Putting aside the pagoda, and all of the complicated implications it came with, Ares and Enyo continued on with their date night... Date day? It wasn''t really dark out yet... It would be by the time they returned home, though, so that technically counted, right? Ares mused on this as he walked hand in hand with Enyo. He even brought it up to her but she just called him a moron and he put it to the back of his mind. About five minutes after leaving the pagoda they neared city hall, at which point they noticed a few large groups of people hunched over tables with stardust sprawled all over them.


    "Psst, hey!"


    Ares saw a bald man with a scar on his face waving at him out of the corner of his eye. It was probably better not to get involved with whatever this man was selling, but then again Hans wouldn''t let anything untoward go unchecked this close to his own territory. Ares didn''t really care about the bald man specifically, but he was curious enough about everything else going on to at least engage with him in conversation and get some answers. As Ares walked over, the bald man stared dumbly at Enyo who he''d failed to notice prior.


    "Psst, hey! if you keep staring at my wife I''ll gouge your eyes out." Ares cracked his knuckles and gave off an intimidating aura. He''d only ignored all the other stares up until now because he wasn''t interacting directly with the people responsible. If he was trying to talk to someone and they were just ogling Enyo instead of paying attention, Ares didn''t mind sending them to an early grave. Ares could tolerate any disrespect directed at him other than this. Insult him, hit him, con him, anything other than ignore him like some kind of second class citizen to perv on his wife.


    Credit were credit was due, the bald man shook his head and recovered quickly. It seemed he was mostly just taken aback as opposed to actually staring with ill-intent. It was honestly an incredible display of will-power on his half to not be weird about it now that the initial moment of shock had passed. "... Aha, sorry sir. You are a lucky man... So lucky, in fact, that I can''t help but want to try and get you in on the shindig we''re running here."


    Ares looked around. "What is everyone here for anyway? It''s never usually like this, but if you didn''t have Hans'' permission he would have given you all a free cremation already."


    "You can say that again... We''re a betting ring of sorts. Every year for the international we offer up various events to bet on. Our usual area near the north of the city was a no-go this time because the mayor cordoned it off after the whole tree debacle..." This explained Ares'' lack of knowledge on these thug-looking ''businessmen''. Ares would either have been a slave to the Chen clan, stuck inside the building when they were operating there, or he would have escaped from the Chen clan but kept his distance for the sake of his safety anyway. "... We had some talks with Hans and he let us work around his part of town for a small cut. As for what you can bet on here... Whatever comes to mind, I guess. That''s our specialty, we''re knowledgeable... Hahaha, I can see the look in your eyes. We may look like back-street riffraff, but we keep our ears to the floor and get good gossip from around the world. We even occasionally sell some of it to Hans. Point being, we''re experts on most things and can make real educated guesses to better our odds. There''s nothing sketchy about the bets other than the sheer size of our brains. So, whaddya say friend, wanna make a bet?"


    "Hmmm. You said I can bet on anything?"


    "Ah, I should be clear. Not with me, no. Some of us, like me, run specific events that we bet on. If you want to be creative and come up with your own bet, head thatta way and talk to my buddy Jerome..." The man nodded towards a group near the corner of the square. "... He''ll hook you up nicely."


    "Alright, but what about you? What do you run?"


    "Me? I run an underground cock fighting ring. You want in?"


    "Thanks, but no. I don''t swing that way." Ares patted the confused man on the shoulder and walked away. The bald man''s face reddened and he tried to call out to correct the misunderstanding but he was too flustered to get the words out properly. Of course Ares knew exactly what the man meant, but it had been a while since he messed with anyone so Ares was fiending to act like a gremlin. Enyo had kept him on a really tight leash as of late, at the request of Hans, so it was nice to throw in that little jab before Enyo could stop him! Enyo just shook her head and followed after Ares. She couldn''t prevent him from speaking but she would make sure he didn''t blow anything up at least.


    "Are you going to make a bet?" Enyo loved bets so she was naturally curious. Still, she preferred betting with Ares. Actual monetary gain meant nothing to her. She''d been perpetually broke ever since she came down to Sheryashka anyway. Justice does not pay the bills, as it turns out. Especially if you turn down payment all the time... But that was more of an Enyo specific problem.


