from our decks to reload our hands to five cards.
Hand: [6/6] [Death Strike] [0/7] [6/7] [4/5]
Jon loaded a card and committed it to play. I spun my [6/7] to make it a [7/6] and also committed the minimum 1 Zii.
We both missed our attacks. He played a [7/5] to my [7/6]—a tied turn, meaning the next round with another card. Jon was ready.
Hand: [6/6] [Death Strike] [0/7] [4/5]
My next best card was a [6/6], which I loaded, costing me another Zii.
He jumped over my sweeping leg kick, driving his wand downward as he landed. The point of his wand tore through my shoulder. His card was a [7/4], beating my [6/6]. Wincing, I fell to one knee while catching the notification.
POWER CARD IS AVAILABLE:
Death Strike
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<li>
PVP: Pay 1 Zii to plus +1 attack/risk or defend/reward (maximum +5).
</li>
<li>
PVP: Pay 1 Zii to plus +1 attack/risk or defend/reward (maximum +5).
</li>
</ul>
A flurry of thoughts flashed through my mind in an instant. Do I reveal to Jon the existence of my power cards? Do I want to win that badly? Damage during a match was not real. What could it hurt? I planned to tell him eventually.
I played my [Death Strike], burning 5 Zii to add +5 to my attack, making it an [11/6] card to beat his [6/4].
Jon immediately knew something was wrong. He should''ve won the hand, but it wasn''t over as expected. Hie eyes widened as I launched into the air and drew my sword in one motion. The gleaming ninjato whistled through the air as I slashed across his chest, the razor-sharp edge slicing to the bone.
The spray of blood following the arc of my swing hung in the air for a split second. His body, caught in the momentum of my strike, barrel-rolled backward. With a thud, he crashed onto the obsidian-like surface of the Jingozi floor. The impact didn''t stop him. He continued to roll, each rotation accompanied by a pained grunt.
I stood there, frozen in place, my sword still extended from the follow-through. My eyes widened. The reality of what I''d just done hit me like a punch to the gut. Ignoring the Zii strewn out and floating inches off the floor, I was stunned, struggling to process the brutal impact of my actions.
"Jon, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to—"
"What was that?" he groaned. "I won that hand."
"A power card."
"Nonsense, such a thing does not exist."
"I don''t know how," I shrugged. "It''s part of my gift."
"More, Ember," he struggled to rise to his feet. "Show me."
"No, Jon. I concede. Accept."
"I refuse."
"I''m serious. Accept, Jon."
"Are you daft?" he spat. "I will not accept."
"Then I''m not playing," my sword clattered onto the floor.
"Then you are a fool."
JON DEERFOOT ACCEPTS
You have conceded the match.
You cannot lose rank at rank 10.
After we left the Jingozi match, Jon was furious. He marched straight forward and stuck a finger in my face.
"Concede? How dare you?" he seethed.
"I don''t want to fight you."
"It''s not a fight. It''s a game, Ember. Look at me, not a scratch. The damage is not real, but the stakes are."
"I know. But it feels real to me and the psychological damage... I''ve seen it before. I never asked for this power."
"When you have a chance to win," he said through clenched teeth, "you take it. Never concede. Or they will destroy you."
I tensed as Jon loaded a Jingozi card and powered his wand, the air sizzling with energy. Instinctively, I flinched, ready to dodge an attack. He stabbed the wand into the ground between us, the impact sending a shower of multicolored sparks dancing across the ground.
He left his wand vibrating in the stone and walked out of the courtyard.