Blood poured from his nostrils as his nose waspletely bent to the right, bruising immediately before he caught himself from falling backward, leaning back unnaturally before he grabbed his nose.


    Crack.


    With a simple tug, he snapped it back into proper position as the bruising subsided alongside his momentary concussion, bringing him back into the fight just as he looked up, finding Ikar leaping towards him.


    “You’re great!” Ikar said in earnest delight.


    Emilio flipped backward to avoid beingnded on as Ikar mmed his gauntlet into the ground uponnding, causing the entire arena to tremble beneath his savage might.


    As Ikar looked up with his dreadlocks swaying in the wind caused by his own might, he burst forward as Emilio was already doing the same, resulting in a sh of sword against fist.


    Needless thoughts ceased as the triumphant instincts of the dragon set in, guiding his sword forward as through his heightened focus in the heat of battle, he ducked beneath one of Ikar’s blows, delivering a spinning sh against his abdomen in a clean counter.


    “Gh–!” Ikar winced.


    Despitending a direct strike, it was only a skin-deep cut as the muscles held by the demon were as stiff as steel, though Emilio followed up as he spun back around, catching Ikar off-guard with his relentlessbination.


    As he went for a sh with his ck-and-silver de, Ikar flexed his muscles in preparation, though found the attack to be shifted into another entirely as Emilio lowered his sword, instead throwing his fist forward.


    “What–?!” Ikar witnessed.


    It was a faint; swelling in the knuckles of the draconic young man was the destructive might exclusive to him in the form of the draconic force.


    Striking against the stiffened, already injured abdomen of his opponent, Emilio’s fist released a supernatural force in its impact, blowing therge man back as he shot against the barrier with a devastating impact.


    “…Phew…” Emilio breathed out, catching his breath as he stayed in his readied stance.


    As the sand settled, it revealed to him and the anticipating audience alike the state of Ikar: the brawler was slumped over against the farthest wall, unconscious.


    “WINNER: EMILIO DRAGONHEART!” The announcer yelled out.


    The decided result of the match caused a massive roar from the audience as cheers cascaded from the stands and down to the victory, who stood there in surprise.


    With the battle finished, the Dragonheart System deactivated, leaving him to bask in triumph for a minute as he smiled brightly, waving his hands to the crowd.


    As he returned to the private area of the Tower, exclusive forbatants, staff, and sponsors, he was cheerfully greeted by his sponsor the moment he entered the room, being hugged repeatedly by the dwarf.


    “Emilio, my boy! You did it! You actually did it!” Alfobromli said with an excited smile, letting go of him, “I mean, I believed in you the entire time, obviously!”


    “Thanks…” He wryly chuckled.


    From the look he gave Mr. Merryfoot, the small man seemed to understand what he was waiting for as he waddled over to the desk, grabbing a bag filled with coins before handing it over to Emilio.


    Holding the bag of coins, Emilio felt his heart warm up as he nuzzled his cheek against it, thinking of all the cat girls he could indulge in with such funds.


    “One-hundred-and-twenty crowns,” Alfobromli told him, “Twenty extra came from the overwhelming victory you presented! I mean, it’s unheard of to walk out of a bout unscathed like you did!’


    “–” Emilio’s eyes were locked on the bag of coins, immediately tucking it safely in his pocket.


    Before he could get a chance to consider what to do with his newfound funds, Alfobromli approached him, rubbing his hands together as if seeing him in a new light.


    “That right there is just the start of it, Emilio-boy,” Alfobromli told him, “You’re the talk of the hour now–people want to see you fight, they want to see your limits. Do you know what that means?”


    “They’ll buy in?” Emilio answered.


    “Yes, yes! A perceptived, too! So, how about it? I can schedule you another fightter today, even! If you’re up for it, that is,” the dwarven man asked him, “No pressure, though.”


    Though the coins he had were certainly enough to make up for what he nned to do within the city, the prospect of even more money was certainly alluring as it opened up more opportunities. Beyond that, he found this to be a beneficial experience as well, getting to sharpen his newer, unrefined skills.


    “Hmm…” Emilio pondered.


    “What’ll it be? I’ll need an answer sooner rather thanter,” Alfobromli persisted.


    “Alright, alright…one more,” Emilio answered, raising a single finger.


    Alfobromli’s expression lit up as he smiled brightly, adjusting his monocle, “A wise and profitable choice, Emilio-boy! Now, rest up–I’ll fetch you when your fight is ready!”


