Chapter 16: Invitation For A Fight

Clergyman raised an inviting hand toward the fat middle age man and smiled. "You look like a good proficient fellow". It was hard to say if he was mocking the man or recognize something in him, which to everyone else but the fat man seemed very unlikely.

"Haha ... See, son, among all the people here, it is your father that a professional fighter deemed a worthy opponent". The fat man told to the boy beside him who also shared a proud smile of been the son of the only man Clergyman called forward.

"Mr. Clergyman, my name his Dodo Korseski". Mr. Korseski climbed sluggishly onto the ring and took a fighting stance. "Please instruct me to the best of your ability". He felt the need to say it out of delusional courtesy.

To the side of Zax and Anet people began to murmur once again.

"That Clergyman, is he out to embarrass a member of the Korseski family?" Some woman said.

"Look at him, is he not a F level Mist User? How can he be so impudent?"

"Does it matter? I'm sure Clergyman knows what he is doing".

"Fat imbecile..."

The audience was divided to either those who resented Dodo Korseski actions and manner, those who assume that Clergyman's invite was part of the event and others will be called next for a chance to stand in the same ring with a professional fighter and those who did not think much and just wanted to see what will happen.

"Here I come". Clergyman announced and made his first move.

This time, the audience could clearly see that Clergyman moved a bit slower compared to when he exercised alone, and right then the meaning behind his invite was confirmed. On the ring, however, Mr. Korseski could not discern any changes in Clergyman's movement speed. In his mind he was half confident in his abilities. Being a member of the Korseski family he had trained, once in a while, in high level Martial techniques, so even if his level as a Mist User was lower he believed that he could handle receiving a few strikes or even land one or two himself.

As it was already predicted, Clergyman held himself back to not cause the smallest of injuries on his impotent opponent. He still gave one hell of a show before stopping declaring the fight over and raising the left hand of Mr. Korseski.

Mr. Korseski got down from the ring, sweating yet smiling from ear to ear like a child who met and had an even match with his greatest hero.

"You were awesome, father!" Getting praised by his son, Mr. Korseski's ego rose steeply and the two left laughing to celebrate with a rich meal.

Obviously, to any coreless child the simplest fight between the lowest Mist Users will seem like something out of their dreams. That reason was why Zax was satisfied with mid beginner, E level, showdowns. Clergyman, incidentally, was fighting in the advanced beginner, D level, showdowns and was a breakthrough away from the early expert, C level, showdowns league.

"Haha! Who else has the guts to step onto the ring with me? I see some tough people in the crowd, even children". For a single moment Clergyman locked eye contact with every child that surrounded the ring and smiled as if it was just between the two of them. The saying was true, a man who can fight can win the match, but a man who can perform can win the heart of the audience.

The first line of people was then formed in the fifth floor, too fast and too pushy for Zax, Serah, Dane and Anet to react in time for a decent place in the line. So they decided to watch a few fight and then go back to the lower floors since they already assigned seats for themselves and there was nothing much to do right now in the fifth floor.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP... !

The four halted just when they were about to enter the elevator. "Dane, your badge is beeping". Serah informed him. "What have you done to it?"

"Nothing". Dane answered puzzled.

"Did you break it?" Zax asked.

"No! I kept it in my pocket all the time!"

"Maybe when you played on the seat..." Anet said.

"I didn't break it!" Dane felt annoyed and offended from the attitude of his friends.

"Let me see it". He handed Serah the badge and tried to look together with her for the cause of the beeping, but right then they stopped.

"What did you do?" Anet asked Serah.

"Nothing".

"Then why did the beeping stopped?"

"Maybe a technical error?"

"Whatever, it stopped. Order the elevator again and let's go". Zax said. If it was a temporary technical error then they could do nothing about it, so dwelling over it also was meaningless.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP... !

"Again?" Serah turned around to Dane, but this time the beeping came from the badge.

"You four, stop playing with your badges!" A cameraman from the press area yelled at them.

"We didn't do anything". Anet defended.

"Get away from the elevators if you already saved a seat". The cameraman both scolded and explained. "If you'll get close to an elevator after you assigned yourselves seats the badges will start beeping and if you'll enter the elevator your seats allocation will be deleted".

Listening to the cameraman, Serah stepped away from the opened elevator like a cat who realized a danger behind him. She reached as far as a few steps before the badge stopped beeping. "It's true..." She said, excitedly - more from the sudden movement.

This small revelation also made them understand why there were so few people in the fifth floor compared to the others. There were still three hours for the real event of the fifth floor to start, apart from it there was basically anything interesting else to do except waiting in the line to ring one...

"What should he do?" Anet asked. Since they arrived to the fifth floor the number of people increased although there was couple of hours before the fights. It appeared that other people were aware or starting to become aware to the limited number of good seats and so were willing to grab good ones head of time at the expense of being stuck on the fifth floor.

"I don't want to lose our seats". Serah and Dane said in one voice.

Zax felt the same, but while they were deciding the new arrivals seized the second and more than half of the third rows of seats before extending the line to ring one. At that point, Clergyman started to accept two or three opponents simultaneously and not more only because the small size of the ring.

"The fourth floor is the only one with cool stuff, but if we go back there and the lines will still be over packed we will be giving our seats for nothing". Zax said and then made a suggestion. "Let's vote it. Those who want to go back to the fourth floor raise a hand. If three choose to either stay or go then the fourth will have to follow, but if it will be a draw we'll split up".

Serah, Dane and Anet nodded.

"Who wants to stay here?" Zax asked and raised his hand. Dane and Anet did the same and Serah, whose opinion was torn, raised her hand last to make it unanimously.

"Let's get in line". Smiling, Zax offered and sprang to ring one. He did not show it, but he actually really wanted to stand on the same ring with a professional fighter.

An hour later it was finally their turn. Clergyman spared and adjusted himself to more than ninety people by now, yet still was laughing with not a drop of sweat on his face. He even permitted the four kids and six more that stood in line to fight him together.

The ten children exchanged glances of hello but were tense and without planning scattered immediately around Clergyman. Zax communicated only with his friends as well. He and Dane stood side by side and Serah and Anet behind them.

All four were still nine years old whom interest was not fully genderized yet. At that age boys remained children and girls were slowly growing self conscious.

Three children came kicking and screaming at Clergyman. The pro fighter moved only as fast as they did but with greater affinity efficiency, avowing their strikes, picking them up and removing them from the ring.

"Don't turn your back to me!" Another child called all seriously, but apparently could back up her words. Before the mouths of everyone watching the fight gaped, steams started to appear and cover the young girl's hands.

"This girl is capable of using her Qi!" People were astonished.

"Does anyone know her name?"