    "Yep. Well I don''t know if it can even really be considered a ''bet''. I''m just looking to make some free money. Can''t hurt to fatten my wallets before I go to Xasca, especially if I''m going via Freeride. It''s a city of merchants so I''m sure there''ll be a thing or two worth buying." Ares navigated through the busy square and came before ''Jerome'' and the group beside him. It seemed these people were aware of the consequences of staring at Enyo as they all ignored her. They resisted turning to face her and some even physically held their heads in place. "Are you Jerome?" Ares talked directly to the tallest person here.


    "I am. If you came from over there, I''m guessing Mackie sent you our way. Let''s cut to the fun part then, what do you want to bet on?"


    "Depends on which of the two things I''m about to say has the lower odds, maybe even both. Either A; Red Sun winning the international this year at the outer court level, or B; someone clearing all five stages of the pressure pagoda."


    Jerome whistled to himself as he digested the bet Ares wanted to make. "Those are both quite low odds. If you''re looking for bets on the international, someone else is running an event on that but I can tell you the odds for it here. Red Sun winning the outer court level of the international is 1:10."


    Ares was surprised by this. If these people were experts at information gathering, they would have seen the bloody golden pillar! Either these guys were scammers, morons, or they knew a lot more than Ares did about the competitors from other countries; in which case these guys meant serious business. Ares tried his luck. "Those are interesting odds. I''m curious as to why you''re so confident when that golden explosion is still fresh in everyone''s memory?"


    "Ha, no dice fella. I''m not giving away the keys to the kingdom. All I''ll say is that we know what you are, and we know that there''s more than one of you competing. You''re odds aren''t terrible, but you aren''t a shoe in either, not according to what we''ve seen so far and that includes all participating countries across the domain. The competition is stacked this year, you''ll have to see for yourself why though."


    That''ll be my unique pillar and Mako''s they''re referring to, maybe a couple of the surprise contenders like the Legion clan too. "Alright, and the pagoda?"


    Jerome took a step back and a Viking wearing earbuds stepped forward in his place. No, really, the man was literally a Viking. A neo-Viking specifically. These lot were a group of Vikings, shocker I know, that lived in the Isaz region west of Xasca. The Isaz region was chilly, snow packed, and filled with icy mountains. Specifically, it was famous for the ''mutated mountain'' that lay at the centre of the region. The mutated mountain was a series of mountains growing out of one another like tumours that spiralled up and into the clouds. Each mountain in the spiral had a different eco system. Some had basic animals and plants that managed to barely survive the tough conditions while some catered to specific types of monsters and rare treasures that thrived in chillier climates and at higher altitudes. Generally speaking, the higher up you went, the better the rewards you could find. As for the neo-Vikings, they were originally just normal Vikings who lived on the mutated mountain and plundered its natural resources to stay alive. That all changed a few years back though when their chief went on a long expedition to Neo-Gear land to search for ways of improving the lives of the Vikings. While he was there, he learnt of the wonders of technology and decided to stay there until he could afford to bring a haul of useful equipment back to the mountain. He studied electronics and gear operated machinery while he worked for the robos while amassing a mound of technology for his fellow Vikings. Before he left Neo-Gear, he applied all of his newfound knowledge to create a floating Viking ship with which he returned to the mountain. He shared all of his goods and all of his findings and the Vikings became a relatively advanced group compared to not just every other living creature in the region, but even compared to most civilisations outside it too. They ride on their floating Viking ship while studying all of their technology and trying to advance it with the mountain''s treasures. They are the most prominent group in the Isaz region and they essentially control most of it with barely any opposition. The existence of punk Vikings with neon axes was definitely unusual, but they were renowned as metaphorical kings of the hill so, unless you wanted a neon axe buried in your cerebral cortex, it was probably better to show them due respect.


    The Viking led with a grunt before he spoke in a gruff voice. "Pagoda completion. 1:20. Should be nigh impossible. Appeared in other countries. Even Isaz. I''ve seen the top floor. Not possible. Never completed. Never will be. I''m an expert with pressure. My specialty. Even compared to transition realm cultivators. Couldn''t make a dent in the last floor. Don''t understand it. Been chasing the pagoda around the world. It''s aggravating. Followed it here. Want to make money off bets to challenge pagoda again. Will follow pagoda when it leaves. I''ll only return to Isaz when someone ascends past fifth trial."