    Before the wealthy man could leave the VIP room of the Tower, Emilio stopped him as a question came to mind.


    “Hey, Alfo, err, old man,” Emilio called out.


    “Yes, what is it? Don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need,” Alfobromli asked.


    Emilio smiled as he finally found the solution to his search, “–Can you point me to the nearest brothel? With demi-humans, preferably.”


    Alfobromli looked stunned for a moment before answering, adjusting his monocle, “Oh, that’s what you want to know?…”


    –


    Given directions to a brothel and a special token given him by his dwarven sponsor that he was told would get him anything he wanted, free of charge, he whistled cheerfully as he exited the room.


    Today, a boy will be a man, Emilio thought.


    With his eyes closed and humming to himself in a sing-song tune, he unexpectedly bumped into what felt like a wall of steel.


    “Gah–”


    Opening his eyes, he saw a toned six-pack in front of him, spurring confusion in him as he tilted his head for a moment before looking up, finding his eyesying on the familiar, unexpected sight of the tan-skinned demon.


    “Ikar–?” Emilio said in surprise.


    Is he here for revenge? Crap…I left my gear in the room, Emilio thought.


    The horned man towered over him, looking down at the young man for a moment before a cheerful smile came across his lips, suddenly lifting Emilio up into a bearhug.


    “You were awesome, man! Let’s do that again sometime!” Ikar said, holding him whileughing.


    “–Huh?” Emilio was caughtpletely off-guard.


    To his shock, the intimidating man was as affable as could be, outside the arena, that is. After tapping the man’s rock-solid bicep repeatedly to be let down, he was finally freed from the tight embrace, catching his breeze.


    “If I didn’t know any better…I’d say you were trying to squeeze the life outta me,” Emilio said, catching his breath.


    “Ha-ha! Give yourself some credit, you’re as tough as the valleys of Marjuar!” Ikarughed, pping him on the back.


    Though the man was treating him fondly, there was still an abrasive nature to his ‘kind’ gestures as the brawler wasn’t exactly aware of his own strength. Despite the difference in stature and their love for fighting, he found himself intrigued by Ikar nheless.


    “Hey, I’ve got a question,” he said, looking up at therge man.


    “Yeah?” Ikar looked at him.


    “You’re a demon, right? The continent of demons–err, Ennage, is a long way out from Vasmoria, isn’t it?” Emilio asked.


    Ikar seemed perplexed by his question as if it wasn’t much of a mystery as the man scratched his scruffy beard, beginning to walk down the corridors of the private sector of the Tower alongside the young man.


    “I take it you’ve never met a demon before?” Ikar asked before answering the prior question.


    The youthful mage shook his head in response, prompting a short-lived, boomingugh from the man.


    “Ha-ha! I bet you expected a big, scary monster then, didn’t you? That’s what those in the human kingdom seem to think all of us demonkin are, anyway,” Ikar said.


    “Err, no…well, sorta,” Emilio admitted.


    “I’m just messin’ with ya’. The truth is, there are a lot of different demonkin–those like me, handsome warriors, ha-ha! Then there are some truly monstrous types like the Garana or the Yunam. Count yourself lucky that they’d never step foot off our home continent,” Ikar exined, “So, why’d I leave? That’s what you want to know?”


    “Yeah, please,” Emilio insisted.


    As they walked down the hall, passing members of the Iron Magi had to squeeze by as Ikarcked any manners or consideration for others, not moving out of the way as he strutted down the middle of the narrow corridor.


    “Truth is, I was on the run! Ha-ha!” Ikarughed.


    “On the run?…Like, a criminal?”


    “Exactly! I’m always lookin’ for strong guys to fight–doesn’t matter if it’s a kid, adult, woman, man, or beast! If they’re strong, I’ll fight ’em!” Ikar told him, punching the air as his dreadlocks swayed, “…So, when one of those pesky Shadowlords got in my way, I socked him, well n’ good!”


    ‘Shadowlord’? Emilio thought.


    Though there was no chance to ask as Ikar continued with his story like an excited child, “Well, I thought I knocked him good, but he was barely phased! Ha-ha! Still, those Shadowlords think of themselves too ‘high and mighty’ for a good ol’ fight, so he stuck me on a wanted list! I hightailed it off of Ennage and jumped on a ship. That’s how I ended up here in Vasmoria.”


    “…I see,” Emilio wryly chuckled.


    This guy is nuts! He thought.