NOVEL WEB Chapter 5: Second Nature
Aeona's face paled.
But shortly after, she calmed her mind.
She was eventually going to fight the Glad-Marked Dragoon, and if not them, somebody who could beat them. The battle was inevitable, she just hoped she could attain memories from other opponents first.
She had very little time for preparation, but she decided to take a breather.
Breathe in...
Breathe out...
What could she do other than try? Aeona was clearly not meant to win such a battle, nor was the person in this place originally. The final match was supposed to be between the Glad-Marked Dragoon and the Western Centaur. A poetic final to bring the story between them to a conclusion.
But that made this fight all the more important. If she won a fight this difficult, she might have had a chance to carry out her plan.
Or perhaps she could carry it out during this fight.
...
"The Glad-Marked Dragoon is notable for: Reaching a stalemate with the centaur in a previous battle, murdering thousands of criminal escapees, and lastly..."
'Did he say thousands...?'
"...for never having backed down from a battle, not even once. Never changing sights, never using their brain. Always a battle of brawn and emotions."
'They're mindless? I can use that!'
While it seemed like fate was handing her a chance on a silver platter, and that it was far too good to be true, she didn't have the opportunity to delve deep into things because...
"Lower the gates!"
...the match was starting.
As the rusted alloy bars descended, Aeona finally got some pure and fresh air. The gravel beneath her crinkled as she stepped across the wood. A cold, but not too cold breeze swept across her skin, refreshing her almost instantly.
That refreshment lasted only for a few moments as she spotted her opponent stand up and exit the darkness.
The refreshment shifted into confusion.
"Huh..?" She muttered, squinting her eyes at the figure stepping towards her, "No, really, what the hell?" It was a man as she expected, but they weren't a mutated creature or some harrowing beast. What Aeona saw was human with an almost identical build as the bandit from round one.
The Master interjected her thoughts, "Are you ready folks! Let's see who wins!
"Three...
"Two...
"One!"
It was odd, the human across from her wore a paled expression, scared. It was almost as if he were waiting for her to attack him. He seemed distressed—worried, even.
Her opponent was hyped up to be some big bad, but the man of glory seemed to be cowering in fear. Seeing the distance between them, Aeona stretched her arms. She should have done so earlier, but she deemed her thinking more important. She could always just endure and injury anyways.
The subtle act of stretching brought her opponent into focus, it was an opening. Unfortunately, the man was quite literally over ten feet away, and certainly not quick enough to capitalize on it.
The crowd erupted into laughter at the poor man's foolish attempt, he even tripped on the ground and face planted, sending Aeona's head into a tilt.
'They're... ridiculing him? Isn't he some sort of champion?'
"Would you look at that, folks! The Pitiful Human fell and slammed his face into the floor! Not only that, but even the—"
'What...? If that's the piti..."
"—Glad-Marked Dragoon feels pity for such a sight! She mocked him by stretching, as if not needing to previously prepare for the fight, and even spectated in silence as he fell, wearing a tilted head! You can just see the disappointment on her face!"
Aeona's jaw dropped.
The crowd laughed once again.
"Glory! Glory! Glory!"
...
'Ah...'
...
'I think I understand. The original fate of this body was victory or at least second place.' She glanced downwards with a tinge of curiosity. 'I'm not... the Pitiful Human?'
Aeona wasn't sure what to say, while it seemed like a stroke of good luck, this could be seen as the polar opposite. Her being strong automatically rose the standard for the Nightmare. It meant that she would certainly meet incredibly difficult opponents, if not, it wouldn't be the First Nightmare.
Regardless, she smiled. Not a devious smile, merely one of enlightenment. While she wasn't the greatest fighter, she could use the Glad-Marked Dragoon's reputation. She could use it to make others underestimate her intelligence.
Walking forward, but not towards her opponent, she approached the lone goblin, laying in pain. Her opponent frowned, expecting her to pick it up and somehow use its body as a weapon. In fact, even the crowd was confused.
"Oh!? Is the infamous dragoon going to use strategy? Against this pitiful thing?"
But this thought was immediately discarded as she raised her leg over the poor guy's face and axe kicked it into the floor—surprising even herself with her own strength.
'Is this my aspect...?'
[You have slain a dormant beast, Laboratorial Hobgoblin]
'Laboratorial? Is that why these beasts seem intelligent? Have they been experimented on? It would make sense, given that creatures like these wouldn't normally exist.' She pondered for a moment.
[You have received a Memory...]
A sudden grin was plastered across her face. This was the first Memory she had ever received, and in a way marked the beginning of a journey—one that would hopefully be long.
'Yes! Come on, give me something good!'
From her knowledge, Memories could be anything, from weapons to enchanted items. Even if from a dormant beast, it would be a boon regardless. It could be for utility, maybe something to startle an opponent. Even after the nightmare, she'd be able to bring it back to the real world.
Despite knowing that anything would be fine, she still hoped for something specific.
'A weapon! Something for agility! Please!'
[...received a Memory: Hollow Satchel]
'A storage Memory?' While this was certainly useful in the long run, likely not so much for her current situation.
Aeona summoned the runes and concentrated on the words "Hollow Satchel". Instantly, an image of the satchel appeared in front of her eyes with a short string of text below.
[Hollow Satchel: Cunning and greedy hearts held this tool of survival. Stitched from the hide of fallen hobgoblins, it carries the scent of stolen goods and corrupt deals whispered in the dark. While it can hold much, it can fill quickly.]
'Interesting, but once again, not very useful right now.' She took a few steps away from the hobgoblin and centered her focus on her opponent.
"The dragoon mercilessly stepped on the dead! Was this an act of disrespect, or perhaps something of deeper meaning!?" Little did he know, it was partly an act of mercy, and partly an act of greed.
Suddenly, the girl took a deep breath and ruthlessly charged at the Pitiful Human, mirroring what she heard about the Glad-Marked Dragoon.
While approaching, the Pitiful Human's face contorted with fear as it backed away. Unfortunately for him, and fortunately for Aeona, her aspect made her faster.
Catching up, she grabbed the man's clothing by a crease and yanked it back, pulling the man with it.
'These people are fake, Aeona... Remember what your brother said, there's no reason to feel bad.' She repeated in her mind as she clenched her teeth and headbutt the guy. The assault continued as she dodged her opponents flimsy attempt at a right hook and swept his legs.]
'He said they were nothing more than steppingstones for my success.' She elbow struck him into the wooden floor, gravel dispersing underneath. 'He said I'd have to change, but for some reason...'
She crushed the man's skull in the same manner she murdered the hobgoblin.
'...this feels like second nature.'
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Authors Note:
I might drop this. I read it back and realized that it's kind of buns, and I also haven't gotten like any feedback which probably means nobody liked it enough to comment. I might start a different Shadow Slave Fanfiction that's much simpler and basic because that seems to catch traction much easier.
Actually, a vote will work:
Keep doing this one [Respond here]
Do a new one [Respond here]
If nobody responds to either, I'll choose the second option :)