    Ares was confounded by the Viking''s manner of speech. The cross between simple and short, oafish sentences and terms like ''nigh impossible'' that a Viking should never be heard uttering was mind boggling. He couldn''t tell if this man was more or less intelligent than he was! This damn Viking could probably start spitting off scientific facts in broken prose... Well, that was an accurate summary of the neo-Vikings anyway, so Ares just ignored it and made his decision. "Ok, quick question, is it possible to parlay? I want to bet on the Pagoda and the international, but I only currently have the stardust for one. I''m willing to throw up a treasure as a guarantee. In other words, if I win the first bet, it gets used as my wager for the second one. If I lose the first, I''ll gamble my treasure instead."


    Jerome took the reigns of the conversation again as he was in charge of managing the bets. "Back to back bets with pre-determined odds, huh? I suppose that''s feasible. The only problem is that the pagoda will be here longer than the tournament will. You could win the pagoda bet before or after the tournament ends, so it complicates things. Would you be willing to set a date for the pagoda bet to end to simplify it?"


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Sure, how about the day before the final match of the international at the outer court level?"


    "Ok. Sounds good. So let me reiterate. If you win the pagoda bet, you''ll put that wager into the international bet automatically. If you lose the pagoda bet, you''ll wager a treasure instead? I need to check what treasure you''re putting up to make sure it''s worth it."


    "Ares brought out the Black Ice Bane. "This is the artifact that created the tree that appeared in the city the other day. I also have the boots I''m wearing and, as I''m sure you''re aware, can create the Shock Beads at will. Whatever combination of these things makes you happy I''m willing to put up for grabs should I lose the pagoda bet."


    "Hm. how much are you betting for the pagoda bet?"


    "Just one high-grade."


    "So your parlay would be 20 high-grade for the international? I don''t think Jimmy would let you bet more than 10 high-grade though, he usually sets a cap of 100 high-grade as a pay-out... So the worth of the treasures would have to be worth 10 high-grade. Minus... 3 for the inconvenience of the bet cap... Ok. How about this. The boots plus two months worth of Shock Beads. Sound good?"


    "Deal. Should I go confirm this with the Jimmy fellow you mentioned? I''m guessing he''s the individual running the bets for the tournament."


    "Nah, that''s fine. You can leave it to me. All I need to do is go fetch a contract and jot down the details. I''ll be back in a bit so feel free to have a look around in the mean time." Jerome took his leave and Ares did precisely that. Enyo tugged on his arm and nodded to a certain table where Ares saw Hans talking to a seated man. Ares went over to say hello.


    "Hey Hans. Placing a bet? I didn''t have you pegged as the type to gamble like this, you must be feeling confident."


    "Ah, Ares my boy. How could I not be confident? I''m betting on who''ll win the international and the answer to that is obvious! Better yet, it''s a pooled bet. Some shmuck threw in phoenix blood of all things! I''m gonna earn a big pay-out thanks to you, laddie. Good news for me, but I also have some good news for you. You know the payment for the Chen clan assassination? It''s ready. I had a lot of spare time after you helped me flambeau the bird, so I could make it quickly."


    "''Make it''? Well now I''m even more curious."


    Hans took out a spatial ring and chucked it to Ares. "You know, I learnt a lot hanging around the tailor shop. Wouldn''t want you showing up to the international party looking like a bandit of all things. Besides, look at the lovely lass next to you. You can''t embarrass her on such a big day by showing up in shorts. I made you your own personal wardrobe for the day. Every man needs to have the means to look dapper, especially if he''s got himself a lady friend; that''s just basic. Missy had your measurements from the last time you paid her a visit so I borrowed them and had some fun with it. I think you''ll clean up nicely, I''ve got a good eye for these things. Also..." Hans winked at Ares while pointing his thumb at Enyo. "... Make sure not to let the lass see your outfit before the big day. Surprises like this are important, you know?"


    "Aww." Enyo dispiritedly clicked her finger. She wanted to see Ares get dressed up to the nines. Ares wasn''t the only one who wanted to see his partner looking good. Enyo was picturing a suited and booted Ares in her head and she licked her lips at the thought. Some manly cologne, his firm hands grasping hers as they danced, and a wild and unruly Ares on his best behaviour gave Enyo a ladyboner. Honestly, Ares was going to have to learn to how to put his clothes on as quickly and efficiently as possible because Enyo was definitely going to make him put them on for her amusement even after the party. The end goal was just to take them off again, but seeing them on him first was a necessary step! Enyo tried to snatch the ring but Ares hid it in the Primordial Blade. "Curse you."


