Chapter 84: Just Stay Back and Watch


    But he wasn''t that crazy to go out of his way and start a fight with them. "Sigh, as the rules bind others, they also bind me," he regretfully shook his head before the first fight started.


    Five against five, that was the beginning battle in the arena today. Jim looked in no care towards the challenge and only cared about its beginning and its end.


    At the beginning the challenger set the rules. ording to what Jim noticed, the challenged team looked like ordinary folks with not much prestige or vibe around them.


    And the challenger asked for a price of five academy coins as bet. As far as Jim understood, the other team had to either ept or raise the bet.


    And for sure the other team only bitterly epted before a brutal fight erupted. One team was just nobody, and the other had one year experience and was supported by spells.


    "That sigh," Deno sighed when the fresh team lost, "this is by the rules but it sounds unfair."


    His words got the approval of everyone before Jim muttered:


    "Life isn''t fair, you of all people my friend knows that better than others."


    Deno''s face changed slightly before he silently nodded.


    "When will our turne?" Lan asked before turning to Jim as he added, "and have you settled on the team fighting?"


    "Sure," Jim nodded as this was something he had deeply thought about for thest days, "we just need to see our opponents before I can decide on the team."


    As the first challenge was done, everyone became nervous as they waited for their names to be announced.


    "The next match is Tivol challenging Reb."


    "Damn, it''s not our turn yet," Rick muttered while Jim stole a swift nce around. "It seems they n to let us be more nervous," he muttered.


    "What do you mean?" Jenny asked in quite an aggressive tone.


    "I think we will fightte in the arena," he stated what he felt from the mocking faces over his enemies, "so toughen up and don''t be this fragile. You know we aren''t weak."


    "Or poor," Sagaughed before asking, "do you n on making us fight in the first round?"


    "It depends," Jim smiled and his answer made everyone around him restless.


    But before anyone could say anything, Tina chuckled as she said: "That would be interesting if we opened the first fight with you."


    "I think you are more nervous than others," heughed shortly before adding, "alright, you have my word to be in the first team."


    "Yes," the two girls pped their hands together in a way and spirit that startled everyone.


    "Are you sure?" Kro couldn''t help but ask.


    "Don''t worry about them," Jim was the one to speak, "mind yourselves and try to make your minds prepared for the next battle."


    As Jim expected, their turn didn''te until ten teams were challenged. Up so far no team was challenged and won from the new year, and all those challenged were just nobodies.


    "And now it''s time for the first inner disciple challenged here today," Dolly said in excited tone, "Mench of the second year core disciples is challenging Jim, a privileged inner disciple of first year in a team challenge."


    "It''s our turn," Jim smiled while waiting to see his opponents.


    "Who is going to participate?" Lan was restless like everyone else, but Jim didn''t hurry to answer.


    "Oh, they didn''t bring giants only in the team," Jim muttered while watching three giants walking side by side with two Bulltors. "They are trying to force a close up match," Jim sneered before turning to the team.


    "Deno, Lan, Saga, and Tina wille down there with me."


    "Me?" Deno pointed to himself in a shocked manner, "I can''t deal with two Bulltors alone."


    "Who said you will?" Jimughed before moving towards the stairs leading to the arena, "juste, and there I''ll tell you everything."


    The four followed him as the two girls were the first to move then Lan. Deno was hesitant but Rick and Gorden patted on his shoulder while the other five Bulltors gave him an encouraging smile.


    "Going to your death, hehehe," the core giant discipleughed while Jim just ignored his useless provocation.


    In his mind, he had already pictured the entire scenario of this fight. "If no surprises happened, then we will get out of this with a priceless gain," he inwardly sneered while reaching down the arena and went towards Mench and his team.


    "Well well well, it''s that rude youth of first year boys," one giant mockingly pointed towards Jim while adding, "he ising to his death. Don''t show him any mercy and use everything in your disposal to kill them all."


    "Yes yes boss."


    His four henchmen shouted in unison and they seemed to take Jim and his team lightly.


    "You know the rules," Dolly amusingly said, before adding, "and now you have to issue your challenge."