    Hans chuckled at the two lovebirds lightly bickering with one another. "You two young''uns make a wonderful couple. I''m sure you''ll fall in love with each other at first sight all over again when you see each other at the international party. Enjoy yourselves. Moments like this are a one and done thing, so don''t let anyone or anything ruin your special night. If you need to use my name to threaten some of the unrulier pests, go right ahead. I''ll keep Ifrit on watch duty too to make sure nothing goes awry on a larger scale. Ah but that''s then and now is now. It seems like Jerome is back with your contract. Good luck in your bet laddie, although I know you''re not the type to wager unless you know the outcome in advance. You can trust Jerome and his lot, so don''t worry about them running away when they lose." Hans bid Ares and Enyo goodbye as he went back to city hall. Hans had placed his bet so his work here was done. Ares didn''t bother asking what phoenix blood was or could do, all he needed to know was that Hans had a bet riding on him; so he had a ''filial'' duty to uphold and win it for him!


    Ares and Enyo went back to Jerome and Ares signed the contract. Normally, Ares would have had to put forth some kind of down payment but, because he was associated with Hans, he was exempt. Plus his original bet was just one high-grade stardust anyway so they weren''t worried he would try to withhold such a measly amount if he lost the pagoda bet. As Ares was leaving, he turned around and said goodbye to Jerome in the most fitting way possible. "I bid you adieu!" Ares was unaware that the betting brothers would go on to use this as their official sign-off in the future, which was probably for the best. Knowing Ares, he would almost definitely try to claim royalties. Stardust doesn''t grow on trees after all!


    Enyo tilted her head as she started a conversation. "Ares, why didn''t you bet both high-grade stardust? I know you gave one to Jeremy outside Myriad Masks so you don''t have three, but betting two would have gotten you more in return, no?"


    "Yeah, but I wasn''t sure if they''d ask for it upfront."


    Enyo still didn''t get his point, so she queried him again. "What''s wrong with that? Do you need the stardust for anything now?"


    Ares smiled and turned to Enyo. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a kiss. "I need it for you. I can''t buy you presents if I don''t have stardust. I want to buy you flowers at the very least, never mind everything from My Fair Lady that tickles your fancy. If anything, I''m worried it won''t be enough."


    Enyo paid no heed to the onlookers as she leaned on Ares'' chest and acted like a lovey dovey girlfriend in public. "It''s enough. Just being with you is enough."


    Ares stroked her hair and whispered into her ear. "Well, why don''t we go and put that theory to the test. We''ll see if it''s enough when I let you loose in My Fair Lady."


    "That''s not fair... You know I can''t control myself when I think of all the fun I can have with you..."


    "Good. I don''t want you to control yourself. I want you to do whatever you please."


    "Mm." Enyo mumbled and kissed Ares'' cheek before they set off to go pay a visit to a shop that Enyo could very well singlehandedly bankroll the entire existence of with her custom if she had the stardust to match her burning desire.


    The couple headed further north, venturing nearer to Chen clan territory. It would be fine as the clan was mostly still reeling after the tree incident and Lo was keeping all of his family on a tight leash. The last thing they needed right now was another scandal. Plus he didn''t trust his family not to accidentally offend a big shot visiting for the tournament so the Chen clan wasn''t operating in as wide a birth as before. Even if Ares stumbled upon a member of the clan, he was definitely capable of running away or maybe even killing them, so today''s trip to the north of the city was no threat at all.


    After walking down a few more streets and taking a few shortcuts that Ares remembered from his stint of homelessness, they arrived at the shop. Ares could tell Enyo was about to explode with excitement as she was tapping her foot on the pavement repeatedly. He led her into a nearby alley and was ready to commence operation ''infiltration'' when a group of four guys rounded the corner after them.


    Ares sighed to himself and was ready to beat these fools senseless when they were sent flying across the street and into a building. They crashed through the windows and rolled towards the back of the store, hitting their heads against the counter and falling unconscious. Enyo had shoved them away with her barriers. The ferocity of the push was a friendly reminder that Enyo was not someone who''s way you should get in, especially when it involved any matter of the heart. Normally Enyo would have beaten them up and dragged them to a nearby jail, but she didn''t give a damn about time wasting right now so she chose the simplest method. She didn''t want to deal with any hassle right now so she dragged Ares around another corner, away from prying eyes, and using her beady eyes she silently demanded he take her inside. With a small laugh, Ares brought out the Nyxian Prowler and put a more-than-willing Enyo inside an Ebon Nightmare Zone. Ares attached the shadow to his own and walked back out onto the street. He looked around to check how many people were observing him. He didn''t much care about how many people saw him enter, but he still figured the less the better. Even if people only indirectly associated Enyo with him entering the store, that was still what Enyo had wanted to avoid. Luckily, or maybe it had been Enyo''s plan all along, everyone was busy crowding around the four men that had been thoroughly battered by an unknown foe. Ares slipped inside the shop with pretty much none the wiser. The only people that even caught a glimpse of him were some keen eyed citizens who saw a blur enter the shop and nothing more. They would just assume some perv was going for his daily shop. After all, what kind of person went into a sex shop during the day? That was just asking for a bad reputation no matter how you sliced it. There was one person who saw him enter clearly though. Someone who''d been stealthily stalking Ares from the very start of the date...


    Once Ares made it inside he immediately went to the counter at the back of the store. It was pretty hard to see from the front so he would be safe from prying eyes there. He didn''t take out Enyo just yet though as just this wouldn''t be enough to guarantee Enyo''s privacy. Ares hunched down to scooch under some mood lighting that was for sale and he walked down an isle of various toys for men and women. The irony of being surrounded by pocket pussies while he was hiding his wife in a pocket dimension was not lost on Ares... Ares wished Enyo could read his mind so she could appreciate the stupid joke that he was laughing to himself at as he strolled to the front of the store.


    "Entering my store during the day is one thing, but laughing to yourself when no one else is even around is some seriously degenerate behaviour, Ares."


    Ares stuck his tongue out at a pretty woman seated behind a cash register. She was slender and her blonde hair was glossy. Her face was well-rounded with a mix of features that were either sharp or smooth and she was very much a good-looking woman in her own right. She was definitely not the kind of person you would expect to be running a shop like this. She looked too prim and proper to even be here. Many men had made advances on her the second they entered because of this, but she was strong enough to do essentially the same thing Enyo had just done to the four guys outside. In fact, it had become a relatively common occurrence which was why the crowd that gathered around the crooks had already dispersed. They all collectively misattributed this incident to the ''crazy hot lady running the pervy store''. "Pot calling the kettle black, much? You know, Bea, if you hired someone else to run the store you would make way more money... Women don''t want their husbands around you and men are scared to enter here lest they be given an earful at home after. The housewives of Red Sun are a catty lot and won''t step foot in this store to spite you." Ares leaned forward on the counter and gave Bea a wry smile.


    "Meh, who cares. This shop is my passion, I won''t bow down to jealousy. I make enough stardust to keep going, so that''s what I''ll do. I won''t pretend things haven''t been rough here and there, but that''s the way I like it!... Nah, I''m kidding, debt sucks... And so do I! Seriously though, I hope you''re here to buy something otherwise it''s bread and soup for me again for the next week."


    "Well today''s not just your lucky day, it''s the start of your lucky future. I''ve brought you a customer who is going to be paying you lots of visits and will make sure you become the richest woman in this city if it''s the last thing they do."


    "Ha, I like the sound of them already. They have good taste, that''s for sure... So where is this mysterious person? Unless its you of course, I won''t complain if you''ve finally decided to admit that you''re a colossal man slut."


    Ares rolled his eyes. "No... Maybe? I might actually be... Anyway, no. Could I bother you to close the shutters and lock the front door for a while?"


    "Ooh la la. Are you finally going to let me have some fun with that body of yours? You want to turn down the lights and do it in private? How romantic." Bea''s joke was met with an aura of hostility that came with the force of a thousand stampeding, malevolent demons. Bea raised her hands and chuckled sheepishly to express her innocence. Clearly whoever the guest was they were not fond of her advances on Ares, unserious though they were. Having a jealous, ''invisible'', murderous woman on the loose and in her store was Bea''s worst nightmare.