    Mench smiled evilly as he said:


    "I issued a challenge of fifty academy coins to him."


    "Fifty?" Dolly muttered in surprise before he nodded to confirm his request.


    "Alight," Dolly turned towards Jim as she sighed, "I hate to see such a good disciple being crushed in the arena but rules are the rules. You either have to ept the challenge or raise it."


    "One word, please," before Jim could answer, Mench spoke first, "if he can''t pay after losing, or he died and his surviving team members can''t pay, what''s the procedure?"


    Dolly gave Mench an interesting nce before saying:


    "The rules state that the team will be demoted one grade each to pay their debt."


    "Good," Mench nodded as if it was the first time to hear such a thing. "Your answer?" he turned to Jim who simply grinned.


    "I want to raise it" Jim paused before rising his index finger high in the air.


    "One academy coin?" Dolly asked to make sure she got his meaning right, "you want the challenge to be fifty-one academy coins?"


    "This is nothing," Menchughed before adding, "I can raise it to one hundred academy coins then."


    "You are mistaken," Jim calmly shook his head before adding, "it''s one thousand academy coins, and I won''t ept anything but coins."


    "Phew," Dolly sucked in a long breath of air, "that''s ruthless," sheughed before she turned to Mench and said, "your answer?"


    "Y- You" Mench stuttered before pointing towards him as he loudly said, "He is bluffing, he has no such wealth under his name."


    "Humph," Jim didn''t want to argue as the next instant he touched his ring and one thousand academy coins piled in the next moment in front of him. "Now I have shown my sincerity, what about you?"


    The look on Mench''s face turned to be vicious for a second before he cracked up inughter. "You you are hrious," he pointed towards him before adding, "of course I would ept this challenge. Who is foolish enough to let such a generous offer slip by his grasp?"


    He then turned to his team as he loudlyughed, "cheer up boys, the party tonight will be on me."


    The team membersughed and mockingly pointed towards Jim and his team but Jim only stayed calm and wasn''t affected by their rudeness.


    "So this is settled up then," Dolly said.


    "One second, please," it was Jim''s turn to stop her before adding, "if he couldn''t pay after losing, or killed and his surviving team couldn''t afford to pay. What will happen next?"


    "The same," Dolly answered with a much interesting look over her face, "his team members will be demoted on grade."


    "Can I have another retribution?" Jim asked, "like having his rank inside the academy for instance?"


    "This" the look over Dolly''s face changed slightly before Menchughed as he mockingly said: "I totally agree with that, as if you will live to see the end of this challenge or something."


    Dolly moved her eyes between the two before smiling in excitement, "that''s not against the rules. As your opponent epted it, then if you defeated him and he couldn''t pay then you will be upgraded to an inner disciple rank," she paused before adding, "but you need to defeat him, something that never happened for a millennia."


    "I don''t mind making records," Jim simply said.


    "Alright, good luck for both of you then," she said before raising high up and clearing the space for the challenge.


    "What''s the n, boss?" Deno asked in much nervousness.


    "You stay back," Jim simply said, "and you will lend me lightning."


    "That''s it?" Lan asked in doubt, "no more shy moves or traps?"


    Jimughed as he turned to gaze at the two girls and said, "no need, our trap is already in ce."


    The two girls were still wearing the capes and hiding most of their alluring figures. His words didn''t help in calming down the anxious Deno who asked again:


    "What do you need of me? Can you be more specific?"


    "Nothing," Jim shrugged before adding, "I just brought you here to watch."


    "W Watch?!!" Deno was shocked and couldn''t believe his ears.


    "Just watch and you''ll understand in time," Jim patted on his high arm before turning to the girls. "Are you ready?"


    "Indeed," Sagaughed.


    "Let''s kill some arrogant giants," Tina added with a soft chuckle.


    "That''s the spirit," Jim nodded before moving to stand in the forefront while Lan helplessly shook his head and walked to stand behind him. "I hope you know what you''re doing," he muttered.


    "I do," Jim smiled before grinning, "I''ll make everyone dazzled in the arena today and make a name for myself."